the People Exod. 20. 15. Thou shalt not steal Ezek. 22. 12. In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood thou hast taken usury and increase thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbour by extortion Amos. 5. 12. They afflict the just they have taken abribe they turn aside the poor from his right Micah 6. 10 11. Are there yet treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable Shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and with the bag of deceitfull weights 1 Thess 4. 6. That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter for the Lord is the avenger of all such 11. Lying slandering backbiting detracting riviling tale-bearing rash censuring and defaming and speaking ill one of another with false witnessing and perjury breach of Oaths Covenants promises Exodus 20. 16. Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour Psal. 50. 19 20. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son 2 Cor. 12. 20. Left there be debates envyings wrath strife backbiting whisperings swellings and tumults Matth. 7. 1. Iudge not that ye be not judged Rom. 1. 31. without understanding Covenant-breakers without natural affection implacable unmercifull 2 Tim 3. 1 2. This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shal come for men shal be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unholy Before we close this Article of prophanity we cannot but in a speciall way take notice of the carriage of many beggars in the Land amongst whom for a long time past abominations of all sorts hath abounded which sin lyes so much heavier on the Land because though it hath been generally known and acknowledged by all yet hath no effectuall course been taken to this day for the helping thereof 3. Article THe third Article which relates to JESUS CHRIST and the Gospel is in a great measure spoken to in the Causes of Humiliation concerning the contempt of the Gospel condescended on by the Commission of the Generall Assembly at Perth Dec. 22. 1650. yet some particulars there be in the Article which we shall now speak unto 1. The resting on out ward and bare forms without studying to known in our selves or to promove in others the Kingdom of GOD which is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost The Work of Reformation in the outward part of it or externall means that do relate to Worship and Ordinances of GOD and the purity thereof is certainly a thing excellent and desirable which all the lovers of pure Religion and undefiled ought to endeavour to attain to and preserve Ezra 7. 27. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers who hath put such a thing as this in the Kings heart to beautifie the house of the Lord at Ierusalem Exod. 39. 42. According to all that the Lord commanded Moses so the Children of Israel made all the work 43. v. And Moses did look on all the work and behold they had done it as the Lord commanded even so had they done and Moses blessed them Ezek. 42. 11. And the way before them was like the appearing of the Chambers that were toward the North as long as they and as broad as they and all their goings out were both according to their fashions and according to their doores Heb. 3. 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house Heb. 8. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle for see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the mount But when these things are rested upon and idolized they do through our corruption become snares to us to keep us from seeking in to more excellent and better things to wit communion and fellowship with GOD and the power and life of godliness which are the kernell whereof these things are but the shell and the scrooff and being rested upon do provoke the Lord either to make them barren and fruitlesse to us or else to loath us in the following of them or to remove them wholly away from us Isai 1. 10 11 12 13 14 15. Hear the word of the Lord ye rulers of Sodom give ear to the Law of our God ye people of Gomorrah To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts I delight not in the blood of bullocks or of lambs or of he-goats When ye come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain oblation incense is an abomination to me the new moons and the Sabbaths and the calling of the assembly I cannot away with it is an iniquity even the solemn meeting your new moons and appointed feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble to me I am weary to bear them And when ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of blood Isai. 66. 1 2 3 4. Thus saith the Lord The heavens is my throne and the earth is my footstool where is the house ye will build me and where is the place of my rest for all these things hath mine hand made and all these things have been saith the Lord But to this man will I look even to him that is of a poor and contrite spirit and trembleth at my word He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dogsneck he that offereth an oblation as he that offereth swines blood he that burneth incense as he that blesseth an idol Yea they have chosen their own wayes and their soul delighteth in their abominations I also will choose their delusions and bring their fears on them because when I called none did answer and when I spake they did not hear but did evill before mine eyes and chose that in which I delighted not Jer. 7. 4 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Trust ye not in lying words saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Will ye steal murder commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense to Baal and walk after other gods whom ye know not and come and stand before me in this house which is called by my name and say we are delivered to do all these abominations Is this house which is called by my Name become a den of robbers in your eyes Behold even I have seen it saith the Lord but go ye to my place which was in Shiloh where I set my Name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickednesse
amongst many especially the ignorance and not observing but forgetting the works of mercy and judgment which GOD hath wrought amongst our selves which sin as it proved an In-let to many other provocations from the 7 verse of that Psalm throughout so hath it great threatnings pronounced against it and sore judgments inflicted on it Psal. 28. 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shal destroy them and not build them up Isa. 5. 11 12. Wo to them that rise up early in the morning that they may follow strong drink and continue till night till wine inflame them and the wine and the pipe the viol the tabret and the harp are in their feasts but they regard not the work of the Lord nor consider the operation of his hands Psal. 106. 7. 13. 21 22. Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the sea they soon forgot his works they waited not for his counsell Thy forgâ—t God their Saviour who had done great things in Egypt wondrous works in the land of Ham and terrible things by the redsea In this Article also Atheisme is joyned with Ignorance which as it is the root and fountain of all other sin Psal. 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt they have done abominable works there is none that doth good So it is also the root and fountain of all misery Eph. 2. 12. At that time ye were without Christ being strangers from the Commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and being without God in the world And yet this doth possesse many there being multitudes of that wicked sort Psal. 10. 4. Who through the pride of their heart will not seek God God is not in all their thoughts These are far from acknowledging him in all their wayes and aiming at his glory in all their actions according to these divine rules Proverb 3. 6. In all thy wayes acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or ye drink or what soever ye do in word or deed do all in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ giving thanks to the Father through him But they do live as if there were no God or as if he had forsaken the earth and did not see Ezek. 9. 9. Then said he unto me The iniquity of the house of Israel and Iuda is exceeding great and the Land is full of blood and the City full of perversnesse for they say The Lord hath forsaken the earth and the Lord seeth not Or as if the Lord would not do good or evill like these who are threatned Zeph. 1. 12. I will search Ierusalem with candles and punish the men that are setled on their lees that say in their heart the Lord will not do good neither will be do evill The Second Article THe second Article concerning loosnesse and prophanity is no lesse true and evident then the first it being undenyable that a floud of prophanity hath overflowed the whole Land and that the most part of the Inhabitants thereof have corrupted theirway before him unto the dishonouring of his Name reproach of our profession and provoking the eyes of his Glory Isa. 1. 2 3 4. 5. Hear O heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me the ox hath known his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Ah sinfull Nation a people loaden with iniquity a seed of evill doers children that are corrupters they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy one of Israel to Anger they have gone away backward why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more the whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint Ezek. 36. 21 22 23. But I had pity for my holy names sake which the house of Israel hath prophaned amongst the Heathen whether they went Therefore say to the house of Israel thus saith the Lord God I do not this for your sake O house of Israel but for my holy Names sake which ye have prophaned amongst the Heathen whither ye went and I will sanctifie my great name which was prophaned among the Heathen which ye have prophaned in the midst of them and the Heathen shall know that I am the Lord saith the Lord God when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes Malach. 2. 11 12 13. Iudah hath dealt treaâ—herously and an abomination is committed in Israel and Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holinesse of the Lord which he loved and hath married the daughter of a strange god the Lord will cut off the man that doth this the master and the schollar out of the Tabernacles of Iacob and him that offereth an offering unto the Lord of hosts and this have ye done again covering the Altar of the Lord with tears with weeping and with crying out in so much that he regardeth not the offering any more or receiveth it with good will at your hands Isa. 3. 8. For Ierusalem is ruined and Iudah is fallen because their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory The guilt of this abounding loosnesse and prophanity is so much the more heightned by these circumstances that do attend it First that it is under the clear light of the Gospel of the Word preached now for many years throughout the Land in purity and plenty Secondly that it is contrary to many solemn Vows Engagements Oaths and Covenants taken on us before God Angels and men to the contrary Thirdly that it is under many blessings mercies and deliverances from the Lord. Fourthly that it is under many chastisements rods and judgements especially the sword and pestilence by which two many thousands in the Land have been taken away within these few years Fifthly that it is common and universall and hath reached over all sorts of persons Noblemen Gentlemen Barons Burgesses Ministers and Commons Sixthly from the greatnesse of it shamelesnes of it avowedness and grossness of it which is such that many declare their sin as Sodome and commit all sorts of wickednesse with greedlnesse Seventhly from the kinds of it some of the chief and most common of which especially these who are not named in some other Article of the former Paper we shal here touch 1. Impatiencie murmuring and freting against God and his works which-hath made many to weary of the charges and expence they have been put to for the Gospel and to wish there had been no such thing as the entering into the Nationall Covenant and the renewing and entering into the solemn League and Covenant not to an few to curse and blaspheme the Covenants and to look on them as the rise and originall of all
the evils where with the Land hath been afflicted and it is an great provocation before God as it appears from these and the like Scriptures Numb 14 1 2 3 4 10 11 12. And all the Congregations lifted up their voice and weeped and cryed and the people weeped that night and all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron and the whole Congregation said to them would to God we had died in the land of Egypt or would to God we had died in the wildernesse and wherefore hath the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey were it not better for us to return to Egypt And they said one to another let us makâ— a Captain let us return to Egypt then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Assemblies of all the Congregation of the children of Israel but all the Congregation bade stone them with stones and the glory of the Lord appeared in the Tabernacle of the Congregation before all the Children of Israel And the Lord said unto Moses How long will this People provoke me and how long will it be ere this People beleeve me for all the signs I have shewed amongst them I will smite them with pestilence and disinherit them and will make of thee a Nation mighter and greater then they Numbers 2. 1. 5 6. And they journied from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea to compasse the Land of Edom and the soul of the People was much discouraged because of the way and the People spake against GOD and against Moses Wherfore have ye brought us up out of the Land to die in the wilderness for there is no bread neither is there any water for our soul loatheth this light bread and the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and much people of Israel died 1 Cor. 11. 10. Neither be ye murmurers as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer 2. Using not only of charmes though it be condemned in the Scriptures Deut. 18. 11. A Charmer or a consulter with familiar spirits or a Wizard or a Necromancer shall not be found amongst you for all that do these things are an abomination to the Lord yet is very frequent among the Commons But also Sorcery and Witchcraft which is an abomination Exod. 22. 18. Thou shalt not suffer a Witch to live Deut. 18. 10. There shall not be found amongst you any that useth Divination or any Iuchanter or any Witch especially amongst these who have been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus and yet doth by the great discoveries thereof which hath been of late appear to be very frequent in the Land 3. Ordinary swearing by them that are no Gods Ier. 5. 7. How shall I pardon thee for this thy Children have forsaken Me and sworn by them who are no Gods when I have fed them to the full Zeph. 1. 4 5. I will also stretch out my hand against Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place and the name of the Chemarims with the Priests and them that worship the host of heaven upon the house tops and them that worship and that swear by the Name of the LORD and that swear by Malcham such as Faith Truth Soul Conscience and by the holy and blessed Name of GOD Himself and by His Blood and Wounds and fearful Execrations and Cursings which though they be condemned forbidden and threatned in the Scriptures Exod. 2â— 7. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain Levit 19. 12. Thou shalt not swear by my Name fasly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God I am the Lord. Matth. 5. 33 34 35 36 37. Again ye have heard it said by them of old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform to the Lord thy God thy Oathes But I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven for it is Gods Throne neither by the Earth for it is His Footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy Head for thou cannot make one hair white or black But let your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evil Jer. 23. 10. For the Land is full of Adulteries because of Swearing the Land mourneth and the pleasant places in the wildernesse are dried up because their course is evil and their force is not right Zech. 5. 1 2 3 4. Then I looked and lift up miâ—e eyes and behold a flying Roll the length thereof is twenty cubits and the breadth thereof ten cubits Then said he unto me This is the curse that goeth over the face of the whole Earth for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it and every one that sweareth shall be cut off on that side according to it I will bring it forth saith the Lord of hosts and it shall enter into the house of the Thief and into the house of him that sweareth falsly by my Name and it shall remain in the midst of his house and shall consume the timber and stones thereof Yet these are so frequent and habitual amongst us that in many parts of the Land it is a rare thing to find a man or a woman that in their ordinary speech is not addicted to some one of these 4. Ordinary and gross prophanation of the Lords Day not only by slighting of and absenting from the Publick Worship with the Congregation which is a fault whereof many are guilty and not attending to the Word or joyning in Prayer and singing of Psalms when they are present but also by travelling trysting working speaking our own words and otherwise The danger and hainousness of this sin appears from Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy Nehem. 13. 15 16 17 18. In those dayes saw I in Judah some treading Wine-presses on the Sabbath and bringing in Sheaves and loading Asses and also Wine-Grapes and Figs and all manner of burdens which they brought to Jerusalem on the Sabbath Day and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals There dwelt men of Tyre also therein which bought fish and all manner of ware which they sold to the children of Juda and Jerusalem on the Sabbath then I contended with the Nobles of Juda and said unto them What evill thing is this which ye do and prophane the Sabbath day did not your fathers thus and did not our God bring all this evill on us and on this city yet ye bring more wrath on Israel by prophaning the Sabbath Isai 58. 13 14. If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy own pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy of the Lord. honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine
own wayes nor finding thine own pleasures nor speaking thine own words then shalt thou delight thy self in the Lord and thou shalt ride on the high places of the earth and I will feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it 5. Not giving obedience to authority to their just and lawfull commands for conscience sake Rom 13. 5. Wherefore ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but for conscience sake And on the other hand an implicite and willing following of their unlawfull commands obeying men rather then God Hos. 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement Act. 4. 19. Whether it be right in the fight of God to hearken to you rather then to God judge ye The grosse neglect of many parents in the instructing and breeding of their Children in knowledge vertue and piety Eph. 6. 4 Ye fathers provoke not your children to wrath but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And the untowardnesse and ingratitude of many Children to their Parents Eph. 6. 1. 2 3. Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thee and that thou may live long on the earth 6. Self murder unnaturall murder of Children enimity malice strife contention especially at Law suits revenge and blood which as they are ancient sins of this Nation and did much appear in the banding of Clans one against another and have been little mourned for or repented of to this day so do they still continue whilst we professe the unity of the Faith in Christ and are joyned in Covenants of love and peace one with another Iam. 3. 14. 15 16. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts glory not and lie not against the truth This wisdome descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall devilish For where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work 1 Cor. 5. 8. Therefore let us keep the feast not with old Leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednesse but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth Tit. 3. 3. For we our selves were sometime disobedient foolish deceived serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hatefull and hating one another Levit. 19. 18. Thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self I am the LORD Prov. 1. 16. For their feet run to evill and they make haste to shed bloud Gal. 5. 15. For if ye bite and devour one another take heed that ye be not consumed one of another 7. Intemperance gluttony and drunkennesse the last of which is become so common that it hath over-run almost the whole Nation so that it is hard to find many who are not tiplers or common drunkards or will drink drunk on occasion and with company With this sin we may joyn the immoderate and excessive use of Tobacco which is such that much money and precious time is needlesly and superflously spent that way by persons of all sorts Isa. 5. 11 12 22. Wo to them that rise up early in the morning to drink strong drink and continue till night till Wine i◠flame them and the harp and the viol and tabret and the pipe and wine are in their feasts Wo to them that are mighty to drink wine and men of might to mingle strong drink Prov. 23. 29 30 31 32. Who hath wo Who hath sorrow Who hath contentions Who hath bablings Who hath wounds without cause Who hath redness of eyes They that tarry long at the wine they that go to seek 〈◊〉 wine Look not thou on the wine when it is red when it gives its colour in the cup when it moveth it self aright at last it byteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder Eph. 5. 18. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess 8. Vanity and excess in apparel and in houshold stuff far above that which becometh the sobriety of the Gospel or that the condition of such a people can reach unto Isa. 3. from the 16. verse Because the daughters of Zion are haughtie and walk with stretched out necks and wanton eyes and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their fees therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion and the LORD will discover their secret parts And in that day the Lord wil take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet and their cauls and their round tyres like the Moon the chains and the bracelets and the musslers the bonnets the ornaments of the legs and the head-bands and the tablets and the ear-rings and the nose-jewells the changeable suits of apparell the mantles and the wimples the crisping pins the glasses and the fine linen and the hoods and the vails and it shall come to pass that in stead of a sweet smell there shall be stink and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of well set hair baldness and in stead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloath and burning in stead of beauty thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty men in the war and her gates shall lament and mourn and she being desolate shall sit on the ground 1 Pet. 3. 3. Whose adorning let it not be outward adorning of plaiting the hair and of wearing of gold and putting on of apparell Zeph. 1. 8. And it shall come to passe in the day of the LORDS sacrifice that I will punish the Princes and the Kings children and all such as are cloathed with strange apparell 9. Uncleanesse and filthinesse of all sorts rotten speeches filthy communication chambering and wantonnesse fornication adultery incest in some places beastiality and sodomie espeacially fornications and adulteries which abound in many places the first whereof viz. fornication is by many accounted no sin For discovering the greatnesse of these sins consider Exod. 20. 14. Thou shalt not commit adultery 1 Cor. 6 13. Now the body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body 1 Cor. 5. 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication amongst you and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles that one should have his fathers wife Rom. 13. 13. Let us walk honestly as in the day not in chambering and wantonnesse Eph. 5. 3. But fornication and all uncleannesse let it not once be named among you 4. ver Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient 10. Prodigality oppression extortions usury bribery theft robbery false weights and measures injustice and unfaithfulnesse in Contracts and Bargaines with fraudulent dealing and deceiving one another Artificial dearthing of victuals and other things the livelyhood and maintenance of
of my people Israel And now because ye have done all these works saith the Lord and I spake to you rising up early and speaking but ye heard not and I called you but ye answered not Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my Name wherein ye trust and to the place which I gave to your fathers as I have done to Shiloh Ezek. 7. 20 21 22. As for the beauty of his ornament he set it in Majesty but they made the Images of their abominations and of their derestable things therein therefore have I set it far from them And I will give it to the hands of the strangers for a prey and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil and they shall pollute it my face also will I turn from them and they shall pollute my secret place for the robbers sâ—al enter into it and desile it Zeph. 3. 13. The remnant of Israel shal not do iniquity nor speak lies neither shal a deceitful tongue be sound in their mouth for they shal feed and ly down and none shal make them afraid And this hath been undoubtedly in a great measure the fault of many in this Land the height of whose zeal and endeavours hath been for the most part to attain the purity of Ordinances not labouring for the power thereof whence hath issued a great deal of boasting and confidence in a Covenant and pure Ordinances and a well reformed Kirk when in the mean while most men be strangers to that grace that bringeth salvation and teacheth to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world Titus 2 11 12. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live godly righteously and soberly in this presene world The second is the sad Consequents that hath followed on this whereof there be four speciall in the Article The First whereof is The admitting of persons not rightly qualified to the work of the Ministry and Elderships in Congregations and the continuing of such in these places For understanding of which ye would consider that the Word of God and Acts and Constitutions of our Kirk do require of Ministers not only that they be men of knowledge understanding and conscience for ruling in the house of God and of a blameless conversation but that they be sanctified and holy and spiritual and have their sences exercised in spiritual things A Bishop saith Paul Tit. 1. 8. must be a lover of goodmen sober just holy temperate And the same Apostle 1 Tim. 3. 6. tels us he must not be a novice or one newly come in to the faith He would not only have him in the faith that he may speak because he beleeves and be able to comfort others with the consolations wherewith he hath been himself comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 3 4. Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ even the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort others who are in trouble with the comfort wherewith we our selves have been comforted of God In the Acts of the Assembly at Edinburgh 1596 March 26. it is provided That the trial of the persons to be admitted to the Ministry hereafter consist not only in their learning and ablity to preach but also in conscience and feeling and spiritual wisdom and in the same Act it is provided that such as shall not be found given to sanctification and prayer that study not to be powerful and spiritual but be cold and wanting spiritual Zeal that all such persons be censured and continuing therein be deprived Which Act was revived in the Gen. Assembly 1638. likewise in the Gen. Assembly 1646. The putting in and holding in of insufficient and suspected men who savour the things of this life and the keeping the door straiter on these whom God hath sealed then on these who have less evidence of Grace and holiness is reckoned amongst the enormities and corruptions of the Ministry in their callings and amongst the remedies of these corruptions it is provided That all Presbyteries make great conscience to have all vacant places within their several bounds setled with godly and able men wherever they be found These Scriptures and Acts with sundry others of the like kind require not only that a Minister be negatively holy that is one who is not scandalous in his life and conversation but that he be positively holy acquainted with God and spiritual things and a partaker of the grace of the Gospel in himself which he preacheth to others and religious reason doth require the same How shall he be a Christian Minister who is not a Christian how shall he preach to others who doth not himself beleeve how shall he know to speak a word in season to whom the Lord hath not given the tongue of the Learned to comfort others with the consolations of God who was never comforted therewith himself How shall he pray for others who cannot pray for himself How shall he reveale Christ who never knew him How shall he naturally care for souls who hath not the love of Christ dwelling in him The Scriptures do also require of ruling Elders not only that they be men of understanding knowledg and wisdom and such as are able to discern and rule but also that they be blameless and holy as is evident in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus And the Discipline of our Kirk requires That besides abilities to govern consult admonish and order all things appertaining to the state of the Congregation that they be men of a good life and holy conversation without blame and all suspition careful for the Flock wise and above all things fearing God notwithstanding hereof many litteral and formal men who are strangers to the mysterie of godliness work of the Spirit of life which is in Jesus Christ are admitted unto and continued in the Ministry and Elderships nay in some places especially in Elderships men that are ignorant and scandalous by which things it comes to pass that there is a lifeless dead and careless Ministry and unprofitable Elderships in many Congregations and that the growth of the Gospel and godliness is exceedingly obstructed and hindered The second Consequent which is mentioned is The gross slighting and mocking of Kirk Censures and of Publick Repentance whereof it would be considered That the Word of God Acts and Constitutions of this Kirk do require of these who are to make Publick Profession of their Repentance for scandalous offences not only a naked and bare profession of Repentance but such a profession of Repentance as doth hold forth a real conviction and sorrow for sin and not only the ceasing from the sin for the time but the bringing forth of the contrary good fruits of sobriety righteousness and holiness Numb 5. 6
Lord to pour out his wrath on a People Ier. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury on the Heathen that know thee not and on the families that call not on thy Name Yet there be many Masters of Families amongst all ranks of persons Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burgesses Commons and even some Ministers who lie under the guilt nay there be but few in which the plurality will not be found to neglect or never to have practised the Duty Instance is given in the Article of Great men Nobles Barons Gentlemen and Burgesses of special note because very few are to be found amongst these who make conscience to call on the Lords Name in their Families some of them turning over the Duty wholly on a Chaplain or some other person in the Family and others of them having no such Duty in their Families performed at all either by themselves or by any other they being either unable or ashamed and unwilling to do it whereas great and eminent persons have accounted it their duty and glory and have followed it with much conscience and care as may be instanced in Abraham Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shal keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring on Abraham that which he hath spoken of And in Ioshua 24. 15. And if it seem evill unto you to serve the LORD choose you this day whom ye will serve whether the gods that your fathers served who were on the other side of the floud or the gods of the Amorites in whose Land ye dwel but as for me and my house we will serve the LORD And in David 2 Sam. 6. 20. Then David returned to bless his houshold This woful neglect of so necessary and profitable a duty especially in the Families of great Ones usually attended with the neglect of catechising and instructing of Children and Servants in the way of the Lord and pressing and exercising them unto Prayer and other religious Duties as it is a great sin before God the height where of is encreased by their continuing therein after solemn publick confession thereof and engaging to the contrary in the year 1648. and is expresly to be seen in the solemn publick confession of sins and engagement to duties so it is the cause of much ignorance of God Atheism and loosness prophanity disorder and discontent that is in Families and not only proves a binderance to the spreading of piety amongst others who walks after their example but also stops the course of the Lords blessings on themselves and on their Families and brings down upon them many judgments and curses from the Lord. The other part of the Article relates to the loathing and hating of godliness and the reproaching reviling oppressing and persecuting the godly A sin as it is great in it self Gen. 21. 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egytian which she had born unto Abraham mocking Gal. 4. 28. Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise But as then he who was born after the flesh persecuted him who was born after the Spirit even so it is now Ps. 14. 6. Ye have sâ—amed the counsel of the poor because the Lord is his refuge Isa. 8. 18. Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts who dwelleth in Mount Sion Act. 9. 4 And he fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And drawes down a recompense of tribulation from the Lord. 2 Thess. 1 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with the Lord to recompense tribulation to them which trouble you so it seems to be a monstruous sin amongst a People making profession of Reformation and who are so often covenanted to God in so solemn a way and yet hath it prevailed and abounded exceedingly this year by gone in Court in Country in Cities in Judicatories in the Army and every where throughout the Land A man was made an offender for a word and he that departed from iniquity made himself a prey It was quarrel enough not to have run with others to the same excess of riot They who would not be disaffected and disolute behooved to be esteemed enemies to their Country they who studied to make conscience of holy Duties and keep their integrity were slandered as Sectaries and complyers with Sectaries and were not only exposed to the scourge of tongues but also to the violence and oppression of malignant graceless and prophane men Neither were Magistrates and Ministers free of this sin but even sundry of these who ought to have protected encouraged and countenanced the godly were as pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides not only by withdrawing their countenance from them giving way to others to revile oppress and persecute them but by imploying their own gifts and power in Judicatories and Pulpits and otherwaies for keeping them down and making them hateful and odious to others amongst whom they liue And whilest we are speaking of these things We cannot but mention the great prejudice and enmity which many Ministers had against the exercises of godliness and duties of mutual edification together with the great blot brought upon piety and the great blow given to the exercise of godliness by the Act of the Assembly at Aberdeen not repented of by the Kirk of Scotland nor repealed to this day and the great neglect of the duties of mutual edification amongst the Lords Ministers and People after there was allowance given for the same by the following Assemblies and the suffering of many giftless and unprofitable Ministers not gifted of God to edifie his People to continue in the Ministry whereby it comes to pass that many gracious People were necessitated either to want edification in the Publick Ordinances or to fall under the censure of such Acts made against such as did usually withdrawe from the Ordinances and Ministry of their own Parish Churches This sin of hating and bearing down the power of godliness and persecuting the godly was accompanied with another which is mentioned also in the Article to wit The countenancing and employing the ungodly and prophane a thing that the godly mans soul abhorred Psa. 26. 1 2. 3 4. Iudge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have trusted also in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Examin me O Lord and prove me try my heart and my veins For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth I have not sit with vain persons neither will I go with dissemblers c. And so throughout the Psalm Psalm 101. 4 5. A froward hear shall depart from me I will not know a wicked person Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour him will I cut off Him that hath a proud heart and an high look will I not suffer
prisoners and they shal fall under the stain for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still Isa. 33. 15. He that despiseth the gain of oppression that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes that stoppeth his ears from hearing of bloud and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil He shal dwell on high his place of defence shal be the munitions of rocks Jer. 6. 6 7. For thus hath the Lord of Hosts said Hew ye down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem this is the City to be visited she is wholly oppression in the midst of her As a fountain casteth out her waters so she casteth out her wickedness Violence and spoil is heard in her before me continually is grief and wounds Jer. 5. 26. For amongst my People are found wicked men they lay wait as he that setteth snares they set a trap they catch men Versâ— 27. As a cage is full of birds so are their houses ful of deceit therefore are they become great and waxen rich Vers. 28. They are waxen fat they shine yea they overpass the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherless yet they prosper and the right of the needy do they not judge Verl 29. Shall I not visie for these things saith the Lord shal not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this Jer. 22. 13. Wo to him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness and his chambers by wrong that useth his neighbours service without wages and gives him not for his work Vers. 14. That saith I will build me a wide house and large chambers and cutteth him out windows and it is cieled with cedar and painted with vermilion Vers. 15. Shalt thou reign because thou closest thy self in cedar did not thy father eat and drink and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him Vers 16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy then it was well with him was not this to know me saith the Lord V. 17. But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousnes and for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to do it Ezek. 22. 13. Behold therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made and at the bloud which hath been in the midst of thee Vers. 29. The People of the Land have used oppression and exercised robbery and have vexed the poor and needy yea they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully Hos. 7. 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephralm was discovered and the wickedness of Samaria for they commit falshood and the thief cometh in and the troups of robbers spoil without Amos 3. 10. For they know not to do right saith the Lord who store up robbery and violence in their palaces ver 11. Therefore thus saith the Lord God An adversary there shal be even round about the Land and he shal bring down thy strength from thee and thy palaces shal be spoiled ver 15. And I will smite the winter house with the summer house and the houses of I very shall perish and the great houses shall have an end saith the Lord. Mic. 3. 11. The Heads thereof judge for reward and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof divine for money yet will they lean on the Lord and say Is not the Lord amongst us none evil can come upon us ver 12. Therefore shall Sion for their sakes be plowed like a field and Jerusalem shal become heaps and the Mountain of the House as the high places of the Forrest Zeph. 3. 1 Wo to her that is filthy and polluted to the oppressing City ver 3. Her Princes within her are roaring Lions her Iudges are ravenous Wolves they gnaw not the bones til the morrow vers 8. Therefore wait ye upon nie saith the Lord til I rise up to for the prey my determination is to gather the Nations that I may assemble the Kingdoms that I may pour out on them mine indignation even al my fierce anger for all the Earth shal be devoured with the fire of my jealousie Zeph. 1. 9. In the same day will I punish all them who leap on the threshold who fill their masters houses with violence and deceit Exod. 2 2. 21 22 23 24. Ye shal neither vex a stranger nor oppress him for ye were strangers in the Land of Egypt Thou shalt not afflict any widow or fatherless child if thou afflict them in any wayes and they cry â—t al unto me I will surely hear their cry and my wrath shall wax hot I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widows and your children fatherless The Sixth Article The sixth Article relates to the abusing and prostituting the Publick Faith of the Kingdom in the way of borrowing of Monies and otherwise which no question is not one of the least provoking Publick sins in the Land As private men ought so far to have their faith and credit in estimation for the love of righteousness and truth as not to engage the same but when they do sincerely intend and really endeavor to perform what they promise so much more ought publick persons and the Judicatories of a Land have such regard to the Publick Faith of a Nation as not to engage the same but when there be some real purposes and honest endeavors to fulfil it Because the prostituting and breach of Publick-Faith as it is an high provocation before God so it is a great deal more pernitious reproachful slanderous and injurious and of a worse example amongst men especially when it becomes common and is used as a state engine to draw in mens propriety from them under a vail and shadow of righteousness and is attended with a kind of conslraint upon men to take the Publick Faith for security as it was in this Land Job 15. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God Psalm 37. 21. The wicked borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous sheweth mercy and giveth Isa. 59. 12 13 14. For our transgressions are multiplied before thee and our sins testifie against us for our transgressiont are with us and as for our iniquities we know them In transgressing and lying against the Lord and in departing away from our God speaking oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falshood And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth a faa off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Aud the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment The Seventh Article The seventh Article mentions two sins that many of this Land are guilty of in their first taking of the National Covenant and solemn League and Covenant and renewing thereof The first whereof is The ignorance that was in many or the want of the necessary
disaffected and prophane in the Land Ier. 23. 14. I have seen also in the Prophets of Ierusalem an horrible thing they commit adultery and walk in lies they strengthen also the hands of evill doers that none doth return from his wickednesse they are all to me as Sodom and the inhabitants thereof as Gommorrah Ezek. 13. 22. Because with lies ye have made the hearts of the righteous sad whom have not made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked works by promising him life Lastly the state of our Cause was thereby upon the matter turned upside-down by intrusting the Work and people of God to the enemies thereof it being known and made manifest that these men did retain the same principles and did drive on the same designs which could not but prove destructive to Religion the People of God 8. Step. The next Step is The joyning of many of the People who are engaged with God by Covenant to the contrary no lesse then the Rulers with the Forces of the Kingdom after that by the Resolutions there was a prevailing party of malignants brought to the Army who had the strength of Counsels and Actings therein and were carrying on a malignant interest what ever question there may be of the associating of subjects in war with the wicked enemies of God on the command of the Magistrate in a lawful cause which seems to us to be condemned in the People of God Isa. 8. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people saying Say ye not a Confederacy to all these to whom this People shall say a Confederacy neither fear ye their fear nor be afraid Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts Himself and let Him be your fear and let him be your dread And he shall be for a sanctuary but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Ierusalem and many among them shal stumble and fall and be broken and be snared and be taken Bind up the Testimony seal the Law among my Disciples And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Iacob and I will look for him Behold I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts which dwelleth in Mount Sion Aswel as in the Magistrates the ground of the prohibition to wit learning of their works and the ensnaring of the People having a more immediate connexion with the Peoples joyning then with the Magistrates commanding them to joyn yet as the thing is laid down in the Paper we think there will be no question about it because it includes these Particulars 1. The joyning of a People who with the consent and approbation nay by the commandement and authority of their Magistrates had covenanted with the LORD not to joyn with his Enemies 2. That it was when the rule of constituting the Army was corrupt to wit the Publick Resolutions which made the case desperat and left no place or remedy for purging of the Army 3. That it was when a party of Malignants who had the sway of Counsels and Actings were brought to the Army which being added to the former not only made the purging of the Army in an ordinary way impossible but also carried the stream and current of all their Resolutions and Actings into a malignant Channell that they were the prevailing Party is more manifest then that time needs to be spent in verifying thereof 4. That they were carrying on a Malignant Interest to wit the establishing the King in the exercise of his Power in Scotland and the re-investing him with the Government in England when he had not yet abandoned his former enmity to the Work and people of God and the securing of Power in their own hands under him And though none of these four had concurred all which we believe will be acknowledged by un-byassed men yet there was a sin in the Peoples joyning because few or none of these who did joyn did give any testimony against the Magistrats employing of the Malignant Party but went willingly after the commandment Hosea 5. 11. Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly obeyed and want after the commandment It is acknowledged to have been the Peoples duty even by these who justifie their joyning with them upon the command of the Magistrate to have bemoaned it before the Lord and in their stations to have testified against it before men 9. Step. The ninth Step is the prelimiting and corrupting of the Generall Assembly in regard of the free and right constitution thereof Generall Assemblies rightly constitute in their liberties and freedom as they are one of the most precious Ordinances of JESUS CHRIST so have they been most wholsome and profitable means in this Kirk for the purging and preserving all the Ordinances of CHRIST in the Land and therefore as it hath been the care of all the faithfull servants of God in the Land to vindicat and preserve their right constitution and due liberty and freedom so in the promoting of any course of defection hath Satan alwayes studied to intrench thereupon and to corrupt the same That the Generall Assembly was prelimited this year is evident by the Letter written by the Commission of the Generall Assembly to the Presbyteries with an Act sent therewith appointing that all these who remain unsatisfied in the Publick Resolutions after Conference and did continue to oppose the same should be cited to the Generall Assembly Which Letter and Act had such influence on many Presbyteries that though there were in them many able and faithfull men who were unsatisfied with the Publick Resolutions yet very few of these were chosen to be Commissioners and where any such persons were elected there was for the most part either Protestations against it or else another election of other persons by which it came to pass that almost all these were incapacitated to sit in the Assembly and the Meeting was almost wholly made uponly of these who had been instrumentall in carrying on the former defection or were consenting thereto and were approving thereof A more grosse prelimitation then this could not readily be that men intrusted by the Generall Assembly with the Publick Affairs and to preserve the liberty thereof should first contrary to their trust open a door for bringing in the Malignant Party and then shut the door against the sitting of all these in the Assembly where their proceedings were to be tryed who did not before their comming there approve of their opening the door to the Malignants which was not onely to make defection themselves but to involve others therein and to take away the remedy thereof Beside this grosse prelimitation there was