may be the better understood and taken up ye would consider first what persons by the Word of GOD and doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland are to be debarred from or admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper how the rule of the Word and constitutions of the Kirk are keeped in this particular For the first it is clear from the Word of God and the Doctrine of the Kirk of Scotland that all scandalous and ignorant persons ought to be debarred from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and that none ought to be received and admitted thereunto but such who do not only know and make profession of the Gospel but walke sutable thereunto The Apostle Paul in the 1 Cor. 11. 28. appoints that a man must first examine himself and so eat And he also saith That he who comes to that Sacrament must be one who discernes the Lords Body otherwise that he eats and drinks damnation to himself and he further adds That this must be done in remembrance of JESUS CHRIST to shew forth his death till he come again and therefore such as by reason of their ignorance cannot examine themselves nor discern the Lords Body nor knowes not what it is to shew forth the Lords death ought not to come This same duty of examination discerning the Lords Body which the Apostle calls for doth also debar scandalous persons and admit of none but such who walk orderly according to the Gospel because the examination here required must be according to the nature of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper to wit whether they be worthy or not that is whether they have repentance or not For he that comes without it is unclean and so pollutes the Ordinance as also whether he hath faith or not without which there can be no discerning of the Lords Body nor shewing forth his death and whether they have love or no without which there can be no Communion with CHRIST and his Members in that Ordinance The Confession of Faith of the Kirk of Scotland Intituled To whom Sacraments appertain speaks thus But the Supper of the Lord we confesse to appertain to such only as be of the houshold of Faith and can try and examine themselves aswell in their faith as in their duty to their neighbour but if such persons ought not to come and if the Sacraments do not appertain to them there can be no question but if they presume to come they ought to be debatred it being a trust committed to the Officers of the Kirk both in the Old and New Testament to keep the charge of the holy things and to take heed that his Ordinances be not polluted and prophaned and to separate the precious from the vile Levit. 10. 10. That ye may put a difference betwixt the holy and unholy betwixt the clean and unclean 2 Chron. 23. 19. And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the Lord that none who was unclean in any thing should enter in Ezek. 22. 26. They have put no difference betwixt the holy and prophane neither have they shewed difference betwixt the clean and the unclean Ezek. 44. 7. In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh to be in my sanctuary to pollute it even my house when ye offer my bread the fat and the bloud and they have broken my Covenant because of all your abominations and ye have not keeped the charge of my holy things but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for your selves Mat. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you 1 Cor. 5. 13. But them that are without God judgeth therefore put away from amongst your selves that wicked person Tit. 3. 10. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject Rev. 2. 20. Neverthelesse I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Iezebel which calleth herself a prophetess to teach seduce my servants to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols Jer. 15. 19. If thou take forth the precious from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them The Direction for the Publick Worship of God throughout the three Kingdomes in the Head concerning the Celebration of the Lords Supper asserts that the ignorant scandalous are not to receive the Sacrament And the Large Catechism asserts That such as are found to be ignorant scandalous notwithstanding their profession of saith and desire to come to the Lords Supper may ought to be keeped from that Sacrament by the power which Christ hath left in his Kirk untill they receive instruction and manifest their reformation And the Confession of Faith condescended on by the Assembly of Divines and approven by the Kirk of Scotland in the Chapter of the Lords Supper saith That all scandalous and ignorant persons as they are unfit to enjoy Communion with CHRIST so are they unworthy of the Lords Table and so cannot without great sin against CHRIST whilst they remain such partake of the holy Mysteries or be admitted thereto And for proof thereof citeth these Scriptures 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord But let a man examin himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 16. For the love of Christ constrainceth us because we thus judge That if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet we henceforth know him no more 1 Cor. 5. 6 7. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us v. 13. But them that are without God judgeth Therefore put away from among your selves that wicked person 2 Thess. 3. 6 14 15. Now we command you brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ That ye withdraw your selves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received of us And if any man obey not our word by this Epistle note that man and have no company with him that he may be ashamed Yet count him not as an enemy but admonish him as a brother Mat. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy unto dogs neither cast ye your pearls before swine
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
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
lest they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you As to the other how the Rule of the Word and Constitutions of this Kirk are keept in this particular it needs nor much be spoken the transgression being so palpable common that they who runs may read these particular faults may be taken notice of in order to this point 1. To say nothing that in some places few or none at all are excluded for ignorance but that persons being once come to such an age are admitted and being once admitted are never again excluded There is in many Congregations little or no care to examine or take any notice of the knowledge of all persons indifferently something being done in reference to servants and these of the poorer sort but masters of families and those of the richer sort for the most part neglected taking it for granted as it were that they have knowledge when indeed many of them are grosly ignorant and ought because of their ignorance to be debarred 2. That the bare repeating of the Lords Prayer the Belief or ten Commandements or answering a Question or two of the Catechisme by rot-rime as we say when nothing of the meaning is understood is by many taken for knowledge sufficient 3. There is not sufficient care to take notice of all scandals and scandalous persons in which respect there is a twofold gross neglect 1 That the scandal of omission of Duty is not taken notice of as well as the scandal of commission of sin notwithstanding that the Acts and Constitutions of the Kirk make express provision for the one aswel as for the other as may be seen in their Acts against these who absent themselves on the Lords day from the Publick Worship of God and against masters of families who neglect to pray in their family and others of that nature 2. The many scandals of commission are also neglected it being a custom in many Congregations to take notice only of Fornicators and Adulterers and workers on the Lords day and such as these but do neglect Tiplers Drunkards Swearets Lyars Deceivers of their Neighbors Fighters Oppressors Extortioners Covetous persons and many others who walk contrary to the Gospel whereas it is expresly provided by the Discipline of this Kirk in the year 1587. that if the Eldership perceive any thing in the Congregation either evil in the example or scandalous in manners and not beseeming their profession whatsoever it be that may spot the Christian Congregation yea rather whatsoever is not to edification ought not to escape admonition or punishment or higher degree of Kirk-Censure as 2 Cor. 2. 6. Sufficient to such a man is this punishment which was inflicted of many 3. That many such as have been judicially convicted of scandalous faults are pressed and received into a publick profession of Repentance when as indeed there is no real evidences of Repentance yet by a profession therof are put in a capacity to come to the Lords Table By these waies it comes to pass that many ignorant and scandalous persons are admitted who ought to be excluded which certainly is a fearful sin as may appear in these and many other respects 1. It hinders many poor souls from searching after knowledge and from departing from iniquity and hardens them in their ignorance and lewdness 2. It causeth them to prohane the precious bloud of the Covenant and to eat and drink damnation to themselves 3. It makes the ignorant and scandalous promiscuously partakers of the seals of the Covenant of Grace with the truly godly 4. It provokes the Lord to depart from his Ordinances and forsake his Temple because of such dishonour to his Name 5. It brings on the judgment of God on particular persons and the whol Land Lastly it grieves and stumbles the godly amongst our selves and exposes our selves and the Ordinances of Christ therein to contempt and reproach amongst others The Fourth Consequent which is named to follow on the resting upon outward and bare forms is the keeping in of many continually openly profane in the fellowship of this Kirk by which is meant the neglect of casting out such from the fellowship of the kirk by the sentence of excomunication for certainly these who do wilfully continue in their ignorance from year to year slighting the means of knowledge and refusing to be instructed or to learn the way of the Lord And these who do continue in an open course of prophanity making a profession of repentance and still persisting in their wicked way after sufficient pains taken on them and their slighting other inferior Kirk Censures ought to be casten out as dry and withered corrupt and rotten branches and not to be looked as Members of the Kirk of GOD. Num. 15. 30. But the soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord and that soul shall be cut off from amongst his People Psal. 50. 16 17. But to the wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and casteth my Words behinds thee Mat. 18. 18. Verily I say unto you Whatsoever you shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven And therfore it is provided in the old Acts of the Assembly of this Kirk that who will stubbornly remain ignorant in the principal points of Salvation shall be Excommunicated And that every Master of Family shall be commanded either to instruct his Children and Servants or cause them be instructed and if they will not the Kirk shall proceed against them The Gen. Assembly at Edinburgh in the year 1648. in the Overtures for the remedy of Grievances and common Sins of the Land provided That persons often guilty of gross scandals be Excommunicated more summarily then ordinary Process except there be more then ordinary signs an eminent measure of repentance made known to the Sessions and Presbyterie Besides these four the Article also mentions many other sad and fearful consequents unto the prophaning of all the Ordinances of God and rendring them bare barren and fruitless to us And there is no question but that formality in profession and resting upon and idolizing outward and bare forms brings out many sad consequents besides these such as the slighting by many and mocking by some the work of the Spirit not seeking after communion and fellowship with God in Ordinances not studying to know and be humbled for the iniquity of our Holy things not seeing a need and imploying of JESUS CHRIST for strength and acceptance in all our performances and turning the living God to a dumb Idol and many others that are mentioned and spoken to in that Paper published by the Commssion concerning the contempt of the Gospel The Fourth Article The fourth Artcle hath two parts the first whereof relates to the neglect of Family-worship which though it be a grievous sin which provokes the
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