few moneths I was ingaged with Montrosse he undertaking by his means as he caled it to reduce Scotland to obedience But entring at Dumfreis his stay was short and his successe not great where I left him and did never again see him whil he had with his bloody Irishes and others his wicked Associates made havock of the people of God in severall conflicts And after that deplorable fight of Kilsyth Sathan again enticed me to joyn with that wickâ—d crue but the Lord did not suffer them long to prosper in their wâ—ckednesse for what reward they received for their former cruelties and blood-shâ—d there may be some here were eye-witnesses And for my selfe The Lord again shewed hâ—mselfe displeased with my wayes by making me prisoner where I was kept in Sterling for a twelve moneth but the civility I received there being such and my liberty not much restrained I did not take it as an affliction from God never taking notice of Gods hand or displeasure against me for opposing his cause I being released from that easie restraint I cannot call it imprisonment returned to that place of the Kingdome where I had greatest interest and after I had given a seeming satisfaction to the Church I must ingenuously acknowledge the deceitfulnesse and hypocrisie of my own heart for it was not cordiall I was after some conference with the ministery admitted to subscribe the mutuall League and Covenant Truly at that time I did it something unwillingly not being desirous to joyne with those in England I did conceive were enemies to Monarchicall Government and no great friends to the person of our late King as by wofull experience we have seen prove too true yet though there be a wicked party now prevailing in England who have shaken oft all fear of God by subverting Religion allowing of a detestable mixture of all Sects and Heresies destroying the Lords annointed our late Soveraign and keeping in exile our present King overthrowing Monarchy and in a word tollerating all Atheisme and prophanity yet I am consident there is a party in that Kingdome who makes conscience of that Covenant and whom the Lord will at last raise up though at present they be borne down by the tyranny of the Sectaries and that God will make them and the faithfull party of this land instrumentall for the re-establishing and restoring Religion in doctrine and discipline to that purity which God in his word hath allowed and it shall be my prayer our now gracious King to his just rights and inheritance Thus when I had lived for a time in the country making little conscience of performing either publick or private duties to God delighting more in the society of those who were no great friends to his cause then in the faithfull servants of God or those made conscience to walke more strictly in their wayes At last I was ingaged in that late dishonorable Ingagement in England what successe that had and how the Lord shewed his wrath against us by rubbing dishonour upon our Nation and punishment upon a great many both leaders and others I need not to relate And among the rest the Lord did again afflict me with imprisonment then while the Rod was upon me I began in some measure to humble my self before the Lord and to seek him more earnestly by making conscience both of publike and private duties and I was not wanting of making vowes and promises that if the Lord would then deliver me from that affliction I should become a new creature and forsake my former sinfull courses but alas It proved but a hypocritical â—lash for no sooner had the Lord removed his Rod and restored me to my former liberty but with the dog to the vomit and the sow to the pudle fell I back to my former sinfull course of living So returning from England I went to Holland vomiting out against the cause of God and the persons who had the chiefe managing of affaires both in State and Church all the malicious invective raylings and bitter expressions that I could devise And there again did I associate my self with James Grahame he having purchased or as I said before rather extorted a Commission from this King to enter this Kingdome that he might be the only man as he would have made the world beleeve to set the Crown upon his Majesties Head But how the Lord hath disappointed his vain projects by bringing him to this kingdome to make him a publike example of justice where he had been so instrumentall in the shedding of the blood of Gods people is known to you all And I cannot but acknowledge the great mercy of God to me in particular who while I was in the late fight where I was grievously wounded and taken prisoner that the Lord did not destroy me as he did many others who fell by the sword but hath reserved me to this time where though I am to receive this temporall judgement for my body yet my hope is that he intends mercifully for my soul Now the main things that are to be here observed are First Gods deliverance of his people from the Rods of their oppressours though it did lye upon them for a time for some reasons seeming good to our only wise God That so ye that are Gods people of this land who have faithfully adhered to his cause may stand fast and those who have the publike managing of affairs in Church and State may prove faithfull and neither upon the one hand incline to that accursed course of Malignancy which the Lord hath shewen evidences of his wrath against so much nor upon the other hand to the associating or any wayes countenancing those Sectaries of the neighbour Kingdoms enemies to Religion and all Government But that al the Land Rulers people would with their hearts spirits be thankfull to the Lord for his former mercies and seek him in sincerity in time coming without by-respects or ends only having the glory of God and the good of Religion before your eyes and consequently the King then will get what is due This being done feare not but the Lord will deliver you from all your feares though they seem great and get glory to himself in the destruction of all those shall rise up against him though they seem now to build on the high clifts of the Rocks and that the foundations they have laid are very strong yet the Lord will let it be seen who builds not upon him the foundation is sandy and the building shall not be of long continuance The next thing I would have taken notice of is That all those of my kinred or acquaintance and all others who ever have joyned or would joyn if occasion should offer against the cause of God would take notice of Gods judgements against all who have hitherto opposed his work and how that he hath carried on the same in despite both of all publick opposition and all secret plotings and Machinations Which things if they will lay to heart and seriously consider and seek in unto God by unfeigned repentance for their former guiltinesse and now prove themselves faithfull at this nick of time in standing for the maintenance of his truth they may be sure to meet with a mercifull God who is slow to anger long-suffering and abounding in mercy But after so much convincing light and so cleer evidences of the wrath of God against all the opposers of his truth if they will still persevere in their former wayes and malice to God his cause and servants they shall be sure if God shall not overtake them with temporall judgements here they shall not escape without repentance his everlasting wrath The last thing which I shall now desire you to take notice of is Gods dealing with me in particular who notwithstanding of the whole sinfull course of my life which I have been relating both in relation to publick and personall guiltinesse hath dealt so mercifully with me And I shall draw to a period by declaring how the Lord convinced my conscience of guiltinesse For being now this while by-past in prison I began after some few dayes were spent to run through some former passages of my life and finding that I had twice relapsed I conceived by the lawes of this kingdome I could expect nothing but death yet being hopefull that friends would use all the wayes they could for my safety which truly was not wanting It did not much sink into my minde yet finding all worldly means to fail and that death was determined by a certain day which afterward by a Petition I gave in was prolonged for a week then began the terrours thereof to dismay and much to dash me but casting my eyes beyond death upon etetnity and casting up the accompt of my former mispent life both for publick and personall guiltinesse and laying before my eyes the extremity and perpetuity of the pains of hell due to me for same I was extreamly dejected and casten downe and the fear thereof made me frequently to burst forth in tears Thus finding the weight of sin and of Gods justice lying upon my soul I was still seeking and striving to finde out some way in my self to satisfie Justice but in this I found much matter of discouragement and no comfort till God in his mercy did hold forth to me a better remedy and laid down a more sure foundation by flying from the law to the Covenant of free Grace and free Love which was opened up and explained to me by Gods servants of the Ministry and severall other good Christians that gave me a charitable visit in that my distressed condition for the which the Lord comfort their souls in the day of their trials and Afflictions And it shall now be my prayer and I shall desire the assistance of yours that through the blood of that Covenant my sins may be washen away and my soul may be received unto eternall happinesse Amen At Edinburgh 21 June 1650. I doe with Heart and Hand subscribe this Declaration ALEXANDER CHARTERS Witnesses hereto M. James Hammilton M. Robert Blaickley M. John Charters M. Laurence Charters FINIS
THE DECLARATION OF CAPTAIN ALEXANDER CHARTERS Brother of the House of AIMSFIELD VVritten and subscribed by himself in Prison and delivered and read publickly at his Execution at EDINBURGH the 21. of June 1650. Wherein Gods great mercy was seen in Reclaiming him from such a course wherein many perished PROV. 28. 13. He that covereth his sinne shall not prosper But he that confesseth and forsaketh shall finde mercy EDINBURGH Printed by Evan Tyler Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty 1650. FOR THE CHRISTIAN READER THis great and glorious work of Reformation both been promoving upon the wheeles of Gods Providence thirteen yeares The Lord who is omnipotent could hâ—vâ— done all as perfectly at once as in the duration and successioâ— of many ages yet is he ratâ—er pleaâ—ed by graduall accesses to â—romoâ—e his own operatâ—ons to the period of their perfect accomplishment The Lord continued the great work of his first Creation six dayes when he might have done it as soon as he raised Lazarus out of the grace by the word of his mouth The Lord might have finished this great and gâ—orious work of Reformation at the ending of the twenty seventh of Juâ—y 1637 But that his long contesting with the contumacy of obstinate men might make muâ—h more for the manifestation of his power and glory by so many wonders changes and battels as also to shew his unconceavable love and free mercy in Jesus Christ towards his poor long-suffering covenanted people by their so many strange deliverances Aâ—d then to shew forth the glâ—ry of his Justice in the great variety of his Judgements upon so many obstinate opposers of this glorious wâ—rk who now by their obstin to resâ—sting the work of the Lord have gotten the name of Malignants Whose hearts at yet God haâ—dens and makes fat and their earâ—s heavy and shuts their eyes lest they should sâ—e and hear with their eares and understand with their heartâ— and so convert and be healed Sensuall eyes and eares with strength of naturall parts they lack not But illumination and a spirituall apprehension of the use of Gods great works and of the way of his dispensation in order to his own ends they perceive see nor know not That it may evideâ—tâ—y appear that all the wonders that can he wrougâ—t before their eyâ—s without the work of grace will nevâ—r availe for mans conversion such is the obstinacy of men that they will not consider the sinfulnesse of their sin in their â—aring so to oppose the wâ—rk of the Lord they conceive not how near their sin is unto that sin which is unto death 1 Joh. 5. 16 When as poor silly Curres they bark against heaven the Saints and the bright Sun of righteousnesse when Esâ—u-like mocking not only the poâ—r in heart but the King of Saints himselfe whâ— when he calls and knocks strâ—tching out his armes dayly they will not hear and Pharâ—oh-like have their refuge to the arme of flesh nâ—t considering that the holy Covenant is as oyle among the liquors which wil ever be upmost they will not be cured they will not beleeve but still practise against the holy Covenant with gnashing of teeth and when they have laid their accompt by their laborious policy to bring â—bott â—heâ—r own ends they shaâ—l in end finde that they shall bring about nothing but Gods purposeâ— tâ— their own confusion and the lamentable ruine of their estates and houses How rare a thing is it to see amongst them a sinceâ—e convert in what a deplorable and Christlâ—sse way goe they to Scaffolâ—s without conâ—rition feare or trembling but also as it were to a Stage play scoffing and contemning the censures of the Church and Gods holy Ordinances brain-sick and giddie with too much drinking of strong waters at the very periods and when they are about to enter in the very gulf of endles Eternity But he who is love it selfe â—vâ—n the God of love had thoâ—ghts of lâ—vâ— and mercy towards this truly Noble and Hâ—ly man Alexander Charters who did long follow the drove of the perishâ—ng multitude being long wrapt up in the guiltinesse of â—alignancy yet in him the greatnesse of Gods love and free mercy hath appeared that the Lord hath still loved him evâ—n when he was burning and bâ—yling in his lusts whâ—n his hâ—art and his hand were both lifted up against Christ and his Saints yâ—t hath the Virgins Sonne overlooked all and by this rare example of mercy picked out this blaâ—k Swan to make of a poor sinner a â—eâ—t Saint and of a persecutour a Preacher as may be seen by this under-writen Declaration written and subscribed with his own hand before Famous witnessâ—s The Declaration of Capt. ALEXANDER CHARTERS GOod Christian people God in his wise providence hath thought fit to make me an example of publick justice aâ— this time that all those who have not fallen may be strengthned and confirmed in the way of truth and others who have bin and are going on in those wicked courses for the which now I am punished may be reclaimed which is that my soul doth desire and shall pray the Lord to open the eyes of their understanding that they may see the fearfull guiltinesse lies upon their souls and the wrath of God hanging above their heads for the same that so by sincere and speedy repentance they may turn unto the Lord that the riches of his free grace may be evidenced in their conversion that they may all be made partakers of that eternall life which I trust through the merits of my Redeemer to be made partaker of when this naturall life that I have now to lay down shall be taken from me And truly I cannot enough magnifie Gods free love unto me that he did not destroy me when I was in the height and heat of a sinfull course sighting against his cause but hath reserved me unto this time that the glory of his free love might be so much the more magnified and extolled Which cause he hath so truly owned to be his own by so many evident and undeniable arguments that I dare say the greatest enemy and opposer of the same if he speak in conscience and not wilfully blind fold his eyes will say as much For look back to the beginning of these troubles and you shall clearly perceive that what ever was plotted or contrived against the Lords people or his cause in this land turned directly to the shame of the contrivers and plotters and how the Lord hath rewarded the prime opposers both Church-men and great Polititians to a great many of you is very well knowne Secondly look upon the prime undertakers imployed against this work I am bound in all charity to beleeve that our late Soveraign from whom they did purchase commission is now with the Lord were men more regarding their own private interest then the glory of God or the Kings interest which they had so much in their mouthes as was seen by the consequence in joyning
with and giving Commissions to persons desperately sworne enemies and opposers to the true Reformed Religion and how those men should have advanced the same or been faithfull to our King professing the said Religion I leave it to all indifferent religious and rationall men to judge And though the Lord suffered the Rod of those wicked men to lye upon the back of the righteous for a time and that they did shed the blood of Gods people like water and made the fields and cities of this land to swimme there with yet at last how the Lord did over take those bloody Irishes Papists and others with his vengeance and of late the prime undertakers is not unknown to you all For the which this land hath how reason to rejoyce in the Lord that the strength of the wicked and malignant party is how broken and all their plots and machinations fully discovered And the same Lord that hath delivered you from fear of the enemies within will likewise deliver you from the great threatnings of the insulting enemies of the neighbour lands If you prove thankfull for this mercy and deliverance you have received and keep close with God by adhering couragiously to his cause and Covenant I shall now crave pardon to speak a word concerning our now gracious King whom I pray God blesse with length of dayes and put the wicked from about him that his throne may be established in righteousnesse And it is thus that what Commissions have been granted by him nay I may rather say extorted against this nation that the Subjects of this Kingdom may not conceive prejudice against him for the same or think that of his naturall disposition he inclin'd to that course he was led upon or that in any way he had or hath thoughts against the good of Religion No God forbid you should thus think but impute it rather to the cunning and malice of those who purchased them and to the immaturity of his years who at that time was too flexible to their counsels For I dare boldly say and am very hopefull that if the Lord put faithfull counsellors about him he shall prove as gracious a King as ever ruled this Nation You will pardon this my digression I will now return to what concerns my selfe and present condition Good People You see me here ready to lay down my life by a just sentence of Parliament I am an object for Gods mercy and your prayers The sentence for which I am now to receive this publick punishment was given forth against me for joyning with those desperately wicked enemies to Religion of the which I was speaking just now for the which I doe not only stand guilty of temporall death by the law of this land but also of the eternal wrath of God without his free mercy in Christ Jesus my Redeemer if I should be rewarded according to the merit of my offence For how fearfull a guiltinesse lies upon my conscience I will now glorifie God by a confession though I should bring shame upon my selfe I shall now declare that all those that hear me may pray to the Lord to pardon this my publick guiltinesse and all other my personall faults and offences which are past number yet the Lords mercy is above all his works and through the blood of the New Covenant I hope all those my sins shall be purged and washed away When this land did first enter into Covenant with God Anno 1638. I did swear and subscribe the same and did engage personally in the service in England the first year But what a fearfull defection I made by joyning afterward with the enemies of the doctrine and discipline which I swore by that Covenant to maintain and the breaking of my vows to God for personall Reformation which I was likewise sworne unto it is known to God and my own conscience and not unknown to some here present And truly I must ingenuously confesse and that with a sorrowfull heart that in all the courses I have been upon ever since in opposition to that Covenant there was ever reluctancy within and some light of conscience checking me which I bore down and smothered by setting before my eyes worldly respects as favour of Princes and great men and that enemy to my salvation the point of honour never to relinquish a cause though never so bad for which I do now acknowledge my unfeigned sorrow and repentance and begs pardon at the Throne of Grace for this my guiltinesse And now I come to make known unto you how Satan dealt with me when he drew me to this Apostacy and shall desire if there be any that are now my hearers who are or have been covenant-breakers may examine themselves if the like way Satan hath used with them that so they may repent and those that have not falleâ— may stand fast and be watchfull by my example to avoyd such snares And first before I made publick defection from the cause Sathan got in upon me by seducing me to personall vices in particular drunkennesse and all other vices acompanying that as whoredome swearing prophane and filthy communication lying brawling and quarrelling abuse of the creatures nay in a word from a rationall creature to become worse then a beast of all which vices and many more occasioned by that sin my soul is now guilty Thus having begun to grow dissolute and prophane in my life by giving my selfe over to commit all manner of wickednesse with wantonnesse and greedinesse sin became so customary as the conscience thereof was quite gone I became carelesse of all religious duties by prophaning the Sabbath neglecting all the publick Ordinances of Gods worship as receiving the Sacrament hearing of Sermons publick or private prayer nay in a word I became a contemner of the Gospell a despiser of Gods servants and a mocker of all that made conscience of religious duties or walking strictly before God so that Religion became a thing so indifferent unto me that I could and did goe as frequently and more to Masse and to Idolatrous Churches as to the reformed when I was beyond the Sea And at my return to England for Common Prayer I made no scruple of it being there I joyned my self with those parties that pretended for the King and how wickedly I lived there the Lord he knowes and grant me pardon for the same for though naturally I inclined too much to wickednesse yet evill society helped it when I had thus lived for a while the Lord essayed to reclaym me by the Rod of Imprisonment but in stead of making a sanctified use of that affliction I became worse and lived more dissolutely in Prison then I had done before so that my heart grew more and more hardened in wickednesse Being got free out of prison in stead of returning to Scotland as I was advised by my well wishers I went back to Oxford where I joyned again to that party I had been formally with but remaining there but some