Restoration there has been no free nor Lawful Parliaments and he thinks by reason albeit the Members thereof were Elected in the ordinary way Yet when the Members Meet there was unlawful Oaths imposed upon them and there upon severals of them left the Parliament and so he understands that it is not a free nor lawful Parliament and thinks that Episcopacy and Erastianisme is established in that and subsequently Parliaments were contrary to the Word of God and that the Supremacy herein established is most horrid Blasphemy I added here to the Chancellor that I hoped his Lordship would not be offended at this seeing he had sworn the same in the Test but they refused to write this in my subscribed Declaration Being Interrogate if he owned the Proclamation and Declaration at Sanquhair and Hamilitoun Declares he does not own the Sanquhair Declaration as being inconsistent with his Principles such as the cutting off of the wicked and having himself read the Hamiltoun Declaration Declares he owns the same and that when they were invaded and assaulted by any Persons whatsoever in their Exercises of Reformed Religion and Worship they were obliged to stand to their own Defence and owns the Lawfullness of Field Conventicles and their being in Arms to Defend themselves in case of being Molested And he himself was ever ready to own and defend his Brethren in Arms when invaded for Religion And declares that the Invasion made against them at Pentland and Bothwell they being in the Exercise of his Religion was Service done to the Devil and Resistance made by them was Service done to GOD. Confesses that before Bothwell Bridge he had riden in Arms with Mr. Welsch through the Countrey and blesses God for it Confesses he was at a Meeting at Lesmehago before Bothwell when Lieutenant DalÈiel with a Party came upon them and was one of these that engaged against that Party Denies he was at Drumclogg But confesses he was at Bothwell and thinks that Mr. John Welsch stayed about half a year in the Countrey thereafter but he was only about eight days in Company with him after Bothwell in this Kingdom Confesses the King is lawful King Born and came Lawfully to the Crowns of these Kingdoms and that he is lawful King of this Kingdom and owns the Kings Authority conform to the Word of GOD that is to say That he is impowered to Govern for GOD's Glory and the good of his People and to be a Terror to evil doers and encourager to well and Declares that the Act of Supremacy as it is explained by the Act of Parliament that the turning out of Presbyterian Interest and overturning the Work of Reformation most unlawful Acts and being expresly contrary to the Word of God can not be Binding upon the Declarent and that Covenants are binding upon the Nations and shall be so while Sun and Moon endures and that that Oath called the Test is a most unlawful and horrid Oath and he is not obliged to take the same He Declares As to killing the Archbishop of St. Andrews he cannot give Judgment anâ—â—nt it it not being an Act of his own but that some of these that were called the Actors whom he knew and particularly one William Dingwal were Godly and Just Men. sic subscribitur John Dick. The last Day of August 1683 There being many Noblemen in the Court which day Mr. John Dick being present was Examined in presence of the Justices then sitting in Judgment and the abovewritten Confession â—mitted by him in presence of the Council being read he acknowledged the same and every particular of the same in presence of the said Justices Sic subscribitur John Dick Maitland James Fowls John Lockhart Alexander Seton Upon September 4 1683 I Mr. John Dick Son to David Dick Writer in Edinburgh being Called before the Lords of Justiciary being then present it was demanded if I had any thing to say for my self I answered Yes my Lord I have somewhat to add to my Lyble they asked what was that then I proceeded as follows I Mr. John Dick Prisoner in Name and by the Appointment of Our Blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ Declare That the Blood of all the Presbyterians that have been Executed for their Principles is horrid Murder by whatsomever Law they have been judged and that in the Person of every Individual one who have suffered simply on this Account Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ hath been as really crucified as He was by Pilate and the Jews at Jerusalem And this I desire may be holden as a part of my former Declaration and Confession emitted before the Council and Justices This I called for and subscribed blessing the Lord that had given me a hand so to do They refused to add it to my Declaration judging they had too much already I required all that were present Witnesses that I had declared the same and Appealled them all to Christ's Bar at the Great Day to Answer for what they had done and were doing They asked if I would have an Advocat I said My Lords that is ordinarly denied to Persons in my condition they declared I should have as many as I pleased I said I would have none but my Blessed Lord Jesus Christ Blessed be His Holy Name for it He is both with me and in me The Justice Clerk asked if I was a Quaker or a Fifth Monarchry Man I told him I abhorred both yet my Affection was relevant being Blessed of my God with the Grace of Faith And then they read my Indictment and asked at every Article to which I answered affirmatively Then did the Justice Clerk ask if I had any thing to say for my self I said I Blessed the Lord I had they Desired me to proceed Answer I expect my Lords being a Free Born Scots Man I shall have the Priviledge allowed me that the Christians in former days had among the Heathens the Justice Clerk bids me proceed there are two things which I hope your Lordship will grant e're we proceed further first do you not Acknowledge that the Almighty God Jehovah is Supream Lord Governour of Heaven and Earth that all Kings in the Earth are but his Deputs Servants the Justice Clerk sayes yes The Second Do ye not Acknowledge that all the Law in the World among Christians must Strike Sail to the great Law the Law of God to which I got no Answer whereupon I took Witnesses and Protested that it might be Recorded in Heaven then they press'd me to proceed I told him the Advocat offering to follow his own method had drawn out my Declaration my Lords you have been at much pains to seek my Accusation I have been so Ingenuous to Exhibite it to you my self for which I Bless the Lord first Article that I own my self to a Presbyterian and to be bound to continue so conform to a Covenant that can not be Infringed by no Power under Heaven Now my Lords I being under such strong Impressions of those my
to be the Supream Judge and his Word the Supream Law which both were Refused in that the Lâ—tter was not Granted and yet both by my Blessed Lord and Master in my Escape proâ—â—â— The first in this that though the Great one in the Earth Bad Decreed my Death upon the 26 of Sept. 1683 â—et now see my blessed Master having Decreed the contrary has proven himself Supream The latter in this that though the same was Enacted in a Law by you yet by his Word which is yet the Supream Law my GOD having moved me to cast mine Eye upon that Promise He that loseth his Life for my sake shall save it and upon the back of this on that Word in the Psalms According to thy Righteousness do thou deliver me I say my blessed Lord helping me to cast mine Eye and not a little to Confide in the Promise though I must confess by my too eager gripping thereto at first and in so doing limitting my blessed Lord I Bred my self not a little Disquiet yet I say my Lord according to this his Word having set me at Liberty though you had Enacted the contrary has ad hominem sufficiently proven my second Principle also I say are you at a Point what to answer when all this Blood comes to be inquired into Know you not that the Blood of Saints is precious in the Lord's sight Or will ye yet with Pharaoh harden your hearts possibly under this consideration that you live Remote from the Red-Sea But know you not that our Omnipotent Master can for you make a Sea of your own Blood if it be Red enough for you to Drown in And who knows but such a thing may come to pass Especially considering that it is an ordinary thing with the Lord in punishing either Friends or Enemies to do it so as their sin may be Reâ—d in their Judgement and I am indeed the rather inclined to think it shall be so when I remember the saying of that Worthy Man of GOD I mean Mr. Semple late Minister of Corsfairn in Galloway who fell under no small Eclipse in his Latter Days through his closing with that fatall Indulgence fatall indeed to the poor Churches in Britain and Ireland who in his better days had this Expression As the Lord lives for every Drop of the Saints Blood has been or shall be shed by these his Cruel Enemies speaking of the Malignant Prelatical Papistical and Atheistical Party in these Kingdoms there shall Tuns Tuns Tuns of their's fall to the Ground and I know few of this Great Seer Threatnings have fallen to the Ground What Dream you I say you shall have to Answer in that Day Dare ye whisper these things were done conform to your Laws which upon the Matter was all I got answered to me standing at your Bar here upon Earth for which I have no fewer than 500 Witnesses and upon which I have an Instrument standing Recorded in Heaven do you think you will dare to Mutter this then Sure if you knew what you were saying you would never do it here nor there for it is no less upon the Matter than to Ratifie the Sentence past upon our blessed Lord and Master himself by the Jews for which he got no other reason but we have a Law the same I get but what if our blessed Lord your Judge say but you know I had a Law to the contrary and your Law should have Ceded to mine dare you think you shall contradict this there as you have indeed done here upon Earth I know you dare not consider then what you will answer for I can assure you it is of your Concern May Sixth Question shall be what think you to Answer for your Mock Thanksgivings of which I shall Instance two one is for Gowries Conspiracy the other for this Pretended Deliverance from a Mock Plot these two Twins I bring in together the rather that they resemble other as much as ever Twins did and no wonder since they are of one Father I mean the Devil one Mother the Pope of Rome one Nurse the Jesuitical Papists who having brought up these Brats till they are able to walk alone send them over here to their Friends in Britain and Ireland and what day is pitched upon here for bringing them forth to publick View Even the Lords day in which these young Monsters must get on all their Gay Cloathes and of them must all the Churches in the Nations spend that day in speaking though to the mocking of GOD with abominable Lies yet to the admiration of this Monstrous Birth And then when all is done there must be Bonefires Ringing of Bells and fireing of Cannons and what not that this Monstrous Generation can devise for provocking of and fighting against Jehovah O Heaven shake Earth tremble and all flesh be astonished at such Hellish madding against our glorious Master and because contravia juxta se posita clarius elucescunt I would have you to take a glance of the industrie of that Limb of Antichrist the Duke of York in hindering the procedure of the Parliament of England in their so just and Legall procedure in inquiring into that Hell-hatched Popish Plot which is in no small measure now advanced by this last mock one of yours And I am sure none who are not altogether Strangers to the Constitutions of England will refuse that Treason of the Nature that a Popish Plot is really and this mock Plot of theirs as to its pretended Nature is pretended to be ought to come under Tryal by his Majesty and the two Houses of Parliament as only competent Judges thereto but there is no remedy for open and irresistible violence but patience I say what are you at a Point what to Answer for these things I fear not and I hope none who knows that I am a Presbyterian and Consequently whom I am concerned to Defend here I mean all such as are either indeed Presbyterians or longing for the time when the Nation shall be Universaly such which the LORD hasten and Pardon any who have been any way Instrumental in hindering when the matter was brought to a very hopefull pass will think I have been out of the Road in medling in matters wherein the Glory of GOD is so much concerned for to Charge any such Plotts upon such as are indeed of our Principles I dare Averr to be not only a wrong for us but of our Blessed LORD also in and though us Now I Pray you consider what you shall Answer for these things My Seventh Question is what you think to Answer who have Refused our Blessed LORD and his People a Spot of your Ground to meet together upon who have Refused his People a Nights Lodging who have Concurred in Dragging his People to Scaffolds and Prisons and others whom we have Classed together with you above when you shall meet that Day with your Particular Charges Is it not of your concern to consider this especialy the rather
contrary In the next place I come to ask at the Soldiers of a lower degree for with the Officers I have met already and what I have said to one I expect they will be so favourable to themselves as to look upon said to all unless they have some particular Exceptions that I know not of the benefite of which I allow them desiring them rather to err in judging of themselves too much than too little And to you Soldiers I say where think you to shelter your in the great Day of our LORD Do ye Dream to shelter your under the Command of your Supream Officers If so I think you have a very pitiful Plea for in the first place hereby you denude your of the priviledge due to all Rational Creatures I mean of your Discretive Judgment and in the next place the commands of all created Powers is only in so far a Warrand to the Observant as that command Quadrats and agrees with the will of our Supream Lord and Master which I affirm still to be the Supream Law Now where are you Poor things if these Commands you have been obeying be Diametrically opposite to the Supream Law I mean the revealed will of our Supream Lawgiver which none who duely ponders what is here written with what is contained in the abovementioned Authors will easily get refused if this hold as surely it must for any thing we have heard to the contrary then you are still to seek for a shelter for your Officers Commands will no more secure you than their Superiors did them which is not at all as you may see above and I hope yet more afterward For my own part I must here Vent my Opinion which is I look upon no more as Lawfull but what is purely Defensive neither do I think the War gets the Denomination of Offensive or Defensive from the Priority or Posteriority of Parties contending in their Assaults or infalls upon one another so much as upon the Equity or Iniquity of the ground of the Quarrel he upon whose side Equity stands being still Defender and the other Offender and this in all the Revolutions of the War to the end whoever pursue whoever Fly whoever give the first whoever give the second blow I mean with the Sword for the War with me is determined as to its nature er'e it come to blows if it begin not by a blow which seldom falls out And now I hope my Lord Boyd as I remember is satisfied as to that Curious Question proponed by him to me by another who if I remember right was Mr. David Thores Advocate in the Outter House when I was Overseeing the Writing of my Subscribed Declaration proposed the same which was If the Infall upon Glasgow was in self Defence I am sure it was however pitifully managed by some there And now in the last Place fearing I have been too Tedious already I must Adress my self to a Mixt Multitude some upon one Account some upon another who may Possibly think they have not been so Active as the Rest as being as but they call it Passive in the thing if the Enacters and others above Spoken to have been Guilty in their Activity Dream not of Escaping under that Feg Tree Leaf of Passive Obedience a Perfect Chimera in the matter of Sin for there is nothing will Justify Sin whether Committed Active or Passive and to call a Mans Sufferings for not Sinning Passive Obedience is to make â—se of an Unproper Speech for it is indeed Disobedience and Suffering for the same and to Dream these have been Simply Passive to whom I am to Address my self because their Practice is Warranted by a Human Law their Transgression being against the Almighty GOD Jehovah yet more Unproper You shall know the Persons I intend here are such Masters of Ground in the Country as for fear of Mens Laws have Refused our Blessed Lord so much of their Ground as to meet with his People in for Preaching and Praying and the Rest of the Duties of Publick Worship though the Earth be the Lords and the Fullness thereof then such Masters of Houses whether in Burgh or Landwart as Refuse the Poor People of GOD either Shelter Meat or Drink then such as Concur with our more Active Enemies in putting us in Prison Convoying us to Scaffolds meeting us in Cross ways looking upon us with Satisfaction in the Day of Distress and Refusing for fear to Visit us in our Distress as they are called but Blessed be the Lord many of his Poor People have found them among their Chiefest Enlargements such I say as are Guilty of these and many others of that Nature these being Sirs all against GOD as you may see on the Margine of the Scriptures Cited there the Committing thereof can neither be Excused by the Commands or Laws of Men nor by that Distinction of Passive Obedience which I said in the matter of Sin is a Meer Chimera because I had this Passive Obedience offered to me by Sir John Lauder whom I did not know then to be Sir John and therefore called him only Mr. Lauder for which I hope he will readily Excuse me my Ignorance Being in some sort Invincible I shall first give an Account of that meeting and what past there then Endeavouring to Satisfy Sir John in that matter and afterward Return to the Persons I have in hand some three or four Days before my Escape being called down I knew not to whom nor for what End till I was Convoyed by one of the Keepers unto a little Room in the Hall where I sees Sir John and another Gentleman whom I knew not then but Understands since to have been a Brother of the Justice Clerks Andrew Young Writer to the Signet Mr. John Vass one of the Keepers and another Gentleman whom I knew neither then nor could learn since when I came in Sir John Lauder Saluted me telling me that partly out of Respect to my Father his Father and mine being Old Accquaintance and partly out of Respect to my self he had come to Pay me a Visite I told him there was no Civil Gentleman but should be Welcome to Visite me then they desired me to Sit down I am no sooner Sit down than Sir John tells me he did Compassionate my Condition I told him I was not sensible of any thing in my Condition that called for his Compassion for which I Blessed then and I hope shall ever Bless my GOD he says why are you so Tenacious in the matter of Defensive Arms I told him I had for me in that not only the Example of Abraham the Father of the Faithful but which was yet more two Precepts by my Blessed Lord and Master Jesus Christ the one that Sell your Coat and buy a Sword the other that when you are Persecute out of one City Fly to another and besides all these the Law of Nature the Law of Nations Generaly and Particularlly our own and the Practice
Concerned might be put down off the Scaffold then he with a Smilling Countenance turns to the People and gives them all a Cowngie as he did when he went first up the Scaffold and turns to his Father who was also upon the Scaffold with him and Embracing him very Chearfully he gave several Kisses and Rounded some of his last Advises to him and so parted with him saying LORD be with you my Dear Father And then turned to his Brother who was also by him upon the Scaffold and after the same manner Embracing him Kissing so parted with him with Words to the same purpose that he had to his Father with an Exhortation that he should amend his Life and forbear his Idle Company But especially his ways with several others of that Nature telling him the Hazard thereof and encouraging him if he would follow his last Advices Then he turns to two Gentlemen which were also with him and after the same manner Embraced Saluted and parted with them and then he gave another Bow to the whole Multitude and so went up the Ladder and turning his Face to the North East he Cryed out saying I am come here to surprised nor terrified with Death or the manner of it And here I do declare would not Exchange my Lot with what the greatest King Prince or Emperor Enjoyments could afford me and what I Speak once I say it again I lay dowâ— my Life willingly and Chearfully for Christ and his truth Blessing him that evâ—â— I had a Life to lay it down for him yea I am now no more Troubled with or for Death then if I were to ly down in the Finest Bed that the Earth could afford with thâ— most Dear and Intimate Friend that the World could allow me and here I do Declare that I do Heartily and freely forgive all Men whatsoever they have done tâ— or against me and Prayes that the LORD would forgive them I forgive them that sentenced me to die here first and last and I forgive all that apprehended mâ— first and last or was any way accessory thereto and I forgive all that has broâ—ghâ— me here and are guarding me here and I forgive this Poor Man pointing with hiâ— hand behind him to the Hangman who is to be my Executioner Now I desire you all especially you who pretend to be righteous Study to be Sincere in the Way oâ— GOD and in working out of your Salvation for there are many who pretends to be Godly thâ—t know little of the Life and Power thereof therefore I entreat youâ— labour to know what is the Power and Life of Godliness for there are many if noâ— the most part who pretends to be righteous that knows least of it I say be noâ— satisfied with the Shell but labour for the Kernel and Marrow of Religion Now my Friends Remember I tell you here upon the Ladder and as a Dying Man steping out of Time to Eternity that notwithstanding all the Dark Clouds that has been and now are yet there are a thicker and darker coming and it is not far off yea it is at hand But I say Trust in GOD Trust in GOD and he will not disappoint you I say Trust in GOD whatever Afflictions befall you yet Trust in GOD and give him Credite At the hearing of these Words the Bailie calls to Beat the Drums and so they were Beat a little at which he looked down to the Bailie and said what Sir do ye Beat Drums because I desire the People to trust in GOD and the Drums were silenced Then he Cryed out again trust in GOD and ye shall be born through if once ye get in him and keep in him Then he said I will Sing a part of the twenty fifth Psalm from the sixteen Verse to the close for it has been many a time very sweet to me and so I will sing it as my last Song in Time I shall be immediatly where my Heart shall be so Tuned pointing with his Hand to his Breast that I shall never be able to stop the Melody and Harmony thereof then having Sung these Verses he Prayed in which among other things he had this Expression Lord take a Course with thine Enemies and these of them whom thou has a Purpose of Love to Lord bring them in and let them see the evil of their ways and these that are thine incorrigible Enemies make the Wheels of thy Chariots go over their Backs And now Lord leave me not and leave not thine to the evil of the Enemies hasten and return to thine Heritage that's now in reproach turn to thy Church and People for thy Glorious Names sake thou knowest I dare say before thee and in thy sight that I preferred thy Work and Interest to my very Life which I as I am a Rational Creature is as sweet to me as another Mans is Yet I durst not purchase at any Rate to the prejudice of thy Truth and so I lay it down freely and willingly So having called his Father to him a word with you Sir and so having spoken what he had to say to him he again took his Leave of him delivering him a Book to be given to another so parted with him And he perceiving his Brother who was on the Ladder with him trembling he said to him Smyling and Clapping him on the Cheek what Sir are you Trembiing for what Sir are you afraid do you perceive any thing like fear in me And so his Brother puts his Nâ—pkin on his 〈◊〉 and it being Tyed and his Brother offering to pull it over his Face he putting away his Hand with his said let alone I will draw it down my self so he put his Hâ—nds into his Pocket and takes out the Cover of his Bible and putting the same therein he gave it to his Brother Charging him straitly to give it to his Sister Then he looked round about him saying farewell all my Friends in CHRIST pointing with his Hand to some that he knew both in Windows and on the Street to one fixing his Eyes upon him he said my Dear Billie the Lord be with you the Lord be with you and having fixed himself upon a Step of the Ladder said I Remember a Passage of Abraham who was Commanded to Sacrifice his Son Isacc he having in Obedience to the Command brought his Son to offer him up a Sacrifice Reared up an Altar and Isaac says to him here is the Altar and there is the Wood but where is the Sacrifice and then he said Pointing to the Gibbet here is the Altar and then Pointing to the Ladder on which he Sat said here is the Wood and then he said laying his Hands on his Breast and Blessed be GOD here is a free will offering and I will give it willingly and Chearfuly yea I can say it here even upon the Brink of Eternity that these several Years I have Preferred the Glory of GOD the wellfare and Prosperity of the Work â—nd Interest of Christ and his People to my own Private and Particular Interest and I might have Shuned such a Death as this but GOD knows I durst not do it And now I know yea I am firmly perswaded That my Dear Lord even my Exalted and Glorified Lord Jesus Christ will carry me safely throw this Dark Valley and Saddow of Death and will receive my Soul immedatly after I go off this Ladder unto Glory where I shall ever be with him Then he said again crying with a Loud Voice now when I can Hardly get Speaking for the Rope about my Neck Farewell all Freinds and followers of Christ again I say Farewell and Adiew all Earthly Enjoyments and so having given the Hangman a Sign when he would be ready he Prayed alitle within himself and when he had done he gave the Sign and at the giving thereof he drew the Napkin over his Face and Cryed out Farewell all Friends in Christ into thy Hands O Lord do I Commit my Soul So he was Turned over And so ends the Life of this Faithful and now Glorified Martyr for Christ And to GOD the Father Son and Bessed Spirit be Eternal Praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS
could not but have felt it to be for which my Soul shall ever bless his Name and I hope I shall not be left alone here expecting the assistance of not a few in these Nations in this matter who have in this particular to the refreshment of their Souls found a new Proof of our GOD's being the Hearer of Prayer I say again these things being so I hope none who are not engaged in the same rage against GOD with these his Enemies and ours upon his Account will doubt but their whole procedure against me in this matter has been a Decreed and intended Murder not only against me but also my Blessed LORD and Master in and through me And least any should mistake me here let them but consider these Three Scriptures First He that touches you touches the Aple of mine Eye Secondly In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Thirdly Paul Paul Why persecutest thou me And I hope the mistake shall be rubbed off And now having through the Blessing and Assistance of the Almighty gotten my Testimony brought to this Pass that the case betwixt his People and them is clearly stated to evidence that not only I but such others of our perswasion all the Nations over are indeed Christians I resolve in the LORD'S strength as he shall assist to leave behind me a Testimony of my Tenderness both to the Souls and Bodies of such as has given no small Proof of their Thirsting after my blood in dealing with them as follows And now unto his Majesty our King must I Address my self and to all under him from his Brother the Duke of York to all the Counsellors whether Publick or Secret in the Three Kingdoms and under them to all the Sheriffs Justices with their Clerks and Pendicles of Court even to these of the meanest Office I mean the Dempsters and after these to the whole Magistrates of Burrows with their Pendicles to the lowest and then to all the Members of these Parliaments since his Majesty's Restauration whether such as did sit there by Birth or were Elected and as to these Elected even to their Electors and in a Word to all and sundry who have concurred with Homologate or Ratified your Unjust Sentences pronunced against the Almighty whether more directly or at least in his Members Now as to you all and sundry I declare in the Entry of my Address as in the sight of Jehovah whose I am and before whom both you and I e're long must stand naked and bare to answer for all we have done in the Flesh That my design in this my Address next to the Glory of GOD the Good and Edification of his People and consequently the advancement of his Work The Third thing which the LORD my GOD has held before my Eyes in all this my Trial has been your Conviction from the highest to the lowest if possible and that I may the better reach that end my Blessed LORD has determined my Heart to follow this Method First To deal more particularly with you in laying before your eyes the Egregiousness of your Sin Secondly To Expostulate with you to return from the same to GOD'S Glory and your own Souls Eternal well-being And Thirdly And if in this I prevail not to remonstrate the hazard of refusing this my Warning And Fourthly To take Instruments upon what the LORD by me the Unworthiest of his Servants has been doing for you and of your Refusal I mean as to so many as shall be so far left of the LORD as to refuse the same and Oh! that there might be few such then I am to leave my Companions in Tribulation and Brethren in our ever Blessed and Eldest Brother Christ Jesus the LORD of Glory with a word of Exhortation and so Conclude Now Great Sir for to you and all under you and who instigate you to and concurred with you in these Soul-destroying Practices I am in the strength of Jehovah to remonstrate I Address my self and in the first place must take the liberty to tell you in the Name of my great Lord and Master Jesus C rist that it is not unknown to your Majesty nor any of these to whom I Address my self jointly with you that not only at your Coronation your Majesty and all under you from the highest to the lowest but also before these whole Nations were and yet are engaged in a most Solemn Covenant with the Ever-Living GOD Party Contracter on the one hand and your Majesty and all under you in these Nations from the highest to the lowest on the other hand to the observance of which Covenant these Nations and all in them shall forever be bound and obliged from the highest to the lowest while Sun and Moon endures neither is there any imaginable way of Dissolving the same especially considering that therein our Obligation being only to Amend our Lives and to Worship the Almighty GOD conform to his own Appointment and to oppose our our Lives and Fortunes to all courses and ways inconsistent with these ends these being Moral Duties to which we were Antecedently bound as is the Nature also of all the Duties we are obliged to by these Covenants Now Great Sir the Case being thus I hope ye will not judge your self obliged to such as makes this Defence for breaking of these Covenants that your Majesty was forced thereto for indeed I look upon it as a great imputation upon your Majesty especially being Stiled Defender of the Faith to have been in any measure under either Necessity or Constraint to have joined in a Duty so absolutly necessary and if there was any thing of force where was the Intimation thereof sure I am there was nothing thereof publickly to be seen and yet giving but not granting it had been so your Majesty and all under you were unexpressibly more obliged to the performance therefore then were the People of Isreal to the performance of that made with the Gibeonites as may be seen above nor shall I think your Majesty will think your self obliged to them who should for Vindication of your Breach of these Covenants offer this Defence that your Majesty is under Covenant of a posterior date bound to the Pope and some of his Creatures to introduce Popery and to Emancipate these Territories to that Antichristian Yoke if any such thing be as the Carriage of the Court this considerable time too loudly insinuates Sure I am it were more for your Majesties Honour and the Glory of God and the good of your Nations to break that Covenant than to keep it it being a Covenant made against the Almighty which by no imaginable pretence can be justified but leaving these things to your Majesties consideration and to the consideration of such as may with you be concerned herein I must make bold to ask again by what Authority you came to Dissolve this Contract yea I may say and that upon good Grounds as Glorious a Contract as ever was made on Earth while
Adhered to of as Glorious effects I say I must make bold to ask by what Authority this is broken and unless you be so bold as to run your self upon Bosses of the Buckler of the Almighty in refusing that which the Justice Clerk but faintly granted which the Lord avert I mean unless you deny Jehovah to be Supreme Lord and Master of Heaven and Earth and all the Kings and Governors in the Earth to be his Deputies and Servants I shall defy you or any Mortal to satisfy me in this if you consider what is said before on this Subject and what is contained in the several Authors abovementioned on this Matter Now we shall take it for granted that these Covenants stands still binding and I am sure we have good ground so to do for any thing we have either read or heard to the contrary Then great Sir must I in the next place ask how it comes to pass that over the belly of these Covenants Episcopacy and Erastianisme against which as to the unlawfulness thereof and their inconsistency with the Word of God who have so many Testimonies standing in Record not only in the Word of God but in other Humane Writings drawn and founded thereupon without the least satisfaction offered by our Adversaries come to be introduced amongst us who beside the unlawfulness of the things themselves have this to say that we have Sworn with Hands lifted up to the Almighty not only never to join wâ—th but with our Lives and Fortunes to oppose either I say how comes these not only to be introduced but we by Armed force Hunted Harassed Plundered Tortured and Hailed to Scaffolds for no other Reason but our refusing Anenâ— which the unlawfulness of the things were to us sufficient Warrand though we had not been in Covenant but much more being under the same as for my part I can Dream of no Reason for introducing of these being strangers in the Church of Christ not only in his own blessed time and the time of the Apostles who survieved him But also for three hundred Years thereafter Nor do I ever hear or Read that any other use they were introduced but for that Antichrist that Man of Sin his Exaltation being made use of the one for his Advancement is that damnable absolute Supremacy of his in the Church and the other for the same and in the State and truely if this be the thing it does not a little confirm me in the Belief of that second Covenant you and your Brother have made with the Pope which I mentâ—â—â—â— a little above Bâ—â— I say How come the Subjects of Britain and Ireland to be forced to a Complyance with these Sure you say by your Principles that you allow not of the forcing of Mens Consciences by the Sword looking upon it as a Turkish way as Prelate Paterson said to my lately Martyred Brother John Wilson and why are you worse than Turks in this violently Practising contrary to your Principles In the next place I come to enquire at your Majesty why this Monstruous abominable Test which the Turk himself could not but Scunner at is not only Enacted to be taken by all his Majesties Subjects here in Sâ—otland but also by Violence and Force obtruded on many both Gentle and Semple Rich and Poor Why this is done I cannot Divine if it be not to let the World see you mind to out-do Prouâ— Pharoch in daring the Almighty And why Pray you is there a thing called An Act made Discharging People to Associâ—te togâ—ther upon any pretence whatsoever for their own innocent and necessary self Dâ—fence without your Majesties special Command and this also Sworn to in that horred Test It is not unknown to any that there may many Emergents fall out that may make this which is by that pretended Law made no less than Treason become a most necessar and indispensible Duty as in the case of a sudden Invasion by an Enemy your Majesty being at a great distance and who knows but the Alarm may be keeped from your Majesty by some keeped about Court for that end Who doubts but in such a Case absolute Necessity will become a Law to the People And who doubts but if for fear of this Law any should ly by but they might be arraigned as yet greater Traitors And if in this case this should be justifiable why not in ours being so in humanly Assaulted by a company of Murdering Papists Atheists or worse And for any thing we know his Majesty being all this while a great stranger to our Affairs through the industry of some disaffected to the way of GOD who are keeped about Court for that end I say this as also that by the Instigation of suth there is a pretended Law made Discharging any under the Pain of Treason to meet or Consult in order to the Remonstrating of our Case to his Majesty will to all unbyassed sufficiently Warrand our innocent self Defence as to what may be objected against this having hinted a little in the fore part of my Testimony and the whole of our business in these being sufficiently justified by the several Authors above-mentioned without any Answer as yet I say again Why are all these things done And now further let me ask at your Majesty Why are our Prisons keeped still throng with Prsoners some Aged some Infirm and Tender some out of Capacity to mantain themselves for no other cause but that they desire to keep a Conscience void of Offence towards GOD and towards Man and some Honourable Ladies also for no other Reason than for Resetting and hearing of some honest and faithfull Ministers in their Houses or Resetting or Refreshing some of the LORD'S People in their Necessities I am sure none who ever read the 25 Chapter of Matthew from the 31st Verse to the end will look upon this as a capital Crime but as an indispensible Duty I say it again why are all these things done is it to satisfie these Blood-thirsty Prelats of yours or some of the Popish Party whom your Brother has flocking about him in Swarms Great Sir all these small Sins And besides are these Inumerable other Sins have you and all these to whom with you I Address my self to answer for and that the Weight thereof may be a little better laid open to your Majesty and these others I pray be at the pains with me to Recapitulate the same yet once more it is no small Sin do you think to break the Covenant with GOD and to force your Subjects to do also Is it no small sin to cast off the way of GOD and to Banish that Religion of his own Appointment and introduce that amongst us which both your Majesty and all under you have Vomited up and thrown out by that Solemn Oath Is it no small Sin do you think to Impose Contradictory Oaths upon your People and so to force them to open Rebellion against the Almighty Is it no small thing