the Book of God and ordained all that brooked the Office to demit Simpliciter and to desist and cease from Preaching while they received de novo admission from the General Assembly under the Pain of Excommunication In pursuance whereof the Assemblies from that time until the Year 1681. did with much painfulness and faithfulness attend the work until by perfecting of the second Book of Discipline they compleated their work in the exact Model of Presbyterial Government Which was confirmed and covenanted to be kept inviolate in the National Covenant Subscribed that Year by the King his Court and Council and afterwards by all Ranks of People in the Land Whence it may be doubted whether the Impudence of the succeeding Prelates that denyed this or their Perjury in breaking of it be greater This was but the first brush A brisker Assault follows Wherein for the better establishment of Prelacy and not only Diocesan but also Erastian Prelacy might be set up the Earl of Arran and his wicked Complices move the King contrary both to the Word and Oath of God to usurp the Prerogative of Jesus Christ and assume to himself a Blasphemous Monster of Supremacy over all Persons and in all Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil But this also the Faithful Servants of God did worthily and valiantly resist And at the very first appearance of it gave in a Grievance to the King Anno 1582. That he had taken upon him a Spiritual Power which properly belongs to Christ as only King and Head of the Church the Ministry and Execution whereof is only given to such as bear Office in the Ecclesiastical Government in the same So that in the King's Person some Men press to erect a new Popedome as though he would not be full King of this Common-wealth unless as well the Spiritual as Temporal Sword be put in his hand unless Christ be rest of his Authority and the two Iurisdictions confounded which God hath divided which directly tendeth to the Wrack of all true Religion Which being presented by the Commissioners of the General Assembly the Earl of Arran asked with a Frowning Countenance who dare Subscribe these Treasonable Articles Mr. Andrew Melvil answered we dare and will Subscribe and render our Lives in the Cause And afterward that same Assembly presented Articles shewing that seeing the Spiritual Iurisdiction of the Church is granted by Christ and given only to them that by Preaching Teaching and Overseeing bear Office within the same to be exercised not by the Injunctions of Men but by the only Rule of God's Word hereafter no other of whatsoever degree or under whatsoever pretence have any colour to ascribe or to take upon them any part thereof either in placing or displacing of Ministers without the Churches admission or in stopping the Mouths of Preachers or putting them to silence or take upon them the Iudgement of Tryal of Doctrine c. But in contempt and Contradiction to this and to Prosecute and Exert this new usurped Power Mr. Andrew Melvil was sommoned before the Secret Council for a Sermon of his applying his Doctrine to the Times Corruptions Whereupon he gave in his Declinature against them as incompetent Judges and told them They were too bold in a Constitute Christian Church to pass by the Pastors Prophets and Doctors and to take upon them to judge the Doctrine and to controul the Ambassadours of a greater than was there which they neither ought nor can do There are saith he loosing a little Hebrew Bible from his Girdle my Instructions and Warrant see if any of you can controul me that I have past my Injunctions For this he was decerned to be warded in the Castle of Edinburgh But he conveyed himself secretly out of the Countrey When as also a Convention in Faulkand was consulting to call home the Papist Lords Mr. Andrew Melvil went thither uncalled and when found fault with by the King for his Boldness he answered Sir I have a Call to come here from Christ and his Church who have special Interest in this Turn and against whom this Convention is Assembled directly I charge you and your Estates in the Name of Christ and his Church that ye favour not his Enemies whom he hateth nor go about to call home nor make Citizens of these c. And further challenged them of Treason against Christ his Church and Countrey in that purpose they were about About the same time in a private Conference with the King he called the King Gods silly Vassal and taking him by the Sleeve told him Sir I must tell you there are two Kings and two Kingdoms There is Christ and his Kingdom whose Subject King James the 6th is and of whose Kingdom he is not a King nor a Head nor a Lord but a Member And they whom Christ hath called to Watch over and Govern his Church have sufficient Authority and Power from him which no Christian King should controul but assist otherwise they are not Faithful Subjects to Christ. Sir when you were in your Swadling-Clouts Christ Reigned freely in this Land in spight of all his Enemies but now the Wisdom of your Council is Devilish and Pernicious c. To the like effect Mr. Robert Bruce in a Sermon upon Psal. 51. gives faithful warning of the Danger of the Times It is not we sayes he that are Partie in this Cause no the Quarrel is betwixt a greater Prince and them What are we but silly Men Yet it has pleased him to set us in this Office that we should oppone to the manifest Vsurpations that is made upon his Spiritual Kingdom Is there a more forcible means to draw down the Wrath of God than to let Barrabas that nobilitate Malefactour pass free and to begin the War against Christ and his Ministry It putteth on the Copestone that so many of our Brethren should not be so faithful as their calling and this Cause craveth Fie upon false Brethren to see them dumb so faint hearted when it comes to the Chock not only are they as ashamed to speak the thing they think which is a shame in a Pastor but speak directly against their former Doctrine They will speak the Truth a while till they be put at but incontinent they will turn and make their Gifts Weapons to fight against Christ c. Hereafter when the Parliament 1584. had Enacted this Supremacy and Submission to Prelacy to be Subscribed by all Ministers the faithful first directed Mr. David Lindsay to the King desiring that nothing be done in Parliament prejudicial to the Churches Liberty Who got the Prison of Blackness for his pains And then when they could not get access for shut doors to Protest before the Parliament yet when the Acts were Proclaimed at the Cross of Edinburgh they took publick Documents in name of the Church of Scotland tho' they were but two that they protested against the said Acts And fled to England leaving behind them Reasons that moved them to do
so And Mr Iames Melvil wrote against the Subscribers at that time proving That they had not only set up a new Pope and so become Traitours to Christ and condescended to that chief Error of Papistry whereupon all the rest depend but further in so doing they had granted more to the King than ever the Popes of Rome peaceably obtained c. After this it is known what bickerings the faithful Witnesses of Christ had in their Conflicts with this Supremacy upon the account of Mr. David Blacks Declinature which they both advised him to and approved when he gave it in against the King and Council as Judges of his Doctrine And the Commissioners of the General Assembly ordained all to deal mightily with the power of the Word against the Councils Excroachments For which they were charged to depart forth of Edinburgh After which he added a second Declinature Declaring There are two Iurisdictions in this Realm the one Spiritual the other Civil the one respecting the Conscience the other Externals Therefore in so far as he was one of the Spiritual Office-bearers and had discharged his Spiritual calling in some measure of Grace and Sincerity should not nor could not be Lawfully judged for Preaching and applying the Word by any Civil Power he being an Ambassadour and Messenger of the Lord Iesus having his Commission from the King of Kings and all his Instructions set down and limited in the Book of God that cannot be extended abridged or altered by any mortal Wight King or Emperor And seeing he was sent to all sorts his Commission and Discharge of it should not nor cannot be Lawfully judged by them to whom he was sent they being Sheep and not Pastours to be judged by the Word and not to be judges thereof in a judicial way The Interloquutor being past against him for this the Brethren thought it Duty that the Doctrine of the Preachers should be directed against the said Interloquutor as against a strong hold set up against the Lord Jesus and the freedom of the Gospel and Praised God for the Force and Unity of the Spirit that was among themselves And being charged to depart out of Town they leave a faithful Declaration at large shewing how the Liberties of the Church were invaded and robbed And when the Ministers were troubled upon Mr. Blacks business and there was an intention to pull them out of their Pulpits the General Assembly advised them to stand to the Discharge of their Calling if their Flocks would save them from Violence and yet this Violence was expected from the King and his Emissaries And when Mr. Black had a Remission offered to him refus'd it altogether lest so doing he should condemn himself and approve the Courts Proceedings And the Brethren conferring with the Counsellors craving that some penalty should be condescended unto for satisfying his Majesty in his Honour would not condescend to any how light soever lest thereby they should seem to approve the Judicatory and their proceeding The imprisoned Ministers for declining the Council had it in their offer that if they would without any confession of offence only submit themselves to his Majesty pro scandalo accepto non dato they should be restored to their places But they could not do it without betraying the Cause of Christ. The Ministers of Edinburgh were committed to Ward for refusing to pray for the Queen before her Execution in Fothringam Castle 1586. they refused not simply to pray for her but for the Preservation of her Life as if she had been innocent of the Crimes laid to her charge which had imported a Condemnation of the Proceedings against her Afterwards in the Year 1600. the Ministers of Edinburgh would not Praise God for the Delivery of the King from a Conspiracy of the Earl of Gowrie at that time of which they had no Credit nor assurance and would not crave Pardon for it neither For this Mr. Robert Bruce was deprived of the Exercise of his Ministry and never obtained it again at Edinburgh But all this was nothing in Comparison of their wrestlings for the Royalties of their Princely Master and Priviledges of his Kingdome against that Tyrants Insolencies after he obtained the Crown of England For then he would not suffer the Church to indict her own Assemblies And when the faithful thought themselves obliged to counteract his Encroachments and therefore convened in an Assembly at Aberdeen Anno 1605. they were forced to dissolve And thereafter the most eminent of the Ministers there Assembled were Transported Prisoners to Blackness Whence being cited before the Council they decline their Judicatory And one of their Brethren Mr. Robert Youngson who had formerly succumbed being mov'd in Conscience returned And when the rest were standing before the Council desired to be heard and acknowledged his Fault and Subscribed the Declinature with the rest And for this they were Arraigned and Condemned as Guilty of Treason and Banished Before the Execution of which Sentence Mr. Welsh wrote to the Lady Fleeming to this effect What am I that he should first have called me and then Constituted me a Minister of glad things of the Gospel of Salvation these fifteen Years already and now last of all to be a sufferer for his Cause and Kingdom To witness that good Confession that Iesus Christ is the King of Saints and that his Church is a most free Kingdom yea as free as any Kingdom under Heaven not only to Convocate Hold and keep her Meetings Conventions and Assemblies But also to judge of all her Affairs in all her Meetings and Conventions among his Members and Subjects These two points 1 That Christ is the Head of his Church 2 That she is free in her Government from all other Iurisdiction except Christ's are the special Cause of our Imprisonment being now convict as Traytors for maintaining thereof We have now been waiting with joyfulness to give the last Testimony of our Blood in Confirmation thereof If it would please our God to be so favourable as to Honour us with that Dignity After this the King resolving by Parliament to advance the Estate of Bishops again as in the time of Popery without Cautions as before and further to establish not only that Antichristian Hierarchy but an Erastian Supremacy The faithful Ministers of Christ thought themselves bound in Conscience to protest And accordingly they offered a faithful Protestation to the Parliament Iuly 1606. obtesting That they would reserve into the Lords own hands that Glory which he will communicate neither with Man nor Angel to wit to prescribe from his Holy Mountain a lively Pattern according to which his own Tabernacle should be formed Remembring always that there is no absolute and undoubted Authority in this World except the Soveraign Authority of Christ the King to whom it belongeth as properly to rule the Church according to the good Pleasure of his own Will as it belongeth to save his Church by the Merit of his own Sufferings
Ministry the Administration of Sacraments and Preaching of the Gospel but they must not meddle with the Discipline of the Church As if the one had not been originally intended to shelter and defend the other However it is easie to observe that the Presbyterians love Government by which they secure the Interest of this World much better than Preaching of the Gospel which more immediately prepares Men for another But if they think Presbyters may be thus restrained from the Exercise of Ecclesiastical Discipline why might not the former Government restrain Presbyterians as well as the present Powers restrain the Episcopal Clergy from that part of their Ministry It is very â—ad that Men are driven to such Shifts as cannot be maintained neither by the Principles of true Reason nor by the peculiar Hypothesis of the Party They have one Answer to all this that the Episcopal Clergy would endeavour the Overthrow of Presbytery But what they might do as to that I know not I believe there are but few of them that are very zealous to contâ—â—nue the present Scheme and perhaps the Contrivances of Presbyterians to exclude them from the Government is as proper a Mean to overturn Presbytery as the Admission of them intâ— the full Exercise of their Function might havâ— been For my part I do not see how such Syncritism betwixt these contending Parties caâ— be obtained after all the political Daublings about it The Clergy should stand their Ground and let the World see that they value their Integrity and Principles at least as much as they do their Conveniencies for nothing less thaâ— the Essentials of Morality and Christianity are aâ—stake The following Treatise cannot but be chearfully received of both Parties because it conâ—tains the distinguishing Doctrines Principles and Practices of the Presbyterians for I assure you it is most faithfully copied by a Friend of mine in the Author 's own Words from the Originaâ— Book 'T is true he did not transcribe thâ— whole Treatise for that is Voluminous and conâ—tains so many Steps of their Rebellion that 〈◊〉 you desire a particular Account of them you must have recourse to the Book it self rather than to this Epitome but he hath in a feâ— Sheets contained the Strength of the Authorâ—Reasonings and all his Flourishes So that yoâ— have a just Notion as well as a true Account of the special Tenets of Scotch Presbyterianâ— with all the natural Consequences that they yield And if Strangers will not believe the Eâ—piscopal Clergy let them read their Opinions 〈◊〉 their own Books If one would know the Doâ—ctrines of Epicurus he must go to Lucretius 〈◊〉 that of Socrates he must read Plato if the Moâ—rals of the Stoicks he must read Marcus Aureâ—lies and Seneca So it were very unjust to say that Mr. Shields did not give a true Account 〈◊〉 the Doctrines of the Scotch Presbyterians beinâ— not only a Leading Man of the Kirk as now eâ—stablished but also a Man of good Parts indeâ—fatigable Zeal and great Industry and this 〈◊〉 the Reason why his Book is compendized because he drove their Principles to their juâ—â— Consequences and though I have no Kindnesâ— for his Opinions yet I cannot but love his Iâ—â—genuity and Skill and if any Man tell me 〈◊〉 mistook the Doctrines of Presbytery I musâ— ask him Pardon to think otherwise and thâ—â— none of them dare tell him so when he is preâ—sent I â—id you heartily fareweâ— An Account of the true Scottish Presbytery from the Year 1570. to the Year 1687. by Mr. Alexander Sheilds a Presbyterian Minister of the Kirk of Scotland as it is now Established by Law FROM the year 1570 and downward the Testimony is stated and gradually prosecuted for the Rights Priviledges and Prerogatives of Christ's Kingly Office which hath been the peculiar Glory of the Church of Scotland above all the Churches in the Earth that this hath been given to her as the word of her Testimony and not only consequentially and reductively as all other Churches may challenge a part of this dignity but formally and explicitely to contend for this very head The Headship and Kingship of Iesus Christ the Prince of the Kings of the Earth and his mediatory Supremacy over his own Kingdom of Grace both visible and invisible This is Christ's Supremacy a special radiant Jewel of his Imperial Crown which as it hath been as explicitely incroached upon in Scotland by his insolent Enemies as ever by any that entered in opposition to him so it hath been more explicitely witnessed and wrestled for by his Suffering Servants in that Land than in any place of the World This was in a particular manner the Testimony of that Period during the Reign of King Iames the Sixth as it hath been in a great measure in our day since the Year 1660. Which as it is the most important Cause of the greatest Consequence that Mortals can contend for so it hath this Peculiar Glory in it that it is not only for a Truth of Christ of greater value than the standing of Heaven and Earth but also it is the very Truth for which Christ himself Dyed considered as a Martyr And which concerns him to vindicate and maintain as a Monarch The Witnesses of that day made such an high account of it that they encouraged one another to suffer for it as the greatest Concern Being a Witness for Christ's Glorious and free Monarchy which as it is the end of the other two Offices so the Testimony is more Glorious to God more Honourable to his Son and more Comfortable to them than the Testimony either for his Prophetical Office or for his Priest-hood because his Kingdom was specially impugned at the time as Mr. Forbess and Mr. Welsh writ in a Letter to the Ministers at Court The Corruptions and Usurpations wronging this Truth that they contended against were Prelacy and the King's Supremacy in Ecclesiastical Matters Which will be useful to hint a little how they prosecuted the Conflict When Sathan by several Instruments and Means both by force and frauds did endeavour to put a stop to the Reformation by re-introducing the Antichristian Hierarchy of Preâ—â—y when he could not reestablish the Antichristian Doctrine of Popery he left no means unessayed to effectuate it And first he began to bring the name of Bishop in request that was now growing obsolete and odious And indeed his first Essay reached little further than the bare Name for they were to be Subject to and tried by Assemblies and hardly had so much power as Superintendents before But it was a fine Court-juggle for Noblemen to get the Church Revenues into their hand by restoring the Ecclesiastical Titles and obtaining from the Titulars either Temporal Lands or Pensions to their Dependers The faithful Servants of Christ did zealously oppose it Mr. Knox denounced Anathema to the Giver and Anathema to the Receiver And the following Assembly condemned the Office it self as having no sure Warrant Authority nor Ground in
out of zeal against the Sectarians the Executioners of that extraordinary Act of Justice yet it was more for the Manner than for the matter and more for the Motives and Ends of it than for the Grounds of it that they opposed themselves to it and resented it For they acknowledged and remonstrated to himself the Truth of all these things upon which that Sentence and Execution of Justice was founded And when the unlawful Engagement was on foot to Rescue him they opposed it with all their might Shewing in their Answers to the Estates that Year 1648 and Declarations and Remonstrances the sinfulness and destructiveness of that Engagement that it was a breach of the Commandments of God and of all the Articles of the Covenant Declaring with all Iuly ult they would never consent to the King's Restitution to the exercise of his Power till security should be had By Solemn Oath under his Hand and Seal that he shall for himself and Successors give his assent to all Acts and Bills for enjoyning Presbyterial Government and never make opposition to it nor endeavour any change thereof July ult 1648. Sess. 21. By which it appears they were not so stupidly loyal as some would make them Yet there was too much of this Plague of the Kings-evil even among good Men For after the Death of Charles the First in the Year 1649. they began to think of joyning once more with the Malignants and taking into their Bosoms these Serpents which had formerly stung them to Death There was indeed at that time a Party faithful for God who considering the many Breaches of the Solemn League and Covenant and particularly by the late Engagement against England did so Travel that they procured the Covenant to be renewed with the Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties which was universally Subscribed and sworn through all the Land wherein also they regret this tampering with Malignants Whereupon they subdued their Adversaries at Sterling and in the North they did also give Warning concerning the Young King that notwithstanding of the Lords Hand against his Father yet he hearkens to the Councils of those who were Authors of these Miseries to his Father by which it hath coâ—e to pass that he hath hitherto refused to grant the just and necessary desires of the Church and Kingdom for securing of Religion and Liberty And it is much to be feared that these wicked Counsellors may so far prevail upon him as to engage him in a War for overturning the Work of God and bearing down all those in the three Kingdoms that adhere thereto Which if he shall do cannot but bring great Wrath from the Lord upon himself and Thâ—one and must be the cause of many new and great Miseries and Calamities to these Lands And whereas many would have admitted his Majesty to the Exercise of his Royal Power upon any Terms whatsoever the Assembly declares That in the League and Covenant the duty of defending and preserving the King is subordinate to the duty of preserving Religion and Liberty And therefore he standing in opposition to the publick desires of the People for their security it were a manifest breach of Covenant and a preferring the Kings Interest to the Interest of Iesus Christ to bring him to the Exercise of his Power And therefore if his Majesty or any having or pretending Power and Commission from him shall invade this Kingdom upon pretext of establishing him in the Exercise of his Royal Power as it will be an high Provocation against God to be accessary or assisting thereto so it will be a necessary Duty to resist and oppose the same July 27. 1649. Sess. 27. And when the bringing home of the King came to be voted in the Assembly there was one faithful Witness Mr. Adam Kae Minister in Gallaway protested against it But notwithstanding of these Convictions Warning yea and Discoveries of the Kings Malignancy They sent Commissioners and concluded a Treaty with him at Breda During which Treaty the Commissions which he had sent to Montrose and his Complices were brought to the Committee of Estates discovering what sort of King they were treating with Whereupon the Estates concluded to break off the Treaty and recal their Commissioners To which intent they sent an Express with Letters to Breda which falling into the hands of Libbertone was by him without the knowledge of the other Commissioners delivered unto the King Who then sound it his interest to dissemble And so sending for the Commissioners he made â— flattering Speech to them shewing that now after serious deliberation he was resolved to comply with all their Proposals Whereupon the Commissioners dispatch the Post back with Letters full of praise and joy for the satisfaction they had received The Estates being over-swayed more with respect to their own Credit which they thought should be impeached if they should retract their own Plenipotentiary Instructions to conclude the Treaty upon the Kings assent to their Conditions than to their reclamant Consciences they resolved to bring home the King Yet they thought to mend the matter by binding him with all Cords and putting him to all most explicite Engagements before he should receive the Imperial Crown Well upon these Terms home he comes And before he set his Foot on British Ground he takes the Covenant And the Commission of the General Assembly precluded his Admittance to the Crown if he should refuse the then required satisfaction before his Coronation by their Act at the West-Kirk Aug. 13. 1650. Which is this The Commission of the General Assembly considering that there may be just Ground of stumbling from the Kings Majesties refusing to subscribe and excite the Declaration offered to him by the Committee of Estates and the Commission of the General Assembly concerning his former Carriage and Resolutions for the future in Reference to the Cause of God and the Enemies and Friends thereof doth therefore declare That this Kirk and Kingdom doth not own or espouse any Malignant Party or Quarrel or Interest but that they fight meerly upon their former Grounds and Principles and in the defence of the Cause of God and of the Kingdom as they have done these twelve Years past And therefore as they disclaim all the Sin and Guilt of the King and of his House so they will not own him not his Interest otherwise than with a Subordination to God and so far as he owns and Prosecutes the Cause of God and disclaims his and his Fathers Opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the Enemies thereofâ— And that they will with convenient speed take into Consideration the Papers lately sent unto them by Oliver Cromwell and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in these things wherein the quarrel betwixt us and that Party is mis-stated as if we owned the late Kings Proceedings and were resolved to Prosecute and Maintain His Present Majesties Interest before and without
acknowledging of the Sin of his House and former ways and satisfaction to Gods People in both Kingdoms A. Ker. And that same day The Committee of Estates having seen and considered a Declaration of the Commission of the General Assembly anent the stating the Quarrel wherein the Army is to fight do approve the same and heartily concur therein Tho. Henderson Whereupon thereafter he encites that Declaration at Drumfermling Wherein Professing and appearing in the full perswasion and Love of the Truth he repenteth as having to do with and in the sight of God his Fathers opposition to the Covenant and Work of God and his own Reluctances against the same hoping for Mercy through the Blood of Iesus Christ and obtesting the Prayers of the Faithful to God for his stedfastness and then Protesting his Truth and Sincerity in entring into the Oath of God resolving to prosecute the Ends of the Covenant to his utmost and to have with it the same common Friends and Enemies exhorting all to lay down their Enmity against the Cause of God and not to prefer Mans Interest to Gods which will prove an Idol of Iealousie to Provoke the Lord and he himself accounteth to be but selfish Flatteries Then at his Coronation the Action commenceth with his most solemn renewing of the National and Solemn League and Covenant Thereafter in the Year 1651. followed the Ratification of all these preceding Treaties Transactions and Engagements concluded and enacted by the King and the Parliament whereby the same did Pass into a Perpetual Law And this Covenant which from the beginning was and is the most sure and indispensible Oath of God became at length the very Fundamental Law of the Kingdom whereon all the Rights or Priviledges either of King or People are principally bottomed and secured After this it came to pass that zeal for the cause rightly stated was suddenly contracted to a few whereby a plain defection was violently carried on by the Publick Resolutioners who relapsing into that most Sinful Conjunction with the Malignants did bring them into places of Power and Trust in Judicatories and Armies in a more Politick than Pious way requiring of them a constrained and dissembled Repentance which Reflection did cause the first Division of that kind and most permanent of any that ever was in the Church of Scotland by reason of the surcease of General Assemblies stopped and hindered by the Yoke of the Sectarian Usurpers And it has been the spring and source of all our Reflections since Upon this our Land was invaded by Oliver Cromwell who defeated our Army at Dunbar Next an Army being raised according to these unhallowed Resolutions was totally routed at Worcester And the King forced to hide himself in the Oak and thence to transport himself beyond Sea where he continued in Exile till the Year 1660. Yet there was still a faithful Remnant of Ministers and Professors zealous for the Cause keeping their Integrity who in their Remonstrances and Testimonies witnessed against both their Malignant Enemies and their backsliding Brethren the Resolutioners And also against the Sectarians their Invaders whose vast Toleration and Liberty of Conscience which they brought in to invade our Religion as they invaded our Land and infect it with their Multifarious Errors was particularly by the Synod of Fife and other Brethren in the Ministry that joyned themselves to them testified against and demonstrated to be wicked and intollerable But in the mean time the Sectarian Army here prevailed till after the Usurper Cromwell his Death Monk then General with a Combination of Malignants and publick Resolutioners did bring home the King to England from his Banishment Now comes the last Catastrophe of the Deformation of the Church of Scotland which in a retrograde motion hath gradually been growing these 27 Years going back through all the steps by which the Reformation ascended till now she is reduced to the very Border of that Babilon from whence she took her departure Through all which steps notwithstanding to this day Scotland hath never wanted a Witness for Christ against all the various steps of the Enemies advancings and of professed Friends declinings Though the Testimony hath had some Singularities in that it hath been attended with more disadvantages by reason of the Enemies greater prevalency and Friends deficiency and greater want of significant Assertors than any formerly in that it hath been intangled in more multifarious Intricacies of questions and debates and Divisions among the Assertors themselves In that it hath been intended and extended to a greater measure both as to matter and manner of contendings against the Adversaries and stated upon nicer points more earnestly Prosecuted and tenaciously maintain'd than any formerly to that it hath had more opposition and contradiction and less Countenance from professed Friends to the Reformation either at home or abroad than any formerly And yet it hath been both Active and Passive both against Enemies and Friends and in Cumulo stated against Atheism Popery Prelacy and Erastian Supremacy and extended in a particular manner against Tyranny And not only against the substance and essence of these in the Abstract but against Substance and Circumstance Abstract and Concrete Root and Branch Head and Tail of them and all complying with them conforming to them or countenancing of them or any thing conductive for them or deduced from them any manner of way directly or indirectly formally or interpretatively This is that extensive and very comprehensive Testimony which in all its parts points and particles is most directly relative and dilucidly reducible to a complex Witness for the Declarative Glory of Christs Kingship and Headship over All as he is God and as he is Mediator The management of this Testimony was thus King Charles the Second upon his Return directed a Letter to the Presbytery of Edinburgh declaring he was resolved to protect and preserve the Government of the Church of Scotland as it is settled by Law without Violation Wherein it was observed he spake never 8 word of the Covenant our Magna Charta of Religion and Righteousness but only of Law by which he meant the Prelatical Church as it was settled by the Law of his Father since which time he reckoned there was no Law but Rebellion This was a piece and prelude of our base Defection that we were so far from withstanding that we did not so much as witness against the Readmission and Restauration of the Head and Tail of Malignants but let them come in peaceably to the Throne without any Security to the Covenanted Cause and by piece-meal at their own ease leisure and pleasure to overturn all the Work of God and reintroduce the Old Antichristian Yoke of abjured Prelacy and Blasphemous Sacrilegious Supremacy and absolute Arbitrary Tyranny with all their abominations Which he and with him the Generality of our Nobility Gentry Clergy and Commonality did promote and propagate untill the Nation was involved in the greatest Revolt from and
Preach and presume to exercise their Ministry they should be punished as Seditious Persons requiring of all a due acknowledgment of and hearty complyance with the King's Government Ecclesiastical and Civil and that whosoever shall ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and absent from the ordinary Meetings for Divine Worship in their own Churches on the Lord's Day shall incur the Penalties there inserted And thus none are allowed by Law to administer the Ordinances but either Apostate Curates who by their Perjury and Apostatize forfaulted their Ministry or other Hirâ—lings and Prelates Journey-men who ran without a Mission except from them who had none to give acâ—ording to Christ's Institution the Seal of whose Ministry could never yet be shewn in the Conversion of any Sinner to Christ but if the Tree may be known by its Fruits we may know whose Ministers they are by their Conversions of Reformation into Deformation of the Work and Cause of God into the similitude of the Roman Beast of Ministers into â—â—iâ—elings of the Power of Godliness into Formality of Preaching Christ into Orations of Morality of the Purity of Christ's Ordinances into the vanity of Men's Inventions of the Beautiful Government of the House of God for Edification to a Lordly Preeminence and Domination over Consciences In a word of Church and State Constitutions for Religion and Liberty all upside down into Wickedness and Slavery But now this astonishing Blow to the Gospel of the Kingdom introducing such a swarm of Locusts into the Church and in forcing a compliance of the People with this defection and that so violently and rigorously as even simple withdrawing was so severely punished by severe Edicts of Fining and other Arbitrary Punishments at first for at first they did not Imprison any for simple absenting themselves from the Curates and only imprisoned those who at any time shewed more than ordinary Zeal against the Curate's Intrusion what did it produce The generality of Ministers and Professors both went and Conformed so far as to hear the Curates contrary to many Points of the Reformation formerly attained contrary to their Covenant-Engagements and contrary to their own Principles and Practices at that same time scrupling and refusing to keep the Bishops Visitations and to countenance their Discipline and Power of Iurisdiction because it was required as a Testification of their acknowledgment of and Compliance with the present Government and yet not scrupling to Countenance their Doctrine and usurped Power of Order required also by the same Law as the same Test of the same compliance and submission Other Ministers lay altogether by in their retired recesses waiting to see what things would turn to others were hopeless turned Farmers and Doctors others wylie staid at home and Preached quietly in Ladies Chambers But the Faithful found themselves under an indispensable necessity to Preach the Gospel and witness for the freedom of their Ministry and make full proof of it in Preaching in Season and out of Season and thereupon as occasion offered Preached to all such as were willing to hear but at first only in private Houses and that for the most part at such times when Sermons in publick surceased a Superplus of Caution But afterwards finding so great Difficulties and Persecutions for their House-Meetings where they were so easily atâ—rapped were constrained at last to keep their Meetings in the Fields Where testifying both practically and particularly against these Usurpations on their Master's Prerogatives and witnessing for their Miâ—isterial freedom contrary to all Law-Interdictions without any Licenses or Indulgence from the Usurper but holding their Ministry from Jesus Christ alone both as to the Office and Exercise thereof they had so much of their Master's Countenance and success in their Labours that they valued neither hazards or hardships neither the contempt of pretended Friends nor the Laws nor threatnings of Enemies adjudging the Penalty of Death it self to Preachers at Field-Conventicles aâ— they called them Now having thus overturned the Church-Government by introducing Pâ—elacy to advance ane absolute Supremacy the King proceeds in his Design to pervert and evert the well modelled and moderated Constitution of the State-Government also by introducing and advancing ane Aâ—bitrary Tyranny For effectuating which he first procures a lasting Imposition of intollerable Subsidies and Taxations next a further recognisance of his Prerogative in a Subjection of Persons Fortunes and whole strength of the Kingdom to his absolute Arbitriment in a Levy of Militia of 20000 Footmen and 2000 Horsemen sufficiently armed with Forty days Provision to be ready upon the King 's call to march to any part of his Dominions for opposing whatsoever Invasion or Insurrection or for any other Service The first sproutings of Tyranny were cherished by the cheerful and stupid Submission generally yeilded to these Exorbitancies so that generally People did not so much as scruple sending out or going out as Militia-men After the fundamental Constitutions of both Church and State are thus razed and rooted up he contrived to frame all Inferior Magistrates according to his Mould And for this end appointed that all Persons in any Publick Trust or Office whatsoever should subscribe a Declaration renouncing and abjuring the Covenant But finding this not yet sufficient security for this unsettled Settlement because he well understood the People stood no ways obliged to acknowledge him but only according to the Solemn Covenants being the fundamental Conditions whereupon their Allegiance was founded and well knowing that he and his Associates by violating these Conditions had loosed the People from all Subjection to him or deriving any Power from him whereby the People might justly plead That since he had kept no Condition they were not now obliged to him he therefore contriv'd a new Oath of Allegiance to be impos'd upon all in publick Trust both in Church and State Strange can Presbyterians swear that Allegiance which is substitute in the place of the broken and burnt Covenant Or could they swear it to such a Person who having buried the Covenant that he might have another Right and another Allegiance than that of the Covenant had then remitted to us all Allegiance founded upon the Covenant However having prepared and furnished himself with Tools so qualified for his purpose in Church and State he prosecutes his Persecution with such fervor and fury that at length in the Year 1666 a small Party were compelled to go to defensive Arms which was occasioned thus Sir Iames Turner pursuing his Cruel Orders in Galloway sent some Souldiers to apprehend a poor old Man whom his Neighbours Compassionating intreated the Souldiers to loose him as he lay bound but were answered with drawn Swords and necessitated to their own defence In which they relieve the Man and disarm the Souldiers and further attacked some others oppressing that Country disarming Ten or Twelve more and killing one that made resistance Whereupon the Country being allarm'd and fearing Sir Iames would certainly avenge this Affront upon the whole