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
they lost both Church and Liberty It 's true the ordinary Meetings of Presbyteries and Synods were about that time discharged to make way for the Exercise of the new power conferred on the four Prelates who were at Court But this could not give a discharge from a necessary Testimony then called from faithful Watchmen However the Reformation being thus rescinded and razed and the House of the Lord pulled down then they begin to build their Bable In the Parliament Anno 1662. by their first Act they restore and re-establish Prelacy upon such a Foundation as they might by the same Law bring in Popery and setled its Harbinger Diocesan and Erastian Prelacy by fuller enlargement of the Supremacy The very Act beginning thus Forasmuch as the ordering and disposal of the external Government of the Church doth properly belong to his Majesty as an inherent Right of the Crown by Virtue of his Royal Prerogative and Supremacy in Causes Ecclesiastick whatever shall be determined by his Majesty with advice of the Archbishops and such of the Clergy as he shall nominate in the External Government of the Church the same consisting with the standing Laws of the Kingdom shall be valid and effectual And in the same Act all Laws are rescinded by which the sole Power and Jurisdiction within the Church doth stand in the Church-Assemblies and all which may be interpreted to have given any Church-power Jurisdiction or Government to the Office-Bearers of the Church other than that which acknowledgeth a dependence upon and Subordination to the Soveraign Power of the King as Supream By which Prelates are redintegrated â—o all their Priviledges and Preheminences that they possessed Anno 1687. And all their Church-Power robbed from the Officers of Christ is made to be derived from to depend upon and to be Subordinate to â—he Crown-Prerogative of the King Whereby the King is made the only Fountain of Church-Power and that exclusive even of Christ of whom there is no mentioned Exception And his Vassals the Bishops as his Clerks in Ecclesiasticks are accountable to him for all their Administrations a greater Usurpation upon the Kingdom of Christ than ever the Papacy it self aspired unto Yet albeit here was another display of a Banner of defiance against Christ in altering the Church-Government of Christs Institution into the humane Invention of Lordly Prelacy there was no publick Ministerial at least united Testimony against this neither Therefore the Lord punished this sinful and shameful silence of Ministers when by another wicked Act of the Council at Glasgow above 300 Ministers were put from their Charges and afterwards for their Non-conformity in not countenancing their Diocesan Meeting and not keeping the Anniversary Day May 29. the rest were violenâ—ly thrust from their Labours in the Lords Vineyard and Banished from their Parishes and adjudged unto a strange and nice Confinement twenty Miles from their own Parishes six Miles from a Cathedral Church as they called it and three Miles from a Burgh Yet in this fatal Convulsion of the Church generally all were struck with Blindness and Baseness that a Paper-Proclamation made them all run from their Posts and obey the Kings Orders for their ejection Thus were they given up because of their forbearing to sound an Allarm charging the People of God in point of Loyalty to Christ and under the pain of the Curse of the Covenant to awake and acquit themselves like Men and not to suffer the Enemy to rob them of that Treasure of Reformation which they were put in possession of by the Tears Prayers and Blood of such as went before them instead of those prudential fumblings and fistlings then and since so much followed Wherefore the Lord in his Holy Righteousness left that Enemy to cast them out of the House of the Lord and dissolve their Assemblies and deprive them of their Priviledges because of their not being so valiant for the Truth as that a full and faithful Testimony against that Encroachment might be found upon Record Nevertheless some were found faithful in that Hour and Power of Darkness who kept the Word of the Lords Patience and who therefore were kept in and from Tentation which carried away many into sad and shameful Defections tho' not from suffering hard things from the hands of Men and only these who felt most of their violence found Grace helping them to acquit themselves suitably to that days Testimony being thereby prevented from an active yeilding to their impositions when they were made passively to suffer force However that season of a publick Testimony was lost and as to the most part never recovered to this day The Prelates being setled and readmitted to voice in Parliament they procure an Act Dogmatically condemning several Material parts and points of our Covenanted Reformation to wit these Positions That it was Lawful for Subjects for Reformation or necessary self-defence to enter into Leagues or take up Arms against the King And particularly declaring that the National Covenant as explained in the Year 1688. and the solemn League and Covenant were and are in themselves unlawful Oaths and were taken by and imposed upon the Subjects of this Kingdom against the Fundamental Laws and Liberties thereof That all such Gatherings and Petitions that were used in the beginning of the late Troubles were unlawful and seditious And whereas People were then led into these things by having disseminated among them such Principles as these That it was lawful for People to come with Petitions and Representations to the King That it was lawful for People to restrict their Allegiance under such and such Limitations and suspend it until he should give security for Religion c. It was therefore enacted that all such Positions and Practices founded thereupon were Treasonable And furder did enact that no Person by Writing Praying Preaching or malicious or advised speaking express or publish any Words or Sentences to stir up the People to the dislike of the Kings Prerogative and Supremacy or of the Government of the Church by Bishops or justifie any of the Deeds Actings or things declared against by that Act. Yet notwithstanding of all this Subversion of Religion and Liberty and restraint of asserting these Truths here trampled upon either before Men by Testimony or before God in Mourning over these Indignities done unto him in everting these and all the parts of Reformation even when it came to Daniel's Case of confâ—ssion Preaching and Praying Truths interdicted by Law few had their Eyes open let be their Windows in an open avouching them to see the duty of the day calling for a Testimony Tho' afterwards the Lord spirited some to assert and demonstrate the Glory of these Truths and Duties to the World As that judicious Author of the Apologetical Relation But this is not all For these Men having now as they thought subverted the Work of God they provided also against the fears of its revival making Acts declaring that if outed Ministers dare to continue to
prejudice They could only bind to that Government which they esteemed the best for common good which reason ceasing we are free to chuse another if we find it more conducible for that end 2 Of the Covenant binding to defend the King That that Obligation is only in his maintenance of the true Covenanted Religion which Homage they cannot now require upon the account of the Covenant which they have renounced and disclaimed and upon no other ground we are bound to them the Crown not being an Inheritance that passeth from Father to Son without the consent of Tenants 3 Of the hope of returning from these Courses That suppose they should dissemble a repentance yet the Land cannot be cleansed from their Guiltness but by executing Gods Righteous Iudgments upon them Vpon these accounts they reject that King and those associate with him in the Government and declare them henceforth no lawful Rulers as they had declared them to be no lawful Subjects they having destroyed the established Religion taken away Christs Church Government c. And declare they shall God giving power set up Government and Governours according to the word of God and the qualifications required Exod. 18. v. 20. And shall not commit the Government to any single Person or lineal succession And moreover that these Men set over them shall be engaged to govern Principally by that Civil and judicial Law not that which is any way typical given by God to his People of Israel especially in matters of Life and Death and other things so far as they reach and are consistent with Christian Liberty exempting Divorce and Poligamy And seeing that the greatest part of Ministers not only were defective in Preaching against the Acts of the Rulers for overthrowing Religion c. they declare they neither can nor will hear them They are for a standing Gospel-Ministry rightly chosen and rightly ordained and that noâ— shall take upon them the Preaching of the Word c. unless called and ordained thereunto And whereas separation might be imputed to them they refell both the Malice and the Ignorance of the Calumny For if there be a Separation it must be where the change is and that was not to be found in them who were not separating from the Communion of the true Church not setting up a new Ministry but cleaving to the same Ministers and Ordinances that formerly they followed when others have fled to new ways and a new Authority which is like the new piece in the Old Garment And that they shall defend themselves in their Civil Natural and Divine Rights and Liberties And if any assault them they shall took on it as a declaring a War and take all advantages that one Enemy does of another but trouble and injure none but those that injure them This is the Compend of that Paper which the Enemies seized and published while it was only in a rude Draught and not polished digested nor consulted by the rest of the Community That poor Party continued together in a posture of defence without the Concurrence or countenance of their Covenanted Brethren until the 22 th of Iuly 1680. Upon the which day they were attacqued at Airsemoss by a strong party of about 120 Horse well armed while they were but 23 Horse and 40 foot at most And so fighting valiantly were at length routed Several of Sions precious Mourners and faithful Witnesses of Christ were killed and among the rest that faithful Minister of Christ Mr. Richard Cameron sealed and fulfilled his Testimony with his Blood And with others the valiant and much Honoured Gentleman David Hackston of Rathillet was after many received Wounds apprehended brought in to Edinburgh and there resolutely adhering to the Testimony and disowning the Authority of King and Council and all their Tyrannical Judicatories head and tail and for being accessory to executing judgment upon the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews was tortured alive with the cutting off of his hands and then Hanged and before he was Dead Ripped up his Heart taken our carried about upon the point of a Knife and thrown into a Fâ—re and afterwards his Body Quartered Then not only such as were with that little handful at Airsemoss were Cruelly Murdered but others against whom they could charge no matter of Fact were questioned if they owned the Kings Authority which if any did not answer affirmatively and positively he was to look for nothing but exquisite Torments and Death And if any declared their judgment that they could not in Conscience own such Authority as was then exercised or if they declined to give their thoughts of it as judging thoughts to be under no humane Jurisdiction or if they answered with such innocent Specifications as these that they owned all Authority in the Lord or for the Lord or according to the word of God or all just and lawful Authority these underwent and suffered the Capital Punishment of Treason And yet both declining and declaring their extorted Answers about this they were Condemned as unsufferable Maintainers of Principles inconsistent with Government But chiefly they laboured to Murder the Soul defile the Conscience and only consult to cast a Man down from his excellency which is his integrity either by Hectoring or Flattering from the Testimony which they endeavoured by proposing many offers with many threatnings in subtile Terms And pretending a great deal of tenderness protesting they would be as tender of their Blood as of their own Soul and purging themselves as Pilate did and charging it upon their own Head They would be very easie in their Accomodations where they found the poor Man beginning to faint and hearken to their overtures wherein they would grant him his life yeilding to him as cunning Anglers do with Fishes And to perswade him to some length in complying they would offer Conference sometimes or reasoning upon the Point to satisfie and inform his Conscience as they pretended but really to catch him with their busked Hook If they had any hope of prevailing they would change a Mans Prison and take him out from among the more strict and fervent in the Cause that might sharpen and strengthen his Zeal and put him among the more cool and remiss Sometimes they would stage several together whereof they knew some would Comply to tantalize the rest with the sight of the others Liberty and make them bite the more eagerly at their Bait to catch the Conscience But when they had done all they could Christ had many Witnesses who did retain the Crown of their Testimony in the smallest points till they obtained the Crown of Martyrdom But here as in Egypt the more they were afflicted the more they grew So that many were reclaimed from their Courses of Complyance and others were daily more and more confirmed in the ways of the Lord and so strengthned that they chose rather to endure all Torture and embrace Death in its most terrible aspect than to give the Tyrant and his Complices any acknowledgment
of that Parliament approving and ratifying the foresaid Proclamation c. This was their Testimony against Popery in the Season thereof Which tho' it was not so much Condemned as any former Declarations yet neither in this had they the Concurrence of any Ministers or Professours who as they had been silent and omitted a seasonable Testimony against Prelacy and the Supremacy when these were introduced so now also they were left to let slip this opportunity of a Testimony against Popery to the reproach of the declining and far degenerate Church of Scotland Yea to their shame the very Rabble of ignorant People may be brought as a Witness against the Body of Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland in that they testified their detestation of the first Erection of the Idolatrous Mass and some of the Souldiery and such as had no Profession of Religion suffered unto Death for speaking against Popery and the designs of the King while the Ministers were silent And some of the Curats and Members of the late Parliament 1686. made some stickling against the taking away of the Penal Statutes against Papists while Presbyterians from whom might have been expected greater opposition were sleeping in a profound Submission I cannot without confusion of Spirit touch these obvious and dolorous Reflections and yet in Candour cannot forbear them However the Persecution against the Wanderers went on there were more Butchered and Slaughtered in the Fields than in all the former Tyrants Reign there have been more Banished to Forreign Plantations in this Mans time than in the others and there have been more cruel Acts of Parliament enacted in this Tyrants time than the former made all his Reign For not only was there an Act making it Treason to refuse the Oath of Abjuration confirming all their procedure hereupon before but an Act making it Criminal to own the Covenant and another Act making it Criminal for any to be present at a Field-Meeting which was only so to Preachers before But a relenting abatement of severity was pretended against other Dissenters At length what could not be obtained by Law at the late Parliament for taking off the Statutes against Papists was effectuated by Prerogative in a Proclamation dated Feb. 12 1687. But this was so gross and grievously griping in its restrictions as to Persons as to the place as to the matter allowed the Presbyterians in Preaching that it was disdained of all and therefore he behoved to busk it better and mend the matter in a Letter to the Council bearing date March 31. 1687. Of this Tenor Whereas we did recommend to you to take care that any of the Presbyterians should not be allowed to Preach but such only as should have your allowance for the same and that they at the receiving the Indulgence should take the Oath contained in the Proclamation these are therefore to let you know that thereby we meant such of them as did not solemnly take the Test. But if nevertheless the Presbyterian Preachers do scruple to take the said Oath or any other Oath what soever and that you shall find it reasonable or fit to grant them or any of them our said Indulgence so as they desire it upon these terms It is now our Will and Pleasure to grant them the said Indulgence during our Pleasure only or so long as you shall find they behave themselves regularly and peaceably without giving any cause of offence to us or any in Authority or Trust under us in our Government But at length to take of all difformity and disparity of the Proclamation for the Toleration in Scotland and the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in England he added a third eke to the Liberty in another Proclamation dated Iune 28 1687. And this is the Royal Charter for â—â—curity of the Protestant Religion in lieu of all the Laws Constitutions and Oaths wherewith it was formerly confirmed This is the only Patent which the Royal Dalilees the Moderate Presbyterians have now received to ensure their enjoyment of it durante beneplacito But as for the poor Wanderers while others are rejoycing under the Bramble-shadow of it they think it a cause of weeping and matter of mourning not because they do not share of the benefit of it but because they are afraid to share of the Curse of it For which Cause they do look upon it as a seasonable Testimony for the Cause of Christ and the Interest of the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of the Country all overturned and subverted by this Toleration to keep their Meetings as in former times thinking it sinful scandalous and inconvenient to seem to homologate this Toleration the wickedness whereof they are convinced of from these Reasons besides those for which they rejected the former Indulgencies Indemnities and Tolerations and those which regard the Granter as to his Principles and Religion For considering the Fountain whence it flows they cannot defile themselves with it it being refounded on Absolute Power proclaiming by sound of Trumpet a Power Paramount to all Law a Power to tolerate or restrain the Protestant Religion according to his Royal Will or Pleasure Now the acceptance of this Grant would imply the recognizance of this power that the Granter claims in Granting it Which utterly dissolves all Government and all security for Religion and Liberty Considering also the Channel in which it is conveyed they cannot comply with it Because it comes through such a Conveyance as Casses annulls stops suspends and disables all Penal Laws against Papists and thereby eveâ—ts all the Securities and legal Bulwarks that Protestants can have for the establishment of their Religion yea in effect leaves no Laws in force against any that shall attempt the utter subversion of it but ratifies and leaves in full rigour all wicked Laws and Acts of Parliament against such as would most avowedly assert it Hence as he hath formerly by Absolute Power suspended all Laws made for the Protection of our Religion so he may when he will dispense with all the Laws made for its establishment and those who approve the one by such an Acceptance cannot disallow the other but must recognosce a Power in the King to subvert all Laws Rights and Liberties Considering the Ends of its contrivance they dare not have any accession to accomplish such wicked Projects to which this Acceptance would be so natively subservient Which Project was discovered in the English Declaration viz. That he heartily wishes that all the People of these Dominions were Members of the Catholick Church Considering the Effects already produced thereby they cannot but abhor it Seeing the Papists are thereby encouraged all places filled with Priests and Jesuits yea the executive Power of the Government put into the hands of the Romanists And on the other hand a Tâ—stimony against Antichrist is abandoned and laid aside as unseasonable the edge of Zeal for the Interest of Christ is blunted they that should stand in the Gap and upon the
THE HISTORY OF SCOTCH-PRESBYTERY BEING AN EPITOME OF The Hind let Loose By Mr. SHIELDS With a Preface by a Presbyter of the Church of Scotland Juven Vitia ultima fictos Contemnunt scauros Castigata remordent LONDON Printed for I. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball in Cornhill MDCXCII The PREFACE THE following Treatise being but a short Compend of a larger Book appears at this time to give the World a just Account of the Principles Practices and Behaviour of the Scotch â—resbyterians it was written some Years ago by â—ne of that Fraternity It is sad to consider how â—uch the Spirits of Men are soured and imbitâ—ered by Faction and Interest it shuts their Eyes â—gainst the clearest light The Dictates of Humaâ—ity and the Genius of the Christian Religion â—eeten our Passions but when we are enflamed â—y the Interests of a Party we forget the exâ—ress Laws of God and if they look us broad in 〈◊〉 Face when we offer violence to our Conviâ—ions we bow and bend them by metaphysical â—ricks and Evasions to serve our Design contraâ—y to their original Bias and Sanctity and this â—as never so visible as in that turbulent and fiery â—â—ct that frequently disturbed and now at last â—ath almost over-â—un the Church of Scotland in 〈◊〉 they have Ruined and Oppressed a Learned â—rave and Orthodox Clergy especially in the â—outhern Shires They have a Systeme of Opiniâ—ns peculiar to themselves which they call Their â—rinciples for though a thing in it self is just and â—easonable yet if it be not agreeable to Their â—rinciples that 's to say the Opinions that are â—ore immediately properly and originally Calâ—ulated to serve the Designs of their Society they â—eject it with Indignation and Disdain they pity â—ll Mankind that have not the same Thoughts that â—hey have and they continue by the Authority of their Guides under the slavery of implicite Faith â—ore than any other Sett of Men in the World The Christian Religion above all things designâ—d to alienate our Thoughts and Affections from â—he Pageantry and Vain-glories of the World â—nd to moderate our Passions that they might not â—rove troublesome to Society nor extravagant in â—heir Violence nor precipitate in their Actings â—he Spirit of Faction opposes the Gospel in these great Ends for it covets nothing so much as outward Glory and Empire and it prosecutes these Desires with restless and implacable Ardours and â—ll under the Visor of Religion When our perverse Inclinations which God commanded to be â—ortified are made more head-strong by the â—otions we have of Religion then our Appetites â—ecome as wild as they are unreasonable We find this clearly exemplified in the Phariâ—ees of old Our Saviour came that he might deâ—troy the Works of the Devil and enliven the World by a reasonable Religion to turn Men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to the living God to inspire Mankind with the Principles of the best and wisest Philosophy most useful in all the Changes and Vicissitudes of this Life and that which did certainly prepare them for a better he taught his Disciples to be most assiduous in those Duties of Religion that made no Noise abroad and fell not easily under the Observation of Men that advanced solid and substantial Piety to love God and our Neighbour to approve our selves unto him that seeth in secret to despise the Censures and Applause of a perverse Generation and to live upon the invisible Supports of a good Conscience to exercise Patience and Fortitude and Magnanimity because by our Religion we were engaged to Combat with the World and with all its cross Accidents under the Banner of a crucified Saviour Yet when we read the History of the New Testament we find that the most zealous Sect of the Pharisees opposed this blessed Design of our Saviour in all its principal Branches They took great care to be seen by the People in all their odd and extraordinary Performances they were mighty forward to propagate their own Traditions the private Doctrines of their Schools were much dearer to them than the Commandments of God Mark 7. 3. As for Simplicity of Intention Innocence and the Love of God they thought such Vertues not so convenient for them who were in the Government and thought it necessary to have the People blindly to obey their Dictates That Religion that penetrates to the Center of our Spirits and changes the whole Bias of our Souls crosses the Desires of our degenerate Nature and leads every Thought captive to the Obedience of Christ and is supported by the Faith of distant and invisible Rewards they thought such a Religion yielded no nourishment for Vain-glory and therefore they despised it and ordered the matter â—o that amidst all their long Prayers disfigured Faces and theatrical Fasts they might leave their insatiable Passions of Pride Vain-glory Covetousness Malice and Revenge untouched and unsubdued Hence it is that they were very careful in little things Mat. 23 24 whatâ—ever drew after it the applause of the People who always admired the most empty and the most transient things Their Batâ—ologies were mistaken for Zeal and Devotion and their outward Austerities for true Mortificâ—tion They did all things to be seen of Men Mat. 23. 5. and if the Law of God did expresly contradict their beloved Scheme the Law it self must needs bow to their Principle There is nothing in Humane Nature that we feel more tenderly nor is there any thing more deeply engraven on our Souls than the Gratitude we owe to our Parents when their Infirmities and Disasters require our Assistance yet by their Doâ—â—rine of the Corban they evacuated this Fundamental Piety Justice Compassion and Natural Affection were in their Eyes but mean and despicable things they only understood the abstruse Mysteries of Religion and nothing provoked their indignation so much as to be thought ignorant wherefore they so huffingly tell the poor Man restored to his sight by our Saviour dost thou teach us Ioh. 9. 34. tho by the most evident Arguments he had just before exposed both their shameful Ignorance and Vanity and when St. Paul himself was tinctur'd with this leaven his brisk and generous Spirit was sadly employed in persecuting the Church There is nothing more opposite to the pure and undefiled Religion than Pharisaical Pride and Hypocrisy nor no kind of Pharisees persecute with greater Violence and Spite than that sullen and demure Tribe that affect Domination and Tyranny by a counterfeit and disguised Humility The sad Effects of such an insolent Humor are too sadly felt by the Clergy of Scotland The Presbyterian Courts and Judicatories are as void of the common Forms of Justice as of Tenderness and Humanity the late Erection of it being in its Frame more properly Calculated to advance Tyranny and tho their Agents propagate many Stories to lessen and extenuate and sometimes to excuse their unaccountable Proceedings yet as long as they confess the shameful rabbling of the Clergy they acknowledge
proved successful for several Years their Enemies either turning their backs without disturbance when they observed them resolve Defence or in their Assaultings repulsed so that there was never a Meeting which stood to their Defence got any considerable harm thereby Thus the Lord was with us while we were with him but when we forsook him he forsook us and left us in the hands of our Enemies However while Meetings for Gospel-Ordinances did continue the Wicked Rulers did not cease from time to time to encrease their numerous Bands of Barbarous Souldiers for suppressing the Gospel in these Field-meetings But all this is nothing to what followed when thinking these Blood-Hounds were too favourable they brought down from the wild Highlands a Host of Salvages upon the Western Shires more terrible than Turks or Tartars Men who feared not God nor regarded Man to wast and destroy a plentiful Country which they resolved before they left it to make as bare as their own This Hellish Crew was adduced to work a Reformation like the French Conversions to press a Bond of Conformity wherein every one Subscribed was bound for himself and all under him Wife Children Servants Tenants to frequent their Parish Churches and never to go to these Meetings nor reset nor entertain any that went but to Inform against Pursue and Deliver up all vagrant Preachers as they called them to Tryal and Judgment Then for the maintenance of the Souldiers there were imposed new wicked and arbitrary Cesses and Taxations professedly required for suppressing Religion and Liberty banishing the Gospel out of the Land and preserving and promoting the King's Absoluteness over all Matters and Persons Sacred and Civil which under that tentation of great Sufferings threatned to Refusers and under the disadvantage of the silence and unfaithfulness of many Ministers who either did not condemn it or pleaded for the peaceable payment of it many did comply with it then and far more since Yet at that time there were far more Recusants in some places especially in the Western shires than Complyers And there were many of the Ministers that did faithfully declare to the People the Sin of it not only from the illegality of its Imposition by a Convention of over-awed and prelimited States but from the nature of that imposed Compliance that it was a sinful Transaction with Christ's declared Enemies a strengthning the hands of the wicked an obedience to a wicked Law a consenting to Christ's expulsion out of the Land and not only that but far worse than the Sin of the Gadarens a formal Concurrence to assist his Expellers by maintaining their force a hiring our Oppressors to destroy Religion and Liberty and from the declared end of it expressed in the very Narrative of the Act viz. To Levy and Maintain Forces for suppressing and dispersing Meetings of the Lord's People and to shew unanimous affections for maintaining the King's Supremacy as now Established by Law Yet all this time Ministers and Professors were unite and with one Soul and Shoulder followed the work of the Lord 'till the Indulged being dissatisfied with the Meetings in the Fields whose Glory was like to over-cloud and obscure their Beds of ease and especially being offended at the freedom and faithfulness of some who set the Trumpet to their Mouth and shewed Iacob his Sins and Israel his Transgressions impartially without Cloak or Cover they began to make a Faction among the Ministers and to devise how to quench the fervour of their Zeal who were faithful for God But the more they sought to extinguish it the more it brake out and blazed into a flame For several of Christ's Ambassadours touched and affected with the affronts done to their Princely Master by the Supremacy and the Indulgence of its Bastard-Brood and Brat began after long silence to discover its iniquity and to acquaint the People how the Usurper had invaded the Mediator's Chair in taking upon him to Depose Suspend Silence Plant and Transplant his Ministers where and when and how he pleased c. Yet others and the greater number of Dissenting Ministers were not only deficient herein but defended them joyned with them and pretending Prudence and prevention of Schism in effect homologated that deed and the Practice of these Priests Ezek 22. 26. teaching and advising the People to hear them both by Precept and going along with them in their Erastian Course And not only so but Condemned and Censured such who Preached against the sinfulness thereof especially in the first place worthy Mr. Walwood who was among the first Witnesses against that Defection and Mr. Kid Mr. King Mr. Cameron Mr. Donald Cargil c. who Sealed their Testimony afterwards by their blood yet then even by their Brethren were loaden with the reproachful Nick-names of Schismaticks Blind Zealots Jesuites c. But it was always observed as long as Ministers were faithful in following the Lord in the way of their Duty Professors were fervent and under all their Conflicts with Persecutors the Courage and Zeal of the Lovers of Christ was blazing and never outbraved by all the Enemies boastings to undertake brisk Exploits which from time to time they were now and then essaying 'till defection destroyed and division diverted their Zeal against the Enemies of God who before were always the Object against which they whetted the edge of their jusâ— indignation Especially the Arch-Prelate Sharp was judged intollerable by ingenuous Spirits Therefore in Iuly 1668. Mr Iames Mitchel thought it his duty to save himself deliver his Brethren and attempted to cut him off which failing he then escaped but afterwards was Apprehended Tortured Condemned and Executed But Justice would not suffer the Arch-Prelate to escape Remarkable Punishment the severity whereof did sufficiently compensate sate its delay after Ten Years respite For upon the 3 d of May 167 several worthy Gentlemen with some other Men of Courage and Zeal for the Cause of God executed Righteous Judgment upon him in Magus Moore near St. Andrews And that same Month on the Anniversary Day May 29th the Testimony at Rutherglen was Published against that Abomination Celebrating an Anniversary-Day kept every year for giving thanks for the setting up an Vsurped Power destroying the interest of Christ in the Land and against all sinful and unlawful Acts emitted and executed published and prosecuted against our Covenanted Reformation Where also they burnâ— the Acts of Supremacy the Declaration the Act Recissory c. in way of retalition for the burning of the Covenants On the Sabbath following Iune 1. A Field-Meeting near to Lowden-Hill was assaulted by Claverhouse and with him three Troops of Horse and Dragoons who had that Morning taken an honest Minster and about 14 Countrymen out of their Beds and carried them along with them but they were repulsed at Drumclogg and put to flight the Prisoners relieved about 30 of the Souldiers killed on the place and three of the Meeting and several wounded on both sides Thereafter the People
Watch-Tower are laid aside from all opposition to the invasions of the Enemy and lulled asleep by this bewitching Charm and intoxicating Opium Ministers and Professours are generally settling on their Lees and languishing in a fatal security Considering the Extent of it they cannot class themselves among the number of them that are Indulged thereby Whereby the Professours of Christ come in as Partners in the same Bargain with Antichrists Vassals and the Lords Ark hath a place with Dagon and its Priests and Followers consent to it and the Builders of Babel and Ierusalem are made to build together under the same Protection and a Sluce is opened to let the Enemy come in like a Flood which to oppose the Accepters cannot stand in a Gap nor lift up a Standard against them All which is contrary to the Confession of Faith Ch. 20. § 4. And therefore to accept of this Toleration is inconsistent with the Principles of the Church of Scotland with the National and Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties in all which we are bound to extirpate Popery With the whole Tract of Contendings between the years 1638 and 1660. and particularly by the Testimony of the Synod of Fife and other Brethren in the Ministry against Cromwels vast Toleration and Liberty of Conscience above related For it is plain if it be not to be suffered then it is not to be accepted Considering the Terms wherein it is offered they cannot make such a shameful bargain For by it the Matter of Preaching is so restricted and limited that nothing must be Preached or Taught which may any way tend to alienate the Hearts of the People from him or his Government Here is a Price at which they are to purchase their Freedom which yet hardly can be so exactly paid but he may find a pretence for retrenching it when he pleases For if a Minister shall Preach against the Kings Religion as Idolatry and the Church of Rome as Babylon c. This shall be interpreted to be an alienation of the Peoples Hearts from the King and his Government But who can be faithful and Preach in Season and out of Season now but he must think it his Duty to endeavour thus to alienate the Hearts of the People Sure if any Preach the whole Counsel of God he must Preach against Popery And if he think that this Indulgence granted and accepted on these Terms can supersede him from this Faithfulness then he is no more the Servant of Christ but a pleaser of Men. Considering the Scandal of it they dare not so offend the Generation of the Righteous by the Acceptance and dishonour God disgrace the Protestant Profession wrong the Interest thereof and betray their Native-Country as thus to comply with the design of Antichrist And it cannot but be very stumbling to see the Ministers of Scotland whose Testimony used to be terrible to the Popish and renowned through all the Protestant-Churches purchasing a Liberty to themselves at the rate of burying and betraying the Cause into Bondage and restraint and thus to be laid by from all active and open opposition to Antichrists Designs in such a Season The World will be tempted to think they are not governed by Principles but their own Interest in this Juncture seeking their own things more than the things of Christ And that it was not the late Usurpation upon and overturning of Religion and Liberty that offended them so much as the Persecution they sustained thereby but that if Arbitrary Power had been exerted in their favours tho' with the same prejudice of the Cause of Christ they would have complyed with it as they do now Alas Sad and dolorous have been the Scandals given and taken by and from the Declining Ministers of Scotland heretofore but none so stumbling as this Lastly considering the Addresses made thereupon with such a strain of fulsom and Blasphemous Flatteries to the dishonour of God the reproach of the Cause the betraying of the Church and detriment oâ— the Nation and exposing themselves to the Contempt of all the poor Persecuted Party dare not so much as seem to incorporate with them I shall set down the first of their Addresses and let the Reader judge whether there be not Cause of standing also off from every appearance of being of their number It is Dated at Edinburgh Iuly 21 1687. Of this Tenor. To the King 's most Excellent Majesty The Humble Address of the Presyterian Ministers of his Majesties Kingdom of Scotland WE Your Majesties most Loyal Subjects the Ministers of the Presbyterian Perswasion in your Ancient Kingdom of Scotland from the due Sense we have of Your Majesties Gracious and surprising favour in not only putting a stop to our long sad Sufferings for Non-Conformity but granting the Liberty of the Publick and Peaceable Exercise of our Ministerial Function without any hazard As we bless the Great God who hath put this in your Royal Heart we do withal find our selves bound in Duty to offer our most Humble and Hearty thanks to Your Sacred Majesty the Favour bestowed being to us and all the People of our Perswasion valuable above all our Earthly comfort especially since we have ground from Your Majesty to believe that our Loyalty is not to be questioned upon the account of our being Presbyterians who as we have amidst all former tentations endeavoured so we are firmly resolved still to preserve an entire Loyalty in our Doctrin and Practice consonant to our known Principles which according to the Holy Scriptures are contained in the Confession of Faith generally owned by Presbyterians in all Your Majesties Dominions and by the help of God so to demean our selves as Your Majesty may find Cause rather to enlarge than diminish your Favours towards us throughly perswading our selves from Your Majesties Iustice and Goodness that if we shall at any time be otherwise represented Your Majesty will not give credit to such Information until you have due cognition thereof And Humbly beseeching that those who promote any Disloyal Principles and Practices as we disown them may be looked upon as none of ours whatsoever name they assume to themselves May it please Your most Excellent Majesty Gracioâ—sly to accept of this ouâ— most Humble Address as proceeding from the plainness and sincerity of Loyal and Thankful Hearts much engaged by Your Royal Favour to continue our Fervent Prayers to the King of King's for Divine Illumination and Conduct with all other Blessings Spiritual and Temporal ever to attend Your Royal Person and Government which is the greatest Duty can be rendred to Your Majesty by Your Majesties most Humble most Faithful and most Obedient Subjects Subscribed in our Names and in the Name of the rest of our Brethren of our Perswasion at theiâ— Desire The King's Letter to the Presbyterians in his Ancient Kingdom of Scotland WE Love you well and we heartily thank you for your Address We resolve to protect you
in your Liberty Religion and Properties all our Life And we shall lay down such Methods as shall not be in the Power of any to alter hereafter And in the mean time we desire you to pray for our Person and Government To which may be added that kind Complement of the Chancellours Gentlemen My Master hath commanded me to tell you that I am to serve you in all things within the compass of my Power These Gentlemen needed not to have been sollicitous that those who avouch an Adherence to the Covenanted Reformation and avow an opposition to Antichristian Usurpers which they call promoting Disloyal Principles and Practices might not be looked upon as of their Confederacy For all that abide in the Principles and Practices of the Church of Scotland which they have deserted would count it a Sin and Scandal to be reckoned of their Association who have thus betrayed the Cause and the Country These mutual Complements between the professed Servants of Christ and the Vassals of Antichrist if they be Cordial would seem to import that they are in a fair way of compounding their differences and to accomodate their oppositions at length But if they be only adulatory and flattering Complements importing only a Conjunction of Tails like Samsons Foxes with a Disjunction of Heads and Hearts tending towards distinct and opposite interests then as they would suit far better the Dissimulations of Politicians than the Simplicity of Gospel-Ministers and do put upon them the Brand of being Men-pleasers rather than Servants of Christ so for their Dissemblings with Dissemblers who know their Complements to be and take them for such they may look to be paid home in good Measure heaped up and running over when such Methods shall be laid down as shall not be in the Power of any to alter when such designs shall be obtained by this Liberty and these Addresses that the afterbought Wit of the Addressers shall not be able to disappoint However the Address is such as makes the thing addressed for to be odious and the Addressers to forfeit the respects and merit the indignation of all that are Friends to the Protestant and Presbyterian Cause as may appear from these obvious Reflections 1. It was needful indeed they should have assumed the Name of Presbyterians and call it the humble Address of Presbyterians Ministers For otherwise it would never have been known to come from Men of the Presbyterian Perswasion seeing the Contents of this Address are so clearly contrary to their known Principles It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to congratulate an Antichristian Usurper for undermining Religion and overturning Laws and Liberties It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to justifie the abrogation of the National-Covenant in giving thanks for a Liberty whereby all the Laws are â—assed and disabled therein confirmed It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to thank the King for opening a door to bring in Popery which they are engaged to exâ—irpate in the Solemn League and Covenant It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to allow or accept of such a vast Toleration for Idolaters and Hereticks as is evident above It is contrary to Presbyterian Principles to consent to any Restrictions Limitations and Conditions binding them up in the Exercise of the Ministerial function whereby this Liberty is loaded and clogged So that they cannot enjoy it without great hazard of Sin and incurring the Guilt of the Blood of Souls for not declaring the whole Council of God which Addressers cannot declare if they Preserve an enâ—ire Loyalty in their Doctrin as here they promise 2. There is nothing sounds here like the Old Presbyterian strain neither was there ever an Address of this stile seen before from Presbyterian Hands It would have looked far more Presbyterian like in stead of this Address to have sent a Protestation against the new openly designed introduction of Popery and subversion of all Laws and Liberties which they are Covenanted to maintain or at least to have given an Address in the usual Language of Presbyterians who used always to speak of the Covenants and Work of Reformation But here never a word of these but of Loyalty to his Excellent to his Gracious and to his Sacred Majesty of Loyalty not to be questioned an Entire Loyalty in Doctrin a resolved Loyalty in Practice and a fervent Loyalty in Prayers And all that they are Sollicitous about is not lest the Prerogatives of their Master be encroached upon and the Liberties of the Church be supplanted and Religion wronged but lest their Loyalty be questionâ—d and they be otherwise represented And all that they beseech for is not that the Cause of Christ be not wronged nor Antichristian Idolatry introduced by this Liberty but that these who promove any disloyal Principles and Practices may be looked upon as none of theirs wherein all their encouragement is that they perswade themselves from his Majestys Iustice and Goodness that he will not give Credit to any other information until he take due cognition thereof Here is a Lawless unrestricted Loyalty to a Tyrant claiming an Absolute Power to be obeyed without reserve not only professed but solicitously sought to be the Principle of Presbyterians whereas it is rather the Principle of Atheistical Hobbs exploded with indignation by all Rational Men. This is not the Presbyterian Loyalty to the King in the defence of Christ his Evangel Liberties of the Country Ministration of Iustice and punishment of iniquity according to the National-Covenant and in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms according to the Solemn-League and Covenant But an Erastian Loyalty to a Tyrant in his overturning Religion Laws and Liberties This Loyalty in Doctrin will be found Disloyalty to Christ in a sinful and shameful silence at the wrongs done to him and not declaring against the Invasions of his open Enemies This Loyalty in Practice is a plain betraying of Religion and Liberty in lying by from all opposition to the open Destroyer of both And this Loyalty in Prayers for all Blessings ever to attend his Person and Government will be neither conformed to Presbyterian Prayers in reference to Popish Tyrants nor consistent with the Zeal of Christians nor founded upon any Scripture Promises to pray for Blessings to a Papists Tyranny which cannot be of Faith and therefore must be Sin 3. This Address is so stuffed with sheaking Flatteries that it would more become Sycophants and Court-Parasites than Ministers of the Gospel and were more suitable to that Popish Prelatical and Malignant Faction to congratulate and rejoyce in their professed Patron and Head and fill the Gazetts with their Adulatory Addresses which heretofore used to be deservedly inveighed against by all Dissenters than for Presbyterians to take a Copy from them and espouse the Practice which they had condemned before and which was never commended in any good Government nor never known in these British Nations before Oliver's Usurpation Flattery being always counted
more Barbarity and Cruelty more Reproach to our Nation than can easily be named Certainly it cannot be imagined that the Episcopal Clergy left their Houses their Livings and some of them their Relations and their Countrey for no other Design than to tell Stories of the Presbyterian Persecution any Man that believes this needs not refuse the most monstrous Improbabilities Men are not so fond of Crosses and Afflictions the Bias of Humane Nature is on the other side they generally prefer the Law of Self-preservation to the Law of Self-denial and the Doctrine of the Cross has but few to follow it if they can avoid it There is no Weapon so proper against the Assaults of a restless and ungovernable Party as Christian Patience This is the Time of our Sufferings God in his Anger hath let loose our Enemies to chastise us and when we are duly humbled he will again mercifully visit us and employ us in the Attendance and Service of the Sanctuary If we have preached unto others Fortitude and Christian Magnanimity under the saâ—â— dest Calamities from the Pulplâ— why should noâ— we do it by our Courage and Constancy Thâ— Providence of God that superintends the meaâ—â—est Creatures will not desert them that are maâ—â— after his own Image It was to let us feel thâ— Mutability of all Earthly Conditions that we are surrounded thus with Difficulties on the Right and on the Left Hand When I read the Heâ—roick Flights of a Pagan Soul and how little the Glory of the Roman Empire appeared to him that sat upon the Throne in the midst of Guards Divertisements and Flatterers I cannot but acknowledge how shameful it is for the Disciples 〈◊〉 Christianity to be so soon and so easily shakeâ— with Changes and Disasters If the Contemplaâ—tion of Philosophy and Natural Religion raise his Spirit so far above ordinary Thoughts whaâ— may not be expected from us who have beeâ— taught the most infallible Proofs the Doctrine 〈◊〉 Immortality and the Glories of the World 〈◊〉 come Seneca tells us that a good Man wrestling with Disasters and not yielding to 〈◊〉 Meannesses of Vice is a Spectacle worthy oâ— Iupiter himself The Ears of God are always open 〈◊〉 the Prayers of the Oppressed their Petitionâ— proceed from Feeling more than from Artâ—Form or Custom Let us look into the Errorâ— of our Lives and judge our selves â—â—st 〈◊〉 shoulâ— be judged more severely by our God whom wâ— have offended Let us wash out our Blemisheâ— by true Contrition and return unto our Father who does not willingly grieve the Children 〈◊〉 Men but for great and wise Ends suffers for â— while the Rod of the Wicked to lâ—e on the Loâ—â— of the Righteous that his Children may be preâ—pared for that Glory which is to be revealed The Graces that are most essential to the Chriâ—stian Religion cannot be exercised but under thâ— Cross All things work together for good to theâ— that love God We are told by our Saviour thaâ— an House built upon a Rock stands 〈◊〉 against aâ— the Violence of Rains Storms and Tempests The Party with whom good Men struggle at preâ—sent in Scotland have neither Unity amongst themâ—selves nor any true Christian Princiâ—â—â— to builâ— upon And When I say thus I do â—ot comprâ—â—hend all that may go under the name of Presbyâ—terians but such as give up themselves withoâ—â— Reserve to follow their pernicious Tenâ—rs aâ—â— such as have all their Paces for God judges 〈◊〉 according to our new and factious Discriminâ—â—tions It is not by our Names but by our Nâ—â—ture that we are separated at the Day of Judâ—â—ment and therefore let no man mistaâ—e me â— if I thought this or the other Denomination thâ—â— Church or Society could secure a Man from hazard I mean no such thing But it 's undeniable that the Faction that lately pulled down the Beauty and Order of our Church spend their Zeal in lesser things of very bad or of no Consequence at all and their new and upstart Government eats out the Life and Primiâ—ive Innocence of Religion and promotes Pride and Singularity and those other Vices that are most opposite to the pure and spiritual Tendency of the Gospel They are the Men I intend the Ring leaders of that waspish Gang who by their Principles are obliged to trample upon all â—arthly Powers unless they truckle under the Edicts of Presbytery and recommend no other Doctrines with Affection and Zeal but such Opinions as enslave the Consciences of Men to their Tyranny and Government and many of the poor People are so infatuated that they calmly bow under the heaviest Burdens if they are laid on by their Spiritual Task-masters It is very sad to consider the present Decays of true Christianity What 's become of that unâ—ffecteâ— Simplicity that Truth and Purity Heavenly mindedness and Charity that adorns the Profession of the Gospel What 's become of that â—teady and regular Devotion that taught Men frequently to lift up holy Hands without Wrath or â—oubting unto Heaven by which they were made to love God above all things and their â—rethren for God's sake to relieve their Necesâ—ities to assist them in their Troubles to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce and to weep with them â—hat weep nay to endeavour the Good of all Mankind as far as is possible If Men were affeâ—tionately zealous to propagate this Religion â—hen it would appear like it self in all its beautiâ—ul Colours pure peaceable gentle and easie to be â—â—treateâ— full of Mercy and good Fruits without â—artiality and without Hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. But â—here Envying and Strife is there is Consusion â—nd every evil Work Shall they who proudly â—â—all themselves the special Ambassfdors of Christ â—â—ve so much in Animosities and Contentions and â—ot tremble before the Searcher of all Hearts â—ho sees into the first Motives and Springs of all â—ur Actions If the Purity of Religion be inâ—â—nded why so much Noise and Clamour so maâ—y Arts and mean Tricks so many insidious Acâ—â—sations so many bold and impudent Lies so â—any pragmatick and restless Methods to overâ—â—row their Antagonists Can the Gospel of Peace 〈◊〉 propagated by the Stratagems of War Or â—â—ve they such mean Opinions of their Opposites that they will suffer their People to be deluded with Giddiness and Enthusiasm and themselvâ—s so tamely beat off the Stage 'T is true many of our Ministers are now made uncapable to serve the Publick yet by their sacred Character they are still obliged to serve the People and to recover the Souls for whom Christ died from the Enchantment and Enthusiasm of Seducers I hope they will defend the Gospel without fear upon all Occasions in Season and out of Season It is not a Question of Discipline or Ecclesiastical Government only though that be of great Consequence in it self that is now debated But the Question is Whether such Methods must be followed as expose Christian Religion Whether the People shall be taught from the Pulpit
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
base among ingenuous Men. But here is a Rhapsodie of Flatteries from the deep Sense they have of his Majesties Gracious and surprizing favour finding themselves bound in Duty to offer their most humble and hearty thanks to his Sacred Majesty the favour bestowed being to them valuable above all Earthly comforts One would think it behoved to be a very great favour from a very great Friend for very gracious ends But what is it In not only putting a stop to their long sad Sufferings which were some ground indeed if the way were Honest But this not only supposes an also what is that But also granting us the Liberty which is either a needless Tautology for if all Sufferings were stopped then Liberty must needs follow or it must respect the Qualifications of the Liberty flowing from such a Fountain Absolute Power through such a conveyance stopping all Penal Laws against Papists in such a Form as a Toleration for such Ends as overturning the Reformation and introducing Popery This is the Favour for which they offer most humble and hearty Thanks more valuable to them than all Earthly Comforts Sure if they thank him for the Liberty they must thank him for the Proclamation whereby he grants it and justifie all his claim there to Absoluteness being that upon which it is superstructed and from which it emergeth and so become a listed Faction to abet and own him in all his attemptings engaged now to demean themselves as that he may find Cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours which can be no other way but in assisting him to destroy Religion and Liberty at least in suffering him to do what he will without controll O what an indeliberate reproach is this for Ministers who pretend to be yet for the defence of the Gospel thus to be found betraying Religion through justifying and magnifying a Tyrant for his suspension of so many Laws whereby it was established and supported 4. It were more tolerable if they went no farther than Flatteries but I fear they come near the Border of Blasphemy when they say that the Great God hath put this in his Royal Heart which can bear no other Construction but this that the Holy Lord hath put it in his Heart to assume to himself a Blasphemous and Absolute Power whereby he stops and suspends all Penal Laws against Idolaters and gives a Toleration for all Errors If it be capable of any other Sense it must be like that as the Lord is said to have moved David to number the People or that Rev. 17. 17. God hath put it in their Hearts to fulfill his Will and to agree and give their Kingdom to the Beast But to bless God and thank the Tyrant for this wicked Project as deliberate and purposed by Men I say is near unto Blasphemy And again where they say they are firmly resolved by the help of God so to demean themselves as his Majesty may find Cause rather to enlarge than to diminish his favours this in effect is as great Blasphemy as if they had said They resolved by the help of God to be as unfaithful Time-serving and silent Ministers as ever plagued the Church of God for no otherwise can they demean themselves so as he may find cause to enlarge his Favours towards them it being no way supposable that his enlarging his Favours can consist with their faithfulness but if they discover any measure of Zeal against Antichrist he will quickly diminish them Thus far I have compendiously deduced the Account of the progress and Prosecution of the Testimony of this Church to the present State thereof FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for Io. Hindmarsh at the Golden-Ball over against the Royal-Exchange in Cornhill THE Antiquity of the Royal Line of Scotland farther Cleared and Defended against the Exceptions lately offer'd by Dr. Stillingfleet in his Vindication of the Bishop of St. Asaph â—y Sir George Mackenzie His Majesty's Advocate for the Kingdom of Scotland The Moral History of Frugality with its opposite Vices Covetousness Niggardliness Prodigality and Luxury Written by the Honourable Sir George Mackenzie late Lord Advocate of Scotland A Memorial for His Highness the Prince of Orange in Relation to the Affairs of Scotland Together with the Address of the Presbyterian-Party in that Kingdom to His Highness And some Observations on that Address By two Persons of Quality An Account of the Present Persecutâ—on of the Church in Scotland in several Letters The Case of the Present Afflicted Clergy in Scotland truly represented To which is added for Probation the attestation of many unexceptionable Witnesses to every Particular and all the Publick Acts and Proclamations of the Convention and Parliament relating to the Clergy By a Lover of the Church and his Country An Historical Relation oâ— the late Presbyterian Generaâ— Assembly held at Edinburgh from October 16 to November 13. In the Year 1690. In â— Letter from a Person in Edinburgh to his Friend in London * M. Aâ—rel Aâ—â—tonin â—ull de Octâ—e â— 1. 〈◊〉 si sibi ipse conâ—ntrat non in â—erdum natura boâ—itate vincatur â—t ut neque amiâ—itiam câ—lem posâ—t nee justitian â—es liberalitatem Read the Preface to Dr. Hooker's Polity Pretended Answer to the Irâ—nicum I cannot elâ—e the Page having no Books by me