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
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
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
All other Authority is so entrenched within the Marches of Divine Command that the least overpassing of the Bounds set by God himself bring Men under the fearful expectation of Temporal and Eternal Iudgements c. Yet notwithstanding of all opposition Prelacy was again restored in Parliament And to bring all to a complyance with the same Presbyteries and Synods universally charged under highest pains to admit a Constant Moderator without change which many refused resolutely as being the first step of Prelacy Upon this followed a great Persecution of the faithful for their Nonconformity managed by that Mongrel and Monstrous kind of Court made up of Clergy-men and States-men called the High Commission Court erected anno 1570. whereby many honest Men were put violently from their Charges and Habitations the Generality were involved in a great and fearful Defection But the Copestone of the wickedness of that Period was the Ratification of the five Articles of Perth kneeling at the Communion private Communion to be given to the Sick private Baptism and Confirmation of Children by the Bishop and Observation of Festival Days Which were much opposed and testified against by the faithful from their first hatching Anno 1618. to the Year 1621. when they were ratified in Parliament And against this the Testimony of the faithful continued till the Revolution Anno 1638. The following Period from the Year 1638 to 1660 continues and advances the Testimony to the greatest heighth of purity and power that either this Church or any other did ever arrive unto We shall give a short deduction of the rise progress and end of the Contendings of that Period In the midst of the forementioned Miseries and Mischiefs that the Pride of Prelacy and Tyrannical Supremacy had multiplied beyond measure upon this Church and Nation and at the heighth of all their haughtiness when they were setting up their Dagon and erecting Altars for him imposing the Service Book and Book of Cannons c. The Lords People were surprized with a sudden unexpected Deliverance by very despicable means even the opposition of a few weak Women which afterwards was followed out with more Masculine fervor accosting King and Council with Pititions Remonstrances Protestations and Testimonies against the Innovations and resolving upon a mutual Conjunction to defend Religion Lives and Liberties against all that would innovate or invade them To fortifie which all the Friends to the Liberty of the Nation did solemnly renew the National Covenant which though in it self obligeing to the Condemnation of Prelatical Hierarchy and clearly enough confirming Presbyterial Government yet they engaged unto it with an enlargement to suspend the Practice of Novations already introduced and the approbation of the Corruptions of the present Government with the late places and Power of Church Men till they be tryed in a free General Assembly Which was obtained that same Year and indicted at Glasgow And there notwithstanding all the opposition that the King's Commissioner could make by Protestations and Proclamations to dissolve it the six preceding Assemblies establishing Prelacy were annulled the Service Book and High Commission were condemned all the Bishops were deposed and their Government declared to be abjured in that National Covenant tho' many had through the Commissioners perswasions subscribed it in another Sense without that application As also the five Articles of Perth were there discovered to have been inconsistent with that Covenant and Confession and the Civil places and power of Church Men were disproved and rejected On the other hand Presbyterial Government was justified and approved and an Act was passed for keeping Yearly General Assemblies This was a bold beginning out-braving all difficulties Which in the following Year were much encreased by the Prelates and their partakers Rendezvouzing their Forces under the Kings personal Standard and menacing nothing but Misery to the zealous Covenanters Yet when they found them prepared to resist were forced to yield to a Ratification concluding that an Assembly and Parliament should be held for healing all Grievances of Church and State In which Assembly at Edinburgh the Covenant is ratified and subscribed by the Earl of Traquaire Commissioner and enjoyned to be subscribed by the Body of the whole Land with an explication expresly concerning the five Articles of Perth the Government of Bishops the Civil places and power of Church Men. But the Year following King and Prelates with their Abettors go to Arms again but were fain to accommodate the matter by a new Pacification whereby all Civil and Religious Rights were ratified And in the following Year 1641 by Laws Oaths Promises Subscriptions of King and Parliament fully confirmed the King Charles the First being present and consenting to all But the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus being thus advanced the Glory of the Lord did shine upon us with such Splendor that it awaked England and animated the Lords People there to aspire to the like Reformation For advice in which because tho' all agreed to cast off Prelacy yet sundry Forms of Church Government were projected to be set up in the room thereof chiefly the Independent Order Therefore the Brethren in England wrote to the Assembly then sitting at Edinburgh who gave them answer in behalf of the Presbyterial Government So from henceforth the Assembly did incessantly urge Vniformity in Reformation with their Brethren in England as the chiefest of their Desires Prayers and Cares And in the Year 1643 prevailed so far that the English Parliament did first desire that the two Nations might be strictly united for their mutual defence against the Prelatical Faction and their Adherents in both Kingdoms and not to lay down Arms till these implacable Enemies should be brought in Subjection and did instantly urge for help and assistance from Scotland Which being sent did return with an Olive-branch of Peace and not without some beginning of a Reformation in England And afterwards a Bloody War beginning between the King and Parliament with great success on the Kings side Commissioners were sent from both Houses to Scotland earnestly inviting to a nearer Union of the Kingdoms and desiring assistance from this Nation to their Brethren in that their great distress And this produced the Solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms first drawn up in Scotland and approved in the Assembly at Edinburgh and afterward embraced in England This is that Covenant comprehending the purpose of all Prior and the Pattern of all Posterior Covenants which the Representative of Church and State in the three Nations did solemnly Subscribe and Swear for themselves and Posterity and of which the Obligation cannot be Disannull'd Disabled or Dispensed by any Power on Earth And this Covenant was rigorously imposed upon all Recusants who were wicked Enemies to God and Church and Nation and for their Malignancy were then to be Prosecuted not for their Scrupling at a Covenant but for their contumacious contempt of a Law This was no violence done to their Conscience for as they had
none and could not pretend to any so they were never troubled for that but for their opposition and conspiracy against the common Cause However it went through at that time And that the Covenanted Reformation in a nearer Conjunction betwixt the united Churches might be promoted the Parliament of England called an Assembly of Divines at Westminster And desired the Assembly of Scotland to send thither their Commissioners and they accordingly nominated and elected Mr. Alexander Henderson Mr. Robert Douglas Mr. Samuel Rutherford Mr. Robert Baille Mr. George Gillespie Ministers and Iohn Earl of Capils Iohn Lord Maitland and Sir Archbald Iohnstone of Warristown Ruling Elderâ— to Propone Consult Treat and Conclude in all such things as might conduce to the extirpation of Prelacy c. and for the settling of the so much desired Union of the whole Island in one Form of Church Government one Confession of Faith one common Catechism and one Directory for the Worship of God Forces were also sent to assist the Parliament of England Which were favoured with great success in their Enterprizes till that War was ended by the total overthrow of the King and all his upholders But that Prelatical and Malignant Faction being brought much under in England attempted to try the Fortune of War in Scotland under the Conduct of Montrose Who tho' he prevailed for a time yet at length was defeat at Philliphaugh in the Year 1645. yet certain it is that they had Commission and Warrant from the King as the Assembly that Year Feb. 13. remonstrates it to himself Warning him in the Name of their Master the Lord Iesus Christ that the Guilt which cleaved to his Throne was such as if not timely repented could not but involve himself and his Posterity under the Wrath of the Everliving God for his being Guilty of the shedding of the Blood of many Thousands of his best Subjects c. At the same time also the Assembly did zealously incite the Parliament to a speedy Course of Justice against these Incendiaries and Murderers as the only mean of cleansing the Land from that deluge of Blood then Current and of appeasing the Wrath of God And solemnly and seasonably warned all Ranks to search to understand the Language of that Dispensation wherein many publick Sins and Breaches of Covenant are pointed at and the Covenant it self is there very Encomiastically vindicated We are so far from repenting of it say they that we cannot mention it without great joy for no sooner was the Covenant begun to be taken in England but sensibly the condition of affairs there was changed to the better and our Forces sent into that Kingdom in pursuance of that Covenant have been so manifestly and mercifully assisted from Heaven that we have what to answer the Enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business These following Acts were made thus Feb. 14. 1645. Sess. 18. Vnless Men will blot out of their Hearts the fear of Religion and Cause of God they must now or never appear actively each one stretching himself to yea beyond his power It is no time to dally or to go about the business by halves nor be almost but altogether zealous Cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently If we have been forward to assist our Neighbour Kingdoms shall we neglect to defend our own Or shall the Enemies of God be more active against his Cause than his People for it God forbid And among the Enormities and Corruptions of the Ministry in their Callings this is one § 4. 5. Silence in the publick Cause some accounting it a point of Wisdom to speak ambiguously whereof the remedy is § 15. That beside all other scandals silence and ambiguous speaking in the publick Cause be seasonably Censured Gen. Ass. Edin June 13. 1646. Act for Censuring the Complyers with the publick Enemies of this Church and Kingdom Gen. Ass. Edin Jun. 17. 1646. Sess. 4. Where they judge it a great and scandalous Provocation and grievous defection from the publick Cause to comply with these Malignants in any degree even to procure Protections from them or to have invited them to their Houses or to be Guilty of any such Gross degrees of Complyance Censured to be suspended from the Communion and while they acknowledge their Offence And Gen. Ass. Aug. 24. 1647. Sess. 19. Ministers are charged us they have occasion from the Text of Scripture to reprove the Sins and Errors and press the Duties of the Time and in all these to observe the Rules prescribed by the Acts of Assembly wherein if they be negligent they are to be Censured And July ult 1648. Sess. 2. in their Declaration concerning the unlawful Engagement they say Suppose the Ends of that Engagement be good as they are not yet the means and ways of Prosecution are unlawful because there is not an equal avoiding of Rocks on both hands but a joyning with Malignants to suppress Sectaries a joining hands with a black Devil to beat a white Devil And Aug. 3. 1648. All Ministers that do not apply their Doctrine to the Corruptions of the Time which is the Pastoral Gift and that are cold or wanting of Spiritual zeal Dissembling of Publick Sins are appointed to be Censured even to Deprivation for forbearing or passing in silence the Errors and Exorbitances of Sectaries in England or the Defections current at home the Plots and Practices of Malignants the Principles and Tenets of Erastianism And if they be found too sparing General or Ambiguous in their Applications or Reproofs they are to be deposed for being pleasers of Men rather than servers of Christ for giving themselves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in the Cause of God for defrauding the South of People yea for being Guâ—lty of the Blood of Souls in not giving them warning See also their seasonable and necessary Warning Iuly 27. 1649. Thus did these famous Fathers give us a perfect Pattern of purity and strictness in opposition to all degrees of Coâ—formity and Complyance with the Corruptions of the Time In the mean while the Malignants in England being crushed in all their Projects the King renders himself to the Scots in Newcastle By whom because by Covenant they were not obliged to defend him but only in defence of Religion and Liberty which he had been destroying and they defending because in this War he did directly oppose and oppugn these Conditions under which they were only to defend him and therefore they had all along carried towards him as an Enemy as he to them And because by the same Covenant they were obliged to discover and render to condign Punishment all Malignants of whom he was the chief and to assist mutually all entred into that Covenant he was delivered up unto the English and kept under restraint in the Isle of Wight until he was Condemned and Executed Ian 30 164â—â— Which Fact tho' it was protested against both before and after by the Assembly of the Church of Scotland
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
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