Relation of the Sufferings of Ministers in Scotland Since 1660, To the reader – Poem
The Epistle to the READER.
Christian Reader.
This is a time wherein little or nothing is heard from the Churches of Christ all the world over, but lamentation & woe… partly by reason of grievous afflictions. & sore persecution (which is none of the worst conditions) & partly by reason of woefull and shamefull defection, & falling from former zeale & integrity, occasioned either by the temptations which usually attend sharpe tryalls of affliction (whereby the weakness of many, & perversness of heart in moe, is discovered) Or, without any such force of externall temptation, from an inward decay of life & love, & wearying of God & his wayes (the Worst condition that a Church can be in) which is now the Epidemicall plague of this age. Hence it is that the Lord seemeth to be angry with all, & ready to reject some of his Churches, which to him are as a generation of his wrath. Have not his people set up their abominations, in the house which is called by his name to pollute it? And may it not be feared that the curse shall devoure the earth, & they that dwell therein shall be made desolate, because they have transgressed the lawes, changed the ordinances, & broken the everlasting Covenant? There appeareth now hanging over the head of the poor little flock of Christ, a black & dreadfull cloud threatning no lesse then utter ruine, & overthrow, or at least speaking a loude alarme for awaking the secure & sle…ping Bride. It is most sad to behold, how little the Churches of Christ in every place, are affected with this imminent stroke, ready to light on all: & to see some of them quiet & at rest, singing a requiem to themselves, as if (though dispensations from the Lord, doe speak the contrary to all who will but open their eyes) their mountaine stood so strong, as never to be moved. This deadness & deepe security, when all things speak an approaching storme (as it doth evidence a great Judgement & spirituall plague from God, upon the Spirits of people; so it) dothpresage no less then remediless …uine, if God, in the riches of his mercy, prevent it not. What a dreadfull night of confusion & astonishment must be at hand, when there is such blackness without, And such deadness & prodigious security within? Are not the enemies of the Church as Gebal, Ammen, Amalek, The Philistines & those of …yre, Assur, & the Children of Lot (who are early & late at their master's work) devising & plotting the ruine & destruction of the interest & Kingdome of Christ? Are they not all combined together, & acted with the same Spirit of Antichrist, for this very end & purpose, to helpe forward, as with one shoulder, & to raise up his fallen interest, & heale his wound? And are they not setting themselves to thrust King Iesus from his throne, to put the crowne from his head, & the scepter out of his hand, & so to prey upon, & devour his little flock, that, if it were possible, they should be no more a nation, nor their name remembered any more? And are they not about the swallowing up of the protestant interest, as in a moment? And what is the Church of Christ doing, all this while? Doth she stir up her selfe to call upon her head & husband, or to awake the watch man of Isreal, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth? Is she upon her watch-tower, looking out & guarding against the approaching enemy, or observing his motions? Ah not so! She is fast a sleepe, while the enemy is within the walls. And which is more sad & lamentable, with her own hands, she hath helped to make the breach in the wall, at which the enemy hath entered, & now hath faire advantage given him, to accomplish his bloody designe against the protestant cause & interest. (So little hath she gained, by her sinfull compliance with the opinions & practises of Antichristian men, whether through base feare, or carnall prudence) even the cutting of it off, And the bringing of his people back againe unto Babylon. Who knoweth, but (though the Lord's enemies shall at last be troden under, as straw for the dunghill, & he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim, bring down their pride together with the spoiles of their hands, lay low in the dust, & bring to the ground, even the high fortresse of their wall, & so make all his enemies know that there is a King in Zion who shall & must reigne untill all his foes be made his footstoole) the onelyonly wise God, who knoweth how to turne every thing to the best, may suffer the adversaries to prosper in their device & designe, & so give up many of the people called by his name, to the sword of the enemy, that others may be alarmed & awaked from their sleep, & put to their prayers, even to calling upon God with their, whole heart & not fainedly? O that they were wise, & would speedily prevent this deadly blow by repentance, & by serious considering how they have fallen from their first love, & have forgotten their first workes! O that they would think of returning to the most high with fasting weeping & mourning, renting their hearts & not their garments, of turning unto the Lord their God who is gracious & mercifull, slow to anger, & of great Kindness & repenteth him of the evill! However his people are called to minde that word, Isa. 26: 20: 22. Come my people enter thou into thy chamber, & shut thy doores about thee, hide thy self as it were for a little moment untill the indignation be over past; for behold the Lord cometh out of his place, to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth also shall disclose her blo…d, & shall no more cover her slain.
In these following sheets, there is some account given thee, of the sad & deplorable condition of the Church of Christ in Scotland. It is wonderfull to see how variously Satan doth assault the Churches of God, some one way, some another: That crasty & cunning adversary, doth suite his baits & snares to the severall complexions of people & Churches, against which he opposeth himselfe: Some have the tryall of cruel mockings, & scourgings: others meet with bonds & imprisonment, and others with triall of some other Kinde; Against some, Satan doth raise cruel & bloody persecutions, others he endeavoureth to draw away from their stedfastness & zeale, by ensnareing allurements: a third sort he invadeth with all his troupes & forces at once: And thus is the lately glorious Church of Scotland tried this day. Upon the one hand he raiseth up against her, men of corrupt mindes destitute of the truth, who make sharpe their tounges like a Serpent, & under whose lips is the poison of adders. These have vented & doe vent most bitter slanders & reproaches against her, & the way of reformation, which the hand of God wrought in her: On the other hand, he hath raised within her, a most cruel persecution by a popish prelaticall & malignant party, setting them on with rage, against all who desire to keepe themselves unspotted, & free of the contagions of this evill time, forceing some by cruel & sore persecution, & ensnareing others, that are more simple, deceiving & drawing them into their n…t; & thereby causing many to comply with them in their wicked wayes, & to run with them unto the same excesse of sin & wickednes. Yet hithertill (for which, the name of the Lord is alone to be Magnified) the designes & devices of these Matchiavellian Ahitophels, & bloody persecuters have not taken such effect, as they either wished or expected. It is true, many (Alas! too too many) have been carried away with the streame, and willingly walked after the commandement to the great dishonour of God, amazement of nations about, rejoycing of the heart of the ungodly, & to the great stumbling & grief, of the truely tender & godly in that, land, so as the defection of that Church may be matter of astonishment to the present & after generations: Yet it is her mercy that there are not a few in her, whom conscience, & Christian tenderness in their walke, hath exposed to sad sufferings who therow grace have resolved to keep their garments cleane; & to preferre the peace of a good conscience, to all the treasures of Egypt, holding faith & a good conscience, of which many make shipwrack, & in the Lord their master's strength, to hold fast their integrity, & to maintaine their ground, though bonds & afflictions should abide them: The justification & defence of such, is the intended scope of this following treatise: Which how well managed is left to thy discretion to Judge.
It is like, such a worthy & noble cause may suffer prejudice through the weakness of him who here doth appeare in its defence, wherefore it is wished that some more able pen be engadged in this worke, for clearing to the world the present sad case of that Church, And vindicating her from aspersions & calumnies, which her adversaries laboure to fasten upon her. To speak in the justification of such a mother, would well become the most eminent of her Children; It would be so far from being below them, & a disparagement, that they might justly account it their glory, to lay out themselves in the out most of their strength & parts, for the defence of such a cause, when so few doe avow, & openly declare their owning of, & adherence to it: But untill the Lord shall be pleased to stir up & set on worke some more able, & to prompt them with a spirit of zeale & courage for such an undertaking, thou must rest satisfied with this poor essay, for the time. Only thou mayest give charity to the author, that it was not his intention to wronge, in the least, so glorious a cause; But seeing none else did undertake or appeare in it (for any thing known to him) He desired, in a few words (that something (though it should prove little better then nothing) might be said in & for it) to make it known how worthy it were the thoughts & paines of a more able head & hand▪ to deale in.
Many, It is like, will be the exceptions taken at this piece, & moe then can now either be thought upon or obviated, such as are most obvious, wee shall endeavour to remove, by briefly touching & answering them.
Some may think it strange, that a piece of this nature, intended, as appeareth from its straine, for satisfaction of Churches abroad, cometh not forth in a latine-dresse. It is true, it was intended at first, & so moulded & drawn up, as it might be published to the world in latine, for the satisfying of strangers & Churches abroad▪ But upon second thoughts, When the case of the suffering people in that Church & Kingdome was considered; It was thought expedient, that it should first be published in English; That such as had hithertil valiantly resisted, to the losse of their meanes & liberty, might be strengthened & confirmed in their resolution. And the more encouraged to endure afflictions when they should see that they did suffer for righteousness sake, & that they were called thereto of God: & that others might be quickened to fol low their footsteps who had so cheerfully gone before them in the way. Having hereby their▪ doubts cleared, scruples removed, & their judgements convinced in the point of duety: & this was found even necessary at such a time, when their temptations did abound, their faintings were like to grow; & when such as were able to give advice in difficult cases, & to encourage the weak, were thrust away. So the consulting of their present necessity did hasten it forth in this dresse: Besides, that many both in England, & Ireland, may receive information & edification hereby, of which they should have been deprived, if it had been published in latine. Afterward, if it be thought necessary & expedient, this or some other, may be published to the world in Latine, with lesse prejudice to the present sufferers.
Next, some may think that severall questions here handled, might have been forborne, especially such as touch upon the civil Magistrat his power & prerogative, seing in all probability he shall be the more enraged thereby. It is true, Higher powers will not take well such free & round dealing: But what …medy is there? Amicus Plato, Amicus …, sed … …mica v…ritas: & it had been a just ground of offence, If to please the higher powers, truth had been betrayed, when necessity did call for witnessing unto it: The interest of Christ is much more to be valued, Then the pretended & imaginary interests of the highest powers on earth. The work of God ought to be justified, who ever be offended therewith; And when many of the Lords worthy & pretious ones, have adventured, & layd downe their lives, in the carrying on of such a work (unto which they were called of God) can it give just offence to any, to heare it now pleaded for, because it is malig…ed & blasphemed, yea such an essay as this in defence & justification thereof at such a time, should in reason be accounted the more seasonable & necessary. If there be any unbeseeming expressions, or savouring of passion, these shall willingly be disowned provideing that the cause suffer no prejudice thereby; knowing that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnes of God; And that no railing accusation, or speaking evill of dignities (which is condemned in the word) ought to be approved. Yea the reader shall find upon narrow search, considering the matter, that much more plainnesse & sharpenesse might have been used in such a dispute; And that as much inoffensivenes… hath been studied, as might be, without hurt to the cause. And that purposely many particulars, which might have been mentioned, have beene passed by: And that no particulars have been pitched upon, but such as are still upon record in their printed Acts, or were publickly acted & concluded in their publick meetings: And as to these consequences drawn from their Acts & actings, which appeare dangerous & destructive to the throne, let such as have laid the foundation in the premises see to that, ex veris nilnisi verum: Who give twice two, cannot be justly offended with any who shall thence conclude that they give foure; & whether the Consequences be cleare & undenyable or not, the reader now hath it before him to judge: As to the Kings supremacy in Church matters, no truely reformed divine, can justly take any exception against that which is here spoken upon that head. The priviledges of the crowne & scepter of christ should be highly valued, & earnestly contended for, by all, who call & account themselves Christians; & a discourse or debate on that subject cannot but be accounted neces…y at this time, when the powers of the earth (as would appeare) have combined together to rob Christ of his crowne & to share his priviledges amongst themselves, to the great scandall of the Gospel, & prejudice of the Kingdome & interest of Christ in souls, & through the world.
Further, it is like, some would have wished, that the historical part contained in the first & second sections, had been much more large. Such may know that brevity was studied as much as could be, all alongs, yea so much, that, it may be feared, the reader shall thinke it the more unpleasant in reading: & that the scope, & intendment of that part of the tractare, was only to give a hint of the many & various troubles, which prelats from the beginning had created unto that Church, & by what steps & wayes she was brought under their yoke: so that a large history could not be expected: It is true, such a worke as that would be both most seasonable & usefull in this juncture of time; And it were to be wished; that such as have the History penned by the learned & industrious Mr Calderw…od; would think upon the most ready & effectuall way for publishing it, that the world may have a full clear & satisfactory view of the many tossings, which that poor Church hath endured, & the many wrestlings which she had with a popish, prelaticall & malignant party from the beginning: Meanwhile Mr Knox, & Mr Pe…ree their Histories, Vind…ciae Epistolae Philadelphi Printed with altare damascenum Mr Spang's Historia motuum &c. the Nullity of perth assembly▪ the course of conformity, & such other printed pieces, together with the Printed Acts of generall assemblies since the yeer 1638. will give some light to such as peruse the same.
Many no doubt will think it strange, that there is no mention made, here, of the sufferings of that worthy & renowned instrument of the worke of reformation, the zealous & faithfull Lord Waris…oun. As to this, the reader may know, that this was occasioned onelyonly, through the want of a full information of his case, & of the grounds on which the Parl. did goe, in takeing away his life, & condemning him to death as some notorious malefactour, to be hanged; & his head fixed on the port of Edinburgh near to the head of worthy & famous Mr Guthry, who speaketh when dead. This know that after the King's returne to England, And after the imprisonment of the truely noble Marquis of Argyle in the Tower of London, he sent orders to Scotland, to cause apprehend him, & some others; but he, receiveing intelligence hereof, did withdraw, & by the good hand of God was secretly conveighed out of the Kingdome, upon which, the Parliament when assembled did declare him fugitive, So that he was necessitated still to withdraw, knowing, that for the good service he had done to Christ, evill was determined against him, if he should fall into their hands; which afterward came to pasle. It is certaine also, that while he was abroad at Hamburgh, & visited with sore sicknes, one Dr Bates (one of the King's Phisitians, worthy to be cast unto the bates, rather then to live amongst Christians) Intending to kill him (contrary to his faith & office) did prescribe unto him poison for Physick, and then caused draw from this Melancholy-Patient, sixty unces of blood, whereby (though the Lord did wonderfully preserve his life) he was brought neer the gates of death, & made in a manner no man, Having lost his memory, so that he could not remember what he had done or said a quarter of an houre before: In which condition he continued till his dying day: but all this did not satisfy his cruel & bloodthirsting enemies, he was sought after carefully, & at length given up, & apprehended at Rowan in France, & sent to England; where he did continue a prisoner in the Towre of London untill the last session of Parl. in▪ Scotland Anno 1663. Where, even when he was not able to speak in his own defence (being to the conviction of his adversaries no man, far, & much different from that Lord Waris…oun, who sometime could not only have beene a member, but a president of any judicatory in Europe, & have spoken for the cause & interest of Christ before Kings, to the stopping of the mouths of gainsayers He was triumphed over, particularly by the Archprelat Sharp, who then with the black crue of his false brotherhood did sit in Parliament, as constituting the third Estate. And was condemned to die in the manner abovementioned; So that, that Parliament which was consecrated with the blood of two Noble witnesses in the entry, was shut up and closed with the blood & death of this worthy witnesse. But (which is to be remembered with admiration) behold, this half dead man, when the day of his death came, had a wonderfull reviving, & was, beyond the expectation of all, graciously visited, & mightyly assisted of God (hearing the many prayers of his people put up in his behalf) So as hee gave a noble testimony to that honourable cause & worke (In carrying on of which, he had been honoured of God to be a worthy instrument, from the beginning) And Christ triumphed in him, over all his enemies, that watched for his halting, as the reader may see, by his speech & carriage on the scaffold, set down in Print: But he may have, hereafter, more full satisfaction, both concerning him, the Noble Marquis of Argile & famous Mr Guthry, when the world shall see their Processes, & their defences in Print, or when these following sheets shall be reprinted (if that shall be thought expedient & necessary, not only for these now mentioned particulars; but also for further explaineing, confirming & vindicating of any, or all of the rest of the purposes here spoken to) after fuller information had in those particulars. Till then let the reader rest satisfied, with the hints that are given here, & in the following sheets, of the case & carriage of those worthies, & pardone what is spoken, short & unsuitable to their worth.
As to those who have appeared before the High commission court, (induced thereto by the evil counsell of some others, or the not thorow & narrow examination of the complex-case, as circumstantiated, or being otherwayes circumvented) And are now suffering upon some other account, wherein they found more clearness & satisfaction: And as to others also, who have not fully seen the evill of some things, which in the following debate are clearly demonstrated to be sinfull, & yet as to other particulars are endeavouring to keep their former integrity, & to guaird against complyance: Let none of those think that any thing, here, is said intentionally to put them to shame, or to proclame, before the world, their weakness & defection, or to make glad the heart of the wicked; for if there had been any other way for vindicating such as doe suffer upon the account of these particulars, and for preventing the fall of others into the same snare; this way had never been made choise of; & therefore seeing nothing is said upon any sinfull or sinister designe, these brethren & Christians, will take this smiting as a Kindness, & these reproofs as an excellent oyle that will not break the head, They will not take in evil part, the discovery here made; They are of another spi…it, then to be embittered, at such free & full …iping up of the evils of the course which many in this hou…e of darkness do follow: Yea it cannot but be hoped & certainly expected, that such as truely feare the Lord, will blesse his name, with all their heart, for such things made known to them, that in time they may repent of the same, & see cause of wondering at his goodness, & mercy in not leaving them to themselves, in other particulars of tryall, notwithstanding of their sailing of duty, in that their begun tryall: And who knoweth but serious mourning and repenting before the Lord, for fainting so far, would open a doore for a great in-come of joy and consolation to the sweetning of the bitterness of suffering, & to the strengthning and bearing up of their soules under their mighty pressures: So then the designe both Operantis & Operis being good, let no tender Christian be displeased with the way of the pros…cution of these particulars, or think that there is too much sharpness used, & that the consequences are drawn too strait; For if in the Particulars themselves, truth be maintained (as may be supposed, will be granted) the arguments made use of, can give no just offence, especially such as are drawn from the Covenants which now are trampled upon by this sinfull & backslyding Generation, upon which many (otherwise not ill minded) think not much, especially now, when it is reckoned a crime once to name them as standing in force & obligeing the lands: And when the Spirit of these who carry on with violence this woefull course of defection, are so enraged at the same, that they cannot endure to heare a Covenant so much as named, though it were even the Covenant of grace. This, however incrediblei… may seeme to be, & will hardly be received by a Christian eare is a well known truth. Now at such a time to put people in minde of their ingagements unto God, & to discover how such & such practises are contrary to their Covenant obligations & vowes, cannot justly be condemned, but approved of all who desire to stand fast in this houre of temptation.
It is beyond all question, the Particulars here asserted shall meet with much contradiction from men of corrupt mindes, whose principles will lead them to oppose what here is spoken in vindication of truth, & of the honest sufferers of Christ: And upon that account it may be expected that the same honour shall be done to this, which hath been done to other more worthy pieces, viz. that it shall be committed to the fire, there to receive a quick dispatch & answer, which will be so far from lessening the credit of the booke, that it will render it much more desireable, & confirme the weake concerning the truth of the Particulars here spoken to, & of the unanswerableness of the arguments here made use of; & so the authors expectations shall be fully answered. But if they shall doe it the justice, to commit it to examiners one or mo…, who with sobriety & moderation, shall publish their exceptions to the contrary, & shall examine these papers by the word of God, right reason, & the fundamentall & municipall lawes of Scotland; the particulars here spoken to▪ shall be revindicated, The Lord granting life, strength & liberty, from all their exceptions. Only let not such as undertake this taske, improve the advantage of authority (now on their side) so far, as to doe nothing but raile at randome, & stuff their reply with unbeseeming (to say no worse) And Unchristian expressions, & outcries of treason, treason; for in that case, it will be thought expedient not to answer such in their folly. A good cause is a mighty second to a weak man. And so being perswaded that the cause is noble & just, much owned & honoured of God; There is the greater ground of hope that God will helpe such as shall undertake the defence thereof: & the cavils of men (who may be looked upon as foreign in most of these particulars) are t…e lesse to be feared.
But Christian reader, what entertainment so ever it shall have with these, who have out lived their zeale & integrity, & have shamefully declined in the day of tryall, And have betrayed the cause & interest of Christ, & therefore shall looke upon themselves as not a little concerned herein, & pinched hereby, being unwilling to have their evils ript up, & laid open to the view of the world; Let it have a Christian entert…inment with thee: & though it come late to thy hands (through the injurie of the times) let it not be the lesse welcome: If the Lord shall be pleased to blesse it, it may be of use for thy strengthning in this growing storme, upon severall accounts & grounds, whereof I hint but a few.
1. By what is said here, thou mayest see that the cause thou sufferest for, is the good old cause: That same Spirit which acted the Prelats & other enemies of the Church of Scotland from the beginning, is now raging in her present enemies: The same designe is & hath been endeavoured & driven on, all a longs. How various so ever the pretexts & colours have been under which they have sought to cover themselves, the covering hath proved too narrow for them; first prelacy & then popery was intend first & last. It is the same cause, in the defence of which, Christs worthies of old did act & suffer, so long as they could stand, & in the defence whereof, they were not afrayed to beare the displeasure of King & court, & to hazard life & liberty, & all which wa… dear unto them: If then the same Spirit doth act & worke in the enemies of the Church now, which did act & worke in their predecessours of old, pray thou that the same Spirit of God, may act thee & all the faithfull of the land, which did appeare in the worthy & valiant Champions of old, whether thou be called to act or suffer for his sake.
2. Thou mayest know from what is here related, that the cause for which thou art now suffering, was brought very low before these times, And that the adversaries thereof have often got up to a great height, yet the good cause hath got above them: And how Acts of Parliament, one after another, & all the devices of the adversary, to seale the grave, And to make it sure, could not keep this cause of Christ from a glorious resurrection; Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth (might the Church of Scotland then have said) many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet have they not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed upon my back, & made long their furrowes, The Lord is righteous, he hath cut asunder the coards of the wicked. And shall it not yet hold true, that all they who hate Zion shall be confounded & turned back, & be made as the grasse upon the house topes, which withereth be fore it be grown up? There is no cause of despondency of spirit, or of giving over the cause as lost: there is hope in Israel concerning this matter, his people may still hope & trust in his name, who hath wrought salvation of old. He who did put that wicked party to shame & confusion of face, in former times, & made the name of Prelats to stink, & their posterity to be as cursed vagabonds wandering up & down, bearing the marks of god's displeasure, still liveth & reigneth, & doth no more approve of the Ungodly of this generation, Nor of their more then barbarous carriage, who have laboured to out strip their predecessours in perfidious treachery; Then he did them, who of old did set themselves against the Lord & his Christ, yea much lesse: It is true, the men of this generation think they have pins for stopping of such holes, which their predecessours could not stop; but he who sitteth in the heavens doth laugh at them, & hath them in derision; He seeth that their day is coming. It is easie with him, to cause the sword which they have drawn to slay such as are of upright conversation, enter into their own hearts; & to break the bowes which they have bent to cast down the poor & needy; Our God liveth, & reigneth & shall reigne, let Kings of clay rage as they will. Therefore cast not away your confidence which hath a great recompence of reward, for yee have need of patience that after ye have done the will of God ye may rece…ve the promise; For yet a little while & he that shall come, will come, & will not tarry.
3. Thou mayestsee, that this cause & work, against which the wicked have conspired & set themselves, hath been signally owned & approved of by the Lord, for which he hath fought, … his right hand done valiantly, & whereby he hath got himself a name among the nations: And who knoweth what God will yet doe for his great name, which, in this day of rebuke & blasphemy, is greatly reproached? Hath he begun & will he not finish his worke? It is true, the provocations of his people doe keep them long in the wildernes; yet he who hath frequently wrought for his names sake, that it should not be blasphemed amongst the heathen, will still be tender of the same, & sith, at this day, there is much blasphemy belched forth, by persons of all ranks against the great & glorious works of God, as much if not more, then at any time or in any age, wherein hath been lesse light; The people of God need not be hopelesse, much lesse conclude, That God who is jealous of his own glory, & will not give it to another, will suffer it now to be given to the devil, on whom his work is fathered: But rather will certanely be avenged on those prodigiously & unparallelably impious & sacrilegious persons. How dreadfull a thing is it, to say that Christ casteth out devils, by Beelzebub the prince of devils!
4. Thou mayest see clearly, that the cause, for which thou dost now suffer is the cause of Christ: His enemies would pul the crown from off his head, & the scepter out of his hand, & by this meanes, make him no King in & over his Church, & consequently no mediatour; For as mediatour, he is a King in & over his Kingdome, that is his Church, in which he dwelleth, & over which he ruleth with his scepter of righteousnesse. They will not have his Kingdome, a free Kingdome, & consequently they will not have him a free King. They will not allow to him, the liberty of appoynting or instituteing his own officers, or to rule his Kingdome by his owne lawes, courts ordinances, & censures; Nor will they suffer Church-administrations, to be performed in his name & authority, as, in reason, they ought to be, if he be King & head of his Church. He must have no more liberty to exerce his jurisdiction, by the Ministery of his inferiour officers, within their dominions & territories, then seemeth good in their eyes. The discipline of his house, must be exerced only in so far as they think good to permit: And thus it is undeny able that they look on Christ as an evil neighbour, & as no good friend to Caesar: They think his Kingdom is of this world, & therefore it must have no place within any of their Kingdomes & territories. Thus thou seest, that, in end, the controversy cometh to this. Whether Christ, or man shall reigne in the Church, as head & supream Governour thereof: And whether the interest of Christ or of man shall be preferred: And to preferre the interest of a man unto the interest of Christ, hath heretofore been accounted malignancy of the deepest dye. But what shall become of this controversie, & how shall it end? Are they, or shall they be able to put our Lord from his throne, & out of his possession? No; he is set upon the holy hill Zion by a mighty hand, & his inheritance among the heathen is given to him, by a surer deed of gift, then that he should be so easily put from it: He hath a rod of yron that will dash in pieces, as a potters vessel; all his enemies, be they never so great, & mighty; He is too strong a party for all the potèntats & mighty ones of the earth: & therefore, this which is the grand controversy of those times, shall & must be decided, in favours of those who stand upon Christ's side, & maintaine his right: he is a strong captaine, & will run thorow all the hosts of his adversaries: Christ's sufferers then, may rejoyce; what ever affliction they are or can be put to endure, for this cause, which is a cause that doth highly concerne Christ the royall prerogatives of his crown & Kingdome, & his glory, as he is the only head of …his Church; seing they may certanely expect the victory …re all be done; And seing (as famous & worthy Mr … in the preface to his Aaron… rode blossoming sheweth) … & … Christ is … King, & hath a Kingdome & … in his Church distinct fr…m the Kingdoms of the world, … civil Governme…, … this commendation and … …oue all …hen … that Christ himself suffered … the …, and seale… it with his blood, For it may be … f…om the … of his passion, that this was the only p…nt of … was …, And avouched by …, … Joh. 18: 33, 36, 37. and Luk. 23: 3. was most aggravated prosecuted, and driven home by the jewes, Luk. 23: 2. Joh. 19: v. 12, 15. Was prevalent with Pilat, as the cause condemning him to die Joh. 19: 12, 13. And was mentioned also in the superscription upon his crosse, Joh, 19, 19. And although in reference to God, and in respect of satisfaction made to divine justice for our sinnes, his death was foreign a price of redemption; yet in reference to men who did persecute, accuse, and condemne him, his death was foreign, a martyr's testimony, sealing such a truth; Thus he. Christ is a good second, & will not suffer any who contend for his crown, throne, scepter, privileges, & roy all prerogatives of his Kingdom, to be put to the worse: If he pleade for any cause, we may be sure, he will plead for his own. Let not then his constant & valient sufferers feare; for greater is he who is with, & for them, then they who are against them: Christ alone is more then match & party against all Kings, princes, potentats, Parliaments, popes, prelats, Kingdomes, & armyes; Yea & all the Posse of devils & men: Therefore they may be assured that he & his cause shall be victorious; For he must reigne untill all his enemies be made his foot stool.
5. Thou mayest see, That the truth for which thou dost suffer, is a truth which is after godlinesse, tending to the promoveing of piety, & of the power of godlinesse: Whileas the contrary cause & course leadeth to all prophanity & debauchery, as experience doth this day evidently & undenyably prove: & this is no small ground of comfort; for the way which is not of, & for God, cannot stand: You may pray against your adversaries, as really wicked, driveing on a designe of wickednesse, which is evidently demonstrated by their acts & actings: Their enmity against, & opposition unto godly, faithfull, Zealous, & able conscientious Ministers of the Gospell, & unto Christian meetings & exercises; As also their pressing of Godly conscientious persons, unto perjury & blasphemy, which is the height of wickednesse; do put the matter beyond all doubt: And is not this enough to make thy soull loath & stand a loos from these wayes; And to blesse God for his preserving thy soull from their counsels & courses, & so from partaking of their judgments, which doe certainly make haste; For God is of purer eyes then to look upon iniquity; Therefore he will not alwayes look on these that deal treacherously, & hold his peace when the wicked devoureth the man, that is more righteous then he: The Lord hath ordained them for judgment, & the mighty God hath established them for correction: when Ag…silaus did hear that Tissaph…rnes a captaine of Persia had broken his Covenant which he had made with him, & was raiseing an army to come against him, he was very glade, & said se magnam hab…re gratiam Tissapherni, quod perjurio suo, & deos & homines sibs infensos reddidisset, adversae vero parti propitios; He thanked him heartily that by his perjury, he had made both God & man angry at himself & favourable to him and his cause: & may not his people be perswaded that God i…, this day, displeased with the Covenant breakers, who are not satisfied with their own treacherous dealing & perfidiousnesse; but will have all others intangled in the same guilt?
6. Thou mayest see that Action, which is now so much branded with the vile & contemptible names of treachery & rebellion, I mean, Scotlands defending of it self against its bloody enemies, cleared from all these imputations, & foule calumnies: changes of times make many Changes in peoples judgement; & at this time, it may be feared that many have Changed their opinion, because they see the watter runing in another channell, then it did formerly, & are now ready to condemne these noble worthies & valient champions who j…oparded their lives unto the death, in the high places of the field, & have shed their blood in that cause; (which is a more grievous guilt then many do now apprehend.) But here thou seest how little cause there is for condemning that Action; Yea what necessity there was laid upon Sco…l. to stand to their defence, as they would not have betrayed the cause & interest of Christ, which they were sworne to maintaine according to their place & power, their lives, lands, possessions liberties as scottish men & as Christians, into the hands of their implacable enemies. Were these valient worthies now living, who are gone off the stage with honour & credite, & heating & seeing what they might now heare & see, how would they stand astonished at this degenerated generation, that so easily quite with that, which they did lose their blood & lives to purchase & obtaine; Yea & to see or heare the self same persons, who but twelue or Sixteen years ago were jeoparding their lives with them, for the same cause, either condemning that practice, or carrying themselves so indifferently now, as if these matters appeared but t…islles, & not worth the contending for. Whosoever they be who now seem to be ashamed of that cause, & of themselves in contributeing their help for the promoveing of the same; It may be thought, that it was not conscience that moved them thereunto, but some other ends, otherwayes, their judgements would not so soon alter, seing there is no other argument now seen, but the winde changed from south to North, which dispensation useth not to worke much upon consciences, what ever it may do upon other principles. If the former generations had been of such a cowardish disposition how had Scotland been delivered? If they had walked upon no other principles, but such as would have changed, when the storme did beginne to blow upon their faces, where had the land been ere now? And if there be no other spirits in Scotland, this day, where, may it be imagined, shall that Church be found, ere long?
7. Thou mayest hereby be more enabled to disput against prelacy, then possibly thou was, having now seen how & what way it was brought in into the Church formerly, & how it is ushered in, to day: And when it is established by force, over the Churches belly, how it proveth the bane of all Church order, piety & edification: And this is a strong argument to prevaile with such as have the root of the matter in them, & enough to make them question such a way, as no way of Christ's. To say, that the abuse of the power by such as are in possession of it, will not plead much against the power it self, will be of …o fore in this case, where the jus of the power, cannot pretend heigher then to be humanum; And if its admirers should alledge that it is founded upon a jus divinum; These necessary consequences, as so many propria quarto medo, will sufficiently ground an improbation; Scotland never saw prelates without such a long traine of hellish consequences discovering to any judicious eye, their rise to be from below; And if the prelats now in place, had thought it of their concernment, they might have cut off that long taile, but it seemeth, if they had done so, they would have lost somewhat that they thought essentiall to themselves, & therefore, as if they had thought all the abuse whereof their predecessours were guilty, was their too much lenity & forbearing to persecute the godly & banish piety; They have made the poor Church feel that their little finger is heavier then the loynes of their forefathers: And so the argument of the vulgar, is confirmed with a witnesse, & become more unanswerable then ever.
8. Thou mayest likewise have arguments put into thy mouth, whereby to defend thine own practices, in standing to thy former principles, & stope the mouth of thine adversaries: before thou was willing to suffer for Christ & his interest, though thou could not disput much for him & his truth, & that was a great evidence of love: And now thou mayest get some help in disputing for the truth, by the arguments set down in the following sheets; And the few arguments which thou will finde there, may bring others to thy minde, & thus thou mayest be helped to meet thine adversary, without fear.
9. But if these adversaries be of such a disposition, as to take advantage of thy speaking or argueing for truth, to bring thee into trouble, & therefore in prudence thou will think it best to keep silence: Thou mavest here by be confirmed, in thine own minde, of the unlawfulnesse of such courses, as the current of the times would draw thee unto, as it doth others; & how unjustly thou art persecuted for refuseing to comply with such sinfull wayes: And further, because it is like, the malice of Satan & his instruments, will not rest here, but they will still be deviseing new wayes to lay snares for the consciences of such as walk uprightly; by what is said to the particulars handled in the following sheets, thou mayest be helped to judge of new emergent questions, which thou mayest be exercised with, afterward, & so to know, how thou oughtest to carry thy self in reference to these new tryals.
10. Thou mayest have some ground of hope, That the Lord's end in suffering this sudden & sad Change, to continue so long, is but to ju…ge more fully his Church, from the much drosse & corruption which otherwayes, in all probability, had never been purged away; It is possible that these bypast yeers of prosperity (her most afflicted condition, being a prosperous state, when compared with her present condition) have done the Church of Sco…l more harm (by reason of corruption within) then many yeers of sad adversity shall do. The former prelats had a time, before they came to their height, & all those many yeers wherein h…y were on the riseing hand, & after they came to the possession of their full power, the Lord was trying & purging his Church; And at length, when his time came, who waiteth that he may be gracious, & loseth not a fit opportunity of doing good to his Church & people, he brought the Church of Scotland out of the furnace, & laid her stones with faire colours, & her foundations with Saphites; So that the yeers 1638, & 1639, were as glorious years as any which she hath seen, since: And these prelats (though they have made great haste, in their rise, yet) must have some time to do that work, in which the Lord is imploying them as his lixes: one day discovereth more now, then, a yeer, formerly could have done; One prelat (blessed be the Lord who is master of work) doth more, then many purging committees could do: Why then should we weary? We know not what the Lord is about to do, but when we consider what were his dispensations, in former times, unto that Church, we may now hope, that he will bring the Church of Scotland out of the furnace, as faire & beautifull as ever, if not more; So that these who saw the foundation of the old temple laid, An. 1638. &c. Shall not have cause to weep when they see her foundations laid of new, & the Lord reviveing the stones out of the rubbish which are burnt; If his people were humbled, & did not stand in the way of their own mercies, who can tell what the Lord would do, & how shoon, he would appeare for his oppressed people & interest, & declare that he hath chosen Ziou, & hath desired it for his habitation, & then clothe her priests with salvation, & cause her saints to shout aloud for joy? The popish prelaticall & malignant faction have been losers when they thought themselves gainers, & all their victoryes have proven hurtfull to their owne cause; And who can tell but this day, which they think they have gained; and the victory, whereof they think themselves so firmly and certanely possessed, as that they shall never lose it againe, may prove the most fatal day that ever they saw, & a victory tending to the everlasting ruine of their cause & interest.
11. Thou mayest see these Covenants, against which, in this degenerate age, reproach cannot sufficiently be poured forth, vindicated; And the lands, obliged & Covenanted lands before the Lord, what ever course hath been taken by higher powers to loose the obligation. This Gordian Knot will not be gotten so easily loosed, as some would imagine: People may think to close their eyes, & then reason themselves out of the obligation ofa Covenant & oath taken before the Lord, & so cast themselves at liberty; But that will only wreeth the heavy yoke ofGods curse straiter about their neck. It is no small matter of admiration to hear how basely many men do speak of these holy bonds, & sacred Covenants. But let men (who take pleasure in venting the venome that is within) say what they will, Scotland hath no cause to be ashamed of these Covenants. It was a sweet day when the nationall Covenant, which had been long buried in oblivion, was raised out of the dust, & renewed: And it may be, Scotland shall have as sweet a day, when both that Covenant & the solemne league & Covenant, which now lyeth buried under a heep of the ashes of contempt & reproach, shall be raised up, & renewed with great acclamation of joy. It is true, this seemeth not to be very probable now; but Scotlands covenanted God liveth, & his arme is not shortened. There was not very great probability of renewing the nationall Covenant some few years before, when the prelats were tyrannizing at pleasure, & no man durst so much as complaine of any injury they did; It is easie with God to put Spirit & courage in people, make them stand upon their feet, & become an exceeding great army, who were before but dry bones, yea very dry bones: & howbeit now that league & Cov. be looked upon as a device contrived purposely to overturne the throne; Yet (as it hath already proven so againe) it may prove, as sure a pillar for the throne, as any; & as effectuall a meane to preserve the same from being overturned, as any other. But (Christian reader) by what thou will see in the following sheets, thou Mayest easily perceive, that it is both a sinfull & dangerous thing to break Covenant, & a sin which heathens have scarred at And therefore remember thy Covenants and vowes made unto the most high, let not the speaches nor carriage of others, who think they cannot exceed, in casting out the venome of their heart, against these Covenants, lessen thine estimation of them, but rather increase the same; And the more thou hear others cry down these Covenants as null, keep thy self under, their tye, so much the more carefully: Make conscience of studying these Covenants, & the duties unto which, thou standest bound before the Lord, by vertue thereof: It is true, thou art no… now in a capacity to Act, for the carrying on of the end… of those Covenants, as some time thou hast been, yet keep thy Spirit still under the impression of their obligeing force, & when thou cannot by acting promove the ends of the Covenant, thou mayest do it, by constancie in patient suffering for adhereing to that cause & Covenant: See what thou art obliged unto by vertue of these Covenants, & let never these duties be forgotten, but as the Lord offereth occasion, let it appear, that thou art under the impression of the oath of God; thus shal… thou have peace & joy, when shame shall cover the faces of all Covenant breakers.
12. Thou mayest see, how this yoke of prelacy, wreethed, in former times, about the necks of the inhabitants of Scotland, did prove so intolerably grievous, that they were made to groan under it; and how they became restlesse untill they shook it off: And experience, this day, doth prove how necessaryly it is attended with grievous oppression & soul affliction. It hath been found, & is seen, this day, how prelats have trampled, & do trample upon the nobility gent…ie & burgesses of the Land: The land formerly hath found, & to day, doth finde, what the weight of a Saint Andrew's crosse & of the prelate's r…het is; And that their little finger is heavier then the loyns of Ministers, whatever grudge & outcry there was, against the discipline of the Church. It is true, they proclame liberty, & give way to all vice & iniquity, & are leaders into these wicked wayes themselves, & are paterns & patrons unto the people, whom they encourage by their evil example, to follow them in their trade of wickednesse: & it is like, this is the only thing which maketh that Goyernment desirable unto many, who love not to be curbed in their licentious & wicked courses, but desire to have the bridle laid upon their necks, & liberty to follow the swinge of their own corruptions & beastly lusts; Yet it may be, that many are, ere now, wearying of them: Yea, who knoweth, but before this time, many of the nobles, & others of the land, who did earnestly pant after a change of Church Government, wishing the day, wherein prelats might be re-established in their power, & faithfull Ministers oppressed & put to the door, that so they might enjoy full & free liberty to commit sin with greadinesse, do beginne to be think themselves, & to be sensible of their folly, when they see how Prelats trade upon their necks, not careing what disrespect they put upon them, or how basely they use them, when they see that they have acted below themselves & below men, when they made shipwrack of their consciences, & sold their souls to promove their ambitious designes, & to help them to ascend unto the tope of their intended grandour: no doubt many are thinking with themselves, that they have run too fast, when they see that all the thanks that they are like to have, from those who excell in ingratitude, is to be trode upon as mire of the streets. It is a bad reward (but the just & righteous hand of God may be seen in it) to inslave the persons & bodies of such, who have voluntarily i…slaved their souls to set them on high. O that the nobles & gentry of the land, would, at length, resent this indignity, & observe the hand of God punishing them with a whipe of their own making, when they see how undervalueingly these men look upon them, & account them no better then their slaves & underlings; And would acknowledge God's equity & justice in this dispensation, & at length see & mourne for their sinne, which is so legibly, as with capital characters, written upon their judgment! May it not come to passe, that these Zelots for prelacy, shall weary of this yoke, & wish as earnestly for the day, wherein they may be delivered from this bondage, as ever they did longe for the day, wherein they might have their necks brought from under the sweet & gentle yoke of Christ? May not the peers & body of the Land come at length to supplicate his majesty, to loose this yoke from off their necks, when their Scottish (some time generous) spirits, shall not be able any longer to endure such unsufferable slavery: This is not impossible, nay nor improbable: Though it were to be wished, That they might Act that way, upon some other principles, principles of piety & godly tendernesse; That, seèing their injury done to Christ, in shaking off his governement & lawes, willingly following after the commandements of men, & mourning therefore, they might lament after the Lord, & seek him with the whole heart, & engadge themselves in a Covenant with the Lord, to be for him to the utmost of their power, & bring the land back againe to seek the Lord God of their fathers, that he may have mercy upon them & heal their backslideings, & builde up the walls of his Church, & make her a praise in the earth.
But whether the Nobles & other inhabitants of the Land, shall think of these indignities & seek for a remedy, or couch under the burden, as ashamed once to desire to have the yoke shaken off, which they themselves, with so great delight & deligence, have fastened about their necks, with their own hand…: Yet it doth well become the godly of the land, to be sensible of the great & grievous wrongs, which are done unto Christ, to his Church, & work; & to cry out continually & complean of these oppressions unto the Lord, who will hear the cry of the oppressed, & will be a refuge for them, & judge them that the man of the earth may no more oppresse, when now he seeth that she is oppressed without cause: & to watch carefully that the continuance of the tryall & oppression, weare not out the sense of these incroachments, & intolerable pressures lying upon the Church, & upon the consciences of the Lord's people: And that no deadnesse seize upon them, but that still the memory of the good old cause be fresh with them, pressing them dayly to renew their earnest supplications; & to wrestle seriously with God, that he would be pleased in his own good time to break the yoke of the oppressour, & according to his promise Isa. 49: 25, 26. Take away the captives from the mighty, and deliver the prey from the terrible, and contend with them that contend with, his Church, save his children, and feed those that oppresse them with their own flesh, and make them drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine; That all flesh may kn…w that …e the Lord is their saviour, ând their redeemer, the mighty one of Iacob. He hath said that for the oppression of the poor and for the sighing of the needy, he will arise, and set him in saifty from him who pusseth as him, The words of the Lord are pure words, as silver tryed in a furnace of earth purified seven times. Therefore his people are called to waite upon the Lord. The vision may yet be for an appoynted time, but at the end, it will speak & not lie, though it tarry, they must wait for it, because it will surely come, & will not ta…ry. His people are called now to minde duty, & to look what the time, the opportunity, & the dispensation under which they are, at present, calleth for; It is not good for them to be slacking their diligence, but rather they should waxe strong in the Lord & in the power of his might. It is not good for them to faint & sit up now, as overcome with impatience, & hopelesse despondency of spirit; but patience should have its perfect work. Be stedfast, therefore (dearly beloved) unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord; Forasmuch as you know your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Now to him that is of power to stablish you, to God only wise, be glory for ever, through Jesus Christ,
AMEN.
AD LECTOREM.
SVb pedibus Lunā, Mulier, nunc calcat; amicta
Sole; caput stellae, ceu diadema, tegunt.
Conspicitur medio ut signum admirabile coelo;
Fixa velut medio, petra decora, Salo.
Saepius incerto varia est ut Cynthia vultu,
Parte sui Semper, totaque Saepe latet.
Fulgida Iusliti e nuper quae sole, tenebris
Mox velut infernis tecta, sepulta jacet.
Firma licet Pe… maneant fundamina, quassis
Moenibus & …, contremit ipsa domus.
Sidera lapsa polo, capiti diadema revulsum
Sponsaque Tulvereâ squallida sorde sedet.
Quisquis es haec totô qui non spectaveris orbe,
Exhibet hîc scenam, Scotia moesta tibi.
Scotia quam varios casus sit passa; procellis
Quassa quibus, quantis, te docet ille liber:
Prasulis hîc mitrae pondus. Regisque tiarae.
Penditur, & Christi jura, bilance pari.
Invadit Christi regnum cum principe praesul,
Arrogat hic Regi, quod rogat ipse Sibi.
Praesulis est Scotis relegandum nomen averno,
Prora quibus praesul, puppis & una mali est.
Hîc videas vicibus ternis quas infula strages
Ediderit; praesul, Cerberus iste triceps.
Pontisicum primus fuit impetus; iste retusus
Evasit virgo, quae fuit ante lupa.
Vistamen huic facta est vulpina fraude secunda,
Restiterat zelô plebs, proceres que pio.
Tertius horrisici est nunc impetus ille Leonis.
Cernitur hic vulpes qui fuit ante Lupus:
Bestia bis cecidit, bis cornua fracta revinxit.
Tertia certa feram & vasta ruina manet.