A Testimony to the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Scotland, Title page

A Testimony to the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Scotland · Title page

TESTIMONY TO THE Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, and Government of the Church of SCOTLAND, AND THE Covenanted work of Reformation As it was Profeſſ'd in the Three Kingdoms; TOGETHER WITH An Account of the Perſecution of ſome of the moſt Eminent in Our Days, for their Adherence to the ſame.

As it was left in Write, by that truely Pious and Emmently, Faithfull and now Gorified Martyr Mr. John Dick.

To which is Added, His Laſt Speech and Behaviour on the Scaffold, on the fifth day of March 1684. Which day he Sealed this Teſtimony, and left it to a particular Friend, to Communicate to the World after his Death; which was never Publiſhed till now, at the deſire of ſome reall and Sincere Lovers, of the true Peace, and Welfare of the Church of Scotland.

Printed in the Y….

p. 2A TESTIMONY TO THE Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Government of the True Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the Covenanted Work of Reformation, as it was profeſſed, in the Three Kingdoms. By That Renowned, and now Glorified Martyr Mr. John Dick, who Suffered at Edinburgh on the fifth of March 1684. Edinburgh 29 Auguſt 1683.

BEing called before Four of the Council; my Lord Livingston (after Sir William Paterſon had Interrogat ſome few Queſtions, in the Outter-houſe, which becauſe confident with what follows, I omitt,) ſays to me, Mr. Dick, There is a great Charge given in againſt you, which amounts to a great height; what ſay you for your ſelf? I anſwered, I crave you pardon, Sir, for you are a Stranger to me: One of them ſaid, it is my Lord Livingston; then I anſwered, I crave your Lordſhip would be more particular as to your Charge: Then he ſaid, That I was at Pentland, which I denied: Then he asked, where I had been ever ſince that time? To which I anſwered, that being diſcovered to be a Converſer with ſome, that were there immediatly upon the back of the firſt Shot at the Biſhop, ſome Gentlemen being taken upon that Account, and threatned with the Boots, I was neceſſita… to leave the Nation. Then ſaid he, What ſay ye as to the Biſhop's Death, when he was killed? I told him, I thought he deſired an Account of my Principles, and I told him, I was a Presbyterian, and adhered to the Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, and Government of the Presbyterian Churches of the Three Nations, to which we were ſolemnly ſworn: He ſays, then you adhere to the Covenant: I anſwered, Yes, with my whole heart, and reſolves to do while I breath. Then, ſays the Bishop of Edinburgh, do ye own the King's Authority? I told him, my firſt Anſwer wherein I gave an Account of my Principles, was a ſufficient Anſwer for that: Some others ſtarted a Queſtion anent this, but the Bishop anticipated my Anſwer, by ſaying, he ſpeaks very rationally according to his Principles, allowing the King as much as the Presbyterians do; to which I added, conform to the Word of GOD. The Bishop asked, if I acknowledged Bothwell to be Rebellion: I told him, I could not ſay it was, for I was confident the Generality of that people was not in Rebellion, being ſimply in ſelf Defence: the Biſhop asked, do ye own ſelf Defence lawful in any p. 3caſe? I ſaid yes in ſome, Provoſt Ramſey ſaye… … was offering to Anſwer, but I was Interrupted by the Biſhop of Edinburgh, who drew an argument from the effect accompanying the little Blood, that was ſhed in Queen Maries Days, with what was ſhed in the Inſtine, Wars I …e…ected …i… Argument, and albeit he Fathered the Effuſion of Blood on the wrong … o… the Houſe, ſelf Defence being lawful by the word of God, by Laws of m…y Nations, and Law of Nature; I added let the World Judge, whither this Biſhop's Principles leads him right, that would have his fellow Subjects to hold up their Necks to Bloody Murderers, I ſuſpect he ſhall be found a Jeſuite, and thinks ſtrange, that the Emperor of Germany ſhould not ſend for him, to preach this Doctrine to him.

Then asked one of them ſtanding behind their Backs, if I Rode with Mr. John Welſch? I ſaid, I knew not if I was bound to anſwer him, not knowing that he was a Member of the Council; well ſayes one Sitting, what ſay ye to it? I Anſwered, yes I did, and I bleſs God that ever I did ſee him; then ſayes the ſtander, do ye confeſs ye Rode in Arms wth him, Riding in Arms? I told him I had not Riden without Arms ſince I was Seventeen or Eighteen years of Age: The Biſhop of Edinburgh ſayes, I will propone a queſtion to you, as a Clergy Man, I ſtopped him there, and told him, I would Anſwer no queſtion as a Clergy Man ſi…ting there, at which ſome others ſtormed, he ſaid it was conform to my Principles, then the Biſhop preſſed further his Argument from the effect in that abovementioned Compariſon. Provoſt Ramſey ſaid you be newly taken, your Spirits aloft, its not time to reaſon now, it will be more ſeaſonable afterwards, upon which he deſiſted, the Biſhop asked, if I knew the Men, that were ſtanding behind them; which were Hugh Stevenſon and Mr. Thomas Gordon, who ſhowed more Keenneſs againſt me, then the Biſhop himſelf, for which I forgive them, and I ſaid I knew all there, by Eye ſight, except my Lord Livingston. The Biſhop asked when I knew him, I told when he was a Regent, in the College, but finding my ſelf in a miſtake, I craved him pardon, telling him I was minding Commiſſar Wiſheart, but told that it was when he Preached in the Tron Church, that I knew him. He asked if ever I heard him there, I ſaid ſometimes, in the Week days. He asked why not now? I ſaid he was Lookt upon …s an Honeſt Man then, but had proved otherwiſe by Breaking his Oath to God, he ſaid he never took the Covenant, I ſaid that was a vain Defence. This is the Summe ſo far as my Memory Serves.

Then, upon the laſt day of Auguſt 1683, being called before the Council, in preſence of the Lord Chancellor, Marquis of Dowglas, the Earl of Tweddell, Biſhop of Edinburgh, Preſident of the Seſſion, Colington, Caſtlehill, Abbotſhall, after the Chancellor had conferred with me, a confiderable time, the Clerk having cleared ſuch of my Aſſertions, as they judged fit to make uſe of againſt me, they deſired me to Subſcribe the ſame, which I refuſed to do till it were rectified, they having ſome things in it; wrong; and others, miſplaced. At laſt this Mee…ing Reſulted in this, that I ſhould Subſcribe the following Declaration, both before the Council and Juſticiary

Mr. John Dick, Son to David Dick Writer in Edinburgh, being called and Examined, in preſence of the ſaid Lords, declares; He owns the work of Reformation, p. 4as the ſame is contained, in the Confeſſion of Faith and Catechiſm… conform to the Covenant againſt Popery, Prelacy, Eraſtianiſme, &c. And is reſolved, by the Lords Strength, to abide in the ſame.

Declares, that as to Epiſcopacy and Laws Eſtabliſhing the ſame, he cannot underſtand it, to be Lawful; becauſe, ſince the Kings Reſtoration, there has been no free nor Lawful Parliaments, and he thinks by reaſon, albeit the Members thereof were Elected, in the ordinary way; Yet when the Members Meet, there was unlawful Oaths impoſed upon them, and there upon, ſeverals of them left the Parliament, and ſo he underſtands, that it is not a free nor lawful Parliament, and thinks, that Epiſcopacy and Eraſtianiſme is eſtabliſhed in that and ſubſequently, Parliaments were contrary to the Word of God, and that the Supremacy herein eſtabliſhed is moſt horrid Blaſphemy. I added here to the Chancellor, that I hoped, his Lordſhip would not be offended at this, ſeeing he had ſworn the ſame, in the Teſt; but they refuſed to write this, in my ſubſcribed Declaration: Being Interrogate, if he owned the Proclamation and Declaration at Sanquhair and Hamilitoun, Declares, he does not own the Sanquhair Declaration, as being inconſiſtent with his Principles, ſuch as the cutting off of the wicked; and having himſelf read the Hamiltoun Declaration, Declares, he owns the ſame, and that, when they were invaded and aſſaulted, by any Perſons whatſoever, in their Exerciſes of Reformed Religion and Worſhip, they were obliged to ſtand to their own Defence, and owns the Lawfullneſs of Field Conventicles, and their being in Arms to Defend themſelves in caſe of being Moleſted; And he himſelf was ever ready to own and defend his Brethren in Arms, when invaded for Religion; And declares, that the Invaſion made againſt them at Pentland and Bothwell, they being in the Exerciſe of his Religion, was Service done to the Devil, and Reſiſtance made by them, was Service done to GOD.

Confeſſes, that before Bothwell, Bridge he had riden in Arms with Mr. Welſch through the Countrey, and bleſſes God for it; Confeſſes, he was at a Meeting at Leſmehago before Bothwell, when Lieutenant Dalȝiel with a Party came upon them, and was one of theſe, that engaged againſt that Party.

Denies, he was at Drumclogg; But confeſſes, he was at Bothwell, and thinks, that Mr. John Welſch ſtayed about half a year in the Countrey thereafter, but he was only, about eight days in Company with him after Bothwell, in this Kingdom: Confeſſes, the King is lawful King Born, and came Lawfully to the Crowns of theſe Kingdoms, and that he is lawful King of this Kingdom, and owns the Kings Authority, conform to the Word of GOD, that is to ſay, That he is impowered to Govern for GOD's Glory and the good of his People, and to be a Terror to evil doers, and encourager to well; and Declares, that the Act of Supremacy, as it is explained by the Act of Parliament; that the turning out of Presbyterian Intereſt, and overturning the Work of Reformation, moſt unlawful Acts, and being expreſly contrary to the Word of God, can not be Binding upon the Declarent; and that Covenants are binding upon the Nations, and ſhall be ſo, while Sun and Moon endures; and that that Oath, called the Test, is a moſt unlawful and horrid Oath, and he is not obliged to take the ſame.

p. 5He Declares, As to killing the Archbiſhop of St. Andrews, he cannot give Judgment an…nt it, it not being an Act of his own; but that ſome of theſe, that were called the Actors, whom he knew (and particularly one William Dingwal) were Godly and Juſt Men. ſic ſubſcribitur John Dick.

The laſt Day of August 1683, There being many Noblemen in the Court, which day Mr. John Dick being preſent, was Examined, in preſence of the Juſtices then ſitting in Judgment, and the abovewritten Confeſſion …mitted by him in preſence of the Council, being read, he acknowledged the ſame, and every particular of the ſame in preſence of the ſaid Juſtices. Sic ſubſcribitur, John Dick, Maitland, James Fowls, John Lockhart, Alexander Seton.

Upon September 4, 1683, I Mr. John Dick, Son to David Dick Writer in Edinburgh,, being Called before the Lords of Juſticiary being then preſent; it was demanded, if I had any thing to ſay for my ſelf? I anſwered, Yes, my Lord, I have ſomewhat to add to my Lyble; they asked, what was that? then I proceeded as follows: I Mr. John Dick Priſoner, in Name and by the Appointment of Our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, Declare, That the Blood of all the Presbyterians, that have been Executed for their Principles, is horrid Murder; by whatſomever Law they have been judged; and that in the Perſon of every Individual one, who have ſuffered ſimply on this Account, Our Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt, hath been as really crucified, as He was by Pilate and the Jews at Jeruſalem. And this I deſire may be holden as a part of my former Declaration and Confeſſion, emitted before the Council and Juſtices. This I called for, and ſubſcribed, bleſſing the Lord that had given me a hand ſo to do. They refuſed to add it to my Declaration, judging they had too much already: I required all that were preſent Witneſſes, that I had declared the ſame, and Appealled them all to Chriſt's Bar at the Great Day, to Anſwer for what they had done, and were doing. They asked if I would have an Advocat? I ſaid, My Lords, that is ordinarly denied to Perſons in my condition: they declared, I ſhould have as many as I pleaſed; I ſaid, I would have none, but my Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Bleſſed be His Holy Name for it, He is both with me, and in me. The Juſtice Clerk asked, if I was a Quaker, or a Fifth Monarchry Man I told him, I abhorred both, yet my Affection was relevant, being Bleſſed of my God with the Grace of Faith: And then they read my Indictment, and asked at every Article, to which I anſwered affirmatively.

Then, did the Juſtice Clerk ask, if I had any thing to ſay for my ſelf, I ſaid, I Bleſſed the Lord I had: they Deſired me to proceed, Anſwer, I expect my Lords, being a Free Born Scots Man, I ſhall have the Priviledge allowed me, that the Chriſtians in former days had among the Heathens, the Juſtice Clerk bids me proceed there are two things, which I hope your Lordſhip will grant e're we proceed, further, firſt do you not Acknowledge; that the Almighty God Jehovah is Supream Lord & Governour of Heaven and Earth, & that all Kings in the Earth, are but his Deputs & Servants; the Juſtice Clerk ſayes yes. The Second, Do ye not Acknowledge, that all the Law in the World among Chriſtians muſt Strike Sail to the great Law, the Law of God: to which I got no Anſwer; whereupon I took Witneſſes and Proteſted, that it might be Recorded in Heaven; then they preſſ'd me to proceed. I told him the Advocat (offering to follow his own method) had drawn out my Declaration: my p. 6Lords you have been at much pains to ſeek my Accuſation, I have been ſo Ingenuous to Exhibite it to you my ſelf, for which I Bleſs the Lord, firſt Article that I own my ſelf to a Presbyterian, and to be bound to continue ſo, conform to a Covenant, that can not be Infringed by no Power under Heaven.

Now, my Lords, I being under ſuch ſtrong Impreſſions of thoſe my Obligations; the leaſt I can expect, is to know by what Authority this is broken? To this I got no Anſwer, they declined further Queſtioning, cauſing and commanding the Jury to be called; and after they had asked, if I had any thing to ſay againſt them, they ſwore them; deſiring me, that if I had any thing to ſay to the Jury, to proceed: I ſaid, my Lords, its hard to devolve me upon a Jury before I be heard, for which I charge you all to make ready to Anſwer before my Great Maſter, at the Great Day, and this Jurie alſo, as to what ye do in this Affair. Then they deſired me to ſpeak to the Jury, for the Advocat was to have the laſt word: then I thinking I ſhould have occaſion to have Reaſoned with the Advocat anent my Lyble, told the Jury, That the Principle I held in my Declaration, was of ſuch a Nature, as I durſt not, if I had as many Lives as there are Pickles of Sand on the Sea Shoar to redeem them all, with the quitting of the leaſt hair-breadth thereof: Then I preſſed the Obligation of the Covenant, expecting the Advocat's Anſwer. They asked if I had done? I anſwered, Yes, as to this. Then the Advocat began his Courſe, wherein he did little more than Repeat my Declaration, without offering any thing againſt any Article therein, except againſt that of Defenſive Arms; his Defence againſt which, was this, that he had read of Defenſive Arms betwixt two ſingle Men; But for multitudes, he knew no Defenſive Arms againſt ſtanding Laws: Then did I offer to Reply; but they would not ſuffer me, but recommended me to the Jury, ſtrictly Tying them that the Condemners ſhould put it to after their Name and Aſſizers likewiſe: Then I came conveyed to the Outter-Houſe by the Guard; where my Father came to me within a little, and told me he had been dealing with the Lords for a Delay, but had not got it ſo long as he expected: I told him, that whatever my good Lord's will was, I was ſatisfied, but I'le ſpeak nothing of that my ſelf: He ſays well, I knew that, and ſo he leaves m….

I am called in again within half an Hour, and my Sentence intimated to be Hanged at the Graſs-Mercat, upon the 26th inſtant. I ſaid my Lords without a Hearing, either before the Juſtices or Jurors, this Practice was never parallel'd among Heathens, and further my Lords and Jurors; I declare, and that upon good grounds, that if upon this Sentence you Hang me, you ſhall not be innocent of Crucifying the Lord afreſh, in me his poor and inſignificant Member: They called, ſuffer him to ſpeak no more. This is the ſ…me, ſo far as my brittle Memory will allow, and I am confident there wants little or nothing of Moment: Now for ſatisfaction, both to Friends and Foes, I have Judged it my Duty to add what follows.

My bleſſed Lord and Maſter hath determined mine Heart, in all this my my Tryal (next to his own Glory) to have my Eye upon the Edification and Confirmation of his poor Diſtreſt and Oppreſt People, my Companions in Tr…bulation, as alſo to deſign as much as poſſible the Conviction of h…s, and our profeſt and avowed Enemies; moved me, without any previous Deliberation, p. 7to aſſert theſe Principles and …ractices contained in my Indictment, and to add that other aſſertion which I did before my Sentence, before the Juſtices and Aſſize: I ſay my bleſſed Lord having thus determined and moved me (for which I bleſs his Name) has not left me in the Dark; as to Grounds and Warrants for what in and through ſuch a poor and empty Reed, as I am he hath done, which Grounds while I offered to the Juſtices and Aſſizes, for my Vindication, I am (contrare to all Law, Equity and Reaſon) refuſed that Privilege, a Privilege granted even by the Heathens: Theſe Grounds, I have thought fit to leave under my Hand, for the comfort of the Lords People, and (if not the conviction) the Terror of his (and ours for his ſake) Proud, inſolent Enemies as follows.

You Remember, that before I offered any Defence, I Demanded of the Juſtices, that they would grant me the theſe two Principles, to wit. Firſt, that the Almighty God Jehovah, was Supreame Lord and Maſter, over all in Heaven, and in Earth, and that all Kings, and other Rulers in the Earth, are his Deputes and Servants; this they granted. The ſecond is, that all Laws in the Earth muſt ſtrike-Sail, and Vail their Caps to the Supream Law, the Word of God, and be Regulate by it, this they refuſe to grant, which I lookt upon as moſt Horrid Blaſphemy, and took Inſtruments on the Refuſal thereof, (which I know ſtands Recorded in Heaven, to be produced againſt the Denyers, at the Great Day of the Lord) I doubt not, if that Young Noble Man who Refuſed me this, had been preſent, when Mr. John Paterſon Propoſed the Queſtion to me, if our King was Comptable to any, to whom I Anſwered, he was: He asked to whom, I ſaid to theſe, by whom he was Intruſted: He Anſwered, then he could not be Soveraign, Intimating that there could be no Soveraign but one, whom we Presbyterians hold to be the Almighty God Jehovah; to whom alone indeed it is high Treaſon, for any Mortall to ſay what doeſt thou: It being lawful de jure, to ask any Mortall King an Account of his doings, as need Requires; though de facto in the caſe of Cruel Tyrany, this be Dangerous: I ſay, if this Noble Man had heard this, he had not ſo raſhly Refuſed my Aſſertion; But whatever our Rulers do, I do, and I hope with me, all that has the leaſt Smattering of Religion will both grant, and firmly in his ſtrength, hold both theſe Principles; for to me to grant the former, and refuſe the Latter, implys a Contradiction: now laying theſe for two ſure and inviolable Foundations: I go on, as if I were before the Juſtices and Jury, to deliver my own grounds, which my God laid to my Hand, and anſwer any thing of Objections, I meet with either before the Secret Council or Juſtices.

Now my Lords of Juſticary, and you Jurers (taken theſe Principles for granted) my firſt Aſſertion I have to Vindicate, is this; that I own the work of Reformation, as the ſame is contained in the Confeſion of Faith and Catechiſms, conform to the Covenant againſt Popery, Prelacy and Erastianiſme, and am Reſolved by the Lords Strength, to bide by the ſame, (and ſeing, that it is Lawful for any Man to Weild his Arms, for his beſt Advantage) to this I Subjoin the Involable Obligation of the Covenant, to adhere to theſe Principles and Practices. Now my Lords this work of Reformation, theſe Principles and Practices being ſuch, as I find Warranted from the practice of Chriſt, and his p. 8Apoſtles, and not only I, but his Majeſty, and all under him, in the… Nations, being by the Oath of God, which ſhall never be Diſolved by any Humane Power the leaſt I can expect of your Lordſhips is, that ye will offer ſome what, that may be Satisfactory to my Conſcience, in this point, if ye deny me this, then ſhall the World judge that ye will Murder me, becauſe ye will Murder me, all that I have heard from any of your Members againſt my Principles, ſimply was from the Biſhop of Edinburgh, who after he had inſinuate an Argument with me in Doctrine and Worſhip, ſeemed fairly to inſinuate, that Diſcipline and Government were left undetermined, my anſwer to this is, that this is horrid Blaſphemy, and no leſs uopn the whole Matter then to ſay, that our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt was leſs faithful in the Houſe of God than was Moſes, and who having the leaſt Senſe of a Deity dares to averre this? Well my Lords this being, all I have offered by any of your Lordſhips againſt my Principles, I hope it ſtands firmly rooted in the Hearts of all that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that they are thereby not in the leaſt ſhaken, and ſince it is ſo, which I muſt take for granted, having nothing offered to the contrary: I muſt for the confirmation of the ſecond brench of this aſſertion poſe your Lordſhs, by what Authority an Oath, a ſolemn Oath made betwixt the living GOD's Party contracter on the one hand, and his Majeſty and the whole Body of theſe Nations on the other hand, in as ſolemn a manner as ever Covenant was tranſacted I ſay, I muſt ask by what Authority this Covenant is infringed and broken? To this I get no anſwer neither except what I got from the above mentioned Biſhop, who told me he had not taken this Covenant: For anſwer, it had been a great pity this maſter-Prelate of yours, had not been amongſt the People of Iſrael at that time, when the Plague of GOD overtook them for the breach of Covenant made, as ſome thinks, Four hundred years before that with the Gibeonites, and this Covenant in it ſelf nothing ſo juſtifiable as this which mby Bleſſed Lord has ſet me here to Juſtifie; I ſay, it had been a pity, this Pitifull Prelate had not been there, its not likely he had obtained a Suſpenſion of this Famine upon this head; but let this proud Prelate conſider, that he Charges the Almighty with injuſtice in this Practice, which you have Recorded in the 2 Sam. 21. Chap. He muſt either own this a piece of Horrid Blaſphemy, or elſe confeſs his Argument is of no force: Now having I hope, Rolled out of the way any thing I have offered for my Satisfaction in this matter, to come nearer the point, I charge your Lordſhips, or any here who ſets themſelves againſt me on theſe heads again to tell me, by what Authority this Oath binding to two Neceſſary and Indiſpenſible Duties is repelled? Dare any Mortall here hold up his Face to Heaven, and averr that his Majeſtey's Acts Reſciſſory does repell it, then let him do it upon his Peril, and when he has done, know that beſides his Blaſphemy in it, he Contradicts the firſt Principle, which your Lordſhips have granted me. That this may be the clearer, I hope all will grant that none can Diſſolve an Oath made by another, except he be above that other in power and Authority of ſuch a Decree as gives Right to do it, of this I Remember, only two Inſtances in Scripture. The one is, That of a Husband if he hear his Wife making a Vow, if he be not Satisfied with it, he may then unty it; But if by his Silence he let it paſs, the Oath ſtands firm. The Seconds is of a p. 9Father having a Daughter in the Family, to whom it is granted to annull the Oath he heares her making while in his Family, and when out of the Family, the power ceaſes: From this it is evident, that this is a Superiority over them, that Intitles them to this Privilege. Since it is ſo, dare any without Horror, offer once of Dreaming to apply this in our caſe? I ſuſpect by this time the Juſtice Clerk finds himſelf outſhot, in granting my firſt Principal; O that the Lord would open their Eyes, to ſee the Affronted Indignities, done to our moſt Glorious God, in theſe their moſt horrid and Abominable Practices. Now having Removed what is offered by the Oppoſers, and ſettled by undenyed Arguments, my Aſſertion of the equity of our Work of Reformation, and the Inviolable Obligation of the Covenant, while Sun and Moon endures to own the ſame; I hope I ſhall not need to rack my Judgement, for Arguments to prove, that my Devolvement on an Aſſize without a hearing, (after I had offered to Juſtifie my Principles and Practices from the word of God) is not only a denying of theſe my two Principles, but the moſt horrid of Murders, as I hope ſhall be cleared more fully in the cloſe, and here you may ſee the reaſon of denying my ſecond Principle, but of this more afterwards.

The ſecond Aſſertion I am to defend is, that the Laws overturning the Presbyterian Church & Eſtabliſhing Epiſcopacy, particularly theſe three Acts. To wit firſt, The Act Reſciſſory, whereby at one daſh the Glorious Fabrick, ſometime the Glory of theſe Nations is Overturned. Secondly the Act of Supremacy, and Act Explanatory of the ſame, whereby our Bleſſed Lord is ſet by his Chair, and a poor Worm ſet down in his Room. Thirdly, That Act called the Teſt, a Hotchpotch of Nonſenſe Lies and Contradictions; that theſe and others of their nature were null, and aſſerted Principally; becauſe contrary to expreſs Texts of Scripture (and this poſſibly has Straitened my Antagoniſts, as to the granting of our Bleſſed Lords word, to be the Supream Law,) and for Confirmation of this, I aſſerted, I thought the Parliament enacting theſe Acts was alſo null, as not being free, a Qualification abſolutly requiſite in all Parliaments in this Nation, the Privileges of which I am bound by the Covenant made with the Almighty God to aſſert. Now my Lords, and you Aſſizers, I take for granted, that all Laws of Men contrary to expreſs Texts of Scripture are null, and that theſe Acts, and all of that nature are ſuch; I ſhall in the Lords ſtrength endeavour to prove. And Firſt, the whole work of Reformation being agreeable to the Word of God, and though it were not ſo in it ſelf, (as I am firmly perſwaded it is) yet in my caſe, by all Men who have not with their Conſcience, Debauched away their reaſon alſo, it muſt be granted to be; (ſeing I have had nothing offered to the contrary) and I being under the Oath of God to maintain, Propagate and Defend the ſame; the Acts overturning the ſame expreſly, Contradicts not only all theſe Scriptures, upon which it is founded (which time will not allow me to Enumerate here) and you may find in your Confeſſion of Faith, Noted upon the Margine of that Book, but alſo the Third Command, Thou ſhalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain; and that, perform thy Vows unto the Lord with multitudes of this Nature, which upon a very moderate inquiry may eaſily be found. Now my Lords, if my Second Principle be ſound, as I hope your Lordſhips are perſwaded it is, for all you have ſaid to the contrary, I hope yo…r Lordſhips p. 10will find your ſelves concerned to ſatisfie me as to theſe, e're you proceed to the Execution of this your Unparalleled Sentence. As to the Second, I think I ſhall need to be at leſs pains about it, in reſpect, not only your Lordſhips; But I ſuſpect the greater part, if not all the Aſſizers have Sworn as to the ſame in your Teſt, That it is Blaſphemy for Man or Angel, to preſume to Intrude into the headſhip of the Church, as being only peculiar, to my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt.

But for Confirmation, I deſire you to conſider theſe Scriptures, Firſt, the firſt Chapter of the Epheſians 22.23. Verſes, And he hath put all things under his Feet, and gave him to be the Head over, all things to the Church, which is his Body the fullneſs of him that filleth, all in all. Iſa. 9. Chapter 6, 7. Verſes. And the Second Pſalm, Now that any Law made againſt theſe expreſs Scriptures is null, with the conſideration foreſaid, of your own Confeſſion, and the Conſent of the greater part, if not the whole (ſo farr as I know) Reformed Churches, would ſeem to be ſufficiently warranted.

The Third. As to that of the Teſt, that it is null will eaſily appear at the firſt reading thereof, to any that will be ſo daring, as to aver, that to ſwear Nonſence and Contradictions is no Sin: That it is Nonſence to ſwear to defend the Proteſtant Religion againſt Presbyterians, and a Contradiction too, I muſt aſſert; ay and while you condeſcend upon a Proteſtant Church who have expunged us out of their Number, except that Abominable, Perjured Prelatical Party, whom I cannot, nor (I truſt in GOD) ever ſhall own for any other thing, than Emiſſaries from Hell, ſent through Rome, for the Confounding of the Chriſtian World: And if to ſwear the King to be Head of the Church and with the ſame Breath, that is horrid Blaſphemy ſo to do, if it be not a Contradiction, I know not what is. For confirmation hereof, Let the Unfreeneſs of the Parliaments be conſidered, and I hope none who love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, will doubt, that I had good ground to aſſert, what I have through His Grace aſſerted; and I bleſs His Name thereof I am no ways aſhamed, And if the Enemies will, ſure I am, they muſt grant, that they were all bound in Conſcience, Law, Equity and Reaſon, to have told ſo much, which they, nor none of them, had the Confidence to do. The Application I leave to the Impartial Reader.

The Third thing I have in task, is to defend theſe Aſſertions following, to wit, That I own the Hamiltoun Declaration, and when we were invaded or Aſſaulted by any perſon whatſoevr, in the Exerciſe of our Reformed Religion and Worſhip, upon that account, we were obliged to ſtand to our own Defence: That I own the Lawfulneſs of Field-Conventicles, and our being in Arms to defend our ſelves in caſe of being Moleſted; and that I my ſelf was ever ready to Own and Defend my Brethren in Arms when invaded as ſaid is, And declaring that the Invaſions made againſt the Lord's people at Pentland and Bothwell, they being then in the Exerciſe of their Religion, was ſervice done to the Devil, and the reſiſtance made by them in their own Defence was Service done to GOD. Now the ſume of all theſe Aſſertions is, that it is the Duty of Proteſtant Reformed Churches to ſtand to the Defence of their Reformation and Religion: Eſpecially with this conſideration, that with their Religion they are alſo aſſaulted as to their Privileges, as in the freedom of p. 11Parliaments, and many other paarticulars which if time would allow I could enumerate; Conſidering eſpecially, That this Church and Kingdom are obliged ſo to do, by a moſt ſolemn Oath made to the ever living GOD, they their Kings their Princes and Nobles, and the whole Body of the Realm, and that this Oath ſtands ſtill unviolate as you may ſee above. The caſe thus ſtated, I hope our Adverſaries will not deny, that if the Turk, or any Foreign Enemy, ſhould invade us, and in his Declaration ſhew, That he would not lay down his Arms, till we ſhould Renounce our Reformed Religion, and quite with all our Civil Priviledges; I hope none, in his Right Wits, will refuſe, that it were our Duty, Man and Mother-Son, from the higheſt to the loweſt, to draw to Arms in our own Self-defence. But it is like ſome will ſay, That though we were bound ſo to do againſt Foreigners, yet we may not do ſo againſt our Lawful Princes. To this I Anſwer, First, They are divided among themſelves here; Some granting, that in ſome caſes, even their own Lawful Princes may be reſiſted, and the Arms of Innocent Self-defence made uſe of againſt them. Others ſay, No! But whatever they ſay or think, either this Poſition ſhall ſtand to the World's End, That there was never a Power given of God, to any Mortal, to rugg and deſtroy the Souls of the Subjects, and to ruine them in their Civil Intereſts; or otherways, there was never a Power given of GOD to any Mortal, to enact iniquity by a Law, and to force Obedience to theſe iniquious Laws by Fire and Sword, as it is in our caſe, And if any Monarch or any pretending Commiſſion from him, ſhould arrogate a Power to do ſo, the Subject beyond all contraverſie is called to ſtand to his own Defence, and vindicate the honour of his Great Supream Maſter, ſeeing he is violented to the Denyal of Alledgeance to him, by his pretended Depute or Servant: I ſuppoſe this will not be refuſed by any that believes that there is a GOD. And for my ſelf, I think he who comes out with Armed force to compel me to ſin, ſhould be in the ſelf ſame way ſerved, as he who ſhould with Violence come to drive me quick into Hell, and I ſuppoſe the greateſt of the pretended Loyaliſts amongſt us if they heard and believed the Screichings of the Damned Souls there, and ſaw no other way of eſcaping, but either over or through their Soveraign, they would vent are upon either, rather than be driven into it. And to ſay any Soveraign how Lawful ſo ever, otherwiſe has ſuch a power is to contradict that Scripture, Kings are given to be a Terror to evil doers, and encouragers of well doers. If it be ſaid theſe things ſhould be in a civil manner Repreſented or Arms be taken: I ſhall readily grant this, but why were theſe Miniſters and Gentlemen taken and incarcerate who were endeavouring thus? And why was there an Act of Parliament, if I may call it ſo, made Dicharging any of the Subjects to meet and Conſult in order to this? And indeed I think he ſhould be extruded the Society of Mankind who would make this aſſertion, that our otherwiſe Lawful Prince may lawfully do any of theſe things abovementioned to his Subjects, and that the World may ſee, I ſpeak not here at random, be pleaſed to conſider theſe two Scriptures, Firſt the 14 Chap. of the firſt Book of Samuel. Secondly the 12 chapter of the firſt Book of the Kings. To this I add the 20 Chap. of the ſecond Book of the Chron. 16. verſe, Now whoſoever ſhall ponder and ſeriouſly conſider theſe three places, will find three Kings of the Lawfulneſs of whoſe coming to their Crowns I know none p. 12that doubt, all three reſiſted by their Subjects, the firſt in offering to perform a raſh and ſinful Oath, the ſecond for offering ſinfully to oppreſs his people; The third for dipping too far in the Matters of God, for which he had no Commiſſion.

Now, with Submiſſion to the more Judicious, I humbly conceive the Ground of the Equity of this Reſiſtance lyes here: That Kings and Subjects are under a Twofold Relation one to another; Firſt, in reſpect of the Almighty GOD, who is the Only Abſolute Sovereign and Great Lord, both he and they are Fellow-Subjects; and with him, in ſinning againſt the Laws of This Our Great Maſter, none of his Fellow-Subjects dare, under the pain of Eternal Damnation, in the leaſt ſymbolize; but on the contrary, adhering to our Allegiance to Our Great Liege Lord, we are bound by Our Allegiance, in our Stations, to reſiſt every thing offered to His Diſhonour, by whomſoever. I hope this Truth is clear to any that knows, that the Laws of GOD are equally binding upon Kings and Subjects. The ſecond Relation is, That whereby the King, under GOD, is King, and to Rule the People for GOD's Glory, and the Good of the Kingdom, and to be a Terror to Evil Doers, and an Encourager to Well Doers; in which Relation the People are his Subjects. Now, there is none of my Perſwaſion, but are willing to give Caeſar his due, that is, to obey all his Lawfull Commands, and yeild him all Encouragement imaginable, he Ruling in the Fear of GOD, the People for GOD's Glory, and his and their own Good. But if a King, ſhaking off all Fear of GOD, will enter in Open Hoſtility againſt Heaven, and force his People, by Open Hoſtility, to ſhare with him in theſe Abominations; I again ſay, the People are obliged, in purſuance of their Allegiance to their Supream Lord, not only to refuſe Obedience to this His Depute, but alſo to reſiſt him in purſuance of this his War againſt the Great LORD. I hope, I ſhall need to ſay nothing for clearing of this, to any that knows that there is a GOD, whoſe Holy Nature entitles Him to Abſolute Sovereignty, and to Whom Subjection is due from that His Bleſſed Nature; and Natively, our Subjection is due to Him for not only our Being, but our Well-being. Upon the other hand, the King's Power (the Government it ſelf, in general, being of GOD, yet the Application of it to this or that Perſon, to this or that Modell of Government, either by Election or Succeſſion) is of Man, according to that, Be ſubject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's ſake: I ſay, the caſe ſtanding thus, not only in purſuance of our Allegiance to our Great and Abſolute Sovereign, are we obliged to reſiſt what is offered and carryed on to His Diſhonour; and this, leaſt we ſhould partake of other Men's Sins, but alſo, the People who have conferred that power, being Violented in all things that are precious to them, and the Government appointed of GOD, degenerating into Tyranny, may Recall the power given, and not only reſiſt, but turn out ſuch a Tyrant, for whoſe Tyranny he had no commiſſion, from them. I hope, none who will grant the Sixth Command, Thou ſhalt not Kill, to be Binding, will refuſe this. The Reaſon is here, he is beyond all doubt as guilty of Murder who impowers to do the ſame, as he who actually does it. Now I hope the caſe ſtanding thus, all Impartial Readers will ſee, how unjuſtly we are condemned for owning the Lawfulneſs of Defenſive Arms; which I ſhall endeavour to make yet more clear in my Application of theſe Scriptures above p. 13cited, and my Anſwer to what I heard from our Antagoniſts on this Head. And firſt, As to the People's reſiſting of Saul, it being an Act of Loyalty to their Supream Sovereign, in hindering his Depute to perform a Raſh and Sinful Oath. I wonder with what confidence, that Man, (if he be one) or rather Monſtrous Jeſuitical Atheiſt, Biſhop Paterſon, could ſay to my Glorified Brother, John Wilſon, (whoſe Murder is yet recent) That he doubted if they did right in ſo doing: Sure I am, the Juſtice Clerk will not ſay ſo, who has granted that the Almighty GOD is Supream; and conſequently, that Subjects dare not without Sin, ſuffer any thing to be done to His diſhonour▪ that is in their Power to hinder; and that to Swear a Raſh Oath, obliging to Murder, is of this Nature, I hope I ſhall not need to prove. And Secondly, As to that of Rehoboam, that Tyrannical Wretch, ſhaking off all Fear of GOD, and rejecting the Council of the Old Men, to his own Ruine; that the Subjects were in their Duty in caſting him off, I hope none will refuſe, who knows what Intereſt the People have in making of Kings; and that none needs to be ignorant of, who will be pleaſed to read the 17 Chapter of Deuteronomy, from the 14th Verſe to the End: As alſo, that the People are bound in their Stations to oppoſe the Tyranny of their Princes, leaſt they may ſhare with them in their Judgments. Tyranny and Oppreſſion being a palpable Violation of the Laws of Our Bleſſed and Supream Lawgiver. Thirdly, As to that of Ʋzziah, that he becoming ſtrong and lifted up, in meddling beyond his Sphere with the matters of GOD, is given for the Ground of the Reſiſtance he met with: And ſure in our caſe, our King has yet been more ſtrong and more lifted up (I fear to his Deſtruction) in ſo far as the former did only offer to perform ſome Office that was only peculiar to the Prieſts, but never offered to overturn the Worſhip of GOD, of his own Appointment; and to introduce an other diametrically oppoſite to the Revealed Will of GOD, as it is in our caſe.

Now I ſay, our King having out done Ʋzziah in his affronted Rebellion againſt Heaven, who can blame the People if in ſtanding to their own defence they Endeavour to aſſert that our Beſſed God is abſolute, Soveraign and Maſter, and that nothing Commanded nor impoſed, expreſly contrary to his will, which we ſtill hold to be our Supream Law, can be binding upon them, this will be yet more clear as what we Aſſerted a little above, that Kings and Subjects are but Subjects to the Supream Majeſty, if you conſider that after he is thruſt out of the Temple, he is put in a ſeveral Houſe upon the account of his Leproſie, that which was likewiſe done to the meaneſt Subject he had in the like caſe, and what if the Miniſtery in the Church of Britain and Ireland, imitating this Laudable example, when ever they perceived that Dreadfull Plague of a more dangerous Nature then Leproſie, and yet more Infectious (which I take to have been the reaſon of their Separation) I mean our Kings horrible Adulteries, Perjuries, publick and Private Oppoſitions to the Almighty, with that Abominable endeavour to introduce Popery (anent which you may ſee more in my now Glorified Brother John Wilſon his Teſtimony) I ſay what if they had by a Sentance of Excommunication ſet him apart by himſelf? And what if the People had owned them by ſo doing? Sure I know none that has the leaſt ſmack of Religion would have Condemned this, and I pray God the Miniſtery yet living, may be brought to the Senſe of their guilt in omitting this, but whatever be in this, ſure I am p. 14the people Violented for not Concurring in theſe Abominations, cannot be Condemned for ſtanding to their own Defence. This will be yet further clear to any who conſiders what I have offered by the Enemies of our Bleſſed Lord for my Satisfaction in this matter. And firſt, Having made uſe of our Bleſſed Lords Precept to his Diſciples, when about to leave them in a Perſecuting World to wit. But now, he that has no Sword let him Sell his Coat and Buy one. Sir William Pater…on told me the ſame, that he told my abovementioned Brother, to wit that there was meant the Sword of the Spirit, to which I Anſwered, were theſe two Swords of the Spirit Produced by the Diſciples, ſaying here are two, were theſe two Swords of the Spirit? To this he replys no more then the Stone of the Wall behind him; And now further, I would adviſe that Gentleman as he tenders his Souls Eternall Well-being, that he ſeek Repentance of God for this ſo horridly Blaſphemous Expreſſion, which is no other, then to Charge our Bleſſed Lord with Commanding of Simon, how Hainous a Sin this is, I leave to any tender Conſcience to conſider.

Next, that Gentleman Mr. Banerman who they ſaid Repreſented the Kings Advocat there, of whom e…re I proceed further I muſt tell you my thoughts, I thought indeed he there Repreſented the Devil, I think not Groundleſly for the Devil you know is ſtiled the Accuſer of the Bretheren, how near he Reſembled him I leave to the Readers conſideration; Another thing ſaid of the Devils is they Believe and Tremble, whether this Gentleman Believes or not, I ſhall not Determine, but ſure I am he he Trembled and ſo Repeating my Conceſſions offers this Defence a good ſelf Defence that he has heard of ſelf Defence betwixt ſingle Men, but there was no ſelf Defence by Multitudes againſt Law; I think indeed to Repeat this vain Defence Refutation Sufficient, but confuting the Advantage of others I ſhall divide it, it is in it ſelf in two parts, the firſt is this Man ſeems to yeeld that one Man may Legally Defend himſelf againſt another, and what if he be not able to prove that two or three of us were ſtill againſt one! I hope if he prove not this againſt all, he muſt Liberate all that were not Chargeable with this, and ſo was bound to have. Defended me conform to his own conceſſion, I think this Gentleman ſhould have Condecended who theſe priviledged Perſons are that they may Defend themſelves and who not; But to the Second Branch that there is no ſelf Defence by Multitudes againſt Law Juſtifiable, where was this Mans Memory that he will have my Innocent and juſt ſelf Defence againſt Law! Did I not tell him Immediately before that there could be no Law againſt expreſs Texts of Scripture! And that I might the better prove this Deſired they would grant to me, that the Word of God was the Supream Law to which all other Laws behoved to ſtrike and vail; now this being Refuſed me and nothing in the leaſt offered for my Satisfaction, I hope none will Doubt but theſe Men Avowedly before the Face of the Sun ſet themſelves and their Laws up above our God and his Laws, ſo that all I have for the Ground of my Sentence upon the Matter is this, though God himſelf hath ſaid you are Right and though his Word which you call his Law ſay ſo too, yet we have a Law and by this Law you moſt Dye, who would not Rejoice in a ſentence of this Nature, that does ſo nearly Reſemble that Blaſphemous one paſſed upon his Bleſſed ſelf? Bleſs O my Soul the Lord thy God, there is an Expreſſion in my Subſcribed Declaration, p. 15which I know our Enemies upon Chriſts Account do not a litle ſtartle at and I am Apprehenſive may, ſeem harſh to ſome of our reall Friends upon miſtake, the Expreſſion is this, that the Enemies invaſion made at Pentland and Bothwell for the Adhering to their duty was Service done to the Devil, and the Lords Peoples Innocent ſelf Defence being ſo Aſſautled, was Service done to God. For Satisfaction both of Friends and Foes in this matter I ſhall offer to your Conſideration what follows.

I hope our Enemies themſelves will not deny, the Presbyterian Miniſters of the Church of Britain and Ireland, to be Faithful Miniſters of Chriſt Jeſus, if they do, they ſhould have done us the Juſtice to have intimate the ſame with the Grounds thereof: Sure I am the behaviour of the groſſeſt of them would ſeem to cry aloud the contrary, when they come to a Death-Bed where rejecting theſe perjured, Atheiſtical, blaſphemous Hirelings, they call for a Presbyterian Miniſter, witneſs, Mr. John Elis and the laſt Chancellor with many others, I hope none of our Friends doubt this, ſo then we ſhall take this for granted.

Well then (if they be Miniſters as we moſt firmly hold) eſpecially having nothing from our Enemies to the the contrary but rather a firm Confirmation as I have ſaid, I hope ye will grant me alſo, that they are bound to obey that Commiſſion in the laſt of Matth. two laſt Verſes, Go ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always unto the end of the World Amen. I hope I need uſe no Argument to reinforce this, this being the Command and Commiſſion of our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt in it ſelf ſufficient to bind all, and needing the ſufferage of no Mortal; Let it ſtand as a ſure Truth then, that our Miniſters are Chriſt's Servants, and that our bleſſed Lords Commiſſion to them to Preach is ſtill binding, and ſhall be to the Worlds end. I hope I ſhall need to be at little pains to prove, that by that ſame Commiſſion the Lords People are obliged to hear; I hope none will doubt this whoever has Read that Word, Rom. 10.14. How can they hear without a Preacher. Now the caſe being thus, that our Miniſters are Miniſters, and by vertue af their Commiſſion they are bound to Preach, and conſequently we bound to hear, and that under no leſs Hazard then refuſing Obedience to one of the laſt Precepts of our bleſſed Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt. I hope none who owns my firſt Principle will yet ſay, that any Mortal can invalidate this Commiſſion, or hinder the due performance of this ſo abſolutely neceſſary and indiſpenſible a Duty, to which we are the more Encouraged to yeild Voluntare Obedience becauſe of his Promiſed Preſence therein to the end of World, I ſay none will ſay ſo, that Beleives there is a God, if any ſay that this Satisfies not as to the gathering together in Multitudes and going to the Fields I hope this will have litttle Weight with any that Conſiders this was practice of our Bleſſed Maſter and his Apoſtles they being Acted by an Infallible Spirit, and ſo their Example is a Sufficient Warrand, and our Bleſſed Lord himſelf being God-man, and ſo Eſſentially elevated above all Suſpition of being Miſtaken, I ſay theſe Sufficiently Warrand this. If it be further Obiected, but why are you there in Arms? I Anſwer firſt, We have our Bleſſed Maſters Precept for it in the 22 of Luke the 36 Verſe, in theſe Words, But now he that hath a Purſe let him take it, and likewiſe his Scrip, and he that hath no Sword let p. 16him Sell his Garment and Buy one; Now having removed what has been offered by our Enemies againſt this, we ſhall ſtudy in the Lords Strength to reinforce our Argument therefrom: And firſt I would have you notice the Emphaſis in the words, but now as if he had ſaid my time in the World here is to be as to us a peaceable time, what I am to ſuffer here being Tranſacted betwixt me and my Father before the Foundation of the World, and I being obliged in the Room of loſt Mankind, to take on me Fleſh and Blood, and all Human Frailties, ſin only Excepted, that I may be a Compleat Saviour, this being my free offering to my Father; and conſequently I being to perform all that is requiſite herein, not only freely but cheerfully, therefore during this time there is no hurry to be made in the World upon my account, and I atteſt your ſelves if in following of me, even conform to this method you have found your ſelves at any Diſadvantage in wanting either Purſe, Scrip or Sword: But now, now that I am going to leave you after that I have Performed, that which was tranſacted betwixt the Father and me before the World was founded, you are not to be ſo paſſive would he ſay as before, that being contained in the Belly of the Fathers Tranſaction and mine, and therefore I command him that wants a Sword to Sell his Garment and Buy one. Now as to this Sword, our Bleſſed Lord commands his Diſciples to Buy, and in them all that ſhall Succeed them to the end of the World (for I ſuppoſe our Enemies will not ſay this Command was given them as Miniſters, leaſt thereby they ſhould wrong Coeſar) being commanded them as Chriſtians, I demand our Enemies, what theſe Diſciples were to do with their Swords, for my part I know nothing, if it were not either to offend or Defend or both I expect they will not readily ſay, either to offend or both (though I humbly conceive they ſhould not err much in ſo ſaying, eſpecially if they conſider aright the Penult Pſalm, then they muſt ſay to me, that it was to defend, and if to defend be in any caſe lawfull as I am ſure it is, then in our caſe, I am confident none will refuſe it, who has read and conſidered what I have ſaid before.

Secondly, we have the Example of Abraham for this in the 14 of the Geneſis, where in a caſe nothing ſo favourable as ours he practiſes Self Defence, and I hope the moſt daring of our Adveſaries ſhall not dare to condemn him for it.

Thirdly that Scripture, When you are Perſecuted in one City flee to another, Helps in this caſe to ſatisfie what we have ſaid, and in this I have the ſuffrage of the Engliſh Law made uſe of by Sir George M'kenzie in his Criminals, whereby the Defendant is declared innocent if to evidence his Defence, he have fled ſome few Steps, and who doubts but when flight will not do, the Defendant may reſiſt by Force: To all this if you add the practice of all Reformed Churches, and the preſent practice of the Hungarians, I hope I ſhall find, you have not had the beſt Ground to queſtion our going to the Fields to hear the Word of GOD preached in Arms, eſpecially conſidering that this was a practice we were forced to from abſolute neceſſity, ſeing that our being in Houſes rendered us more lyable to be a prey to our Enemies, Now I hope whoever ſeriouſly ponders what the Lord has given for Defence, here will not think that we were ſerving God in theſe Meetings, which I with all confidence averr we were, and bleſs the Lord that not only I, but not a few thouſands in Scotland has it to ſay to the Commendation of his free Grace, and commendation of this ſo much commended p. 17way, that we have found our Lord as good as his Word, in being with and Countenancing us; and this being ſo, I doubt as little to averr, that the Aſſaulters upon this account, coming in a Hoſtile manner, without the leaſt provocation upon our part, were in that ſerving the Devil, for who but the Devil would give Orders to fire upon a People in the actual Worſhip of GOD, for no other reaſon, but becauſe they were ſo doing.

Among the other things, that through the brittleneſs of my Memory I have omitted, this which I have got from another hand, is one; That after Sentence, I Atteſted the Lord, that ever ſince I underſtood what Treaſon and Rebellion were, I had ever abhorred both Treaſon and Traitors, Rebellion and Rebells: To which their Anſwer was, that every word I ſpake was Treaſon! To this I Replyed, that I was ſorry that what my bleſſed Lord and Maſter accepted off my hand as indiſpenſible Duty, ſhould be by his Deputies and Servants reputed Rebellion.

I muſt add here alſo, that in my Conference with Sir William Paterſon, againſt my Aſſertion of Chriſt's Headſhip of the Church, he offered this Anſwer, that he knew that Chriſt was Head of the Inviſible Church, inſinuating, that the King or any other they pleaſed might be Head to the Viſible.

To this my Anſwer is, I fear this Gentleman has wronged himſelf more than he is aware of, for having renounced Chriſt Jeſus my bleſſed Lord and Maſter, to be Head of that Church, of which he owns himſelf a Member, he does more than faintly inſinuate, there are no Members of the Inviſible Church amongſt them, for if they were, they would hold Chriſt to be their Head, and in ſo doing, do nothing but what is their Duty. But I would ask this Gentleman, whether he looks upon our bleſſed Lord's Commiſſion to his Diſciples, as a ſufficient Warrand for them to manage all the Affairs of the Viſible Church? and where he has his Warrand from the Magiſtrates medling further in Church Affairs, than to ſee what is ordered by the God of Heaven, exactly done to the Glory of the God of Heaven; which I look upon as a Power Circa ſacra, and not in ſacris; Sure I am, all that have any thing of the Exerciſe of their Reaſon, will ſay he was bound to me in theſe. But whatever his Sentiments be in theſe Matters, I am confident that our bleſſed Lord and Maſter in this Commiſſion to his Miniſters to Preach and Baptize, gave them Commiſſion alſo to exerciſe Diſcipline and Government, ſince the one cannot conſiſt without the other; and that a… to the Obedience to this Commiſſion, they are lyable to Anſwer to none even in their viſible Eſtate; But our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt, their and our bleſſed Lord and Maſter and Head, anent which the Magiſtrates Power is only Cumulative not Privative. For further clearing of this, I hope Sir William Paterſon will not refuſe it, that our bleſſed Lord was Head of that Church whereof Judas was a Member, and if ſo his fancy of Chriſt's being only the Head of the Inviſible Church will be found a meer Chimera; For I doubt nothing to averr, that under our bleſſed Lord and Maſter in his Viſible Church there is no other Power granted to any Mortals but to his Miniſters of his own Appointment, whom he has cloathed with a Miniſterial Power conjunctly under him, to act in his Affairs as they ſhall anſwer to him their only Head: and though amongſt theſe his Miniſters, thus by him impowered, there may and p. 18ought to be a Superiority of Order for Decency, yet amongſt them we find no Warrand in all the Word of God for a Superiority of Jurisdiction, as is practiſed among the Prelatical Party, who have to this Abomination, added that other of the Renouncing of Chriſt to be their Head, and with the ſame Breath, to the aſtoniſhment of all that have the leaſt impreſſion of a Deity, have ſworn the contrary in their Teſt.

Now my Lords of Juſticiary, and you the Aſſizers here Sworn, I hope no Man who hath any thing left of the Exerciſe of his reaſon will deny, that you were bound in Conſcience (if you know there is any ſuch thing) and in all Law, Equity and reaſon to have given me Satisfaction, not only as to what I have hinted at by way of Defence for my ſelf, but alſo to have ſatisfied me with a Satisfactory Anſwer to what is ſtanding on record, leſt by our Country Man Mr. Rutherfoord, a very Eminent Light in his time, and one much Countenanced of the Lord in his Books called Lex Rex, due Right of Presbytery, and his Peaceable Plea; as alſo in that Book Entitled Jus divinum ministerij Evangelici, Writen by our Faithfull and very Reverend, and Dearly Beloved Brethren the Miniſters of London, and as Eminently worthy and Reverend Mr. George Gilleſpie his Aſſertion of Church Government, with his Aarons Rod; as alſo in the Apologie, writen by the two Reverend and Worthy Divines Mr. Hugh Smith and Mr. Alexander Jamiſon, and in the Apologetical Relation, Naphtali, Jus Populi, and ſeveral others, in all which you will find theſe Principles and Practices, I have Aſſerted owned, and offered my ſelf in the ſtrength of my Bleſſed Lord to Defend, whether in my Principle or Additionall Declarations and Teſtimonies, fully, Solidly and Satisfactorily, to all Unbyaſſed and unprejudicate Perſons aſſerted, Proven, Vindicated and clearly made out from the word of God (which I yet aſſert to be the Supream Law) the Law of Nature, and the Law of Nations; ſound reaſon, and ſolid Senſe: and ſince it is ſo, which all the World muſt grant, and you eſpecially who refuſe me Satisfaction hereanent, by your either Total ſilence, or if ſpeaking any thing at all, againſt theſe things what you have ſaid, is either Blaſphemy or Nonſenſe. I ſay the whole Unbyaſſed World would acknowledge and firmly aſſent, you were bound to give ſatisfaction as to theſe things; eſpecially conſidering, any Anſwer has been given to any of theſe, has been the burning of ſome of theſe Books by the hands of a Hangman in a Fire, a very ſorry Anſwer indeed; but however, of a peice with the reſt of your ſightings againſt the Almighty: And how durſt you, for your Souls, offer to Fire ſuch Books, to ſolidly di…geſted by ſuch preciouſly Worthy and Eminent Authors? If it had not been to ſhew your deſpite to the Spirit of GOD, and ſhew that you will ſtill go on in Rebellion againſt Heaven, and who knows not that the burners of Books founded on the Word of GOD, have more than enough of Inclination to burn that Holy and Bleſſed Word it ſelf? And indeed I think it not ſtrange to ſee Men poſting hard to Rome, as you are doing, to vent your Inclinations that way, ſince it is not a few Years ſince many of your ſharpeſt Friars, found you to be Men of the ſame Kidney with the Anti-Christ himſelf, that Whore who ſits upon the Head of many Waters, whoſe Judgment lingers not. And if any beſide a Fire, has been offered againſt any of theſe, it has been by others ſo cleanly wiped off, that theſe Books ſtands ſtill in Vigour, and ſo do all p. 19my Aſſertions and Principles for any thing I have ſeen or heard to the contrary. Now I leave it to all the impartial in the World, to judge what Affront is here offered to the Almighty, in cutting off one of his Creatures? To our King, in cutting off one of his Subjects? Who to this Hour, never heard a Challenge for Diſloyalty, if it were not from ſuch as makes Loyalty Diſloyalty, & Sin Duty; which Challenge I very chearfully bear, being ſufficiently perſwaded of the unjuſtneſs thereof, and to Nature in cutting off of their fellow Creatures: and all this without ſo much as a Hearing of what he had to ſay for himſelf, or any thing of an Anſwer to any of thoſe who has ſufficiently Vindicated all theſe Principles and Practices, for whith he was upon the Pannal; and yet in this matter are theſe poor Men more guilty in this reſpect, that they refuſe the Pannal the benefite of ſuch Defences, as he had very good ground to believe ſhould have been offered by the Almighty himſelf, conform to his Promiſe of giving in that Hour whatſoever ſhould be neceſſary for any of his, in my Caſe. (I mean ſtanding before Rulers and great Men to bear Teſtimony to the Truth) I ſay, I being helped of my Bleſſed LORD to Act Faith on His Promiſe, and finding my Bleſſed LORD and Maſter preſent by his Spirit to have performed the ſame, and I having intimated ſo much to them (as you may ſee above) How durſt theſe diſpiſers of GOD refuſe me the benefite of theſe Defences (if this be not to declare open Hoſtility againſt Heaven, I know not what is) and ſince it is ſo, as I can with confidence aſſert it was, and the very enemies themſelves (if they had not been dangerouſly hardened) could not but have felt it to be, for which my Soul ſhall ever bleſs his Name, and I hope I ſhall not be left alone here, expecting the aſſiſtance of not a few in theſe Nations in this matter, who have in this particular, to the refreſhment of their Souls, found a new Proof of our GOD's being the Hearer of Prayer. I ſay again, theſe things being ſo, I hope none who are not engaged in the ſame rage againſt GOD, with theſe his Enemies and ours, upon his Account will doubt but their whole procedure againſt me in this matter has been a Decreed and intended Murder, not only againſt me, but alſo my Bleſſed LORD and Maſter in and through me. And leaſt any ſhould miſtake me here, let them but conſider theſe Three Scriptures. Firſt, He that touches you, touches the Aple of mine Eye. Secondly, In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted. Thirdly, Paul, Paul, Why perſecuteſt thou me? And I hope the miſtake ſhall be rubbed off. And now having through the Bleſſing and Aſſiſtance of the Almighty, gotten my Teſtimony brought to this Paſs, that the caſe betwixt his People and them is clearly ſtated; to evidence, that not only I, but ſuch others of our perſwaſion, all the Nations over, are indeed Chriſtians, I reſolve in the LORD'S ſtrength, as he ſhall aſſiſt, to leave behind me a Teſtimony of my Tenderneſs, both to the Souls and Bodies, of ſuch as has given no ſmall Proof of their Thirſting after my blood, in dealing with them, as follows:

And now, unto his Majeſty our King, muſt I Addreſs my ſelf, and to all under him, from his Brother the Duke of York, to all the Counſellors, whether Publick or Secret, in the Three Kingdoms; and under them, to all the Sheriffs, Juſtices, with their Clerks and Pendicles of Court, even to theſe of the meaneſt Office (I mean the Dempſters) and after theſe, to the whole Magiſtrates of Burrows with their Pendicles to the loweſt; and then to all the Members of theſe p. 20Parliaments, ſince his Majeſty's Reſtauration, whether ſuch as did ſit there by Birth, or were Elected; and as to theſe Elected, even to their Electors: and in a Word, to all and ſundry who have concurred with, Homologate or Ratified your Unjuſt Sentences pronunced againſt the Almighty, whether more directly, or at leaſt in his Members.

Now, as to you all and ſundry, I declare in the Entry of my Addreſs, as in the ſight of Jehovah, whoſe I am, and before whom both you and I, e're long, muſt ſtand naked and bare, to anſwer for all we have done in the Fleſh, That my deſign in this my Addreſs, next to the Glory of GOD, the Good and Edification of his People, and conſequently the advancement of his Work. The Third thing which the LORD my GOD has held before my Eyes in all this my Trial, has been your Conviction from the higheſt to the loweſt, if poſſible; and that I may the better reach that end my Bleſſed LORD has determined my Heart to follow this Method, Firſt, To deal more particularly with you in laying before your eyes the Egregiouſneſs of your Sin. Secondly, To Expoſtulate with you to return from the ſame to GOD'S Glory, and your own Souls Eternal well-being. And Thirdly, And if in this I prevail not, to remonſtrate the hazard of refuſing this my Warning. And Fourthly, To take Inſtruments upon what the LORD by me, the Unworthieſt of his Servants, has been doing for you, and of your Refuſal (I mean as to ſo many as ſhall be ſo far left of the LORD, as to refuſe the ſame, and Oh! that there might be few ſuch) then I am to leave my Companions in Tribulation, and Brethren in our ever Bleſſed and Eldeſt Brother Chriſt Jeſus, the LORD of Glory with a word of Exhortation, and ſo Conclude,

Now, Great Sir, for to you and all under you, and who inſtigate you to and concurred with you in theſe Soul-deſtroying Practices, I am in the ſtrength of Jehovah to remonſtrate, I Addreſs my ſelf, and in the firſt place, muſt take the liberty to tell you in the Name of my great Lord and Maſter Jeſus C riſt, that it is not unknown to your Majeſty, nor any of theſe to whom I Addreſs my ſelf, jointly with you, that not only at your Coronation, your Majeſty and all under you, from the higheſt to the loweſt, but alſo before theſe whole Nations were, and yet are engaged in a moſt Solemn Covenant with the Ever-Living GOD, Party Contracter on the one hand, and your Majeſty and all under you in theſe Nations, from the higheſt to the loweſt; on the other hand, to the obſervance of which Covenant, theſe Nations and all in them, ſhall forever be bound and obliged, from the higheſt to the loweſt, while Sun and Moon endures; neither is there any imaginable way of Diſſolving the ſame, eſpecially conſidering, that therein our Obligation being only to Amend our Lives, and to Worſhip the Almighty GOD, conform to his own Appointment, and to oppoſe our ſelves, our Lives and Fortunes, to all courſes and ways inconſiſtent with theſe ends; theſe being Moral Duties to which we were Antecedently bound, as is the Nature alſo of all the Duties we are obliged to by theſe Covenants. Now Great Sir, the Caſe being thus, I hope ye will not judge your ſelf obliged to ſuch as makes this Defence for breaking of theſe Covenants, that your Majeſty was forced thereto, for indeed I look upon it as a great imputation upon your Majeſty eſpecially being Stiled Defender of the Faith, to have been in any meaſure under either Neceſſity or Conſtraint, to have joined in a Duty ſo abſolutly neceſſary, p. 21and if there was any thing of force where was the Intimation thereof? ſure I am there was nothing thereof publickly to be ſeen, and yet giving but not granting it had been ſo your Majeſty and all under you; were unexpreſſibly more obliged to the performance therefore, then were the People of Iſreal to the performance of that made with the Gibeonites as may be ſeen above, nor ſhall I think your Majeſty will think your ſelf obliged to them, who ſhould for Vindication of your Breach of theſe Covenants offer this Defence, that your Majeſty is under Covenant of a poſterior date bound to the Pope and ſome of his Creatures to introduce Popery, and to Emancipate theſe Territories to that Antichriſtian Yoke, if any ſuch thing be, as the Carriage of the Court this conſiderable time too loudly inſinuates, Sure I am it were more for your Majeſties Honour, and the Glory of God, and the good of your Nations to break that Covenant than to keep it, it being a Covenant made againſt the Almighty, which by no imaginable pretence can be juſtified; but leaving theſe things to your Majeſties conſideration, and to the conſideration of ſuch as may with you be concerned herein: I muſt make bold to ask again, by what Authority you came to Diſſolve this Contract? (yea I may ſay, and that upon good Grounds as Glorious a Contract as ever was made on Earth, while Adhered to of as Glorious effects) I ſay I muſt make bold to ask by what Authority this is broken? and unleſs you be ſo bold as to run your ſelf upon Boſſes of the Buckler of the Almighty, in refuſing that which the Juſtice Clerk but faintly granted (which the Lord avert) I mean unleſs you deny Jehovah to be Supreme Lord and Maſter of Heaven and Earth; and all the Kings and Governors in the Earth to be his Deputies and Servants, I ſhall defy you or any Mortal to ſatisfy me in this, if you conſider what is ſaid before on this Subject, and what is contained in the ſeveral Authors abovementioned on this Matter, Now we ſhall take it for granted, that theſe Covenants ſtands ſtill binding, and I am ſure we have good ground ſo to do, for any thing we have either read or heard to the contrary. Then great Sir muſt I in the next place ask, how it comes to paſs, that over the belly of theſe Covenants Epiſcopacy and Eraſtianiſme (againſt which as to the unlawfulneſs thereof, and their inconſiſtency with the Word of God, who have ſo many Teſtimonies ſtanding in Record, not only in the Word of God, but in other Humane Writings, drawn and founded thereupon, without the leaſt ſatisfaction offered by our Adverſaries) come to be introduced amongſt us who beſide the unlawfulneſs of the things themſelves have this to ſay, that we have Sworn with Hands lifted up to the Almighty, not only never to join w…th, but with our Lives and Fortunes to oppoſe either, I ſay how comes theſe not only to be introduced, but we by Armed force Hunted, Haraſſed, Plundered, Tortured and Hailed to Scaffolds, for no other Reaſon, but our refuſing? Anen… which the unlawfulneſs of the things were to us ſufficient Warrand though we had not been in Covenant, but much more being under the ſame, as for my part I can Dream of no Reaſon for introducing of theſe, being ſtrangers in the Church of Chriſt, not only in his own bleſſed time, and the time of the Apoſtles who ſurvieved him; But alſo for three hundred Years thereafter, Nor do I ever hear or Read that any other uſe they were p. 22introduced but for that Antichriſt, that Man of Sin his Exaltation, being made uſe of the one for his Advancement is that damnable abſolute Supremacy of his in the Church, and the other for the ſame and in the State, and truely if this be the thing, it does not a little confirm me in the Belief of that ſecond Covenant you and your Brother have made with the Pope, which I ment… a little above.

B… I ſay, How come the Subjects of Britain and Ireland, to be forced to a Complyance with theſe? Sure, you ſay by your Principles, that you allow not of the forcing of Mens Conſciences by the Sword, looking upon it as a Turkiſh way, as Prelate Paterſon ſaid to my lately Martyred Brother, John Wilſon, and why are you worſe than Turks, in this violently Practiſing, contrary to your Principles. In the next place, I come to enquire at your Majeſty, why this Monſtruous abominable Teſt, which the Turk himſelf could not but Scunner at, is not only Enacted to be taken by all his Majeſties Subjects here in S…otland, but alſo by Violence and Force obtruded on many both Gentle and Semple, Rich and Poor! Why this is done I cannot Divine, if it be not to let the World ſee, you mind to out-do Prou… Pharoch, in daring the Almighty? And why, Pray you, is there a thing called, An Act made Diſcharging People to Aſſoci…te tog…ther upon any pretence whatſoever, for their own innocent and neceſſary ſelf D…fence without your Majeſties ſpecial Command, and this alſo Sworn to in that horred Teſt? It is not unknown to any, that there may many Emergents fall out, that may make this, which is by that pretended Law, made no leſs than Treaſon, become a moſt neceſſar and indiſpenſible Duty, as in the caſe of a ſudden Invaſion by an Enemy, your Majeſty being at a great diſtance, and who knows, but the Alarm may be keeped from your Majeſty by ſome keeped about Court for that end? Who doubts, but in ſuch a Caſe, abſolute Neceſſity will become a Law to the People? And who doubts, but if for fear of this Law any ſhould ly by, but they might be arraigned as yet greater Traitors? And if in this caſe this ſhould be juſtifiable, why not in ours, being ſo in humanly Aſſaulted by a company of Murdering Papiſts, Atheiſts, or worſe? And for any thing we know, his Majeſty being all this while a great ſtranger to our Affairs, through the induſtry of ſome diſaffected to the way of GOD, who are keeped about Court for that end; I ſay this, as alſo that by the Inſtigation of ſuth, there is a pretended Law made, Diſcharging any under the Pain of Treaſon to meet or Conſult, in order to the Remonſtrating of our Caſe to his Majeſty, will to all unbyaſſed, ſufficiently Warrand our innocent ſelf Defence, as to what may be objected againſt this, having hinted a little in the fore part of my Teſtimony, and the whole of our buſineſs in theſe being ſufficiently juſtified by the ſeveral Authors abovementioned without any Anſwer as yet. I ſay again, Why are all theſe things done? And now further, let me ask at your Majeſty; Why are our Priſons keeped ſtill throng with Prſoners, ſome Aged, ſome Infirm and Tender, ſome out of Capacity to mantain themſelves, for no other cauſe, but that they deſire to keep a Conſcience void of Offence towards GOD and towards Man, and ſome Honourable Ladies alſo; for no other Reaſon, than for Reſetting and hearing of ſome honeſt and faithfull Miniſters in their Houſes, or Reſetting p. 23or Refreſhing ſome of the LORD'S People in their Neceſſities; I am ſure none who ever read the 25 Chapter of Matthew from the 31ſt Verſe to the end, will look upon this as a capital Crime, but as an indiſpenſible Duty. I ſay it again, why are all theſe things done? is it to ſatisfie theſe Blood-thirſty Prelats of yours, or ſome of the Popiſh Party whom your Brother has flocking about him in Swarms?

Great, Sir all theſe ſmall Sins? And beſides are theſe Inumerable other Sins, have you and all theſe, to whom with you I Addreſs my ſelf to anſwer for, and that the Weight thereof may be a little better laid open to your Majeſty, and theſe others I pray be at the pains with me to Recapitulate the ſame yet once more, it is no ſmall Sin do you think to break the Covenant with GOD and to force your Subjects to do alſo? Is it no ſmall ſin to caſt off the way of GOD, and to Baniſh that Religion of his own Appointment, and introduce that amongſt us, which both your Majeſty and all under you have Vomited up and thrown out by that Solemn Oath? Is it no ſmall Sin do you think to Impoſe Contradictory Oaths upon your People and ſo to force them to open Rebellion againſt the Almighty? Is it no ſmall thing to Tye your People as it were with Fetters of Iron, till they get their Throats cut by that Atheiſticall, Papiſticall, Malignant party, to whom you have lent your Ear, now theſe two and Twenty Years and refuſe all hearing to your moſt faithful and Loving Subjcts, I mean ſuch as are deſiring as to give the Almighty GOD what is due, in the next Place to give Ceſar what is his, are all theſe ſmall Faults think you? Is it a ſmall thing think you to ſtrive with the Son of GOD for State, and to preſume to thruſt him out of his Chair in his Church which is his due as only head thereof? And yet to cauſe your Subiects Swear this is horrid Blaſphemy. Is it no ſmall Sin think you to lift up your ſelf above the Almighty, and to ſet up your Humane Laws above his Divine ones? I ſay are all theſe ſmall Sins? If you either ſay or think, ſo I muſt take leave to tell you, I differ from you in Judgement, and muſt further tell you my Sentiments thereof, and indeed great Sir, I look upon all theſe things as moſt Horrid Acts of Rebellion againſt the Almighty, what Sir if the meaneſt of theſe Intruſted by your Majeſty in any Publick truſt, had offered the Thouſand part of that Indignity to your Majeſty, as to have openly and Avowedly before the Sun torn, a Contract betwixt your Majeſty, and the reſt of your Subjects; and told all your Subjects, that from this his Deed they were obliged to joyn with him, in this ſame Contempt of your Majeſty, and ſhould have further told your Majeſty's Subjects, that your Power and Authority wsa to Cede to his, and that your Majeſties juſt Laws made in free Parliaments, were to vail their Cape to his petty Acts, and ſo forth of the reſt, would not your Majeſty have thought ſuch a Perſon ſtark Mad, and have cauſed drag him out as a Traitor and Rebell (and that juſtly,) for ſo doing.

And truely, whatever might have Juſtifyed your Majeſty in ſo doing, can not but Infinitely, more juſtify our moſt Glorious GOD in Serving your Majeſty, and all under you who have Concurred in this Rebellion, at that Rate of Draging you forth, and giving you your Portion with the Workers of Iniquity, this will be the more clear, if your Majeſty conſider what I have hinted before, and what is more fully contained in the Author abovementioned, and this your horrid p. 24Rebellion againſt the Almighty, is not a little Aggravatee from the Peaceable Reſtauvation you was Tryſted with ſo immediately, before the ſame, what was this your return, for that ſo ſignall Providence? Sure you cannot think, that in this you were in your Duty; I hope by this time your Majeſty, is rightly Airted where to find out the Traitors and Rebells in your Dominions, even there where any are who have Inſtigated, and Counſelled your Majeſty to this Horrid Rebellion, whoever they be, if it were even your Brother the Duke of York, to the meaneſt under your Majeſty, now having in ſome Meaſure laid before your Majeſty, the Greivouſneſs of theſe Sins, with which your Majeſty, and theſe to whom with your Majeſty, I Addreſs my ſelf are called to charge your ſelves, and Mourn, For I am in the next place come to the ſecond part of of my Task, which your Majeſty may Remember was to Expoſtulate with you for a return from the ſame to GOD's Glory, ahd your own Souls Eternal Well being, which in the Aſſiſtance of my GOD, I ſhall eſſay as follows.

Now let me obteſt you all in the Bowels of my Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt, if you have any Reſpect to the Glory of GOD, to the Eternal well being of your own Immortall Souls to the well being of your Poſterity, and to the Peace and well being of theſe Nations of which you are all Members (thought of different Sizes) in the fear of GOD that you wobld lay a ſide your Enmity againſt GOD and followed that Advice given in the Second Pſalm from the 10 Verſe to the Cloſe, and that you may be the better helped to this Read and ponder well that whole Pſalm, not forgetting to pray over your Meditations thereupon, and ſet ſome time a part for conſidering the greatneſs of the Affronts you have to Jeovah in all theſe Acts and Actions, we have been weakly hinting at conſidering therein, your Unparalleled Deſpite done to the Spirit of God, in ſetting your ſelves ſo palpably againſt the Almighty, and ſetting up your Mock Laws againſt and above that unerring Law of his, I mean his Bleſſed will Revealled in his Word, as alſo the Weight of the Blood you have Engaged your Shoulders under, in exceuting theſe your Abominable wicked Laws, which is no leſs then the whole Blood ſhed, ſince the Blood of Righteous Abel to this very hour, for this conſider thar Paſſage in the 23 of Mathew, from the 29 to the 37 Verſe, the more Faithfull you are or any of you ſhall be helped to be in Judging your ſelves in this matter, the greater hope in your caſe, I pray God none of you be ſo far left to your ſelves, as to offer to ſhift off this Charge, which I am ſure you ſhall never have gaound to do till you have Solidly Anſwered all that is written in the Word of GOD, for binding the ſame upon you, as alſo in the abovementioned and amongſt the reſt in this poor and Feckleſs eſſay of mine, which I declare as in the ſight of GOD I have Ventured upon, next to the Glory of GOD,, and the good of his people, with an Eye to the Everlaſting Well-being of the Souls of one and all of you, even of my moſt inveterate Enemy, Mr. Paterſon Prelate of Edinburgh as you call him, and becauſe neither time will allow, nor is this ſo properly my Task; I Recommend it to you for your help here to conſult the Writings of our Faithful Divines, both in Britain and Ireland, where you may meet with what may before your better help in this indiſpenſible neceſſary duty, and whither I come ſpeed or not I muſt adviſe you alſo even to conſult in this matter ſuch of your faithfull Miniſters as are yet amongſt us, I think it but reaſonable p. 25you ſhould Eſſay this in the time of your Health, which not a few of you have ventured upon at your Death fearing that then it may prove too late, for ſeldom is late Repentance ſure Repentance: Now if you ſhall be helped of the Lord to grant me this my Suit which is ſo much for the Glory of GOD, the good of your own Soul, the good of your Poſterity and of the Lands wherein you live, I do nothing doubt but e're all be done you ſhall find Reaſon to bleſs the Lord, and to alter your Sentiments not only of me, but of all who with me have been ſo tender of your Souls as not to dare to harden you in your ſinful Courſes by Concurring and going alongſt with you in theſe ſo Horrid Abominations, and ſhall not only think but find it verifyed upon your Spirits, that we have been (that which we are indeed) the only Faithful and Loyal Subjects in theſe Dominions, endeavouring in our Stations to render to the Almighty GOD what is his, and to Caeſar what is his, which is true Loyalty indeed; For we dare not Join with theſe that have in their rage againſt GOD combined with his Deputes againſt him, and if you ſhall be yet ſo far hardened as to refuſe this my ſo Uſeful and to you profitable Advice, Then muſt I come in the third place to Remonſterate the Hazard of your Refuſal, which cannot fail but to be upon this Account the greater that you ſhall refuſe a Meſſage as it were ſent from the Dead unto you, and ſo a greater ſtep of God's Infinite Condeſcendancy unto you.

Well then that in this Matter I may be the more particular with you, I ſhall Obteſt one and all of you to Conſider what ye will do in the day of Viſitation, I mean in the great and terrible Day of the LORD (for as to particular Viſitations in time, it may be you have laid your Count by them, and therein done fooliſhly enough to) when our bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt (againſt whom ye have been raging theſe two and twenty Years, and it may be ſome of you longer) ſhall ſet his Throne in the Clouds, and cauſe ſound the laſt Trumpet at the hearing whereof, all that ever had a being muſt Anſwer and Compear, and Stand Naked before our Great King and Head of his own Church, to whom the Father has Commited the Judgment, and anſwer for what they have done in the Fleſh: Which His coming is as it ſhall be the the Joyfuleſt ſight that ever the People of the Lord did ſee, ſo to all the wicked it ſhall be the moſt dreadful and terrible day that ever their Eyes beheld, and this the rather that they could never be induced to believe the ſame in time, ſo it ſhall be a Dreadful ſurpriſal to them.

And now to begin with your Majeſty, great Sir are you at a Point what to do in that day? It is Poſſible for what Straits you have Forecaſten in time you are at a Point, to Shelter under the Wings of that Antichriſt, that Man of Sin, the Pope, with ſome of his Aſſociats as the Kings of France and Spain, and ſuch others as with you have Combined againſt the Lord, but what if even as to that you be Diſappointed? And what if all theſe have their hands Filled at Home, ſo as they ſhal not have a Man to Spare to you, to ſend either to England, Scotland or Ireland, Sure I am what ever Confidence you may have in them as to that (which the Lord himſelf Break) yet in that Day none of theſe ſhall Avail you.

And for the Duke of York, have you Sir thought upon a Lurking Hole againſt p. 26that Day? Think not Sir to Wrap your ſelf in the Bloody Cloaths of theſe lately Murdered Martyrs, Noblemen and others, who by your Inſtigation are Murdered, for no other Cauſe, but that they have been Endeavouring the Security of the Proteſtant Religion (a Duty Indiſpenſibly called for at their hands) theſe ſhall be ſo far from being a Shelter for you, that you ſhall thereby be (yet more) laid open to the juſt Judgement of the Almighty.

Then for our Scots Cardinal, the Marquis of Huntly, and his Depute the Chancelor, whoſe true Epithete ye may Read in the 9th. of Jeremiah the Latter part of the 8th. Verſe, what Dreams thir Men of hiding themſelves? Sure they cannot be ſo Infatuate as to think their Works of Supererogation (if the Murdering and Conſenting to the Murder of the Lords People be ſuch) ſhall prove a Covering Broad enough for them.

And for that Blood Thirſty Wretch Claver-Houſe, how thinks he to Shelter himſelf that Day? Is it Poſſible the Pitiful thing can be ſo Mad as to think to Secure himſelf by the Fleetneſs of his Horſe (a Creature he has ſo much Reſpect for, that he Regarded more the loſs of his Horſe at Drumclog, than all the Men that fell there, and Sure, on either party there fell Prettier Men than himſelf) no Sure, though he could fall upon a Chymist that could Extract the Spirits out of all the Horſe in the World, and Infuſe them in his one, though he were on that Horſe Back never ſo well Mounted, he need not Dream of Eſcaping.

Then for Meldrum, I think the Bigneſs of his Belly will ſecure him as to Truſting him in his Heels, what can he truſt in? Poſſibly he has laid up in Store ſo much of his Evil Conqueſt Goods, that he has Squized out of the People in Tiviotdale, the Mers, and other Places of the Nation, as he Intends to Bribe Juſtice that Day (a Trick too Common now a Dayes) but if this Fancy be in the head of that Belly-god, I would Undeceive him in time, for I can Aſſure him he will meet with a Diſappointment.

Now where thinks Major White to Shelter, he can not Poſſibly Dream of Creeping into Munſmegg, I am told ſhe is Riven by ſome of the Duke of Yorks Creatures, its like he may be ſeen through that Breach, but this will be found to him an Unſure hiding Place, the heat, the Vehement Heat of the Elements, that will be Melted that Day, may ſo Sore affect this Shelter as he ſhall be Melted out alſo.

Now for your Scots Pallas (I mean Sir James Turner another Major, a godly Leach indeed) what Dreams he to do that day, eſpecially when with his former and Latter Rage againſt the Almighty, he conſiders that Paſſage in his Pallas armata, wherein he does no leſs than Spitt Venom in the Face of our Bleſſed Lord in his poor Members, telling them that ſome of them will ſay, Curſe ye Meroz, who neither know whether Meroz be a Man, a Town, or a Country; Theſe are his words as I Remembered, and what if ſome of the meaner ſort of your Brethren, wanting the Benefite of Education, ſhould have been found in this particular Ignorant? was there any Hereſy here? Was it not enough for them to know, that whatever Meroz was, there was there a Threatening intended againſt all who ſhould refuſe Gods Call, to help our LORD againſt the Mighty and yet a far ſorer Wo againſt all ſuch as with him have Conſpired to help and harden the Mighty againſt the LORD, and if ſome ſuch ſhould have been Ignorant p. 27if he have ſeen Jackſon on the Fifth of the Judges, 23 Verſe, he dare not ſay all were ſo, I ſay what does this Viperous Pallas of ours intend that day? can the Body be ſo Mad as to think of Sheltering amongſt theſe Pikes of his? (a Weapon he ſo much Idolizes) which he muſt have ſo cloſely Served together, and when all is done, he muſt have a Rank of Horſe drawen up before them Armed all over. Now what if this ſhould not ſerve his turn even againſt Men? For who knows not, that as good a Fellow as himſelf, being oppoſite to him, might command off a Serjeant or Lieutenant, which a Commanded party of Halbardiers, and poſſibly a few Sythes Diſcharging them to return, till they have killed ſome of theſe Horſe? Sure I am in this caſe (which is nothing impoſſible) our Served Pikes behoved to ſtand ſtill, and ſo leave the Wings of Shot to advance alone (which I think he would not do of choice) or otherwiſe he muſt come over theſe Horſes Tumbling before him, and ſo indanger his falling in that Embarraſs, he is at ſo much pains to Guard his Diſciples againſt, and if this Shift of his can not ſecure him againſt Men (and I am ſure there are many Thouſands in the Nation Sharper ſighted in theſe Affairs, then either he or I) how does the Mad Creature Dream he ſhould here ſecure himſelf againſt the Almighty.

And now having Touched theſe few particularly, becauſe ſuch as I have Obſerved to be more Mad in Rage againſt the LORD, and againſt his Anointed than many of their Brethren; I inſiſt to poſe the reſt anent this ſame Queſtion, and in a more General manner, anent which e're I proceed, I ſhall give them this Advice, not to look upon their Sin as Specifically Different from the other, but only in degrees, and it may be ſome, I have not Named, be as far Benn in their Rage againſt their Maker, as theſe I have Named: I am under a Neceſſity here to mention …hat Wretched Creature (our Country Man) the very Bane of the Country, who if he be not as far advanced as any againſt our Lord, he is not to be blamed for it, ſince it is not want of Good-Will, but Pith, that keeps him back, his Name is Sir John Whitefoord of Milton, as to you with whom I am to deal more generally, if ye be Conſcious to your ſelves of leſs Activity in this Rebellion, nor your Brethren, your work of Repentance will be the more eaſie which I beg our good God may both facilitate and haſten.

I come then firſt to the Members of Parliament, that have been under our King the great Agents in all this lamentable Cataſtrophe, whether ſuch as are ſo by Birth or Election, and as to theſe who have been ſuch by Election even to their Electors; And at you I inquire, where think you to ſhelter in the Great Day of the Lord? I can not think you are ſo Mad as to Dream that his Majeſties Letter will ſerve your Turn here. I ſuppoſe you know your Privileges better, that it is due right in conjunction with his Majeſty to Enact Laws in this Realm, and ſure when theſe Laws, againſt which, I in the ſtrength of my bleſſed Maſter have ſet my ſelf, came to be enacted, you could not but know that theſe ſame were not only contrary, directly contrary to the Will of God, your and our Supream Lord and Maſter, but alſo contrary to the very many then and ſtill ſtanding Laws, (notwithſtanding theſe mock ones of yours to the contrary) how then durſt you in obedience to that Letter do any thing, or meddle with any Oath that might import either a Reſiling from our greateſt Soveraign, or a Counteracting of Laws, by as good, at leaſt, if not better p. 28Fellows than your ſelves? I mean our own Predeceſſors who have had more of the Countenance of God one day than you can with the leaſt ſhadow of Reaſon pretend to theſe twenty two, or twenty three Years.

And for your Electors, have you this to produce for your Vindication that you called the Members by you Elected to an Account for their Malverſation? If you have not this, I hope I need not tell you, that you muſt cover under the Short and Narrow Mantle of the Kings Letter with the reſt, and againſt you and theſe Elected by you, and theſe ſitting there by Birth, ſhall the relinquiſhing of theſe Parliaments on theſe Terms of both Sorts, not only be a ſtanding Teſtimony, but ſhall alſo quite Denude you of your poor ſhort and Narrow Mantle, can you Dream or think a Letter from our poor Clay King, can not only Vindicate you from what juſt Reſentment you may (in our bleſſed Lords time and way) meet with from ſucceeding free Parliaments; but alſo from what our Glorious Lord himſelf may juſtly quarrel you with, for ſuch groſs affronts againſt the Sacred Majeſty of Heaven in theſe Helliſh Acts, and Actings? I ſay, can ye be ſo mad as to Dream theſe things? If you be, I can aſſure you, in the bleſſed Name of my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, you ſhall find but a pitiful and empty Dream.

Next muſt I come to the Sheriffs, Conſtables, Bailies of Burrows and Regalitys with all others under his Majeſty, and free called Parliaments of whatſomer Rank quality or condition, and ask at you where you mind to ſhelter i… that Day for your Executing of theſe GOD provocking, Soul Deſtroying, Church-Conſounding, Nation Dividing and only Devil pleaſing Acts of theirs? Th…nk ye to Shelter your ſelves either under theſe Acts themſelves, or the Authority of the the Perſon enacting the ſame? Know you not that theſe Acts in their full vigour are againſt the Almighty, and have for their te…dency next to his diſhonour the confounding of his Church, Oppreſſion of his People both as to their Spiritual and Temporal Privileges, and the pleaſure of Belzebub only and his Agents? And think you the Authority of theſe pitiful Servants and Deputes will ſhelter you from our great LORD himſelf, whoſe diſpleaſure in theſe affairs you could not be ignorant of if it were not wilfully, which will never excuſe you, and if you, will not believe me, I hope ye will Sir George M'kenzie of Roſehaugh, who ſays the ſame in his Treatiſe of Criminals, and ſince I have here met with him, I muſt anent him tell you a very ſad Story, I being at the Caſtle-hill of Edinburgh upon a Morning with two Commerads, ſome 17 or 18 years ago, he and Sir George Lockart and Sir Andrew Birnie, if my Memory ſerve me ſtanding by us, looking upon ſome Companies of Foot who were Marching down the Long-Gate to Leith Links, who were Levied a little after the Reintroduction of the Horrid Prelates, I heard him diſtinctly ſay, the Devil take me if ever I loved the Church that ſtood in need of ſuch Ruling Elders as theſe; I tell this the rather that the Reader with me may the better paſs our Judgment anent this Man, who has oftner than once or twice Raked Hell for Inventions to Vent his Love to that Church, which he ſeemed then to loath, and his rage againſt our GOD in that Church which he did, at leaſt tacitely then ſeem to be a favourer of, Well may I ask at this Gentleman if he has Ratified this his ſo frank Reſignation to the Devil? O is it his ſtruglings in this Matter that Occaſions that Horror in his Conſcience, p. 29which ſome call Hypocondrick Fitts, others Excerciſe? If it be a Right Chriſtian Exerciſe indeed, I pray it may be through; but his ſo frequent Relapſes, gives the more Ground than I deſire to fear the contrary.

In the next place, I come to ask at the Soldiers of a lower degree, for with the Officers I have met already, and what I have ſaid to one, I expect they will be ſo favourable to themſelves, as to look upon ſaid to all, unleſs they have ſome particular Exceptions that I know not of, the benefite of which I allow them, deſiring them rather to err in judging of themſelves too much than too little. And to you Soldiers I ſay, where think you to ſhelter your ſelves in the great Day of our LORD? Do ye Dream to ſhelter your ſelves under the Command of your Supream Officers? If ſo, I think you have a very pitiful Plea, for in the firſt place, hereby you denude your ſelves of the priviledge due to all Rational Creatures (I mean of your Diſcretive Judgment) and in the next place, the commands of all created Powers, is only in ſo far a Warrand to the Obſervant as that command Quadrats and agrees with the will of our Supream Lord and Maſter, which I affirm ſtill to be the Supream Law: Now where are you Poor things, if theſe Commands you have been obeying be Diametrically oppoſite to the Supream Law, I mean the revealed will of our Supream Lawgiver, which none who duely ponders what is here written, with what is contained in the abovementioned Authors, will eaſily get refuſed, if this hold as ſurely it muſt for any thing we have heard to the contrary, then you are ſtill to ſeek for a ſhelter, for your Officers Commands will no more ſecure you, than their Superiors did them, which is not at all as you may ſee above, and I hope yet more afterward. For my own part, I muſt here Vent my Opinion which is, I look upon no more as Lawfull but what is purely Defenſive, neither do I think, the War gets the Denomination of Offenſive or Defenſive, from the Priority or Poſteriority of Parties contending in their Aſſaults, or infalls upon one another, ſo much as upon the Equity or Iniquity of the ground of the Quarrel, he upon whoſe ſide Equity ſtands, being ſtill Defender, and the other Offender, and this in all the Revolutions of the War, to the end, whoever purſue, whoever Fly, whoever give the firſt, whoever give the ſecond blow, (I mean with the Sword) for the War with me is determined as to its nature er'e it come to blows if it begin not by a blow, which ſeldom falls out: And now I hope my Lord Boyd, as I remember, is ſatisfied as to that Curious Queſtion proponed by him to me by another, who (if I remember right was Mr. David Thores, Advocate) in the Outter Houſe, when I was Overſeeing the Writing of my Subſcribed Declaration, propoſed the ſame, which was, If the Infall upon Glaſgow was in ſelf Defence? I am ſure it was, however pitifully managed by ſome there.

And now in the laſt Place (fearing I have been too Tedious already) I muſt Adreſs my ſelf to a Mixt Multitude ſome upon one Account, ſome upon another, who may Poſſibly think they have not been ſo Active as the Reſt, as being as but they call it Paſſive in the thing, if the Enacters and others above Spoken to have been Guilty in their Activity, Dream not of Eſcaping under that Feg Tree Leaf of Paſſive Obedience a Perfect Chimera (in the matter of Sin) for there is nothing will Juſtify Sin, whether Committed Active or Paſſive, and to call a Mans Sufferings for not Sinning Paſſive Obedience is to make …ſe of an Unproper p. 30Speech, for it is indeed Diſobedience and Suffering for the ſame, and to Dream theſe have been Simply Paſſive, to whom I am to Addreſs my ſelf, becauſe their Practice is Warranted by a Human Law, their Tranſgreſſion being againſt the Almighty GOD Jehovah, yet more Unproper. You ſhall know the Perſons I intend here are ſuch Maſters of Ground in the Country, as for fear of Mens Laws have Refuſed our Bleſſed Lord, ſo much of their Ground as to meet with his People in for Preaching and Praying, and the Reſt of the Duties of Publick Worſhip, though the Earth be the Lords and the Fullneſs thereof, then ſuch Maſters of Houſes, whether in Burgh or Landwart, as Refuſe the Poor People of GOD, either Shelter, Meat or Drink, then ſuch as Concur with our more Active Enemies in putting us in Priſon, Convoying us to Scaffolds, meeting us in Croſs ways, looking upon us with Satisfaction in the Day of Diſtreſs, and Refuſing for fear to Viſit us in our Diſtreſs as they are called (but Bleſſed be the Lord, many of his Poor People have found them among their Chiefeſt Enlargements) ſuch I ſay, as are Guilty of theſe and many others of that Nature, theſe being Sirs, all againſt GOD, as you may ſee on the Margine of the Scriptures Cited there, the Committing thereof, can neither be Excuſed by the Commands or Laws of Men, nor by that Diſtinction of Paſſive Obedience, which I ſaid in the matter of Sin is a Meer Chimera, becauſe I had this Paſſive Obedience offered to me by Sir John Lauder, whom I did not know then to be Sir John, and therefore called him only Mr. Lauder, for which I hope he will readily Excuſe me my Ignorance. Being in ſome ſort Invincible, I ſhall firſt give an Account of that meeting and what paſt there, then Endeavouring to Satisfy Sir John in that matter, and afterward Return to the Perſons I have in hand, ſome three or four Days before my Eſcape being called down, I knew not to whom nor for what End, till I was Convoyed by one of the Keepers unto a little Room in the Hall, where I ſees Sir John and another Gentleman, whom I knew not then; but Underſtands ſince to have been a Brother of the Juſtice Clerks, Andrew Young Writer to the Signet, Mr. John Vaſs one of the Keepers, and another Gentleman, whom I knew neither then nor could learn ſince; when I came in, Sir John Lauder Saluted me, telling me, that partly out of Reſpect to my Father, his Father, and mine being Old Accquaintance, and partly out of Reſpect to my ſelf, he had come to Pay me a Viſite, I told him there was no Civil Gentleman but ſhould be Welcome to Viſite me, then they deſired me to Sit down, I am no ſooner Sit down, than Sir John tells me he did Compaſſionate my Condition, I told him I was not ſenſible of any thing in my Condition that called for his Compaſſion (for which I Bleſſed then, and I hope ſhall ever Bleſs my GOD) he ſays, why are you ſo Tenacious in the matter of Defenſive Arms? I told him I had for me, in that, not only the Example of Abraham the Father of the Faithful, but which was yet more two Precepts by my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, the one that, Sell your Coat, and buy a Sword, the other that, when you are Perſecute out of one City Fly to another, and beſides all theſe, the Law of Nature, the Law of Nations Generaly and Particularlly, our own and the Practice of all our Reformed Churches both at Home and Abroad: All theſe he paſt, and Touches at that, Sell your Coat and buy a Sword, ſo ſoon as he Mentioned this, I deſired him to beware of the Rock, Sir William Paterſon, in calling the Sword p. 31there the Sword of the Spirit, whereby he did no leſs than upon the matter Charge my Bleſſed Lord and Maſte…, with Commanding Simon (of this above) I told him my Anſwer to Sir William was, what? Were theſe two Swords the Diſciples produced, two Swords of the Spirit? To which I got no Anſwer, and all that Sir John offered here for my Satisfaction, was Mr. Dick do you think theſe two Swords were enough for all the Diſciples?

To which I Anſwered, for the time they were, and the Commiſſion was not concerned in what Swords were there or not, but was generall, and a Warrand to all Chriſtains to make uſe of the ſame, in their own innocent ſelf Defence to the Worlds end. Then ſayes Mr. John Vaſs, Mr Dick you know the word Buy is variouſly taken in Scripture, ſometimes Figuratively as in that of Iſai: Buy Wine and Milk, &c. I told him, I knew that, but durſt he or any elſe ſay, it was taken ſo in the place under Debate? Adding, could there be any thing more clear or leſs Figurative then Sell your Coat, and as if he had ſaid with the price thereof Buy a Sword, Inſinuating that after his Departure they ſhould have more need of Swords then Cloaths. Mr. Vaſs was offering ſomewhat elſe, which I hindered by Charging him to beware of doing Violence to the Spirit of GOD, which when I was ſaying, I gave a Moderate chop upon the Table; For which I could not paſs without Andrew Youngs Check, that I was of a too fiery Spirit. To which I Anſwered, I knew I had a Natural Infirmity in that, but that the Lord had helped me in ſome Meaſure to ſtrive againſt it, gave me no ſmall Satisfaction: I told them alſo, theſe Swords our Bleſſed Lord gave Commiſſion to Buy were either for offence, Defence, or both (of which above) to this I got no Anſwer; Only I Remember Sir John Lauder told me ſomewhat of Paſſive Obedience, and Inſtanced Tertullian anent it, what it was I Totally Diſremember. But what ever it were, I muſt tell Sir John once for all, that ſuffering ſimply comes under no Divine Precept, and whatever he have elſe for it, I matter the leſs, ſince I have my Bleſſed Maſters Precept for Active Reſiſtance, Innocent ſelf Defence, this Serves me, and if he tell me I ought rather to ſuffer than Sin, I ſhall readily grant it, and yet in that give no Paſſive Obedience, but ſuffer for Diſobedience. But of this enough conſidering what is upon this head, contained in the abovementioned Authors, particularly Jus Populi.

Now thereafter, That modeſt and moderate Gentleman, I ſuppoſe his Name be Sir John Maitland, told me very meekly, he was very glad I had been interrupted in oppoſing my ſelf to the Laws of the Land in which I was a Subject, leaſt my caſe ſhould have been worſe. I Anſwered him with as much meekneſs as my hot ſpurred Nature was capable of, I knew no Laws I had oppoſed, which were not Diametrically oppoſite to the expreſs Texts of Scripture, which I judged neither I, nor any other Chriſtian was obliged to own for Laws, and that I had been hindered for to Defend my ſelf from the Word of GOD, and had gotten it denyed me by the Juſtice Clerk, that the ſame was the Supream Law, I judged a very great Injuſtice, for which they were all to Anſwer to GOD, with whom I knew that was ſtanding on Record. The Gentlemen ſaid nothing, but Sir John Lauder would have refuſed this, but I told him, chaping yet more eagerly upon the Table, What Sir? Ye refuſe me, that for which I have no fewer tha… Five Hundred Witneſſes, and which is yet more, I am ſure it ſtands Regiſtrate in Heaven.

p. 32Now to return where we left, to the Landlords in Landward and Towns, to theſe Convoyers to Priſons and Scaffolds a… others we have claſſed with you, What are you reſolved to do in that great and terrible Day of our Lord? Think not to ſhelter under theſe Laws, for the very Inactors themſelves as you have heard, ſhall be as far to ſeek as to ſhelter as you, nor ever dream, that your Lands and Houſes for preſervation whereof you have ſinned againſt my great Maſter, ſhall hear you when ye cry upon them, to hide you, may ye not expect ſuch an Anſwer from them as this? Do you not remember how long not only we but the whole Creation groaned under the burden of your Sins? As you Anſwered our Groans, then ſo ſhall we Anſwer you now. Conſider then Friends in time, where you will ſhelter, and what will you do in that day.

But now to come yet nearer you all in Bull…, let us make yet another Eſſay, for though I can not ſay with Paul, that I would be content to be Accurſed for my Brethren, nor yet with Moſes, Let my Name be Bloted out of the Book of Life; Yet I aſſure you my heart Yearns for my Acceptation of this my Feckleſs endeavour, and for a Bleſſing from my GOD to it, it may be it has been in Mercy to not a few, that GOD has put theſe things into my heart, and I may ſay has had the Patience by his Spirit, to Dictate theſe things to me, and if any of you reap Profite thereby; I obteſt you to return the whole Praiſe to my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter. Then to you all in cumulo, let me again propoſe this Queſtion, what are you Reſolved upon? Are you yet undetermined? Will ye not follow my ſimple Honeſt hearted Advice? Or will you not apply your ſelves to our Honeſt Miniſters up and down the Nations, both Old and Young for Council, whoſe it is more properly to deall in this Affair? I ſay will ye not hear me in theſe things? And do you not for all that is ſaid in the Word of God, nor that you have heard of others, nor from what you have heard from me your Poor Friend, believe that there is a God, that there is a Hell, that there is a Heaven, that there is a day of Judgement coming? I would fain hope it is not ſo with you, for in this you ſhould be worſe as to your caſe and condition, nor are the very Devils themſelves, for they believe all theſe things and Trimble. And yet indeed it would be matter of comfort to us to know, that ſome of you were come this length, though we hope better things of others, Believe, Believe Dear Friends what we are telling you from that Unerring Word of GOD, our Supream Law, leaſt you be forced Untimouſly ſo to do, which yet will be ſo much the ſadder unto you, if you Reject this my Friendly Advice.

I ſay again unto you all, What reſolve you to do in that Great and Terrible Day of the LORD? When Our Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Lamb of GOD, for Meekneſs and Pleaſa…tneſs to His People, but to all who ſhall be found Enemies in that Day, The Lyon of the Tribe of Judah, and a very Terrible Lyon ſhall he be. What are you reſolved to do? Can it be poſſible, that Men who were created reaſonable Creatures can have fallen upon ſo Deſperate a Cure as this, I mean as to have Unanimouſly Reſolved (upon the firſt hearing of the Trumpet that day) to Loup quick into Hell, and there to hide themſelves?

Sure if this be the thing intended it ſhall not only be a Deſperately, Mad but ineffectual Reſolution alſo. What? Do you not know that thence alſo the Omnipotent Arm of Jehovah ſhall eaſily bring you out? Dream not I ſay, Dream p. 33not of any eſcape, for the Interrogation here what ſhall you do, imports a very ſtrong Negation of all poſſible means of Shunning that great Appearance? where will you, will not every individual one of you appear before that Lyon, however averſe you may be from it? and I dare not but tell you, that to look upon his (to you) terrible Countenance ſhall be more afflicting, more tormenting, more aſtoniſhing, more Soul and Conſcience wounding than a thouſand Years Torment in Hell? this I can aſſure you of, and this you ſhall never ſhun by no means imaginable: So if you be reſolved to refuſe my friendly Exhortation and Advice I muſt here warn you b…fore him to make ready, to anſwer for all you have done in the Fleſh, and though to ſome of you the ſlighting of this my Advice may be the laſt; Yet it ſhall not be the leaſt of the Challenges you ſhall meet with this day. Now I hope I have prevailed with the moſt part, if not all of you to Believe, that before this Lyon you muſt come and look him in the Face alſo, and before him anſwer for what you have done in the fleſh, and having told you who is to be your Judge, for your further fitting for that Rancounter I ſhall alſo tell you by what Law you are to be Judged, even by the written Word of GOD, wherein is contained our Bleſſed LORD's revealed Will, that ſelf ſame Law that you refuſe to be ſupream, and when my Companion in Tribulation and fellow Sufferer for Chriſt Jeſus George Lapſly called it the Acts of Parliament of Heaven pertinently enough, yet ſome of your Number in rage againſt our great Law maker Diſdainfully did Laugh, I ſay by this ſelf ſame Law are you all and every one of you to be Judged: And however you may be ſo Diabolically bold, as to Contemn it now, you ſhall not then dare to whiſper in the leaſt againſt it. Now having told who is to be Judges, and what the Law by which you are to be Judged, if you incline to know who are to be Witneſſes, we tell you even your own Conſciences with that great Book of Remembrance, the comparing of which together ſhall be as ſufficient as Millions of Witneſſes. Then for your Aſſizers, know you are to have the whole Generation of the Righteous, and amongſt the reſt, even theſe whom you in your rage againſt the Almighty have ſlain for the Teſtimony of our bleſſed Lord and Maſter Chriſt Jeſus, whom you have not only Renounced your ſelves (as Head of his Church) but alſo are raging in madneſs againſt all ſuch as will not with you run into the ſame exceſs of Riot. The Dyet of your Compearance we have told you before.

And now again I Obteſt and Charge you, as you ſhall Anſwer to the ever Living GOD, that you either grant me my former Freindly Requeſt and Chriſtian Exhortation, or otherwiſe make you ready to ſtand Naked and Bare before this our ever Bleſſed Judge, and there to be in Readineſs as to Anſwer for all you have done in the Fleſh in General, ſo to this our Particular Charge following, to which we would very Gladly know what you ſhall be able to Anſwer. Now again I Charge you all from the Higheſt to the Loweſt, that you (Staging your ſelves in the Sight of our Bleſſed Lord, whom to your Sad Experience you ſhall find in that Day to be to you a Lyon indeed) may make ready to Anſwer theſe following Queries, wherein becauſe you are all Equally truely concerned, though there be amongſt you as to them ſome Gradual Difference, we are to Poſe you all in Cumulo, being Reſolved in the Lords p. 34Strength to Touch more Particularly, at the Perſons more Particularly concerned in the ſeveral Queſtions. And firſt, what will you Anſwer for that Unparalelled Act of Rebellion againſt Jehovah? I mean your Overturning the whole Work of Reformation, that ſo very Glorious Work, and ſo Correſpondent to the Revealed will of GOD, as that Excerciſed and Practiſed by our Bleſſed LORD himſelf, and his Holy Apoſtles, and all the ſeveral Churches their Succeſſors for not a few Hundreds of Years alter them, as is clear from the Word of GOD and the Writings of our Divines founded thereon, to which till this Hour, we have never ſeen nor Heard of any thing looking like a Satisfactory Anſwer; and this over the Belly of a moſt Solemn Covenant, to the Obſervance whereof every Individual Soul of you ſtands yet firmly Obliged (and I am ſure you muſt give me leave to ſay ſo, when you conſider you Refuſed me an Anſwer to the Queſtion, by what Authority are theſe Covenants-Infringed or Looſed?) And ſhall be while Sun and Moon Endures: And not only ſo but in the Room hereof, Introducing that Abominable and GOD Diſpleaſing Prelacy, a Weed which our Bleſſed LORD never Planted, yea which he was at no ſmall Pains, while in time to Guard his Diſciples againſt, in his ſeveral Exhortations to Study Humility and forbear Lording over their Brethren, and over the LORD's Inheritance, and ſeveral others to this Purpoſe, as alſo his brisk Checks for any think of this Nature that offered to ſet up tis head in his Bleſſed time, with his own Bleſſed Example, in Girding himſelf with a Towel and Waſhing his Diſciples Feet, in which you are yet the more Inexcuſable, that by the ſame Covenant, this Abominable Weed is forever thrown over the Hedges of the true Churches of Britain and Ireland, I mean theſe Presbyterian; I ſay what will you Anſwer for theſe things, when before the Son of GOD that Day? And further what will you yet Anſwer, for not only Practiſing ſo your ſelves, but alſo by Armed Force, Compelling the Reſt of the Nations to Concur with you in this ſo Abominable Combination and Rebellion againſt Jehovah? (of wich above) what will you Anſwer, I ſay? Do you think that Blaſphemous Maxim of your's (no Biſhop no King) will Serve your turn? No ſure, it will not. May ye not Expect a Severe Check from your Judge for that, when he ſhall tell you firſt, that it is Expreſly Contrary to his Revealed will? 2dly. That it is the ſame upon the matter with that Proponed by the Jews themſelves, to his ever Bleſſed ſelf in ſaying the owners of our Bleſſed LORD and Maſter, were no Friends to Caeſar, or does our King think to Anſwer he was Counſelled thereto will do his turn? No ſure he can not be ſo Mad. And what can theſe his Counſellors ſay? Sure nothing; this I am the rather to Believe, that I find none of them have any thing to Anſwer here and Sure much leſs there.

My ſecond Queſtion is, what will you anſwer to our ever bleſſed Lord and Maſter your Judge, when that Queſtion is propoſed to the King, how came it Sir that you were ſo inſolently bold and daring, as to Strive with me for State? And though my ever bleſſed Father bequeathed that upon me as one of my Royal Prerogatives to be King and Head of all my Churches, which as I was to lead and guide by my Spirit in their inviſible Capacity, ſo by my Spirit in my Servants (according to my Commiſſion to them) in their viſible Capacity, for which theſe my Servants were to me only to anſwer, and I p. 35having for their better encouragement and more diſtinct management of theſ… their affairs, left it on Record that the Spirits of the Prophets were ſubject t… the Prophets, ſo that my Churches in themſelves in the ſeveral Nations wer… Judicatories totally ſeparate in their Nature, and diſtinct from the Civil, they being ſpiritual, and for which they as to their behaviour were only anſwerable to me as Kings and other Judges were for their carriage in Civil, (this you have fully made out in the abovementioned Authors, and others our Divines as you may ſee in their Treatiſes) what will our King have to anſwer for himſelf here: I am ſure he will ſtand M…te, as will all theſe who have Combined with him in this their rage againſt the Almighty, in not only ſetting him upon our bleſſed Lords Chair (over Mala part) but alſo declairing this a Privilege Inherent to the Crown.

My third queſtion ſhall be next? What will one and all of you anſwer for Impoſing in ſuch a violent manner that horrid and Monſtrous Oath, the Test upon the Subjects of this Nation, anent which by and attour the Nonſenſe and contradictions I have Hinted before, you may from the Pen of a more Solid Judicious and Reverend Author, learn yet more of the Abominations thereof, (which if it be not come to your Hands already, I hope yet may come ſhortly in a ſmall Treatiſe againſt the Hearing of theſe Soul-Murdering Curats) I ſay, what will you anſwer to your Judge in that day for this? can it be poſſible that theſe Monſtrous Curats with the reſt of their curſed Clergy can think to ſhelter in that Mock Qualification they got added, that the Oath to them is Reſtricted to the King's power in externals? Now can theſe infrabrutal wretches think that a Qualification made poſterior to, and not contained in the Body of the Oath (in which they Swear expreſly to take the Oath in its true genuine Meaning, without equivocation or mental reſervation) can do their turn here; and though it were contained in their Oath, the Clauſe being general? And who knows not that fraus latet in generalibus, which no Man of Conſcience durſt ever Venture upon in the Matter of an Oath? And ſure I am the ſenſe of this his Majeſty's power in externals could be no Unknown thing to them who know that the Practice of the Law Makers is the beſt Commentare upon the general, Clauſes in their Laws, they can not but know that his Majeſty, his Council, and other Civil Judicatories meddle in the Examination of Miniſters, Doctrine, …ut putting and in putting of Miniſters and ſeveral others, which time and the Nature of this my Teſtimony will not allow me to enumerate: And this Prima inſtantia; I am ſure none who are not willfully Blind, will call theſe Externals anent which I recommend the Reader the abovementioned Authors, I ſay again what ſhall you all anſwer to theſe things?

My Fourth Queſtion is, what will you Anſwer that Day to your Judge, for Preſſing by Armed Force the Chriſtians in Britain and Ireland, to joyn in hearing with theſe Abominable Miſcreants your Prelats, and their Underlings in making of and Fighting againſt GOD, in that Mock Worſhip of their's, when you ſhall know that not only they be none of GOD's Appointing, but againſt that Peoples Joyning with whom the Covenants made in theſe Nations with the Almighty ſtands yet Binding, by which the People of GOD there are Bound, not only not to Joine with them but to Endeavour in their p. 36ſeveral Capacities and Stations, to uſe their Yond moſt Endeavour for their Extirpation, and if to all this you add this conſideration, that having Renounced Chriſt for their head, they have ſet up his Profeſt and Avowed Enemy (by them others of their Kidney Inſtigate to be ſo) in his Room, may ye not conceive, that beſide the former Bars in the Lords Peoples way, whereby they are Deterred from this Practice, this may have no ſmall Influence; that a Tender Hearted Chriſtian may be under ſuch an Impreſſion, that to Join with ſuch under the Notion of Chriſtians as have Renounced Chriſt for their head, may Involve them in that Fault called by Logicians Repugnantia in Adjecto, and by us Scots Men Down right Nonſence, and a Flet Contradiction, and indeed to me a Chriſtian Diſclaiming Chriſt for his head is Flat Nonſenſe; Now I ſay what will you Anſwer for that ſo Horrid Practice? I hope if you will be at Pains to Read what has been Writen by ſeverals upon this head, you will not only find the Refuſers in this Juſtifiable; but that your Preſſing the ſame with ſo much Vigour, is of a Peice with the Reſt of your Fightings againſt our Bleſſed LORD.

My Fifth Queſtion is, what do you one and all of you Reſolve to Anſwer, when our Bleſſed LORD and Maſter your Judge ſhall make Inquiſition for all the Innocent Blood has been by you She…, whither in Fields or upon Scaffolds, or by drowning or whatſomever manner of way? And to begin with the Eminently Worthy Nobleman the Late Marquis of Argyle againſt whom, though your Invention Raked Hell for a Clock to cover it; yet to all Unbyaſted Spectators, it is more then Evident, that your great, if not only Quarrel was, his Befreinding the Cauſe of Chriſt, and Precious Eminently worthy and Reverend Mr. James Guthri…, whom in your Rage againſt the Almighty you Murdered for no other Cauſe, but his Aſſerting Chriſt to be head over the Church, in Refuſing to Anſwer any of your Courts which were not of his and our Maſters Appointment, in Matters Spritual and Eccleſiaſtical Prima Instantia, and all the Reſt from theſe to mine, which you are as really called to Charge your ſelves with, as if you had been Permitted to put in Execution, that Abominable Unjuſt Sentence, of yours Pronounced againſt a Chriſtian, offering to Juſtify all his Principles and Practiſes from the Word of GOD, and Requiring no more at your hands for that End, but that ye would grant him the Almighty to be the Supream Judge and his Word the Supream Law, which both were Refuſed in that the L…tter was not Granted, and yet both by my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter in my Eſcape pro….

The firſt in this that though the Great one in the Earth Bad Decreed my Death upon the 26 of Sept. 1683, …et now ſee my bleſſed Maſter having Decreed the contrary has proven himſelf Supream. The latter in this, that though the ſame was Enacted in a Law by you, yet by his Word which is yet the Supream Law, my GOD having moved me to caſt mine Eye upon that Promiſe, He that loſeth his Life for my ſake ſhall ſave it, and upon the back of this on that Word in the Pſalms, According to thy Righteouſneſs do thou deliver me▪ I ſay my bleſſed Lord helping me to caſt mine Eye, and not a little to Confide in the Promiſe, (though I muſt confeſs by my too eager gripping thereto at firſt, and in ſo doing limitting my bleſſed Lord,) I Bred my ſelf not a little Diſquiet, yet I ſay my p. 37Lord according to this his Word, having ſet me at Liberty though you had Enacted the contrary has ad hominem ſufficiently proven my ſecond Principle alſo. I ſay are you at a Point what to anſwer, when all this Blood comes to be inquired into? Know you not that the Blood of Saints is precious in the Lord's ſight? Or will ye yet with Pharaoh harden your hearts, poſſibly under this conſideration, that you live Remote from the Red-Sea? But know you not that our Omnipotent Maſter can for you make a Sea of your own Blood, if it be Red enough for you to Drown in? And who knows but ſuch a thing may come to paſs: Eſpecially conſidering, that it is an ordinary thing with the Lord in puniſhing either Friends or Enemies to do it ſo as their ſin may be Re…d in their Judgement, and I am indeed the rather inclined to think it ſhall be ſo, when I remember the ſaying of that Worthy Man of GOD, I mean Mr. Semple late Miniſter of Corsfairn in Galloway (who fell under no ſmall Eclipſe in his Latter Days through his cloſing with that fatall Indulgence, fatall indeed to the poor Churches in Britain and Ireland) who in his better days had this Expreſſion, As the Lord lives, for every Drop of the Saints Blood has been or ſhall be ſhed by theſe his Cruel Enemies (ſpeaking of the Malignant, Prelatical, Papiſtical and Atheiſtical Party in theſe Kingdoms) there ſhall Tuns Tuns Tuns of their's fall to the Ground, and I know few of this Great Seer Threatnings have fallen to the Ground; What Dream you I ſay you ſhall have to Anſwer in that Day? Dare ye whiſper theſe things were done conform to your Laws (which upon the Matter was all I got anſwered to me ſtanding at your Bar here upon Earth, for which I have no fewer than 500 Witneſſes, and upon which I have an Inſtrument ſtanding Recorded in Heaven) do you think you will dare to Mutter this then? Sure if you knew what you were ſaying you would never do it here nor there, for it is no leſs upon the Matter than to Ratifie the Sentence paſt upon our bleſſed Lord and Maſter himſelf by the Jews, for which he got no other reaſon but we have a Law (the ſame I get) but what if our bleſſed Lord your Judge ſay, but you know I had a Law to the contrary, and your Law ſhould have Ceded to mine, dare you think you ſhall contradict this there, as you have indeed done here upon Earth? I know you dare not, conſider then what you will anſwer, for I can aſſure you it is of your Concern.

May Sixth Queſtion ſhall be, what think you to Anſwer for your Mock Thankſgivings, of which I ſhall Inſtance two, one is for Gowries Conſpiracy, the other for this Pretended Deliverance from a Mock Plot, theſe two Twins I bring in together, the rather that they reſemble other as much as ever Twins did, and no wonder ſince they are of one Father, I mean the Devil, one Mother the Pope of Rome, one Nurſe the Jeſuitical Papiſts who having brought up theſe Brats till they are able to walk alone, ſend them over here to their Friends in Britain and Ireland, and what day is pitched upon here for bringing them forth to publick View? Even the Lords day, in which theſe young Monſters muſt get on all their Gay Cloathes, and of them muſt all the Churches in the Nations ſpend that day in ſpeaking (though to the mocking of GOD with abominable Lies yet) to the admiration of this Monſtrous Birth; And then when all is done there muſt be Bonefires, Ringing of Bells, and fireing of p. 38Cannons and what not, that this Monſtrous Generation can deviſe for provocking of and fighting againſt Jehovah! O Heaven ſhake, Earth tremble, and all fleſh be aſtoniſhed at ſuch Helliſh madding againſt our glorious Maſter, and becauſe contravia juxta ſe poſita clarius eluceſcunt, I would have you to take a glance of the induſtrie of that Limb of Antichriſt the Duke of York in hindering the procedure of the Parliament of England, in their ſo juſt and Legall procedure, in inquiring into that Hell-hatched Popiſh Plot, which is in no ſmall meaſure now advanced by this laſt mock one of yours; And I am ſure none who are not altogether Strangers to the Conſtitutions of England will refuſe that Treaſon of the Nature that a Popiſh Plot is really, and this mock Plot of theirs as to its pretended Nature, is pretended to be ought to come under Tryal by his Majeſty and the two Houſes of Parliament, as only competent Judges thereto, but there is no remedy for open and irreſiſtible violence but patience I ſay, what? are you at a Point, what to Anſwer for theſe things? I fear not, and I hope none who knows that I am a Presbyterian, and Conſequently whom I am concerned to Defend here, I mean all ſuch as are either indeed Presbyterians, or longing for the time when the Nation ſhall be Univerſaly ſuch (which the LORD haſten and Pardon, any who have been any way Inſtrumental in hindering, when the matter was brought to a very hopefull paſs) will think I have been out of the Road, in medling in matters, wherein the Glory of GOD is ſo much concerned, for to Charge any ſuch Plotts upon ſuch as are indeed of our Principles, I dare Averr to be not only a wrong for us, but of our Bleſſed LORD alſo in and though us. Now I Pray you conſider what you ſhall Anſwer for theſe things.

My Seventh Queſtion is, what you think to Anſwer, who have Refuſed our Bleſſed LORD and his People, a Spot of your Ground to meet together upon, who have Refuſed his People a Nights Lodging, who have Concurred in Dragging his People to Scaffolds and Priſons, and others whom we have Claſſed together with you above, when you ſhall meet that Day with your Particular Charges? Is it not of your concern to conſider this, eſpecialy the rather that ſuch of you as have Sworn the Teſt, have as I Remember in the 15. Article of the Confeſſion of Faith, you have Sworn to therein Declared it to be a Good Work, to Releive the Oppreſt Defend and Patronize the Harmleſs, I ſay ſo much the rather that your preſent practice and that your Oath Claſhes together, are you not concerned to know what you will Anſwer in that Day? And indeed for my part, I can conceive no Anſwer you or any of you can have to theſe or any of theſe things, therefore I yet Obteſt you to take my Freindly Warning. Now Dare I Flattter my ſelf ſo far as to think that I have got any of you that Length as to Speir, what ſhall we do? (And Oh that I were ſo) however I ſhall out of Tenderneſs to the Glory of GOD, the Good of your Souls, and the well being of theſe Nations, and the well of your Poſterity Adventure in the Strength of my Bleſſed LORD, to Adviſe you as follows.

And firſt Great Sir, be Intreated to lay aſide your Enmity at my Great Lord and Maſter, and you under him to whom together with his Majeſty, I Addreſs my ſelf; Be intreated, and I obteſt you in the Name of GOD ſo to do, and to concur with me in Adviſing his Majeſty thus with me, and as that in Teſtimony p. 39of your doing ſo: His Majeſty with your Advice and Conſent, would call a free Parliament in his ſeveral Dominions, which may meet without either Pre…mitation… o… Reſtrictions, in which let the firſt Act be the Appointment of a Faſt, to be keeped for many days, by all the Faithfull Miniſters Living in theſe Kingdoms, who have been ſo much Diſcountenanced, to the Diſhonour of GOD theſe 22 or 23 Years, till the Performance of which be ended. Let this your Parliament be Adjourned, then let your next Work be to Empty, all the Priſons in the three Kingdoms, of all the Honeſt Chriſtians you have in Priſon there, for no other reaſon, then that they are ſuch. And in the next place in their Room, let theſe priſons be filled with all that have given his Majeſty unfaithfull Council ſince his Reſtauration as formerly, beginning with his Brother the Duke of York, and ſo from him, to all the reſt in order, forget not the Prelates, and ſuch of their Underlings, as have been too too Active, in driving on theſe Defections, and that Damnable Apoſtacy, and as to their Treaſonable Practices, let them all be brought and Arraigned before theſe Parliaments; Then let there be an Act Emitted for the Presbyterian Miniſters in the ſeveral Nations, to meet in a General Aſſembly, for conſidering, what may be the moſt effectuall courſe, for ſettling the Churches in theſe Nations, and for Removing theſe Abominations and Abuſes, that have been introduced through want of the Hedge (and over the Belly of Covenants, Sworn to the Almighty, ſtanding ſtill in Vigour) to the great Diſhonour of GOD, and Utter Confuſion of theſe Nations, both as to Church and State. If I get but theſe granted, I hope it ſhould be a very good beginning, and bad Councils being once removed, and better brought in their Room, with Dependance on the Almighty for a Bleſſing, I doubt not would eaſe me of the Travell of further Counciling, for which I am ſenſible of my own inſufficiency, and yet I think this I have given none of the worſt, and I can aſſure one, and all of you in following the ſame, you ſhall not only do GOD good Service but your ſelves alſo; and theſe Nations, and your Poſterity: It's like ſome may think my advice here is the leſs ſolid, that I adviſe ſome to act againſt themſelves, and ſome near Relations to act againſt on another; But I hope ſuch ſhall eaſily alter their opinion, when they conſider, that ſometimes it is better for the Body to have ſome of the Members cut off, then to have all indangered together; And though amongſt Naturaliſts for perſons to act ſeemingly, contrary to themſelves, may not ſound ſo well, yet I hope amongſt Divines it may, who know it is no Diſparragement to the beſt of Mortalls to come in time to our Bleſſed LORD with the Rope about their Neck and acknowledge their Guilt, Submitting themſelves to his holy Majeſty for what of Puniſhment he ſhall ſee fit to inflict. And as I adviſe his Majeſty to do this in time, as the beſt Council I can give him, ſo do I adviſe all under him to do the ſame; And not only ſo, but as a Teſtimony of their Stupendious Loyalty they Crack ſo much of to our King, that they would now come and give a proof thereof, in coming to his Majeſty and this free Parliament, to offer themſelves to Tryall. Sure I am, if they be conſiſtent with their principals, they are bound in Duty to do this, and I know nothing they can object to the contrary, that will not abundantly more ſerve our turn, in our preſent caſe, and come there when they like, I am confident they ſhall never find Judges nor Advocats; under ſuch a Conſtitution, as to grounds and reaſons for their Procedure, as we have found there in our caſes.

p. 40I make no doubt but that they ſhall get it made out to their own conviction, that they have one and all of them been not only moſt Horrid Traitors and Rebells againſt the Majeſty of Heaven, but even againſt our own King alſo, and that theſe have been likewiſe guilty not only of all the Bloodſhed ſince his Majeſties Reſtauration, but alſo ſince that of righteous Abel even to this Hour, I mean here the Bloodſhed of the Righteous. Now having in ſome meaſure removed what might be objected againſt my Advice I ſhall leave you to conſider, whether you will embrace it or not, and I dare here confidently averr there was no more intended by the Presbyterians in Scotland in theſe two riſings at Pentland and Bothwell than this, or ſomething of this Nature, (our doing the ſame in Arms being conſtrained from that Monſtrous Act, Diſcharging any ſuch Addreſs under the pain of Treaſon) and though I have not much hopes to prevail with you, yet I doubt not but herein I have been in my duty, and who knows but in part even for this end my GOD has ſet me at Liberty to tell you, what you would not Suffer me to Speak when ſtanding at the Bar before you? The hearing and Embracing of this my Adviſe, I am ſure ſhould be ſo far from prejudging any of you, that I doubt not but the Embracers (if any ſuch ſhall be) ſhall have our GOD to Bleſs for it, and for the Refuſers that ſhall yet ſtill with Pharoh harden their Necks in Rebellion againſt my Bleſſed LORD and Maſter, I can Aſſure them from our Unerring Law, the Word of GOD that they ſhall not have Ground to Crack of it, but that thereby their Judgement ſhall not only be more certainly Entailed upon them and their poſterity, but alſo (I doubt not) even the former alſo, for indeed I think our Bleſſed LORD is ſaying nothing leſs by theſe Diſpenſations then this, what will not theſe Stupendious Rebles come and hear Honeſt Miniſters; who are ready and willing to give them Warning, that their Mouths may be for ever Stopped, he'll ſend them a Warning another way, which if they will Refuſe then have at them, ſo then I come to my laſt Task with you the Enemies of our GOD and our's upon his Account, and it is to take Inſtruments upon all my Bleſſed Maſter has in and by me the Fectleſſeſt of his Servants, been doing with you in all my Tryals as follows.

Moſt Holy and Infinitly Glorious GOD, the Father of my Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and my Father in and throw him, I earniſtly beg of thee, for thy great Names Sake, for thy Glorys Sake, for the Son of thy Loves Sake, and for the love thou bears to thy poor people in theſe Nations, that what thou has in thy infinite Wiſdome been doing in by and throw me, to and with theſe thine Enemies, be keept written in large Characters, in the Book of Rememberance, till the great Day of the Lord for a Teſtimony, and Witneſs againſt all ſuch of them, as ſhall Contemptouſly refuſe what I thy poor ſervant has been helped of thee with an Eye to thy Glory, the good of thy people, the Conviction of theſe thine Enemies, and even the good of the Souls of ſuch of them, as ſhall give ear to what from thy word, I have in thy ſtrength offered.

And now again, to you ſtiff Necked Rebeles, againſt my ever Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, muſt … in the ſtrength of my God, intimate what you are to expect for your ſmall Sentence in the Great Day (if you continue in this your Rebellion) even this which you will find written in the 25 Chapter of Matthew, 41 Verſe. p. 41I …ay depart from me ye Curſed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and and his Angels? and of the Reaſons there and elſewhere in the Lords Word given for this your Sentence, you have ground to expect your carriage to the reſt of the Lords People and me amongſt them, ſhall not be the leaſt afflicting and aſtoniſhing to you.

Now having ended with our bleſſed Lords Enemies I come to my laſt Task in this my Teſtimony, which is to ſpeak a ſhort word by way of Advice and Exhortation to all my precious Friends, under which Compellation I comprehend all that love our Lord Jeſus Chriſt and wait for his coming, all that have given themſelves to him in a Covenant never to be forgotten, all that are keeping up the Fight againſt their Corruptions, and Strugling in the Strength of our Lord againſt a Body of Death, and in ſhort all that are ſincerely Arting Heavenward, whither ſuch as are farder or ſhorter way advanced in their Journey, and to theſe and all ſuch of whatſomever Nation, Countrey, Tongue or Language they be, whither at Home or Abroad, of whatſomever perſwaſion conſiſtent with the Foundations of Religion: And particularly to all under the Croſs, whither Abroad in Hungary, France, Germany, or any other elſewhere, who are in the Furnace, or at Home in theſe three Kingdoms, and to you all and every one who in the Strength of our bleſſed Lord ſhall be helped to run that Race with patience, and finiſh your Chriſtian Courſe with Joy. I hope I need not uſe Arguments to prove, that the day of the Lord which we have been ſpeaking of, above which to the Wicked and to the Enemies of our bleſſed Lord ſhall be ſo terrible, ſhall be to you the beginning of days, or rather the beginning of a day which is never to have an end, and that this day may be the more Joyful to one and all of us, I ſhall obteſt you all to join with me in the purſuance of theſe few Chriſtian Exhortations following.

And firſt in general, let there be a cordial endeavour in the Strength of our bleſſed Maſter (the more this be imployed the better ſpeed ſhall we come) as to ſtrive againſt every Sin without exception, ſo to cloſe with every Commanded Duty with delight, the more Univerſal we be in either the more ſincere in our Reſolutions this way, the more dependantly upon Chriſt Jeſus we go on in this Courſe, and the more ſelf denial and denial to all other Airths we be bleſſed of the Lord with, the better ſpeed ſurely ſhall we come.

But ſecondly and more particularly, let us all Unanimouſly Concurr in the endeavour after the cordial and ſincere performance of theſe particular Duties following. And firſt I would offer for your Exerciſe that indiſpenſible neceſſary Duty of Repentance, in exerciſing whereof I ſhall offer theſe few Chriſtian Advices, Firſt, Let us Digg deep in this M…tter, and never reſt till we come to the Root, I mean Original Sin, and after we have Dwelt by Meditation upon the ſadneſs thereof, let us in the next place take a View of all our actu…l Tranſ…reſſions flowing therefrom, of our Sins as well of Omiſſion as Commiſſion of our Younger as our Riper Age, againſt the Law as againſt the Goſpel, theſe ſins that thence cleaves to us in our beſt performances, not forgetting theſe ſins called our own and the ſins that do eaſily beſet us, and all theſe and many others (which you my find out, by peruſing great and Reverend Mr. Durham upon the Commands) not only as to our ſelves every one of us for himſelf, but all of us for each other, and in a ſpecial manner be mindful of the publick National ſins, and that not only in the Land where you have your Reſidence, but alſo all p. 42the World over; In ſum let every thing done to the Diſhonour of GOD by whomſoever, be the Object of your Mourning before him. And I pray forget not theſe ſins whereby our bleſſed GOD is not only di…honoured; But alſo the Generation of the Wicked hardened, and the Generation of the Righteous ſtumbled and offended. I paſs theſe the more generally, that b…ing Interrogate by the Enemies anent a few of them, I was by my bleſſ…d Lord determined th…n to paſs it with this Anſwer, That I judged it no…e of m… Duty to publiſh any thing of that Nature to them, (with an Eve to that Prohibition, Tell it not in Gath, publiſh it not in A…kelon) which is indeed the Reaſon I medle not with theſe things here, having intended this for publick View, and being reſolved in the Lords Strength (either by a diſtinct Line to the ſeveral Parties offending, the like freedom I expect alſo from them, knowing that in many things not to ſay in every thing we offend all,) or by laying my ſelf open to what my bleſſed Lord may off…r otherways, to Communicate my Sentiments of th…ſe offered whither to theſe who have gone aſide to the Right or Left … 2dly, Let us in our Repentings ſtudy to have the Diſhonour done to our b…eſſ… Lord, more weighty upon our Souls than the hazard our Souls lyes under … thence, though we may have an Eye to both, yet let the former very much p…eponderate. 3dly, Let there be much ſingleneſs and Heart honeſty in the Buſineſs. 4thly, Let there be much Dependance on the Lord, and prayer for Grace in order to a right Performance.

Theſe and many others (for which I Recomend you to our Faithful Miniſters) m…y be uſeful in this matter, and for our farder Encouragement in performance of this ſo very Neceſſary a Duty, let us conſider that the Chriſtian performance thereof, will not only be Refreſhful to us in that great day of the LORD, but may be even ſo alſo in time, as will be clear to any that will but Read over the 9th. Chapter of Ezekiel, and this not from any Vertue of the Duty as proceeding from us but of free Grace, let this be Underſtood in Referrence to the Reſt of the Duties alſo.

The Second duty I Propoſe for the Object of our Sincere Endeavours is the fear and Love of GOD, I bring thir in together the rather that they are Sel…om if ever Separate, as it is alſo with all the other Graces of the Spirit though ſome of them may be at ſome times both more or leſs felt by the party himſelf, and more or leſs Viſible to others and for our help here, let us Dwell much upon the conſideration of that Myſtery of Love Vented towards loſt Mankind in that Tranſaction held by the Holy Trinity before the World had a Fundation, I ſay let the Serious thoughts of that Fountain Love whereby GOD ſo Loved us, ſo Loved us that GOD the Father was pleaſed to want the Refreſhfull preſence of the Son, and GOD the Son not only to want the moſt Amiable and Deſireable Company of the Father, but alſo to take upon him our Nature and come down and Dwell amongſt us in the World, Rendering himſelf upon our Account Lyable to all the Miſeries of this Li…e (Sin only Excepted) even to Death it ſelf and all for us. And GOD the Holy Ghoſt freely undertaking what was Cut out to him for Task by the Father and Son, in Reference to the further Manifeſtation of this Myſtery of Love, in Applying the Favour ſo freely Bequeathed on Poor loſt Mankind and us amongſt the Reſt, and ſure I am this Seriouſly Dwelt upon and Prayed over can hardly miſs to take effect towards the War…ing of our Hearts Godwards, and begetting in our Souls a p. 43Filial fear of doing any thing to the Diſhonour of that Glorious GOD, who ſo Loved us, and if to this Meditation, we add that of conſidering the great pains our Bleſſed GOD has been and is at about us in his Holy Works of Providence, Ordering and Overuling all the Various Revolutions in time, as for his own Glory, ſo for the Good of the Elect; ſo that even theſe Diſpenſations that to Poor ſhort Sighted us are looked upon Tending to our Ruine, many times are by that Holy Providence of GOD Ordered for our yet greater Advantage, ſo that there is no Serious Obſerver but ſhall be Forced e're all be done to ſet to his Seal to the truth of the Scripture, all things ſhall Work together for Good to them that Love GOD; I ſay Dwell upon theſe things till you and I get our Hearts wrought up not only to Cordial Loving of our ever Bleſſed GOD, but alſo to a Filial fearing of doing any thing whereby his Glorious Name may be Diſhonoured, and for Aſiſtance here let there be much Dependance for the outletting of the Spirit, and if this Love and fear be within it will not Fail to Vent it ſelf in effect, I mean Strenuous Endeavours to live much to the Glory of GOD, upon which I ſhall deſire we lay no other ſtreſs then the Probation of theſe Graces being within.

The Third thing I offer for the Object of our Sincere and Cordial Endeavours is, the Actual Excerciſe of the Grace, the Noble and Fountain Grace of Faith, as alſo of Patience, thir can alſo hardly be Separate, ſince he that Believes makes no haſte, I doubt not to ſay it that I hope there are not a few thouſands in Britain and Ireland, who have theſe Graces in the Root and Habite, who are too too much Strangers to the Actual Exerciſe thereof at this preſent time, and this is ſo much the Sadder that there has no Bitt of the ſhort and Evil time, I have had in this World Cryed more Loudly for the ſame. And do ye not think that our Bleſſed, even our Bleſſed LORD may very truly ſay to us, what he ſaid to others before in our Caſe, that he can not do many Mighty Works amongſt us, becauſe of our Unbeleif: I Doubt nothing but that there are many Chriſtians in Britain and Ireland, and other Places all the World over that would willingly have our great LORD appearing in their Behalf, why is it then that we look ſo like a People under a Combination to bind his holy hand (to Speak ſo with holy Reverence) for though indeed our Faith as it is our Act can not Merite at the Hands of our Bleſſed LORD that he ſhould appear, yet it being a mean of his Bleſſed appointment and a Gift of his own giving, whereby in his Holy Providence he Diſpoſes his People, and puts them in Capacity to Receive his Favours, the leaſt we are called to do is to Importunate the Throne of Grace, for the Exerciſe thereof, and for our Encouragement herein let us not only Read but Seriouſly conſider that 11 Chapter of the Hebrews, where we ſhall meet with a Glorious Company of Believers, and of the ſpecial and great Bleſſing… Attending that their Beleif, and with this we have added Patience, that by our Impatient Thriſting, even after that which may be the Object of our Faith, we do not Marr the Work with our own Hands, and though our Bleſſed LORD as to his comings and goings, be nothing Determined thereto by any thing in us, yet are we called to the Excerciſe of Commanded Duties, as much as if thereby we were Meriting the thing Courted for, and ſo as to ſee our Beſt Performance, but Filthy Raggs I do the rather Urge the Purſuance of this Grace of Patience for this, that I doubt not but the want thereof has been one of the great Sins in our Day; whence have all theſe Dreadfull Acts of Compliance p. 44Flowed, but even from this the LORD delayes his coming. &c. O Dreadfull Relation to leave the way of the LORD becauſe he will not Indulge our Humour ſo far as to come at our Nod, I ſay then let us Study Faith and Patience in w…iting for our Bl…ſſed LORD and Maſter, who as he will come and will not T…r…y ſo the time of his coming he keeps in his own B …ſſed …and (being an Abſolu…ly free Agent) and well worthy is he to have it …o, upon many conſi…ations … …mongſt the Reſt that hi… Bleſſ…d tim… is the …, I …y a…i… truſt in him, for …ure I am there was never one that through Grace has b…en Helped …o to do have ever Repented it, neith…r was there ev…r any put to Sh…me th… put their truſt in him, go through all that are R…corded in Scripture ſ… Truſte…s in him, and you ſhall find them all H…rmoniouſly joining in this, Surely it is not in Vain to truſt in him; for he is in…eed a preſent help in time of …eed, an… to confirm the matter yet more Deareſt Freinds, give me …ve amongſt the Reſt to put to my Se… and ſay, happy, …ppy, h…ppy, that S…ul who through Grace is helped to truſt him moſt, and who will doubt but …ve goo… Reaſon ſo to do, when they conſider how in his Holy Providence he … to…ly brought me into the Furnace, but alſo keeped me Wonderfully in it, a… alſo in his own due time and way brought me out of it, his Bleſſed ſelf being t…e great Agent in the whole Work, and indeed I muſt tell it to the Comm…n…ation of the Freedom of his Grace, that all the time of my Furnace I w…nted not (Counting all the ſmall and ſhort laſting Clouds, though my own Miſcarriage I was into all that time) his Comfortable and Refreſhing preſence for E…ght or Nine Hours, Counting all together the greateſt Cloud I had all that time, Flowing from my too Eager Gripping of my Promiſed Eſcape (of which before) and Limiting my GOD to that in my Eye, which was yet that by which I Eſcaped, this I ſay laſted longeſt and was indeed ſoreſt, but Bleſſed be his Holy Name h… no ſooner let me ſee where the Fault lay, but with the Diſcovery g…ve Grace to Amend it, by laying Life and Death in the Ballance, and keeping them ſt…ll in …quilibrio, not Daring ſo much as by a Raw Wiſh to Caſt the Scales, then c…me I to as much Serenity Peace and Satisfaction of Spirit, as any Mortal could be Capable of, and in this Caſe am through Grace Preſerved not only till the Perfecting of the Eſcape, but even ſince for which I deſire you may joyn with me in Bleſſing his ever Bleſſed Name, ſo alſo in Praying that this our Preſervatio… m…y be both for m… and the Reſt that Eſcaped with me a Reſerv…tion for our being further Serviceable to our Good GOD in our Stations and Generatio…s, and that we may be helped of him to Spend the Reſidue of our Days, in Advancing the Glory of GOD, On carrying of his Works and Edification of his People, and Conviction, if Poſſible, or otherwiſe the Terror of his and our Proud and in…olent Enemies.

In the l…ſt place, I come to propoſe for the object of our ſincere and ſingle endeav…ur, that well fall effectualy about the preparing of our ſelves, to meet our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, whither as to his coming for our Delivery in time, or to Judgem…nt in that Great Day, for my own part I am under a ſtrong Impreſſion of our Bleſſed Lords being upon his way, and am not a little perſwaded, that his Sword is alrea…y drawen, it's like I may have ſome Differing from me here; this I cannot help; There is another Impreſſion, I am now, and have been under for a conſiderable time, that his coming (conſidered Complexly) ſhall be very Terrible, In this I expect, I ſhall have very few Godly Differing from me, p. 45I Incline the rather to Join this twofold Preparation together, that the Duties Incumbent, in Reference to both a…e one.

The Duty we would propoſe to our ſelves herein in General, being to prepare to meet our GOD, of which th…ſ… we hinted at before, being no ſmall part, we ſhall for our further clearneſs here, adviſe the l…ying aſi…e of ſeveral things that may be Impediments in this Work. And Firſt let us lay aſide Worldly Mindedneſs. Secondly, Carnall Fears. Thirdly, Our own ſins, and theſe ſins that eaſily beſett… us. Fourtly, Our Mixing with the people of theſe Abominations, a caſe very Dangerous to be found in, whither either of the ways our Bleſſed Lord came. Fif…ly, Let us lay aſide theſe Unchriſtian Fires, Satan has Kindled amongſt us, whereby (forgeting that Charity, and Brotherly Love, ſo much Inculcate by our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter) we are rendered mutually uncapable of Edifying one another reproving and Adviſing one another, as of doing many other Chriſtian Duties Incumbent, that I be not miſtaken here, the Lord is my Witneſs, I intend not, that any ſhould harden another in a ſinfull courſe, or that any ſhould do any thing, whereby he may become ſharer with another in his Sins; And I know, I have Witneſſes not a few in theſe Lands, that can bear me Witneſs, I have Guarded againſt this, in no ſmall meaſure in the Lords ſtrength my ſelf: And whatever Challenges I have either had from within, or from without in this matter, have been rather for too much Keenneſs, then too much Slackneſs in this matter, for which in ſo far as it has been ſinfull, I refuſe not Satisfaction in time and place convenient. I ſay is it not ſad, that Satan has gotten ſo much Advantage in this matter, that there are very few in the Land, in Capacity to be Aſſiſtant to one another, and all this through Slighting the method preſcribed by our Bleſſed Lord in his Word, in Reference to Offences, have Men forgott… altogether, that they are in the Body themſelves? Or have theſe perſons who are clear for Separation upon every Account Reckoned, what to Anſwer to our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, whoſe Anſwer to that Queſtion, how oft ſhall I forgive my Brother, till ſeven times was, I ſay not unto you, Seven times but Seventy times Seven times.

And is it not yet ſadder, that a Nation ſolemnly given to God in Covenant, that Party, who in purſuance of theſe Covenants, are deſirous to follow the Lord's own way, which all are equally obliged to, and in which while we all walked, there was not wanting much, very much of the Countenance of the Almighty: I ſay, is it not ſad, that Party ſhould not only have the Common Enemy waiting all Opportunities for their overthrow, under which Notion I comprehend that Papiſtical Prelatical Party I have been dealing with above; but alſo that of our own Brethren not a few, ſhould be puſhing us with Side and Shoulder: and upon the one hand, if we will not remit a little of the Strictneſs of our Obligation to the Almighty, and with them come and go in the matters of God, and forſake Moſes his Example, in not quitting a hove; we muſt run the hazard of their diſſatisfaction. And on the other hand, if we will not yet be more mad than ever John of Leyden himſelf was, by others of our Brethren muſt we be puſht at. I ſay, is it not ſad, that the Remnant of the poor Church of Scotland, ſhould be lying in ſuch a ſad condition, as upon the one hand to be in the hazard of drowning, ſo on the other of burning? To you then, my Dear Brethren, I addreſs my ſelf with this Advice, whatever theſe two Extreams do among themſelves, be ſure, firſt to do nothing that may ſtrengthen either. 2dly. To make Conſcience of Prayer for p. 46both. 3dly. When occaſion offers, to intimate your hearty and earneſt deſire to them, that they would again turn unto the Lord's way, and not any longer either indanger themſelves, or wrong the cauſe of Chriſt. 4thly. Let your whole complex Carriage towards the Smell of God, and of Tenderneſs towards both their Souls and Bodies, I dare not adviſe, to Reaſon with either, for I have hitherto found, that not only hardning to them, but alſo indiſpoſing to the Eſſayer: A better help in this caſe, I am ſure, will be the purſuance of my Sixth Advice, in order to Preparation for our Bleſſed Lord's coming; and that is, let one and all of us ſtir up our Souls, and all that is within us, to wreſtle for a ſpeedy coming: I am ſure one Sight of his moſt Amiable Countenance among us, would avail more in theſe matters, and every thing elſe that is wrong among us in bulk, than all the feckleſs Eſſays we can make; though it be yet our Duty in our Stations, to uſe our utmoſt Endeavours for reclaiming any that go aſtray. I have been under a neceſſity to give this hint, neither is there more diſcovered thereby than the Phyſicians know already, having hinted ſo much in their Examination of me.

My Seventh Advice ſhall be, O ſtudy, ſtudy a Soul-hunger after our Lord and Maſter, whoſe compaſſions could never ſuffer him yet to tarry long away from any that were at the point of Starving through his Abſence. I ſhall add this Caution here, look that it be Himſelf principally, if not only you hunger and Thriſt after, for though we may indeed have an eye upon the many precious things that attends his coming, yet theſe, all how precious ſoever, they bear but the Shell, his Bleſſed Self being the very Kernell and Soul of the Mercy; yea it is Himſelf that makes Mercies ſuch. Now, my Deareſt Friends, in the Exerciſe of theſe Duties, we have ſhortly hinted at, both before, and here more particularly upon this head, with what others Our Bleſſed Lord Himſelf may art us to, whether immediatly by His Spirit, or by His Servants of the Miniſtry. I do nothing doubt, but either of theſe Comings of Our Bleſſed Lord and Maſter, ſhall be rendred the more Refreſhfull unto us.

That this may be yet a little more clear, we ſhall hint at a word in Reference to either. And firſt. You know that Mercies coming in the Covenant Channel, are the ſweeteſt and moſt Soul refreſhing Mercies; and as to either, theſe mercies that come to us in the way of Duty, theſe being contained in the Covenant, tho' not from any Vertue in themſelves, yet by Our Bleſſed Lord's appointment in the Covenant, and through Vertue tranſmitted by his Bleſſed Self to them in the Covenant: I ſay, Mercies coming that way are twice Mercies, and Our Lord's coming to his in that way, the Mercy is ſtill the more refreſhfull, in this Reſpect, that to that of his coming, which is Mercy, Mercy in it ſelf; yet to theſe it is yet more Mercy, as coming to their Diſtinct Perception in the Covenant Channel; whereas while coming to others, His coming ſhall be to ſuch as a Dream, who while they be well wakened, ſhall be out of caſe to feel the Sweetneſs of the Mercy.

Now let me again Obteſt you, Deareſt Friends, to make Conſcience of theſe Duties, as you have a Reſpect to the Glory of GOD, the good of his Cauſe, the good of your of your own Souls, the Conviction (and if not attainable) the Confounding of Enemies: And beſide what of Advantages this ſhall afford you at his comings, with Deliverance in time, which ſhall yet neither be few nor ſmall, you ſhall undoubtedly find much Conſolation therefrom, at that his great and laſt coming.

To which this in a word, you have heard before our Bleſſed Lords coming p. 47to Judgement, ſhall be to the Wicked ſo very Terrible, that they ſhall ſeek all poſſible means for ſhuning the appearance, which yet they ſhall never get done, and though they great and ſmall, ſhall cry to Hills and Mountains to fall upon them, to cover and hide them from the Face of the Lamb, yet ſhall all this Crying be in Vain. But to you, to you that are in Covenant with the Almighty, in and through our Bleſſed Lord, and have been helped with the wiſe Virgins, To keep your Lamps Trimmed, this appearance ſhall be ſo far from being a Surprizall that it ſhall be the moſt Joyfull Sound ever you heard in your time? O how Soul Refreſhing ſhall it be to you, when at the call of the laſt Trumpet, you have Raiſed up your heads, through theſe Mooles, and having Soul and Body Joyned together again, at the very firſt Peep, as you look up ſhall you ſee the Lamb of GOD Sitting on his Throne, which ſhall ſo much take up all your Senſes both Internall and Externall Spirituall and Bodily, that you ſhall not be in hazard of being Frighted, with the Screicks of the Reprobate, and Wicked, but the whole Motions of our Souls ſhall be. O To be at him, O To be at him, O how Soul Raviſhing ſhall the ſight be

And now muſt we halt here a little till the Elect be gathered together, during which time let us vent our Meditation of the difference that will be betwixt the Elect and Reprobate, the Reprobate ſaying Oh alace! for ever yonder he is for the diſhonour done to whom we could never ſhed a Tear, the Elect ſays well's me yonder he is upon the account of the Diſhonour done to whom I have had many a ſore Heart, and have ſhed many a Tear. The Reprobate ſays, Oh! he is yonder whom I could never either Love or Fear. Says the Elect bleſſed for ever be the ſight, yonder he is who helped me both to Love and Fear him, the Reprobate ſays, Oh! for-ever yonder he is whom I could never be perſwaded either to believe, or patiently to wait for. Says the Elect, Rejoice O my Soul for ever, yonder he is that helped me by his Spirit, both to truſt in and wait for him, the Reprobate ſays, Oh, and alace! yonder he is towards the Meeting of whom all the Exhortations in time could never move me to make preparation, ſays the Elect Glory to his Name for ever he is there now, for Meeting of whom he helped me many a day to be Trimming my Lamp. Says the Reprobate Oh and undone for ever, yonder he is whom in his Members I not only perſecuted but Murdered many a time. Says the Elect endleſs bleſſings on his ever Glorious Face, for whoſe ſake …he helped me to ſuffer Perſecution ſays one, and to be Hanged on a Gibbet, Beheaded or Drowned ſay others, and ſo forth of all the reſt of the Duties the Elect have been helped to perform, and againſt the performance whereof the Reprobate have been hardened, or rather have hardened themſelves. Now may we ſuppoſe the whole Elect to be gathered together, and looking many a greedy look to be at him, then may we ſuppoſe our bleſſed Lord and Maſter by his Omnipotent Arm halling them all up to him in the Air: O Glorious Meeting! a Meeting without a parting, a Meeting for Joy unexpreſſible, then ſhall they be ſet down on the Right hand to receive their Sentence, as the Reprobate have done already in our Paper, in order of GOD's appointment they ſhall be laſt, as you may ſee in that 25th Chap. of Matth. out of which we drew their Sentence, and then ſhall the Sentence of the Elect be pronunced as follows in the 34 Verſe of the ſaid 25th Chap. of Matth. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World.

p. 48Now, my Deareſt Friends, to anſwering my former Suits, which as they are both your Mercies and Duties, ſo are attended with ſuch unſpeakable Advantages, as we have a little hinted at: I ſhall deſire you yet to add two more. The firſt is, That one and all of you may with me, with our whole Souls, ſing and ſay, and ſay and ſing, Bleſs O my Soul the Lord thy God, and all that in me is, be ſtirred up, his Holy Name to magnifie and bleſs. The ſecond is, That all of us, with one Soul, may cordially join in ſaving, Even ſo, come Bleſſed Lord Jeſus Christ, come quickly. Amen. Thus, with his whole Soul, ſays JOHN DICK.

1ſt. October 1683.

Having, through Divine Aſſiſtance, brought my Teſtimony to this period, it may be ſuppoſed my Vital Spirits are not a little wearied; and ſure I am I ſhall need to uſe no Argument, to perſwade any that know me Well, that I have never in my Lifetime been ſo long Serious together, as I have been, ſince my Ever Bleſſed LORD and Maſter in his Holy Providence brought me under this ſo Lovely Chain, Lovely indeed, yet the Sweeteſt time ever I had in my Life time, next to that little time of our Eſpouſalls for which my Soul ſhall Bleſs him forever. I ſay ſince it is ſo, I hope none will Offend if for my Recreation I break here a Jeaſt or two, in Referrence to which I hope the rather, I have my Bleſſed Maſter's Permiſſion that therein I intend to do Deſpite to, and Spitt in the Faces of a few, ſuch as have with moſt Violence and Helliſh Boldneſs, not only done Deſpite unto the Spirit, but alſo Monſtrouſly Spitten in the Face of my Bleſſed Lord and Maſter: The Nature of my Jeſts ſhall be ſuch, as we call in Latin, ſeria mixta jocis, and in broad Scots, half Jeſt half Earneſt.

And Firſt by way of Advertiſement, to all who concern themſelves in the Reformed Churches of theſe Kingdoms, that they uſe their Moyen with theſe makers of Mugs, whether in that place of Scotland called Muir-madzoun, or any where elſe up and down the Nations that in Imitation of the H…ll…nders, who (that they might in Rememberance, of the Cruelty of that Monſter for Blood Thirſtineſs the Duke of Alva, cauſed Impreſs his Picture upon the Face of the Brandy Bottles) they would upon all the Mugs they ſhall make, after this imprint on the forepart thereof, the Picture of this our Duke of Alva (I mean York) and upon the back part thereof, the Picture of that Pitifull thing (Claver Houſe) and becauſe they muſt not want a Chaplain, upon the Bottom of theſe Mugs, let the Picture of that Monſter (the Biſhop of Edinburgh) be Impreſſed to this effect, that all the Carl…nes in the Country, may have occaſion once in the Twenty four Hours, to vent their Diſreſpect to theſe Abominable Wretches, that ſo with their Names, their very Pictures may Stink alſo, and becauſe their Phyſiognomies may by the Spectators be miſtaken, I would adviſe their ſeveral Names might be Adjoined to their Pictures, leaſt the… looking to Yorks Picture, might take it for that of a Serpent, or to Claver Houſe his Picture for that of a Snake, or that Monſter the Biſhop of Edinburgh his Picture, for that of a Meer Swine Wallowing in Filth. Yet I will not be Peremptor here, for the miſtake will not be great in any of theſe; And now having mett with the Biſhop, that you may ſee I wrong him not, be pleaſed to take a glance of him in theſe particulars following▪ And firſt, In a Dialogue betwixt him and that prodigious Drunkard, Mr. Trotter one of his Underlings (even that Trotter, who (it would appear) having anticipated the Dyet of drinking our Dragie, had got himſelf ſo full, that Morning our bleſſed Lord ſet us at liberty, that he took Stowre for p. 49Smoak, and the glancings of his own firie eyes for Light Matches, which occaſioned his ſo diſorderly deſerting of the Pulpit, (a place he never deſerved to ſet his foot in) to the no ſmall Confuſion of his Auditors as follows, Having met together Occaſionally, the Biſhop ſays to Trotter, How now Mr. Trotter, I am informed you are a Scandalous Drunkard Mr. Trotter? My Lord, do you Believe that? Biſhop Yes I muſt believe, ſince all Men ſays ſo. Trotter I am very ſorry for that my Lord, for though all Men ſay you are a Scandalous Adulterer, yet I do not believe it Biſhop ſay You ſo Trotter? Yes Biſhop Then to be quitts with You neither will I believe the other. 2dly, You may inform your ſelves of the Nature and qualities of that his Snuff-Box, which as I am informed is in the Hands of Sir Charles Halker, which I am Confident that Generous Gentleman keeps for no other end but to be a Witneſs againſt the Madneſs, the abominable Madneſs of that Mock Prophet, one of whoſe Propheſies we come to offer to your Conſideration, in the third place as follows, He being on the Castlehill of Edinburgh in Company of the Duke of York and others, in the latter end of 1680, or beginning of 1681, looking to that great Comet that did then appear, and being asked by the Duke What his Thoughts of the Comet were? He anſwers, I look upon it as a Torch in the Heavens to light your Royal Highneſs to the Throne. Did this Prodigious Monſter know what he was ſaying, when he ſpake this? Did he not know the many ſtanding Laws of this Kingdom, were Bars in the way of this, which are yet ſtanding, and ſtill ſhall ſtand? I mean theſe made againſt Popety and Papiſts having any Place of Publick Truſt in the Nation. Does not this Wretch know, that thir Laws are ſtanding and muſt ſtand, being ſounded on, and agreeable to the Word of GOD, and enacted by free Parliaments. Does not the Infatuate Wretch know, that any Act made to the contrary can never come in the Liſt of Laws in this Nation, as being down right contrary to the Word of GOD, and enacted by unfree Parliaments? Muſt we weary our ſelves telling him this again and again? And did not this Monſter for arrogant Boldneſs, in daring Heaven, know that by the Word of GOD our Supream Law it is enacted That the Idolater ſhall die the Death? Or is he ſo wretchedly blind as not to know That that Antichrist, that Man of ſin and all his Limbs (of which this Duke of his is not the ſmalleſt (are Idolaters?) What could poſſeſs this Infatuate Wretch (when delivering this Mock Propheſie, Sure nothing but the Devil) it is like that ſame Devil who was a Lying Spirit in the Mouth of Ahab's Prophets, of which you may Read in that 22d Chapter of the firſt Book of the Kings from the 20 Verſe to the 23d, And now though I be neither a Prophet, nor the Son of a Prophet (as all who know me knows) yet may I not venture to Vent a few of my Gueſſes in this matter? And who knows but I may hit nearer the Truth than this Mock and Madly Unclean Prophet?

And Firſt, what if this Comet was deſigned a Torch (if he will have it ſo,) for ſhewing the Turk the way into Germany, whom our Bleſſed LORD may make uſe of as a Scourge to theſe, and their Neighbouring Nations, and by whom our Glorious LORD may be making inquiry for the Blood lying in the Streets of the great ones, Eſpecially that Bloody Houſe of Austria. Secondly, What if it were lighting in Count Tek…li, upon the head of his Hungarian Forces, to prove the Lawfullneſs of Defenſive Arms, being thereto Neceſſitate by the Violence they met with from that Bloody Emperor and Jeſuites, both as to their Civils and Spirituals? Thirdly, What if to give a Light to the Proteſtants in France, Britain, Ireland and elſewhere, in order to the …eting of the Miſts …ſt upon th…t Scripture S…ll … p. 50S…ord, by the Jeſuiticall Parties at Home and Abroad, Rolled off? Or Fourthly, What if this great Comet, was ſent as a Warning of the Fall of Antichriſt, that Man of Sin, and all who have ſent their ſtrength to that Whore, and who have with him Combined againſt the LORD, and againſt his Anointed, and to Uſher in the Deſtruction of Rome, as another not much unlike it, did that of Jeruſalem? I am not a little hopefull, that theſe my Gueſſes ſhall hold much better, then ſhall the Mad Heaven Daring Propheſie, of that Abominable Letcherous Wretch Biſhop Paterſon, and now in him have we two Old Scots Proverbs made good. Firſt, The Blind Mare is firſt in the Mire. Secondly, Paterſons Mare goes foremoſt.

My ſecond Jeſt ſhall be this, I am apprehenſive ſome may be of that Opinion, that it ſhall befall me as it did that Man, Who for telling the Truth, could not get Quarters any where. This Man being wandering towards the Evening, meets with another, (I will not ſay it was our Chancelor, but I think it was one like him) who ſays to him, How now Friend, what do you Travelling ſo late? The other anſwers, I can get no Lodging. Go with me Friend, ſays the other: So they came home, and are not well ſet down, when the Poor Traveller being Dry, calls to his Landlord, Gleid Carl, end me the Cup by you? Upon which he takes his Batton, and chaſes the poor Man o the Door, under Cloud of Night. And indeed our Chancelor, to me was yet more Unchriſtian and madly wicked, what could move the Man's Spleen, I cannot gueſs; ſure I am, (whatever I thought, yet) I call'd him not Gleid Carl. It is like this has raiſed his Paſſion, that I told him he had ſworn in the Teſt, That the Act of Supremacy, as explain'd, was horrid Blaſphemy. And was not this Truth, as were all the Principles and Practices I there owned? And did I not offer from the Word of God to Vindicate this? Why am I then, by Armed Force, halled out of that houſe to another? (In this he was worſe than the other Gleid Carl, who let his Gueſt go free, tho' he would not give him Lodging) And there I muſt be arraign'd before the Juſtices (who to compliment the Chancelor) (or may be the Duke of York) muſt let the World ſee, that they are as gleid in their Morals, as the other in his Naturals, and by them forſooth, tho offering Vindication from GOD's Word, and craving it may be granted, that the Almighty is Supream Judge, and his Word the Supream Law. I am (upon the matter) denyed both, (as you may ſee before) and rolled over upon an Aſſize, who outdoing both, did ſhew themſelves ſtone blind, in receiving a Pannal off their hands on theſe Terms: But for this, as for what has been done in theſe Lands of this Nature, are theſe horrid Monſters, for keenneſs againſt Our Bleſſed Lord in his Members, to Anſwer before Our Ever Bleſſed Lord; conform to my Inſtrument ſtanding upon Record in Heaven, at that great Day of the Lord. I ſay, Some may be under this Impreſſion anent me, but I ſhall tell them where I expect ſhelter, even the LORD; for, The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous flee thereunto, and are ſafe. As alſo, in that Scripture, When my Father and Mother forſake me, the Lord will take me up. This has often been refreſhfull to me, and ſo long as I have a BIBLE, containing theſe and many ſuch, I hope the Apprehenſions of the former ſhall never much trouble me.

I remember in the former part of my Teſtimony, I Adviſed our Judges and Aſſize to burden themſelves with my Blood, and the Blood of theſe others that eſcaped with me, as much as if they had gotten their unparalelled cruel Sentence put in Execution, I give here the Reaſon, even becauſe of the Keenneſs they vented in hunting after us after our eſcape, which I look upon as a fighting againſt the Holy Providence … fretting at his Holy Diſpenſations, and in this their Keenneſs▪ their p. 51Rage ran that height, that not having anew of two footed, they make uſe of Four footed Dogs to Sent us out. It's like they be yet ignorant of the Reaſon why theſe Dogs could not find us, therefore I ſhall lend them even this, there was no Blood hanging at our heels, and I hope, yea, and truſts very firmly, that turn the Chaſe when it will, which I yet hope ſhall be ſooner than either his Peoples fainting fears, or his and our Enemies groundleſs hopes will allow either to believe. I ſay, come that Day when it will, I hope the Lord's People ſhall be at this Advantage in finding of them to be brought to Judgement, that the feckleſseſt Curr in the Country that has the leaſt of the Sent of Blood, ſhall never miſs one of them, ſince upon every individual (as we told you before) is there no leſs Blood lying, than all the Righteous Blood ſhed from Righteous Abel, till this Hour. Now moſt Glorious and Infinitely Bleſſed LORD GOD, even haſten thy coming, as for the Comfort af the weary Mourners, ſo for the Terrour and Confuſion of theſe Builders of Babel, thine and ours for thy ſake cruel and Bloody Enemies. Thus very Cordially Prays, JOHN DICK.