The Wrestlings of the Church of Scotland, Title page – Poem
NAPHTALI, OR The Wreſtlings of the Church of SCOTLAND For the KINGDOM of CHRIST; Contained in A true and short Deduction thereof, from the beginning of the Reformation of Religion, until the Year 1667.
Together with The laſt Speeches and Teſtimonies of ſome who have died for the Truth ſince the Year 1660.
Whereunto are alſo ſubjoined A Relation of the Sufferings and Death of MR HEW MC KAIL, and ſome Inſtances of the Sufferings of Galloway and Nithiſdale.
LAM. 1:12.
Is it nothing to you, all ye that paſs by? Behold and ſee, if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger.
MIC. 7:8.
Rejoice not against me, O mine Enemy: When I fall, I shall ariſe; When I ſit in darkneſs, the Lord shall be a Light unto me.
ISAI. 14, 32.
What shall one then anſwere the Meſſengers of the Nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of the People shall trust in it.
Printed in the Year 1667.
AD LECTOREM.
NOn hîc Herculeae ſunt cum ſudore paleſtrae;
Nullus Olympiaco in pulvere Ludus iners:
Pro ſadore cruor Chriſti de Corpore manat;
Ardua pro ludo est lucta, rapina, neces.
Scotica bis denis luctata Eccleſia Luſtris;
Penè dedit victas, laſſa labore, manus.
Duros paſſa Patres dudum, velut ame Novercas,
Vi premitur; Stygia fraude ſubacta gemit.
Conſtitit effraenes contra tumidasque procellas;
Proque Fide ſteterat, dum ſtetit ulla fides.
Nuſquam cana fides nunc est; jurataque Coeli
Numina, mortales, vinc'la nec ulla ligant.
Credula dum nimis est, fida haec Eccleſia; vanà
Spe luſâ, & rupto Foedere ſtrata jacet:
Strata tamen non tota jacet, de pulvere ſurgit;
Auricomum tollet mox ſupra aſtra caput.
Ipſa triumphalem currum Crux ſaeva miniſtrat;
Sanctorum ſanguis fertile ſemen erit.
Ecce! Sacerdotum turmam Regumque Coronam
Pendentem infami de trabe, Lector, habes.
Cerne oculo, Heroum facies & corpora cernas;
Verba audi, & videas pectora plena Deo,
Hîc loquitur Princeps, magno cum Judice, Vates;
Et Juvenes, Vatum ſpes animoſa ſenum.
Hîc Generoſa cohors, Miles, Mercator, agelli
Cultor, & Arte rudis, ſpirat ab ore Deum.
Diſce immortalem hinc Animam, vitamque futuram;
Nulla eſt, pro Chriſto, mors male grata pio.
Pro Chriſti Crux, est, diademate Laurea; reſtis,
Faedere pro Sancto, eſt vitta, monile, decus.