OUR Bleſſed Saviour, in his Sermon on the Mount, bids us beware of falſe Teachers; and tells us, That by their Fruits we may know them: Such Fruits are not open and publick Scandals, for then the ſimple Multitude (that meaſure Religion by the Sound and not by the Senſe) could not ſo eaſily be deluded by them. It muſt be acknowledged, that the End of Preaching ſhould be the Edification of the Hearers; the Deſign of it being to perſwade Men to Piety towards God, and Charity towards one another, and to draw the Image of God upon the Souls of Men. But it will appear from what follows, That the Scotch Presbyterians Sermons have no ſuch tendency; for the Preachers themſelves (who would have the world believe, that they only are the Powerful, and Soul-refreſhing Goſpellers) have not been induſtrious to draw the likeneſs of God upon the Hearts of their Hearers, but meerly to impreſs their own Image there; that is, they labour'd not to make good Chriſtians, but rigid Prebyterians▪

That I may not be thought to aſſert this without ground (for I would not ſlander the Devil) I ſhall firſt give you the true Character of the Presbyterian Paſtors and People. 2. I ſhall ſay before you, ſome remarkable paſſages taken out of their own Printed Books, to confirm this Character. 3. Some ſpecial Notes (written from their own Mouths) as they preach'd them under the happy Reign of K. Charles II, and ſince the late Revolution. Laſtly, I ſhall give you ſome taſte of that Extemporary Gibberiſh, which they uſe inſtead of Prayer, and for which they have juſtled out, not only all the Liturgies of the Pure and Primitive Church, but even the Lord's Prayer it ſelf, becauſe it is an evident Argument and Pattern for Chriſtians praying in a ſet Form; and in all this I ſhall ſay nothing but what I know to be true, and what I am ready to make appear to be ſo, upon a fair and free tryal, if that may be had where Presbyterians Rule.

In the firſt Place, then I am to give you the true Character of Presbyterian Paſtors and People. I ſhall begin with the People, for they are truly the Guides, and their Paſtors muſt follow them, whom they pretend to Conduct. For the Preachers of the new Goſpel, knowing that their trade hath no old nor ſure Foundation, they are forced to flee to this new and unaccountable Notion, that the Calling and Conſtituting of Miniſters is in the Power of the Mob: Now the World knows by too long and ſad Experience, that their Mobile is not led by Reaſon nor Religion, but by Fancy and Imagination; ſo that we may be ſure when the Election of Miniſters is put in their hands, they will chuſe none but ſuch as will readily ſooth and indulge them in their moſt extravagant and mad Humors: What Miniſters can be expected from the choice of a People void of common Senſe, and guided by irregular Paſſions, who torture the Scripture, making it ſpeak the Language of their deluded Imaginations. They will tell you, that ye ought to fight the Battels of the Lord, becauſe the Scripture ſays in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews, Without ſhedding of Blood there is no Remiſſion. They are generally Covetous and Deceitful; and the Preaching they are bred with, hath no tendency to work them into the contrary Virtues. They call Peace, Love, Charity, and Juſtice, not Goſpel, but dry Morality only. I had once very great difficulty to convince one of them, that it was a Sin for him to cheat and impoſe upon his Neighbour in matters of Trade, by concealing the faults of his Goods from the Buyer. He ask'd my Reaſon: I told him, Becauſe he would not wiſh one to deal ſo with himſelf. That is (ſaid he again) but Morality: for if I ſhall believe in Chriſt I ſhall be ſaved. I ask'd him, Was not this Chriſt's ſaying, Whatſoever ye would that others ſhould do unto you, that do you unto others? Yes, he ſaid, that was good, but that Chriſt, becauſe of the hardneſs of the Jews Hearts ſpake very much Morality with his Goſpel. The poor man ſpoke as he was taught and bred in the Conventicles; for it will be very long e're they hear a Sermon upon Juſt Dealing, or Reſtitution of ill-gotten Goods; and who knows not that deſpiſing of Dominions, ſpeaking evil of Dignities, and riſing in Arms againſt the Lord's Anointed, is with them but fighting the Battels of the Lord. One George Flint, in the Pariſh of Smalholm, in the Shire of Teviotdate, was look'd upon as a very great Saint among them; and yet out of Zeal againſt the Government, he kept a Dog whom he named Charles, after the King; and a Cat which he named Katherine, after the Queen; and another Dog whom he named Gideon, after the Miniſter of the Pariſh. They are a People that will not Swear in common Diſcourſe for a World, yet they never ſcruple before a Judge, any Perjury that may ſeem to advance the Cauſe, nor ſtand in their ordinary dealings to cheat for a penny; nay, Murther it ſelf becomes a Virtue when the work of the Covenant ſeems to require it; and the new Goſpel which they Profeſs is ſo far from condemning Lying, Cheating, Murther and Rebellion, when committed to fulfil the Ends of the Solemn League, that many of theſe whom they reckon Martyrs, have at their Execution gloried in theſe Crimes, as the ſure Evidences of their Salvation.

Morality being thus diſcountenanced by the generality of that Party, the poor People are thereby lock'd up in a Cell of Ignorance. This did clearly appear, when the Laws, in the former Government, diſcharg'd Conventicles, the people being brought thereby home to the Churches: When the Miniſters began to Catechiſe them in the Principles of the Chriſtian Religion, they found them groſly Ignorant; for when they were deſired to repeat the Creed, Lord's-Prayer, and Ten Commandments; they told they were above theſe childiſh Ordinances; for if they believed in Chriſt, they were certainly well: And yet theſe Ignorants would Adventure to pray Ex tempore, and in their Families to Lecture on the moſt myſterious Chapters of Ezekiel, Daniel, or the Revelation. A grave and good Miniſter told me, that upon a certain occaſion he deſired a very zealous She-Saint to repeat the Creed: And that ſhe return'd this Anſwer, I know not what ye mean by the Creed. Did not your Father, ſays the Minister, promiſe to bring you up in that Faith? Indeed did he not (ſaid ſhe) for I thank my Saviour, that Superſtition was not in my Father's time. What then was in your Father's time? (ſaid the Miniſter.) It was (ſaid ſhe) the holy Covenant, which you have put away. Whether was it the Covenant of Works or Grace? ſaid the Miniſter. Covenant of Works, ſaid ſhe, that is handy Labour. It was the Covenent of Grace which was made with Adam, and which all of you have put away. At Night ſhe went home, and a number of the ſighing Fraternity flock'd after, pretending to hear her pray: Their Family Exerciſe being ended, ſhe told them the Conference that paſs'd betwixt the Curate and her, and they all concluded ſhe had the better, and that ſhe was certainly more than match for the ableſt Curate in that Country.

Generally their Conventicles produced very many Bastards, and the Excuſes they made for that, was, Where Sin abounds, the Grace of God ſuperabounds. There is no Condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. Sometimes this, The Lambs of Chriſt may ſport together: To the pure all things are pure. Nay, generally they are of Opinion, That a Man is never a true Saint, till he have a ſound fall, ſuch as that of David's with Bathſheba. The following Narration of a well known Truth ſhall ſerve for Inſtance.

A party of King Charles II. his Guards being ſent to apprehend Mr. Dav. Williamſon (one of the moſt Eminent of their Miniſters now in Edenburgh) for the frequent Rebellion and Treaſon he preached then at Field Meetings; and the party having ſurrounded the Houſe where he was, a Zealous Lady, Miſtreſs of the Houſe, being very Solicitous to conceal him, roſe in all haſte from her Bed, where ſhe left her Daughter of about Eighteen Years of Age, and having dreſs'd up the Holy Man's Head with ſome of her own Night Cloaths, ſhe wittily advis'd him to take her place in the warm Bed with her Girl; to which he modeſtly and readly conſented: And knowing well how to employ his time, eſpecially upon ſuch and extraordinary Call, to propagate the Image of the Party; while the Mother, to divert the Troopers enquiry, was treating them with ſtrong drink in the Parlour; he to expreſs his gratitude, applies himſelf with extraordinary Kindneſs to the Daughter, who finding him like to prove a very uſeful Man in his Generation, told her Mother ſhe would have him for her Husband; to which the Mother, though otherwiſe unwilling, yet for concealing the Scandal, out of Love to the Cauſe conſented, when the myſtery of the Iniquity, was wholly diſcloſed to her. This whole Story is as well known in Scotland, as that the Covenant was begun and carried on by Rebellion and Oppreſſion.

Nor was the Actor, who is at this day one of the chief Props of the cauſe,Me was but laſt Year ſent to Agent their Affairs at Court. more admired for his extraordinary diligence and courage in this Matter, than for his excellent Invention in finding a paſſage of St. Paul's, to prove that the Scandal of this was very conſiſtent with the ſtate of a perſon truly Regenerate; Verily, I do not, ſaid he, deny, but that, with St. Paul, I have a Law in my Members, warring againſt the Law of my Mind, and bringing me into Captivity into the Law of Sin, which is in my Members. Now according to the Gloſs which that whole Party puts upon this Scripture, ſaying, That St. Paul here ſpeaks of himſelf, and does not perſonate an Unregenerate Man, this Defence of Williamſon's muſt be allowed to be good; as alſo that the height of Carnality is conſiſtent with the greateſt Grace. Even ſo the Hereticks, in St. Peter's Days, wreſted ſome things hard to be underſtood in St. Paul's Epiſtles, to their own Deſtruction.

There was among them a married Woman near Edenburgh, who had paid ſeveral Fines for not going to Church, yet ſcrupled not to commit Adultery with one of the Earl of Marr's Regiment, and the Fellow himſelf: that was Guilty, told, out of deteſtation to their damnable Hypocriſie, that the vile Woman had the confidence, in time of her Abomination, to ſay to him; O you that are in Marr's Regiment, but you be pretty able Men, but yet ye art great Covenant Breakers; alas, few or none of you are Godly.

There are very many Inſtances of this Nature, but I ſhall only add one more which was old me by a Gentleman of good Reputation and Credit, who himſelf confeſſed to me, with regret, that in the heat of his Youth, he had been guilty of the Sin of Fornication with a Gentlewoman of that Holy Sect; he ſays, that being with her in a Garret, and ſhe hearing ſome body coming up Stairs, ſhe ſaid to him, Ah, here's my Aunt, I muſt deviſe a Trick to divert her; upon which ſhe • ell a whining and howling aloud, as theſe People uſe to do at their moſt private Devotions, O to believe, to believe; O to have Experience, ſaid ſhe. And by that means ſhe diverted her Aunts further Approaching, who inſtantly retired, commending her Niece's Zeal and Devotion. The Gentleman conceals the Woman's Name, out of regard to her Honour and his own; begs Pardon for the Sin, and tells it only to diſcover the abominable Nature of their Hypocriſie.

They are generally deluded by Perſons that have but ſpecious pretences to Godlineſs. And ſuch is the force, that a loud Voice and a whining Tone, in broken and ſmother'd words, have upon the Animal Spirits of the Presbyterian Rabble; that they look not upon a Man as endued with the Spirit of God, without ſuch canting and deformity of Holineſs. A perſon that hath the dexterity of whining, may make a great Congreation of them weep with an Ode of Horace, or Eclogue of Virgil, eſpecially if he can but drivel a little either at Mouth, or Eyes, when he repeats them. And ſuch a perſon may paſs for a Soul-raviſhing ſpiritualiſt, if he can but ſet off his Nonſence with a wry mouth, which with them is called, A Grace pouring down Countenance. The ſnuffling and twang of the Noſe, paſſes for the Goſpel ſound; and the throwings of the Face, for the motions of the Spirit. They are more concerned at the reading the Speeches of their Covenant Martyrs, yea ſuch Martyrs as died for Rebellion and Murder, than in reading the Martyrdom of St. Stephen, or any of his Followers. A Sermon of mere Railing and Nonſence will af • ect them more than Chriſt's Sermon on the Mount; and no wonder, for all they do is to affect the Paſſions, and not the Judgment.

One Mr. Daniel Douglaſs, an old Presbyterian Preacher in the Mers, ſimple man as to the World, yet of more Learning, Ingenuity and good Nature than moſt of them; he was not long agoe preaching before the meeting of his Brethren, and agoe annalyſing a Text Logically, and very remote from vulgar Capacities, yet ſo powerful and melting was his Tone and Actions, that in the Congregation he ſpies a Woman weeping, and pointing towards her, he crys out, Wife, what makes you weep? I am ſure thou underſtandeſt not what I am ſaying; my Diſourſe is directed to the Brethren, and not to the like of you; nay, I queſtion whether the Brethren themſelves underſtand this that I am ſpeaking.

Several Inſtances can be given of their ſtrong deluſions; this is none of the leaſt, that they take it for a ſure Evidence upon their Death-beds, that it's well with them, becauſe they never heard a Curate in their lifetime. For an indulged Presbyterian, who is the Author of the Review of the Hiſtory of the Indulgence, tells us thus much, Page 527, and Page 528, That ſome of the leading people among the Presbyterians, were of Opinion, that Baptiſm by Epiſcopal Miniſters is the mark of the Beaſt; and the hearing of them as unlawful as Fornication, Adultery, or the worſhipping the Calves of Dan and Bethel: And I think that a Curate can tell no worſe tale of them, than this, which a Presbyterian himſelf owns and declares to the World in Print.

I cannot here paſs by what happen'd a few Years ago, in the Pariſh of Tindrum in the South-weſt; a perſon that was Executed for Beſtiality there, in his Prayers bleſs'd God, that for a long time he had heard no Curate preach; at which the Hearts of ſome Presbyterian Saints began to warm with Affection to him, and expreſt ſo much Charity, that upon that account they doubted not but that he might be ſaved; and were ſorry that he was not allow'd to live, becauſe of the good that ſuch a Zealous man might have done.

It is a well known truth in the Pariſh of Teviotdale, that two or three ſighing Siſters, coming to a Man in Priſon, the Night before he was burnt for Beſtiality; the wholſomeſt Advice they gave him was this, O Andrew, Andrew, Andrew, all the Sins that ever you committed are nothing to your hearing the curſed Curates; if you get Pardon for that Sin, Andrew, all is right with you.

A young Woman in Fife, Daughter to a Presbyterian Preacher there, reading that of St. Peter, Chriſt the Biſhop of our Souls, blotted out the word (Biſhop) and in the place thereof incerted Presbyterian of our Souls. And by the ſame Spirit of Biggotry, one of her Zealous Siſters in the ſame Family, tore every where out of her Bible the word Lord; Becauſe, ſaid ſhe, it is polluted by being applied to the Profane Prelates.

Inſtances of their Madneſs and Deluſions might ſwell into an huge Volume, but I ſhall only mention two or three which are commonly known. What greater Inſtance of Deluſion, than that Seven or Eight thouſand people ſhould be raiſed to Rebellion at Bothwel-bridge, from laboring their ground, and keeping their Sheep; and that by Sermons aſſuring them, that the very Windleſtraws, the Graſs in the Field, and Stars in Heaven would fight for them: And that after the Victory they ſhould poſſeſs the Kingdom themſelves. O it's the promis'd Land, and you Iſraelites ſhall inherit it: but in this they found their Preachers to prove ſalve Prophets. After their Defeat, a Gentleman told me; that going to view the Field, where the Battle was fought, he ſaw one in the Agony of death, crying out, Ah, cheated out of Life and Soul: The Gentleman inquired what he meant by that expreſſion, Ah (ſaid he) our Preachers, our Preachers, they made us believe, that as ſure as the Bible was the word of God, we ſhould gain the day, for that the Windleſtraws ſhould fight for us.

About the ſame time a perſon of Quality returning from the Weſt, with ſome of the King's Forces, being neceſſitate to lodge in a Country Houſe, where there was but one Woman, and ſhe with child; for the Men and all that were able to run, had fled out of the way. The Nobleman encouraged the poor Woman, deſiring her not to be afraid; ſent one upon his own Horſe for Midwife and other Women to attend her. The poor Woman ſurpriſed and encouraged with this unexpected kindneſs, began to talk more freely, and ſaid, Sir, I ſee you that are Kings-men are not ſo ill as we heard ye were; for we heard that it was ordinary for you to rip up Women with Child; but pray will you tell me, Sir, what ſort of Men are your Biſhops? They are, ſaid he, very good Men, and they are choſen out from among the Clergy to overſee the reſt of the Miniſters. But are they, ſays ſhe, ſhapen like other Men? Why ask you that, ſaid he? Becauſe our Preachers made us believe, the Biſhops were all cloven-footed. There is ſcarce one of an hundred among the Presbyterian Vulgar, that will be either reaſon'd or laugh'd out of the ſtrange Opinions they have of Biſhops; as particularly, that they will not ſuffer Witches to be burnt, becauſe (as they alledge) every Biſhop loſes five hundred Marks Scots, for every Witch that's burnt in his Dioceſs. Nay, the generality of The Presbyterian Rabble in the Weſt, will not believe that Biſhops have any Shadows, being perſwaded by ſome of their Teachers, that the Devil hath taken away their Shadow as an earneſt of the Subſtance, for their oppoſing of Covenant Work in the Land.

I ſhall add but one Inſtance more of the ſillineſs of the Presbyterian People, and that is of a certain perſon well known both in the North and South of Scotland, for being not a degree and an half from an Idiot, and to be a Man that can ſcarcely read an Engliſh Book. This perſon takes on him to be a Preacher, and among Presbyterian People has procured a great eſteem to himſelf for a wonderful and rare Goſpeller, for having not the leaſt degree either of natural or acquir'd Parts, they therefore conclude him to have a large ſtock of Grace, and to be a moſt heavenly Man. He came lately to the Mers, where he was never known before, and lodging on a Saturday's Night in a Country-town, he cauſed call in the good people in the Town to Prayers. Immediately the Houſe was fill'd with a Crow'd, then he lectures to them on the firſt of Ezekiel, and he told them, that the Wheel ſpoken of in the Sixteenth Verſe, was the Antichriſt, and the Wheel in the middle was the Biſhops and the Curates; For (ſays he) here's a Wheel within a Wheel, juſt ſo the Curates are within the Biſhops, and both of them within Antichriſt. Then the Wheels are (ſays my Text) lifted up; even ſo, Beloved the Biſhops and Curates are lifted up; lifted up upon Coaches with four Wheels, juſt as Sathan lifted up Chriſt to the Pinacle of the Temple, but God will take the Hammer of the Covenant in his own Hand, and knock down theſe proud Prelates, and break all their Coaches and their Wheels to pieces, Beloved, and lay the Curates on their Backs, ſo that they ſhall never riſe again; for the Prophet ſays here, that when they went they went upon their four ſides, and they returned not when they went, Beloved: That you may ſee it very plain and clear, for tho' they may go out and Perſecute God's own Covenanted People, yet they ſhall return falling upon their Broad-ſides, and get ſuch a fall that they ſhall never be able to ſtand or return to perſecute the Godly, ſo long as they go upon their four ſides, and are lifted up upon four Wheels. The people ſaid, they never heard ſuch a ſweet Tongue in a Gracious Man's Head. He ſpoke much againſt thoſe that took an Indulgence from K. James. The next day he told them, that 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the Epiſcopal Miniſter in the Pariſh was his Couſin, therefore he would go to Church, and hear how he could Preach. Truly, Sir (ſays the people) we ſhall go along with you wherever you go, albeit it be our ordinary to go to the Meeting houſe in the Pariſh. And that ſame very day he brought all the Diſſenters in the Pariſh to the Church. The people intreated him to deal with the Miniſter to turn Presbyterian, and promis'd to deſert the Meeting-houſe Preacher, whom they ordinarily heard, and to hear the Epiſcopal Miniſter upon his Converſion. He promiſed to deal very ſeriouſly with him: For that purpoſe, the next day he came to the Miniſters Houſe, and after a few ſighs and affected groans, he expoſtulates thus, Dear Couſin, what makes you own perjur'd Epiſcopacy? What have you to ſay againſt that Office? replies the Miniſter. I have many Arguments, ſaid he, and one I am ſure you can never anſwer; and you will find it in Pſal. 45. 1. My Heart enditeth a good thing: Now is not this, ſays he, a plain Argument agaiſt Biſhops; for when will they endite good things? The people wondered that the Miniſter could not be perſwaded by ſo clear an Argument, and ſaid, Poor Soul, his Heart is heardened, he has not Grace enough to believe and be Converted. This Account is proved before very many famous witneſſes in the City of Edinburgh. All I have told of them is truth, but the hundred part is not told. You may judge of the Tree by theſe Fruits; and of what a delicate Set of Reformers we have at his time in the Weſt and South of Scotland.

I come in the next place, to give you a true Character of their Preachers. And truly, to be plain, they are a Proud, Sour, Inconverſable Tribe, looking perfectly like the Phariſees, having Faces like their horrid Decree of Reprobation. They are without Humanity, void of common Civility, as well as Catholick Charity, ſo wholly enſlaved to the Humours of their people, that they give no other Reaſon why they converſe not with Men of a different Opinon, but only that their People would take it very ill if they ſhould. However, I fear there is ſomething in it more, and that is, leſt their Ignorance ſhould be diſcover'd; for it's certain, they have as little Learning as good Nature: And we have both felt and ſeen, that that is next Neighbour to none at all.

They have their Souls caſt into a different mould from all Chriſtians in the World. There is no Church but they differ from, both in Worſhip and Practice: They have quite baniſh'd the uſe of the Lord's Prayer, and what ridiculous ſtuff they have foiſted in for it, ſhall be told in its proper Place, The ſmootheſt reaſon that they alledge for their forbearing it, is, That the uſe thereof is inconvenient. This is Dr. Rule's own Reaſon in that pretended Anſwer he has publiſhed to the Ten Queſtions concerning Epiſcopal and Presbyterian Government in Scotland. Their famous Preacher James Kirktown, when one of the Magiſtrates of Edenburgh enquired why they did forbear the publick uſe of the Lord's Prayer? told down-right, becauſe it was the badge of the Epiſcopal Worſhip. I doubt not but many have heard long ere now of a Conference that paſt betwixt my Lord B . . . and a ruling Elder in the North. In ſhort it is this, Five Presbyterian Preachers, laſt Year, appointed themſelves Judges, to purge Two or Three Dioceſſes in the North. They took to aſſiſt, or to accompany them, ſome whom they call Ruling-Elders, one of whom entreated my Lord B . . . to further with his help the happy and bleſſed Reformation, particularly by giving in Complaints againſt Ignorant, Scandalous, and Erroneous Miniſters, that the Church of God might be repleniſhed with the Faithful: Truly then (ſaith my Lord) there is one whom I can prove to be very Atheiſtical, Ignorant and Scandalous. At which the Ruling-Elder began to prick up is Ears; And pray you, Sir, (ſays he) who is the Man? Indeed (ſays my Lord) I will be free with you, it is Mr. James Urquhart, one of your own Preachers, who is come with you now to ſit as a Judge upon others; and by Witneſſes of unqueſtionable Honeſty I can make it appear that he ſaid, If ever Chriſt was drunk upon Earth, it was when he made the Lords Prayer. And I appeal to your ſelf, who are a Ruling-Elder, whether or not this be Blaſphemy? Some other things of Scandalous Nature I can prove againſt him. O but (ſays he) we are not come here to Judge our Brethren, our Buſineſs is with the Curates.

It is ordinary to hear their People ſay, That if Chriſt were on Earth again, he would think ſhame of that Form, that they could make better themſelves, and that he was but young when he compos'd it. All which Blaſphemies muſt needs be the Effects or Conſequent of what they hear from their Preachers. And as for the Apoſtles Creed, it is not ſo much as once mentioned at the Baptiſing of Infants; for all that they require at Baptiſm, is, That the Father promiſe to breed up the Child in the Belief of the Weſtminſter Confeſſion of Faith, and that he ſhall adhere to all the National Engagements laying on them to be Presbyterians. Though Mr. Rule. who defends the New Goſpellers by denying their Prints, and by palpable vntruths, ſeems to diſown this in his Second Vindication of his Kirk. Yet much honeſter Presbyterians affirm it, and glory in it. Vid. Covenants with acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, renewed at Leſmahago. 1688. Et Hind let looſe.

Here I cannot forget what Mr. John Dickſon, Preacher in the Meeting-Houſe at Kelſo, ſaid once in a Sermon; Ask (ſaid he) an old dying Wife, if ſhe hath any Evidence of Salvation, ſhe will tell you, I hope ſo; for I believe the Apoſtles Creed, I am taken with the Lord's Prayer, and I know my Duty to the be Ten Commands. But I tell you, Sirs, there are but old rotten Wheel-barrows, to carry Souls to Hell. Theſe are Idols that the falſe Prelates and Curates have ſet up, to obſtruct the Covenant and the Work of God in the Land.

For reading the Scriptures in Churches, they have aboliſhed that with the reſt, and in place thereof, he that raiſes the Pſalm reads the Sermon that was preach'd the Sabbath before; And for the Goſpel Hymn, called the Doxology, or Gloria Patri, they reject that as a ſuperſtitious prelatical Addition to the Word of God. A certain Maid being lately Catechiſed by one of theſe Preachers, the firſt queſtion he propos'd to her was, Maggi, Now what think you are the Saints doing in Heaven? I know not, Sir: O Maggy, that is a very eaſie queſtion, anſwer it, Maggy. I think then (ſaid ſhe) they are doing that in Heaven which ye will not let us do on Earth; What is that, Maggy? ſays he. They are ſinging Glory to the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, Sir. Now that is your Miſtake, Maggy (ſaid he) for there's no ſuch malignant Songs ſung there; you have been quite wrong taught, Maggy, the Curates have deceived you, Maggy.

They have no diſtinguiſhing Garb from Lay-men, and yet they took upon them to admoniſh the King's Commiſſioner to their laſt Aſſembly, for wearing a Scarlet Cloak, and told him plainly, That it was not decent for his Grace to appear before them in ſuch a Garb; upon which my Lord told them, That he thought it as undecent for them to appear before him in gray Cloaks and Cravats. When the Church of Arrol was laſt Year made Vacant by the Expulſion of the Reverend and Learned Dr. Niclſon, the Elders and Heritors there, whereof many were Gentlemen of the beſt quality met together, that according to the preſent Law and conſtant Practice of the Presbyterians they might chuſe and call another Miniſter to be their Parſon; after they had unanimouſly agreed, and ſign'd, and ſent a formal Legal Call to Mr. Lisk, a perſon of indiſputable Qualifications for the Miniſtry, in which he has been imploy'd with great Reputation for ſeveral Years in the North, and one who has given ſignal Evidence of his good Affections to heir preſent Majeſties; my Lord Kinnard, Chief Heritor, went with the reſt to ſignifie their Calling of Mr. Lisk to the Presbytery; at my Lords entering into the place where the Presbytery was ſitting, he ask'd if they were the Miniſters of the Presbytery; Do not you ſee that we are? ſaid the Moderator. My Lord replied, That by their Garb no Body could know them, and that their Spirit was inviſible; now whether it was for this Jeſt, or becauſe they knew Mr. Lisk to be Epiſcopal in his Judgment I know not; but this I know, that theſe grave New Goſpellers, rejected the Call, in deſpite both of the Heritors and of their own Law, brought in a Hot-headed Young Man of their own Stamp and Election. However, that they uſe no diſtinguiſhing Garb, muſt be acknowledged to be very Congruous; for truly they are but Laicks, and it will ſurpaſs all their Learning, to prove that they are Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, but meerly Preachers ſent and call'd by the People, who are generally but very ill Judges of Mens Qualifications for the Miniſtry; hence their conſtant and vaſt Heats and Diviſions about their calling of able Men. The Mobile ordinarily take their Meaſures only from the appearances of things, and indeed a Presbyterian Preachers Out-ſide is not his worſt, for they appear commonly, though in Lay-garb, yet in Sheeps-clothing; but as we have often formerly, ſo do we now, feel that they are inwardly nothing but ravenous Wolves.

Now as to their Sermons (which is the main deſign of this Paper) they are ſtill upon the Government and the Times, preaching up the Excellency of their Kirk-Government, which they call Chriſt, the Crown, Scepter, and Government of Chriſt. This was an old Cuſtom among them to preach up the Times, and the neglect thereof they call'd ſinful Silence. When in the former Confuſions of the State they violently intruded themſelves and Uſurped the Government of the Church, which they never had in ſettled Times. In thoſe Days at a publick Synod they openly reproved one Mr. Lighton for not preaching up the Times. Who (ſaith he) doth preach up the Times? It was anſwer'd, That all the Brethren did it. The (ſays Mr. Lighton) if all you preach up the Times, you may allow one poor Brother to preach up Chriſt Jeſus and Eternity. But this was never, not is like to be the Deſign of their Sermons; for, trace them in their Politicks, Morals, Myſticks, and Metaphyſicks, you ſhall find them Selfiſh, Singular, and full of Nonſenſick Rhapſodies, Theſe perhaps may ſeem hard Words, but an Aethiopian muſt be painted black, and that's no ſault in the Painter.

For their Politicks, there is no Government under the Sun could tolerate them, if they but act in other Nations as they have done in Scotland ſince their Intruſion there; to inſtance but in our Times, Did nor Mr. Cargill, one of their Celebrated Preachers, Excommunicate all the Royal Family, the Biſhops and Curates, and all that ſhould hear them and adhere to them? They, indeed, that affect the Name of Sober Presbyterians diſown'd theſe Hill-men, particularly becauſe they refuſed to join with them in thanking King James for the Toleration, which he granted to them. And yet ſuch is the Diſingenuity of theſe who would be called Sober Presbyterians, that they cry out that they ſuffered Perſecution; whereas it was the Cameronians only, whom they diſown, that did ſuffer any thing: For theſe others were ſettled in Churches by an Indulgence granted by the King. Againſt which Indulgence all the Sufferers, like true Presbyterians, gave their Teſtimony, calling it a meer brat of Eraſtianiſm. What Government could tolerate ſuch Miniſters, as John Deckſon, whom I named before, who in a Sermon Preached by him in the Pariſh of Gallaſhiels, declar'd, That it was all one to Sacrifice to Devils, as to pay Ceſs to King Charles. The Author of the Review of the Hiſtory of Indulgence, one of the Sober ſort of Presbyterians, tells, Page 610. the ſame of a Preacher of his Acquaintance.

I ſhall ſay no more of their Sentiments concerning Government, but only referr the Readers to their Printed Acts of General Aſſemblies, and to thoſe Covenants which themſelves have Printed, often Subſcribed and Sworn, and which are now again, for the benefit of Strangers, publiſhed in that Excellent Vindication of King Charles II. his Happy Government in Scotland by Sir George Mac Kenze, in which it's Evident, that they plainly renounce Monarchy and all Power, but that of the Covenanted Kirk.

As to their Diſpoſition to live peaceably, I appeal not only to their Principles vented in theſe Covenants and Acts of their general Aſſemblies, but alſo to the many private Murthers, and open Rebellions which they have been guilty of under every Reign, ſince their firſt entry into Britain. Even in our own Days, ſince 1666, they have raiſed no leſs than Three formidable Rebellions, beſides many leſſer Inſurrections and Tumults, wherein many Chriſtians have ſuffered. With what Violence did they flee to Arms, and perſecute all who were not of their Party, upon the occaſion of the late Revolution; when, if it had not been for their indiſcreet and fiery Zeal, this Kingdom might have been happily united to England: But what ever Advantage ſuch an Union might have brought to the Church and State; yet, becauſe it ſeemed to have no good Aſpect to the covenanted cauſe, therefore the motion of it, though offered, was induſtriouſly ſtifled, and that Opportunity, which we can hardly hope to recover, quite loſt. Nay, under the preſent Government, for which they in the beginning pretended to be ſo zealous, 'tis well known over all the Kingdom, that they were laſt Year contriving by force, without any regard to Authority, to have the Solemn League renewed, and impoſed after the old manner, upon all Men, Women and Children; and in order to this good end, many Thouſands of them, at Field meetings in the Weſt, conveened after their ordinary way, with Bibles and Muſquets, Pſalm-Books and ruſty Swords, and ſubſcrbed a new Aſſociation for raiſing of Men, Horſe and Arms, to advance the Old Cauſe, repurge the holy Kirk, and make a thorow Reformation in the Land. But I ſhall take occaſion by and by to give you ſome later and more evident Inſtances of their Neglect and Contempt of their preſent Governors.

In the next place ſurvey them in their Learning, and you ſhall find that it lies only in the ſtudy of ſome Anti-Arminian Metaphyſicks, and in the practical Divinity they pretend to draw from the Heads of Election and Reprobation, whereby they preach Men out of their Wits, and very often into Deſpair and Self-murder. It's generally known, that Joſeph Brodie, Preacher in Forreſs in the time of the late Presbytery, did in the preſence of a very Learned and Eminent Perſon, take occaſion in the Pulpit to ſpeak of a poor Man, who was then in ſuch a deſperate Condition, that it was judg'd neceſſary to bind up his Hands, leſt otherwiſe he ſhould cut his own Throat, as he continually threatned; of this deſperate Wretch the pious Preacher above-named pronounced thus; Sirs, this is the beſt Man in my Pariſh, would to God ye were all like him; he does truely fear Reprobation, which moſt of you are not aware of.

There is a common printed Pamphlet compos'd and publiſh'd by a Presbyterian Preacher, concerning one Beſſie Clarkſon, a Woman that lived at Lanark, who was three Years in deſpair, or to ſpeak in their Cant, under Exerciſe. Whoſoever reads that Pamphlet will find, that the poor Woman's Diſtemper proceeded only form their indiſcreet Preaching, repreſenting God as a ſower, ſevere and unmerciful Being. It is known in the Shire of Teviotdale that Mr. William Veach murder'd the Bodies, as well as Souls, of two or three Perſons with one Sermon; For, preaching in the Town of Jedburgh to a great Congregation, he ſaid, There are Tow thouſand of you here to day, but I am ſure Fourſcore of you will not he ſaved; upon which Three of his ignorant Hearers, being in Deſpair, diſpatched themſelves ſoon after. And lately in Edenburgh Mr. James Kirkton, (the Everlaſting Comedian of their Party) one of their famous Preachers in that City, praying publickly for a poor Woman much troubled in Spirit, ſaid, A wholeſome Diſeaſe, good Lord, a wholeſome Diſeaſe, Lord, for the Soul. Alas, ſaid he, few in the Land are troubled with this Diſeaſe. Lord, grant that ſhe may have many fellows in this Diſeaſe.

Not only do they make their People diſtracted with ſuch deſperate Doctrine as this, but moreover they incourage them in direct Impieties. Mr. Selkirk preaching at Muſſelburgh expreſſed himſelf thus, God ſeed no Sin in his Choſen; Now, Sirs, be you guilty of Murder, Adultery, Beſtiality, or any other groſs Sin, if you be of the Election of Grace there is no fear of you, for God ſees no Sin in his Choſen covenanted People. And this is conſonant to an expreſſion of Mr. Samuel Rutherford's printed Letters, Hellfulls of Sins cannot ſeparate is from Chriſt.

In the Pariſh of Mr. Macmath, Miniſter of Leſwade, ſome of thoſe who were lately the moſt active in perſecuting and driving him form his Reſidence (even after he had the Privy Councils Protection, and a Guard aſſign'd him for his Defence) have ſince ſuffer'd violent deaths; two of them prevented the Hangman's pains by becoming their own Murtherers. When the Earl of Lauderdale and Sir George Mackenzie dyed laſt year much about one time, the party who pretend to unriddle all the moſt ſecret Cauſes of God's Providence, called their Deaths a viſible Judgment, for their being Enemies to the good Cauſe, altho' it be well known that both theſe honourable Perſons dyed of a natural Death, in a good age, being both of them worn out with their great diligence in their King and Country's Service (perhaps, indeed, their days were ſhortened, by ſeeing ſuch Firebrands able again to force themſelves into the Church, as had before ruin'd both it and the State, and were the Scandal of Chriſtianity as well as Diſgrace of their Nation.) But when theſe abovenamed Self-Murtherers of the Pariſh of Leſwade had divided Judas's death betwixt them, the one hanging himſelf, the other ripping up his own Belly, till all his Bowels guſhed out: The Presbyterian Preacher in that Pariſh, holding forth next Sunday, was ſo ready of Invention as to find Arguments from thence for the Confirmation of the good Cauſe: Ab Sirs (ſays he) nothing has befallen theſe Men but what God had from Eternity decreed; and I can tell you, Sirs, why he decreed it, indeed it was even becauſe they had gone ſometimes to hear the Graceleſs Curates. Ah, Sirs, ye may ſee in this Judgment the danger of that Sin, beware of hearing Curates, Sirs, you ſee it's a dangerous thing, Sirs, but I'll tell you more yet anent this, Sirs, this is a plain proof that the Goſpel has non been preached in this Pariſh theſe twenty eight Years, for in all that time you have no: heard ſo much as of one that had a tender Conſcience like theſe men; but now when we begin again to preach the Goſpel, it's ſo powerful, that it awakes mens Conſciences, and pricks them ſo at the Heart, that they cannot bear it, nor live under it.

And now I leave the World to Judge, whether this ſort of Learning and manner of Preaching, doth not ſtand in diametrical oppoſition to all Religion and Reaſon, and does not in its Tenure and Effects, appear to be indeed the Doctrine of Devils, and another Goſpel; and yet by it our Rabble Reformation has been wrought. All true and ſolid Learning, particularly Antiquity is decryed by them, becauſe in it there is no veſtige, no not ſo much as any ſhadow of Presbytery to be found; to preach Peace and Righteouſneſs (tho' that be the deſign of the Goſpel) yet ſince it does not anſwer the Ends of the Covenant, it muſt be condemn'd as temporizing, time-ſerving, and the pleaſing of men more than God, who, they are ſure, can never be pleas'd but in their Covenanted way.

Morality with them is but old, out-dated, heatheniſh Virtue, and therefore ſuch a Book as The whole Duty of Man, is look'd upon with wonderful contempt by them: Frazer of Bray, one of the greateſt among them, profeſſes downright, that there is no Goſpel, nor any reliſh of it in that Book, and that Ariſtotle's Ethicks have as much true Divinity as that Book hath. And John Vetch of Woolſtruthers ſays, That that Book is too much upon Moral Duty. A certain Lady of their Stamp, getting it once into her hands, and hearing that it was a Moral Book, done by an Epiſcopal Divine, ſhe made a Burnt Offering of it, out of her great Zeal againſt Epiſcopacy and Morality. Mr. Macquire, one of their celebrated Profeſſors and Preachers, in his Preface to Brown's Book, entituled, Chriſt the Truth, Way, and Life, calls the people that are taken up with the whole Duty of Man, or any ſuch Books, a Moralizing, or rather, ſays he, a Muddizing Generation.

The moſt of their Sermons are Nonſenſick Raptures, the abuſe of Myſtick Divinity, in canting and compounded Vocables, oft-times ſtuffed with impertinent and baſe Similes and always with homely, courſe, and ridiculous Expreſſions, very unſuitable to the Gravity and Solemnity that becomes Divinity. They are for the moſt part upon Believe, Believe; and miſtaking Faith for a meer Recumbency, they value no Works but ſuch as tend to propagate Presbytery. When they ſpeak of Chriſt, they repreſent him as a Gallant, Courting and Kiſſing, by their Fulſome, Amorous Diſcourſes on the myſterious Parables of the Canticles; and making Chriſt and his Goſpel to be their own Kirk Government; they have quite debaſed Divinity, and debauched the Morals of the People: This is evident, not only from their manner of Preaching, but alſo from their way of Writing moſt of their Books, whereof ſome Inſtances ſhall be given in the next Section.

Some of them have an odd way of acting in the Pulpit, perſonating Diſcourſes often by way of Dialogue betwixt them and the Devil. Such ways were of old familiar to the Monks, as appears from Monſieur Claude in his Second part of the Defence of the Reformation, Chap. 10. where he vindicates Luther from an aſperſion caſt upon him by the Church of Rome. For, ſay the Papiſts, Luther profeſſeth in his Writings, that he had a Conference with the Devil concerning the Maſs, and that the Devil accuſed him for being an Idolater. To which Luther anſwers, That he was then in Ignorance, and that he obey'd his Superiours. Hence the Papiſts conclude, that Luther was the Devil's Scholar. But Monſieur Claude lets them ſee▪ that Luther ſpoke in a Monkiſh Stile, and that the Stile of the Convent did repreſent conflicts betwixt the Fleſh and Spirit, as perſonal exploits with the Devil: To prove this, he inſtances St. Dominick, who ſays, That he ſaw the Devil one Night, in his Iron Hands carry a Paper to him, which he read by the light of a Lamp, and told it was a Catalogue of his ſins, and the ſins of his Brethren, upon which St. Dominick commanded him to leave the Paper with him, which was done accordingly; and afterwards he and his Brethren found cauſe to correct ſomething in their Lives. All that is ſaid for this, is, that it is a Romantick Stile proper to the Monks, and all that is meant thereby is this, that the Devil could lay ſuch and ſins to their charge, their Conſciences did ſmite them, therefore they corrected what they found amiſs. But ſuch a Stile did create wrong Ideas in the Litteral Interpreters of ſuch Narrations: And it is like ſome of our Reformers reading Books of this nature, either thought ſuch Appariſions real, or that they affected the Stile; for it its reported of Mr. Robert Bruce, one of our Scotch Reformers, that having ſtudied the Civil Law, and going one day to the Colledge of Juſtice, to paſs his Tryals in order to commence Advocate, he ſaid, that he ſaw a great Gulph in the Cloſe or Court of the Parliament-Houſe, like the mouth of Hell, and this diverted his entrance into the Houſe, upon which he gave over the Study of the Law, and applyed himſelf to Theology. Whether the thing was litterally true, or whether the man had a diſturbed Imagination (as good men may have) or whether he affected the Stile of the Convent, and meant thus much buy it, That the imployment of a Juriſt was dangerous, and apt to lead men into ſuch Temptations as he feared might be too ſtrong for him, I know not which to conclude; but this I am ſure of, That one Mr. Thomas Hogg, a very popular Presbyterian Preacher in the North, asked a perſon of great Learning, in a Religious Conference, whether or not he had ſeen the Devil? It was anſwered him, That he had never ſeen him in any viſible apperance: Then I aſſure you (ſaith Mr. Hogg) that you can never be happy till you ſee him in that manner; that is, until you have both a perſonal Converſe and Combat with him. I know nothing more apt to create a more Religious Madneſs in poor well-meaning people, that this ſort of Divinity, in which our Presbyterians have quite out-done the ſenſeleſs old Monks.

Their Principles and Doctrine being, as ye have heard, oppoſite to Morality, it will not be thought ſtrange that the height of Pride and Ruſticitie ſhould appear in their Converſation: The common Civilities due to Mankind, they allow not to Perſons of the Quality, that are of a different Opinion from themſelves. To avoid and flee from the Company where a Curate is, as if it were a Peſt-houſe is a common ſign of Grace: To affront a Prelate openly is a moſt meritorious Work, and ſuch as becomes a true Saint: To approve and applaud the Murtherers of the Archbiſhop of St. Andrews, is an infallible Evidence of one thoroughly reformed. That the World may be ſatisfied of their Behaviour towards ordinary Men, I ſhall give you ſome late Inſtances of their Carriage towards thoſe of the higheſt Rank and Quality; the matters of Fact are ſuch as are known to be true by Multitudes of People before whom they were acted; and themſeves have the Impudence ſtill to Glory in them; and yet I will not ſay, but ſome of the Party may deny them upon occaſion at Court, as they do other things as evident; for I know what Metal their Foreheads are made of.

1. Then when their Majeſties Privy Council, by advice of all the Judges conform to a ſtanding Act of Parliament, and common Practice, appointed a Sermon upon the thirtieth Day of January, 1690: The Council ſome time before ſent a Perſon of Quality, one of their own Stamp and Kidney, to the Commiſſioners of the General Aſſembly, to deſire them in their Majeſties and Council's Name, to appoint one of their number to preach before them in St. Giles's Church on that Day, and to put them in mind that it was the Anniverſary for the Martyrdom of King Charles the Firſt, and that a Sermon proper for the occaſion was expected according to the Religion, Law, and Cuſtom of the Nation. The grave Noddies of the Aſſembly anſwer'd thus, Let the Council to do their own Buſineſs, for we are to receive no Directions from the State, nor to the take our Meaſures from the Council, eſpeciallly in preaching Anniverſary-Sermons. Upon which they appointed Shields, a Cameronian, one of the moſt wild and violent of the Hillmen, to preach in the Tron-Church, where-in they uſed to have Weekly Lectures, as it happened upon that Day of the Week, but where neither the Lords of Council nor Judges were uſed to come. All that he ſpoke concerning the King's Murther was this, Ye Sirs, perhaps ſome of you may fooliſhly fanoy that I came here to day to preach to you concerning the Death of King Charles the Firſt: What? preach for a Man that died forty Years ago; if it be true what ſome Hiſtories tells of him, he is very mach wronged; but if it be true what we believe of him; and have ground for, he is ſuffering the Vengeance of God in Hell this day for his own and Fore-fathers Sing. The ſame Shields as he was holding forth ſometime before at Edinburgh, ſaid, That for ought he ſaw, King William and Queen Mary were rather ſeeking an earthly Crown to themſelves, than ſeeking to put the Crown on Chriſt's Head. That is, in the Conventicle ſtile, to ſettle Presbyterian Government.

This ſame Year again they peremptorily refuſed and deſpiſed the Privy Council's Order, requiring them, according to a ſtanding Act of Parliament, to preach upon that day.

2. Inſt. Mr. Areskme preaching in the Tron Church at Edinburgh, the day after the King by open Proclamation had adjourned the General Aſſembly, ſaid, Sirs, Ye heard a ſtrange Proclamation the other day, which I hope the Authors of may Repent ſome day: It brings to my mind, Sirs, an old ſtory of King Cyrus who once ſet his Hands fairly to the building of God's Houſe, but his Hand was not well in the Work, when he drew it out again: All is well that ends well, Sirs; for what think ye become of King Cyrus, Sirs? I'll tell you that Sirs; He e'en made an ill end, he e'en died a bloody death in a ſtrange Land. I wiſh the like may not befal our King; they ſay Compariſons are odious, but I hope ye will not think that Scripture-compariſons are ſo; whatever you may think, I am ſure of this, that no King but King Jeſus, had Power to Adjourn our General Aſſembly. This was ſpoken ſo lately, before ſo great an Auditory, that whatever Rule may ſay in his next Book, yet I think the Author himſelf will not have the Impudence to deny it.

3. When laſt Summer their Commiſſioners returned from King William in Flanders, and told the General Aſſembly, That the King had poſſitively told them, that he would not any longer ſuffer them to oppreſs and perſecute the Epiſcopal Subjects; and deſired them in his Name to acquaint the General Aſſembly with his Mind, that for the time to come they ſhould proceed more moderately, otherwiſe he would let them know that he is their Maſter. The Moderators ſaid openly, That if it were not for the great Army he had with him, he durſt not have ſaid ſo to them; and however, he had been wiſer to have held his peace, for that they own'd no Maſter but Chriſt.

When King William in January laſt deſired them, by his Letter to the General Aſſembly, to re-admit into the Exerciſe of the Miniſtry, ſo many of the Epiſcopal Presbyters as ſhould be willing to ſubmit to and comply with a Formula which his Majeſty ſent to them, and appointed to be the Terms of Communion betwixt the Parties: This Propoſal of Peace and Union, which moderate Presbyterians might have been thought to have rejoyced in, was inſolently rejected, and exclaimed againſt by all the Aſſembly, except one Mr. Orack A Perſon who was well educated, and juſtly eſteemed at St. Andrew's Vniverſity.. Then the common diſcourſe and preaching of Presbyterians was. That King William deſign'd to Dethrone King Jeſus; that the preſcribing to them any Formula was an Incroachment upon Chriſt's Kingdom, and a violent Uſurpation of his Priviledges; that any Formula but the Covenant, is of the Devil's making, and ought not to be tolerated by Presbyterians. The Moderator of the General Aſſembly, in his Prayer immediately after its Diſſolution, reflected upon King William as ſent in Wrath to be a Curſe to God's Kirk. He and the whole Aſſembly proteſted againſt the King's Power to diſſolve them, and before his Commiſſioner diſclaim'd all his Authority that way: Afterwards, to make their Teſtimony (that's their word for Treaſon) publick, they went to the Croſs of Edinburgh, and took a formal Proteſtation after the old manner againſt the King in behalf of the People of God (by which they intend their own Subjects.) The Magnanimous Earl of Crawford vowed before the Commiſſioners, that he would adhere to the Proteſtation with his Life and Fortune, two things equally great and valuable.

Their ordinary Doctrine and Diſcourſe in the Pulpit and out of it, ſpeaking of the Kirk and King, is, Deliverance will come from another hand, but thou and thy houſe ſhall periſh. Mr. Matthew Red, holding forth the New Goſpel at his Kirk in North Berwick, Feb. 20th, 1691-92, ſaid, The Kirk of Scotland is preſently under the ſame condition that David was, when he was ſo ſore perſecuted and purſued by Saul, that he ſeemed to have no way left him to eſcape; but then a Meſſenger came and told Saul, that the Philiſtines had invaded the Land; this gave Saul ſome other That is in Engliſh ſome other Fiſh to fry. Tow in his Rock, and by that David was deliver'd. This Mr. Red being that ſame night with another of his Brethren at Supper at a Knight's Houſe in that Pariſh, told plainly, That by the Philiſtines in his Sermon, he meant the French. And both the New Goſpellers agreed, that the Kirk of Scotland could not now be otherwiſe deliver'd but by an Invaſion of the French to reſtore King James. This acconnt I had from a Gentleman of good Credit who was preſent both at the Sermon and Supper. Mr. Stenton, one of their noted Preachers, ſaid in an open Company, the day after the Aſſembly was diſſolved, That they had appointed their next Meeting in 1693, hoping that before that time they might have another King who would allow them better Conditions. They now lay great ſtreſs upon the Propheſie of an old Man in the Weſt, who at his dying in 1689, ſaid, The perfect Deliverance of God's Kirk muſt come after all by the French, for this King William will not do it. And ſay commonly, that they brought in a Dog for God's ſake, and that he now begins to bite the Barnes.

This being their way of treating a King who has condeſcended to oblige them even to his own loſs, and to the wonder of Mankind; what may their Fellow-ſubjects, eſpecially ſuch as are not of their Biggotry of Opinion, expect from them? That this is no new thing to them, nor the actings only of ſome few of the more rigid ſort of them, is evident from their extravagant and conſtant courſe of Rudeneſs to King James the Sixth, and to both the Charles's, whereof many inſtances are to be ſeen in their own Books, ſome of them you may meet with in the next Section.

All the Presbyterians profeſs, that the keeping of Anniverſary Days, even for the greateſt Bleſſing of the Goſpel, is Superſtition and Popery. For the modeſteſt of them that ever ſpake laſt Year againſt Chriſtmas, was Frazer of Bray, who preaching in the High Church of Edinburgh, in his ordinary turn upon that day on which Chriſtmas fell, all that he ſaid was, Some will think that I will ſpeak either for the Day or againſt it: To ſpeak againſt it I ſee no reaſon, and to ſpeak for it I ſee as little; for why ſhould we keep our Saviour's Birth-day, and not his Conception. Had this Man been but acquainted with the Liturgy of the Primitive Church, or of that in the Neighbour-Nation, he might have found that they keep Annunciation-day for the Conception, and this would have broke the ſtrongeſt Horn of his Presbyterian Dilemma. But for all the Abhorrence that Presbyterians have, and do profeſs againſt the Obſervation of Anniverſary-days, yet they never miſſed to preach an Anniverſary Sermon on Mr. Heriot, who built and indued the great Hoſpital in the City of Edinburgh; the reaſon is, that for every Sermon on Heriot's Commendation, they get five Ponds, a new Hat and a Bible. If they could have made but the ſame Purchaſe by preaching on Chriſtmas, it's more than probable that they would have thought the Annual Obſervation of our Saviour's Birth, as little ſuperſtitious as that of Mr. Heriot's Memory.

But the Diſingenuity, Hypocriſy, and Covetouſneſs of that Party appears not only in this, but in many other particulars; for who clamour'd more than Presbyterians againſt Plurality of Benefices, which was never allowed nor practiſed under Epiſcopacy in our Kingdom, and now ſeverals of them are ſuing for five or ſix • tipends at once, viz. the great Apoſtles of the New Goſpel, Dr. Bule, Mr. John and Mr. William Vetches, Mr. David Williamſon, John Dickſon. I cannot here omit a paſſage of Mr. James Kirkton, now a famous Preacher in Edinburgh, who held forth formerly in a Meeting-houſe about three and twenty Miles from it, in the Pariſh of St. Martine, within the Shire of the Mers, in which Pariſh there was an Epiſcopal Miniſter that gave Obedience to the preſent Laws, but this Kirkton by the Act reſtoring Presbyterian Preachers to their former Charges, out of Malice againſt the Epiſcopal Miniſter, and Covetouſneſs to get the Stipend of the place, Charity it ſelf cannot put a better Conſtruction on ſo foul an Action. comes from Edinburgh and preaches one Sermon in the Pariſh of St. Martine, and returning ſome days after, left the Church without a Miniſter, by which means he obtain'd to himſelf the Stipend of that Pariſh, tho' he lived and preaches in the City of Edinburgh ever ſince.

There is another, Mr. Anthony Murray, who has a conſiderable Eſtate in Dunſire, he ordinarly uſes this Phraſe as a Proverb, That he deſires no more in the World but a Bit and a Brat; that is, only as much Food and Raiment as Nature craves; and yet this very Man that would ſeem ſo denied to the World, got himſelf into the poſſeſſion of two fat Benefices, viz. that of Counter in which he never did preach, and that of Dunſire Pariſh, in which the Regular Paſtor had ſerved for the whole Year, 1688, and for the greater part of the Year 1689, and yet was not allow'd one Farthing of the Living for either: altho' when he was drove away he had eight young Motherleſs Children, and no Bread for them, whereof Murray it ſeems not having one Child, had no ſence at all.

Who cried out more againſt the Covetouſneſs of Prelates, and complying Miniſters, than Mr. John Johnſton, yet in the time of his ſuppos'd Perſecution, he made up two thouſand and five hundred Pounds Sterling; and to the certain knowledge of his Acquantances he was two hundred Pounds Sterling in debt when he abdicated his Pariſh. This ſame Johnſton being called to a dying Gentleman in Eaſt Lotham, who was always Epiſcopal, (but the Call was by ſome Phanatical Friends, without the knowledge of the dying Perſon) Johnſton having come to his Chamber, advances with many Hums and Ha's cloſe to the Gentleman's Bed-ſide, and after ſtairing a while upon him, at laſt with a great Groan he gave his Judgment of his State and Condition in theſe words: I ſee nothing there in that Face, ah, I ſee nothing but Damnation, Hell and Reprobation! At which words, a merry Man ſtanding by, whiſpers in the ears of the ſaid Mr. Johnſton, He hath left you two hundred Marks. Mr. Johnſton at this changed his mind (like the Barbarians in the Iſle of Malta,) and ſays, But methinks I ſee the Sun of Righteouſneſs riſing with healing under his wings, ſayng, Son be of good chear, thy ſins are forgiven thee.

Who cried out more againſt Miniſters Scandals, than one Balfour in the Mers, and yet but a few Months ago he fled for the Sin of Adultery himſelf. This among them is called but a Slip of the Saints; but far leſs Slips in others are aggravated into heinous Scandals and crying Sins, as that ought indeed to be eſteem'd.

What greater act of Injuſtice than that done to Mr. Alexander Heriot, Miniſter of Dalkeith, who gave all Obedience to the Civil Law, and yet the Presbytery of Dalkeith permitted one Calderwood, a declared Enemy of Mr. Heriot's, and ſome others of his Accuſers, to ſit as Judges among them, and not only admitted, but alſo invited and encouraged two or three Knights of the Poſt to ſwear, That the Miniſter had danced about a Bon-fire the 14th of October 1688. And when it was made appear to the conviction of all Men, that there was no Bon-fires in the Town upon that Day, and that the Town was never wont to uſe any ſuch Solemnity upon the occaſion of that Day; all that the Presbytery ſaid, was, That they could not help it, for the matter was ſworn and deponed, and and they behoved to proceed, having a Call to Purge the Church.

Beſides, their not having good Notions of the Goſpel, nor of any good Heathen Morals; one reaſon of their malicious and crabbed Nature may be, that they never ſuffered Affliction, for after they abdicated their Churches in 1662, they began every-where in their Sermons to cant about the Perſecution of the Godly, and to magnifie their own Sufferings; by this means they were pamper'd inſtead of being perſecuted; ſome of the godly Siſters ſupplying them with plentiful Gratuities to their Families, and Mony to their Purſes; they really lived better then ever they did before, by their Stipends. They themſeves boaſted that they were ſure of Crowns for their Sufferings; and that Angels viſited them often in their Troubles; and both were materially true. I know ſeverals of them who got Eſtates this way, and that grew fat and luſty under their Perſecutions. Mr. Shields, one of their honeſteſt and beſt Writers, being well acquainted with all that they ſuffered, and a great Sharer in it, glories in this, that they were highly provided for in their greateſt Difficulties, and makes an Argument for it of their being God's People: In his Annalyſis (as he calls it) on the 29th of Deuteronomy, delivered in a Diſcourſe to the People on the Preparation-day before they renewed the Covenants, p. 10. l. 8. theſe are his words: Tho' in the Wilderneſs of Prelatick, Eraſtian, and Antichriſtian Vſurpations, we did not meet with Miracles, yet truly we have experienced Wonders of the Lord's Care and Kindneſs, and for all the Haraſſings and Perſecutions, &c. the poor Wilderneſs-Wanderers have look'd as Meat-like and Cloath-like a others that ſat at Eaſe in their Houſes, and drank their Wine and their ſtrong Drink. The Party finding ſuch good Fruits of their Itinerary Labours, continued to preach the unthinking Mobile out of their Money and Senſes, and well as out of their Duty to God and Man, receiving in the mean time, inſtead of Cups of cold Water, The name of a ridiculous and rebellious Book emitted by them in K. Charles the Second's time. many Bowls of warm Sack; the true Covenant-Liquor, and the beſt Spirit that inſpires the New Goſpellers. By theſe means the Malignity of their Nature was rather kindled than abated; the only Men and ſuffered any thing, being the poor ſilly Plow-men and Shepherds in the Weſt, whom the falſe Teachers hounded out to die for a broken Covenant: It's true indeed that many ſuch Men being deluded into ſeveral Rebellions, put the State under a neceſſity of defending it ſelf, by puniſhing ſome of them, and killing others in Battels; but yet before the danger of theſe Battels, the Preachers were generally ſo wiſe as to ſave themſelves, by running firſt; for ad they been ſo honeſt as to have born but a part of theſe Burdens which they impoſed upon their Proſelytes, or ſo couragious as to have but ſhew'd their Faces in the day of Battel (to which they always ſounded the Allarm by their Sermons) then it's like we ſhould not have been now infeſted with ſuch ſwarms of theſe Locuſts as have over-ſpread our Land, and again filled our King's Chambers, as the Frogs and Lice of Aegypt did that of Pharaoh's.

Tho' upon certain occaſions the more ſubtile and cunning Presbyterians, knowing that no art can defend or diſguiſe the unaccountable wildneſs and madneſs of ſome of their party, are forc'd, to diſprove and condemn them; Yet they never fail to make uſe of the Sufferings of theſe ſame wild Men, to magnify that Perſecution which themſelves pretend to have undergone, but had not the leaſt ſhare in. Eminent inſtances of this we have in Rule's late book. To whom among other favours we owe this new diſtinction of wild and ſober Presbyterians. Truly if the Presbyterians had met with the ſame meaſure with which they formerly ſerved the Prelatiſts, if they had been uſed as they did good Biſhop Wiſhart, whom they made to lye ſeven Months in a dark ſtinking cloſe Priſon, without the conveniency of ſo much as changing his Shirt but once, ſo that he was like to be eaten up of himſelf, and the Vermine which that naſty place produced; its probable that by ſuch Severities (which I am glad they ſuffered not) they might have been brought to ſomething of that good Man's Chriſtian Temper and Diſpoſition: And that this was very great, the worſt of themſelves were conſtrained to own, when upon changing of the Scene, he being deſervedly advanced to the Biſhoprick of Edinburgh, was ſo Charitable as to convey large ſupplies to ſuch of them as were Impriſon'd for their Notorious Rebellion at • entland Hills, 1666, and that without letting them know from what hand it came, nay his Compaſſion to them was ſuch, that he continued ſuch Presbyterian Preachers as were any thing tollerable, in their Churches and Office; without impoſing on them the conditions of Conformity which the Law then required: But now Presbyterian Preachers, even thoſe that are called the ſobereſt, as we may ſee by their daily Practices, and Expreſſions, are highly galled, becauſe they are not allowed to treat the Biſhops and other Miniſters of God's Word, after the ſame Barbarous manner that they formerly did, that is, Hew them in pieces before the Lord, as they were wont to Phraſe it, for they commonly compare Biſhops to Agag, and thoſe ordained by them to the Amalekites.

The Epiſcopal Miniſters and Rulers uſed all Chriſtian and diſcreet Methods when they had Power to gain and oblige the Diſſenters, and to ſave them from the Penalties of the Law. But now ſuch is the ingratitude of ſome, even of thoſe ſame Presbyterians, whom the Epiſcopal Miniſters had ſaved from the Gibbet, to which the Law had juſtly doomed them; that they were the only Perſons that invented falſe Stories, forged malicious Lybels, and raiſed Tumults againſt thoſe very Miniſters who had been formerly ſo exceeding kind to them; we have but too many inſtances of their rendering Evil for Good in this manner: And that which makes this the more ſtrange and odious, is, that it is Acted under a pretence to Religion, and Reformation, and that the giddy People are inſtigated to this Wickedneſs by their Preachers; I ſhall trouble the Reader at preſent only with two Particulars to this purpoſe: Mr. Monro, Parſon of Sterling, was lately lybelled and accuſed before the Brethren of the Inquiſition, by one whom, as all the Neighbourhead knows, he preſerved from being Hanged, when he well deſerved it. And now, tho' the ſaid Parſon Monro has viſibly baffled all the Articles of his Lybel to the diſgrace of his ungrateful Accuſer, and of thoſe Preachers who openly prompted him to this Villany, yet they daily moleſt and diſquiet him, becauſe of his conſtant adherence to the Sacred Order of Epiſcopacy, which is the greateſt Fault his Judges can accuſe him of, except that of his poſſeſſing a good Living, and that his Parts and Piety darken the whole Presbytery, of which his Pariſhoners being fully convinced, Love him ſo well, that they reſolve, coſt what it may, they will not part with him as their Miniſter; and have therefore, to the great mortification of the Presbytery there, joyntly ſignified ſo much to them under their hands.

The other particular inſtance of this Nature, ſhall be that of one Ronaldſon, a Tenant in the Pariſh of Cranſton, whom the Orthodox Miniſter there, Mr. Burnet, by his Interceſſion with Perſons of Quality, preſerved from having his Goods confiſcated, and Perſon Baniſhed; after Ronaldſon by his ſignal Diſobedience to the Law had expoſed himſelf to that Sentence: This kindneſs Ronaldſon then looked on as ſo great and ſurpriſing, That he often and openly profeſſed he knew not how to be thankful enough for it; he and his Family conſtantly kept the Church thereafter, and upon every occaſion acknowledged the Miniſter's ſingular favour, with all the Signs of ſincere gratitude; But yet upon the new light of the late Revolution, he appeared the moſt open and avowed Enemy that the Miniſter had: The Miniſter juſtly ſurpriſed with this, challenged his many promiſes of continuing grateful. To whom Ronaldſon gravely replyed, that the Thanks of his Preſervation was not due to him, but only to God; who oft-times (ſaid he) ſtirs up ill Men to befriend his own People. This change was wrought upon the Man, and this anſwer put in his Mouth (as himſelf ſometimes owns and profeſſes) by frequent Conferences with their Preachers, who in their private Diſcourſes and publick Sermons have aſſured him, that he is not to look to the Inſtrument, but to the Cauſe of his Preſervation.

I ſhall ſhut up this head concerning the Perſecution they pretended to have ſuffered, with a remarkable note of a Sermon preached lately by Mr. Daniel Douglaſs, one of their great * Mufties, Now Sirs, (ſays he) I will be even plain with you, and perhaps e'en more plain than pleaſant, Sirs, I'le tell you now, Sirs, its ordinary for us to cry out that we were perſecuted under Epiſcopacy, but we are yet living, Sirs; and why were we not Hanged as well as others were, beloved? It is e'en becauſe we thought they did caſt away their Lives needleſly, and that we would not venture our Lives for ſuch matters as they ventured their Lives, for I knew to meet with kindneſs both from the Church-men and the Stateſ-men: And particularly I knew that the Clerks of Council and Seſſion would take nothing from us, but there are no ſuch Clerks now: For there is one Gibbie Eliot, Sirs, that has no Charity nor Diſcretion, for if we were all made up of Dollars, he would ſwallow us up; pray God, Sirs, to keep our Purſes from that falſe lown Eliot.

Ingenuity is a thing they are not concerned about, for that's but a Branch of dry Morality, below Men ſo full of Grace; ſome young Men among them that have had the Advantage of being abroad are more affable, and in their Conferences with Men of Sence, they ordinarily exclaim againſt the peeviſh ſowr and unconverſable Temper of Scotch Presbyterians; but yet theſe ſame Sparks of the Cauſe, ſing to a quite contrary Tune when they are in a collective or repreſentative body. I have read of a certain Monk who being wearied of the Cloyſter aimed at a vacant Dignity, the poſſeſſion whereof he knew would ſet him free: For this end he applied himſelf to every one of his Acquaintances that had a Suffrage in the Election, and from every ſingular and individual Perſon he received very fair and ſatisfying promiſes, bet yet he found himſelf ſtill diſappointed when they met together in Aſſemblies for the Election, whereupon he invites moſt or all of them upon a ſet Day to Dine and be merry with him. They that were invited knew that he was not in condition to make any competent Proviſion for ſo many Gueſts; Wherefore according to the uſual Cuſtom of that Fraternity, they ſent each of them ſome material or other, proper to make up the Feaſt; ſome ſent Fleſh, ſome Fiſh of divers Kinds, ſome ſent Butter, ſome Cheeſe, ſome Wine, and others Oyl. All which he boyled in one Kettle together, and his Gueſts being conveen'd, he cauſed ſerve up that Hotch-potch in ſeveral large Diſhes to them, ſo that every Diſh as they taſted it equally diſguſted them: Where upon they asked what manner of Victuals it was? He ſaid it was juſt ſuch as themſelves had ſent, all well boyled in a large Kettle together. That, ſay they, is the worſt Meat in the World when thus jumbled together, but very good when every thing is dreſſed by it ſelf. Juſt ſo are ye to me, ſays the Monk, you are very fair and kind, when ſingle, and one by one: But I can find nothing worſe than you, when you are all together. The Presbyterians reſemble the Monks in this, as in many other things, for take them ſingly, and they generally condemn the Methods and Proceedings of their Brethren, as rigid and ſevere, but take the ſame Men met together in a Presbytery, Synod, or Aſſembly, and the whole Body is the moſt unpalatable and moſt unſavory Hotch-potch in the World.

And now to haſten to a cloſe of this Section, Strangers may juſtly wonder that Men of ſuch Temper and Qualification, as ye have now heard the Pretbyterian Preachers to be, ſhould have any followers. But this will not ſeem ſo ſtrange to ſuch as confider what Multitudes of the Rabble, crowd after Jack Bowels in his Drunken Fits, Women and Children are ordinarily led by noiſe and ſhew, tho' it were but of Hobby-Horſes and Rattles. And indeed the Presbyterian Preachers are only flocked after by ſuch a Herd, ſome out of a blind Zeal and Itch after novelty and change, ſome again loving to Fiſh in the troubled Waters of ſuch Confuſions as are inſeparable from Presbytery, hoping thereby • o mend their broken Fortunes. And to palliate their want of Sence, and greater Faults, by a pretence to ſtrict Religion: Others frequent them for ſport and diverſion, as Men of little Sence and leſs buſineſs run after Stage-Players and Rope-dancers.

Sometimes ago theſe Preachers were converſant only with Shepherds, and a few ſilly Women, laden with divers Luſts, whoſe hot Zeal had no knowledge to guide it; the Preachers then indeed admired themſelves for Perſons of great Gifts and Learning, becauſe of the eſteem that theſe ignorant Creatures had for them; but now that they are brought to Act in publick, and poſſeſs the Pulpits of Learned Men, they are at a great Diſadvantage, for their better Auditories expect ſolid Divinity, Rational and cloſe Diſcourſes, and that being none of their Talent, puts them quite out of their Road and Element, and hence it is that the People generally forſake and abhor them, and nothing but a few of the Rabble frequent their beſt Churches and Preachers: So that now their own dear followers begin to complain and cry out, That Chriſt did more good in the Hills than he does now in the Churches. And if they hold on at their uſual manner of Raving in Pulpits, they cannot fail to render themſelves as Ridiculous and odious as they deſerve, which they have made pretty good Advances to already. They frequently upbraid Curates, as deſerted of the Spirit, becauſe they own that in the compoſing of their Sermons they make uſe of Books, and yet Mr. David Williamſon, one of their ableſt Men, Preaching before the Parliament, on Pſ. 2. and verſe 10. ſtole moſt of his Sermon from Herle's Tripus of Wiſdom, and had the Confidence to reprint the ſame at Edinburgh. Indeed the nonſence and railing of that Sermon is wholly his own; for none but himſelf ever pretended or preſumed as he does there, That Chriſt dyed a Martyr for the Presbyterian Government; becauſe forſooth this Inſcription was written on his Croſs, Jeſus of Nazareth King of the Jews. I do not diſcommend the uſe of Books, but the Hypocriſie of theſe Men, who give out that they Preach meerly by Inſpiration and Meditation, as Mr. Areskine did in a Sermon which he Preached lately in the Tron Church at Edinburgh, his words were theſe, The Curates goes to their Books for Preachings, but we go to our Knees for our Preachings. And yet ſuch is the ſillineſs of ſome deluded People, that they proclaim theſe for Soulrefreſhing and powerful Preachers, and for Men that, as they Phraſe it, have an inbearing Gift, ſpeaking home to their Hearts: Indeed make ſome People judges, we know Presbyterian Sermons will gain the applauſe. I remember the Old Fable of the Cuckow and the Nightingale, both contended who ſhould Sing ſweeteſt, the Aſs becauſe of his long Ears is made judge, the Nightingale Sung firſt, the Cuckow next, the Aſſe's determination was, that truly the Nightingale Sung pretty well, but for a good ſweet plain taking Song, and a fine Note, the Cuckow Sung far better.

Some who are not ſo well acquainted with the Scotch Presbyterian's manner of Preaching and praying may, perhaps, think that matters are here aggravated againſt them, becauſe things ſo very Ridiculous were never vented by any former Sect, as theſe I have and am hereafter to diſcover of them; but they are too well known to be denyed among us: And that Strangers may not think themſelves impoſed upon, I ſhall in the next Section give the Reader ſome little taſte of their Printed Books, and leave him to judge from the Ridiculouſneſs of what they have deliberately publiſhed to the World that way, what extravagancy they may be Guilty of in theſe extemporary Ravings, which they miſ-call Spiritual Preaching and Praying.

AND firſt for their Sermons; Mr. William Guthry at Fenwick, hath printed one full of Curſes and Imprecations, Viz.

Will you gang Man to the curſed Curates? Gang, and the Vengeance of God gang with thee: The curſed Curates bids us ſide with them; the Devil rugg Tear. their Hearts out of their ſides. The Sermon in every Page is to the ſame purpoſe. The People in the Weſt are mightily taken with it; and the Author is held for a great Saint among them, chiefly upon the account, as themſelves phraſe it, of his ſharp Pen againſt Prelates and Curates.

Mr. Walwood, Brother to Mercurius, in a printed Sermon on this Text, If the righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaved, &c. ſays, among other as ridiculous things, theſe words, Men think that every Dog will win to Heaven, but I aſſure you, it is a great matter to win there; for Noblemen that will be ſaved I believe there's not twenty, I trow I doubled them: for Gentlemen I could write them all in three inch of Paper. Ibid. Men thought much when a part of the City of Glaſcow was burnt, but for my part I would not ſhed a Tear tho' Glaſcow and Edinburgh both were burnt; and a great matter, they burnt the Covenant.

The beſt of their Preachers were ſingled out to hold forth to the Parliament,Notes of printed Sermons before the Parliament. and the L. Commiſſioner M. a Perſon equally fitted to judge of Miniſters and Stateſmen, appointed ſuch of theſe Sermons to be printed, as he in his Godly Wiſdom thought fitteſt for advancing the deſigns of Omnipotent Presbytery. Theſe Sermons are generally inhanced by the Party, and preſerved as infallible Evidences of the great Learning and Piety of the New Goſpel Profeſſors, upon which account they are carefully kept from malignant Hands and Eyes: However, I once had the favour allowed me to read three of the choiceſt of them, publiſhed by Williamſon, Rule, and Spalding; wherein they extol Presbyterian Government, with all the glorious Epithets due to the Goſpel and the Chriſtian Church, viz. Chriſt's Bride, his Virgin, his Spouſe, his Glory, his Honour, his Church, his precious Remnant, his glorious Elect, his pure People. God's Houſe, Tabernacle, Dwelling place and Sanctuary, his Holy Ark, his choſen Generation, his dear Children, his Kingdom, his Mountain, his Jewels, his Crown, Scepter, and Diadem; in a word, the moſt obſcure and darkeſt Propheſies and Revelations were all ſpoke with an eye to the preſent Scotch Model, tho' that be ſo new as never to have been heard of in Scotland, or any other Church before: and the Presbyterians themſelves will as ſoon prove that the High Prieſthood of Aaron among the Jews was a Type of Presbyterian Democracy in the Church, as ſhew any Foot-ſteps, or the leaſt mention of Presbyterianiſm in any of the ancient Monuments and Records of the Church, except they will ſay that Chriſtianity began with Calvin; and yet if you'll believe the Sermons of the former Triumvirate, they that oppoſe the Rigour of Scotch Presbytery are Enemies to God and his Cauſe, to Chriſt and to his Goſpel, they are worſe than Heathens, they are Philiſtines, which are not to be ſuffered to live in the Holy Land, Spaldin's Diſcourſe to Parliament. nay they that concur not to advance it to its former height, (and that is above King and Parliament) not only their Eſtates and Lives, but their Souls may go for it: You Members of Parliament who are not forward for this, you ſhall with Jehoiakim, be buried with the Burial of an Aſs: Think but ſeriouſly what an Epitaph may be written on your Tomb, and what Diſcourſes may be of you when ye are gone, Here lies a Man that never was a Friend to Chriſt, or his Intereſt, now he is dead, but he was an Oppoſer and Perſecutor of Chriſt of his Truth and People. But dying is not all, what ſhall ye ſay when, ye ſhall be cited at the great Aſſize, before the Tribunal of Chriſt, to that Queſtion, What Juſtice and Vote gave ye to we in my afflicted Church, in the firſt Parliament of King William and Queen Mary in Scotland, was ye for me or againſt met?

Spalding's Sermon before the Parliament, on 1 Chron. 12. 32. p. 20. Verſus finem & p. 21 Initio.

Mr. Gilbert Rule in his Sermon before the Parliament, on Iſaiah 2. 2. (for their Texts are generally out of the obſcureſt places of the Old Teſtament,) takes it for granted, that the Mountain of the Lord's Houſe there ſpoke of, is expreſly meant of Scotch Presbytery; Which, he ſays, is terrible as an Army with Banners. This laſt, I confeſs, has often been found true in the moſt litteral ſence; but why Presbytery ſhould be called a Mountain, I cannot ſo well ſay, except it be becauſe it was exalted atThe Hill on which they firſt drew up their Army againſt K. Ch. 1. Dunce-law above the tops of the Mountains, that is, Monarchy and Epiſcopacy, at which time the Phanaticks and Rebels were the Nations that flocked unto it, and eſtabliſh'd it upon the ruines of their own former Oaths and Obligations. But to ſpeak in his own words, The exalting and eſtabliſhing of Scotch Presbytery, (for that's the only true Religion,) the flouriſhing of it, is the means to advance the pooreſt and moſt contemptible People Such the Scoth Phanaticks are indeed. to Reputation both with God and all good Men, yea, often in the eyes of them that are but moral and intelligent, tho' Enemies, as is evident from Deut. 4. 6. This is your wiſdom in the ſight of the Nations, which ſhall ſay, Surely this Nation is a wiſe and underſtanding People: for what Nation is there ſo great, who have God ſo nigh unto them, &c. Now that no body might miſtake, as in this he meant Religion in general, and not Scotch Presbytery, he makes Application particularly to the Kirk in theſe words, If ye will ſet Chriſt on high in this poor Church, he will ſet the Church and Nation on high; Scotland hath in former times been The glorious days of the Covenant. renowned and eſteemed among the Churches of the Reformation upon this account: It may be an Honour in after Ages to your Poſterity, that ſuch a Man was active in that happy Parliament that ſettled Religion in the Church; yea, this way will render us more formidable to our Enemies, and Vnfriends to our Way, That is true blue Presbytery., than ſtrong Armies or Navies could do. 1 Sam. 4. 7. And the Philiſtines were afraid, &c. fo • they ſaid, that God is come to the camp. Rule's Sermon before the Parliament, p. 13. The plain meaning of this is, All the Land and Sea-Forces of England and the Confederates, can ſignifie nothing againſt their Enemies, ſo long as they entertain or ſuffer amongſt them theſe Enemies of Religion, the Biſhops.

That famous Man in his Generation, Mr. David Williamſon, preached before the Reforming Parliament on this Text, Be wiſe ye Kings, be inſtucted ye Judges of the Earth, Pſal. 2. 10. I cannot but approve the choice of this Text, becauſe thoſe Kings had need be very wiſe indeed, that have to do with Presbyterians; and thoſe Civil Judges muſt be ſtronger than the Kirk, that will not condeſcend to be inſtructed by them in all things. In the former part of that Sermon he divides and ſubdivides Government ſo often, till (as the Presbyterian Author, from whom he ſteals theſe ridiculous DiſtinctionsHerle's Tripus. ,) he at laſt divides the King's and Judges from all Power: It's no new thing for ſome Men firſt to diſtinguiſh the King's Perſon from his Authority, and then to divide his Head from his Body; Well, it's granted by all hands, that ſuch Men are well acquainted with all the ways of dividing Government. In the latter part of that Sermon, the Author ſpeaking of Presbyterial Government, uſes theſe words, which we eaſily grant to be peculiarly his own: It's no light matter, (ſays he) it's an Ordinance of God, the Royal Diadem of Chriſt; he was a Martyr on this Head, for it was his Ditty on the Croſs, John 19. 19. Jeſus of Nazareth King of the Jews. If this Scripture do not prove that Chriſt died a Martyr for Scots Presbytery, I am ſure there's no other place either in Scripture or Antiquity that will.

The next Notes ſhall be from a Sermon that is highly valued by all true Presbyterians, viz. That which according to the Author's dating it, was printed the 40 Year of our publick breach of Covenant; the Year, as the Author at the end of the Title Page deſcribes it, wherein there was much Zeal for confederating among Men, but little for covenanting with GOD. In the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 Pages, he compareth the Scotch Covenants to the Covenant of Grace, and to the Covenants at Horeb and in Moab. In the 6th Page he ſays, The Covenant may be tendred and taken without the conſent of the Magiſtrate, but his after Diſſent or Diſcharge cannot looſe the Obligation of it.

Page 9. He ſays, As Iſrael in the Wilderneſs, ſo have we had our Marahs, and our Maſſa's, and Meribahs, Taberahs, and Kibroth Hataavahs at Pentland-hills, Bothwel-bridge, Ardſmoſs,Three notable Rebellions raiſed by the Presbyterians againſt K. Charles, the Second. &c. From this conſideration he preſſes the renewing of the Covenant.

Page 10. God's removing two Kings who withſtood the covenanted Reformation, and the aboliſhing two wicked Eſtabliſhments, Tyranny and Prelacy, ſhould ſtir up all Lovers of Religion to the Duty of Covenanting. Page 12. All the meaner ſort of all Sexes and Ages, Wives and Children, are obliged to this, tho' the Primores & Primates regni do not concur: if the Children be not capable, Parents are to engage for them. Accordingly (ſays he) in Scotland it hath been in uſe for faithful Miniſters, to take Parents, engaged to the Covenant, when they preſented their Children to BaptiſmMr. Rule denies this in his late Book, altho' himſelf and every Man acquainted: with the Doctrine and Practice of the Kirk, knows it to be very true.. Page 14. Subjects are relaxed from their ſworn Allegiance to a King or Magiſtrate, by his reſcinding or diſowning the Covenant; as is plain from the third Article of the Solemn League: But there is nothing that can any way enervate the ſacred Obligation of Scotland's Holy Covenant, which ſtill muſt ſtand in inviolable force. Page 16. It is a Covenant obliging not only the preſent, but the abſent, and not only the abſent in regard of place, but in regard of time: It obligeth all the Children of Iſrael, binds all Poſterity with Annexation of Curſes to the Breakers. Page 17. It's the Foundation of the People's Compact with the King at his Inauguration: therefore as long as Scotland is Scotland, and God unchangeable, Scotland's Reformation in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, and Government, muſt be endeavour'd to be performed in a Conformity to the Covenant: The matter of it is Moral, containing nothing but what is antecedently and eternally binding, albeit there had never been a formal Covenant; the ends of it are perpetually good. Page 18. The expreſs Command from Exod. 23. obliges to baniſh all Covenant-breakers out of the Land; for the example of the Popiſh, Prelatical, and Malignant Faction in Britain and Ireland, the ſuffering them to dwell in the Land, and to creep into places of Truſt, and eſpecially the ſtupid Submiſſion to the Reſtitution of Church and State, and to the Re-introduction of their wicked Eſtabliſhments, abjur'd by Covenant, did gradually induce Pariſhes and Provinces to this dreadful Sin of Covenant-breaking. Then in ſome ſubſequent Pages he enumerates all the Curſes and Plagues, national or perſonal, ſpoken of in Scripture, as threatned with a ſpecial regard to the breaking of this Covenant, and who can tell (ſays he) but the Sword now drawn in Scotland and Ireland may avenge the Quarrel of God's broken Covenant. Pag. 27. The breaking of the Covenant is the moſt Heinous of all Sins: Profainity of all ſorts, Hypocriſie, Idolatry, Adultery, Treachery, Pride, Blood, and Oppreſſion, and all that ever brought down Vengeance upon any Generation recorded in Scripture, or in any Hiſtory, with theſe indeed, and the greateſt aggravations of them, the Land hath been Polluted; but chiefly that which incenſes the Anger of the Lord, hath been, and remains to be Breach of Covenant, and all theſe Abominations not ſimply becauſe Breaches of the Law if God, but as under this ſpecial Aggravation, that they have been and are Breaches of the Covenant, as is evident from Deuterom. 29. 25. Becauſe they have forſaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers. &c.

Compare this with making Presbytery the Foundation of the preſent Civil Government, without which he ſays it cannot ſubſiſt. Second Vindication, Pag. 9. at the end. Pag. 33. The great Reaſon why Men ſhould renew the Covenant at this time, and why thoſe of the true Presbyterian Party did it in the end of 1688. They though it then (ſays he) expedient, as it is ſtill, by renewing of theſe Antient Covenants, to declare what Cauſe they would avouch and appear for, what King they would own, and upon what Terms they would offer their Submiſſion to the preſent Government then to be Eſtabliſhed, who had before declared their Revolt from the former, and for this end to make this the Band of their Aſſociation.

The ſame Author, in his Solemn Confeſſion of Sins pag. 53. ſays moſt ingenuouſly, We and our Teachers in a great meaſure complyed with, ſubmitted unto, and connived, at the incroachments of the Supremacy, and abſolute Power, both in accepting and countenancing the former Indulgences, and the late Tolleration. We have taken and ſubſcribed Oaths, and Bonds, all which have been contrary to the Reformation we were Sworn to preſerve.

Pag 54. We are obliged to confeſs the offenſive Carriage and Converſation of many that have gone to England, who have proven very ſtumbling to the Sectarians there. Yea of late, many have embraced the Toleration introductive of a Sectarian multiformity, without ſo much as a Teſtimony againſt the Toleration of Popery it ſelf. The general Toleration, which in its own Nature tended, and in its Deſign intended, to introduce Popery and Slavery by Arbitrary and Abſolute Power, hath been accepted and addreſſed for, by many of our Miniſters; and countenanced, complyed, and concurr'd with by many of our People, without a Teſtimony or endeavour to underſtand it.—Many dregs of, Popiſh Superſtition have been obſerved, Popiſh Feſtival days asEaſter, Chriſtmas, Shrove-Tueſday. Paſch, Yule, and Faſtings Eve, &c. have been kept by many: And prelatical Anniverſary days deviſed of their own Heart, appointed for Commemorating the Kings Birth Days, as May 29. Octob. 14. &c. Who were born as Scourges to this Realm, being complied with by many, pag. 58. As it was our Fathers Sin to inaugurate the late King, after ſuch Diſcoveries of his Hypocritical enmity to Religion and Liberty, upon his ſubſcription of the Covenant; to when he burnt and buried that Holy Covenant, and degenerated into manifeſt Tyranny, and had razed the very Foundation on which both his Right to Govern, and the Peoples Allegiance were founded, and remitted the Subjects Allegiance, by annulling the bond of it; we ſinned in continuing to own his Authority: When all he had was engaged and exerted in Rebellion againſt God; for which the Lord put us to ſhame, and went not out with our Armies at Pentland Hills and Bothwell Bridge.

Notes out of the Hind let looſe, Printed 1687. which Book is the great Oracle and Idol of the true Covenanters.

Pag. 3. It's obſervable how reproachfully he ſpeaks of Princes, and even of ſuch as are now our Kings Allies, in theſe words, The Proteſtants of Hungary are under the tearing Laws of that Ravenous Eagle the Tyrant of Auſtria: Thoſe of Piedmont under the Graſſant Tyranny of that little Tyger of Savoy.

Pag. 24. Our firſt Reformers never reſigned nor abandoned that firſt and moſt juſt priviledge of Reſiſtance. Nay nor of bringing publick Beaſts of prey to condign Puniſhment, in an extraordinary way of vindictive juſtice; E. G. Cardinal Beaton that was Slain in the Tower of St. Andrew's by James Melvin, who perceiving his conſorts moved with Paſſion withdrew them, and ſaid, This work and Judgement of God, altho' it be Secret, ought to be done with greater Gravity; and preſentnig the point of his Sword to the Cardinal, ſaid, Repent thee of thy former wicked Life, but eſpecially of the ſhedding of the Blood of Mr. George Wiſheart, which yet Crys for Vengeance from God upon thee: And we from God are ſent to revenge it; for here before my God, I proteſt that—Nothing moveth me to ſtrike thee, but only becauſe thou haſt been, and remaineſt an obſtinate Enemy agoinſt Chriſt Jeſus and his holy Goſpel; Of which faſt, ſays my Author, the faithful and famous Hiſtorian Mr. Knox, ſpeaks very Honourably, and after the Slaughter joyned himſelf with them; yet now ſuch a fact committed upon ſuch another Bloody and Treacherous Beaſt, the Cardinal prelate of Scotland Eight years agon, is generally Condemned as Horrid Murder.

Pag. 75. Speaking of the King's defeat at Worceſter, he ſays, Iſrael had Sinned and Tranſgreſſed the Covenant.—Having taken the accurſed thing, and put it even amongſt their own ſtuff; therefore the Children of Iſrael could not ſtand before their Enemies, but an Army of them near 30000. was totally Routed at Worceſter; and the Achan, the cauſe of the overthrow, was forced to hide himſelf beyond Sea, where he continued a wandring Fugitive in Exile till 1660. Falſe Monk, then General, with a Combination of Malignants, and publick Reſolutioners, did machinate our Miſery, and effectuated it, by bringing the King home to England from his Baniſhment, wherein he was habituate into an implacable hatred againſt the Work of God.

Pag. 96. The Covenant is our Magna Charta of Religion and Righteouſneſs, our greateſt Security for all our Intereſts.

Pag. 99. That ſame perfidious Parliament fram'd an Act for an Anniverſary Thankſgiving, Commemorating every 29th of May, that Blaſphemy againſt the Spirit and Work of God; and Celebrating that unhappy Reſtauration of the Reſcinder of the Reformation, which had not only the Concurrence of the Univerſality of the Nation, but (alas for ſhame that it ſhould be told in Gath,) even of ſome Presbyterian Ministers, who afterwards accepted the Indulgence; one of which, a Pillar among them, was ſeen ſcandalouſly Dancing about the Bonfires.— O Holy and Aſtoniſhing Juſtice, thus to Recompence our way upon our own Head; To ſuffer this holy Work and Cauſe to be ruined under our unhappy Hands, who ſuffered the Deſtroyer to come in, who had it in his Heart, ſwell'd with enmity againſt Chriſt, to raze and ruine the Work, as he moſt Wickedly did.

Pag. 110. The King gave us many proofs and Demonſtrations of his being true to Antichriſt, in minding all the Promiſes and Treaties with him, as he had of his being falſe to Chriſt, in all his Covenant-Engagements with his People: For in the Year, 1666. He, with his Dear and Royal Brother the Duke of York, contrived, Countenanced, and Abetted, the burning of London, evident by their employing their Guards to hinder the People from ſaving their own; and to diſmiſs the Incendiaries, the Papiſts, who were taken in the Fact.

Pag. 123. At length the virulent Traytor, James Sharp, the Arch Prelate, received the juſt Demerit of his Perfidy, Perjuries, Apoſtacies, Sorceries, Villanies, and Murders, ſharp Arrows of the mighty, and Coals of Juniper, for upon the 3d of May, 1679. ſeveral worthy Gentlemen, with ſome other Men of Courage and Zeal for the Cauſe of God, and the good of the Country, executed Righteous judgement upon him at Magus Moor, near St. Andrew's: And the ſame Month on the 29th of May, the Teſtimony at Rutherglen, was publiſhed againſt that Abomination of Celebrating an Anniverſary day for ſetting up an uſurped Power, deſtroying the Intereſt of Chriſt in the Land, and againſt all ſinful and unlawful Acts emitted and executed, publiſhed and proſecuted againſt our Covenanted Reformation; where alſo they burnt the Acts of Supremacy,, the Declaration, the Act Reſceſſory, for the burning the Covenant.

Page 146. At length the King of Terrours, a Terrour to all Kings, cut off that Supreme Author and Authoriſer of Miſchief, Charles the Second, by the ſuſpicious Intervention of an unnatural Hand, as the Inſtrument thereof; wherein much of the Juſtice of God was to be obſerved, and of his Faithfulneſs verified; That bloody and deceitful men ſhall not live out half their days: His bloody Violence was recompenced with the unnatural Villany of his Brother, and his unparallel'd Perjury was juſtly rewarded with the moſt ungrateful and treacherous Monſter of a Parricide; for all the numerous Brood of his adulterous and inceſtuous Brats, begotten of a Multitude of Whores, at home and abroad, yea, with his own Siſter too, he died a Childleſs Pultron, and had the unlamented Burial of an Aſs: and for all his Hypocritical Pretentions to a Proteſtant Profeſſion, he drunk his Death in a Popiſh Potion, contrived by his own dear Brother that ſucceeded him;—paſſionately reſenting Charles his Vow, to ſuffer the Murder of the Earl of Eſſ • x to come to a Trial, which was extorted by the reiterated Solicitations of ſome, who offer'd to diſcover by whom it was contrived and acted; which made the Duke's guilty Conſcience to dread a Detection of his deep Acceſſion to it: whereupon the Potion quickly after prepared, put a ſtop to that, and an end to his Life, February 6th, 1685: of which horrid Villany time will diſcloſe the Myſtery, and give the Hiſtory when it ſhall be ſeaſonable.

Page 237. A Prelate's Depute is no Miniſter of Chriſt, but a Curate is a Prelate's Depute, Ergo.—That a Prelate's-Depute is no Miniſter of Chriſt, I prove not only from that, that a Prelate, qua talis, is not a Servant of Chriſt, but an Enemy; and therefore cannot confer upon another that Dignity to be Chriſt's Servant; but alſo from this, that the Scriptures allow no derivation of deputed Officers, Rom. 12. 7, 9.

Page 255. Never can it be inſtanced theſe twenty ſeven Years, that the Curates have brought one Soul to Chriſt, but many inſtances may be given of their murdering Souls: Hence theſe who cannot but be Soul-murderers, may not be heard or entertaind as Soul-Phyſicians; but the Curates cannot but be Soul-murderers, Ergo.

Page 256. The Meetings of the Curates, for Adminiſtration of Ordinances in their way, the Lord hates, and hath ſignally forſaken: therefore we ſhould hate and forſake them. This is confirmed by Mr. Durhame, Rev. 1. p. 55.

Page 259. Hearing of Curates reductively involves us under the guilt of Idolatry, and breach of the ſecond Commandment; therefore we ought not to let them dwell in the Land, leſt they make us ſin, Exod. 23. 32. We ſhould deſtroy their very names out of the place, Deut. 12. 3. Jud. 2. 7.

Page 285. Jus Populi, cap. 16. (ſays he) Make this one Character of a Tyrant, that living in Luxury, Whoredom, Greed and Idleneſs, he neglecteth, or is unfit for his Office. How theſe ſute to our times, we need not expreſs; what effrontery of Impudence is it for ſuch Monſters to pretend to rule. P. 296. Kings and Tyrants for the moſt part are reciprocal terms.

Page 306. We own the obligation of our ſacred Covenants unrepealably and indiſpenſably binding to all. But we deny that hereby we are bound either to maintain Monarchy, or to own the Authority of either of the two Monarchs that have monarchized or tyrannized over us theſe twenty ſeven Years paſt. In the Covenants we are not bound, but only conditionally, tomaintain the King's Perſon and Authority, that is only upon the terms that he ſhould be a Loyal Subject to Chriſt,Mr. Rule upon the matter affirms the ſame Second Vindic. p. 90. and a faithful Servant to the People, which he cannot be thought who does not cauſe all ſtand to their Covenant-Engagements, as Joſiah did, 2 Chron. 34. But, alas, there was never a Joſtah in the Race of our Kings; they roſe up to the height of Rebellion againſt God and the People, with Heaven-daring Inſolency, not only breaking but burning the Holy Covenant.

Concerning owning of Tyrants Authority, p. 308. When Monarchy becomes oppoſite to the Ends of Government, the Contagion of it affects that very Species of Government; and then the Houſe is to be pulled down, when the Leproſie is got into the Walls and Foundation. The People may make their publick Servant ſenſible, that he is at his higheſt Elevation but a Servant: Hence now when the Species named in the Covenant, viz. Monarchy, is ſo vitiate, that it is become the Inſtrument of the Deſtruction of all the Ends of that Covenant, and now by Law tranſmitted to all Succeſſors, as an hereditary, perfect, and perpetual Oppoſition to the coming of Chriſt's Kingdom; ſo that as long as there is one to wear that Crown, (but Jehovah will in Righteouſneſs execute Coniah's Doom upon the Race, Jerem 22. ult. write this Man Childleſs,) and to enter Heir to the Government as now eſtabliſhed, he muſt be an Enemy to Chriſt: There is no other way left, but to think on a new Model, moulded according to the true Pattern.

Page 311. As he is not, nor will not be our covenantted and ſworn King, and therefore we cannot be his covenanted and ſworn Subjects; ſo he is not, nor can be our crown'd King, and therefore we cannot be his liege Subjects, owning Fealty and Obedience to him.

Page 340. It will be found that there is no Title on Earth now to the Crowns, to Families, to Perſons, but the People's Suffrage; for the Inſtitution of Magiſtracy does not made James Stuart a King, no more than John Chamberlain.

Page 375. Kings muſt be like Dogs that are beſt Hunters, not thoſe who are born of beſt Dogs; therefore Dominion is not hereditary.

Page 389. The Inferiour is accountable to the Superiour, the King is inferiour, the People is ſuperiour; Ergo, the King is accountable to the People. The Propoſition is plain; for if the King's Superiority make the People accountable to him, in caſe of tranſgreſſing the Laws, then why ſhould not the People's Superiority make the King accountable to them, in caſe of tranſgreſſing the Laws.

Page 411. In the fourth Article of the Covenant, we are obliged to endeavour that all Incendiaries and Malignants, &c. be brought to condign Puniſhment; therefore is it imaginable that the Head of that unhallowed Party, the great Malignant Enemy, who is the Spring, and gives life to all theſe Abominations, ſhould be exempted from puniſhment? ſhall we be obliged to diſcover and bring to puniſhment the little petty Malignants, and this implacably ſtated Enemy to Chriſt, eſcape with a Crown on his head? Nay, we are by this obliged, if ever we be in condition, to bring theſe ſtated Enemies to God and the Country, to condign Puniſhment, from the higheſt to the loweſt: And this we are to do, as we would have the Anger of the Lord turned away from us, which cannot not be without hanging up their Heads before the Lord againſt the Sun, Numb. 25. 4.

Page 412. By the fifth Article of the Covenant, we are obliged to endeavour that Juſtice be done upon ſuch as oppoſe the Peace and Union between the Kingdoms; abut this Man and his Brother have deſtroy'd and annull'd that which was the Bond of theſe Kingdoms Union, viz. the Solemn League and Covenant.

Page 459. That form God ſave the King, now impoſed, as it is found in the Original, is only paraphraſtically expounded, and moſt catachreſtically applied to Tyrants, being in the native ſence of the words only, Let the King live; which as it is now extorted moſt illegally, ſo it can be render'd neither civilly, nor ſincerely, nor chriſtianly: It is a horrid mocking of God, and a heinous taking of his Name in vain, contrary to the third Commandment: If it be a congratulation, it is the more abominable, not only for the Hypocriſie that is in it, but the Blaſphemy, in giving Thanks for the Promoter of the Devil's Intereſt, and the Deſtroyer of Chriſt's and the Liberties of Mankind.

Page 466. Let us conſider the Perſon and Matter for whom and for what, this Prayer (God ſave the King;) is extorted: Either it is for the Salvation of James the Papiſt, or of James the Tyrant; Now it's not the Will of God, that they that have, and keep, and will not part with the Mark of the Beaſt, ſhould be ſaved; for he is adjudged of God to drink the Wine of his Wrath, Rev. 14. 9, 10. We cannot pray for him as a Chriſtian, or as King, becauſe he is neither; and as a Tyrant he can no more be ſaved that as a Papiſt; for, Tophet is ordained of old, yea, for the King it is prepared, Iſai. 3. 33. Now while he continues ſuch, we muſt complain in Prayers, not for his Miſ-government only, but for that he governs, and deſire to be deliver'd from him; for, conſidering what a Man, and what a King he is, guilty of Murder, Adultery, Idolatry, under the Sentence of the Law both of God and Man; we can pray no otherwiſe for him than for a Murderer, Adulterer, Idolater; we cannot pray that the Lord may bleſs his Government, for it's his Sin and our Miſery, that he is a Governour, and his Throne is a Throne of Iniquity. What Form of Prayer this Author uſes for the King, may be ſeen at the end of the Notes of their Prayers.

Page 482 and 483. Theſe that now would impoſe Bonds upon us, are ſuch Sons of Belial as cannot be taken by the hand. There is one general Argument that will condemn coming in any Terms or Bonds with that Party that have broken the Covenant, becauſe ſuch Tranſactions are a ſort of Confederacy with the known Enemies of the Truth and GodlineſsCompare this with the late Aſſembly's refuſing, at the King's deſire, to admit of any of the Epiſcopal Clergy with them into the Exerciſe of the Miniſtry. Mr. Gilleſpy demonſtrates that to be unlawful; when in capacity, we ſhould not ſuffer them to dwell in the Land; if we are not to be familiar with Heathens, far leſs with Apoſtates; for the Apoſtle lays much more reſtraint from Communion with them than with Pagans, 1 Cor. 5. 10. And again, Exodus 34. 12. All ſacred Tranſactions are diſcharged upon a moral and perpetually binding ground: And all Toleration is prohibited, and all conjugal Affinity. Such Compliances brought on the firſt deſolating Judgment, the Flood, on the old World, Gen. 6. when the Godly conformed and incorporated with the Ungodly Crew.—The Scriptures frequently diſprove all Confederacies, Covenants, Concord, and, without diſtinction, all Tranſactions and Unitive Agreements with the Men of Belial, that overturn the Reformation, p. 487.

Page 501. It's clear from the Form, the Object, and from the Ends of the Covenant, which are all Moral, and of indiſpenſable Obligation, that it is of perpetual and unalterably binding force, obliging the preſent and and all future Generations.

Page 500. By Allegiance and Loyalty, can be meant nothing elſe, by our preſent Governors, but an Obligation to own and Obey, and never to oppoſe the Deſign of advancing Tyranny; and by Peaceableneſs and Orderlineſs, nothing elſe can be intended, than an Obligation never to oppoſe either the preſent Settlement, or future Eſtabliſhment of Popery and Arbitrary Power, upon the Ruines of the Reformation, and our Civil and Religious Rights and Liberties; whence they that take theſe Oaths and Bonds, in any other ſence, look more to the Liberties of Worldly Intereſt, than to the Dictates of Conſcience, and by quibling Evaſions do but mock God, deceive the World, and illude the Enemies, and delude themſelves.

Page 505. The Covenant is the Foundation of the People's Compact with the King at his Inauguration, the fundamental Law of the Government, and among the very Leges & regulae reganndi; ſo that the Reſcinders of of it are chargeable not only with Perjury but of Treaſon and Tyranny, in breaking and altering the Conſtitution of the Government, and are lyable to the Curſe of the Covenant; for they cannot reſcind that, nor eſcape it's Vengeance; whereof we have a Speaking-pledge already, in that the Reſcinder of theſe Covenants was ſo terribly reſcinded, and cut off by the hands of unnatural Violence; God thereby fulfilling that threatned Judgment of Covenant-breakers, That he that hath broken his Covenant ſhall be brought to Deſtruction; and bloody and deceitful Men ſhall not live out half their days: So Charles the Second got not leave to live out half of the days he projected to himſelf.

Page 508. To require Men to ſubſcribe to a Declaration aſſerting that the National Covenant, and the Solemn League and Covenant, were and are in themſelves unlawful Oaths, is to require Men to enter into a Confederacy againſt the Lord, at which the Heavens might ſtand aſtoniſh'd; it's an unparallel'd breach of the third Commandment, and could no more be taken tin Truth and Righteouſneſs, that an Oath renouncing the Bible.

Page 513.Compare this with the Presbyterians now denying the Power to the King of diſſolving the Aſſembly. An acknowledgment of Eccleſiaſtical Supremacy reſident in the King, is the moſt blaſphemous Uſurpation on the Prerogatives of Chriſt, that ever the greateſt Monſter among Men durſt arrogate; yea, the Roman Beaſt never claimed more; and in effect it is nothing elſe but one of his Names of Blaſphemy, twiſted out of the Pope's hands by King Henry the Eighth, and handed down to Queen Elizàbeth, &c. By this many intolerable Incroachments, made upon the Liberties and Priviledges of the Church of Chriſt, are yeilded unto; as that there muſt be no Church-Aſſemblies without the Magiſtrates Conſent, but that the Power of Convocating and Indicting Aſſemblies does belong only to him, that he may diſſolve them when he pleaſes, and that his Preſence, or his Commiſſioners, is neceſſary to each National Aſſembly.

Page 516. To engage in Bonds of living peaceably, is to engage in Bonds of Iniquity; they are Covenants of Peace with God's Enemies, whom we ſhould count our Enemies; and hate them becauſe they hate him, Pſal. 139. It's more ſuitable to anſwer as Jehu did to Joram, What peace, ſo long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezabel, and her witchcrafts are ſo many? than to ingage to be at Peace with thoſe who are carrying on Babylon's Intereſt, the Mother of Harlots and WitchcraftsVpon this conſideration the late Aſſembly refuſed at K. W.'s deſire, to receive the Epiſcopal Party into any terms of Peace or Communion.

Page 658. For private Perſons to deſtroy and rid the Commonwealth, of ſuch Burdens and vile Vermine, ſo pernicious to it as Tyrants are, was thought a Vertue meriting Commendation by all Nations; among the rudeſt Nations this is a Relict of Reaſon; as the Oriental Indidians have a Cuſtom when ever any Perſons run a Muck, that is, in a revengeful Fury take ſuch a quantity of Opium as diſtracts them into ſuch a Rage of mad Animoſity, that they fear not to Aſſault and go thorow deſtroying whom they can find in their way; then every Man arms againſt him, and is ambitious of the Honour of firſt killing him; which is very rational: And it ſeems to be as rational, to take the ſame couſe with out mad Malignant Mucks All that are not true Covenanters., who are drunk with Helliſh Fury, and are running in a Rage to deſtroy the People of God.

Page 701. The exacting Taxations for maintaining of the Army, and the paying of Subſidies, was and remains to be a Conſummating Crimſon Wickedneſs, the Cry whereof reaches Heaven; ſince upon the matter it exceeded the Gadarens Wickedneſs, and was ſhort of their Civility; they did not beſeech Chriſt and his Goſpel to be gone out of Scotland, but with armed Violence declar'd, they would with the ſtrong Hand drive him out of his Poſſeſſion, in order to which their Legions are levied with a profeſſed Declaration, That there ſhall not be a Soul left in the Nation, who ſhall not be ſlain, ſhut up, or ſold as Slaves, who will own CHRIST and his Intereſt.

Page 712. The paying of Subſidies to the preſent Goverment, is to ſurniſh that Party of the Dragon's Legions, in their War againſt Prince Michael and his Angels, with Supplies; which no Moral Force can excuſe, no more than it can do the ſhedding of the Blood of their innocent Children, or ſacrificing them to Moloch; for no Sacrifice they can offer to the Devil, can be more real, or ſo acceptable, as what they declare by this; being ſo direct not only in oppoſition to the coming of the Kingdom of Chriſt, but the Deletion of his precious Intereſts, and the giving Satan ſuch an abſolute Dominion in the Nation, as that they who have made the Decree, and all who put it in Execution, practically declare thereby they have mancipate themſelves to his Slavery, and ſold themſelves to work Wickedneſs in the ſight of the Lord: ſo likewiſe that all the reſt of the Nation may with themſelves become his Vaſſals, and in evidence of their Oppoſition to Chriſt, and in recognition to Satan's Sovereignty, and their Subjection, they are appointed to pay theſe black Meals. Taxes.

Mr. Rule. the great Scribe now of the Party, in his Second Vindication of the Church of Scotland, owns at every turn, that there are many Presbyterians in Scotland, who are neither moderate nor ſober; and to theſe he imputes all the Rebellions and Murders committed by the Party, and yet he calls the Legal Reſtraints, put upon theſe wild or mad Presbyterians, (for ſo they muſt be called, if they be neither moderate nor ſober,) cruel Perſecutions: Now their whole pretended Martyrology being only made up of theſe Men, I would fain know whoſe Martyrs ſuch Men were; for the Devil has his Martys too. This is Mr. Rule's beſt way of Reaſoning, for which I am apt to think there's few of the Party that will thank him; it being moſt evident, that thoſe whom he ſo much diſowns and reflects upon, are the only true Scotch Presbyterians; for whereas Rule, and ſome few with him, who would be thought moderate and ſober, have evidently deſerted the old Cauſe, and ſeem to ſit down upon the Lees of Dutch Presbytery, unto which they have baſely degenerated, while theſe others tread exactly in the ſteps of their Forefathers, and act in a cloſe Conformity to the Covenants, and the Decrees of the General Aſſemblies; which muſt be acknowledged to be the Rule for Scotch Presbyterians, or elſe it muſt be confeſt that they have none.

I ſhall leave the Reader to judge which of theſe two are indeed the trueſt Scotch Presbyterians, by the account which one of their own famous Writers gives of thoſe whom Mr. Rule calls ſober and moderate; in the Hiſtorical Repreſentation of the Teſtimonies of the Church of Scotland, (printed 1687, p. 162. and downwards,) ſpeaking of the Toleration granted in that ſame Year by the King, he ſays, and truely too, that thoſe who embraced it, acted contrary to the Presbyterian Principles of the Church of Scotland, particularly to the Declaration of the General Aſſembly, July, 27, 1649; And contrary to the Covenant. And on this Head his Arguments are infinitely beyond any that ever we have heard from Mr. Rule; For (ſays he) this Toleration is founded on Soveraign Authority, Prerogative Royal, and Abſolute Power, which all are to obey without reſerve. Again, (ſays he) it comes through ſuch a Conveyance, as ſuſpends, ſtops, and diſables all Penal Laws againſt Papiſts, and thereby everts all the Securities and Legal Bulwarks that Proteſtants can have for the Eſtabliſhment of their Religion, making them depend only upon the Arbitrary Word of an Abſolute Monarch, whoſe Principles oblige him to break it: So they that accept this Toleration, do thereby recognize a Power in the King, to ſubvert all Laws, Right, and Liberties; which is contrary to Reaſon as well as Religion, and a clear breach of the Covenants: By this Toleration the Papiſts are encouraged and encreaſed in Numbers, the whole Nation overflow'd with their Helliſh Locuſts, and all places fill'd with Prieſts and Jeſuits; yea, the Executive Power of the Government is put in the Hands of the Romaniſts.—Watever Liberty this may be to ſome Conſciences, it's none to the Tender: it's only a Toleration which is always of Evil, for that which is good cannot be tolerated, under the Notion of Good, but countenanced and incouraged as ſuch: therefore this reflects upon our Religion, when a Toleration is accepted, which implies ſuch a Reproach, and the annexed Indemnity and Pardon, tacitely condemns the Profeſſion thereof, as a Fault, or Crime; which no Chriſtian can bear with, or homologate by Acceptance; whatever ſome Addreſſers, particularly the Presbyterians at London, have blaſphemouſly alledged, that God is hereby reſtored to his Empire over the Conſcience: Moreover, Alſop and other London Pesbyterians Addreſs to K. J. (ſays he) true Presbyterians can never cloſs themſelves among them that are hereby indulged, viz. Archbiſhops and Biſhops, all the Prelatical and Malignant Crew, all Quakers and Papiſts, reaching alſo all Idolatry, Blaſphemy, Hereſie, and Truth; making the Profeſſors of Chriſt Partners with Antichriſt's Vaſſals. Such a Toleration is contrary to the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament; it's like Julian the Apoſtate's Toleration, deſigning to root out Chirſtianity; it's contrary to the Confeſſion of Faith; and therefore to accept this Toleration, is inconſiſtent with the Principles of the Church of Scotland, National and Solemn Leagues and Covenants, and Solemn Acknowledgments of Sins, and Engagements to Duties; in all which we are bound to Extirpate Popery and Prelacy, as inconſiſtent with the whole Tract of our former Contendings, and particularly with the Teſtimony of the Synod of Fi • e, and other Brethren, againſt Cromwel' s vaſt Toleration and Liberty of Conſcience.

The worſt of all is, (ſays he) that it's further declared in that Toleration, that nothing muſt be preached or taught, which may any way tend to alienate the Hearts of the People from the King or his Government: here is the Price at which they ought to purchaſe their Freedom; a ſad Bargain to buy Liberty and ſell Truth. But who can be faithful, but he muſt think it his Duty to alienate the Hearts of the People from ſuch an Enemy to Chriſt? What Watchman muſt not ſee it his indiſpenſable Duty, to preach ſo that the People may hate the Whore, and this Pimp of Hers: It cannot be but very ſtumbling to ſee the Miniſters of Scotland purchaſing à Liberty to themſelves, at the rate of burying and betraying the Cauſe into Bondage; and thus to be laid by, from all Oppoſition to Antichriſt's Deſign, in ſuch a ſeaſon: The World will be tempted to think, that they are not governed by Principles, but their own Intereſt, and that it was not the late overturning of Religion and Liberty that offended them; for if that Arbitrary Power had been but exerted in their favours, tho' with the ſame prejudice to the Cauſe of Chriſt, they would have complied with it, as they do now.

Mr. Rule in his late Book is highly offended with the Author of the caſe of the afflicted Clergy, for ſaying, That the Presbyterians Addreſſed and Thanked K. James for this Toleration in a fawning and flattering manner; and yet our honeſt Presbyterian Author deals more roundly with them, Pag. 173. his words are theſe, The Addreſſes made thereupon, were with a ſtrain of Fulſome and Blaſphemous Flatteries, to the Diſhonour of God, the Reproach of the Cauſe, the Betraying of the Church, the Detriment of the Nation, and the expoſing themſelves to the Contempt of all. Again, (ſays he, Pag 176, 177, 178.) The Addreſs it ſelf is of ſuch a dreſs, as makes the things addreſſed for to be odious, and the Addreſſers to forefault the Reſpect, and merit the Indignation of all that are friends to the Proteſtant and Presbyterian Cauſe.—Nothing could have been more croſs to the real deſires of the true Presbyterians than this newly ſtart-up Opinion, that Intereſt has led them to eſpouſe.—There is nothing here ſounds like the old Presbyterian ſtrain; neither was there ever an Addreſs of this Stile ſeen before from Presbyterians: It would have looked far more Presbyterian like, to have ſent a Proteſtation againſt the now openly deſ • gn'd Introduction of Popery, and Subverſion of all Laws and Liberties, which they are Covenanted to maintain; or at leaſt, an Addreſs in the uſual Language of the Presbyterians, who uſed always to ſpeak of the Covenants, and work of Reformation; but here never a word of theſe, but of Loyalty to His Excellent, to His Gracious, and to His Sacred Majeſty; of Loyalty not to be queſtioned; an entire Loyalty in Doctrine a reſolved Loyalty in Practice, and a fervent Loyalty in Prayers: All that they are ſollicitous about, is not for the Prerogatives of their Maſter, or the Liberties of the Church; but leſt their Loyalty be queſtion'd, that they be otherwiſe repreſented; all that they beſeech for, is, Not that the Cauſe of Chriſt be not wronged, or Antichriſt introduced by this Liberty; but that thoſe who promote any Diſloyal Principles and Practices may be looked upon as none of theirs: and all the hopes they have, 〈…〉 great perſwaſions of His Majeſty's Juſtice and Goodneſs.

Here is a Lawleſs, Unreſtrained Loyalty to a Tyrant, claiming and abſolute Power, to be obeyed without reſerve; not only profeſſed, but ſolicitouſly ſought to be the Principle of Presbyterians, whereas it is the Principle of Atheiſtical Hobes.—This is not the Presbyterian Loyalty to the King, according to the Reſtrictions in the Covenants; but Eraſtian Loyalty to a Tyrant in his overturning Religion, Laws and Liberties, and in protecting and incouraging all Iniquity. This Loyalty in Doctrine will be found Diſloyalty to Chriſt, in a ſinful and ſhameful ſilence, that wrong is done to him. This Loyalty in Practice, is a plain betraying of Religion and Liberty, and lying by from all oppoſition to the deſtroyer of both. And this Loyalty in Prayers, for all Bleſſings ever to attend His Perſon and Government, will be found inconſiſtent with the Zeal of Chriſtians, and the cries of the Elect unto God, for Vengeance upon the Supporters of Antichriſt; nor conſonant to Presbyterian Prayers in reference to Popiſh Tyrants; it were much more ſuitable for them to pray, That God which hath cauſed his Name to dwell in his Church, may deſtroy all Kings that ſhall put to their Hands to alter and deſtroy the Houſe of God, Ezra▪ 6. 12.

Page 178. 179. This Addreſs is ſo ſtuffed with ſneaking Flatteries, that it would more become Sycophants and Court Paraſites, than Miniſters of the Goſpel.—Nothing but a Rhapſody of Flatteries, juſtifying all his Claim to Abſoluteneſs, and engaging to Demean themſelves ſo, as that he may find cauſe to enlarge rather than to diminiſh his Favours, which can be no other way but in aſſiſting him to deſtroy Religion and Liberty: O what an indelible Reproach is this for Miniſters, who pretend to be ſet for the Defence of the Goſpel, thus to be found betraying Religion. This is in effect not only Flattery, but Blaſphemy, as great as if they had ſaid. They reſolved, by the help of God, to be as Unfaithful, Time-ſerving, and Silent Miniſters, as ever plagued the Church of God, p. 180.

Now the Presbyterians who accepted this Toleration, and made ſuch buſtling Addreſſes of Thanks to King James for it, are they whom Mr. Rule calls the ſober Presbyterians: and now I leave him to Vindicate himſelf and them, from what is thus charged upon them, by one who is well known to be a true Presbyterian, Shields Chaplain to my Lord Angus's Regiment, one of their famous Authors and Preachers. and as ſuch is at preſent own'd, and imployed in a conſiderable Truſt by the General Aſſembly: And if we may judge from all the Principles and Practices of former Scotch Presbyterians, he is really a far honeſter Presbyterian, than they who would now call themſelves Moderate; and yet in contradiction to that Title, perſecute their Reformed Brethren with the greateſt Rigour and Severity. To conclude this Head, and to juſtifie what may be thought moſt ſevere in the Character giver of Presbyterians in the former Section; if we may believe the account the Presbyterians of Scotland have publiſhed to the World themſelves, (as I think they ought not to blame us if we do) then the one half of our Presbyterians are neither Moderate nor Sober, but Wild Hill-men, Separatiſts, a robbing, lawleſs, ungovernable Rabble, a mad People, headſtrong Traytors and Rebels, that is, in a word, they are Cameronians, vide Firſt and Second Vindication, and further Vindication of the Church of Scotland. The other half are Betrayers of all Religion, Covenant-breakers, Worldly, Fawning, Flattering Court Paraſites, Blaſphemous, Unſaithful, Time-ſerving, Silent Miniſters, and the greateſt Plagues of the Church of Scotland; vide, Hind let looſe, Banders disbanded. And even Dr. Rule, (as he Intitles himſelf, and is angry that others do not call him ſo too,) in that Defence of the Presbyterians, which he writes by the Order of the General Aſſembly, calls the Cameronians a People rendered mad, p. 91. And in the ſame Page, ſpeaking of the other Party of Presbyterians, ſays, I deny not but many of them put force upon their Light. Again, p. 118. They did hear renitente Conſcientiâ. And what is this to ſay, in plain terms, but that one Party of Presbyterians is without their Wits, and many of the other without any Conſcience: Now what may Prelatiſts look for from ſuch Men, Pudet haec opprobia nobis & dici potuiſſe & non potuiſſe refelli.

There are ſome famous Authors more, that are fit to have place here, becauſe in their Writings they diſcover the true Spirit of the Presbyterian New Goſpel, two of them own themſelves to be preſent Pamphleteers for the Party, pretending, forſooth, to anſwer Books too. The honeſteſt and trueſt Presbyterian of theſe two, ſhall have, as he deſerves, the firſt place, that is the Author of the brief and true Account of the Sufferings of the Kirk of Scotland, occaſioned by the Epiſcopalians, ſince the Year 1660; London, printed 1690.

In the very firſt Page, he ſeems to be ſtruck with Aſtoniſhment at the thinking but of Epiſcopalians, (as he calls them,) O (ſays he) their Superlative Impudence, their Helliſh Diſſimulation and Malice: They imitate the Devil himſelf, who firſt tempts, and then accuſes, tho' it's too viſible that their Conſciences are paſt feeling, being ſeared as with a hot Iron. When their Hierarchy was reſtored, the Devil, who ſeemed to be bound ſometime before,That was no doubt in the peaceful and godly days of the Holy Covenant: But how ſeem'd the Devil to be bound then? why, it was after the New Goſpel way, he was bound in the Chains of Blood, Murther, and Rebellion; being ſurfeited with thoſe Sacrifices, he ſeemed to lay himſelf down to reſt, leaving all his Drudgery upon Earth to be performed by his Covenanted Agents. was let looſe, the Flood-gates of all Impiety and Wickedneſs were ſet open; and Hell did triumph in its Conqueſts over the Nation, and diſplayed its Banner not only againſt Religion, but even Morality: Which the Prelates, and their Adherents were ſo far from oppoſing, that they indulged the People, but eſpecially the Gentry, in their Wickedneſs, as knowing that to be the only Method to ſecure them on their ſide. Well, believe but this New Goſpeller, and the Scotch Gentry, as well as Clergy, are a rare ſort of Monſters, indeed; for the beſt Characters and ſofteſt Words he beſtows upon them, are theſe, They are Godleſs Miſcreants, of the true Aegyptian Brood, infamous Parracides, Sorcerers, and inceſtuous Apoſtates, infamous Varlets, infamous Villains, left to corrode their own viprous Bowels with their Inhumane Fury; the Devil's Inſtruments, fit onely to be Stallions and Pimps to Bawdy-Houſes; the Epiſcopalian Hireling Preachers, with their infernal Bawlings, the Scum and Refuſe of the Nation, they bore the Characters of Wickedneſs of their Foreheads, liker Pagans than Profeſſors, Blood-hounds, Children of Hell, the Tyranno-papa-prelatical Hoſt, the great Papa-prelatical Champion Dundee, Savage Beaſts in Humane Shape, a graceleſs untoward Generation of Prelatiſts, who uſe nothing but Hectoring for Reaſon, and Curſing for Argument; ungodly Epiſcopal Brutes, that reprobate Faction; that Limb of Antichriſt, and infernal Locuſt, the Apoſtate Archbiſhop Sharp, with a Malice like his Father the Devil, that waſpiſh formal Prelate.—The Generation of Vipers, the Epiſcopalian Seed of the Serpent, Hectors and Buffoons, the moſt obdurate, impenitent, ſpiteful, baſe, impudent Prieſts, whoſe Fathers were not good enough to eat with the Dogs of their Flocks, infamous, ſcandalous, lying, Runnagates, &c.

This is the way the Scotch Presbyterians uſe to argue and anſwer Books; and theſe are the ſweeteſt Flowers of our Authors Presbyterial Rhetorick, that he liberally ſtrows in every Page of his Book; which being quite contrary to the Spirit and Genious of CHRIST muſt be allowed to paſs for new minted, ſuperfine Presbyterian Goſpel.

Well, ſo much for Scotland, that's his own Country perhaps our Author may be more courteous and civil to Strangers. Next then let's ſee how he treats the other Reformed Churches: As for the Church of England, he diſcharges moſt furiouſly againſt her in many places, viz. p 7. She is the worſt conſtitute Church in the World; Theſe Tantivees, let their Hyperbolical Pretenſions of Zeal for Religion and Loyalty, be what they will, if the King but put forth his hand to touch them, they will curſe him to his face;The Presbyterians indeed ordinarily prevent the King's putting forth his hand againſt them, by aſſaulting him firſt. and rather than part with an Inch of Superſtition, or a Swiniſh Luſt, will, as the Party have always done, lay a Confederacy with Hell and Rome, as times paſt and preſent do evidence beyond contradiction. I wonder he did not add, and times to come; for that would have been as true as the other.

And again, p. 8. For the new upſtart ſlaviſh Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience, as the Church of England had the Diſhonour to be the Mother of it, ſhe has alſo the Ignominy to be the Murderer, having baſely cut it's Throat, as Harlots uſe to do ſometimes with their ſpurious Brood.The great deſign of the New Goſpel to decry Paſſive Obedience, and to blaſpheme the Church of England.

Page 27. If the Engliſh Clergy offer to aſſiſt the Prelatical Scots, as they ate readier by a thouſand to one to do it,The Engliſh Clergy, who ſcruple to Swear, ſhew, that they can patiently ſuffer, and therefore are not concerned at what Presbyterians threaten; the Devil can go no farther than his Chain reaches. than to Swear Allegiance to their Soveraigns, it may arm the good Women with their Folding-ſtools once more againſt them; as it did formerly in King Charles the Firſt's time, when one of the Biſhops began to read the Common-Prayer, which ſhe called Popery And ſo do all the new Goſpellers..

Pag. 28. Is it not as lawful for the Scots Presbyterians, to pray againſt the Engliſh Hierarchy as Antichriſtian. As for the Engliſh Clergy and Prelates too, to Plot, drink and plead in their Seſſions at the Devil, againſt the Scots Presbyterie: And I believe they would pray againſt it alſo, but that they have not a Form for it. To ſuppoſe, that the banihing the Prelatical Scots Clergy was not encouraged by Authority, is Ignorance and Sawcineſs; for it's plain, Authority in Scotland, has done what was proper for a Civil Government to do, viz. They have declared the Hierarchy Antihumane; that is, contrary to the peoples InclinationBy the ſame argument, the Proteſtant Religion muſt be Antihumane in France, Italy and Spain; and the Chriſtian too in all the Grand Seignior's vaſt Dominions.: and, I ſuppoſe, are ſo good natur'd, to wiſh their Neighbours were rid of it too; and ſo much the rather, that they have ſo often found, and do ſtill find them impoſing Sawcy Intrigues againſt the Kingdom of Scotland, wherein, if they perſiſt, it may perhaps, and let them blame themſelves for it, prove as fatal to them as it did in the days of Dr. Laud. Well, here's a ſevere and open threatning, England then look to it. The Scots Presbyterians are ſworn in their Holy Covenant, to reform Britain and Ireland, (though it be by Club Law) and let them but have Power, according to their Will, and they will ſoon viſit you once more, for all your Goods.

Pag. 29. The Biſhops are generally found to be againſt that which is for the Nations good, and howſoever the late oppoſition which they made to the late King may be magnified, they ſeem quickly to have repented of it. But ſuppoſing they had continued ſtedfaſt, yet whatever good Nature might have done, I am ſure, Juſtice would not have awarded them any thanks; which will appear undeniably true, if we conſider (among many other things which he inſtances) how moſt of the Biſhops oppoſed the reverſing of the Judgment of Perjury given againſt: Dr. Oates, who did the Nation more ſervice than Seven Idolized Stars, ſo many of whom are now turned dark Lanthorns. Nor can it ever be forgot, how many of the inferior Clergy, following the Conduct of their Tripple-headed Guide, advanced the Intereſt of the Tripple-Crown, and ſome of them topping ones too, at the hour of death, grated with their ſlaviſh nonſenſical Doctrine of Reſiſtance upon the Conſciences of the Noble Hero's, and Darlings of the People, the Lord Ruſſel and Duke of Monmouth, upon the very Scaffolds; and if the contrary Doctrine be damnable, as they alledged, then I am ſure their Church hath been guilty of damnable Practices ſinceEvery thing that's not agreeable to the New Goſpel muſt be ſlaviſh, nonſenſical, and damnable..

This is the Charity that the New Goſpel Profeſſors have to the Church of England, which the whole Chriſtian World beſides them, doth ſo juſtly honour and eſteem, upon the account of their Government, Worſhip, Doctrine, and Practice, which their Phanatical Neighbours ſo maliciouſly cenſure and blaſpheme. Well, but (ſay they) the Church of England is ſtill labouring under much Romiſh Superſtition and Idolatry; and which is worſe, ſhe is Papaprelatical, nay, ſhe is Archipapaprelatical; and that's Antihumane, in the New Goſpel phraſe. But I hope they will be kind, at leaſt, to their Brethren of the Presbyterian▪ Church beyond Sea. Are not the Dutch and French, Presbyterians? Is not the Mother Church of Geneva throughly reformed? No, no, they have never ſet up the Solemn League and Covenant for their Standard: Or to ſpeak in the Authors own words, pag. 27. They are ſtrangers to the power of Godlineſs, becauſe not knowing how to pray, without they muſt have recourſe to a Form, which is as unreaſonable and unnatural an impoſition upon the Strong, eſpecially, on Miniſters, as would be the impoſing of Crutches upon the adult and able part of Mankind, who can walk better without them. Well, Chriſt preſcribed a Form of Prayer to his Diſciples; the firſt, and all the ſucceeding Ages of the Church thought it not only convenient, but neceſſary to uſe Forms in Publick Worſhip; but, alas the Diſciples themſelves, and all preceding Chriſtians, are but weak, unable Infants, in reſpect of the adult, ſtrong and covenanted Profeſſors of the new Goſpel in the Weſt of Scotland.

The next famous Author is Mr. Rule, who calls himſelf a Doctor of Medicine (for they never pretended to have any in Divinity) in his Second Vindication of the Kirk of Scotland, he ſays, pag. 113. That it is an unfair, injurious, and falſe Imputation, to charge the ſeverity of the Stile of this Author upon the Presbyterians, who he ſays, diſown that Stile, it being written by a Cameronian, while they ſtood at a diſtance from the ſober Presbyterians; however thoſe whom he calls Sober Presbyterians, have never yet, by any publick deed, condemned that Book, nor any other of the Barbarities of theſe unſober Cameronian Presbyterians, but have, on the contrary, received them into their Communion, without the leaſt acknowledgment of any ſuch Crimes; and Dr. Rule (that I may not offend him) calls them the Zealous Party, and repreſents them as pretty gentle, in that they made it their work only to deprive, and not to Murther the Epiſcopal Miniſters, pag. 125. Altho' the Doctor knows, that Inſtances can be given of ſome Miniſters that were even Murthered by that Zealous Party, not long ago; and himſelf owns, in the beginning of his Poſt-ſcript, that five Men and ſix Women, Presbyterians, came to the Houſe of William Ferguſon, Miniſter of Kilpatrick; and becauſe he would not alter his manner of Praying, and come out of his Houſe, as they had charged him, they therefore invaded his Houſe, tore off his Cloaths, and beat him on the Head and Legs, which lookt but too like a deſign to Murther him: Several other things of this Nature were ſo notorious, that his ridiculous way of diſguiſing, when he cannot deny them, muſt needs ſatisfie the World, of the certain truth of the Accounts that have been given by the Eye-witneſſes and Sufferers in that Perſecution. Upon which Conſideration, Mr. Pitcarne, a better Writer, and as it appears, a much honeſter Man, declined the vindicating of theſe late Proceedings of the Presbyterians; not that he did not like the Presbyterian Cauſe, for he is through-paced that way; but becauſe, after he had examined the matters of Fact for ſeveral Months, as he had been enjoyned by the Fraternity, he found it impoſſible to ſpeak any thing in their Vindication, but what the greateſt part of Scotland would know to be notoriouſly falſe; wherefore, as Dr. Rule himſelf informs us, Preface to his Second Vindication, parag. 5, & 7. in the end of the ſame Book, Pag. 190. When this Affair was committed to him, after many Months he returned the Papers to be anſwered, without any Reply to them. But paſſing this, I wonder that the Worthy Doctor ſhould, in his late Book (now cited) exactly imitate that ſevere Stile, which he and his Sober Party pretend to diſown; but, perhaps, he ſees not this Beam in his own Eye, with which he muſt grant the Sobereſt Presbyterians to be juſtly chargeable; becauſe, as he himſelf is at great pains to inform the World, both in the beginning and ending of his Book, the whole party committed that truſt to him, when others had refuſed it: Vid. Preface, parag. 5, and 7. pages, and Second Vindication, pag. 192.

Upon which account, not only the Scurrilous Railing, but all the Untruths, Contradictions, and Nonſence, which abounds in every Page, is juſtly chargeable upon the whole Party, of which I ſhall give the World ſuch a taſt, as may be ſufficient to make them judge of all the reſt, which would be too tedious and nauſeous here to inſert. Firſt then, as to Scurrilous Railing Accuſations, in the very firſt page of his Preface, he calls Prelatiſts, The Seed of the Serpent, whoſe Enmity againſt the Seed of the Woman (that you muſt know, is Scots Presbyterians) as it began, ſo it muſt end with the World; and that you may not miſtake him, he avers after in the ſame page, That they uſe the old ſtratagems of Satan; and in the 2d. page he compares them to Heathens, Papiſts, yea, they are Devils, both Greek and Syriack Devils; nay, they are Jeſuites, Wo to Poſterity if they believe them, for then, to be ſure, ſucceeding Ages will turn abſolute Scepticks: He adds, It's evident, that many of them regarded not the Civil Authority of the Nation, and others, by their lewdneſs of Converſation, made themſelves unworthy to be in the Holy Function of the Miniſtry, Preface, Paragr. 2.

And in the Book it ſelf, page 1. he charges the Authors of our late Books, with Malice, Lies, Railing, and guilty of the fowleſt and falſeſt Miſrepreſentations that the Minds of Men can ſuggeſt, enraged by being deprived of the occaſion they once had to perſecute their Neighbours, the end to which they improved their Lucrative places. Page 4. Mean Spirits and Mercenary Souls, that imploy themſelves in Mendicant Writings and Practices;—beyond the common ſize of Slanderous Malice, Page 7. Guilty of the higheſt Impudence and Saucineſs, page 12. Prelatital Party eminent for Spite, but hath neither Truth nor Charity to warrant it, page 21. They who know their temper, and the brow and way of thoſe for whom they plead, will not believe their Profeſſions, their Hypocriſie being ſhameful, and twiſted with Malice, page 23. The temper of Epiſcopalians is by unmanly, as well as unchriſtian, ſhifts, tobuoy up their ſinking Cauſe, page 25. This Hiſtorian's Ignorant Malice to be deſpiſed, Judas Iſcariot was his Predeceſſor, page 52. The contempt of the Miniſtry came from the Atheiſm and Debauches of the Epiſcopal Clergy, page 64. And again, of an Eminent Divine, Loved and honoured by all but Presbyterians. he ſaith, That his Words are like thoſe of a Madman, or of one raving in a Fever, page 51. It would be tedious and nauſeous to trace this his Presbyterian Eloquence, through every page, as he vents it; or to ſhew how falſly and boldly he charges a whole Sacred Order of Men, with the faults, which he ſuppoſes, and would have the World believe, ſome ſingle perſons among them, to be guilty of; as that they are perfrictae frontis, Nothing manifeſtly falſe can check their Conſcience and Impudence: The whole party groſly Ignorant, Papiſing Prelates, pages 126, 131, 133. Spuing out the moſt ſpiteful Venom that can lodge in a Humane Breaſt, page 136. Impudence beyond Jeſuitical, page 142. They glory either in their having no Principle, or that they can yield over the Belly of Conſcience, to promote their Intereſt with Men, page 144. The differences betwixt us and them, are not reconcileable;And yet they own the ſame Religion with us pag. 1. l 3. a heap of Lies, Men that have taught their Tongues and Pens to ſpeak and write Lies, pag. 146, 147. Lies and Calumnies, horrid lies, a broad lie, pag. 150, 151. This which they now call a broad lie, paſt for a Goſpel Truth among the Presbyterians, An. 1648.The Authority of their Aſſemblies above that of King and Parliament. Prelatical Incumbents were Scandalous, and unfit to edifie the people, and do rather harden them in Wickedneſs, page 162. A whole fardel of lies, malicious Repreſentations, coupled falſhoods, impudent and falſe aſſertions, brazen Foreheads, page 166. Prelates ſpend their ſhort Glaſs with gingling py-bald Orations, page 168. Bitterneſſ, Malice and Contempt is ſuitable to the Hiſlorical Talent of many of the Prelatical Party: If the Debauchery of Prelates did not tempt people to count all Religion a ſham, it were well, page 173. He knows that his Impudent Aſſertions and Lies can be diſcovered, and his Villanie come abroad at laſt, page 178. A Snarling Cur,—a lying Spirit doth poſſeſs the Men with whom we have to do,Well Ranted Rule. Pag. 191, 194.

This is the Meek, Lowlie Strain of the Presbyterian new Goſpel, whereby the ſobereſt of them, pretend to vindicate their own proceedings, and refute the Writings of other Men I leave the World to judge, by this way of defending the Party, what their Cauſe muſt be, and to determine, whether he who calls himſelf a Sober Presbyterian; and ſays, That he was ſelected and appointed by the ſober General Aſſembly, to write in their defence; be not indeed as black and foul-mouth'd, as the moſt rank and rigid Cameronian among them all; for my part, I can ſee no difference betwixt his Stile and theirs, except this may paſs for one, that Mr. Rule ſeems to have learned his Stile from the Coal-ſtealers in Edenburgh, or at Buckhaven, of which Colledge only he ought to have been Principal; whereas the Cameronians ſeem to have learned their Stile from the Shepherds and Herring-fiſhers on the Weſtern Coaſt, who, tho' they have more Cant, yet they have leſs Knavery than the former: If Mr. Rule ſhould challenge me, as falling into the ſame fault for which I here blame him, becauſe of ſome ſharpneſs which he may apprehend to be in that Character I have given before of the Presbyterian Preachers and People, yet that is only chargeable upon my ſingle perſon, and not upon others of our Party, for I neither do, nor pretend to write by a Commiſſion from them: And beſides, he himſelf hath provided me with an Apologie, viz. Calling things by their true names, is not to be reckoned inconſiſtent with Moderation and Calmneſs; A petulant and effronted Adverſary is not to be handled with that ſoftneſs of Stile, which is fit for ſuch as are more modeſt, Preface, Paragr.6.

But paſſing thoſe Flowers of Presbyterian Eloquence, let us examine in the next place, if this Author makes any amends for his Stile, by the Truth and Reaſon that he writes; it would be tedious to trace him through every Page, in which his Nonſence, Contradictions, and Falſhoods abound, and therefore I ſhall here mention only ſome generals.

There is one Principle ſuitable to the Genius of the New Goſpel only, upon which much of his Book is founded, and it's this, Do as ye have been done by; by this he excuſes the greateſt Barbarities of the Presbyterian Rabble, and often juſtifies their higheſt Severities againſt Epiſcopal MiniſtersPreface Parag. 6. at the end, and p. 26. &c. ; it's true in other places he condemns them, and ſays, he will not defend them; but he ſeems not concerned ſhamefully to contradict himſelf at every turn: The People for whom he pleads are not ſo critical as to obſerve that, and for others he ſays, that he deſpiſes and contemns them: Sometimes, if you'l believe him, Cameronians are zealous godly Men, eminent for their suffering for Chriſt; by and by ſays he, They are a wild, ungovernable, deſperate Rabble, render'd mad by Oppreſſion: the ſum of all is, Revenge is a true Presbyterian Vertue, and Contradiction Mr. Rule's beſt: way of Reaſoning.

Preface, par. 6. theſe are his words: I have treated the Adverſaries I deal with as Brethren, deſiring rather to exeeed, than come ſhort in Civility, and fair dealing with them. But at the ſame time he takes the liberty almoſt in every Page, to call thoſe he deals with. Of the Seed of the Serpent, Devils, habitual Drunkards and Swearers, Traitors that deſerve to have their Necks ſtretched, prophane Perſons, conſtant Sabbath-breakers, horrid Lyers and Slanderers, Men who beat their Wives, and in their Dealings are moſt injurious to Men, having no Conſcience, p. 32. Miniſters who are Oppoſers of Chriſt, and his Inſtitution, and who harden and encourage the People in their Sins, As may be read in the Pages above cited, and many other of Rule's exceeding Civil Book, which being written by the Deſign of the whole General Aſſembly, it's but natural and juſt to conclude, that this is the only way of Scots Presbyterian Civility and fair Dealing. Again in the ſame Preface, and Parag. 6. he ſays, I build not on Hear-ſay, or common Talk, which is the beſt Foundation of many of the Aſſertions of my Adverſaries. And in the ſame page, theſe are his immediate preceeding words, The truth of matters of fact aſſerted in this Treatiſe, is not to be taken from me, but from them who are my Informers, few of whom I pretend to any perſonal knowledge of, therefore not my Veracity is pledged, but that of others: if they have deceived, or been deceived, I am not to anſwer for that. What can a Man believe of a Book that's uſher'd in with ſuch a doubting and contradictory Preface; if theſe were not Mr. Rule's own expreſs Sayings, no body could well believe, that the whole Faction could have ſingled out ſuch a Writer to Vindicate them; but Falſhood it ſeems has no Feet, and Lyars who have ſo little Wit and Memory, muſt needs be often intangled in their own Snares.

Some of the Church of England have medled far beyond their Line in our Affairs, tho' we be far from interpoſing in any of theirs, p. 16. only upon occaſion we take the Chriſtian Liberty that our Predeceſſors have always done, of calling them Superſtitious, Popiſh, and Idolatrous in their Worſhip; and in their Doctrine, ſcandalous for Arianiſm, Arminianiſm, Socinianiſm, Popery, and that Turkiſh Bow-ſtring Doctrine of Paſſive Obedience; and that in their Government they are directly contrary to Chriſt's Inſtitution, to the deſign of the Reformation, and to the Holy Covenant, being Tyrannical, Prelatical, yea and Archi-papa-prelatical; What we are bound to by the Covenant, ſays he again, is not to reform them, but to concur with them, when lawfully called, to advance the Reformation; that is, wholly to overturn their Church and State, as we formerly did by our own glorious Goſpel-Methods of Fire and Sword, having a very lawful Call from a godly Party, who invited us to fight the Battels of the Lord againſt the Mighty, the King who oppoſed Reformation-Work in the Land; And now (ſays he) its far from our thoughts to go beyond that Boundary, in being concerned in their Affairs, we wiſh their Reformation, but leave the managing of it to themſelves; that is, till we find ſuch a bleſſed Occaſion as thoſe Worthies of the Lord, the Reformers, did in 48.

Page 23. he ſays that King James abdicated the Government, and that the Parliament called it ſo; if he knows any thing of thoſe Affairs, he knows that the Parliament of Scotland did nor give it that name, tho' that of England did: However, if he did Abdicate, I would fain know how this conſiſts with Rule his concluding juſt before, p. 22. That his Royal Authority was taken away by the Nation; and with what he ſays p. 100. The Nation laid him aſide, and chuſed another; This is the conſtant Doctrine of Scotch Presbyterians, (and they practice accordingly,) That the People can give and take away the Royal Authority, can lay aſide and chuſe Kings at their pleaſure, vide Buchan. de Jur. Reg. Jus Populi Vind. Lex. Rex, and Rule's Vind. Now to uſe Mr. Rule's moderate Phraſe in that place, Some Mens necks have been made to ſtretch for a leſs Crime; than to aſſert under an Hereditary Monarchy, that Kings are or can be elected; and it's certain they are as little Friends to their preſent Majeſties, as to Monarchy, who would found their Authority upon ſuch a tottering bottom: nay, Mr. Rule in the name of the other Presbyterians, tells plainly that they owe no Allegiance to King William, but in ſo far as he ſupports Presbytery, and that it would overturn the very Foundations of his Authority to reſtore Epiſcopacy, For (ſays he) it is declared againſt in, the Claim of Right, as a Grievance, and therefore cannot be reſtored without overturniing the Foundation of our preſent Civil Settlement, p. 90. parag.4. And again p. 152. parag. 2. The Convention hath voted Epiſcopacy to be a Grievance to the Nation, and in the Claim of Right, made it a Fundamental Article in the Government, that it ſhould be aboliſhed. Now what's the meaning of all this, but that the preſent Government of, State muſt neceſſarily ſtand and fall with Presbytery? So that all their great boaſts of Loyalty to the preſent King, amounts to no more than this, No Presbytery, no King William.

Page 36. par. 11. he ſays, Moſt of the Epiſcopal Miniſters who went out, were put out by their own Conſciences; for they deſerted their Charges without either Sentence Threatning, or Compulſion. And yet before that Page 26, Parag. 6. he owns that the Presbyterian Rabble did perſecute and drive them away. But that this is no more imputable to the Presbyterians, than the Drunkenneſs, Swearing, Whoredoms, and Perſecutions, This is the Civil Style that he promiſed to exceed in, Pref. par. 6. that we charge many of the Prelatiſts with, are to be lookt on as the Crimes of all the, Epiſcopalians. And farther he excuſes that Rabble, becauſe as he there avers, They were under the higheſt Provocations imaginable to do what they did; yea, to have proceeded to farther Severities. And he adds out of the abundance of Presbyterian ſence, that theſe things were done in an Interregnum; which by the bye, can never poſſibly fall out in an Hereditary KingdomWhere in the ſenſe of the Law the King never dies.: And tho' he ſays we had then no Church-Government, yet himſelf knows the contrary, and that Prelacy ſtood then eſtabliſhed by many Laws made in 27 Parliaments, freely and legally Elected in the moſt ſetled times, and that the Prince of Orange, who had then at the deſire of ſome of the Nobility and Gentry, taken the Kingdom under his Protection, did by his ſolemn Proclamation order all things in the Church and State to continue as the Laws had fixed them, till the Convention of the States ſhould meet: But ſays honeſt Mr. Rule, Theſe enraged People were chafed in their minds, and having now potentiam, tho' not poteſtatem, therefore it was not to be wondered that they relieved themſelves 'Tis no new thing for Presbyterians to think Power a ſufficient Call to act Illegally.; that is, by Rabbling the Legal Orthodox Clergy. Moreover, p. 161. he ſays expreſly, That in Galloway the Incumbents were generally driven away; but how all this is conſiſtent with what he ſaid before, viz. That they deſerted without either Threating or Compulſionn, I leave the infallible Aſſembly who imployed this Author, to judge, and if they can, to reconcile what He writes in the following Citations.

Page 34, par. 10. ſpeaking of the Rabbling Cameronians, he ſays, That they came into Mr. Skinner, Miniſter of Daly, his Houſe, and after they had eaten, they went away without doing any prejudice to any in the Family; again p. 27. par. 10. he owns expreſly, that thoſe Rabble-Reformers by force took away the Money out of the Poor's Box, from Mr. Ruſſel Miniſter at Govan; but ſays he, They did it with all Tenderneſs; and if you will credit thoſe Sacrilegious Robbers, Rule's Informers, both Mr. Ruſſel and his Wife were drunk: but that our Author may prove himſelf and his Book to be all of one Presbyterian Piece, he tells again, p. 29. par. 5. That the Author of the Caſe of the Afflicted Clergy, foully miſ-repreſents the Cameronians, while he ſpeaketh of their eating and drinking at the expence of them whom they rabbled; all the reports that we have of them, give account of their not laying their hands on the prey, Eſth. 2. 15.

Page 145. It's better that England and Scotland be two different Nations, than that the Inſtitutions of Chriſt ſhould be thwarted, that they be made one.—May not two Nations trade together, and be governed by the ſame Laws, and yet bear with one another as to Church-ways? And may not alſo the Weſt of Scotland, and the other parts of that Kingdom, trade together and be governed by the ſame Laws, and yet the Weſt not impoſe their Kirk-ways upon the reſt of the Kingdom? Reſponde Gilberte.

The Presbyterian Government was ſettled by Chriſt, p. 151. Here he leaves it to the Diſcretion of the Reader, to judge whether this be a ſimple Affirmation only, or an Affirmation and Oath conjoyned; tho' the firſt may be his meaning, yet the latter ſence ſeems moſt natural to the words, and in any other ſence there is no truth in them: and indeed the Arguments by which their Preachers would perſwade the People to this, are as ridiculous as the Aſſertion it ſelf; for their ordinary Cant is, Beloved, we read in the Word, that the Apoſtles went up together, one did not go before the other; there was no Precedency amongſt them, Beloved; and therefore it's clear, that there was no Prelacy in thoſe days: And again we read, that honeſt Paul (they never call him St. Paul, becauſe he never ſwore the Solemn League and Covenant,) left his Cloak at Troas: Why, Sirs, you ſee plainly from this Text, that Paul had not a Gown but a Cloak, for ſays the Text, he left his Cloak, it does not ſay that he left his Gown; never a Gown had that precious Man to leave, Beloved, and therefore you may be ſure he was no Prelate; for they, falſe Lowns, have no Cloaks but Gowns. From theſe and ſuch like Arguments, our Author allows no Church but the Presbyterian to be of Divine Inſtitution, and at one daſh he Unchurches all the Epiſcopal Churches; and yet ſays he, p. 154. Presbyterians deny not Papiſts to be lawful Miniſters. If he can but confute the Learned Dr. Pearſon's Defence of Ignatius's Epiſtles; or ſhew us from any Authentick Record, or received Ancient Hiſtorian, that Presbytery was ever the Government of the Church, then we ſhall yield the Cauſe, and believe, in ſpite of our Reaſon, that all Rule's Vain and Empty Boaſts of this Matter, are indeed well founded, that both parts of his Contradictions are certainly true, and all the real fooliſhneſs of their Preaching, ſolid Arguments.

Pages 154 & 155. He racks his Wit and Cunning to evade and ſhift this notorious truth, That inſtead of fourteen Biſhops, which were formerly in the Church, the Kirk had new ſet up ſixty: But in this matter all his Quibles and Sophiſms (and his beſt Arguments are no more) depend upon this Suppoſition, That that Parliament was the Church, (which is directly contrary to the Fundamental Principle of a Spiritual Power inherent in the Kirk, altogether Independent on the Parliament, which has no Power over Chriſt's Office-bearers,) for it was that Parliament in which there was not ſo much as one Clergy-man, that impowered theſe ſixty Presbyters to govern the Kirk, and reſtrained all the reſt from that Priviledge; it was that Parliament which took upon them to judge of the Hability of theſe ſixty, and of the Inhability of other Presbyters to govern: well then, according to his way of arguing here, it's the Parliament that, Pro Eccleſiae Statu, can impower or reſtra •• Presbyters, notwithſtanding of their Univerſal and Equal Priviledge to govern. Indeed this Parliament was exceſſively kind to Mr. Rule, and he for once will be civil to them; and in contradiction to all the Principles and Practices of former Presbyterians, they ſhall paſs for the whole Omnipotent Kirk.

Page 156. We are for Moderation, maugre all the Reproaches caſt upon us: The Moderation of any Party is beſt known by their Practices when in power; now when the Presbyterians were laſt in power, all the Evidences of their Moderation were, the reeking of Fields and Scaffolds with the Blood of Princes, Prelates, Nobles, Gentry, and Commons; the Cries and Tears of Widows and Orphans; the Groans of Men Impriſoned, Baniſhed, Excommunicated, Sequeſtred; ſome Cathedrals razed, and others converted to Garriſons and Stables, and the leſſer Churches made Dens for Thieves, in the moſt litteral ſence: and now that they are in power again, all the Evidences of their Moderation, are Rabbling, Robbing, Beating, Wounding, Impriſoning, and Baniſhing of Biſhops, Curates, Wives, and Children; the ſtigmatizing and ſlandering innocent and good Men; invading the juſt Rights of the King, and of his beſt Subjects; rendering whole Countries deſtitute of any Miniſtry, flying at every turn in the face of Civil Authority; becoming falſe Accuſers and Informers, and at the ſame time ſitting as judges of Men in Office, and the next day intruding into their Places As Mr. Rule himſelf did.: This Purging Work as they call it, Kirk Moderation with a witneſs; and to uſe Mr. Rule's own words, it's even as eſſential to Presbyterians as Rationality it ſelf, which they pretend to be great Maſters of, tho' their Scriblers be now and then delirious.

Page 157. Speaking of the Proteſtation made by ſome Presbyters, againſt the King and the Acts of Parliament to Aſſiſt and Deliver him, when perfidiouſly Impriſoned by the Engliſh Rebels, he ſays it was no groſs nor ſcandalous Crime, but only a ſpeculative Opinion in a controverted Point: This ſhews what is the Opinion of Mr. Rule, and of the Party that imployed him; but how it conſiſts with his telling the World ſo often in his two laſt Books, That Presbyterians do not take upon them to meddle in matters of State, nor to controul their Civil Governours; I leave him to ſhew us in his next Vindication: In the ſame Page, and the following, Mr. Rule, vindicating the Proceedings of the General Aſſembly in this matter, ſays, That the fatal Diviſion about Proteſtation and Remonſtrance, was through the Mercy of GOD, not ſo much as mentioned among them; and yet in the very next lines he ſays, That it was moved that the old Sentence againſt the Remonſtrators ſhould be revoked; and the revoking of their Sentence was confirmed by this Meeting:—That Mr. Pitcairn, one of the Reverend Brethren, was diſſatisfied with the Determination of the Meeting in that Affair, and was a little hot about it, and ſpoke of entering a Proteſtation againſt it. Would any People but Scotch Presbyterians have imployed ſuch a Scribler as dare thus prophane the Mercies of GOD, to juſtifie his own fooliſh and palpable Contradictions.

Page 160. He grants that to make up their Meeting, ſome Presbyteries ſent more than was cuſtomary or allowable, and yet it was a Regular, Lawful, General Aſſembly; and that they had none at all ſent from other parts; which parts were more than one half of the Nation: And was not this a pretty General indeed, that included only the leaſt part of the Particulars Juſt like the Roman Catholick Church, an Vniverſal Particular.? This is true Presbyterian Logic, and the Author of it deſerves well to be Head of a Colledge. In the ſame Page he denies confidently, that Presbyterians were wont to appoint their Faſts on the Lord's Day; whereas he might have, with at leaſt as great ſhew of truth, denied that ever they faſted on any Day: But his two Reaſons for the General Aſſembly's appointing this Faſt on the Lord's Day, will render this whole matter as plain as a Pikeſtaff; Firſt, ſays he, It was the Harveſt time, and to faſt then on a Week-day, would have been a high Inconveniency; Well, we godly Presbyterians, that are the Children of the Lord, may make bold with his Day, rather than ſeem by Religious Exerciſes to incommode the People in their Worldly intereſt. Secondly, Religious Joy and Religious Sorrow do very well agree: And even ſo Faſting and Feaſting at the ſame time may be very religiouſly and well obſerved by the Godly.

They that write Contradictions muſt needs ſpeak ſome Truths, and Mr. Rule ſtumbles upon one that's well known, Pag. 161. where he ſays, We confeſs that planting work went more ſlowly on than purging work.

Well St. Paul was a Divine, and he was all for planting and healing; Dr. Rule calls himſelf a Phyſician, and he is all for purging and launcing. The Presbyterians are always for purging work. Now they are for purging the Kirk: next have at the King Council and Houſhold; there muſt be ſome purging work there too. Again, There are many malignant Members, which like ſo many ill humours corrupt the Body of the Parliament, therefore that muſt be alſo purged: Then the filthineſs of the Army (by which Reformation-Work muſt be carried on) that muſt be likewiſe purged; and then that all the Streams may be pure Presbyterian, the Fountains muſt be cleanſed, the Univerſities muſt be purged from the corruption of all ill-affected and ſuſpected perſons; and in a word, to make a thorough Reformation in the Land, the whole Nation muſt be ſoundly drenched, and purging work muſt go on in the Land after the old Presbyterian manner, ſo long as there remains either Guts or Brains in it. My Lord C—d who is deſervedly honoured by all the party. Pag. 167. His Godly Parks and Orchards are well planted already, and why then ſhould the General Aſſembly be any farther concerned about planting work? Purging work is their Great Buſineſs.

There is another evident truth that Mr. Rule happens to Deviate into Pag. 188. viz. The worſt of the Prelaiſts would be readieſt to profeſs Repentance for conforming to Epiſcopacy, which they who acted from a principle could not do. In this I heartily agree with him, and am ſufficiently ſatisfied that that Epiſcopal Renegado, who profeſſed ſuch a Repentance before their Aſſembly, neither acted from any Principle, nor can be ſuppoſed to have any Conſcience; and we bleſs God that all the Presbyterian intereſt, art, and induſtry, now that they have power, could not prevail with any but this one man, to proſtitute his Conſcience to his intereſt, in ſuch a baſe and ſcandalous compliance.

I ſhall end my reflections on this Author's ſayings, with ſome ſhort Remarks upon the Witneſſes which he alledges to atteſt his aſſertions, and firſt in general I ſay of them in his own words, Pag. 88. That they are the ſworn Enemies of the Epiſcopal Church Witneſs their many Covenants, and Engagements to that purpoſe., and in a combination not only to defame them, but to root them out, and cut them off from the face of the earth; and we have from the Pamphlet now under conſideration Rule's 2d Vindication of the Kirk. , a taſte of the veracity of the men with whom we have to do: If his witneſſes make no more conſcience of ſpeaking truth, than he himſelf doth, then few thinking men will be moved with what they ſay.

2ly, Of the Witneſſes named by the Authors of our Books, he ſays, they are moſtly teſte me ipſo, the Complainant is the witneſs, which is not fair. Now all Rule his Evidences are by this exception to be rejected, for he himſelf, and all others that know them, are fully ſatisfied that thoſe very Cameronians, whom he names as the Evidences to diſguiſe and leſſen the atteſted matters of fact of our late Perſecution, were themſelves the principal actors of that horrid Tragedy. Since then it is not fair to admit parties to be witneſſes, why ſhould theſe Cameronians be received as ſuch in this affair? Again he ſaith, that Miniſters witneſſing for one another derogateth much from the Credibility of their Teſtimonies; but what ſay you to Cameronian Presbyterians witneſſing for one another? why, this derogates nothing from the credibility of their Teſtimonoes, for they are not Miniſters, that's one evident reaſon; and moreover they are all men of ſtrict Conſcience, a godly generation, and very faithful to their Solemn League, the Holy Scots Covenant. Upon theſe conſiderations M. Rule, Defender of the New Goſpel-Faith, would have the world receive the teſtimony of that Cameronian Rabble, as infallible proofs of what he aſſerts in his ſecond vindication of the Presbyterian Kirk. And yet Preface pag. 6. he ſays of them, That he will not pledge his veracity for theirs, that he pretends to no Perſonal knowledg of but a few of them; and that if they deceive, or have been deceived, not he but they are to blame for it.

After all this, if neither Biſhops nor other Miniſters, neither Laick, Lords nor Gentry, both of the Scotch and Engliſh Nation, muſt be allowed to have any Credit, when they are brought by our Authors to atteſt known Truths, and matters of Fact whereof they were Eye Witneſſes; then I beſeech you, why ſhould men receive that high Character and Teſtimony which Mr. Rule gives of himſelf, pag. 169? when he ſays, He did not only practice Medicine, but likewiſe took the Degree of Doctor in it, yet never giving over the Work of preaching frequently: This is a terrible Man indeed, who, it ſeems, can kill both Soul and Body: He is far ſtricter to the Covenanted Work, than his Brethren the Presbyterians in England; for they can upon occaſion, for Intereſt and other ſuch holy Purpoſes unite and joyn with Independents, whereas he like a man of unmoveable Conſcience, withſtood the temptation of having an Independent Congregation at Aberdeen, when great offers of that Charge were made to him there; and in Northumberland he ſuffered no ſmall loſs, becauſe he would not fall in with that Independent way. Again, if you'll believe himſelf, he hat no want of Latin, and that he ſpeaks falſe Lattin, is falſe; he is ready (as he hath done) to give proof to the contrary, and to compete with all ſuch as pretend to it; but when and where we muſt not know, till Elias come. Nay, beſides all this, he hath an excellent hand at Latin Prayers, which he can make longer or ſhorter, as the occaſion requireth, but never ſo ſhort as ſome men alledge; neither doth he uſe to pray VERY LONG in publick, even in Engliſh, and that's more indeed than any other of his Fraternity can alledge for themſelves: Long Prayers ſerve the Party for many great ends; in them they can ſound the Alarms to Rebellion, commend themſelves highly, defame the King, rail againſt and revile Malignants, raiſe and inflame the Mob, vent falſe News and Stories, and many other Hocus tricks their long ex Trumpry Prayers ſerve for: Moreover, Mr. Rule, to ſhew his Parts, longs for an Adverſary like himſelf, I wiſh, ſays he, a Scioliſt would make it appear by a Solid Refutation, what Ignorance I have diſcovered in my Writings, I am ready to defend it Even tho' it be ſolidly refuted by a Scioliſt. with all the probability the ſubject matter is capable of: But my miſtakes, if I be in any, muſt not paſs for proofs of my Ignorance: If any Momus will make his cenſure on the Presbyterian Government, it's like Mr. Rule, the great Atlas of the Cauſe, or ſome for him, will give him a farther Anſwer: Juſt ſuch another as this exceeding civil and fair Vindication: And then, to conclude his own Character, he aſſures us, That he exceeds all other Presbyterians, both in his tenderneſs to the Epiſcopal party, and in his Argumentative way, rather than bitterneſs; of all which the new Goſpel Modeſty and Meekneſs, the Candor, Ingenuity, and Argumentation that appears every where in his late Books is a ſufficient evidence. Now for a man to ſay all this of himſelf, becauſe no body elſe will, this ſure is teſte me ipſo with a witneſs:, unleſs it ſhall be allowed, that Gilbert may witneſs for Rule, and Rule again for Gilbert; that the Doctor may witneſs for the Principal, and the honeſt Principal again, by way of Requital, does the like kindneſs to his beloved Doctor; this is the Presbyterian way of proving things by Witneſſes.

Mr. Rule anſwers our Books ſo throughly, that he imputes to the Authors, as a fault in their Method, every little eſcape of the Printers about wrong numbering the PagesVid Rules 2d. Vindication, pag. 88. & 177., which is frequently occaſioned by ſending one and the ſame Book to ſeveral Houſes for the ſpeedier diſpatch; however the Alphabetical numbering of the Sheets, ordinarily ſerves to help the miſplaced Figures; but tho' Mr. Rule be often dabling about the Preſs, yet it ſeems he either does not, or he will not know this.

Mr. Rule, at laſt, to confirm all the Contradictions and Falſhoods of his Book, brings in Mr. Meldrum, one of his own Kidney, and juſt ſuch another Scribler, as appears by his Letter, Page 195. where he ſays. That the Prelatiſts way is to ſpread Reflective Pamphlets in England, keeping them as ſecret as they can in Scotland, where the falſhood of matters of Fact are not known, and they might ſoon have their Shame and Lying diſcovered. None but a true Scots Presbyterian could have aſſerted this, for he himſelf too well knows, that his Party, which domineers now in Scotland, allows no Epiſcopal Pamphlets to be brought into, or diſperſed in that Kingdom, and that ſometime before the writing of his Letter, ſeveral hundreds of theſe Pamphlets were, by the Presbyterian Party, ſeiz'd at Berwick, to prevent their being diſperſed in Scotland; and that contrary to all the Rules of Juſtice, and Commerce betwixt the two Nations, and to the great prejudice of the Bookſeller, theſe Books are by the Arbitrary Power of Presbyterians ſtill kept up: But we ſhall allow Mr. Meldrum to be more candid in this than in his former dealings with us, if he will but now obtain to us, the common liberty of the Preſs in Scotland, and then we promiſe that he ſhall have a ſight of all our Pamphlets ſine praetio aut praece, which now he ſays he cannot obtain by either of theſe means.

Page 196▪ None but a Cameronian will aſſert, as Mr. Meldrum does, That the Covenant is a Sacred Oath; juſt as Sacred as that by which the Jews bound themſelves to murther St. Paul: The World is not now ignorant, how that Covenant was by Subjects, who had no ſhadow or Authority, preſſed upon their Brethren in deſpite of the King, at the expence of much Treaſure, and many thouſand Lives and Perjuries. Page 197. he ſays, That the ſubmitting of ſome, who had been ordained only by Presbyterians, to be re-ordained by Biſhops, is Scandalous: None but one of Rule's Evidences would have ſaid this; the Reformed French have been always juſtly reputed by all other Proteſtants, for the great Learning and Piety of their Miniſters, and yet the moſt Learned and Pious of their Miniſters, at their coming into England, when they could have the advantage of being Ordained by Biſhops, have chearfully not only ſubmitted to it, but begged it of the Right Reverend Fathers of the Church: Of which we have many late Inſtances.

The account he gives of his ſhufling and ſhifting about the Oath of Canonical Obedience is very Comical; for he owns, That he Subſcribed a Paper whereof he did not ſeriouſly conſider either the words or the matter, and he thinks himſelf ſufficiently abſolved from that, becauſe, forſooth, he was not preſent when that paper was read in the Church, and by telling the People next Lord's day, that he conceiv'd he had yielded to nothing but what he firſt offered, which they that know the matter of Fact call Canonical Obedience; for which, if you'll believe him, he lamented ſeveral years▪ after; all which time he ſtill continued both in his Lamentations and Canonical Obedience together; and now he ſays he's obliged to thoſe he calls his Enemies, for giving him the opportunity to tell the World, that he repents of it.

The other matters narrated in that Letter, and in the Book to which it is annexed, are only ſuch as will at firſt view appear deſigned on purpoſe to diſguiſe and ſmother evident Truths, to extol and magnifie themſelves and their Party, as very Innocent, Godly, and Candid Men; and to reproach and condemn all others as Perjured Liars and Slanderers; to all which, as they neither need nor deſerve any particular anſwer, ſo I hope no body ſhall ever Vouchſafe them the honour of it, and if they do, I wiſh it may have the good effect of opening ſome mens Eyes.

But there is no Book ſo much admir'd by the whole Party as Samuel Rutherford's Letters, there one may ſee, the genuine ſtile of theſe new Goſpellers, the whole Book is uniform, all of a piece, and ſpeaks out in their own Dialect the Spirit of Scots Presbyterians, therefore I ſhall here ſet down ſome paſſages of it.

Epiſt. 1. To Mr▪ Robert Cunningham, he ſays, Let us be faithful to him that can ride through Hell and Death upon a Windleſtraw, and his Horſe never ſtumble.

Epiſt. 2. To his Pariſhioners. Chriſt ſought his black Wife through Pain, Fire, Shame, and the Grave, and ſwimm'd the Salt Sea for her; and ſhe then conſented and ſaid, even ſo I take him.

Ibid. Every man hath Converſion and the New-birth, but it's not leelHoneſtly come by. come by, they had never a ſick Night for Sin; when they go to take out their Faith, they take out a fair nothing, or as we uſe to ſpeak, a BleaflumA sham..

Epiſt. 3. To the Profeſſors of Chriſt in Ireland. It will be aſked at every one of us, on what terms we here brook Chriſt, for we have ſitten long MealRent. free: we found Chriſt without a wet Foot, and he and his Goſpel came upon ſmall charges.to our Doors, but now we muſt wet our Feet to ſeek him. Ibid. Chriſt will not bring before Sun and Moon all the Infirmities of his Wife. It is the modeſty of Marriage-Anger, or Husband-wrath, that our ſweet Lord Jeſus will not come with Chiding in the Streets, to let all the World hear what is betwixt him and us▪ Ibid. O that I had my fill of his Love, but I know ill Manners make an uncouth▪ and ſtrange Bridegroom.

Epiſt. 5. To my Lady Kenmure. Madam, why ſhould I ſmother Chriſt's honeſty? he lookedStrange. framed and uncouth-like upon me when I came firſt here, but I believe himſelf better than his looks, I ſhall not again quarrel with Chriſt for aFrown. Gloom: now he hath taken the Mask off his Face, and ſaith, Kiſs thy fill. Ibid. It's little to talk of Chriſt by the Book and Tongue, but to come nigh Chriſt and hauſsHugg. him, and embrace him is another thing.

Epiſt. 11. To the Vicount of Kenmure. deſpair that ever I ſhould winGet. to the far end of Chriſt's Love, there are ſo many plies in it; I wonder what he mean, to put ſuch a Slave at the Board-head, at his own Elbow. Ah! that I ſhould lay my black Mouth to ſuch a fair, fair, fair Face as Chriſt's; he got neither bud nor hire of me, it coſt me nothing.

Epiſt. 12. To my Lady Kenmure. If there were buying, and ſelling, and blocking for as good again betwixt Chriſt and us, then Free grace might go play it ſelf, and a Saviour might ſing dumb, and Chriſt go and ſleep.

Epiſt. 14. To John Gordon of Gordneſs. Many a ſweet, ſweet, ſoft Kiſs, many a perfumed well ſmell'd Kiſs, and Embracement have I receiv'd of my Royal Maſter. Ibid. And now, whoever they be that have returned to their old vomit (Prelacy) ſince my departure, I bind upon their Back, in my Maſter's Name and Authority, the long, laſting, weighty Vengeance and Curſe of god; in the Lord's Name I give them a doom of black and unmixed pure Wrath, which my Maſter ſhall ratify, except they timeouſly repent and turn to the Lord.

Epiſt. 15. To my Lady Boyd. Chriſt delighteth to take up fallen Bairns, and to mend broken Bones; he is content that ye lay broken Arms and Legs on his Knee, that he may ſpelk them. Ibid. I think ſhame of the Board-head, and firſt MeſsDiſh., and the Royal King's Dining-hall; and that my black hand ſhould come on ſuch a Ruler's Table. Ibid. I know he hath other things to do than to play with me, and trinle an Apple with me.

Epiſt. 17 To my Lord Lowdon. You come out to the Streets with Chriſt on your Forehead, when many are aſhamed of him, and hid him under their Cloaks as if he were a ſtoln Chriſt.

Epiſt. 19. To Mr. Huge Mc. Kel. O how many black CountsAccounts. have Chriſt and I rounded over together? O how fat a Portion hath he given to an hungry Soul? I had rather have Chriſt's four hours, than have Dinner and Supper both in one from any other.

Epiſt. 20. To my Lady Boyd. I ſee now a Sufferer for Chriſt will be holden at the Door as well as another poor Sinner, and will be fain to eat with the Bairns, and to take the By-board, and glad ſo.

Epiſt. 21. To Mr. David Dickſon. I cannot get a Houſe in Aberdeen wherein to leave Drink-ſilver in my Maſter's Name, ſave one only; there is no ſale for Chriſt in the North, he is like to lie long on my Hand, e're any accept him.

Epiſt. 27. To Mr. Matthew Mowat. If I had Veſſels I might fill them, but my old rivenRent. holely and running-out diſh, ever when I am at the Well, can but bring little away. Alas, I have skail'dSpilt. more of God's Grace than I have brought with me. Ibid. I had not ſo much free GearGoods. when I came to Chriſt's Camp as to buy a Sword, I wonder that Chriſt ſhould not laugh at ſuch a Souldier.

Epiſt. 27. To Earlſton Younger. I have ſeen the Devil as it were dead and buried, and yet riſe again, and be a worſe Devil than ever he was; therefore, Brother, beware of a green young Devil that hath never been buried; the Devil in his Flower is much to be feared: Better yoakEngage. with an old Gray-hair'd, withered, dry Devil, &c The Saints in Heaven are nothing but Chriſt's forborn, beggerly DyvarsBankrupt debters., a pack of redeem'd Sinners. All Chriſt's good Bairns go to Heaven with a broken Brow, and a crooked Leg. Ibid. It's a hard matter for a poor hungry Man to winYearn. his Meat upon hidden Chriſt, for then the Key of his Pantry Door is a ſeeking, and cannot be had, but hunger muſt break through Iron-Locks: I bemoan not them that can make a dinnNoiſe and all. the Fields adoe, for a loſt Saviour; yet muſt let him hear it, to ſay ſo, on both ſides of his Head, when he hideth himſelf it ſtandeth you hard to want Chriſt; and therefore that which idle onwaiting cannot do, miſnurteredIll manner'd. crying and knocking will do; Chriſt will not dance to your daft SpringFooliſh Song.. Ibid. At our firſt Converſion the Lord putteth the Meat in young Bairns Mouths with his own hand. We love always to have the Pap put in our Mouth. Ibid. If my Creditor Chriſt would take from me what he hath lent, I would not long keep the Cauſey. I think it Manhood to play the Coward, and joukeSculk▪ in the lee ſide of Chriſt, and thus I am ſaved. Ibid. I complain when Chriſt cometh, he Cometh always to fetch Fire, he is ever in haſte, hemay not tarry, and poor I (a beggarly Dyvar) get but a ſtanding Viſit, and a ſtanding Kiſs, and but, How doſt thou? in the by-going.

Epiſt. 28. To Alexander Gordon of Knockraig. O if I could be a Bridge over a Water for my Lord Jeſus to walk upon and keep his Feet dry. He can make a fair Feaſt out of a black Devil. Ibid. If God were dead, and Chriſt buried and rotten among Worms, indeed then we might look like dead folks.

Epiſt. 34. To Earltown. I would give him my Bond under my Faith toGive him credite. friſt Heaven a hundred years longer, ſo being he would lay his holy Face to my ſometimes wet Cheeks.

Epiſt. 35. To Marion Mac Naught. Chriſt, who is your Head, hath win through with his Life, howbeit, not with a whole Skin. Sometimes King Jeſus ſendeth me out a ſtanding-drink, and whiſpereth a word through the Wall, and I am well content of kindneſs at the ſecond hand, his bode is ever welcome, but at other times he will be Meſſenger himſelf, and I get the Cup of Salvation out of his own hand, he drinking to me, and we cannot reſt till we be in other's Arms.

Epiſt. 41. To my Lady Culroſs▪ O to be ſnattering and ſwimming over Head and Ears in Chriſt's Love; Bleſſed be my rich Lord Jeſus, who ſendeth not away Beggers from his Houſe with aEmpty. toom-diſh.

Epiſt. 45. To John Keanedy. It doth a Soul good to get aA Box. cuff with the lovely, ſweet, and ſoft hand of Jeſus; what power and ſtrength is in his Love, I am perſwaded it can climb up a ſteep Hill and Hell upon its back, ſhame may confound and fear me once to hold up my black mouth to receive one of Chriſt's undeſerved kiſſes.

Ep. 50. To James Bantie. The beſt Regenerate have their defilements, and, if I may ſpeak ſo, theirSack full of Grains. draff-pock that will clog behind them, all their days; if my Lord had not given me his love, I would have fallen through theStreets. Cauſey of Aberdeen e're now; but for you that hunger ye ſhall be filled e're you go, there is as much in our Lord's Pantry as will ſatisfie all this Bairns; and as much wine in his Cellar as will quench all their thirſt: I ſhall tell you what ye ſhall do, treat him well, give him the armed Chair, and theTable • ead. boardhead, and make him welcome to the mean portion ye have.

Ep. 51. To John Stuart. That miſcarried Journey is with child to you of mercy and conſolation, and ſhall bring forth a fair birth, and the Lord ſhall be midwife to the birth. If our Lord ride upon a ſtraw, his Horſe ſhall neither ſtumble nor fall.

Epiſt. 53. To John Stuart, Oh if my Lord will make dung of me to ſatten and make fertile his own corn-ridges in Mount Zion. Ibid. God be pleaſed to take home in his houſe my Harlot-mother.—O if her Husband would be ſo kind as to go and fetch her out of the Brothel-houſe, and chaſe her lovers to the hills; but there will be ſad days e're it come to that.

Epiſt. 54▪ To my Lady Busby. Wo's me that bits of living Clay dare come out to ruſh hard heads with him, and that my unkind mother this Harlot Kirk, hath given her ſweetHusband. half-marrow ſuch a meeting.

Epiſt. 56. To Mr. Thomas Garvan, I confidently believe that there is a Bed made for Chriſt and me, and that we ſhall take our fill of love in it. Epiſt. 57. MyRent. riven diſh, and running-out veſſel can hold little of Chriſt Jeſus. Ibid. It's Chriſt's wiſdom that his Bairns go wet-ſhod and cold-footed to Heaven.

Ep. 63. To the Earl of Caſſils, Many now would go to Heaven the Land-way (for they love not to be Sea-ſick) riding up to Chriſt upon Foot-mantles, and ratling Coaches, and rubbing their Velvet with the Princes of the Land in the higheſt ſeats: If this be the narrow way I quit all skill to the way of Salvation.

Ep. 89. to John Kennedy. O that the Courts fenced in the name of the Baſtard Prelates, (their Godfathers, the Popes Bayliffs, Sheriffs) were cried down.—If this had not been I would haveToped over. skinked over my part of Paradiſe for a breakfaſt of dead moth-eaten earth.

Ep. 92. To Mr. David Dickson. I have been theſe two Sabbaths or three in private takingIn the hand of a Notary. inſtruments in the name of God, That my Lord Jeſus and I have kiſſed each other in Aberdeen; who can blame Chriſt to take me on behind him, (if I may ſay ſo) on his white Horſe thorow a water, will not a Father take his littleFondled Darling. dated Davie in his arms, and carry him over a Ditch or Mire; my ſhort legs could not ſtep over this Lair (or ſinking mire) and therefore, &c.

Ep. 108. To Robert Gordon of Knoxbrex. I love to be kiſſed and ſit on Chriſt's knee, but I cannot ſet my feet to the ground, for afflictions bring the cramp upon my faith.

Ep. 118. To Bathia Aird. At my firſt entry hither, Chriſt and I agreed not well upon it, now he's content to kiſs my black mouth, to put his hand in mine, and to feed me with as many conſolations as would feed ten hungry ſouls, yet I dare not ſay he is a waſter of comforts.

Ep. 121. To Robert Gordon of Knocksbrek Chriſt ſeemeth to leave Heaven (to ſay ſo) and his Court, and to come down to laugh and play and ſport with aFooliſh Child. Daft bairn. I deny nothing that the Mediator will challenge me of, but I turn it all back upon himſelf, let him look his own oldAccounts. Counts, if he be angry, for he will get no more of me.

Ep. 122. To Earleſton. There is a myſtery of love in Chriſt that I never ſaw, O that he would lay by the lap of the covering that is over it, and let myLonging. greening ſoul ſee it; I would break the door and be in upon him, to get my womb full of love.

Ep. 128. To Mr. Hugh Henderſon. Chriſt ſhuffleth up and down in his hands the great Body of Heaven and Earth, and Kirk and Commonwealth are in his hand like a ſtock of Cards, and he dealeth the Play to the Mourners in Zion. When Chriſt has ſleeped out his ſleep, and his own are tried, he will ariſe as a ſtrong man after wine, &c. If Chriſt bud and grow green, and bloom and bear ſeed again in Scotland, and his Father ſend him two Summers again in one year, and bleſs his Crop, O what cauſe have we to rejoyce, &c.

Ep. 139. To Mr. John Mein. I ſee Chriſt will notHigle. prigg with me, nor ſtand upon ſtepping ſtones, but cometh in at the broad ſide without Ceremonies, or making of it nice.

Ep. 141. To the Earl of Lothian. If your Lordſhip and others ſhall go on to dive to the loweſt ground and bottom of the Knavery, and perfidious treachery to Chriſt, of the curſed and wretched Prelates, the Antichriſt's firſt-born, and the firſt-fruit of his foul womb, and ſhall deal with our Soveraign, then your Righteouſneſs ſhall break thorough the Clouds, &c.

Ep. 142. O for a long Play-day with Chriſt.

Ep. 145. Mr. John Ferguſon. Were is not that I amPampered. dated now and then with pieces of Chriſt's ſweet comforts, I fear I ſhould have made an illBreding. browſt of this honourable Croſs.

Ep. 162. To Mr. Hugh Mc Kell. I will verily give my Lord Jeſus a free diſcharge of all that I like a fool laid to his charge, and beg him pardon to theOver and above. mends. Ep. 163. I tremble at the remembrance of a new out-caſt betwixt him and me, but I find Chriſt dare not be long unkind.

Ep. 137. To my Lady Boyd. Nothing hath given my faith a greater back-ſet till it crackt again, than my cloſed mouth.

Ep. 139. To Carletown. The Lord hath done it, I will not go to Law with Chriſt, for I would gain nothing of that. The Devil is but God's Maſter-fencer, to teach us to handle our arms.

Ep. 198. To Mr. John Levingſton. The Devil cannot get it denied but we ſuffer for the apple of Chriſt's eye, his Royal Prerogatives as King and Law-giver; let us not fear, he will have his Goſpel once againPut to Auction. roûped in Scotland, and the matter go to Vows to ſee who will ſay, Let Chriſt be Crowned King in Scotland: It is true Antichriſt ſtirreth his tail, but I love a rumbling and raging Devil in the Kirk, rather than a ſubtil or ſleeping Devil, Chriſt never got a Bride without ſtroke of Sword. Epiſt. 200. O Hell were a good cheap price to buy him at.

Ep. 207. A kiſs of Chriſt blown over his ſhoulder, the parings and crumbs of glory under his Table in Heaven; a ſhower like a thin May miſt of his love, would make me green, ſappy and joyful.

Ep. 214. Go on as ye have worthily begun in purging of the Lord's Houſe in this Land, and plucking down the Stalls—of Antichriſt's filthy neſt, this wretched Prelacy, and that black Kingdom whoſe wicked aims have ever been and ſtill are to make this fat world, the only Compaſs they would have Faith and Religion to ſail by, and to mount up the man of ſin, their God-father the Pope of Rome, upon the higheſt ſtair of Chriſt's Throne, and to make a Velvet-church, &c. Ibid. Theſe men mind nothing elſe but that by bringing in the Pope's foul tail firſt upon us, their wretched and beggerly Ceremonies; they may thruſt in after them Antichriſt's legs, thighs, and his belly, head and ſhoulders; and then cry down Chriſt and the Goſpel, and up the Merchandize and Wares of the Great Whore. Ibid. Chriſt ſhall never be content with this Land, neither ſhall his hot fiery indignation be turned away, ſo long as the Prelate (the man that lay in Antichriſt's foul womb, and the Antichriſt's Lord Bailiff) ſhall ſit Lord Carver in the Lord Jeſus Courts. The Prelate is both the Egg and the Neſt to cleck and bring forth Popery; plead therefore for the pulling down of the Neſt, and cruſhing of the Egg.

All that is meant here by Chriſt, is Presbyterian Government.

I ſhall conclude this Section with ſome of their moſt remarkable Principles and Opinions concerning Civil Government.

The Presbyterians of late have talk'd much of their Loyalty, but if they have any, it muſt be in contradiction to their Principles: For proof of this I ſhall not trouble you with Citations from Private Men, but appeal to their Covenants and Solemn Leagues, to their conſtant Doctrin as well as Practice of Reſiſtance; and ſome few Inſtances I muſt not omit, taken from the Acts of their General Aſſemblies, and thoſe Books which have the general Approbation of the Party, in which they expreſs themſelves thus; Vnleſs Men blot out of their Hearts, the Love of Religion, and Cauſe of God, and caſt off all care of their Country, Laws, and Liberties, &c. they muſt now or never appear active (againſt the King) each one ſtretching himſelf to, yea, and beyond their Power; it is not time to dally, or go about the Buſineſs by halves; nor to be almoſt, but altogether Zealous: Curſed is he that doth the Work of the Lord negligently.

Solemn and ſeaſonable warning to all Ranks, Feb. 12. 1645. Seſſ. 18.

In another ſeaſonable and neceſſary warning, dated July 27. 1649. Seſſ. 27. they ſay; But if his Majeſty, or any having or pretending Power and Commiſſion from him, ſhall Invade this Kingdom, upon pretext of eſtabliſhing him in the exerciſe of his Royal Power; as it will be a high provocation againſt God to be acceſſory or aſſiſting thereto, ſo it will be a neceſſary Duty to reſiſt and oppoſe the ſame.

The Author of the Hind let looſePag. 80. reflecting on theſe paſſages, ſays, Theſe Fathers could well diſtinguiſh betwixt Authority and the Perſon, and were not ſo Loyal as now their degenerate Children are Ambitious to ſhew themſelves ſtupidly ſtooping to the Shadow thereof, and yet will be called, The only Aſſertors of Presbyterian Principles.

The Presbytery hath the Power of making Peace and War, and the Parliament ought not to enter into any War without them; more than Joſhua did without the conſent of Eliazar.

Any Vnion or Engagement of the Nation, to defend the King's Perſon, Honour, or Prerogative, is unlawful, unleſs allowed by the Presbytery.

The Presbytery alone knows, and it only can determine, what the Cauſe of God is; the King and Parliament are not to be complied with, but in Subordination to the Covenant.

The Presbytery can Counter-act the Acts of the States of Parliament, and diſcharge the Subjects from obeying ſuch Acts as are impoſed without the conſent of the Presbytery.

Act General Aſſembly, Aug. 3. 1648.

Act and Declaration againſt the Act of Parliament, July 13. 1648.

Act General Aſſembly, Aug 13. 1650.

Tho' our Saviour told his Diſciples, That his Kingdom was not of this World, and that therefore they ought not to fight for him, yet that Doctrine does not now oblige Covenanted Chriſtians, for they may fight without, yea, and againſt the Conſent of the Supream Magiſtrate for the Cauſe of God; and a probable capacity to effectuate their Deſigns, is the Call of God to do it.

Jus Pop. Preface to the Reader. Naph▪ Pag. 7, 8, 16, 159.

Not only is it neceſſary to reſiſt the King by force, in defence of the Solemn League and Covenant, but alſo to reſiſt King and Parliament, when they pervert the right ways of the Lord, and hinder the Work of Reformation: The crying Sins of the Land which we ſhould confeſs with ſorrow before the Lord, are, That the Graceleſs Prelates and Curates are not hung up before the Sun, and that Men ſhould be ſo Godleſs, as to aſſiſt the King in his diſtreſs, before he had ſatisfied the Kirk by publick Penance, for oppoſing the Work of God in the Covenant.

Jus Pop. Throughout.

Act General Aſſembly, Aug. 13. 1650.

Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties appointed and publiſhed, 1648.

And again renewed at Leſmachago, March 3. 1688. with Accommodation to the preſent times.

AT firſt I begin with one I heard from Zetland, who Preaching on David and Goliah, he told the Hearers, Sirs, this David was but a little manekine like my beddle Davie Gaddies there but Goliah was a meckle ſtrong fellow, like the Laird of Quandal there; this David gets a Scrippie and Baggie, that is, a Sling and a Stone in it; he ſlings a Stone into Goliah' s Face, down falls Goliah and David above him: After that David was made a King; he that was keeping Sheep before, in truth he came very well too, Sirs: Well ſaid, Davie, ſee what comes of it, Sirs; after that he commits Adultery with Uriah: Nay, (ſaid the beddal Davie Gaddies) it was but with Uriah' s Wife, Sir. In Faith, thou art right, it was Uriah's Wife, indeed man; ſaid Mr. John.

One Ker at his entring into a Church at Teviotdale, told the People the Relation that was to be between him and them in theſe following words:

Sirs, I am coming home to be your Shepherd, and you muſt be my Sheep, and the Bible will be my Tar-bottle, for I will mark you with it; (and laying his Hand on the Clark or Precentor's Head) he ſaith, Andrew, you ſhall be my Dog: The ſorrow a bit of your Dog will I be, ſaid Andrew. O Andrew, I ſpeak myſtically, ſaid the Preacher: Yea, but you ſpeak miſchievouſly, ſaid And • ew.

Mr. William Guthry preaching on Peter' s Confidence, ſaid, Peter, Sirs, was as Stalliard a Fellow as ever had cold Iron at his Arſe, and yet a Huſſie with aDiſtaff. Rock feared him.

Another preaching againſt Drunkenneſs, told the Hearers, There were four ſorts of Drunkenneſs▪ 1. To be drunk like a Sow, tumbling in the Mire like many of this Pariſh. 2. There is to be drunk like a Dog; the Dog fills the Stomach of him, and ſpues all out again, and thou John Jamiſon was this way drunk the other day. 3. There is to be drunk like a Gooſe: Of all Drunkenneſs, Sirs, beware of the Drunkenneſs of the Gooſe, for it never reſts, but conſtantly dips theBeke. Gobb of it in the Water: You are all drunk this way, Sirs, I need name none of you. 4. There is to be drunk like a Sheep; the ſilly Sheep ſeldom or never drinks, but ſometimes wets the Mouth of it in the Water, and riſes up as well as ever; and I my ſelf uſe to be, drunk this way, Sirs. But now, I ſee (ſaid he) two Gentlemen in the Kirk, and Gentlemen, you are both Strangers to me, but I muſt vindicate my ſelf at your hands; I have here the curſedeſt Pariſh that ever God put Breath in, for all my preaching againſt Drunkenneſs, they will go into a Change-houſe after Sermon, and the firſt thing they'll get, is a meckleLarge diſh. cup full of hot Ale, and they will ſay, I wiſh we had the Miniſter in the midſt of it: Now, Gentlemen, judge ye how I am rewarded for my good Preaching. After Sermon the Clerk gives him up, the name of a Fornicatrix, whoſe name was Ann▪ Cantly; Here is (ſaith he) one upon the Stool of Repentance, they call her Cantly, ſhe ſaith her ſelf ſhe is an honeſt Woman, but I trow Scantly.

Mr. John Levingſtone in Ancrum, once giving the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, ſaid to his Hearers, Now, Sirs, you may take Chriſt piping hot; and finding a Woman longſome in taking the Bread out of his Hand, he ſays, Woman, if you take not Chriſt, take the Great. meikle Devil then.

One John Simple, a very Zealous Preacher among them, uſed to perſonate and act Sermons in the old Monkiſh Stile ſpoken of Sect. 1. § 16. At a certain time he preached upon that Debate, Whether a Man▪ be Juſtified by Faith or by Works, and acted it after this manner, Sirs, this is a very great Debate, but who is that looking in at the Door, with his red Cap? follow your look, Sir; it is very ill manners to be looking in, but what's your name? Robert Bellarmine: Bellarmine, ſaith he, Whether is a man justified by Faith or by Works? He is juſtified by Works: Stand thou there man. But what is he, that honeſt-like-man ſtanding in the Floor with the long Beard, and Geneva Hood. Coul? a very honeſt-like-man, draw near; What's your name, Sir? My name is John Calvin▪ Calvin, honeſt Calvin, Whether is a man juſtified by Faith or by Works? He is juſtified by Faith. Very well John, thy Leg to my Leg and we ſhallTrip. hough down Bellarmine even now.

Another time Preaching on the day of Judgment, he told them, Sirs, this will be a terrible day, we'll all be there, and in the throng I John Simple will be, and all of you will ſtand at my back; Chriſt will look to me, and he will ſay, Who is that ſtanding there? I'll ſay again, yea even as yeKnew not. ken'd not Lord: he'll ſay, I know thou's honeſt John Simple; draw near, John; now John, what good ſervice have you done to me on Earth? I have brought hither a company of Blew Bonnets for you, Lord: Blew Bonnets, John, what is become of the brave Hats, the Silks, and the Satins, John? I'll tell, I know no Lord, they went aA Courſe. Gate of their own: Well, honeſt John, thou and thy blew Bonnets are welcome to me, come to my right hand, and let the Devil take the Hats, the Silks, and the Sattins.

This John was ordinarily called Fitch-cape and Claw-poll, becauſe in the time of Preaching or Praying he uſed to claw his Head, and rub his Callet. At a certain time he was called to preach in a Neighbouring Church, and his Preface was in theſe words:

Sirs, I know what you will be ſaying among your ſelves the day, ye will ſay, Here is Fitch-cape come to preach to us the day; but as the Lord lives, I had a great deal of do e're I could come to you, for by the way I met the Devil, he ſaid to me, What now Fitch • cape, whither are you going? I am going, ſaid I, to preach to the People of God. People of God! ſaid the Naſty. foul thief, they are my People. They are not yours, thou soul thief, said I. They are mine, Claw-poll, ſaid he again to me: ſo the foul thief and I Pulled and haled. tugg'd, rugg'd, and riv'd at one another, and at laſt I got you out of his Clutches▪ Clooks: Now here is the good that Fitch-cape hath done to you; now that ye may be kept out of his Gripes, let us pray.

Another, Lecturing on the firſt of Job, ſaid, Sirs, I will tell you this Story very plainly.

The Devil comes to God one day, God ſaid, What now Deel, thou foul thief, whither are you going? I am going up and down now, Lord you have put me away from you now, I muſt even do for my ſelf now. Well, well, Deel (ſays God) all the▪ World kens that it is your fault; but do not you know that I have an honeſt Servant they▪ call Job? is not he an honeſt Man, Deel? Sorrow to his thank, ſays the Deel, you make his Cup ſtand full even, you make his Pot play well, but give him aSound bang. cuff, I'll hazard he'll be as ill as I am called. Go, Deel (ſays God) I'll yoke his Honeſty with you: FellKill. his Cows, worry his Sheep, do all miſchief ye can, but for the very Saul of you, touch not a hair of his Tail.

Mr. Robert Blair, that famous Presbyterian Preacher at St. Andrews, was very much thought of for his familiar way of Preaching. He preached often againſt the obſervation of Chriſtmaſs; and once in this Scotch jingle; You will ſay, Sirs, Good old Chriſtmaſs. Youle-day; I'll tell you, Good old Fool-day: You will ſay It is a brave Haly-day; I tell you, it is a brave Belly-day; you will ſay, theſe areGay. bonny Formalities; but I tell you, they are bonny Fartalities.

Another enveighing againſt the Vanity and Gaddineſs of Women, ſpake thus; Behold the Vanity of Women, look to them, you'll ſee, firſt a Sattin Peticoat; lift that, there is a Tabby Petticoat; lift that, there is a Flanning Petticoat; lift that, there is a HollandSmock. Smarck; lift that and there you will ſee what they ought not to be proud of, that's no very cleanly ſpectacle; Eve (ſaid he) was never ſo vain, ſhe ſought no covering but Fig-leaves.

Mr. Simple (whom I named before) told, That Samſon was the greateſt fool that ever was born, for he revealed his Secrets to a Daft Fooliſh Wench. huſſie. Samſon, you may well call him Fool Thomſon, for of all the Hen-peckt men. John Thomſon's men that ever was, he was the fooleſt.

I have a Sermon of theirs, written from the Preachers Mouth by one of their own Zealots, whereof this is one paſſage, Jacob began to wreſtle with God, an able hand forſooth; I Sirs, but he had a good Second, that was Faith; Faith and God gave two or three touſles together; at laſt GodBeats. Dings down Faith on its bottom; Faith gets up to his Heels, and ſays, Well, God, is this your Promiſe to me? I trow I have a Ticket in my Pocket here; Faith brings out the Ticket, and ſtops it in God's hand, and ſaid, Now God! is not this your own Write? deny your own Hand-write if you dare? Are theſe the Promiſes? you gave me? Look how you guide me when I come to you. God reads the Ticket, and ſaid, Well, well, Faith, I remember I gave you ſuch a Promiſe, good ſooth Faith, if you had been another, thou ſhould get all the Bones in thy Skin broken.

Mr. John Welſh, a Man of great eſteem among their Vulgar, once preaching on theſe words of Joſhua, As for me and my Houſe we will ſerve the Lord, &c. had this Preface:

You think, Sirs, that I am come here to preach the old jocktrot Faith and Repentance to you; not I, indeed: what think you then I am come to preach? I come to preach a broken Covenant, Who brake it? Even the Devils Lairds, his Biſhops and his Curates; and the Deel, Deel, will get them all at laſt: I know ſome of you are come out of Curioſity to hear what the Whigs will ſay. Who is a Whig, Sirs? One that will not Swear, nor Curſe, nor Bann, there a Whig to you: But you are welcome, Sirs, that come out of Curioſity; you may get go e're ye good back again. I'll give you an Inſtance of it, There was Zaccheus, a Man of a low ſtature; that is, a littleDwarfie. droichy body, and a Publican; that is, he was one of the Exciſe-men; he went out of Curioſity to ſee Chriſt, and becauſe he was little, he went up a Tree: Do you think, Sirs, he went toRifle a Magpies-Nest. harry a Pyet's Neſt? No, he went to ſee Chriſt; Chriſt looks up, and ſays, Zaccheus, thou'rt always proving pratticks, thou'rt no Bairn now; go home, go home, and make ready my Dinner; I'll be with you this day at Noon. After that, Sirs, this little Zaccheus began to ſay his Prayers Evening and Morning, as honeſt old Joſhua did in my Text: As for me and my Houſe, &c. as if he had ſaid, Go you to the Devil and you will, and I and my Houſe will ſay our Prayers, Sirs, as Zaccheus and the reſt of the Apoſtles did.

Another time preaching in Eaſt Lotham, he told them the great danger of hearing the Curates, in theſe words;

Sirs, if ever you hear theſe Rogues, you will cry out at the day of Judgment, O Arthur-ſeat fall upon us, O Pentland. Hills fall upon us: The Graſs and the Corn that you ſee growing there, will be a Witneſs againſt you; yea, and that Cows Horns Paſſing by, will be a Witneſs againſt you.

Another Preaching about God's ſending Jonah to Nineveh, acted it thus, did you never hear tell of a good God, and aPettiſh. cappet Prophet, Sirs? The good God ſaid, Jonah, now billy Jonah, wilt thou go to Nineveh forOld kindneſs. ald lang ſyne; The Deel be on my feet then ſaid Jonah: O Jonah ſaid the good God, be not ill natured, they are my people. What care I for you or your people either, ſaid the cappet Prophet; wherefore ſhall I go to be made a lyar in my face, I know thou will have mercy on that people: Alas, alas, weWait not. bide not the tenth part of that bidding; yet when we come to you, I fear we'l find you like Ephraim, a Cake unturn'd, that is, it's ſtonehard on one ſideIntreating., andThin Dung of young Children. skitter-raw on the other.

Another Preaching in the Weſt, near a Mountain called Tineock, cried out in a loud voice thus, What think you, Sirs, would the Curates do with Chriſt if they had him? they would e'en take him up to Tintock top, cut off his head, and hurle his head down the hill, and laugh at it.

Another in the South of Teviotdale in his Sermon ſaid, Our Neighbour Nation will ſay of us, poor Scotland, beggarly Scotland, ſcabbed Scotland, louſie Scotland, yea, but Covenanted Scotland, that makes amends for all.

One Preaching againſt Biſhops, expreſſed himſelf thus, Sirs, at the day of Judgment Chriſt will call the Prelates, and he will call one of the falſeſt Knaves firſt, and ſay, Come hither, Sirrah, he will not call my Lord, do you remember how you put outSuch. ſike a ſweet Saint of mine upon ſuch and ſuch a day? Sirrah, do you mind how you perſecuted one of my precious Saints that was Preaching my Word: Come, come, Sirrah, ſtand there at my left hand▪ thou and the Devil ſhall together even now.

There is nothing more ordinary among the Generality of their Preachers, than to tell that Chriſt did not ſet his foot in Scotland this eight and twenty years; or this, I brought a ſtranger to you now, and a very great ſtranger indeed, this many a year; would you know who it is; it is Chriſt, Sirs,Hold. hadd him faſt then, for if once he get out of Scotland again, it's like he'l never return.

It is very well known in Perthſhire, that one of their Rabbies Preaching a • St. Johnſtone, or thereabout, a little before the Battel of Killich ankie, upon theſe words, Reſiſt the Devil and he will ſlie from you; he begins very gravely after this manner, (Humph) my beloved, you are all here the day even for the faſhions cauſe, but wo • ye who is amongſt you the day? even the meikle horned Devil, tho you cannot ſee him, yet I do: I ſee him, Sirs, by the eye of faith; but you'l ſay, now that we have him here, what ſhall we do with him, Sirs, (Humph) what way will ye deſtroy him, ſome of you will ſay we will hang him; ha, ha, my beloved, there are not ſo many tows in all the Pariſh as hung him; beſides, he's as light as a feather. What then will ye do with him? for he will not hang. Then ſome of you will ſay, we will drown him. (Humph) my beloved, there is too much cork in his Arſe, he's as ſouple as an Eel, he will not ſink. Others of you will ſay we will burn him, Na, na, Sirs, ye may ſcald your ſelves, but ye cannot burn him, for all the fire in Hell could never yet ſinge a hair on his tail. Now, Sirs, you cannot find a way among you all to kill him, but I will find it; what way will this be, Sirs? we ſhall even ſhoot him. Wherewith ſhall we ſhoot him? We ſhall ſhoot him with the Bible. Now, Sirs, I ſhall ſhoot him preſently, ſo (preſenting the Bible as Soldiers do their Muſquet) he crys out, Touff, Touff, Touff. Now he is ſhot, there lies the foul thief as dead as a Haron.

Some Eye-witneſſes report of another that was to give the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, ſuch as they can give, and having got into the Pulpit, he looks about him, and ſays, Sirs, I miſs ſomebody here to day, I miſs Chriſt here the day, but he promiſed to be here the day, I think he will be as good as his word: however I will go out and ſee if he be coming; he at this went out of the Pulpit; and ſtaying out ſome little time, he comes in and tells them, Now, Sirs, Chriſt is coming, I ſaw him on his white Horſe coming to you: Now what entertainment will you give him? I will tell you, Sirs, Will ye get among you all butTwo Engliſh Quarts. one Pint of Faith, a Gill of Grace, and aEngliſh Pint. Mutchkine of Sanctification, and this will make a good morning draught for him.

In the Mers there was a Communion given lately, and as it is ordinary, there is a Diſcourſe for every Table, one of the Preachers that's moſt cried up for his Eloquence, ſaid, You that are Wives ye will be ſaying ordinarily when ye meet, Cummer, have ye ſpun your Yarn yet? But alas, I fear there are few of you that have ſpun a Wedding-garment for Chriſt the day. But Chriſt will be among you and ſee who is his well busked Bride, he'l ſay to them that have not on their Wedding-garment. Is that naſty Slut there my Bride? ſhame and lack fall that Bride: Go naſty Slut,Haſte. ſway'd away to Hell.

It is ordinary among ſome Plebeians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New-years Eve, crying Hagmane, a corrupted word from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which ſignifies the Holy Month. John Dickson holding forth againſt this Cuſtom once in a Sermon at Kelſo, ſays, Sirs, do ye know what Hagmane ſignifies? It is the Devil be in the houſe; that's the meaning of its Hebrew Original.

Another time he told his Hearers what an Idolatrous Church the Engliſh Church is, for lay two Eggs in a Diſh, and the one is not ſo like the other, as the Church of Rome and the Church of England are to one another.

I know a Miniſter that went purpoſely to hear this man, and declared upon his real truth, that he held out a nonſenſick rhapſody for an hour and an half time on the third of Matth. This is my beloved▪ Son in whom I am well pleaſed: All the Graces of the Spirit (ſaid he) are myſterious, faith is a myſtery, there is a faith that is not ſaving, but that's no myſtery; I believe if I ſhould ask any of you whether or no ye believe the words that I read to you, you will all ſay (Humf) we all believe that▪ Sirs, the Devil does more, and yet he is not ſaved, nor like to be in haſte. This is a paſſage of our Saviour's Tranſmigration, Sirs, (ſays he) It tells how our bleſſed Saviour was reform'd like an Angel of Light, when his Diſciples ſaw that Glorious ſight, they were all like a Country man that had never taſted outlandiſh wine before, the wine runs up into his head, and makes him dizzie; ſo the Diſciples were dizzie, the 17. v. They knew not what they ſaid▪t that is they were dizzie. From the words we learn this note of Doctrine, That Chriſt he is lovely, O he is lovely, O he is lovely. Firſt as he is the Son of God, 8. Prov. v. 15. By me Kings reign and princes decree juſtice: That is lovely Chriſt hath authority over all the Kings of the world: The Great Turk can do nothing without him. The meikle Deel and the black Pape can do nothing without him. There were a pack of Deels limbs a year or two ago here, and they thought forſooth all would be their own, and now lovely Chriſt in his Providential Providence is like to diſappoint them all, and who kens but they'l come begging Peaſe and Pottage at ours doors yet.

Chriſt is lovely as he is Mediator, cut him all in pieces from head to foot, every bit of him is lovely. They'l tell you now the young Prince is baniſhed Britain, but I'le tell you of a young Prince that has been baniſhed Britain theſe 28 years by the incoming of the perjur'd Prelates and drunken Curates; lovely Chriſt is that young Prince, and now he is like to come back again to get his Crown: O take him now, now when he is coming with a whip in his hand to ſcourge out the curſed Curates, &c. This was preached in the Pariſh of Smallum in Teviotdale, and the effect of this Preaching followed the next Sabbath, for the rabble came and pulled the Miniſter out of his Pulpit in the time of his Sermon.

One Mr. Thomas Ramſay in Mordington within the Shire of Berwick ſaid in a Sermon upon the fooliſhneſs of Preaching, theſe words: There are two ſorts of Preaching, Sirs, there's a Gentlemanny Preaching and a common manny Preaching; for Gentlemanny Preaching they'l feed you up with peny whiſtles, orChildrens Toyes and Rattles. Nigg-nayes-bonny wallies: At which he perceived one of the Commons laugh. He points out to him, and ſaid, Man, do not that think toTo Flout. gull one of God's Miniſtres that way, lift up your Bonnet off your face, think no ſhame of your ſhape.

I tell you, Sirs, there is gentlemany Preaching and commonmany Preaching. I will give you commonmany Preaching, Sirs, I will give yon milk • pottage, and this will make you bony fat and luſty in your journey to heaven. Ye Know. ken Sirs, ye ken, to my great grief, I may ſay ye ken no: But I tell you there is Gentlemany preaching, and a commonmany preaching. There are three ſorts of men that deſpiſe commonmany preaching, firſt the Politician. 2. The Gallant. 3. The Ignorant man.

Firſt, for the Politician he will go twenty miles to hear a Gentlemanny preaching, what cares he for commonmany preaching? 2ly, for the Gallant give him a glaſs of wine to drink, and give him a Lady to kiſs, and what cares he for preaching? 3ly, For the ignorant man give him aDeep Diſh. cogfull of A Strong Porrage. Broſe to his belly, and a pair ofBreeches. Brecks to his arſe, what cares he for preaching. A little thereafter he ſaw a little child looking to and fro, he ſaid, Sit ſtill little Rogue, elſe I'le cut a lug out of your head, Sirrah. O the glorious days of the Goſpel, the veryLittle Children. wie-ones, were then ſo ſerious that they wouldPu • l. rugg Chriſt out of my heart, but now they are all baudy faced, they look as if the Curates and their Mothers wereToo familiar. over great.

This was written from his own mouth, by a perſon that is ready▪ to declare the verity of it, were he to die juſt after.

Mr. John Veach in Wool ſtruthers in a Nonſenſical and incoherent Diſcourſe, at the opening up of a Presbyterian Synod at Jedburgh, ſaid, That one duty of Miniſters was not to preach cloſe and neat Diſcourſes; his reaſon was this, Men uſe not to bring the Spits and the Racs to the Table, when they bring the meat to it.

There are many in Edinburgh who heard Mr. James Kirkton in a Sermon concerning Joſeph and Mary, ſay, The firſt night, ſaith he, that they met together, he laid his hand on her belly, and found her withChild. Bairn▪ The honeſt man turn'd very angry, and would have put her away, as any of us all would have done, had we met with the like; and who is it that ever would ſuſpect that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould have another man's wife?

Another time he told his Hearers, That they might make a Leſſon out of every thing that occurred to ſenſe; you may, faith he, get a good Leſſon out of a Gooſe-turd, for it is black at the bottom, green in the middle, and white at the top: The blackneſs at the bottom let's us ſee the blackneſs of Hell; the greenneſs in the middle lets us ſee the vanity of the world; and the whiteneſs in the top lets us ſee the joys of Heaven: And this good Leſſon (Sirs) ye will find in a good turd. Now, Sirs, I would have you pray to him that ſits upon the white-end to keep you from a black end.

One Mr. John▪ Hepburn, Lecturing on the ſecond Pſalm, told, Tha • there was a Dialogue betwixt the Father and the Son in Heaven, the Son ſaid, Father will you give me my portion now? Your portion, Son, ſaid the Father, indeed ſhall you; thou haſt been a dutiful Son to me, thou never angered me in thy days; What portion will you have, Son? Will you give me poor Scotland, ſaith the Son? Scotland, ſaid the Father, truly thou ſhalt get poor Scotland. And he proved that it was Scotland he ſought, from the 8▪ ver. I ſhall give thee the outmoſt parts of the earth for a poſſeſſion▪ Now, Sirs, Scotland is the outmoſt part of the earth, and therefore it was given to the Son for a Patrimony.

One Mr. Moſman in Newbotle, paſt this Complement upon himſelf in a Sermon, All the world knows that I am a learned man, a judicious man, and a man that can clear the Scriptures well; but there are ſome in the Pariſh that have not ſuch thoughts for me; as for them I pity them, for they muſt be very ſilly. At that time he was preaching againſt taking God's name in vain, he told, O Sirs, this is a very great ſin, for my own part I rather ſteal all the horned Neat or Cattle. nout in the Pariſh, before I took God's name in vain once.

One Mr. Robert Steidman in Caridden, told once, that the people of God had many doubts about their Election, for proof of this, ſee (ſays he) the 2. Cant. v. 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his.

Another time he told, That the beſt of God's Saints have a little tincture of Atheiſm for a plain proof of this you, may ſee, ſays he, Pſal. 14▪ 1. The fool hath ſaid in his heart that there is no God.

Another time he tells, That Chriſt was not proud nor Lordly, for he rode upon an Aſs, which is aLow. laigh beaſt, and wherefore think ye did he this? It was, Sirs, for the conveniency of the old Wives that followed him, that he mightWhiſper. kuttle in the Goſpel in their ears as he went along.

One Mr. Murray, marrying a couple, called the man, The Head, and the woman the Tail: In the name of God then, ſays he, I joyn Head and Tail together, Sirs, let no man ever ſeparate them.

The ſame perſon preaching at Haddan, ſaid, Chriſt is a great ſtranger to you theſe 28 years, but I have brought him to you the day, Sirs, and if ye will have him, ‖ Letters of Arreſtment. I will take him with Abſconding. horning and caption for you.

One Mr. Shields, preaching at Borthwick, ſaid, Many had Religion the day, but would have none the morn, their Religion was ſoon gone like a womans virginity.

One Wedderburn, preaching in Irvin, ſaid, Lord, we have overNeſty. foul feet to come ſo far benn at Heaven, but yet as broken a Ship has come to land.

Mr. Rutherford preaching at Jedburgh, ſaid, Theſe 28 years the graſs is grown long betwixt Jedburgh and Heaven.

Mr▪ William Stuart preaching lately in Forres upon theſe words, Our God is a conſuming fire, ſaid, Sirs, I will explain theſe words in a very homely manner, There was a Godly man of my acquaintance, Sirs, he had a young Bairn that was dying, and he comes to him and ſaid, Sandy, now my Cockie, believe in God now, for ye will not live long: No, no, ſaid the Bairn, I will not believe in God, for God is a Boo, but I will believe in Chriſt, for he is ſweet, Dady, and he is good. Now ye may by this ſee, Sirs, that God without Chriſt is a Boo. Boo is a word that's uſed in the North of Scotland to frighten crying Children.

Mr. William Vetch preaching in Linton in Teviotdale, ſaid, Our Biſhops thought they were very ſecure this long time: Like Willie Willie Waſtel, I am in my Caſtle, A the Dogs in the Town Dare not ding me down. Yea but there is a doggie in Heaven that has dung them all down.

Another preaching of the Dialogue betwixt God and Adam after his Fall. Adam (ſaid he) went to hide himſelf, God comes to him, and ſaid, where art thou, man? I amabſconding courring here, Lord: I'le hazardTwo-pence Half-penny. twa and a plack, ſaith God, there is aAll's not well. whap in the Kape Ede, has thou been atMiſchief doing. Barne-breaking Ede, come out of thy holes and thy bores here Ede.

Mr. James Kirkson told ſeveral times in his Sermons at Edenling, That the Devil had his Kirk-Government as well as God, and would ye ken what a Government it is, indeed it is a Presbyterian Government, for he has his Miniſter and his Ruling Elder; his Miniſter is the Pope, and his Ruling-Elder is the King of France.

The ſame man once ſpeaking of the Evils of the tongue, ſaid, Your tongues, Sirs, are as foul as a dog's tongue when he licksThin Dung. Skitter, before God it's true: But do not take this out of the Houſe with you, Sirs.

Mr. Matthew Selkirk preaching againſt keeping of days, ſaid, They that keep † Yule-day,Chriſtmaſs. Sirs, deny that Chriſt came in the fleſh, and are rank Jews; & they keep that day in commemoration of J. Caeſar the chief of the Jews.

Mr. Hugh Kennedy Moderator of the General Aſſembly, being about to Chriſten a Child in the Colledg-Kirk, looked about him, and ſaid, Look Sirs, and ſee the Devil painted in that Bairns face, but we ſhall do the beſt we can to conjure him out. I ſhall ſhortly nail his lug to Chriſt's trone, till from a Calf he grow up to an Ox to draw in Chriſt's Plow.

Mr. Arskine in the Tron-Church, ſaid, That the work of the Lord is like to be ruin'd, for there are two ſorts of people that have taken their hands from the work of the Lord. Firſt, the Malignants that never laid their hands to it. 2ly, The Court-party: but you Laſſes and Lads put your ſhoulders to that work, take a good lift of it, for it will not break your backs; and ye can never uſe your backs in a better work.

One Mr. Robert Gourly preaching on the Woman of Canaan, how our Saviour called her a Dog, told, Sirs, ſome of you may think that our Saviour ſpake very improperly, for he ſhould have called her a Bitch; but to this I anſwer, a Dog is the Maſculine or Feminine Gender, there is a He-dog and a She-dog. But you will ask why did he miſcall the poor Woman, and call her a Dog? There are God's Dogs and the Devils Dogs, ſhe was God's Dog, not the Devil's Dog.

Mr. Sheilds in a Sermon at Aberdeen, told the people, the only way to hold a faſtHold. grip of Chriſt, was to entertain him with three Liquors in three ſundryWooden Cups. Bickers, you muſt have a pint of hope, three pints of, faith, and nine pints of hot, hot, hot burning zeal.

One Mr. Strange preaching on Act, 2. 37, 38. before ſeveral Ladies of the beſt Quality of our Kingdom, They were pricked at their hearts, ſaid, Some of you are come hither the day to get a prick, I fear few of you have gotten a prick, but ſome of you may get a prick within a ſhort time. And ſeeing ſome laugh, he ſaid, Do not miſtake me, Sirs, It is not a natural prick I mean, but a prick at the heart. I mean not the pricks of the fleſh, but the pricks of the ſpirit, the ſweet prick of Conſcience.

One Mr. James Wilſon now in Kirkmeddon in Galloway, told, That Faith had wonderful effects, For by faith Noah ſaw the deluge before it came. But I will tell you a far more wonderful effect of Faith than that, John the Baptiſt ſaw Chriſt throughTwo Wombs. twa wymbs, was not that a clear-ey'd little one, 〈…〉

One Mr. Melvin being ſent by the Presbytery to the Pariſh of Monzie in Struthern, to prepare the people by a Sermon for receiving a Presbyterian Miniſter in the place of Mr. Drammond, a perſon of great Learning, who was deprived at the falſe ſuggeſtions of a Weaver in that Pariſh, (whom he ſaved from the Gibbet in King Charles 2d's time) the ſaid Mr. Melvin Lecturing on this Text, Touch not mine Anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, ſaid, The Kings and the great folks, and the curſed Biſhops, for ſooth were ſeeking to deſtroy God's own people, but as ſturk as they were, God is ſtarker, and bad them bide back, bide back, (pointing with his finger) this is my folk, they are none of your folks, and ſo God keeped his own poor people, Sirs, except ſome few that were hanged; but Oh Sirs, it's a ſweet, ſweet denth to go off the Gallows to God for the holy Covenant. But for theſe curſed Biſhops and Curates, Sirs, that were leading many poor ſouls to Hell this long time, Sirs, ye ſee they are now put out▪ they are put out, yea they are e'en trampled under our feet. This is atteſted by a perſon that then lived within two miles of the place, and heard him.

Mr. Areskine in the Trone-Church propoſed in a Sermon, What is the new man? He made this learned Anſwer in a Melancholy long tone, It is the new man. Mr. Kirton lately in the Church he poſſeſſes at Edinburgh, began his Sermon thus, Devil tuke me ſoul and body. The people ſtartling at the expreſſion, he anticipates their wonder with this correction, You think, Sirs, this a ſtrange word in the Pulpit, out you think nothing of it out of Pulpit; but what if the Devil ſhould tuke many of you when ye utter ſuch Language? Another time preaching againſt Cockupps, he told, I have been this year of God preaching againſt the vanity of Women, yet I ſee my own Daughter in the Kirk even now have as high a Cockupp as any of you all. Another time giving the Sacramens of the Lord's Supper in Crummond, at the breaking of the Bread, he told the Participants, Take, eat, Sirs, your Bread is baken. And that was all the form he uſed, as one of the Communicabsts told me the day after.

A Presbyterian Preacher in the Pariſh of Killpatrick Eaſter, above Glaſgow, in whoſe Pariſh there is one Captain Sanderſon, a Church of England man, who is looked on there by them as a rank Papiſt, he once went to Church to ſee their way. The Preacher ſeeing him in Church, took aPiece of Money. Fourteen our of his Pocket, and held it up before the Congregation, expreſſing theſe words, Here I take inſtrument in the hand of God, that tho a man be pardoned of all his original and actual ſins, yet if he neglect to 〈◊〉 our Faſts he ſhall never go to Heaven. The Preacher owns what he ſaid and did. And the Captain deſires the thing to be publiſhed in his name, he being ready to juſtifie it upon any occaſion.

Mr. William Moncrief, in Summer laſt, preaching in the Church of 〈◊〉 in Fife, the firſt thing he pretended to prove, was, That all his Hearers were Atheiſts and Reprobates▪ And having demonſtrated that, as he ſaid, from that Pſalm on which he lectur'd: He proceeded next to his Sermon on this Text, NOW it the accepted time, now is the day of Salvation▪ on which he ſaid, The Jews had their Now, and the Papiſts had their Now, but ah now they have no Now, for the Goſpel is for ever hid from their Eyes. Scotland, poor Scotland had a gracious Now in the glorious days of the Covenant, when Chriſt was freely forced upon them; but alas, this Land breaking the Covenant has brought darkneſs upon it, for many Years laſt, but yea God had been pleaſed at luſt to ſhine through the Cloud of Prelatical, which is worſe than Egyptiſh darkneſs, and to give us another Now; that is, to offer us again his Covenant, and the Foundation of it, it Goſpel, for which ye are all heartily to be thinkful, for this is your Now.

And would ye know now how to expreſs your thankfulneſs, I'll even tell you now, Ye muſt do it by baniſhing out of the Covenanted Land, all the Enemies of God, the Prelates, the Curates, and all their Adherents: Ye muſt not converſe with them, but 〈◊〉 them Hip and Thigh ▪ ye muſt 〈◊〉 the Philiſtines quite out; ye muſt hate them, and perſecute them, and 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 of Damnation; • for if ye neglect it now, your Now is paſt for ever▪ Now, Sirs, ye muſt not think this ſtrange Doctrine, for I can prove it by plain Scripture, for did not God frequently command his People, to cut off the 〈◊〉 Root and Branch; and did not David poſitively hate and curſe the Profane and Wicked who were God's Enemies▪

But ye'll ſay to me, Sirs, that Chriſt deſired us to loveour Enemies: that's true, indeed, but there's no word of God's Enemies there▪ mark that, Beloved; tho' we love out own Enemies, yet we are bound to hate God's Enemies; that is, all the Enemies of the Covenanted 〈◊〉 : This was heard by ſeveral Sober and Judicious Perſons, who were heartily ſorry to hear the Scriptures ſo baſely perverted, who immediately after the Sermon wrote down this Account, tent them to me atteſted under their Hands.

About two Years ago Mr. Shields, who is Chaplain to my Lord Angus's Regiment, being with the ſaid Regiment at the Town of Pe ••• , and hearing that the Colonel to an Engliſh Regiment, which had been in that Town the Week before, had made his Chaplain to read the Engliſh Service upon the Sunday before, in the Church to his Souldiers 〈…〉 Shields upon this occaſion thought to ra •• nightly again • t the Church of England and its Liturgy; among other things he ſaid, That there was no difference betwixt the Church of England and the Church of Rome, but that the one ſaid Maſs in Engliſh, and the other in Latin; and that upon the 〈◊〉 they were both indeed equally Idolatrous▪ and ye know, Sirs, that according to God's Law, all Idolaters ſhould be ſtoned to death▪ Alas▪ all the Water in The name of a great River which waſhes the Walls of that City. Tay will not be able to waſh away the filth of that Idolatry, with which the Walls of this Kirk was laſt Sunday defiled▪ ah, the Service Boo • was 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 it ſmell rank and ſtrong of the old Whore of Babylon.

Mr. Kirkton preaching in his Meeting-houſe in the Caſtle-hill of Edinburgh adduced ſeveral inſtances of the Poverty of the People of God; amongſt others, he had this remarkable one, Brethren, ſays he, Criticks with theirTrifles. frim frams and whytie whaties, may imagine a hundred reaſons for Abraham's going out of the Land of Caldea, but I will tell you what was always my Opinion, I believe Abraham, poor man, was forced to run out of the Land of Judea for Debt.

Another Sunday, before ſeveral Gentlemen, who told me the Story ſo ſoon as they returned from Church, preaching on the Allſufficiency of God, he told his hearers, That they might make out of God what they pleaſed, Hoſe, Shoes, Cloaths, Meat and Drink, &c. One, ſays he, may have a good Stock, but he cannot get in out of his Friends hands when he needs it; he muſt purſue him firſt before theRaiſe on Action before the Judges, and Arreſt him. Lords of the Seſſion; regiſtrat his Bond, get a charge of Horning, and at laſt take him with Caption; but no man ever needed to regiſtrate God's Bond, or take him with Caption, except Jacob, who took him once with Caption at the ſide of a Hill, and he got a broken Leg for his pains.

Once in the monthly Faſt-day, I heard him my ſelf diſcourſe to this purpoſe, after he had read his Text, which if I rightly remember, was, In that day I will not regard their Prayers nor their Tears, &c. In ſpeaking to theſe words, ſays he, I ſhall ſhew you five loſt Labours, three Opportunities, three Fears, three Woes, three Lamentations, three Propheſies, and a word about poor Scotland: for the three fears, the firſt is a great fear, and that is, leſt this King give us not all our Will. The 2d. is a very great fear, and that is, if we ſhould get all our Will. I fear we ſhould not make good uſe of it. The 3d fear is the greateſt of all, but I muſt not tell you that fear, Sirs, for fear it ſhould fear you all to hear it. All the Town knows that this is true, and that he never preaches but after this ridiculous manner.

I heard one Mr. Selkirk in a Sermon he preached in the Church of Inverask. ſay, Sirs, Drink, Whore, and Debauch, and run Stark mad. red wood through the World; yet, if you have but as much time as take hold of Chriſt in your laſt gaſp, I ſhall pawn my Soul for yours. It may ſeem incredible, that one who ever heard of Chriſtianity, ſhould have uſed ſuch an expreſſion; but it made ſuch an impreſſion on the Peoples Minds at that time, that I believe there is hardly one of them who have forgot it to this hour; and conſequently, all of them will be ready to vindicate the truth of what I here relate.

One preaching in Preſton-pans, upon Joſhua's making the Sun to ſtand ſtill, reſolving to make a very learned Diſcourſe, began thus, Sirs, ſays he, you'll may be, ask me how Joſhua could make the Sun to ſtand ſtill? To that I anſwer, it was by ſiſting of the motion of Primum Mobile, commonly called the Zodiack-line; but as to the Quomodo, it's no great matter; but that the Story was true, we have reaſon to believe from the Heathen Writers; for it was told by them for a, baſe baudy tale, how Jupiter made a night as long as two, that he might got a longer time to lye with Alemena.

Mr. Arskine in the Tron-Church, preaching on theſe words, Cry aloud and ſpare not; told his People, There were three ſorts of Cries. There is the cry of the Mouth, ſays he, Pſal. 104. The young Lions roar after their Prey, that is, with their Mouth. The cry of their Feet, I will run the ways of thy Commandments, that is the cry of the Feet: And the cry of the Eye, They looked on him and were lightened; that's the cry of the Eye: If we would go to Heaven, we muſt not only cry with our Mouth, but likewiſe with out Hands, Feet, and Eyes.

The ſame Mr. Arskine ſaid in another Sermon, What, Sirs, if the Devil ſhould come with a Drum at his ſide, ſaying, Hoyes, hoyes, hoyes, who will go to Hell with me, boys? who will go to Hell with me? The Jacobines would anſwer, We'll all go, we'll all go.

Mr. James Kirkton, preaching on Jezabel, ſaid, That well-favoured Whore, what became of her, Sirs? ſhe fell over a Window, Arſe over Head, and her black bottom was diſcovered, you may all gueſs what the Beholders ſaw, beloved, a black ſight you may be ſure.

One Mr. Mair, a Presbyterian Preacher, Son to Mr. John Mair, the Epiſcopal Miniſter in Towch, being deſired by the Father to preach for him; the Son ſaid, He would or could not preach in their Churches, becauſe they were polluted, but was content to preach in a Fire-houſe. This was provided for him, and the Company (whereof his Father was one) being convened, he ſaid, I will tell you a ſad truth, Sirs, You have been driven to Hell in a Coach this eight and twenty years, and that old Stock, my Father (pointing to him) has been the Coachman.

Mr. Kirkton in October laſt, preaching on Hymns and Spiritual Songs, told the People, There be four kinds of Songs, Profane Songs, Malignant, Allowable, and Spiritual Songs, Profane Songs, My Mother ſent me to the Well, ſhe had better gone her ſelf, for what I got I dare not tell, but kind Robin loves me. Malignant Songs, ſuch as, He, ho, Gillichrankie, and the King enjoys his own again; againſt which I have not much to ſay. 3ly. Allowable Songs, like, Once I lay with another man's Wife: Ye may be allowed, Sirs, to ſing this, but I do not ſay, that ye are allowed to do this, for that's a great deal of danger indeed, Laſtly, Spiritual Songs, which are the Pſalms of David; but the Godleſs Prelates add to theſe, Glory to the Father, the wroſt of all I have yet ſpoken of.

The ſame Kirkton, in March the year before that, in a Sermon upon Come into me all ye that are heavy and weary laden; expreſſed himſelf thus, Chriſt invites none to him but thoſe that have a great burthen of Sins upon their back; ay but, beloved, ye little ken what Chriſt is to day; what Crafts-man do you think him now? is there none of you all can tell me that, Sirs? truly then I muſt e'en tell you; would you ken it now? in a word then, he's aTinkar. tell you; would you ken it about to day, Have ye any broken Hearts to mend, bring them to me, and I'll ſoder them; that is, give them Reſt, beloved, for that's the words of my Text.

Mr. Arskin, in January laſt, holding forth in the Tron Church concerning Noah's Ark, ſaid, that the Wolf and the Lamb lodged moſt peaceably together in it; and what do you think was the reaſon of this, Beloved? you may think it was a ſtrange thing, and ſo indeed it was, Sirs, but it was done to fufil that Prophecy of Iſaiah, Sirs, The Wolf and the Lamb ſhall lye down together; there's a plain reaſon now for it, Sirs.

On Sunday, in January laſt, immediately after the King had recommended to the General Aſſembly, a Formula, upon the Subſcribing whereof, by the Epiſcopal Presbyters, he deſired they might be re-admitted to the publick Exerciſe of the Miniſtry, I heard one Mr. Webſter, a noted profeſſor of the New Goſpel, lecturing upon Pſal 15 On the 1ſt Verſe, he ſaid, That none but God could anſwer the Pſalmiſt's Queſtion there, and therefore, ſaid he, it does not belong to any Earthly King, Prince, or Potentate to determine who ſhould be Officers in God's Houſe, or to preſcribe Terms of Communion to his Kirk: On the 2d Verſe he ſaid, That it was neceſſary for God's People to walk uprightly; that is, ſaid he, never to betray the Cauſe of Chriſt's Kirk for ſear of great Men: Our way is God's own way; and ſure to ſtand ſtiff to that, is the beſt way to pleaſe God, and even great Men, at the long run: On the 3d Verſe he appealed to the Conſciences of his Hearers, If Scots Presbyterians were not a holy, harmleſs, innocent, ſincere, modeſt, and moderate People, and whatever is ſaid to the contrary, but Lybels, Lies, and Slanders: On the 4th Verſe he ſaid, That the Prelates, Curates, and Malignant Counſellors are the vile perſons ſpoke of there, and whom all the fear God are bound to contemn and deſpiſe; eſpecially (ſaid he) becauſe they have ſworn to the hurt of the Kirk, in taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, the Teſt, and the Oath of Canonical Obedience, and now think to expiate all this, by ſubſcribing a bare fooliſh Formula, becauſe King William, forſooth, has ſent it to us; as if the Presbyterians ought to admit or allow any Form but the Covenant.

About that ſame time, I mean, in January laſt, Mr. Fraſer of Bray, at Edenburgh at the new Kirk, pretending to preach upon this Text of the Revelation, There was joy in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fought againſt the Dragon and his Angels: Michael and his Angels, why no good Chriſtian can doubt, but by this we are to underſtand Chriſt and this Kirk; and by the Dragon and his Angels is plainly meant, the Prelates and Curates: You ſee from this then, Sirs, betwixt whom this War and this Fighting was in Heaven; and ſince they fight in Heaven for this Cauſe of the Kirk, why ſhould not we fight for it alſo upon Earth? What needs our Kirk be affraid of Kings, they are but men? but we have Chriſt to fight for us, and we are his, his Angels, and muſt fight with him till we deſtroy the Dragon Prelates, and their Curate Angels.

Ah, Sirs, ye read (ſays he) that this Dragon's Tail ſwept down a third part of the Stars of Heaven; I have a ſad thing to tell you now, Sirs, Alas, this Dragon's Tail has ſwept the North of Scotland, for few or none of Chriſt Miniſters are to be found there.

The ſame Frazer of Bray preaching at a Conventicle in the beginning of King James his Reign, began his Diſcourſe thus; I am come here to preach this day, Sirs, in ſpite of the Curates, and in ſpite of the Prelates their Maſters; and in ſpite of the King their Maſter; and in ſpite of the Hector of France, his Maſter; and in ſpite of the Pope of Rome that's both their Maſter; and in ſpite of the Divil that's all their Maſter.