IT was ever reckoned the renown of the Church of Scotland, thô now brought very low, and like to be lost as a prey in the Dra­gons mouth, that Christs conquest of that Land which the Roman Legions while heathenish could not subdue, among the first fruits of the Gentiles. And when overcome and long overrun by Roman Locusts when Antichristian, his Glo­rious outstretched Arm did emancipate and redeem his Inheritance from the bondage of Antichrist unto such a Pitch of Reformation in Doctrine, Wor­ship, Discipline and Government, that it becam a Pattern to other Churches, and had this prerogative above them all, that at once and from the begining, nothing was left unremoved or unre­formed that ever flowed from the man of sin: And every part of the Reforma­tion was regulated by the measuring line of the Sanctuary, the Word of God; And not only established by righte­ous and laudable Laws ratifying the same with the Sanction of the penal Statuts against the enemies thereof, but confirmed with strictest Engagements to preserve and promote it, in the Na­tional and solemn League and Cove­nants, whereby Scotland became the Inheritance of the Prince of the Kings of the Earth by manifold and undoubted Rights, by his Fathers Grant, by his oun Purchase; and by our solemn Surren­der & Dedition by Covenant: Whereof ever since he took Infeftment, he hath continued his possession, and maintain­ed his Title by the Testimonies of his Witnesses against all Invasions there­upon, through all the periods of this [Page 7]Church which also hath ever been re­pute the Glory of this Reformed and Covenanted Church, that nothing was ever attempted against any part of her Reformation, but was faithfully wit­nessed against by Ministers and Profes­sors, from time to time: Especially from its first establishment, and aboli­tion of Popery, no essay could ever be made to introduce, or procure the To­leration of any of its superstitious fop­peries, but the Zeal of the Lords wit­nesses was found to flame against it, with a pecularity of fervor. It was ne­ver known in Scotland, before this last fatal Degeneration that ever a favour could be obtained to Papists to practise their Idolatries, without a resolute Pro­testation against it, much less was it ever heard that the open Profession of it, should not only be allowed without control, but applauded in the congra­tulatory Addresses of some called Pro­testants and Presbyterians, for a Tole­ration Declaredly Designed to intro­duce it. The Addresses of Protestants on such an occasion used to run in an other strain. There is one dated Maij 27. 1561. presented to the Council. ‘Shewing that honesty craved them, and Conscience moved them to make the secrets of their hearts patent, which was, that before ever these Ty­rants and Dumb Dogs empire over them, they were fully determined to hazard life, and whatsoever they had received of God in temporal things: And that these enemies of God might assure themselves, that if the Coun­cil put not order to them they should shortly take such order that they shall neither be able to do what they list, neither yet live upon the sweat of the browes of such as are no debtors to them.’ Nor were ever wanting in their warnings and witnes­sings against the least remissness in Zeal against Papists, or any tendencie towards favouring them: As when the mischie­vous Mary the Daughter of the degra­ded Queen returning from France, set up the Mass but in her oun family, the Godly at that time gave plain significa­tion that they could not abide, that the Land which God by his power had pur­ged from Idolatry should in their eyes be polluted again, and that Idol be suf­fered again to take place in this Realm. And a Proclamation being then emit­ted to protect the Queens Domestick Servants that were Papists, there was not wanting a peremptoty Protestation against it. That if any of her Servants shall commit idolatry, say Mass, par­ticipate therewith or take the defence thereof, in that case this Proclaimation should not be extended to them, nor be a safeguard to them in that behalf, no more than if they commit murder. But that it may be lawful to inflict upon them the pains contained in Gods Word against Idolaters, wherever they might be apprehended without favour. Mr. Knox had such an impression of the danger of such a Toleration that he counted it a Joyning hands with Ido­latry. And declared that one Mass was more fearful to him, than if ten thousand armed Enemies were Lan­ded of purpose to suppress the whole Religion, for, said he, in our God there is strength to resist and confound Multitudes, if we unfeignedly depend upon him; But when we joyne hands with Idolatry, it is no doubt, but both Gods amiable presence, and comfort­able defence will leave us, and what shall then become of us? Therefore in the reign of K. James VI. upon the disco­very of the Plots of the Popish Lords conspiring with the King of Spain, who yet favoured by the Kings Indul­gence, it was resolutely declared by Mr. Davidson that it favoured much of defection in those dayes, that such no­torious Rebells to God, and the Coun­try [Page 8]should be so treated with; and that a door should not be opened to Gods enemies. And when a Convention in Falkland was consulting to call home these conspiring Traitors, Mr. Andrew Melvin thought it his duty to go thither uncalled, and when rebuked by the King for his boldness, took the confi­dence to charge him and the Estates in the Name of Christ and his Church, not to favour Christs Enemies whom he hateth, nor go about to make Citi­zens of these who have traterously sought to betray their City and Native Country, with the overthrow of Christs Kingdom. And to challenge them with Treason against Christ, his Church, and the Country in that purpose they were about. Afterwards when the Co­venanted Reformation was upon the ascendant and meeting with multifarous assaults from all hands, how impartial and uniforme the witness of the Faith­ful was against the Toleration of per­nicious errors, the warnings & Testi­monies of the General Assemblies do evidence beyond contradiction. And after the invasion of the Sectaries, the Testimony of sundry Ministers of the Gospel in the Provinces of Perth and Fife against their vast Toleration is yet in the hands, and recent in the hearts of these that desire to retain former principles: Besides the many writtings of Truths Champions against it, which are yet on record. This hath been the constant tenor of the Testimonies of the witnesses of Christ, ever before this woful & wretched Catastrophe, which puts an indelible infamy on the sham­ful securitie, & ass-like stupiditie of this generation; That having received such an excellent Testimony, deposit­ed & transmitted to us through a con­tinued tract of witnessings & wrestlings of our worthy Ancestors, now to let it slip & slide through our feeble fingers. Whereby as we have forfeited the ho­nour of being esteemed the off-spring of such Heroes (while we not only suffer & consent to, but congratulate & applaude the Introduction & Esta­blishment, at least do embrace & close with that which is introductive of Ido­latry & Tyrannie, Poperie & the Sla­very, they built with so great expense) so we may fear the curse of posterity for interrupting the propagation of so excellent a Testimony to succeeding generations, who when they shall read the flattering & fauning Addresses of this age to, & of their so hasty & hun­gry embracements of ensnaring & de­structive favours, from an Antichri­stian Tyrant, so palpably designed for, & so properly & natively tending to­wards the undermining & overturning of the Reformation, will disdain & disoune such for their Fathers, with indignation at their memory, for such dishonourable & dastardly yeeldings. O let it not be told in Goth, nor published in the streets of Asskelon, that the Mini­sters are so far degenerate. Alas all that hear of it will hiss at them for this, that as they had been silent & omitted a seasonable, Testimony against abjured Prelacy, & blasphemous Supremacy, when these were introduced; So now also even when this Mysterie & Con­spiracy of Popery & Tyranny twisted together in the present design of An­tichrist, had made so great a progress, & was evidently brought above bourd: So except what was endeavoured in a Protestation emitted at Sanquhair Maij 28. 1685. (Which here we homelo­gate) the Generality were left to forego this opportunity of a Testimony also, to the reproach, of the sometimes Re­nowned Church of Scotland. Yea the very rabble may arise in Judgement against them in that they testified their detestation of the first erection of the Idolatrous Mass; & some of the Soul­diery, and such as had no Profession [Page 9]of Religion, suffered unto death for speaking against Popery, & the design of the King, while the Ministers were silent: And some of the Curats, & Members of the late Parliament, made some stickling against Papists, while Presbyterians, from whom might have been expected greater opposition, were sleeping in a profound submission. Wherefore thô we be very insignifi­cant nothings, & therefore both inca­pable & unworthy to aim at supplying this vacancy of a Testimony, & dare not aspire unto the presumption of think­ing to fulfill it, with any proportion to the moment & merit or the matter of this clamant Case of Confession; Yet considering the weight & worth, profite, & price of those Truths, now committed to us to Testifie & suffer for, our indisputable duty as Ministers & Members of this Church; The in­dispensible obligation of our Holy Co­venants; The eminent dangers immi­nent on the Land, apparently ineluct­able, if not prevented by giving & tak­ing timeous warning: We cannot, must not, dare not forbear to offer our Mite of a Testimony, for the present precious Word of our Lords patience, and the Covenanted Reformation of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Di­scipline, & Government; & against all the Injuries, insolent Indignities, & audacious encroachments, done unto, & made upon the same, by which God is highly dishonoured, the Throne of his Glory affronted, the Kingdom of his Son undermined, & many Souls dreadfully involved in the guilt of this Confederacy against him. And so much the more confidence we have, & ne­cessity we find, to prompt to this un­dertaking, that both this duty is aban­doned by others, & imposed upon us by reason of the still continuing and growing persecution incessantly pursu­ing us, without relenting, notwith­standing others are flattered with pre­tences of clemency, & tenderness to Conscience, which is both encourag­ing & engaging to us to maintain this Testimony for which we suffer, & be­ing so sequestred from others, & se­parate (we say, not from the benefite, but) from the snare & curse of this Toleration by the late Proclamations against us, we take the more boldness, & have the more advantage to speak our minds, that what we say, as it is not by communication with others, so it cannot endanger any but our selves. And for what danger, we may be ex­posed to upon this so honourable ac­count, We are not careful in this matter: Our God is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, & if not, we think it rather a matter so be ambitious of, than of shame or fear, to be endangered there upon.

The present Invader of the Regal power, in his Proclamation of the Twentieth of Feberwarii last past 1687. hath by his Sovereign Authority, prero­gative Royal, & absolute power, which he requires all his Subjects to obey with­out reserve, granted a Toleration to Pa­pists, to Quakers, & to Moderate Presby­terians, under certain conditions, re­strictions & Limitations. In Which Proclamation the Moderate Presbyte­rians are Tolerate only to meet in their private houses & only to hear such Ministers as accept of this Indulgence, & none other (whereby all adhering to old Presbyterian principles & Pro­testations against such a vast Toleration are excluded, & such admitted to be heard who have receded from them) who are thereby obliged to say or do nothing contrary to the peace of his reign, seditious, or treasonable, under the highest pains these crimes will im­port, (& consequently must not declare that part of the Counsel of God, which cencerns his Antichristian enemies but [Page 10]consent that faithfulness to Christ be re­puted a Crime) nor are they to pre­sume to build Meeting-houses, or to use out-houses or barnes (but content themselves with the confinements, whereunto, they are restricted in preach­ing the Gospel) In the mean time all Preachers, Assisters & Connivers at Field Meetings are to be persecuted ac­cording to the utmost severity of the Laws made against them. Neverthe­less all Laws or Acts of Parliament, Customs or Constitutions, made or executed against any of the Popish way, are suspended stoped & disabled (and consequently all the Legal Establish­ments of the Protestant Religion are unhinged) so that they shall be in all respects as free, as any Protestants whatsoever, not only to exercise their Religion, but to enjoy all Offices, Be­nefices, &c. Which he shall think fit to bestow upon them in all time com­ing (whereby he may put in any Popish Priest, in any Paroch Church, when he pleases) wherein also he claims a power of vacuating & annulling heritable rights (& by that same power may invade mens heretable properties, when he is pleased so to exert his Absolutness) & of cassing & discharging all former Oaths: And in place of all, substituting a new one, wherein he requires all his subjects or such of them, as he or his Council shall please, to swear that they acknowledge him to be rightful King & Supreme Governour of the three Realms, & over all Persons therein. (Not over all Causes, for the Eccle­siastical Supremacy is restored to An­tichrist from whom it was borrowed, & for which there is no use at present, Absolute power may do the turn as well as this) that they hold it unlaw­ful for subjects on any pretence, or for any cause whatsoever (even thô he should command his Popish Jani­zaries to massacre all Protestants, which is the tender mercy & burning fervent charity of Papists) to rise in armes against him, & that they shall never practise, or assist the Practisers of the same; & that they shall never resist his power, nor oppose his Authority to his person (which is the Compend of all the former Oaths, & further com­prehends an Engagement to justify all his personal Administrations, thô never so outragious as Acts of Lawful Au­thority) but upon the other hand shall to the utmost of their power, defend & maintain him his heirs & Successors, in the exercise of their absolute power & Authority against all deadly (where they are to engage not only to oune his power, paramouut & transcendent to all Law divine & humane, & to mancipate their Religion & reason with all their Religious & civil Liberties, to the Lustful rage, & unbridled will of a Tyrant; But if he should erect the formal & direct worship of Devils, & bring all their necks under the bow­string, they must neither resist it, nor contradict it, but upon the other hand actively concur with him, in doing all his will to the greatest excess of ryot, And must become executioners of their Fathers Mothers, Wives & Children, if it shall please him to put forth his absolute power in that exercise; For herein he claims & hereby is given a power to command what he will, & obliging Subjects to obey whatsoever he will command, to obey absolutely without reserve, without reserve of Conscience, Religion, Honour, Ho­nesty, or Reason: Which proclaims him in whose name the Proclamation is emitted, the greatest Tyrant that ever lived in the World, far surmounting all the lust, impudence, & insolence of any Roman, Sicilian, Turkish, Tartarian, or Indian Tyrant, that ever trampled upon the Liberties of mankind.

But finding this Proclamation was [Page 11]not well approven, because of the pal­pable, odiousness of this Oath; There­fore to mend the matter in a Letter to the Council (dated March 31. 1687. the supreme Law at present) he grant­ed, to all that should desire on these terms, the benefit of the said Indul­gence, without being obliged to take the Oath, during his pleasure only, or so long as the Council should find them behave themselves regularly and peace­ably without giving cause of offence to him, or any in Authority or trust under him. By which none of the for­mer restrictions are taken away (the Oath only excepted) but further ex­plained, that they shall not only say or do nothing, contrary to the peace of his reign, seditious or treasonable, but that they behave themselves regularly & peaceably, without giving any cause of offence to him, which comprehends lesser offences than sedition or Treason, even every thing that will displease a Tyrant, & a Papist, that is all faith­fulness in seasonable duties or Testi­monies. But taking to his considera­tion that some may easily put such in­terpretations upon his foresaid Procla­mation, as may discover his drift & de­sign; And, lest his different procedure in this project with England & Scotland should make his pretences to conscience suspect of Treachery, Therefore he hath fallen upon a more plausible way & given forth a more smooth Procla­mation, of the date the Twentieth eight of June the same year, super­structed upon the former, in which are further explications, but no taking off of former restrictions (except the Oath) seeing he further declares, that by the same Soveraign Authority, Preroga­tive Royal & absolute power he sus­pends stops & disables all penal Laws. And to the end that by the Liberty thereby granted, the peace & security of his Government in the practice there of, may not be endangered (that is, that his Tyranny may be secured in the peaceable Possession of all his En­croachments upon our Religion, Laws & Liberties, in the practice of this To­leration) he gives his subjects leave to meet & serve God after their oun way & manner (every way which is their oun, & according to their model, if it be not in Christs way) in private Houses, Chappels, or hired places, so that they take care that nothing be preached or taught, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of the People from him or his Government (& consequently no faithful warning must be given of the sins, duties or dangers of these times, or Testimony against the wickedness of this Tolera­tion, or the wickedness of the Tole­rator, by any that accept it, for these would be interpreted to have a tendency to alienate from the Government) & that their Meetings be peaceably held (suitably to this commenced confede­racy with Antichrist who here requires of all, who take the benefite of the present truce with him, & binding to the good behaviour) & publickly all persons freely admitted to them, (which is for the Informing trade, that Jesuites flies, may have access to observe and delate how the Instructions are kept) & that they signify to some of the next privie Councillors Sherifs, &c. What places are set a part for the uses, with the names of the Preachers (whereby they are restricted to the terms of a formal bargain, & must have their lease & licence for every place of preaching, & no persons are admitted, but such as give up their names excluding here­by all that for any measure of faithful­ness in duty are obnoxious to their wicked Laws) in the mean time Field Meetings are strictly prohibited, & all Laws & Acts of Parliament are left in full force & vigor against them; for [Page 12]which now he sayes after this favour, surpassing the hopes, & equalling the very wishes of the most Zealously con­cerned, there is no shadow of excuse left (which may hold to true of some, who by this acceptance discover their hopes & wishes, & Zeal to be termi­nate upon peace rather than Truth, ease rather than duty, & their oun things rather than the things of Christ: But as for us, it some way answers our fears, & corresponds with our jea­lousies; And therefore while others are rejoycing under the shadow of such a bramble, we think it matter of mourn­ing, not because we are excluded from the benefite of it, but that so many are included in the guilt of it, & exposed to the curse of it; And do look upon it, as a seasonable & necessary Testi­mony for the Cause of Christ, & the Interest of the Protestant Religion, & the Laws & Liberties of the Country, all overturned & subverted by this To­leration, to keep our Meetings as in former times in the open Fields, whether his Tyranny hath driven us.

But these who are carrying on wick­ed designs know not what course to take as most effectual for gaining their ends, & do change their methods so oft as they change their thoughts about the means most apparently successful: So he hath again thought fit to give out another Proclamation of the date the fifth day of October, the foresaid year, declaring not only that all persons, Preachers & hearers that are present at any Meeting in the open Fields (which are their greatest eyesore, because the Rights of the Crown & Kingdom of Christ are there pleaded, asserted & vindicated) but also all dissenting Mi­nisters, who shall take upon them to preach in houses, without observing the foresaid directions, as are prescrib­ed by the late Proclamation, viz. (that nothing be preached or taught among them, which may any way tend to alienate the hearts of the People from this absolute & incontrollable Monarch or his Government, & that their Meet­ings be peaceably, openly, & publickly held, & all persons freely admitted to them; And that they do signify and make known to some one or moe of his privie Councillors, Sheriffs, Ste­warts, Bailies, Justices of peace, or Magistrates of Royal Burrowghs, what place or places they set apart for these uses, with the names of the Preachers) shall be also prosecuted with the utmost rigor & severity, that their Laws will allow. And to make all sure, he re­quireth every one of his foresaid Offi­cers, to whom such intimation shall be made, to send to the Clerks of the privie Council once every moneth, the names & Sirnames of the Preachers, & the times & places of their Meetings. In all this unexpected Clemency (as he terms it) not satisfying himself with what he hath declared against Field Meetings, in the forsaid Proclamations concerning them, he giveth out yet another of the date the 18. of October last against such Meetings, calling such assemblies for the Worship of God, Ran­devouzes of Rebellion, Authorizing all Officers, Civil & Military to appre­hend, secure in firmance the persons of some Ministers, & for encouragment, ensures them the summ of 100. p. Sterl. for each of these Ministers; A goodly price, where with not only they, but their Master & Message are prized, & put upon some, who ever since the first of these Proclamations have been so unhappy as to be innocent of these things laid to their charge, being out of the Kingdom, & so out of capacity to concur in that duty of carrying and following Christs standart in the preach­ed Gospel, indispensibly required of all his Confessors that are in it. Which as it proclaims the manifest impudence [Page 13]of those lies, wherewith the Proclama­tion is stuffed; So it may provoke all who are touched with zeal against the Indignities done to Christ, & would be accounted among his faithful witnesses, against the present Antichristian design, to an ambition of exposing themselves to the reproach of such lying mouths, the greatest honour of the Servants of Christ.

Having now in this delineation of the foresaid Proclamations already dis­covered somewhat of the obvious ini­quity of the present design against our Covenanted Reformation: We shall now proceed to offer our Testimony for the same, against the present at­tempts to ruine & zaze it. And there­fore in the first place, Testifie against the Toleration; And next for the obli­gation of our Covenants, & the ne­cessity & expediency of keeping our Meetings in the Fields, the suppression of which being one of the wicked de­signs of the Toleration, that suspends other Laws, but leaves all in force & vigor against these.

But ere we begin with the first of these, that we may clear the matter, prevent mistakes, & preoccupy objections, we must premit. 1. That Lawful Magi­strats are placed in the Common-wealth by God, the Supreme Governour of the whole World, to be a terror to evildoers, & a praise to them that do well; So they rule not for men, but for God, with whom is no iniquity: But as Tyrants & Usurpers have no more interest in this than Robbers have in the Authorization of rightful pro­prieties; So where Magistrats are Law­ful, & acting Lawfully, they will find it their duty to be a terror to these evil doers, who are now Tolerated, & a praise to them, who are persecuted. 2. We cheerfully subscribe to that Ar­ticle of our Confession of Faith Chap. 23. § 4. That Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrats just & legal Authority, nor free the People from the due obe­dience to him. But we think it no way inconsistent therewith to say with Naphthali pag. 6. Prior Edit. Let the words be considered, & we are confi­dent, that no sober man will think the acknowledgment of just & legal Au­thority, & due obedience a rational ground to infer that Tyranny is there­by either allowed or priviledged. Fur­ther we grant all that is in the Con­fession, viz. Dominium non fundari in­gratia. Yet this we assert; that a Prince, who not only is of another Religion, but an avowed enemy to, & overturner of the Religion established by Law, & in­tending & endeavouring to introduce a heretical, false, Blasphemous & Idolat­rous Religion, can claim no just & legal Authority; but in this case, the People may very lawfully decline his pretended usurped Authority. For thô Infidelity or difference of Religion, does not make void Authority, where it is lawfully in­vested with consent of the People, & without encroachment on their religious & legal Liberties; Yet it may incapacitate a person, & lawfully seclude him from Authority, over a Christian People having the reformed Religion establish­ed by Law, & confirmed by solemn & national Covenants, both according to the Laws of the Land, which do in­capacite a Papist of all Authority, Su­preme or Subordinate; And by the Oath of Coronation, which obliges all Kings at the reception of their Princely Au­thority, to make their faithful promise to maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus (by which ever since the framing of that Oath, was meant only the Pro­testant Religion) & shall abolish and gainstand all false Religions, &c. And consequently must not so much as To­lerate Popery which no Papists can engage, or be admitted to swear, ac­cording [Page 14]to the Word of God, which forbids expressly to set a Stranger over us, who is not our Brother Deut. 17.15. Which includes as wel a stranger of a strange Religion, as one of a strange Country. This is not our No­tion only; It is asserted by Doctor Guild in his exposition 2 Sam. 5.1, 2. Observe 5 pag. 104. We infer the general rule of election of Magistrats, as well in re­gard of his qualities, & form of election as of the end, wherefore he is to be elected. As for his qualities 1 He must not be a stranger in birth, much less in Religion, but must be of a conjunction natural & spiritual with them whom he governeth, otherwise there can be no sympathie nor symbolizing between them. 2. He must be able to govern, which is called here to lead out & in: Next the form of his election should be by common & voluntary consent, according to the constitution of the State, & Oath or obligation of right administration, the rule whereof, should be the Law of God, & positive Con­stitutions of the realm, and last the end should be to feed the People, caring that they be spiritually fed in the food of life, & temporally, that they be not spoyled, or bereft of their means of the life corporal, to be their Guider, Pro­tector, Father, Patron, & to have a regard to all necessities, as the good Pastor hath to his sheep & the Father to his family. And before him, it is af­firmed by Famous Mr. Knox, whose four propositions, as they are to be read, in the account of his life, before his History in quarto, & prosecuted in his second blast, we shall here insert. 1. It is not birth only, nor propinquity of blood that maketh a King lawfully to reign, over a People Professing Christ Jesus, & his Eternal verity, but in his election, the ordinance, which God hath established in the election of inferiour Judges must be observed. 2. No ma­nifest Idolater, nor notorious transgres­sor of Gods Holy precepts, ought to be promoted to any publick Regiment, honour or dignity, in any realm, Pro­vince or City, that hath subjected them­selves to Christ Jesus, & his blessed Evangel. 3. Neither can Oath or pro­mise bind any such People, to obey & maintain Tyrants against God, & his Truth known. 4. But if rashly they have promoted any manifest wicked person, or yet ignorantly have chosen such an one, as after declareth himself unworthy of regiment above the Peo­ple of God (& such be all Idola [...] & cruel persecuters) most justly may the same men depose & punish him, that unadvisedly before they did nomi­nate, appoint & elect. And besides we are to remember, the practice of these venerable divines, that penned that ex­cellent Confession, how avowedly they professed & prosecuted, & ani­mated & encouraged the Parliament to an opposition to the then King, abusing his Authority to the detriment of Re­ligion & Liberty, & to the obstruction of Reformation: And the declared prin­ciple of the general assembly of this Church, when they refused to concur in that unlawful engagement, for re­storing of Charles the first till security were had by solemn Oath under his hand & seal. That he should for him­self & Successors, give his Assent to all Acts & Bills, for enjoyning Presbyte­rian Government, & never make op­position to it, nor endeavour, any change thereof July ult. 1648. sess. 21. And when they refused to admit Char­les the second to the exercise of his power, except he should take the Co­venant, as it is to be seen in their sea­sonable & necessary warning July 27. sess. 27. 1649. And in the Act of the West Kirk August 13. 1650. wherein they declare that they will not oune him nor his Interest, otherwayes than [Page 15]with a subordination to God, & so far as he ounes & prosecutes the Cause of God & disclaims his & his Fathers op­position to the Work of God, & to the Covenant. By all these it is evident, that our renowned Reformers, were not men of such a principle, as that People were bound to oune, obey, & maintain a Tyrant against God, & his Truth: And that neither the Authors of our Confession of Faith in England, nor owners thereof in Scotland, did ever understand that Article so, as that a Malignant enemy to our Covenanted Reformation, let be an Idolaterous he­retical Enemy to the Christian Religion, could be capable of bearing rule, or owned to be a Ruler over the Lords People in Britain & Ireland: And that could ground the intire Loyaltie super­structed upon it by the Citizens & In­habitants of Edinburgh & Cannongate, that give out themselves to be of the Presbyterian persuasion, & professed by them in their Address to the person & Government of such an one, as the Duke of York. 3. It is the right and duty of Magistrats to use an impera­tive, coercive & cumulative power about Church matters, in commanding Ministers to do their ministerial du­ties, prescribed unto them, by their only Head & Master Christ; In restrain­ing Idolatry, Superstition, error and Prophanness; In giving the Ambassa­dours of Christ their protection, and adde their civil sanction to just & law­ful Ecelesiastick decrees. And it is the duty of Ministers, to grant unto the Magistrate all the foresaid power, and to be thankful to God, & grateful to them, for the benefite of the right exer­cise of it. And to pray for them, that we may lead a quiet & peaceable life in all Godliness & honesty. But for usur­pers to assume to themselves a Sove­raign Authority, prerogative Royal and absolute power, to ranverse their Con­stitutions, Tolerate Idolatry, & allow Meetings for Gospel Ordinances only with restrictions to persons who may preach, places where they may preach, & matter what they shall preach, can­not be allowed by any, who dare not have a hand in betraying the Church & yeelding to all such encroachments on her Liberties: And to pray for the prosperity of Tyrants, that we may be enslaved in our Religion & Liberty, is a wicked thing. 4. It is indeed the hon­our of Kings & happiness of People, to have true Humane & Christian Li­berty, established in the common wealth, that is, Liberty of persons from slave­ry, Liberty of priviledges from Tyran­ny, & Liberty of Conscience from all Impositions of men, consisting in a free­dom from the Doctrines, Traditions or the Commandments of men, against or beside the Word of God, in the free enjoyment of Gospel Ordinances in purity & power, & in the free obser­vance & establishment of all his Insti­tutions of Doctrine, Worship, Disci­pline & Government, in subordination to the only rule conscience, the re­vealed will of its only Lawgiver Jesus Christ. When this is ratified as a right, by the Sanction of approven Authori­ty, & countenanced & encouraged as Religion, by the confirmation of Laws, approving whatsoever is commanded by the God of Heaven, to be done for the House of the God of Heaven (which is the full amount of all Ma­gistrats Authority) then we are obliged to accept of it, with all thankful ac­ceptation: But such a Liberty, as over­turns our Rights, our Priviledges, our Religion, & Tolerats it only under the notion of a crime, & Indemnifes it under the notion of a fault to be par­doned, & allowes the exercise thereof only in part, so & so modified, cannot be accepted by any to whom the re­proach thereof is a burden, & to whom [Page 16]the reproaches of Christ, are in esteem, in such a day, when even the hoofs of Christs Interest, buried in bondage, are to be contended for. What Liberty this may be to some Consciences. It is none to the tender, according to the rule of Conscience. 5. It is certain a Magistrate ought to restore, what right or Liberty, he hath robbed from the Church, if it be the same Liberty re­stored, that was taken away. Yea we concede, if a Magistrate shall grant a simple permission & Liberty to the Mi­nisters of the Church, to exercise all the parts of their Office without any encroachment upon any kind of power seated in Churches Indicatories, & ha­ving no sinful tendency, Ministers may lawfully improve it, for the advance­ment of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ: But this is so far from being the same that was taken away, that no part of it is restored as it was robbed, but so defaced & depraved with Antichristian & Tyrannical Modifications, that none that adhere to Scotlands Reformation, can receive it, as apart of that Liber­ty wherewith Christ had made them freer 6. As it is Ministers duty, by ver­tue of their Commission & Charge from Christ, to exercise all the parts of their Office fully & freely, whither Magi­strats will or not; So if we might have Liberty so to exercise our function in a freedom from civil restraints we would willingly take & improve it. Yea as we abhore the continued persecution against us, not so much for the wrongs we sustain by it, as for the wickedness thereof; So we detest the extending of it against any for Religion or Con­science sake, or the offering violence to any mans Conscience, & in a safe sense could allow that principle, which he would make the world believe to be his, who now seeks to withdraw all Consciences from the trwe & only Rule of it, that it ought not to be violented or (as it is said in the English Decla­ration) forced in matters of meer Religion; or that invincible necessity, ought not to be used against any man on the account of his persuasion. If his constant encroachments upon our lives, Laws and Liberties, & all our Interests as men & Christi­ans, besides the known bloody Tenets of Papists, did not manifest the impu­dence of this lying pretence, and if it were not notour, that even since this pretended Liberty, many have been ba­nished, imprisoned & pursued, meerly for Conscience sake. And it must be great blindness not to see, & great boldness willingly to winck at that double faced equivocation, in matters of meer Religion, or using invincible necessity; By which he can elude when he pleases all these flattering pro­mises of tenderness, by excepting at the most necessary & indispensible du­ties, if either they be such, wherein any other Interest is concerned, beside meer Religion or if the troubles sus­tained thereupon; be not altogether invincible necessities. Hence the plain falshood & doubleness of his assertions, as to what is past, may give ground to conclude his intended perfidie in pro­mises of what is future. But to accept of a Liberty clogged with encroachments upon the Liberties of Christs free King­dom, or either formally or interpre­tatively, directly or indirectly to give way to a Toleration of Idolatrous or false wayes of worship, is odious to all that know the rule of Conscience: Thô Conscience is not to be forced either to Religion or Irreligion; And Religion is not to be propogated by force, yet the open efforts & overt-acts, & propagation of Irreligion, Atheism, Idolatry, Blasphemy, &c. ought to be restrained by force, & every person pre­tending to Conscience constrained to give outward respect to the Lawgiver, & rule of Conscience. And what Li­berty [Page 17]is either intended, or does nativ­ely tend to Tolerate what is dishonourrable to God or destructive to con­science, cannot be embraced by any who are tender in keeping a Conscience void of offence towards God & man.

These things premitted. We come in the next place to declare our Testi­mony against the Toleration. And this we shall do, both as it is simply and complexely considered.

First considering it simply, we cannot but testify against it.

1. In regard that it doth palpably cross & contradict the will of God, revealed in the Scriptures of Truth, Gen. 35.1, 2, 3, 4. Exod. 23.31, 32, 33. Exod. 34.12, 13, 14, 15. Deut. 7.2-6. 25, 26. Deut. 13.6, 12. &c. Josh. 22.10, 12. Josh. 23.11, 12, 13. Judg. 2.1.2, 3. 1 Sam. 3.13, 14. 1 King. 18.40. 2 King. 9.22. 2 Chron. 15.15, 16. Psal. 101. throughout. Prov. 20.8. Cant. 2.15. Ezek. 43.7, 8. Zech. 13.2, 3, 4. John 2.15, 16. Rom. 13.3, 4. Revel. 2.2.14, 20. Prov. 17.16.

2. The Commissioners of the Ge­neral Assembly did plainly & fully witness against the Toleration that was in the bud Anno 1649. And the reve­rend Assembly of divines at West-minister, have in the Larger Cate­chisme, in the exposition of the second Commandment, reckoned the Tolerati­on of false Religion, amongst the sins forbidden therein. And in the Con­fession of Faith Chap. 20. §. 4. Asserted that such opinions or practices as are contrary to the light of nature, or the known principles of Christianity, or de­structive to the external peace & Order which Christ hath established in the Church, they may be proceeded against, by the Censures of the Church, & by the power of the civil Magistrate. And Chap. 23. §. 3. That it is the Magistrats duty to take care, that the Truth of God be kept pure & intire, that all blasphemie & heresies be suppressed, all corruptions and abuses in worship and discipline, prevented or reformed, & all the ordi­nances of God, duely settled, admi­nistred & observed.

3. In regard that a Toleration is utterly repugnant unto & inconsistent with the indispensible Oath of God in the National Covenant very expressly condemning it, & more particularlie the solemn league & Covenant. It is not the way to maintain (nay cannot con­sist with maintaining) Reformation, to carry on a Uniformity to extirpate here­sie, superstition, schisme, profanness, and whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine, & the power of Godliness; To free our Souls from the guilt of others mens sins, to make the Lord one, & his Name one; All which we are engaged & sworn unto in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, with a true intent to performe the same, as we shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed.

4. In regard of the sad & sinful ef­fects, that it produceth such as the growth & increase of heresie, supersti­tion and error, the prophaning the Lords day, the contempt & casting loose of Church discipline, the subver­sion of Souls, the offence of the Godly & Faithful. In stead of Reformation, Deformation; Instead of the power of Godliness, vain Jangling; Instead of love, bitter heart burnings & jealousies; Instead of union, schisme & divison; And instead of peace, contention & strife; Instead of Government and Order, Anarchy & Confusion, as it is elegantly held forth & evidenced by the Ministers of Perth & Fife in their forecited Te­stimony pag. 31. The General Assembly of our Church in their Declaration & Exhortation to their Brethren in Eng­land, say, what is Liberty of Con­science, but Liberty of error, scandal, [Page 18]schisme, heresie, dishonour of God, opposing the Truth, hindering Refor­mation, & seducing others. And the Ministers of the County Palatine of Lancaster in their harmonious Testi­mony against Toleration subscribed by them March. 7. 1647. do fittly adde that a Toleration is the puting a Sword into a mad mans hand, a cup of Poison in to the hand of a child, a letting loose of mad men with fire brands in their hands, an appointing a city of refuge in mens Consciences for the Devil to flee to, a laying of the stumbling block before the blind, a proclaiming Liberty to the Wolves to come into Christs fold to prey upon his Lambs; A Toleration of Soul-murther (the greatest Murther of all other) and for the establish­ing whereof damned Souls in Hell, would accurse men on earth: Could it be to provide for tender Consciences, to take away all Conscience; If evil be suffered it will not suffer good; If error be not kept under, it will be Superiour. In fine, let any read Mr. Durham in his excellent Treatise of scandal, particularly part. 3. Chap. 2. pag. 146. 147. And they will see how he holdeth forth the Toleration, & suffering of error to be a thing most hateful in its self, most hurtful in its consequences, & most displeasing to Christ: For if error, (saith he) be such an evil, that thwarteth. 1. Both with Gods Holiness & Truth: And 2. That hazardeth so many Souls (for never a plague hath so destroyed the face of the visible Church nor carried so many Souls to Hell as error hath done) then the suffering of it, cannot but be hateful to him, who Loveth his Church. 3. There is no way, whereby the Devil reproacheth Ordinances, & the word, more than by this, by turning them to the quite contrary end, as if he would outshoot the Lord in his oun bow (which is abominable to mention) & invert his oun means, & turn his oun weapons upon him, & suffering of this is a conniving at his design. 4. There is no way by which the Devil may so get in on Christs Servants to seduce them, as by this, as in the Epistle to Thyatira is clear. And can there danger come so nigh Christ & he not displeased with what strengtheneth their snares. 5. This doth equal, yea in some respect prefer the Devil to him so far as in us lieth, & so cannot but provoke his jealousie; For, so the Devil hath Liberty to vent his Lies with Truth equally; And there being many Lies, though there be but one Truth he hath by this moe doors opened to him than the Gospel hath. 6. This doth make even the Truth, Ordinances and Religion it self to be thought light of; When all these have toleration, it is on the matter a proclaim­ing an Indifferency to be in these things than which nothing can more reflect on the jealous God, who in his Word putteth such a difference, & sheweth such detestation at indifferency. 7. This bringeth hudge confusions on the Church. For 1. If these errors & cor­rupt teachers prevail, they carry Souls after them & destroy them, & ought that to be thought light of? 2. If they prevail not, yet they cross, afflict & offend them, & so prove a snare and burden to them, of whom the Lord is tender. 8. Toleration doth either ac­count litle of error, as being no hurt­ful thing, & so there can be no esteem of Truth; or it doth account little of the destruction of Souls; both which must be abominable. 9. Error doth not only break Gods Law, but doth teach others to do so; & suffering thereof must be a maintaining of teachers to trans­gression & Rebellion against the Lord.

Next we witness against this present Toleration complexly considered. And that we do

1. In respect of the Granter, con­sidered [Page 19]either as to his morals, or Re­ligion, or Relation, he is to all con­sidering men, a person of that character, whose dainties are not to be desired, & that when he speaketh is not to be believed, for there are seven abomi­nations in his heart, Prov. 26.25. His Plots & practices in his known accession to the burning of Londen 1666. In the Popish Plot discovered 1678. In the Murder of the Earl of Essex, do give some swatch and specimen of his former craft & cruelty, & of what further he may be suspected to intend as meri­torious to atone for such villanies, to wit the Exterpation of the Protestant Religion, than which in the esteem of Papists nothing can be more meritori­ous. And for which he hath deserved to forefeit all trust with men of know­ledg or Conscience; he is known of all to be an Excommunicat Papist, and a sworn votarie & vassal of Antichrist, & enrolled in the Societie of Jesuites, and therefore being in his principles pro­fessedly treacherous, yea obliged to be both treacherous & truculent by that Religion, he cannot be trusted in the leist concerns, let be those of such momentuous consequence, without a stupid abandoning of Conscience, rea­son & experience; When both that known principle, that no Faith it to be kept to Hereticks, espoused by all Papists, does to them justify all their lying dissi­mulations, equivocations & treacheries imaginable; And that. Lateran canon, that enjoyns Kings to destroy & extirpate Hereticks under the pain of excommunication, does oblige him to be cruel to Prote­stants, by him esteemed to be such. Besides that in his relation, he cannot be looked upon, as a rightful or righte­ous Magistrate, by any that understands & considers the Institution, Consti­tution, Characters & Boundaries of that Sacred Ordinance, & knowes by what dreadful & detestable means he usurped that place, who can say a confederacy unto, make transaction with, or take any security from such a Granter, that expects the benefite of the Lords San­ctuary Isai. 8.12.13. If it was the Schechemites sin & shame to strengthen a naughty Abimelech & strengthen them­selves under the shadow of his pro­tection Judg. 9.9. Much more must it be to take protection for Religion, as well as peace from a man of cruelty and treachery.

2. In respect of its design: which he himself expresseth to be to unite the hearts of his subjects to him in loyalty, & to their Neighbours in Love: Which is to encline & induce them by flatterie to lawless loyalty, & a stupide con­tented slavery, & make them actively cooperate, in setting up, & setling his Tyrannie in the indisturbed possession of all his usurpation; And to incor­porate them with Babylon; For, who are the Neighbours, he would have them unite with in Love, but the Pa­pists, against whom all the Lovers of Christ, must profess irreconcilible En­mity. But in the sense & sentiments of all sound & zealous Protestants; The design of the Work & Worker is to get unto himself an acknowledgment of his blasphemous absolutness, and to advance it over all Laws, in a way, which will be best acquiesced in by the People till he be so strengthened in it, that he fears no control; To get all the Accepters one way or other to operate with him in his Popish and bloody ends. To get our penal Laws against the Subjects and Promoters of Antichrists Kingdom with the less con­tradiction stoped and disabled which by this esteemed gratious Grant, and grateful Acceptance of it, he hath already effectuated. And now by the same measures he is encouraged to atchieve the total rescinding and repeal­ing of them. In the mean time his [Page 20]drift is very visible, and palpable to increase differences, divisions & animo­sities amongst Protestants to hyre these Presbyterians, whom he calleth more moderate to commend his Clemency, while he is exercising it, in pillaging plundering, hunting, apprehending, stigmatizing, banishing & killing other Conscientious Non-conformists; To stop the mouths of Protestants with this morsel of Liberty, while he is filling all the places of power & trust, with men, devoted to his way, by taking off the penal Laws, disabling them, & then when all power is in the hands of bloody Papists, none shall dare to mutter, against the setting up of the publick Masses. And finally he designs to infatuate the body of the Land, & lull them asleep, by this intoxicating Opium, or at leist to lay them by from all opposition, till he undermine and overturn the Protestant Religion, and establish Poperie & Slavery, which he intends either to accomplish by these smooth flatteries, by peace to overturn Truth, and by getting the Laws against the Popish repealled, to make way for rescinding these for the Protestant Re­ligion: Or rendering them secure, as the Zidonians, who dwelt carelessly, to make his bloody Massacring attempts upon the whole body, & what he in­tends to do with the whole, if they come not the full length of Comply­ance, may be seen in his outragious beginings with the West of Scotland, the old butt of his malice which as some­times he hath expressed his desire, so now it seems he designs to make a Hunting-field. We may see through the Tragical History of former ages, what wicked and hellish design the men of his character have had, in their Prote­stations and Proclamations of pretend­ed favour. It is kwon how Julian the Apostate amongst other devices he used to root out Christianity, gave a Tole­ration openly to all the different Pro­fessions, that were among Christians, whereof there were many Heretical in those dayes: And he commenced this cursed contrivance, by calling home the Orthodox Bishops, whom Con­stantius banished, that the Church might be embroiled by a civil war of Con­tention among themselves, as Sozomen observes lib. 5. And in the mean time conniving at, & encouraging the law­less outrages of barbarous heathens against them, which they thought they were well enough Authorized, in know­ing it would please the Emperour, which was an unwritten Law to them, which afterwards was followed with a more open faced & declared war against all that professed Christ; which is ex­actly aped by James the Apostate now for the same end. So the Massacre of Paris was carried on with the Kings Marrying his Sister to the King of Navar, a famous Protestant Prince, & with many publick & solemn Prote­stations & Declarations of favour to the Protestant Church, while in the mean time, they were plotting & con­spiring how to Massacre them all, whereunto he was instigate by Jezebel his Wife, though he was forward enough himself, his genius leading him that way, & which was carried on by the Duke of Guise, as the main leader of these Murderers, who still cried out (which was all the Law & reason he used, for instigating these bloody Rus­sians to that hellish outrage) Courage my Fellowes this is the Kings command, It is his express will & pleasure. And after butcherig the famous Coligni, they went thorow the streets (at the toling of the Royal bell, which was the sign of that horride perpetration) killing all Protestants, without distinction of age, sexe or quality, so that in the space of two hours or there about, ten thousand were cruelly put to death in that City. [Page 21]The like villany was committed thorow the rest or France, & the car­rying on of the present & almost unpa­ralelled persecution there, with the Ty­ranny & Treachery of that Bigot Ar­bitrarian after so many Laws & Edicts seemingly securing the Protestants against all fears, may let us see, what may be expected of those Princes, who devout themselves to the lust & rage of Popish Orders, these locusts come out of the bottomless pit. We have also a recent instance of the cruelty and Treacherie of that fiery litle Tyger the Duke of Savoy, against some of the relicts of the old Waldenses in the val­ley of Piedmont, who after some ruf­fles received, promised unto them the enjoyment of their Religious & civil Liberties, if they would lay down their Armes; But after had got them spoyled of their outward defence, he catched many thousands of them, killing them in Prisons with hunger & cold. And as the Duke of York doth affect much the absolutness of the French Monarch, so we may expect no better of him (what ever he promise (who can do & undo, by vertue of his declared Prerogative, being as absolute over promises as over Laws) and however many do extol him as a Gratious Prince) then that he shall trace the steps of his falsehood, treachery, cruelty & Romish Zeal; That so we may have an Instance of Babylons deceit & rage acted in Brittain & Ireland, which may make other In­stances, not to be Remembered. They are blind who do not see, & stupid who have not the sense of the dreadfulness of these designs of this Tolerator, which he thinks to accomplish by this Toleration, unto which it is very subservient & which cannot be counteracted, but very much stregthened by this acceptance of it.

3. In respect of its Fountain, from whence it flowes, & is given forth, a despotical & Arbitrarian Domination, outvying & surmounting the night of Otteman Tyranny. It proceeds from & is refounded on the Leviathan of Sove­reign Authority, Prerogative Royal & absolute power, which all are to obey without reserve. Which is a power loosed from, & above all Laws, only regulable by the Royal lust, which can­not be owned, by any, who know what Religion or Liberty is, being con­trary, to nature, contrary to the ends of all Government, the Glory of God, & the good of humane Societies, man­cipating all the Interests of mankind to the lust of one impowered to destroy all, against the exorbitancy whereof, no means are left to prevent its obstruct­ing all the fountains of Justice, and turning all into anarchy & confusion, inconsistent with any security, People can have, either of Religion or Safety, & so cannot be the ordinance of God, nor the person assuming it, his Minister for good; A Lawless power making all Laws void, needless & useless, & so Tyrannical in Actu signato, claiming a power Jure to Tyrannize when he pleases; A power destructive to the Peoples Liberties, under which the People cannot be secured in the posses­sion of any thing they have in the world; A power invading the incommunicable prerogative of the Universal King, who only is absolute, whose Glory is to have his will, for the Rule of his power. Psal. 115.3. Ephes. 1.11. Isai. 46.10. A power expressly condemned as Ty­ranny in Scripture. Dan. 5.19, 20. Amos. 6.12, 13. Which in a word can­not be better named nor represented under a better notion, than that which the famous & faithful Mr. Andrew Mel­vin calls it, The bloody gullie of ab­solute power, as he inveighs against it, in the assembly 1582. This is the foun­tain & foundation of this Toleration, by which indeed, the name & common profession of the Protestant Religion, [Page 22]may be for a time suffered precariously durante beneplacito donatoris, untill his plea­sure shall be to command the establish­ment of Popery, which then he will expect must be complied with without controll. But all avouched adherence to old Protestant and Presbyterian prin­ciples is hereby interdicted, so all the tenure, that Protestants have for their Religion, is only the arbitrary word of an absolute Dominator, whose prin­ciples oblige him to break it, & his ab­soluteness to disdain to be a slave to it. Howbeit it cannot be denyed, that the acceptance of this grant declaredly pro­ceeding from such a power, and pro­fessedly requiring the acknowledgment of it, in the acceptance does, imply the recognizance of this power, that the Granter claims in granting it.

4. In respect of its Conveyance, & that is through the conduit of the most apparent means of establishing Popery, & subverting Protestancy, by stoping & disabling all these penal Laws and Statutes enacted against Papists, & leav­ing in force, yea commanding to execute according to their rigor, all laws made a­gainst honest Presbyterians, the most true & faithful Protestants, & stoping none of the most cruel of them, but emitting more & more barbarous Edicts against them; For the most cruel, are such as are made against Field-meetings, which are hereby left in ful vigor, what mean can be more effectual to destroy our Reformation; than to suspend all Laws against any, that shall attempt the utter subversion of it, and ratifie all wicked Acts against such as would most avow­edly assert, or own the obligation of all sacred bonds to preserve it? Hence as he hath presumed by absolute power to suspend all Laws, made for the pro­tection of our Religion, so by the same, when he will, he may repeal all Laws for its establishment. And these who approve the one by such an acceptance, cannot disallow the other, but most recognosce a power in this Tolerator to subvert all Laws; And so by ac­cepting this lawless, & Law-subverting Liberty, they make themselves guilty of the palpable breach of the national Covenant, where the Laws are con­tained, which this Toleration suspends; And dreadfully accessory to all the sad effects of this undermining all the legal bulwarks of our Religion.

5. In respect of the nature & extent of it. It is Toleration, which is al­wayes of evil, for that which is good, cannot be Tolerated, under the notion of good, but countenanced & encour­aged as good. Therefore it reflects upon our Religion, when a Toleration is accepted, which implies such a re­proach; seeing it is not ratified as a Right, nor encouraged as a Religion, but To­lerated under the notion of an evil to be suffered. And such a Toleration as maks the Professors of Christ, partners in the same bargain with Antichrists Vassals, & sets up the Ark in the place, & under the same sconce with dagon; & the Devils thresholds by the Lords threshold; & whereby a sluce is open­ed, to let the enemy come in like a flood, none lifting up a Standart against them. Since it is a Toleration, not only of Archbishops, Bishops & Cu­rats, but of all Quakers and Papists, reaching all Idolatrie, blasphemie, Heresie: which to accept, is contrary to Scripture, our Confession of Faith, & Catechismes, as was shewed above; and clearly inconsistent with the prin­ciples of the Church of Scotland, with the Covenants, national & solemn lea­gue where we are bound to extirpate Popery, &c. Preserve the Reformation, de­fend our Liberties, & so never to accept of a Toleration in its nature & tendency eversive of all these precious Interests, we are sworn to maintain.

6. In respect of its conditions, limi­tations [Page 23]& restrictions, by which all the kinds of power, that Christ hath seated in his Church is invaded, invalidated, & evacuated. As (1) the Dogmatick power, whereby Ministers are to judge of Truth & Error, in point of Doctrine, according to the Word of God only: this Key is extorted out of their hands, for according to the foresaid Proclamations, nothing may be taught by the moderate Presbyterian Ministers, in their To­lerated Meetings, that can be inter­preted by the Court, (according to their will, or their Law, for all is one) to have any tendency to alienate the hearts of the People, from this incontrollable Tyrant or his Government. Now by vertue of this condition, they may not doctrinal­ly discover unto People, the affronted wickedness of this unparalelled prero­gative; They may not shew the ini­quitie of the Laws, nor warn of the evil thereof; They may not testifie against the introduction of Poperie, nor these means that give an inlet unto it; They may not once mention any wic­ked design, in all this course of a cursed Toleration; They may not teach the obligation of the Covenants; Neither witness against the breaches thereof ex­pressly; Nor reprove the publick sins of the time; Nor warn of the dangers thereof, nor exhort them against com­plyances in particular with any course established by Law: For all this may be interpreted by Court Expositors, to have a direct tendency to alienat Peoples hearts from the man, & his Govern­ment. Accordingly Mr. Hardy is ap­prehended, imprisoned and proceeded against, for giving Concional Testi­mony against the taking off the penal Laws, & Statutes, which would be thought, could not have offended any Protestant. (2) The Diatactik power, whereby the Courts of Christ are to decern the circumstances of the worship of God, as time, place, &c. For or­der, decency, & edification, accord­ing to the general rules of the Word. This power is invaded, the Key of or­der is wroung out of their hands in like manner; For now the places of wor­ship are determined in the Royal Pro­clamations, which must be made known to some of the Court Patrons on whose warrand they are tyed to depend. What may be the hidden design of this intima­tion we know not; we heartily wish & pray, it may not be to do with them, as Jehu with the Priests of Baal. In the mean time Fed-meetings for the worship of God, which have been signally contenanced of the Lord, are severely interdicted; whereby the Word of the Lord, is bound & bounded; And by the accepters consent to such a mo­del, the bloody Laws against preach­ing in the open Fields, where People have freest access with convenience & Safety are justified; The manner of meeting is also restricted to be in such a way, as the peace and security of the Government, may not be endangered, & that they be peaceably & publickly held, yea it is expressly required in the Proclamation October. 5th. That all who shall preach, by vertue of this Royal Grant, at any time, or in any place, make intimation of their preach­ing, as to time & place, to same one or more of the next privie Council-Lords, which shall be sufficient for them, during their abode only: Whereby they not only are engaged to keep the peace with An­tichrist, or his Lievtenant in all their Meetings, & not only to give accession to all his Clandestine Censores, to ob­serve how they keep their Instructions; But formally must mancipate their Mi­nistry, & the freedom of its exercise, to a dependence upon the license of his Trustees; Which is not only a formal bargaining, with the enemies of Truth and Godliness, but a becom­ing their Servants, and so a forfeiting [Page 24]the honour of being esteemed, while they continue so enslaved, the faithful and free Servants of Christ, especially considering how as to the matter of their Preaching also, they involve them­selves in such inconveniencies, that either they must forbear some part of the Counsel of God, and decline the Testimony of this day, or else expose themselves as a prey to the lust of ene­mies, who hereby have brought them into a hose-net. 3. The Critick, or Corrective power, which the Courts of Christs have to censure Delinquents and absolve the Penitents, according to the Word of God, is also invaded & made void; For not only doth this Toleration robb the Ministers Tolerat­ed, and the Accepters, consent to be robbed of that power of impartial cen­suring those scandals that are Tolerated thereby, & all that make themselves guilty of complying with the same; or have been involved in sinful scandal­ous complyances with wicked courses formerly, such as taking of sinful Oaths, subscribing of sinful bonds, paying of sinful exactions, & other scandalous breaches of Covenant; Nor dare these that are free of them censure or re­move from among them their guilty Brethren, & so separate the clean from the unclean: But also invads & usurps this power, formally, in investing the Tolerator with Authority to Inhibite, & discharge some Ministers the exercise of their office whom the standing Laws of this Church do Authorize, and to allow others whom the Word of God, & Constitutions of our Church, require to be laid aside, & suspended from that function. 4. Finally, the Exousiastick power of trying, sending & Authoriz­ing office-bearers in the Church, is made useless & void by this Toleration; For, however an allowance is pretend­ed to keep assemblies, & send out Mi­nisters to answer the Peoples call; Neither are these assemblies lawfully constitute of, nor free for all that have right to sit there: Nor is their mission of Ministers nor the Peoples call, of any significancy or value, except inti­mation be made to this Exotick power of their names, that are to officiate, under this Toleration, & they be found such as please the Court Patrons, which is the worst of Patronages, that ever burdened this Church. Hence if a Mi­nister were never so lawfully ordained, never so blamless in his personal de­portment, never so formally appropriate to a particular flock, he cannot exerce his function, in any place, unless the next privie Councillor, Sherif, &c. Give their allowance. They will for­footh, have the Judging whether he be qualified or not, & if he have not the new conditio sine qua non, that only Qualification of them that are to be To­lerate, moderation, in the Court sense, which is nothing but loathsome luk­warmness in the things of Christ, and Court Loyaltie to a vassal of Antichrist, which is disloyaltie to Christ, he can have no Liberty to exercise his Office.

7. In respect of the manifest & ma­nifold scandal of it, we cannot but witness against the acceptance thereof, so offensive to the generation of the Righteous, so dishonourable to God, disgraceful to the Protestant Religion, & prejudicial to the Interest thereof. As we would not be accounted unfaithful to Christ, yea betrayers of our native Country, & Complyers with the design of Antichrist, who hath alwayes mischief in his heart, & intends this as a prepara­tive, for inducing & enforcing all that are hereby lulled asleep, either to take on this mark, or bear the mark of his fury hereafter. Hereby forreign Chur­ches may think Scotland is now in a fair way of reconciliation with An­tichrist, when his harbringers favours is so kindly accepted, and it cannot but [Page 25]be very stumbling to them to see the Ministers of Scotland, whose Testimo­ny used to be terrible to the Popish, & renowned through all the Protestant Churches, purchasing a Liberty to them­selves, at the rate, of burying & be­traying the Cause in bondage and re­straint, & thus to be laid by from all active & open opposition to the designs of Papists in such a season. Alas, sad & shameful have been the scandals gi­ven & taken, by & from the declining Ministers of this Churchs heretofore, which have rent and racked the poor Remnant, and offended many both at home & abroad; But none so stumbling as this, which to the present and suc­ceeding generation, will appear to be a succumbing at length, and yeelding up the Cause, and surceasing from any more contending for it, a contemning of former wrestlings for the same, tend­ing to harden and hearten open adver­saries in their wicked invasions on our Religion, Laws & Liberties, an sad evi­dence of being weary of the Cross of Christ, & that they would fain have ease upon any terms, & a weakening of the hands, & condemning the practice of these that suffer, when others are at ease.

Next, as we must testifie against the Accepters of this Toleration, who must be interpreted to take it, as it is given, and receive it as convoyed from its foun­tain of absolute power, through its chan­nel of an arbitrary Law-disabling, and Religion-dishonouring Proclamation, with consent to the sinfull Impositions with which it is tendered; Against all which there is no access for a Protesta­tion, consistent with the improvement of it, it being granted and accepted on these very terms, that there shall be no Protestation; For if there be, that will be found an alienating of the hearts of the Subjects from the Government, which by that Proclamation would be reflected upon: So in a particular man­ner, we must testifie against the Ad­dressers for it, who have formally said a Confederacie, and congratulated the Tolerator for this Toleration, & all the mischiefs he is machinating and effectuating thereby, especially seeing they have presumptuously taken upon them to send their Addresses, in the name of all Presbyterian Ministers, we think it concerns all honest men, Zealous Christians and faithful Ministers of that perswasion & denomination, in honour & Conscience to declare to the world by some publick Testimony, that they are not Consenters to that sinful, shame­ful and scandalous conspiracy, with which, all will be interpreted Consen­ters, that are not Contradicters, and charged with the guilt of it, that doth not make the resentment of it notour▪ We cannot express with what horror and sorrow, our hearts were filled to see an Address in the name of all the Presbyterian Ministers in Scotland. And another from the Inhabitants of the City of Edinburgh & Cannongate, who call themselves of the Presbyterian perswasion, who having been alwayes forward in a Catechrestick loyaltie, or slaverie of their persons & Consciences, are now ambitious, not to behind any in a flattering Profession of it▪ We say we are filled with wonder that they should assume to themselves, the name of Presbyterian Ministers, and give out their Addresses in the name of all, & that it was at their desire; when as the contents of it, are clearly contrary to Presbyterian principles, by justifying an Antichristian usurper, in undermining Religion, & approving the abrogation of the national, Covenant, confirming the Laws vow disabled, by thanking the Tolerator for opening a door to introduce Poperie, which we are sworn to extirpate, by consenting to limita­tions & restrictions, upon the exercise [Page 26]of their Ministrie, by accepting of a bounded Toleration, wherein Idolaters and hereticks have the greatest share, contrary to our Confession of Faith in the places forecited Chap. 2.23. which, notwithstanding they have insinuate, that they do owne, wherein either they bewray great inconsiderateness in acting so contrary to themselves, or else no small impudence, in laying claim to that Confession, which doth so condemn their way; Therefore we testifie against these Addressers. 1. Because of the ground for which they Address. What can they alledge for this? It is either for the Liberty granted to the exercise of their Ministry or else the Toleration complexely considered: If the former, then suppose they had got a full & free liberty, it would have been, but what was due, & to thank a man for giving what is not his own seemeth to insinuate a re­cognoscing a power to him to withhold it; But now their Liberty is loaded & clogged wil sinful and scandalous con­ditions, which is litle ground of thanks; If the latter be said, then they give their consent to set up Poperie and Quakerisme, for these are also Tole­rated, Also it is not to be passed, that there is nothing in all the Proclama­tions concerning this Toleration in the lest protested against by the Addressers; So we cannot see, how they can free themselves of congratulating their, cle­ment benefactor, for all the woful evils in the foresaid Proclamations that respect their imaginary favour, more valuable to then (as they say) than all earthly comforts. 2. Because of the sinful & shamful de­ficiency of the Addresses, they speak not a word against the openly designed Introduction of Poprie, no resentment of the eversion of Religious & civil Li­berties, no representation of the wrongs sustained under the grassation of the two Brothers; No Protestation against the invasion made upon the power that Christ hath seated in the Courts of his Church; & consequently upon his own incommunicable Headship: Not a word of the Covenants, but they are passed over in silence, as if they were ashamed of them; They say nothing of the Reformation, whereunto we once attained, & were solemnly engaged. 3. Because of their Lawless & illimited loyaltie. This is professed by the fore­said Ministers, To his Excellent, To his Gracious, & to his Sacred Majestie: Loy­altie not to be questioned, an intire Loyaltie in Doctrine, which is in effect disloyaltie to Christ, in not observing their In­structions received from him, but keep­ing silent at the wrongs done to him, & not declaring against the invasion of his open enemies: A resolved Loyaltie in practice, whereof also the Inhabitants of Edinburgh & Cannongate, will have him assured: This is no less than be­traying Religion & Liberty, in lying by from any active Testimonie and op­position to the open Destroyer of both: A fervent Loyaltie in Prayers, which we shall not now insist upon, being to speak of them afterward. This Loyaltie of theirs, is not a Christian Loyaltie, or Profession of subjection for Conscience sake, to a Minister of God for good, who is a terror to evil doers, nor a Presbyterian Loyaltie, to a King as it is qualified in the national and solemn League & Covenants; But a stupid sub­jection, and absolute allegiance to a Minister of Antichrist, who gives Li­berty to all evil men & seducers; A Loyaltie to a Tyrant in his overturning Religion, Laws and Liberties, and protecting & encouraging all iniquity. 4. Because of their soulsome flatterie: We need not instance how the Mini­sters in their Address say, from the deep sense they have of his Majesties gracious and surprizing favour, finding themselves bound in duty to offer their most humble & hearty thanks to his Sacred Majestie, the favour [Page 27]being to them valuable above all earthly com­forts: And how the Inhabitants of the City of Edinburgh and Cannongate ex­press themselves; We cannot find suitable expressions to evidence our most humble and grateful acknowledgements of your Majesties late gracious Declaration. The matter were less, if they did not speak a lie, for they say they are allowed the free & peaceable publick exercise of their Religion. Peaceable & publick it is, They know not how long; free it is not, for their Ministers are bound­ed with sinful restrictions as is shown above. And again they adde, could we open our hearts, your Majestie would undoubtedly see, whet deep sense and true Zeal for your service, so surprizing and signal a favour hath imprinted on our spi­rits, &c. This is worse than flattery: We say we need not adduce particular instances of their Adulation, for their whole strain is a rapsodie of flatteries more becoming Sycophants and Court parasites, than Ministers & Professors that give out themselves to be of the Presbyterian perswasion. 5. If the Ad­dresses were only stuffed with flatteries, it were less, but we cannot dissemble or conceal our horror & astonishment at some expressions; Which (if they come not near the borders of blasphe­mie) are Equivocations inconsisten­with ingenuity: The Ministers bless the Great God, who hath put this in his Royal heart: Which must either be understood in that sense, where it is said Revel. 17.17. God hath put in their hearts to give their Kingdom unto the beast; Which they durst not express to him, whom they Ad­dress, neither durst they bless the Lord for it with application to him: And to say this with such a reserved meaning, were odious to Protestants, & all ho­nest men. Or if they be ingenuous then they bless God for putting it in his heart to project all this wickedness, discovered in the design, tendency and nature of this Popish Toleration; which is not far from blasphemy to make the Holy one, the Author of that, which he hath declared his detestation of in his word. They further express their resolution, by the help of God, so to de­mean themselves, as his Majestie may find cause rather to inlarge than to diminish his favours towards them. Which upon the matter is either a double Equivocation, or else it must be understood, they re­solve to demean themselves so, as that a Zealous Papist shall find cause to enlarge his favours to them, and shall not find any cause of displeasure at them. They know what he maketh criminal against others, to wit, their teaching the obligation of our Cove­nants, the lawfulness of defensive armes, their testifying against the encroach­ments made upon the Kingly power of Christ, & against the taking off the penal Statutes that concern Papists, & the like pieces of faithfulness. And consequently they resolve, they shall be as unfaithful and silent Ministers, as ever pleased a Papist; For if they be faithful, they may be assured, he will find cause to diminish his favours towards them: Now to purpose this by the help of God, comes very near the borders of blasphe­mie. The Citizens of Edinburgh and Canongate, do engage to continue still in their Prayers, for blessing his Person & Government; And shew by what Argu­ment they plead for it, to wit, that by the God of Heaven, Kings reign, and Princes decree Justice. Which with ap­plication to the Person whom they Ad­dress, is absurdly impertinent, other­wise to bring it forth as an adulatory equivocation, with a reserve that they intend only to offer that general pro­position in Thesi, without application to him, in the mean time, making him believe, they assert the divine appro­bation of his Government: Or else it hath the appearance of blasphemie to extend that proposition to him, which they cannot do, except they turn it thus, [Page 28]by the Lord Tyrants reign, & usurpers decree Justice; which to say, accord­ing to the Lords preceptive & appro­bative will, as that Scripture must be understood, were a blasphemous In­dignitie to the Holy one, with whom such a Throne of iniquitie can have no fellowship, whereof the possessors are set up, but not by him, & he diswoneth them, Hos. 8.4.6. Because the Mini­sters in their Address, disowne these, who avouch an Adherence to the Co­venanted reformation, & avow an oppo­sition to Antichristian usurpers (which they call promoting disloyal principles and practices) humbly beseching the Tole­rator not to look upon such as any of their confederacy. They needed not have been so solicitous upon this head, for all that abide in the principles and practices of the Church of Scotland, (which they have deserted) would count it a sin & scandal, laying them obnoxious to the displeasure of the Holy & jealous God and a shameful reproach, exposing them to the contempt of all of whom they might expect sympathie, to be rekoned of their association, who have thus be­trayed the Cause & the Country. 7. Be­cause of their mercenary prayers, that are disagreeable to the will of God: The Ministers pray for divine illumination & conduct (they durst not say conversion, for that would have reflected upon the man, either as a wicked man or a Pa­pist, or both, but they warrily terme, it, illumination & conduct that he might interpret it, to be for light & leading in this Antichristian way of his) with all other blessings ever to attend his Person & Government; Therefore they cannot pray for bringing down the Kingdom of Satan, seeing they pray so heartily for the support of an eminent prope of it: They pray not that God, may re­move such an absolute Tyranny, but that temporal & spiritual blessings may at­tend it. And the Loyalists of Edinburgh & Cannongate, after their dutiful and faithful assurances, That as they had not been formerly wanting in praying for him (where we fear they are not wanting in flattering dissimulation) for so refreshing & unexpected a favour (so terme they the Toleration) will much more engage them to offer up their desires to God, to bless his Person & Government. We wonder whence they have the impudence to seek of God, that he would bless a Government loosed altogether from his Law, and Diametrically opposing it, and regulated only by the lust of an ar­bitrarian: And after all, that he would Crown such a Popish Zelot, with an incorruptible Crown of Glory in Hea­ven. Can they be ignorant of the re­vealed will of God, that such prayers do clash with it ? Can they be unmind­ful of that, which is generally profes­sed by Protestants, to wit; That a Pa­pist living & dying true to the principles of the Church of Rome, cannot be saved. They would have him to think, that Heaven is to be gotten very easily, when after all his Idolatry, Atheisme, Murder, Tyranny and Treachery (without any word of repentance) he may attain to that Everlasting Blessedness: Heaven is not a City for unclean things. How such prayers will find acceptance with God, let any who read the Scriptures Judge.

Upon these considerations, having witnessed against the accepting of, and addressing for this Toleration, we come now to testifie against the sinful & scan­dalous conjunction of that Incorpora­tion, which is made up of so strange a mixture, some having embraced the former Indulgences; some having given bond to the Council not to preach, for an indefinite, or a longer or shorter time; Some having ordinarly heard & com­municated with the curats; some having come under sinful bonds & Oaths to the persecuting adversaries, repugnant to the Oath of our Covenants; And others [Page 29]of them, having gone on in sundry other steps of defection, & in no small contradiction to Christs more faithful Sufferers & Witnesses; Admitting also some to the charge of ruling elders amongst them, who had habitually complyed with prelacy, & had born the name of that office under the Cu­rats and all this without any resent­ment of such horrid courses that the World can hear of: And so they are a corrupt mixture of all sorts of Com­pliers, & Suffers these who have gone on in dreadful Apostacie, and sworn the wicked Oaths, even the Test it self, to present their Children, to the Sacrament of Baptisme, without any profession of repentance. Now like­wayes, they must according to the Royal Proclamation have one common purse with the Curats, by casting in their Baptisme & Marriage money to­gether, like that in the Proverbs Chap. 1.14. Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse; But who would regard the will of the Lord must regard what followes v. 15. My son walk not thow in the way with them, refrain thy feet from their path. This confederacie of theirs, is as the conspiring of the Prophets in the midst of Jerusalem, like a roaring Lyon ravening the prey, Ezek. 22.25. Can such a work be of God, and can it stand, which hath such a foundation, such a superstructure, such measures & such workers? We must in like-manner testifie against the Constitution of their Ecclesiastick Meetings, to wit, their Presbytries, Synods & Assemblies; In regard that they are made up of such a corrupt mixture of members, who (for the most part) by the Word of God, & decrees of our Church, would be suspended, if not deposed from their office, & brought in as delinquents to undergo censure, & not as constituent members of a Judicatory; In regard that the Accepters of this Toleration, hold their ministry upon a dependence upon the courts of men; And in regard that they carry on a course of defection contrary to the Scriptures, our Cove­nants, & the Acts & Constitutions of this Church, And further we testifie against all that they may conclude that may be any way prejudicial to our Re­formation, or corroberating to this course of Apostacy. And plainly pro­tests that whatsoever determinations, Acts or Commissions that shall be given by them, may not be interpreted as binding to the Church of Scotland.

But now to put an end to this sad & deplorable declamation, which we can say with some singleness of heart, that only Zeal for our Masters Glory, Love to our Brethren involved in such a sad snare, and the exoneration of our own Consciences, hath extorted from us, having no access in any other way to acquite our selves in our duty to them: We must subjoyne a sorrowful, but necessary consequential inference; and thereupon subsume that we cannot avoid, but are constrained in Conscience to warn all the Zealous and faithful Lovers of our Lord Jesus Christ, who are desireous to confess Christ before men, & to be listed among his called, chosen & faithful Followers, who must side themselves for him now, in adher­ing to his Standart when the enemie is coming in like a flood, and the war is declared between Christ and Antichrist, as they would not be involved in this confederacy, and so forefeit the hope of his sanctuary, in a day when he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of of­fence to both the Houses of Israel, and so many are fallen, broken, snar­ed and taken, and as they would not be found accessory to, nor guilty of the innumerable evils that are either implied in, or do natively follow upon this new way, to come out from among, discountenance and withdraw from the [Page 30]Promotters, Abetters of, Carriers, on, Concurrers with this course of de­fection, we mean the Addressers for, and Accepters of this Toleration, whose iniquity we have endeavoured in some measure here to discover. We abhore that principle that we are invidiously calumniated with, of casting off the Mi­nistrie, or disowning all the Ministers of the Church of Scotland: We hope all are not, and shall not be so far left in this hour of tentation, so to abandon the Word of the Lords patience as thus to forget and forgo the hitherto continued Testimony for the Cove­nanted Reformation, by embracing a Toleration so plainly and palpably ever­sive thereof; And doubt not but there are some of our dear and Reverend Brethren who dare not concur in this Conspiracy, who both mourn in secret, and are willing to witness their dislike at the sins and scandals of this course, (as they find occasion, whom only Misin­formation by the industry of our Tra­ducers does demur from concurring in this Testimony: But as for our declin­ing Brethren, involved in the guilt of this defection, though we respect and reverence them in the Lord, as our beloved Brethren, yet out of Love to them, and to the Souls of the People, whom they and we must answer for; we cannot but witness against them, & obtest them in the Bowels of Christ, to relinquish this Course, or other­wise we must warn all that would be free of the sin of it, and escape the Judgements, where with it is like to be pursued, to discountenance them, while they continue in it. 1. Because by this bargain and Confederacy with the Tolerator, in the acceptance of this his Antichristian Toleration, re­ceiving upon certain conditions what he gives, complying with what he de­mands, obeying what he commands, relying on what he promises, and ac­quiesing in what he offers upon the very terms that he offers it, (which is a formal confederacy) they become in the exercise of their Ministry the Ser­vants of men, and bound to please them; whereby they forefeit the honour of the free Servants of Christ Gal. 1.10. And change the holding of the freedom of their Ministry with Changelings, of which sort it is not good to meddle, Prov. 24— 21. Mr. Durham in a digression of hearing Ministers Revel. Chap. 1. pag. 55. in quarto: Shews that by pal­pable defection from the Truth and Commission given to Ministers in their call, they may forefeit their Commis­sion, and so no more are to be account­ed Ambassadours to Christ or Watch­men of his Flock, than a Watchman of the City is to be accounted an ob­server, when he hath made publick de­fection to the enemy, and taken on with him. Seeing then they have made such a palpable defection from the Truth, as is evidenced above, and from the Commission Christ hath given them, they so far take on with the enemy as to Address him, and accept of his favours, with a cessation of the war, they should maintain against An­tichrist, they must be looked upon in tan­tum, & pro tempore, as having Jure forfeit­ed the wonted respect due to Christs faithful Ambassadours while they con­tinue in that defection. 2. Because they cannot be submitted to, without con­senting to the great encroachements, made upon Both the Priviledges of this Church and Liberties of this Kingdom; For they are fixed in such and such places by a warrand from Councillors, Sherifs, &c. And others are discharged, they are Authorized to preach there, by a power encroaching on the Privi­ledges of the Church, and usurping the freedom of their Ministry. 3. Be­cause while they are under this pre­tended Liberty, not only must they [Page 31]keep Truth in bondage, not daring to declare the sins, snares, duties and dangers of the times faithfully, but People are in hazard of being pervert­ed from some parts of our Covenanted Reformation, by the Loyaltie of their doctrine and prayers, savouring more of sinful complyance with, and flat­tering of wicked men, than of Loyalty to, or Zeal for Christ as King; And while in the application of their do­ctrine, they condemn such essential parts of the present Testimony, as are the known and received principles of the Church of Scotland, in her best & purest times; And in the mean time recede, and justify their recession from their former way of preaching & pray­ing formerly, who used to preach up the Reformation, and the obligation of the Covenants, and cry against the sins of the time, and especially the heaven-daring usurpations of the Court; And used to pray against the Throne of Iniquity, the Kingdom and Seat of the beast, and all that gave their power to the beast, to support that tottering Kingdom: But now People must ex­pect another strain in their doctrine, and another style in their prayers, since they received this hyre of Liberty, who to the sad stumbling of many, and observation of all are found to have an apparent tincture of Mercenariness, while in stead of joyning with the in­cessant cry of all the elect for venge­ance against Babylon, & the destruction of the whore, they pray for all bles­sings upon the Person and Government of a chief Pimp of hers, who knows but ere long, by such prayers People may be induced to such a remitting of their Zeal against Popery, as to think it to­lerable to pray for the Pope, as well as for a Popish Tyrant. By such do­ctrine and prayers they may be caused to erre from the words of knowledge, and to receive that instruction that Solo­mon bids us cease to hear Prov. 19.27. Sure it hath a tendency to cause divi­sions & offences contrary to the do­ctrine, which we have learned, and therefore such as cause them, are to be marked and avoided, Rom. 16.17. 4. Because as there are many terrible Charges and Adjurations laid upon Mi­nisters, in reference to a faithful dili­gence in their Ministerial function, & a suitable Testimony concerning the sin and duty of the time, as is well observed by the Iudicious Author of Rectius Instruendum Confut. 3. Dial. Chap. pag. 21. So for their negligence & unfaithfulness herein, there are many Scripture woes and threatenings thund­ered against them, and the People for adhering to them, Isai. 9.16. Isai. 43.27, 28. Jerem. 14.15, 16. Jerem. 23.14, 16. Lam. 4.13. Ezek. 3.18. Ezek. 13.10, 11, 14, 18, 22. Ezek. 22.25. to the end. And therefore as People would not be partakers of the Judgement with which this Toleration will be pursued, we must warn them to beware of ad­hering to those who are palpably un­faithful, in not witnessing against, but justifying the sins of this course. 5. Be­cause Communion with them in these circumstances, will infer a participation of their sin, being a Communion in Sacred things, which makes the par­takers of the bread to be one body, 1 Cor. 10.17, 20. And an unequally yoked fellowship to be separated from, 2 Cor. 6.14, 17. Since it is such a Com­munion as in the present circumstances is interpreted to be a Tessera of incor­poration with them, and sign of ap­probation of them in this new way of theirs. 6. Because of the scandal in countenancing them in this way, it would be foreborn, not only with re­spect to their own Consciences who joyne not with them, but of others also, giving non offence, neither to the Jewes, nor Gentiles, nor to the Church [Page 32]Of God, 1 Cor. 10.28. &c. Master Dur­ham in the forecited disgression, makes that a reason of forbearing joyning with some, that it carries offence along with it, in reference to the party joyned with, it proves a strengthening & con­firming of him, and so a partaking of his sin; In reference to others, it either strengthens them by that example, to cast themselves in that snare, or it grieves them and makes them sad, who are tender of such things, and makes all difference of that kind to be thought light of. Since then in the Toleration it self, addressing for it, and accepting of it, there is such a manifest scandal, there must also be a manifold offence in countenancing those; that are so Tolerated and consent thereunto, it strengthens and confirms them, it strengthens others to incorporate with them, and weakens the hands of these that witness against it. 7. Because our duty to themselves yea our greatest of­fice of Love, we owe to them in or­der to their conviction, does oblige us to withdraw from them to shame them out of their sin; and not suffer it upon them, especially because they are Brethren, 1 Cor. 5.11. That walke disorderly against & without the order of their office, & the order of the Church. Qui quod sui est ordinis atque officii non fa­ciunt, & facientes turbant: 2 Thess. 3.6-14. We plead not here for schisme or sin­ful separation; only we apply to this present Case, the constant doctrine of Presbyterians; Wherefore we shall here subjoyne some plain Quotations out of their Writtings, Mr. Rutherfoord in his Due Right of Presbyteries, pag. 253. &c. Distinguishes a separation from the Church, in her worst and most part, and a reparation from the best and least part, and pag. 258. when the greatest part of a Church makes defe­ction, the lesser part remaining sound, the greatest part of the Church are se­paratists. Truth is like life, that re­tireth from the married members, in­to the heart in case of danger. So it is the major part, that hath made de­fection which are to be accounted se­paratists, and not such who stand to their principles, thô they cannot com­ply or joyn with the corrupt majority. Apolog. Relat. Sect. 14. pag. 291. saith, there may be a lawful withdrawing, where the ordinances and Ministry are not cast at, so long as People does not cast at the Ordinances, but are willing to run many Myles to enjoy them; Nor cast at the Church, as no Church (thô they sadly fear that God shall be provoked by that dreadful defection, to give her a bill of devorce) nor at the Ministry, for they love these that stand to their principles dearly, and are most willing to hear them either in publick or private. The Grave Author of Rectius Instruendum Confut. 3. Dial. Chap. 1. pag. 7. &c. Allows that every separation is not schisme, even from the Church which hath essentials, yea and more than essentials, if it be from those thô never so many, who are drawing back, from any piece of duty and integrity attained, for this is still to be held fast according to many Scrip­ture Commands. Next he sayes, If we separate in that, which a national Church hath commanded us as her members to disowne by her standing Acts and Authority while these from whom we separate, own that corrup­tion. He asserts there likewayes, there is a lawful forbearance of Union and Complyance with Backsliders in that which is of its self sinful or inductive to it, which is far from separation strictly taken, the commands of abstain­ing from all appearance of evil, and hating the garments spotted with the flesh, do clearely include this. He adds many things will warrant separation from such a particular Minister or con­gregation [Page 33]which will not warrant se­paration from a Church national, nor infer it. Lastly he sayes there is a com­manded withdrawing from persons and societies, even in worship: the precepts Rom. 16.17. 2 Cor. 6.17. Prov. 19.20. Act. 2.40. will clearly import this by consequence. Surely the Ministers and Professors adhering to her reformation, must be the true Church of Scotland thô the lesser number. These Souldiers who keep the Generals order, are the true members, not the deserters of the same.

In the next place, considering how our Covenants are slighted, the obliga­tion of them forgotten, and they like to be buried in oblivion; We Judge we are necessarly called to speak a word of our Covenants national & solemn League, desiring to bless the Lord, who put it in the hearts of his People to engage them­selves to enter into Holy Covenants unto his Holy Majestie, and one to another in subordination to him, in or­der to these things, that concern Truth righteousness & Holiness. And we do testifie our cordial approbation of, and real adherence unto these memorable engagements, for we are perswaded in our minds, that it is the duty of People & Nations, who professes the name of the Lord, to enter into Covenant with him. It is the first & great Command­ment, that we should have no other Gods before him, Exod. 20.3, And that we do his Statutes & Judgements, & to avouch the Lord to be our God, & to walk in his wayes, & to keep his Statuts & Commandments, & his Judgments, & to hearken unto his voice, Deut. 26.16, 17. And whereof we have many notable precedents in the Book of God, of enter­ing into, & renewing the Covenant of Israel by Moses, Deut. 29. by Joshua Chap. 24. by Asa. 2 Chron. 15. by Hezekiah. 2 Chron 29. by Josiah. 2 Chron. 34. by Ezra Chap. 10. by Nehem. Chap. 9.38. Chap. 10.29. And we are also no less convinced in our Consciences, that the obligation of our Covenants is perpetual & binding upon posterity: And to confirm this, we shall adde these few considerations. These engagements are national promises, laying in pledge the publick Faith. Cer­tainly that promise of the Jewish nobles & rulers, not to exact usury of their Bre­thren, would have brought their poste­rity, under the curse if they should have done it, Nethem. 5.12, 13. They are na­tional vowes, whereby they devoted themselves, & their posterity to be the Lords People. Jacobs vow at Bethel, that the Lord should be his God, Gen. 28.21. did oblige all his posterity virtually com­prehended in him, he found him at Bethel, and there he spake with us, saith Hosea ma­ny hundred years after Chap. 12.4. So the Rechabites were bound to observe the vow of their Fore-father Jonadab. They are national Oaths, & these do oblige posterity, Joseph took an Oath of the Children of Israel to carry up his bones to Canaan, Gen. 50.25. which the posterity going forth of Egypt in after-ages, found themselves straitly sworn to observe, Exod. 30.19. And accordingly buried them in Shechem, Josh. 24.32. They are national Cove­nants, wherein King, Parliament and People do Covenant with each other to performe their several & respective duties, as to Religion and Liberty: These oblige the posterity, as Israels Covenant with the Gibeonites, Josh. 9.15, 19. for the breach whereof many ages after the posterity was plagued, 2 Sam. 21.1. They are national attesta­tions of God, as witness for the per­petuity as well as fidelity thereof. Such are these Covenants wherein the name of God is invocated as witness, and so they are called the Lords Covenants, as that which Zedekiah brake, & where­fore the Lord punished him. Ezek. 17. They are national Covenants made with God as party contracting, which [Page 34]none can dispense with; Such were the national Covenants of the Lords People renewed by Joshua, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezakiah Josiah, Ezrah, Nehemiah: They are for the matter national Covenants about things moral objectively obliging and so perpetual, Jerem. 50.5. They are for their ends, which may be all summed up in this, preservation of Religion and Liberty inviolably, because these ends are constantly to be pursued. They are na­tional adjurations, under the pain of a na­tional curse, which doth make the po­sterity that break them obnoxious. They are for their Legality national Laws, be­ing solemnly Ratified by Parliament, & by the King, and made the foundation of their compact with him, at his inau­guration, whereby they became among the leges Regnandi. They are national Co­venants of an hereditary nature, like that of Israel, Deut. 29.14, 15. which did oblige, not only the present but the ab­sent, and consequently the posterity. Now considering these things, concern­ing the obligation of our Covenants, the rejoiceing that was at the Oaths of God, when they were taken, the singular ma­nifestations of his spirit at that time, and his testifying in his Works of provi­dence, his approbation of what his Peo­ple did in these things, according to his Word, by his going forth with his Peo­ple & their Armies and making the ene­mies to fall before them. We cannot but profess the sorrow of our hearts, & testifie the abhorrence of our Souls, against all the breaches, injuries or af­fronts that have been, or are offered or done to our Covenants national and so­lemn league; which now (Alas) are like to be despised & buried in forgetfulness: Even when now they are not only na­tionally broken but burnt, and the own­ing of them is declared criminal, by an Act of Queensberries Parliament which makes it a case of confession to assert their obligation, particularly we testifie against the sinful, shameful, & scan­dalous defection of many Ministers in this point, by their laying by these Sa­cred Covenants, forbearing (under this Toleration) to preach plainly the obli­gation of them, to discover particularly the breaches of them; and to mention them in the engagments, which they re­quire of Parents, when they present their Children to Baptisme. Thô at first publication of the foresaid Act of Parlia­ment, many of them did privately preach against it, when there were none to chal­lenge it, but being exposed to the Court censores, in their publick and peaceable Meetings, they are submissively silent. We find the foregeting & breaking of the Covenant of the Lord, lieth under most heavy threatenings, & hath been punished with most for Judgements, Levit. 16.25, 16, 17. Deut. 29.14.15, 19, 21. 1 King. 9.8, 9. Jerem. 22.8, 9. Zech. 5.3, 4. Mal. 3.5. We cannot slight that which the Ministers of the County Palatine of Lancaster, in their harmo­nious Testimony against Toleration (of which we have spoken before) do say in the like case, if we shall now cast by the Covenant▪ after we have reaped so much fruit & benefite by it, who knowes, but we may be forced to take it up again to save our Lives.

In the last place, Because Field-Meetings for Gospel ordinances, dis­pensed in freedom and faithfulness, which the Lord hath often signally own­ed & countenanced to the conviction of many, in the conversion, confirma­tion, edification, & consolation of ma­ny poor Souls, are now by wicked and sanguinary Laws (left still inforce, when the righteous Laws against Pa­pists are suspended) interdicted and dis­charged under pain of death: There­fore we must testifie our abhorence of this cruelty, when others are silent at it; And signifie also our reasons of endeavouring to maintain these inter­dicted [Page 35]Meetings with respect to the con­veniency, secrecy & safety of the Peo­ple to whom we preach: Not daring to trust these, who are thirsting insa­tiably after bur blood, nor give them such advantage as they are seeking to prey upon us, by shutting our selves within houses. And moreover taking our selves, to be called indispensibly in the present circumstances, to be as publick or more than ever in our Testi­mony for the preached Gospel, even in the open Fields. We grant that under the Evangelical dispensation, there is no place more Sacred than another, to which the worship of God is astricted; And that when we are persecuted in one place, we may flee into another; And that if a Magistrate should prohibite one place & leave all other free, we would not strive for a spot; If we were only excluded out of one place, and not in­cluded & restricted to other places, nor otherwise robbed of the Churches pri­viledges. But this is not our case, for we are interdicted of all places, and have to do with one, from whom we can take no orders to determine our Meet­ings. It is not then the place of Fields or houses which we contend for. Nor is it that which he mainly opposes, but it is the freedom of the Gospel faith­fully preached, that we are seeking to promote and improve, & he seeking to suppress; And therefore as an enemy to the matter & object of these Religious exercises, which are the eye-sore of An­tichrist, he prosecuts with such fury and force, vigor and rage, cruelty and craft. the manner & circumstances thereof. But for the expediency, and necessitie of our continuing to keep up our Meet­ings in Fields, in our circumstances, we offer these reasons. 1. It is neces­sary at all times that Christians should meet together for Gospel ordinances, whether the Magistrate will or not, the Authority of God, their necessity, duty and interest maks it indispenisible in all cases; If then there must be such Meetings, for such ends, then when they cannot meet within doors, with conveniency and safety, they must do it without; If they cannot get the Gospel in houses, they must have it wherever they can, with the freedom & favour of God cost what it will. 2. these Meet­ings must be as publick as may be with conveniency and prudence, especially in an evil-time when wickedness is en­couraged, and a witness for Truth sup­pressed. Then the Meetings of the Lords People, that endeavours to keep clean garments, should be more frequent, publick & avowed. For (1) Then the call of God, by his Word & Works is more clamant, for publick & solemn humiliation, in order to avert immi­nent Judgements & impendent stroaks from God, Zeph. 2.1, 2, 3. Joel. 2.15, 16. 1 Sam. 7.2, 6. The way that the Scriptures points out to evite & avert publick Judgements is to make our re­sentment of these indignities done to our God, our mourning over them, & our witness against them, as publick as the sins are, at least as publick as we can make it, by a publick pleading for Truth, Isai. 59.4. a publick seeking of Truth, Jer. 5.1.an avowed valour for the Truth upon the earth, Jerem. 9.3. a making up the hedge, & standing in the gape, Ezek. 22.30. A pub­lick pleading with our Mother, Hos. 2.2. These things cannot be done in private, but by way of Testimony. (2) The na­ture and end of Meeting for Gospel ordinances is for a publick Testimony for Christ, against all sin, and every dishonour done to the Son of God, the preached Gospel being not only the Testimony of Christ, but a Testimony for Christ, Psalm 122.4. Math. 24.14. Revel. 6.9. Revel. 12.11. Where ever then the Gospel is preached, it must be a Testimony, but it cannot be a Testimony, except it be as publick a [Page 36]can be. (3) It is the great work of the day to carry the Gospel, and follow it, and keep it up as Christs banner of love over his Friends and the Standart of war against his enemies: When now Zion is labour­ing to bring forth as a Woman in travel, and made to go forth out of the City, and to dwel in the Field, and that which will prompt to beat men out in this publick work, must be a publick spirit, aim­ing at no less than Christs publick glory, the Churches publick good, the Saints publick comfort, a publick concern for all Christs interests, a publick symphathie with all Christs Friends, and a publick declared op­position to all Christs enemies, which where it is, will put his Zealous Lovers & Votaries to a publick appearance for him, and avowed seeking of him. Cant. 3.1, 4. Cant. 5.7. Psal. 132 5, 6. (4) The Priviledge of the Gospel to have it in freedom, putitie power & plentie, is the publick concern of all the Lords People preferrable to all other Interests, and therefore more publickly, peremptorly and zealously to be contended for, than any other Interest what­soever: And therefore we must resolve, they shall sooner bereave us of out hearts blood, than of the Gospel in freedom & purity, but we cannot contend publickly for it if our Meetings be not publick. (5) The nature & business of the Gospel Ministrie is such, that it obliges them that exercise it to endea­vour all publickness, without which they cannot discharge the extent of their Instructions. Their very [...]nes & Titles do insinuate so much, being Wit­nesses, Heranlds. Ambassadours, Watchmen, light that cannot be hid. The Instructions given them infer the necessity of it, Isa. 58.1. Isai. 62.6, 7. Jer. 6.17. Ezek. 2.5, 6. Ezek. 16.2. Ezek. 20.4. Math. 10.17. These things cannot be done in a Clandestine way; And therefore now when there is so much ne­cessity, it must be the duty of all faithful Ministers to be laying out themselves to the utmost, to give a publick Testimony against all the evils of the time, not with­standing of any prohibition to the contrary, in the most publick manner, according to the example of all the Faithful Servants of the Lord, both in the Old & New Testament, thô it be most impiously & Tyran­nically Interdicted, yet the Laws of God stands unre­pealed, & therefore all that have a Trumpet and a Mouth should set the Trumpet to the Month, and found a certain found, not in secret, for that will not alarm the People, but in the most publick manner they can have access; Therefore seeing Meeting must be as publick as they can be. That they should be in houses, safety will not permit, to us to go to the streets or mercat places, neither safety nor prudence will ad­mit, what can we do then, but go to the Fields. 3. Keeping of Field Meetings now is not only most con­venient for testifying, but a very significant Testimo­ny in it self▪ (1) Against the Popish toleration: Rea­son and Religion both will conclude that this is to be witnessed against by all that will adhere to the Cause of Reformation thereby overturned, and resolve to stands in the gape against Popetie, thereby to be intro­duced, and will approve themselves honest Patriots, in defending the Laws & Liberties of the Country, thereby subverted; Seeing then it must be given, it is certainly most expedient to do it there, where the meeting is without its Covert, & interdicted by the same Proclamation that tenders it; And where the very gathering in such a place, is a Testimony against it; For to preach in houses constantly & leave the Fields▪ would now be interpreted an homologating the Tole­ration, that commands preaching to be so restricted, [...] with it. (2) It is a Testimony against that wicked Law, that discharges them as criminal, which cannot be lawfully obeyed when in some respect, it is come to a case of confession; For if Daniels case, praying with open windowes, when publick prayer was discharged under the Pain of death, was a case of Confession, then must our case come near to it; when publick preaching is discharged to us under the same penaltie: Thô to us, we reckon it as indis­pensible duty from these Scriptures, 1 Cor. 9.16. 2 Cor. 6.4.8, 9. 2 Tim. 4.2. It is equivalent to an universal discharge of all publick preaching, when that manner of it, is discharged, which we can only have with freedom & safety, in a way of publick Testimo­ny; which can be none other in our circumstances, but in the Fields. (3) It is a Testimony for the headship, honour & princely prerogative of Jesus, which hath been, & is the great Word of his patience in Scotland, and by an unparalelled insolence encroached upon by usurpers in our day; since in these meetings there is a par­ticular Declaration of our holding our Ministry, and the exercise thereof from Christ alone, without any de­pendence on, subordination to, or license from his usurping enemies, and that we may and will preach in publick, without Authority from them. (4) It is a Testimony for our Covenants, national and solemn league, the owning whereof, is declared criminal by that same Law, that discharges these Meetings; Since then the owning of these Meetings, and our Covenants are both discharged together and the owning of the Co­venants does oblige to a publick opposition against the dischargers, & an avowed maintainance of the Churches priviledges, whereof this in a manner is the only and chief Liberty now left to be maintained, to keep Meet­ings where we may testifie against them, without de­pendence on their Toleration, it must follow that these Meetings are to be maintained, which only can be in the Fields with conveniency. 4 To give over Field-Meetings altogether, at this time, would be very stumbling, born to Friends, who might look on it, as a fainting and succumbing at least in our contend­ings for the Cause of Christ, as being quite overcome: And to enemies prove very hardening & encouraging in their wicked design of banishing all Meetings out of the Land; For certainly it will not terminate upon a simple suppression of Meetings of this sort, but further is intend­ed to extirpate all Meetings for Gospel Ordinances, in which there is any Testimony against the Antichristian Enemy: To comply therefore with such a forbearance of them at this time, would lay a stone of stumbling before them in these their designs, when they shall see their contrivances so universally complyed with wherein they might boast that at length they had prevailed to put quite away that eye-fore, the freely preached Gospel of Jesus Christ.

But to come to an end, we shall conclude with that pertinent Epilogue of the Ministers of Lancaster in England used by them in their Testimony against Tole­ration, thus fearing leist if we had altogether held our peace, at this time, God might have sufficiently vindi­cated his Truths by other Instruments: But for our base­ness, judged us unworthy to be entrusted any lon­ger, with so precious a Treasure as Truth is; We have therefore chosen rather to approve our selves faithful un­to God, thô for so doing, we should be never so much persecuted and condemned by men, than by our sin­ful silence, seem to be ashamed of Christ, his Truth, our Covenants, Reformation, and the faithful Con­fessors of Christ in all ages, although thereby we might be assured to gain the whole World. And now having discharged our Consciences in this point, however our Actions may be misconstrued by some, yet knowing that our witness is in Heaven, and that God is the righteous Judge, we are hopeful that the Testimony of our Consciences (that herein, we have aimed at nothing. but the Glory of God, the defence of his Truth, the health and recovery of his bleeding & declining Church the casting some discountenance upon this woful To­leration and to testifie our Adherence to our Covenants and Reformation) will abundantly support us against the worst of evils that can befall us, for witness bearing to the Truth.