SEeing men of Malignant and perverse spirits do not cease to oppose the Work of the Lord, and disquiet the peace of his People, but after many disappointments, renew their wicked designs and practices against Religi­on and the Covenant; It becomes us, whom the Lord hath called to so publick a Trust, not to cease to renew our Warnings and Declarations concer­ning the evil of their way, that they may be recovered out of the snare of Sathan, if it be possible, and that others may not fall therein, but avoyd such tentations, and do their duty straightly and without fear.

We did not long since bear Testimony against the proceed­ings of Sectaries in our Neighbour-Land, in reference to Reli­gion and Government; And it is unto us matter of very much astonishment and sorrow, that whilst their practices are not les­sened, but heightned, there should be found in our Land some who have taken up Arms, and made Insurrections in the North, labouring to strengthen themselves against the Power and Au­thority of the Parliament, that they may set up again the Mali­gnant party, to overturn the work of God, and tread upon the necks of his people: And albeit most of that Malignant party are plagued of God with blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart, and stop their ears against instruction; yet if there be any place left for exhortation, We shall desire these men who are hatching such cockatrice eggs, and weaving such spiders webs, [Page 2] and all others who favour their way and wish them to prosper, or have any thoughts or inclination to joyn with them, or fol­low their steps, seriously to ponder and consider these things which follow.

1. What an horrible and high provocation it is for any to be found fighting against God, and persecuting his People and Truth. [...] not this it that hath brought down many Kings and Princes and great men, and overturned many Kingdoms, Cities and Families, and brought many great and sore plagues upon many particular persons of all ranks and conditions. 2. How abominable and treacherous a thing it is for men who are un­der the oath of God, and the tie both of the National Covenant and the solemn League and Covenant, some whereof have been lately professing and offering repentance for their former backslidings, to turn open enemies and adversaries thereto; Per­jury is hateful amongst the heathen, and how much more hate­full and monstrous should it be amongst Christians, especially in those things that concern God and Religion? 3. Hath not the Lord now for ten yeers past shewn himself strong and mighty, dreadful and terrible in defeating all the designes, and breaking all the power, and bringing down all the pride of the Malignant party? Have they not many times digged deep to hide their counsels from the Lord, and hath he not found them out, and filled them with the devices of their own hearts? With what art & industry have they many times promoted, and with what power and strength have they often times backed and carried on their purposes and projects? But he that sits in hea­ven hath always blown upon them, and brought them to no­thing. No weapon formed against his people hath prospered, but after that the Lord had hardened the Instruments of our former troubles by successe for a little space, he did set a snare for them, and brought them down to horrible destruction in a moment: The Lords dealing with the Rebels in this Kingdom, and with the Authors and Abettors of the Engagement against the Kingdom of England, whom he hath made a terrour round about, we hope, shall be examples of his wrath against the Ene­mies [Page 3] of his Cause and of his People, not only to this, but also to the following generations. 4. How great a wickedness must it be in such a period of time, when so much danger threatens Religion and Government, from that prevailing party in Eng­land, for men to arise in this Land to discourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the Lords People, by their Malignant and insolent attempts. 5. How little pitty have they, nay certainly their malice and cruelty must needs be very great, who will needs after so many and long continued troubles and calamities again involve this land in confusion and blood. It is the earnest and longing desire, and in some measure the hope and expectati­on of the Lords People in this Kingdom, after so many storms and tempests which have tossed them for so many days, that the Lord may now bring them into the harbour of tran­quility and peace; And the man who shall obstruct or retard this, as he shall be hated of good men, so certainly he shall bring upon himself a great measure of wrath and indignation from the Lord, and God shall make his memory stink unto the generations that are to come. 6. What Treachery and cruelty it is against the Kings Majestie, and what an obstruction in esta­blishing of his Throne in such a nick of time, when both State and Kirk have sent Commissioners and given in Desires to his Majestie in those things that concern the securing of Religion, and the setling of his Majesties Government and the Peace of these Kingdoms, for any that will raise new commotions and troubles, which cannot but foment jealousies between the King and his Subjects, and beget and entertain differences amongst them unto the estranging their affection one from ano­ther; And whosoever are the Authors thereof, or accessary thereto shall justly be lookt upon, as enemies to Religion, to his Majesties Person and Government, upon whom the guilt of all those miseries that may come upon his Majestie or his Royall Family doth lye in a speciall way.

These and many other considerations do exceedingly heighten and encrease the guilt of that wicked Insurrection [Page 4] both before God and men: And therefore we doe earnestly Beseech and Exhort all who live in this Land, that as they ten­der their solemn Obligation and Oath both by the Na­tionall Covenant, and by the solemn League and Covenant, and as they love the Honour of Jesus Christ and the Gospel, and the work of Reformation, and as they respect the Kings Honour and Happiness, and desire Religion to be secured, and peace to be setled; Nay, as they wish to eschew the heavie Wrath and Indignation of the LORD, That they doe not give any countenance nor assistance, nor connivance to these wicked men in their wicked way, much lesse to joyn with them in Counsell or in Armes: And because it lies upon us to be faithfull in our station, therefore as We have already given warning unto those men that unlesse they do speedily des [...]st from their evill way and repent, that We will proceed against them with the dreadfull sentence of Excommunication; so We doe now declare that this being a crime so Atrocious that if any shall hereafter joyn with them, We will be necessitated impartially to proceed against them with the highest Censures of the Kirk, that such drosse may be purged out from amongst Us, and that others may learn to fear. We know that these men labour to shadow their attempts against Religion and the Cause of GOD under the pretext of self preservation and their being debarred from publick trust, and the respect which they owe to his Majesties greatnesse, the priviledges of the Parlia­ment and Liberties of the Subjects; But We know no cause why they should have feared danger from these to whom God hath committed the power of the sword in the Land, suffici­ent security being offered unto them for their lives and Estates, the obliging themselves not to disturbe the Peace of the King­dom: That they are debarred from trust, is that which their own misdemeanors and treachery by betraying of their former trust hath justly procured on their part and necessitated upon the part bo [...]h of State and Kirk, unlesse they would have re­solved after so many sad and dear bought experiences of back­sliding [Page 5] and unfaithfulness of these men, to be so blinde and foolish as again to tempt God, to the overturning of his Cause, and exposing the Kingdomes to ruine. Neither will any who hath eyes to discern, look upon them but as the Kings Ene­mies, and the Enemies of his Throne; For as they by their perverse counsels and wicked combinations and conspiracies did harden the King his Royall Father, unto the continuing of the afflictions and troubles of these Kingdoms: So we cannot but think, that if they and others of their way should cease to raise calumnies against those who are truly Loyal to his Maje­sty, and to suggest evil Councels to the prejudice of Religion, and the peace of his Kingdoms, & to entertain him with hopes of Armies for carrying on their wicked designes, but that his Majesty should in a very short time be setled upon his Throne in peace, with all the splendor and greatness that is due to him: And who wil beleeve that these men are for the Priviledges of Parliament, who these many years past have pleaded and fought for an Arbitrary and illimited power, that ought not (if we will beleeve them) though acting never so unjustly, be resisted by any; Or can it be thought that they are for the Sub­jects liberty, who in the few months time that GOD permitted them to prevail, and use so horrible oppressions over the Lords people in their consciences, persons and estates. Most of those who have now made Insurrections, and their adherents, are no other then those who opposed the Cause of GOD, and the work of Reformation from the beginning; Neither are their principles, wayes and ends any other then have been owned and promoted by the malignant party in these Kingdoms these many years past. Of this We desire to give warning to all men in the land, that none may be deceived in partaking with them in their sins, lest they be partakers of their plagues: We do ex­hort all the LORDS people to be strong in the LORD, and in the power of his might; and as to adhere unto the Covenant and work of Reformation, so to cleave to those whom GOD hath intrusted with the Government, and publick affairs in the [Page 6] Land, that their hands may be strengthned in the performance of all publick duties, which they mind with so much faithful­nesse and care. These are they whom the LORD was pleased to honour to be the Instruments, to begin the great Work of Reformation in this Kingdom, who have been faithfull in the midst of many difficulties and temptations in promoting of it in both Kingdoms, whose endevours have been attended with blessings and success from Heaven. Neither is the cause which they now own & defend, any other then that which they have owned and defended against the Popish, Prelaticall and Malig­nant party these ten years past, and are ready to maintain and defend against all enemies whatsoever, both on the right hand and on the left: And therefore we hope that all that love Re­ligion and Covenant, will be obedient unto all their lawfull commands, and cordially and actively further and promote the present Levy, and chearfully and patiently bear the lengthning of necessary burthens, without which We can never preserve that which the Lord hath wrought amongst Us, nor our selves, and if any injustice or oppression hath fallen out, or shall here­after fal out in executing of publick orders for Levies or main­tenance, as We are confident that those whom it concerns will take speedy and effectuall course for reparation of the same, so shall We according to our vocation, endevor to have the same redressed, and remedies provided for the time to come. We know no cause why any mans hand should fail, or his heart faint, the LORDS hand is not shortned that it cannot save, nor his ears heavy that he cannot hear; He hath done great things for us, and will never fail us nor forsake us: Our troubles shall help to refine us, but not to destroy us, they shal not overturn the work of Reformation, but put more lustre and beauty upon it, and shall give unto us more pregnant evidences of the power and goodness of the LORD, and set him high upon the Throne of his Glory.