government; there was no public, ministerial, at least united teftimony against this neither. Therefore the Lord punished this finful and fhameful filence of minifters, in his holy juftice, though by men's horrid wickedness; when by another wicked act of the council at Glasgow, above 300 minifters were put from their charges; and afterwards, for their non-conformity in not countenancing their diocefan meeting, and not keeping the anniversary day, May 29, the rest were violently thruft from their labours in the Lord's vineyard, and banished from their parishes, and adjudged unto a nice and ftrange confinement, twenty miles from their own parishes, fix miles from a cathedral church, as they called it, and three miles from a burgh'; whereby they were reduced into many inconveniencies. Yet in this fatal convulfion of the church, generally all were ftruck with blindness and baseness, that a paper proclamation made them all run from their pofts, and obey the king's orders for their ejection. Thus were they given up, because of their forbearing to found an alarm, charging the people of God, in point of loyalty to Chrift, and under the pain of the curfe of the covenant, to awake and aquit themselves like men, and not to fuffer the enemy to rob them of that treasure of reformation, which they were put in poffeffion of, by the tears, prayers, and blood of fuch as went before them; inftead of those prudential fumblings and firftlings then and fince fo much followed. Wherefore the Lord in his holy righteousness, left that enemy (against whom they fhould have cried and contended, and to whofe eye they should have held the curfe of the covenant, as having held it firft to their own, in cafe of unfaithful filence in not holding it to his) to caft them out of the house of the Lord, and diffolve their affemblies, and deprive them of their privileges, because of their not being fo valiant for the truth, as that a full and faithful teftimony against that encroachment might be found upon record. Nevertheless fome were found faithful R < 6 faithful in that hour and power of darkness, who kept the word of the Lord's patience, and who were there. fore kept in and from that temptation (which carried many away into fad and fhameful defections) though not from fuffering hard things from the hands of men; and only thefe who felt most of their violence, found grace helping them to acquit themselves fuitably to that day's teftimony, being thereby prevented from an active yielding to their impofitions, when they were made paffively to fuffer force. However that feafon of a public teftimony was loft, and as to the moft part never recovered to this day. The prelates being fettled, and re-admitted to voice in parlia ment, they procure an act, dogmatically condemning feveral material parts and points of our covenanted re formation, to wit, these pofitions, That it was lawful for fubjects, for reformation or neceffary felf-defence, to enter into leagues, or take up arms against 'the king: And particularly declaring, that the na tional covenant, as explained in the year 1638, and the folemn league and covenant, were and are in themselves unlawful oaths, and were taken by and 'impofed upon the fubjects of this kingdom against the fundamental laws and liberties thereof, that all 'fuch gatherings and petitions that were used in the beginning of the late troubles, were unlawful and feditious: And whereas then people were led unto these things, by having diffeminated among them fuch principles as thefe, That it was lawful to come with petitions and reprefentations of griev'ances to the king, that it was lawful for people to restrict their allegiance under fuch and fuch limitations, and fufpend it until he fhould give fe'curity for religion, &c. It was therefore enacted, that all fuch pofitions and practices founded thereupon, were treasonable.-And further did enact, that no perfon, by writing, praying, preaching, or malicious or advised speaking, exprefs or publish any words or fentences, to ftir up the people to the dilike of the king's prerogative and fupremacy, or · of ' of the government of the church by bishops, or justify any of the deeds, actings, or things declared against by that act.' Yet notwithstanding of all this fubverfion of religion and liberty, and reftraint of afserting these truths here trampled upon either before men by teftimony, or before God in mourning over these indignities done unto him, in everting these and all the parts of reformation, even when it came to Daniel's cafe of confeflion, preaching and praying truths interdicted by law; few had their eyes open (let be their windows in an open avouching them) to see the duty of the day calling for a teftimony. Though afterwards, the Lord fpirited fome to affert and demonftrate the glory of thefe truths and duties to the world. As that judicious author of the Apologetical Relation, whofe labours need no eulogium to commend them. But this is not all: for thefe men, having now as they thought fubverted the work of God, they provided also against the fears of its revival; making acts, declaring, that if the outed minifters ' dare to continue to preach, and prefume to exercise 'their ministry, they fhould be punifhed as feditious perfons; requiring of all a due acknowledgement of, and hearty compliance with, the king's government, ecclefiaftical and civil; and that whofoever 'fhall ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and abfent 'from the ordinary meetings for divine worfhip in 'their own churches on the Lord's day, fhall incur 'the penalties there infert.' Thus the fometimes chafte virgin, whofe name was Beulah to the Lord, the reformed church of Scotland, did now fuffer a violent and villainous rape, from a vermin of vile fchifmatical apoftates, obtruded and impofed upon her, instead of her able, painful, faithful, and fuccessful paftors, that the Lord had fet over her, and now by their faintnefs and the enemy's force, robbed from her, and none now allowed by law to adminifter the ordinances, but either apoftate curates, who by their perjury and apoftacy forfaulted their ministry, or other hirelings and prelates journeymen, who run without 126 and f the ca mers. fciffory nation prefby of the horrid conder his ow for wh these o that br whom i ed; an for noth prelacy, centiouf endure prefs rel that refe thus to fuffer thi happy b before i have be been in to have kedly he the fame confente counten time, b versary May, tl God, a refcinde concuri las for 130 A HIND LET LOOSE. faithf in that hour and power of darkness, who kept the word of the Lord's patience, and who were there fore Pt in and from that temptation (which carried away into fad and fhameful defections) though not from fuffering hard things from the hands of many men and only thefe who felt most of their violence, found grace helping them to acquit themselves fuitably to that day's teftimony, being thereby prevented from active yielding to their impofitions, when the were made paffively to fuffer force. However that of a public teftimony was loft, and as to the part never recovered to this day. The prelates fettled, and re-admitted to voice in parli they procure an act, dogmatically condemning material parts and points of our covenanted t to wit, thefe pofitions, That it was la feafor moft being ment, fevera 1 formation, enter into leagues, or take up arms agai And particularly declaring, that the m ful for fubjects, for reformation or neceflary felfed nant, as explained in the year 1638, folemn league and covenant, were and are emfelves unlawful oaths, and were taken by a fence, to the King= al covenant, as • tion • the impo the f • fuch begir • fediti • these • fuch come ances ple to • limita curity that a upon, C that I or ma ed upon the fubjects of this kingdom again = ngs, by having diffeminated among the inciples as thefe, That it was lawful ith petitions and reprefentations of grie the king, that it was lawful for pe estrict their allegiance under fuch and fuck ns, and fufpend it until he fhould give religion, &c. It was therefore enacted fuch politions and practices founded there ere treasonable.-And further did exac Perfon, by writing, praying, preaching us or adviled fpeaking, exprefs or publi of as or fentences, to ir up the people to the of the government of the church by bishops, or juf tify any of the deeds, actings, or things declared againft by that act.' Yet notwithstanding of all this ubverfion of religion and liberty, and restraint of afrting thefe truths here trampled upon either before en by teftimony, or before God in mourning over ele indignities done unto him, in everting these and the parts of reformation, even when it came to Dael's cafe of confeflion, preaching and praying truths terdicted by law; few had their eyes open (let their windows in an open avouching them) fee the duty of the day calling for a teftimony. ough afterwards, the Lord fpirited some to affert demonftrate the glory of thefe truths and duties the world. As that judicious author of the Apolocal Relation, whose labours need no eulogium to mmend them. But this is not all: for thefe men, wing now as they thought fubverted the work of od, they provided also against the fears of its revival: aking acts, declaring, that if the outed ministers are to continue to preach, and prefume to exercise heir miniftry, they fhould be punished as feditious erfons; requiring of all a due acknowledgement f, and hearty compliance with, the king's government, ecclefiaftical and civil; and that whofoever hall ordinarily and wilfully withdraw and abfent rom the ordinary meetings for divine worship in heir own churches on the Lord's day, fhall incur the penalties there infert.' Thus the fometimes afte virgin, whofe name was Beulah to the Lord, e reformed church of Scotland, did now fuffer a olent and villainous rape, from a vermin of vile hifmatical apoftates, obtruded and impofed upon her, tead of her able, painful, faithful, and fuccefsful aftors, that the Lord had fet over her, and now by their faintnefs and the enemy's force, robbed from her, and none now allowed by law to adminifter the ordinances, but either apoftate curates, who by their perjury and apoftacy forfaulted their ministry, or other hirelings and prelates journeymen, who run without R 2 |