A LETTER FROM Mr Alexander Sh●ilds, Minister to the Regiment Whereof the late Noble Earl of ANGU●●● was Colonel, now in Flanders: Direc●●● to the General Assembly of 〈◊〉 Church 〈◊〉 SCOTLAND, which was to have m●●● at Edinburgh in December 1693.  
Reverend and Dear Brethren  
THO● it hath seemed good to Holy Providence 〈◊〉 time, to Burden our ●ot with many gravami●●● 〈◊〉 Circumstances, while engaged in a Bloody 〈◊〉 exposed to many Hazards and Hardships, Trou●● 〈◊〉 and Temptations in a strange Land, A Land of 〈◊〉 ●●●ven Images, A Thearte of many deplorable Cal●●●●●●●ties and Devastations, embittered with the Sorto●●● 〈◊〉 being o● such adistance from the benefit of your Counsel and the con●●● 〈◊〉 of your Communion, Yet it is no small allay to all our several griev● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswa●●●, that we have a share of Your Sympathy and 〈◊〉 The assurance of your being willing and ready to assist and en●●●ge us every way, to the outmost of your Power, and the Confidence 〈◊〉 our favourable acceptance of our addresses for it. Were it not for ●●●s, tho' the Cause be very important, the Necessity very cogent, my ●●●vn Inclination and Ambition very earnest, and the desires of others ●●●ar more to be valued) very urgent▪ I should not have presumed (and yet ●●●n not without Blushing) to trouble you with such an Application and ●●e●tour from so mean Hand upon such a material Head. But 〈◊〉 the necessity of the case, and the import●●nity of our best Friends here sensible of i●. ●●●pells me; So the Confidence's of your Affection and Zeal or a common ●●●d Interest, Emboldens me humbly to lay before you, that which is requir●●d by our King, expected by all our Country Men here desired by all that ●●●e our Reformation, And requested by that particular Regiment, which ●●●ttend upon. That it's vacant numbers may be filled up with Recruits of people, of the Presbyterian persuasion, and of a good Conversation Answering that Character. And ●●at you may be moved to contribute your help and assistance there●●▪ I humbly propose these considerations.  
I. Tho' War in itself be no desirable thing. Yet in the present con●●●tion of the World, the management and pro●●cution of it for a good ●●●se, is a good and lawful ●●cation suitable to Christians, and consistent ●●●th Piety; and not to be excluded from The Whatsoever th●●●s are ●●ue, Whatsoever things are Honest, Whatsoever things are just, that Christians are called to think on, and Ministers may encourage them to 〈◊〉 is true indeed the present constitution of our Armies, wherein (through ●●e remissness, and backwardness of the Godly to ●ill them up) s●●●● 〈◊〉 Wicked Pros●iga●s so abound, to the grief and vexation of the handful of 〈◊〉 that fear God among them to be associate with them in ●●●as, may be ●●oght neither pure, free of polluting Snares, not Lovely to them that ●●●e their Example, not of so good Report as to adduce others to a Concur●●●e. But as this joining in Arms with them for a common Righteous ●●●rest (not professedly upon the account of Religion) does not Infa●●●●●itive Confederacy with persons of a different Religion, in any way 〈◊〉 Imports a neare● accession to theirs, or a Recession from any point of ours, for the advantage of theirs, of to the prejudice of 〈◊〉 having ●●ill absolute freedom, to avouch the Remotest distinction 〈◊〉 their principles, and abstraction from their practices and examples; So 〈◊〉 this station▪ as well as any other, many have and any of the Godly 〈◊〉 Exercise themselves in keeping a good Conscience, void of offence 〈◊〉 ward God and Man, and walk and shine 〈◊〉 the blameless Sons of G●●● 〈◊〉 w●●● Rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation. For 〈◊〉 none have more ●●●tisarious, or more ●ffectual motives and inducement 〈◊〉 to be Exercised unto Godliness, than they who are exposed to so man 〈◊〉 Dangers and Death's ●very day; So none do despise these Calls, but such 〈◊〉 break all Bonds of Divine and human Laws, and would do so in every Lo●● It is the multitude of such presumptuous Deboshees that brings an evil Re●●port upon the profession of Arms which deters the Godly from it, & the 〈◊〉 averseness upon that account makes way for bringing in more profane p●●● 〈◊〉 so●s. who●e increase in Numbe●● emboldening them 〈◊〉 insolence, prov●●● more and more discouraging to all that would concur, in using endeavour●● either to ●ight against the Enemies and repress their Pride, Or to conten●● against Commi●●ants and suppress their Profanity. But if those that lov●●● Ke●igion, would be stirred up to a suitable Zeal and Ambition to outvie 〈◊〉 Wicked in all appearances of forwardness for prosecuting the War, 〈◊〉 such a good Interest. It would open a door of hope▪ both of sooner su●●●●ing our Enemies, and repr●●●ing their Pride, And of more easily re●●●●●ning our Ar●●●s 〈◊〉 suppressing their Profanity S●re none can pr●●●●●ndi● much obligation to the duty, 〈◊〉 and right to the privilege 〈◊〉 being employed in a War so necessary for securing the Interest of Religion as those that by Confession have suffered for it, and by profession and practice 〈◊〉 the Honour of it▪ But if all such shall be deterred from our Armies▪ because of their Profanity▪ and wasted out of it without bein● Recruited, than they must all be Profane and Wicked: And if so, wh●● hope of success. and what confidence in praying for it? Divine So●●●●aignity indeed can give success to a Wicked Army, and more freque●ly 〈◊〉 ●●●●ed than a good Cause; 〈◊〉 how can one Pray for this 〈◊〉 Faith, 〈◊〉 others is no promise for it? And tho' we should Pray in Fa●●● what do 〈◊〉. My 〈◊〉, tho' a Man say 〈◊〉 hath Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Works, can Faith save him? If a Brother or Sister be Naked and de●●●●te of daily Food, and one say to him, Depart in peace. Be ye warmed 〈◊〉 filled, notwithstanding you give them not these things which are ●●edful to the Body, What doth it profit? Even so Fai●●●f it hath no Works, is Dead: Even so perhaps it may be no impertinent allusion to al●●dge Praying in Faith for a Wicked Army, without working something to make it better, will not save it▪ And if an Army or Regiment be wasted and destitute of honest Soldiers to Fight for an honest Cause, and you ●●●y to the rest only Depart in peace, go on, Fight and prosper. Notwithstanding you give them not Recruits, which are needful to the filling up of their Body, what doth it profit? In this I plead for nothing but what is lawful and also possible, to incite some honest Men to concur, 〈◊〉 Fight for a Cause which all honest Men pray for. I hope in Scotland, notwithstanding of the Hundreds that have been destroyed by the fury of the Enemies▪ there is not such paucity of Presbyterians, but that every Synod (that is planted) could make a Regiment consisting of such if there were occasion. And therefore when but One is desired out of all and but a few Recruits to make up that one, it will not be difficult to fulfil the desire. It is a thing unessayable indeed to make an Army of Sa●●●, but I humbly conceive, it is not so unsensible to get a Regiment of Presbyteri●ns, if their Ministers encourage them to ●t.  
II. It is not only lawful and Righteous, but expedient and necessary for 〈◊〉 that have Zeal for the Glory of God, the good of the Church and Country thereof they are Members, the security of the Government and Laws un●●● which they live a peaceable and quiet Life in all Godliness and honesty, ●ot only to wish well, and Pray earnestly for these dearest and 〈◊〉 Interests; But also to Act, Content, and lay themselves out to the outmost of ●●eir power, to help forward the vigorous prosecution of this War. ●●at is so necessary for their preservation, and ●●●o clearly and declaredly ●ated, not for the petty Intrigues and Emulations of particular ●●inces, But for the necessary defence of these greatest concerns so eminently exposed to hazard, and lying at Stake, 〈◊〉 in Britain and Ireland ●●ly, but all Europe over, in opposition to the grass●●● and gr●●ing usurpation of the declared Enemies of God and Mankind. The quarrel I grant is not formally declared for Religion (in that case associati●● 〈◊〉 Papists would not be so clear, in a War wherein a Religion contra●●●● 〈◊〉 theirs must be both our motive, measure and end) but consequentially 〈◊〉 hath such a near connexion with and concern in this great and Righteous Cause, that if the Enemy be suffered to prevail, all the legal establishment 〈◊〉 of it in 〈◊〉 and all the Re●●●med Churches will be utterly subverted 〈◊〉 and reduced to the desolate condition of the Church in France: which 〈◊〉 human deliberation nothing can avert, if there be not a more effectual check given to the insolency, and a more universal running to Arms, to resist and extinguish the ●ury of these two Smoking Firebrands, that threa●on the conflagration of Europe, and of Britain with the first. And in such a necessary Cause none should reckon themselves more concerned than P●●●byterians, who know best the worth of th●se Gracious Interests by their long groaning for the want of them, under the late Government; And therefore should demonstrat greatest Resolution, to maintain them when so far recovered and who had the greatest hand in Exa●ctorating the ●ate King, and Establishing this King's Authority in Scotland, And therefore should reckons themselves most obliged to oppose the one, and defend the other, and whose Zeal for Religion and Liberty hath been so Eminent ●nd ●●●ou●, and even to strangers, That they expect upon this occasion to find in Flanders whole Brigads of Religious Soldiers, And are stumbled, when they observe so much Profanity in Officers and Soldiers and Chaplains too of so many Scots Regiments, thinking them to be all Presbyterians, because coming from a Country where Presbytry is the established order. It will be therefore very necessary and expedient upon many accounts, that at least you give your help to the completing of one Regiment, that may Answer the Character, and maintain the Honour of that name.  
III. Nor ought it to be misregarded, or forgotten how much all of us are obliged in point of gratitude, as well as necessity, to help forward this War in this Country, for the more immediate defence of the seven united Provinces▪; which are Reformed Sister Churches, and upon that account to be carefully preserved, which lie next to our own, And upon that consideration, as an advanced Post to our own Camp, aught to be with 〈◊〉 greatest concern and Caution defended; which have after afforded a Sanctuary of protection to us and others under ou● persecutions, and therefore it is both the least and the best signification of our grateful Respect to their Kindnesses, as well as of ●egard to our own interests to s●nd over some Soldiers to Fight in the Fronteers, and keep off the Enemy from our own; and which to all their former favours have added 〈◊〉 very signally and strongly enforci●●●he ●●●●ion, in furnishing us with a King, who hath been the Honour's instrument in the hand of God, of rescuing us from Popery and Slavery, relieving us from Oppression and Persecution, restoring to us Presbyterian Government, delivering us from the grievous yoke of Prelacy, and of the putting and keeping us in the peaceable possession of our Religion, Laws, and Liberties; And therefore both in Conscience, Honour, Loyalty and gratitude, the Subjects of such a King especially those that are the most sensible 〈◊〉 of such ●avours, should be am●●●io●s to ●●●●ce all others in a 〈◊〉 and zealous serving him in these Wars, that are so necessary for the p●●●●●vation of these privileges. Shall the Prelatic party, th●● canno● be so sensible of the good effects of the change of the Government▪ but rather reckon themselves Injured by the Favours bestowed upon us be ●o thankfully forward in his service, for the kindnesses extended to th●m, 〈◊〉 they can Muster so many brave Regiments ready and 〈◊〉 for the War●●nd will not the Presby●●●ians f●r more obliged, for all the Kindnesses the King has sh●w● them do so much as make one Regiment good to serve him abroad, whe● he requires and expects it? Were not his Constancy, Justice and Reg●●●● our better Right▪ greater than the encouragements he gets by any proofs of our thankfulness, he might be tempted to weary of bellowing favours upon them that will do him so little service, and extend them rather in those that profess more forwardness. I shall not mention any services that this particular Regiment hath do●● for your Interest and advantage, either at Home o● Abro●●, to merit your Kindness, not the esteem, that the King upon the account thereof, hath expressed for 〈◊〉 of such a Character and his desire to have it consist of such: But I humbly presume the consideration of Gratitude is m●ny ways strongly urgent, that you should lend your hand to make this a good Regiment.  
IU. Nor is it unworthy of consideration, that your own 〈…〉 advantage, in a prudent respect to probable Events, seems to plead for 〈◊〉 ●ame: For not only more remotely may it be thought a promising mean ●ith the Blessing of God, contributing to the accelerating the overthrow of the publ●●k Enemy, and securing the common great interest; But in a nea●●r prospect this proof of your Zeal for the King's Service, may be none of the most despicable or desperate means, and as little inconvenient as any you can use▪ to ingratiat yourselves in his favour, and promote your interest at Court▪ The seeing of this your concernedness to strengthen his Armies, will open his Ears and Heart to your just Requests, will con●●●● Friends, and give them confidence to appear in your Cause, And stop the Mouth of your undermining Traducers, when they shall have to more occasion to Reproach that you will do the King no Service. And in case of after Revolutions (which all things in time are subject to) or occurring exigences that necessarily require Warlike expeditions, if this Regiment be supplied with honest Recruits, it may be a standing Nursery, for breeding brave Faithful and Zealous Officers and Soldiers, for serving their 〈◊〉: and there will not be afterwards that necessity, or Excuse for ●●eking or admitting profane Malignant and disaffected Men to these public Charges and Trusts, to which for want of others they have been too commonly advanced, to the great detriment and hindrance of a good Work. It may be therefore expected of your prudence, that you will have some regard to such advantageous Interests, and nor always veri●y that Proverb to be only wise behind the ha●d.  
V It will not be impertinent farther to Reflect upon the Honour and Cred●● that may be in doing of such a pie●e o● Service: which is a Topick that should not only have force with Soldiers, but with Ministers and Christians also, ●●●●soever things are Lovely, whatsoever things are of good Report, if there be any 〈◊〉, and if their be any Praise, think on these things I beseech you therefore, Reverend and Honoured in the Lord be pleased to th●nk on this a little, what a virtue and praise it may be, that the Professors o● the ●●ue Religion, shall excel the Professors of Profanity, in a forwardness to promote a War that is so Righteous, and necessary for the Interest of it, as much as they do exceed them in zeal to maintain the practice of it; And how unseemly and absurd it is, that Strangers and Enemies to the practice of Religion, should yet be more ambitious to Fight for the outward Interest of it, than ●●ey that profess they cannot live without it. What a Praise and Glory were 〈◊〉 th●● poor p●●●●●ed Presbyterians, who not long ago suffered so much, and so long, 〈◊〉 adhering to their Reformation and Christian Liberties, an● dur●● not 〈◊〉 seen on the Street for fear of Imprisonment and Ba●ishi●●● Hea●●ing and Hanging, should now appear 〈◊〉 the Fields ready and resolute to Fight, for preserving what they suffered for before, and not ashamed nor a●●●d to speak with their Enemies ●n the gate: And after having go them in ●ome ●●sure P●●pressed at Home, should not confine their zeal to the narrow ●●ounds of their own Country, b●t pu●●●e them Abroad, and extend it against all the Enemies of all the Churches, and then and there make it appear, that the change of their Lot, hath not changed their Life, but that in the midst of a perverse and profane Army, They can be us Blameless, Harmless, and unrebukable in their practice, and Strict, T●●der and Tenacious in their Principles and Profession, when they are in a Fight ●●fe, as before when they were in a suffering Life and make it evident to the Conviction of the World. That Suffering, and Praying and 〈◊〉 very Compatible? And on the other hand, what a shame and Scandal is it, for Eminent ●●●erers, either to turn so , unconcerned, or Faint heatred. as to keep altogether aloof, from Jeoparding their Lives in the high places of the Fields, and coming out to the help of the Lord against the mighty, or so narrow, private, and p●●ching in their Zeal, as to re●●● it to endeavours for their own security only, and against their nearest and most immediate Enemies within their own Land: And that of all the Presbyterians in Scotland, whose Zeal and Sufferings, and Acts for Reformation, hath been so renowned amongst the Notions, now when the●● is opportunity 〈◊〉 them to 〈◊〉 and shi●e and make it better known to the World; 〈◊〉 Regiment can be made abroad entirely consisting of such, but that our Troops from S●●tland, 〈◊〉 generally 〈◊〉 profanest ●ossians in the Army; an offer and sonneting ●●th 〈◊〉 ●●●pi●●s and Protestants, and that particular Regiment that 〈◊〉 signally heats that Character amongst them (and ●f Rec●●●ted might 〈◊〉 in the Credit of it,) must either turn to nothing, or degenerate like the rest to the reproach of all What a Glory and Honour were it, for those wh●● (for their adhering to their Religion and Liberties, and wrestling against Tyrants illegal impositions upon their Consciences) have been unjustly reproache● with rebelliousness and Disaffection to Monarchy, as such that could live under no Government should now as soon as they had got a Government that they might live under, Confute and Confound all such lying Calamities, by making it appear in their present resoluteness, 〈◊〉 promo●e and prosecute this War, that they could not indeed bear Ty●●●y, and therefore n●w are resolved to spend the last drop of their Blood, to withstand its Reintroduction, and that they always longed for, a Righteous Government, and therefore will contribute their utmost to its defence, and will sooner part with their lives, than be rob of it again; and by demonstrating that they as far exceed others in a resolute resisting these Tyrants (against whom the present War is stated) as formerly they 〈◊〉 of their ●●●●ity more than others, and that they as far excel all others is, a ze●●dou● forwardness for the defence of this Government, as they 〈◊〉 more obliged man others, to the benefits of it, and did appear before others to ●●ense the qua●●el of it? And on the other hand what a dishonour and disgrace will it be, 〈◊〉 ●oly under these C●●●●met and by your remis●●● to embolden your Adversaries, with open 〈◊〉, more and more to 〈◊〉, that the Presbyterians in Scotland, are either despe●●ally weak that they cannot give the King a Regiment 〈◊〉 serve him in the Wars abroad, and that 〈◊〉 he ought to despise them, as a People ●hat can do him no services Or so perversely wicked, that they can rise in Rebellions, and fight against Kings, b●t for none; Or so disorderly wilful, that they can be Sould●●●s at Home, where when they weary they can have access mutinously to desert, but not abroad in a well disciplined Army? And finally what an Honour and Credit as well as Interest were it, to have a number of honest 〈◊〉 brav● Officers and So●ldiers trained o● to the Art of War, entirely devot●●● the interest of God; that might upon all occasions, when need re●●●●●, do their Country eminent and Faithful Service? And on the other hand, what an unaccountable discred●●●ir, 〈◊〉 well as ●●●ful, when ever there is need of Soldiers to be forced to make recourse told Principled and Scandalous men who are both a shame to the Cause, and may be tempted to betray it? I know and will acknowledge. Much Respected Brethren, that your Humility, together with your present humbling difficulties, will not allow you to 〈◊〉 great things of this Nature, and that (do your best) it is impossible to avoid all reproaches of ●●ing Mouths, but I am so Ambitious as to presume the Recanting of this Regiment with Presbyterians, will neither ●●●flect upon you● 〈◊〉 Honour● but effectually re●●te several Reproa●he.  
VI, Unto this I subjoine the many encouragements that may invi●● & allure Honest Men, which are such 〈◊〉 are not always, nor every where common, and without which I 〈◊〉 no● 〈◊〉 the Confidence to 〈◊〉 them to a Lot and Consortship, commonly so obnoxious t● Sins. 〈◊〉 and Sorrows Here they may be Encouraged, not only to be good Soldiers by the King's presence and example, but to be good 〈◊〉 if they will respect either the Law● of God or the King's orders▪ 〈◊〉 encourage the Religious hath used many endeavours to Reform the Vicious, by dispersing Books among them for that 〈◊〉, and by many repeated Proclamations of Edicts for punishing them. And in this Regiment (tho' now much 〈◊〉 & worsted) 〈◊〉 may expect yet a serious & pious Remnant, with whom they may have 〈…〉 in Religious Duties; to which they may also be encouraged by the Kings expressed desire and expectation, that it should be Recr●●●●● 〈◊〉 and by his several ways signifying his respect to us upon 〈…〉 granting ●●●se Requests, and upon our application, keeping f●om us 〈◊〉 ill Off●●●●, that otherways would have been imposed upon us: He hath now 〈…〉 Honourable Colonel J●●●●son to be ●ur C●●●●●, who●● 〈…〉 Honest Men to fill up the Vacancies of his Regiment, promises upon his word of Honour, 〈…〉 by all ●●cur●●●es, that if they desire 〈◊〉 shall give them their Discharge at the end of three 〈◊〉. I need 〈◊〉 add how convenient 〈…〉 have so many together 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 and way, whereby 〈◊〉 need no● 〈◊〉 the insultings of any, 〈…〉 may thereby find, to promote good things b●th among our 〈…〉 others, that otherways we can hav● no Capacity nor opportunity for, no● how inconvenient it will be, that the King should 〈◊〉 disappointed, our Officers affronted, our Maligners hands strengthened, and 〈◊〉 Friends more and more weakened  
I shall therefore ●●●lude, Begging you will be pleased to conside●●●●●●●●●en, 〈◊〉 Communicate these o● other more engaging perswasive●● 〈…〉 Honest Men to come over with our Officers; Whereby you 〈◊〉 the greatest a●t of Charity and compassion towards your po●●●● unworthy Brother here le●t alone, as if it were in Meshech, and Tents 〈…〉 Which yet by this you shall convert into a little Zion, and Enco●●●● 〈◊〉 Live and D●● with these honest Israelites that you shall commend 〈◊〉 my Charge, And to endure with all Cheerfulness, all the Fatiqu●●●●●ouble and Hazards of these weary Wars. Otherways if I may not on●● 〈◊〉 this desire. My next must be to Be●● for the Lords sake, that you would relieve me of this Banishment, and allow me to see the Lords Ar● and Habitati●s ●gain in my Native Country● in the mean time hoping you will plased 〈…〉 mo●e the 〈…〉 ●hat is said, than the unwor●●● 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉. And Begging pardon for this presumption and ●●●xness ●●●bsci●●● myself.  
Reverend Brethren and Fathers. Your Son, Brother, Servant, and Supplicant▪ Alexander sheild's.