I- .^ I ,^f^'^^\ Divisi ^-*-.^'7^^Z- ^SXI .^-i Faithful Contending! dijplayed: BEING An liiftorical relation of the State and Ablings of the fufFering Remnant jn the church of Snothfidy ^d fiibfifted in Selei luere ap- prejjed, the more they grew ; while they continued faith- ful unto, and ftedfaft with him. This httle grain of muftard feed planted by his own hand and vvate^-ed by the blood of fo many gallant martyrs, nam fanguis viar" t)r.umfemen ecclefig^ ^, The Wood of the martyr§ is the • - ' feed vi To the Reader^ feed of tKc chnrch. — And he looked y and behold the luffj '^urn£d*ivhh firCy andthehujh'was not confuvted.. Secondly f¥oY the fubje(!t itfelf, ihere is therein contain- ed, I. A ihort Iketch of the rife and fomewhat of the na- ture of thefe meetings or general correfpondencies, 2. A j'ummary of the principal acStings and conclufions of the faid meetings. 3. A brief hint of the land's fuflerings in general, and themlcives in particular, during the intervals. 4. There is a feries of interefting letters, both edifying and inftrucHng (fome of whonj were before in print) with feveral other valuable papers which will, doubtlefs, yield information unto thole who deiire to be informed a- jnent the affairs of that time, befides a variety of remarks interfperfedthro'out the whole of thefubjecl.— Onlyas the true Aate of the teftimony feems to be fbm'ewhat over- looked at the revolution by the writer of this regiftcrj* there is i*mev/hat in their conduftat that time that de- fervesourf\irtherconiideration,fuch as their guardingthe 'corrupt coin^entioi;! of eftates *,- their raifing a regimnte, and affociating with malignants ; — their efpoufing the in^ tcrcftofthe prince and princefs of Orange, without fcrip- tural and covenant qurtljfications ; and their uniting with a Corrupt and backfliddcn miniftry. But as theie are touthed at a little in the appendix, I iliall only here in lliort obferve. That altho' the Lord ftill prefer\'^d feme, then and in all ages, who deligned faithfully to contend for the word of ChriiVb patience, yet fure, it was a pity fo ma- ny Samfons, famous for contending and weathering out fo many ftorms of hazard and dangers for their fiithful- nefs, ihould have had their hair foeafily cut by foundcr- .irig upon thefe rocks of compliance ; which mav iervf: as a beaco7i for an example of caution unto future a,, gcs, ihewing that it is as impoilible for men intentji'jg honefiv and faithfulucis, either to tamper or join, Jh/tis uhrt\ •?♦ if r.ry dcfidefate, pr want to krow any tl.In;; cor.cern'nj^ Ml- . Mic.i.:'-'! Sl)i< IH?. uke iiie folio ^'mg iiint.---IIc w*?. Ton 10 j in -s S;-i K 3 of Hn;Khhejjd, (in tht Merfc) and hrc.iher to tne w^l k«><)wr. Mr. /VU-Xrimitr Shields. He h'-id receivt-o fi coni- pctpnv-^?.fure o: edtica'ioi.- lie becarjc s. clerk ro the gentirl mc-t fffFri>jr q^; the -nolt ,nart of thcle trHofniftions ; but Jeli in \vit!i 5..e rt'voluiion chnrcli, and wt Iwd wrnr over with bis 'iro* »'er amonpj.'l others 10 the ferilement ac D'^ut^y 1699. >V]ie-, rher he I'fd in liiev'f.-ls of ('aledonia, on ihe lea, tn j^m<(ica,' Of at Charleilo .vn bar in Carolina, wc kruw not ; biu he unstt To the Reader. vii tnh-ey with malignants and compilers, and to retain their former integrity j as for tlie molt lucid river, when alidim^ unto the fait and fluid ocean, to retain its fweet taile and moft chryftaline colour :|:. — Indeed, it moft be granted in their behalf, that they had been long groan- ing under the cruel yoke of prelacy, oppreffion, tyranny ?.nd flavery: now by the revolution they were rcilored unto their natural rights and priviledges-: Pri^lhyterian minifters were reftored, and feveral acts made againft them in the perfecuting period repealed : — A general alTembly called : The confeffion of faith ratified : — and prcfl^ytery eftabliflied by aiSt of parliament in Scotland •, whereby the nation was in a great mcafttre freed from tyranny and flavery. — But then upon an impartial en- quiry, it will -be*, found after all, that thefe who ftood their* ground in adhering to the whole of a covenanted work of reformation, and contending for the fame both in church and ftate, had relevant grounds and reafons for their conducl in {o doing. — For ijly No king nor queen at, or lince the revolution, were or are qualified with fcriptural and covenant qua- lifications, nOr took the ancient Scots coronation oath; which qualifications were, by feveral laudable a(Sls of parliament, made the fundamental qualifications,^/'/^ qua non^ of admiffion to that ofHce by the laws of the crown * : Kut on the contrary, are fworn to maintain the Englifh conflitution and prelatic hierarchy in direiSt oppofition unto the fame fworn to in the folemn league and covenant. X From the following fheets 'tis evident, That as long as the Untted Societies were favoured with the advices and dotftrines delivered by pious and faithful Mr. James Renwick, tvhatever fell in their way that was difagreeable, yet they ftill kept ftraight in the main, at to the point of public tdtinony. But nqfoonerhsd they got Mr. Shields, or rather Meffrs. Lining and Boyd, than they fell into one rtep of compliance after another, of which thcfc men were the princiDal abettors. TheobfssVa- tion ij. That a faithful and orthodox miniftry, is one of the greateft priviicges, next to Ghrl^ft or thegofpei offer itfelf, that mankind do, or poflibly can enjoy : On the contrary, a fet ot^ lazy, heterodox, corrupt and unfaithful rainifters, mud be one of the worft of evils that a church or poor people can be poli^- bly plagued with. The leaders ofthispeopls caufe them to err^ and they that are led cf them are dejlroyd, * Vide aa J. P^rV 1640. aft 6. 1644. aft 1$. Pari. i(J49> "viii 'TCo the Reader. 2dlyy Although prelacy was then aboliflied in Scot- land, yet it was neither then nor (ince declared to bo contrary to the word of God ; and though Prelbyiery was then eftabliflied irt Scotland, « as agreeuble to the ** word of God," yet it was never declared to be of di- vine inftitution founded thereupon, but only as it was agreeable unto the inclinations of the people, founded upon the claim of right. Herein there was a retrograde motion of near a hundred years back unto an a£l: of Pari. 1592. whereby the whole of our pureft reformation was over-pafTed and over-looked. Not 3^/>', Has there been any judicial acl in church or ftate at or iince the Revolution, made in favours of our covenants 1 nay, not fo much as a repeal of that wicked and nefandous a£l: of parliament made in the reign of James VII. declaring the giving^ taking or otuning 9/ them to infer the pains of high treafon, & /\thly. Is there any pofitive adt to be found amongft the archives of the nation, by which that heaven-daring ael refciflbty (annulling ail the a>^\.'int'infic:?ire m lien of ir/a^vc ihat could be here produced^ 1. WiSen ftvcral piiptrs were Riven m to the Gsner.il AiTcm. j6io. 'A\ the anfwer xhts pot from \hs comaiittee was 7*har V h^jt was complained of Hiould be inferted in the cajfes o' tne n.^'jo'^al fad ; ar.d ihoiign tJvefc caufes were more full \\v4x\ finy fnce that »ir;^e : yet the teft and declaration (two of \\\t p' incip^i eviis cornfi.tJned of) were, at the c;e(i''e c^ the kine's commjflioner and i.theis, exDurvfjed from fa'd diCt or cau/es, {>:* c^ufe tlicy had i iken faid, tclt and declaration- 2. Though an afi was con«;.3ried in the committee of f^yer- tJres, (whtci. -was hrou>^u in and read in open ?fleaibly) ^lif.Tt-c ing Chrift's headfhsp over the church, yet it was then fapprcfred 2.nd never heard of fince that time. 3- One fJeorge Meldrum, who had formerly been a curate, Was not only received into the church on the forefaid terms, boi: chofen moderator to t'!>- -^fremblJes, 1658, 1703. bi:t alfo.mad^ profeffor of divinity in the college of Edinburgh ; and all with- out anv public acknowledgment of reprntance for his formff way.-^Sjverals who had uktn the teft ?nd declaratior,^ and pi^rfecutetl X 7o the Reader. * Now tb-fe arc only a few ftrokes in miniature, of that which Jias been by fome called the glorious and happy revolution ; for it were f ruftraneous to infift upon a por- trait of that here which has fo often and fo well been delineated and figured out by others. — And if any think that what is here faid bears too hard upon the revolution fettlement, I anfwer that what was good in that eftablifh- mcnt I have acknowledged, and in what was evil it were to be wiihed, that, one feature more unto the foregoing draught could not be added, not to mention the bad ef- fe£ls or woeful confequences daily flowing therefrom : The beholding of which, if the feeing of our eyes and the hearing of our ears could rightly affeft our hearts, ibight make us figh and cry out with the lamenting prophet of old : — Many paftors have dejlroyed my vineyard,^ — and being defolatey it moitrneth unto me.- — There is a cori'^ fpir acy of her prophets { They are light andtreai^herotis perfons. — Her priejls have polluted the JanEiuary^ they have done 'violence to the law. — Her princes are revolters ; therefore the law is Jlackedy and judgment doth never goforth.-— Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth» But Thirdly y Somewhat might now be faid concerning Chriftian fellowfliip and correfpondant meetings in ge- neral : but as my judgment on this point may, perhaps, tally with the mind of many of tbofcj for whom this publication is chiefly defigned, I fliall therefore refer them to the introduction, and their own informatory vindication on head I. And here I fhall only obferve. ly?. They never reckoned themfelves to be a civil ju- dicatory : for altho' for the better order in fpeaking, they found it neceflary to choofe one to occupy the place (or rather the name) cf a prxfes ; yet they never looked upon thefe tranfactions to be of a civil nature. — Indeed in fuch a broken flate, the very end of thef? meetings pierfecuted the people of God, upon thelike terms vere admitted luliog elc ersat the fame time. And 4. When a member of the General Aflembly 171?, was fpeak- ing in favour of our covenanted work of reformation to, ftrength- enhiscaufe, and make his demand appear more ju(t and equi- table, Mr. James Smith in Crammond, from the moderator's ^hair, in the face of the General AfTemb! / , confidently declared, ^* that the church was not hqwupon tha' faotirg " meaning the covenants Any who defire to fee thefe and many more in- ftances of the like nature, may confuU r)e fot's memoirs, p. 320. ibc. Clarkfon's plain reafons, and Hepburn's humble pleadings for the good old way, p^r totum. To the Reader, xi rheetings obliged them to concert and conclude upon what was necelTary and advantageous unto themfelves, both as men and Chriftians, for the propagation and right managing of the public teftimony they maintained in agreeableneis to the word of God, law of nature and fundamental laws of the land. — But even in this cafe, where there is a Handing miniflry, it is fometimes found requiiite and expedient to keep what they call congrega- tional meetings to treat upon (externum privtlegium etclefia,) Tiie external priviledges of the church, and this cannot be called a civil judicatory. " Nor 2^/y, Did they ever look upon thefe correfpon- dencics to be a church judicatory, or purely of an eccle- fiaftical nature, as they never took upon themfelves the ^exercife of church difcipline, or to purge fcandal. Nay, it is evident from the following regifter, that during the whole time an ordained minifter was never admitted a conftltute member of the faid correfpondencies, al- tho' theprefence of fuch, (when they had any) was many times found necelTary and of great advantage for their advice and concurrence in things of an important na- p„Tture. It is true, that being oft times deftitute of a church judicatory, yea fometimes without a minifter, or gofpel ordinances altogether, they were in provi- dence laid under a neceflity to treat of things that more properly belonged to that character •, fuch as the appointing of diets of fading, diftributing colle6lions> ^c. But if we grant this maxim, that in times and cafes extroardinary, fomething extraorditmry may be done^ this may eafily be accounted for, ^Let it then fuffice for an anfwer unto thofe, who have wondered what for a. creature, general meetings were, That they were, (at leaft ought to be) a body or religious fociety of men and chrif- tian men, conftltute, allenarly, of the members of feleft praying focieties, who had embodied themfelves into chriftian fellowihip meetings for prayer, godly :onfer- ence and other religious duties for the mutal help and edification of one another, — And as this duty, whether as to felefl: focieties or correfpondent meetings, is a duty not only flighted and neglected by the moft part, but even objes ex- ercife were they gathered into the houle of Cornelius ; and for the fame purpofe, and Xo the lame work were they gathered unto the river fide at Fhilipi, unto whom Paul preached : — And in the houfe of Mary, Acrs xii. 1 2. But what needvS more ? nay, it became fo eifential to re- ligion, that the primitive Chrllliins m^adethe communi- on of faints an article of their creed, and tliey looked u- ponthem as noue of their fraternity, who did not man- tain, or take pleafure in the fellowlhip of Chriftians, — / am, (fays the royal Pfalmilf ,) a co:^ipanion of all that fear i.nd obey thee. idly. As it is of divine inftitution^ fo it is of great ui;; and utility unto the people of God. For ^i. How m-any fms have been prevented and temptati- ons defeated by Chriftinn fellcwlhip ? Our nrll: parent Eve was alone, when alTaultcd. A Peter will fomctimes confcfs Chrifc in company with the apoftles ; who when abfent from them, will Ihamefully deny him. Yot a?; houfes or bodies of men are more apt and able to fcand a llorm, when built, or llanding together, than alone ; fo members of religious fccieties have many times proved help t S^t yiix.. xvii. 10. xxif. 3- Mark rl. ?i. La!;s i<. 3. xxif, 3j. John XX i^,-ai To the Reader » xili helpful fior the ftrengthning and lupporting of one ano- ther. Tiio wife man's maxim is, "Tivo aye better than cnr; for ihey have a reward for their labour ; for if they fail, the Ofii will lift up his felloiu : — if one prevail agamjl JjiKi, two pall withjland him : and a threefold cord is not fafiy brolen. .Vnd 2. The Lord has in an eminent manner countenanced this duty ; — for what fweet and comfortable returns of prayer, (tlio*, ala>s ! thefe are now in a grciit meafure gone) Jvave the Lord*s people experienced in theie meet- ings, both in the primitive times *, and in our reforming times ; biu-efpeciaily in the late futfering times both be- fore and lince the revolution ? witnefs their own dying tcltimonics, wherein they not only enforce and inculcate this duty upon others, but folemnly declare what their own fouls had experienced thereby \, Nay, theyrifqi:- ed tlicir worldly all to enjoy the fweetneis of Chriflian fellowihip. And how fliameful is it for us to be behind them in this duty, while we are not expofed to any out- ward hazard or amazement. Says one who had the ex- perience of this, — Come here^ and I will tell you what he hath done for my foul. And 3. The Lord has beftowed a variety of gifts upon Chrillians ; one is endowed with quick wit and inven- tion, another with folidity of judgment ; to one is given a great flock of utterance, to another a good memory ; — one is m.ore open and zealous, another is wary and cautious ; one is ilirong in gifts and graces, another is weak ; one is ofttimes dejected and caft down, another is more facetious and cheerful : and for Avhat purpof^ arc all thefe given, but to glorify the giver, and for the edi- fication of one another ? Wherefore, (fays the apolile to tlie ThelTalonians) comfort jourfelves to^efhery ami edify tine afiother: ^dlyy As this duty is of great ufe, fo It Is highly reafon- able arid ncceijiu-y. For I. It is neceflary and reafoiiable for all lawful civil Co-^ cietie:;, to ufe habile methods in treating of their own intercft and concerns 1 fo it is hiiihlv exi>edicnt for the fcllovvers * Vide Eufcb'D^^ecclefiaftica} hillory, lib. 3. cb. 33, Ih. 5, ch. s and Socr.itei'shiitcrv. lib. i.ch. 15.. t Such as the dying uflimoptes of Jajnes RoSertfon, Joha Findiay, Jv)hn R c'^mond, J^hn Paton, Robert Milinr, TiuniAS Stoddart, John Hiih-n : ar;d fince the revoiuticc Sir Robert Ha- Biiiion, jona Wdfop, aai ievcral others. xiv 21? the Reader. followers of Chrift, not only to concert rules and meth- ods for the promoting of the intereft of that body where- of he is the head \ ; but alfo to have a particular fympa- thy and fellow-feeling with one another. — It is a mili- tary maxim> whether in dangerous marches, or in a pofture of defence, " to ftick or ftand clofe together.** And fo ought all ChrilVs faithful foldiers, if they would manage their fpiritual affairs with fuccefs and to pur- pofe. — Neither can this duty be reilridled unto times of pcrfecution only, as fome would have it. — It is true, thele times are very proper feafons for it : but it will be found neceffary and beneficial at all times, and efpecially in times of defection and apoltacy, and in perilous times ; and never more acceptable unto God than now, when iiotonlyalmoft all kinds of error, infidelity and profanity a- bounds, and even amongft profefiTors 5 but alfo when we t There IS a variety ©f rules, (iuerie$, afticles arfd dire<5lioDS prcfcribed by different authors in the method for receiving in- trants into thefe meetings, which for brevity's fake I maft here omit. Ifliall therefore only recite a lew of them which feem to be very much overlooked, even by thoie few \i^.Q pay any at- tention now unto this duty. I. " The conftituent members fhould be of found principles, of a blamelelij converfation, endowed with a competent meafbre of knowledge, and exercifed about their i^al's cafe, and the declarative glory of God in the world." a. ** In matters of the public teftimony, let no member, nor yet any finglc meeting meddle to do any thing but with the con- fentof the general correfpondence." 3. ** No member (hould take on him any public ofEce, or un- dertake any debateable pradice, nor go to iaw without acquaint- ing the meeting for their advice and confent.'* 4. ** No member Ihould go to any penny wedding, or fre- quent debauched company, under the pain of feciulion trom the meeting." 5. '• Every member is to hbour to have their converfation e • very way becoming the gofpel, and becoming fuch a profefTion ; and fhould do more than others Jo, feeing thty profefs more. Therefore they fhould be much taken up in fecr^t prayer, read- ing the fcriptures, and coming to public ordinances when dif- penfedinGod's way." And Lafily^ ** When any member falls under fcandal, he is to be fecluded, until he give evident figns of his true repentance, and until he both fatisfy the ftfHon (if there be any) and the meet- ing about it." ' Any who want to fee thefe directions, queries and articles at large, may confult Mr. Waher Smith's rules and direflicns for fellowfhip meetings, the method to be ufcd in receiving members into the reformed focieties by Mr. K.t;nwick and the general nveting (yet in manufcript) ; and Mr. ]Jepb'4;a's rules, from which the above are e.xtra«^ed. To the Reader, xv we are under the axyful gloom of approaching judgments, and feemingly upon the eve of fome daftrudtion; the Lord's judgments being already ^/^r^^^/i in the earthywhich. requires the moft intenfe diligence in keeping up the ere dit of religion, when fo much abandoned and borne down. It behoved to be fuch a time as this, when thefc mentioned by Malachi, /pake ofteti one to ajwther. An4 2. Might I be permitted to ufe this as an argument; to enforce this duty ? It is the conftant practice of pro- fane and >vicked men, fuch as flage-players, comedians, mafqueraders, frequenters of balls, drunkards, thieves, highwaymen, extortioners, ^c, to gather together and join in clubs, to confult ways and means to gratify their own lufts and ambition, ip ferving the worft of mafters : and fhali thofe whoi'erve thebeft of mafters be thusout- ftripped in advancing his intereft and fervice, and to en- courage one another in their way heavenward ; altho* they fhould be accounted fools for this by a wicked ge- neration, ox as a people dwelling alone ^ and not reckoned a- mongf} the nations ? And 3. The decay or thriving of religion goes hand in hand with it. Look unto the times of our i^f/irz/^^Z/o;;, and yc will find it fo J, that \yhen thefe meetings began to de- cay, than religion became dead and languid. — On the contrary, it has been very juftly obferved by fome, that in any corner of the land where religion began to thrive and flouriili, thefe meetings beg^n as natively to be ere6l:- ed, as birds of one kind, in chooflng their mates in the^ fpring, begin to draw together. — No iboner was, Paut-' converted, than he effayed to join the company of difci- pies. Let us go fpeedih a?id pray before the Lord, — and I ivill go alfo. And Lafih, This exercife is highly requilUe as an appara- tus to fit and prepare us for eternal communion and fel- lowfhip with thelaints above. AH perfons ought to be refolved in what company they take moft pleafure in while upon earth. And how fhall we think to keep com- pany by the cloiTeft commufiion with thofe glorified faints above, with whom we could not think to keep fellow- ihip with while upon earth, — It is ufual for deligned tra- vellers unto a far country to choole to travel in company ; — fo nothing is more commodious for the traveller to the § For this fee Fox's ;>dl« and momments, Clark's martyroL Koox's hift. and letter, Oft. i^^z* ao4 Sievenron's hiftoiy, C'-« xvi To the Reader, the celcfllal country, or Jerufalem above, than to go in troops as they did of old when going up to the iblenm feafts of the Lord at Jerufalem. 1 ivent with — a mulil' tudt that lept holy days. After, all this, I know there have been and arc a number of objections muftered upagainft thefe meetings : but for brevity's fake, I mufr here confme myfelf unto the three following, which I take to be the moft formi- dable and recent at prefent. Objec. I. Fcr ivhat purpojeferve iheje meeiuigs^ iwhen ihofe ivho frequent theniy arc as bady if not ivorfey than wa?}y in the neighhourhocd ? All I obferve in anfwer to this, is,— That, no queftion, but there have been, and will be tares among the wheat, and corn amongft the chaff, until the end of the v/orld, and the reftitution of all things. And ofttimes hypocrify goes under the name of real religion, and many times real religion is branded with the vile epithet of dilllmulation -, and commonly when a corrupt member, or one falling into any fault (which, alas ! Is ujw a-days become too common) is difcovered, then nothing is more ufual for the neigh- bourhood, than to judge the whole web by Ids fwatch. But what does this militate againft the duty itfelf, or the remanent members either ? For, by a parity of reafon, we might conclude that all the eleven apoftles v.^ere trai- tors, becaufe Judas was one. Cut even their own con* fefiion, implied in the charge, fliews, that when they are fo much offended at any .thing blame-wcrthy in a number of fuch focieties, (at leaft it fays to me) that they think thefe ought or Ihould be better than them- felves-or others ; otherwlfe what would be obfervable a- bout then; ^bove others ?-^But judge tioty left ye />/ judged. Objec. II. It is further objected, and even by fome that fliould preach up the neceflity of fuch a duty. That ihefe meetings ferve for liiik p'lrpofiy hut to rafc needlefs quefiionSy and gender firfe and divfiGn, Unto this I I would reply, that I. It is now a long time, fincelln and duty, truth and error have firuggled in the moral v^orld, antl thiU both with rcfpcct to the inward and outw^j^j^^ mm, Avbcrein fometimes Ifrael, and fometimes Ama3 ;: prevails. — But it has been an epidemical evil in almoft every age, that vhcncver any pcrfon or fociety of men, begui t\) make ;;nv To the Reader. xvii any confcience, progrefs or degree in teftlfying againft the lins and defections of the time wherein they exiftcd, that they could be characterized by the generation, (and even by fome of thofe who are none of the moft irrehgi- ous) as men of ftrife, contention or divifive courfes. - This is no new thing : fays the prophet, when he had been declaring the truth unto an apoftate generation, — Woes mey m^ mother^ that thou hajl horn me a man of ftrife ami contention unto the luhole earth. But 2. Let it be fuppofed, that there fhould be any fuch. troubleibme perfons in thefe focieties, who raife need- lefs feuds and diforders, the fauh is in the members, and not in the duty itfelfwhen rightly managed. Thismuft: hold good in all other lawful aflemblies, whether civil or religious, as well as thefe meetings, and grant that there is or has been in thefe meetings (particularly correfpon- dent and congregational meetings) ftill fome perfon or other afpiring to have the lead in every argument,' mo- tion, vote or propofition ; which fometimes has created no fmall diforder : Yet as this ofttimcs proceeds from pride and ambition, or at beft from fiery zeal, or to hear themfelves fpeak or argue for arguments fake, or rather banter, (which is worfe) thefe muft rather be ac- counted a peft or burden than a bleffing or benefit unto any well regulated fociety : — offence mujl come, (fays the great inftituter of all ordinances) but woe unto him by ivhom it Cometh. The III. And laft objection that I fhall obferve, and it has alio been made by fome of thofe men which muft needs now occupy the places of teacKers : viz. Thefe meetings are no ivays needful or necejjary^ excepting tmto thofe called, mount ain'-metiy when they want preaching. Unto this I may anfwer, I . That indeed this is no improper exercife for peo- ple, when deftitute of public ordinances, (of which the following regifter is a pregnant proof) but does this ex- empt others who daily enjoy gofpel-ordinances from an obligation to this duty ? Surely no. The apoftk en- joins us to exhort one another, — to comfort one another, — to edify one another,-^— to teach and admonifJj one another, — to receive 07te another, — to befuhjeEl to one atiother, — to confefs their ftns to one another, — to minifier their gifts to onit ano^ ther, — and tojerve one another in love * : and how can c they * Heb. iii, 13. 1 TheCv. 11. Col.iii. 16. Rom. XV. 7. Epb. V. II. James v. 16, i Pei.iy, 10. Gal.y. 13. XTiii To t^e Reader* do this without an opportunity for that purpofe ? and however fome explain fome of thefc texts according to their own notion in oppolition to this duty ; yet lure they can never be wholly rclh-icVed either to family wor- fhip, or yet public ordinances. And granting thiit it is the duty of families, why not of a number of mmilies met together, and a number of thefe iocieties unto the fame exercifes of duty ? and this makes nothing at all againft the lixth and feventh direction in our directory for worihip, (as they foolilhly would fuppofc) providinjj that the one duty do not retard or juftleout the other. —And for public church-meetings, wl^ere have they the opportunity to adminiftcr thefe gifts unto one another^ except they turn Quakers ? According to the divine in- junction, a woman is not to fpeak in the church : But: here the apoftle makes no diftinetion ; nay, we are told in the forecited text. Acts i. 17. That thefe all cofiUnued ftvith one' accord in prayer •with the luomcK %, And % Here a queilion may arifz, Whether women may be faft- aiatd as cooftitate members in lotiaty meenngs ? and if fo, whether they ought to raeer apart or with m-ea irv a proniifoous manner ?••• But as this point has l^een {"jnicwhnt controverted, it will be asliafe to give in fub'Unce the mind of a very judicious writer, deligned Timotbeus rhilad,;!phus» l^ut faid to oe iMr. Brown of Wamphray, in a pfj^tty X^n^t nianurcnpr, intirtiicd,— ** The divine right of the meetings of the Lo.'d's pcnple, CJw"," ID which he fi^ys, •* Lafily% You may affociate in thefe meetings with OhfKHan women ; for thefe are Chril^tans as well as men ate \ and lothe common Chriftian duties which ^re comreteni ro thefe njeetiogi, do belong to theai ; as alfo thty had nct^ to have thcif ♦nuies performed towards thetn, as wcli as men ; and rather more, fceiog they are the weaker ?i iTels, a^d i'o femptatiocis i»Qd lad difptnfations a^e the more >cady to ieiz.' upon them. Ami fu* - iher, the bieiiiogs promiffi »rd befto^ed on thefe meeno^'s,, and fuch as conihntly frequent thcis, do bciong to- boih fexi^s. In a word, all the foregoiuH ar^unienis brouiiht ro ^01 pr. " •' But here it may be obje<51er{, That promilcuous meetijigs of men and women for private woifliip and mutual edifictiior! are liable to reprion with much brlHlan- cy of argurasint, (hewing in feveral particulars, twhat prudence feouid be ufcd in women's beinf; members of fuch focieties :-- and withal whatca-itlon (hould be t^fed to prevent every i*round pt-jealoufvor fufpicion, threferved, if for no ufe to the public ? 3///;», Whatever divifions or things difagreetible fell in amongfl them, it but only fhews they were but men f'ibje<5t unto Mcnient »o fecrccyv/hich they entered into on acct>unt of the publifhing the Lanerk declaration ; whicn was tiie mod exceptionable vhinp? of a private f^a^u.e, was bv th.eni la-d alide as foon as they dit'corersd the evil coniequences thereot ; which was no more nor lefs ihan uha: cur Retor- m-rs did with feveral things fallen into at the beginning ot the reformation, bin laid afi^e afterwards. And for that Wi>rd to be u fed by the wanderers mentioned, P. 64. let none think it was in imitation of the Mafon word ; no, it was or,ly to be uled lor a time 10 prevent their being circii.nvfcned by fal'e triendi pr open enemies ; a notable iniUoce we have of the taking of Mr. King, who was betrayed by two of the enemy in difguife of iwoot thefufFcrers. Had this word been then ar»d there uled, losaprvrchending at ilutiioic (God williog) might happiiy hiive bteu f rcveniea. 7o the Reader, • txiii VMi'ei'by the experience, and at tlie expence of former ijpes. Very pertinent for this, are a few words near the full of the iiie of Robt;rt Ganiock, (wrote by himfelf v.iuic in prifon, and yet in manuftript) who was execut- ed at the Gallowlipe of Edinburgh, Otl, — «, i6Si. ** Now, ioT any thing I know, I will be tortured, and *« my hfe taken, and fo will get no more written. So, ** any thr.t read it, I bog of them, to Ihun ail that is evil ** of my lite, as they would ftitmhell ; and if there be ^* any chiijg in it that is for ufe, 1 reijKclt the Lord thut *^ he may bear it home upon them when I am gone, sad " make It thus ufeful for them that read it, bV," All i obferve in the lait place, ancnt the way and mnnncr of this publication, is, that as Mr. Shiekls broke off fomewliat abruptly with a paper that was to be given in by each perfon to their rainifters at their ac- ceihon to the revolution church, it was found neceilary to add a ihort appendix, fliewing upon what footing the more faithful party ftood their ground at and lince tiiat time. — As to the ftile of language, it is much the fame with the original copy: Only as there were iome words fupcrfluous and fome papers of ielTer note, lomcwhac proiex: it was found proper to ai-)ridge them a lit tie, x> conciiely ;:s poffible \ m heu of which, fome letters and other papers more momentuous have been added, and put in tlieir proper places, which had been at hrft omitted with a few foot notes for the explanation of the fubject and all to render it as commodious to tjie reader, as poi- fible : and whoever fufpe6ts the transcription either of tl^e reghler or a*|>pendix to be other^vavs vitiated ironx tiie genuine copies, may be fatislied with alight of the autographs from which they werj traidlribcd. A^D now far a final conclulion, may the angel of the covenant, he who guided his Ifraei ok old with a pillar of cioud by di'y and 'Af.ann.ngfii't' by niirhiy guide all his own profeiring people in this dark and cloudy d\y^ a^ lierein the night of our defee^tions grows darker arid darker, and thejvordau of our diftlcuities deeper and deeper : — And as the church of Chriit in theie Illes, has novv of a long time dwelt with the daughter of Babylon, with that cruel yoke of bondage wreathed about her neck, may ^the time to favour our Zicn cornc, yea, the fit titne, when antichriil: thit ma:i of iin^ and all the fupporters and abettors of the kingdom of uarknefs, may be brought down and dedroyed, with a revival of rhe decayed power XXIV To the Reader. of true practical religion and godlinefs, and a covenanted work of reformation, that our captivity may be returned asjircams in thefouth. And if the following fhcets complexly, fhall, thro' the divine operation of the fpirit, prove conducive in the leaft, to any of the forefaid purpoles, that is, either to the advantage of true and real religion, or the gaining of friends unto, or confining them in the covenanted intcr- ell, in a fubferviency to God's glory and the good of his church •, then I dare fay, the principal end is gained. — For that God the Father and our Lord Jefus Chrift who himfelf before Pontius Pilate ivitnejjed a good confejfton^ may flir up and enjible many to witnefs and contend for the whole of hisdifputed truths in thefe once covenanted but now degenerate ifles of the fea, Britain and Ireland, that glory may dwell in our land, is, and ought to be the earneft defire, judicious reader, of one who remains, as formerly, thy well-wiflier in the truth, JOHN HOWIE. LOCHGOIN, Sept, 2']ihy 178c. ERRATA. page 16. Line 8. for General Meeeftng, read a General Mee* ting. p. ai8. laftline, iox could fee ^ r. could not fee, p 2*5. I. 15 & ao. for Triermituon r. Frierminion, and foot note, J. i. faine page, for ordon r. Gordon^ p. 141. footnote, lalt iioe, for count r. account. Perhaps there are lorae others which we hope the reader will notice and excufs. ERRATA of the Sermons. Page 2. of the preface in the footnote, ]. 6. for 1687. r. j68i. Page "^ foot note, line 6. fox requiring r. receiving, p. 5 i, 11. for his behalf r, his and their behalf, p. i8, toot"note, I. 4. for defore r. before, p« 40. i. 5. from the foot for 'wree r. au^r<: p. 44- 1. a». iorferved v, foiled, p. 66, 1. i. for ife r. Itfe, p. 6S. i- 7 . for them r. 7« all thefe refpe(Sl:ive places might conveen at a time and place appointed, for mutur al unanimous confukation, deliberation and help, in go- ing about that affair : and for fettling a correfpondency thereafter amongft them. Thus was the rife, and this gave the occafion to the firft general meeting, which from time to time, hath fince continued to be kept. But becaufe thefe meetings have been fo much talked of, and fpokeii againft, both at, home and abroad, and re- prefented as Eraftian Afiemblies, treating of church and ftate aftairs : \ fliall therefore fairly and ingeFxUOuily give a true relation of all the concluiions (of any confequence) that have been refoh^ed upon at thefe meetings from the firft of them, to the very laft (I having accefs to be pre- fent at iPiioft of them, and fo cannot but be judged to have opportunity to know what was refolved and con- cluded therein) Though doubtlefs abetter order and me- thod in managing affairs, had been defireable, and fome things are liable to be miftaken, as no wonder there was not more, confidering the time's darknefs and confufions^ and the Aveaknefs of the managers, fome of whom had more zeal than knowledge, more honefty than policy, and more fingle-hearted fimplicity than prudence ; yet the unbiaiTed and unprejuci»..fd may diiccvermuch inge- nuity, INTRODUCTION. 7 nuitv, andfomewhat of the Lord's conduct, and helping them to manage and keep up the teftimony according to their capacities, and ftations in thefe meetings. In the profecuting of this umlertaking, I fhall iirft give fome fhort hint of the ftate of the country every time thefe meetings occurred, efpecially how it was with that perfdcuted party at each of thefe times ; what perfecution they were meeting with from the avowed and bloody e-* nemy, and cQntradi<9:ion, oppolition and reproach from perfons, and parties on either hand, with fome brief ac- count of what contendings and wreftlings they had witk them, with fome declining to the left hand bydefci^ion, and with others upon the right hand running to unwar- rantable extravagancies 5. which in fome mealure will help to demonftrate what gave occalion and rife to that perfecuted party, to fall upon fuch refolutions in thefe meetings, for their own vindication, but efpecially for the vindication of the caufe by them owned, from ca* lumnies and reproaches, for keeping up the teftimony, and for preferving peace and unity among themfelves. And in the next place I fhall give a true relation of the refolutions themfelves which were concluded at every one of the meetings ; with what gave the occallon to every one of the fame : And alfo fome account of the efFecls following thereupon. The perufmg of which though it may be humbling, feeing thereby our low condition may be evident, when fo noble a caufe hath fuch weak ma- nagers : yet the fame will not be unpleafant to look o- ver, for inr it may be feen fome refolutions fallen upon, and alfo put in pra(rtice, which might have taken heads more v/ife to contrive, and hands more ftrong to per- form, then thofe who were helped to do both. Before I begin with this relation, I fhall premlfe a few things which I deiire may Be ferioufly confidered, and Ibberly pondered, hoping they may have fome weight with the unbiaiTed. yly Thefe meetings were,, and are looked upon by the United Societies (though it cannot be denied but fome perfons, efpecially at the firft frequenting of them, thro' riiihncfs, inconfideration and ignorance, vented them- felves in fome things to the corttrary, but the mifcarriag« es of two or three perfons cannot be juftly charged upon t)^e whole) neither as civil nor eccleliaftic judicatories ; bvit 8 INTRODUCTION. but of the fame nature with particular Chriftian focleties, gathered together in their general correi]x)ndencics,. in the time of extreme perfecution, by miitunl advice and common confent, endeavouring jointly to know the fms and duties of the day, that fo they might be helpful and encouraging to one another in concluding what was ne- ceflary for their prefervation, and the propagation of the teftimony, according to the word of God, the law of na- ture, and the fundamental conftitutions and laudable praflices of this antient covenanted church and nation of Scotland, acting jointly and harmonioufiy by way of coniiiltation, deliberation ajid admonitic»a. idl^y Thefe rciolutions, confentcd unto, and agreed upon by thefe prefent at the meeting, reprefenting the fociety or focietiestliey were ient from, though they nei- ther were, nor are looked iipon as formal ftatutes of ei- ther civil or ecclefiaftic judicatories, yet they were under- flood to be of an obliging force upon all who were con- fentcrs, partly by reafon of the nature of the thing, and partly by virtue of their confent ; but no ways obtruding the fame, as extending over the whole land, becaule coming from us, tho' there lieth upon them alfo a mo- ral obligation to perform fuch neceiTary duties. ■^dl^y At the time when thefe meetings were iirll: fre- quented, it could not be exp^v^ed that fuch order was in them as could have been wifhed, feeing the darknefs and confufions of me time were great, and the weaknejs of thofe prefent at them not fmall, nor their oppoiition from all hands defpictible ; yet by degrees they after- ward attained to a mere exaft method in managing of matters. And though the word Convvniwn, at hrft was •ufed to diftinguifh thefe meeting-? by, and fome refolu- tions therein concluded, miv at firit viev7, feem to h- vour of authority ; yet as tlie fame is not to be underilood in that fenfe, which the iiriiSt acceptation of the word may import, fo the Chriftian charity and brotherly Icve of any not too rigidly cenforicus win cover the fime, im- puting it to weaknefs, feeing whenever tliey can^c to fee fuch things, or any other to be wrong or o&nfive, they did forbear them and reform, /^ihly^ Though the word Prr./f J was, andmiybe ufed ftill, yet that is not to be underftood of one having au- thority, but only of one for order^ and avo'uUng of con^ fufion in the rneeting ; and the word Coiruniff.oner or Comm'iffloners, yet they are not to be looked upon as per- fons clothed with authority ^ to a^ judicially in the meet- ing General Meet if ig^ Dee. 15//&, 168 1. 9 ing they are delegate unto, but only as perforis reprefen- ting the relpe<5tive focieties they were fent from, that at the meeting with their brethren, they might unanimoul- ly confent and conclude upon what was incuhibent and neceliary for them ; and that when they went home, they might acquaint the fociety which lent them, with what paft at thefe meetings. $thlyy Though thofe who will be at the pains to read over this account, may fee Tome relolutions concluded on at theie meetings, which had I'mail ,or no effects follow- ing upon the fame, yet this need not be thought ftrange, if it be conlidered that as fometimes difpenfations may fall out, betwixt the falling upon the conclufions, and the performance of what was concluded or rcfolved upon, (which at the time of the refolution was not thought u- pon) that may be the caufe of counting it expedient to alter the fame ; and the want of ability may hinder the performance of what was intended: So the refolutions complied unto, and agreed upon at thefe meetings, are to be looked upon, not (o much what they did, as what they were willing to do, in their ftation, for the advan- tage of the caufe, if opportunity and ability had corref- ponded to their defue : However they cannot be altoge- ther freed from forgetfulncfs and laiznefs, things incident to them as well as others. Having premifed thefe things, I {hall give the relati- on of what I promiied. THE firfl: of thefe General Meetings was kept upon the 15th of December, 1681, at the Logan houfe, in the parifh of Lifmahagow and ihire of Clidefdale. Before, or at v.diich time, the condition of the country was la- mentable, the cruelty and malice of the enemy was come to a great height ; they were prefiing conformity to their iniquitous courfes, and alas ! they were much complied with, DefecSlion was growing, iin was abounding, and the love of many was waxing cold, fnares and temptati- ons were increaling •, and which v/as fad, people wanted faithful warning of the fin and danger of the time, for minhters (as if change of diinenfalibns could give a dif- charge from indifpeniible duty) were lying bye from the public preaching of the gcfpel, and did not (as becomes watchmen) fet the trumpet to iheir mouth, to give a certain found of wha. was duty and what was fin, in fuch B a time 1 o General Meetings Dec, i ^ih^ 1 68 1 . a time of great danger and extreme neceflity : But efpe- cially the cale of the fcattered, reproached, perlecuted, and yet coi^tending party was fad ; for upon the one hand enemies rage was keen againft ihem, lb that they were reduced to very great ftraits, of hiding, chafing, wan- dering, imprifonment and killing : So upon the other, as the want of the faith fully preached gofpcl was very wounding to them, the enjoying of v^iiicli in purity and power, would have been rcfrelhing, encouraging and watering to them in their weary wildernefs condition : So the fad reproaches and odious calumnies, particirlar- ly being of Gib's principles, which were calt upon them by many, efpecially byfomc minifters and profeflbr?, was not eafy to bear. Notwithftanding of which, and many more difcouragements, the forefaid day and place, A meeting did conveen, confifting of perfons fent from fe- veral focieties up and down the country, who owned and adhered to the Teftimony of the day. The occalion of which meeting, is a little hinted above ; in-ihort, it was this: To conlideiv about, and detennine upon giving a Public Teil-imony againft the •zy/.-.^-^c'/acts of the late Par^ tiamenty efpecially that wretched Teft, and for fettling a correfpondence thereafter among all them of one judgment in owning the teftimony.- After they were met, and prayer ended, it was thought convenient that a certain number fliould be chofen out of the whole, for the more fpeedy and eafy refolving upon what they were met about ; which being done, the iirfl: thing they did, in reference to the making of any concluiion, was tlie reviling and rectifying of an A(5l and Declaration, (the form whereof being drawn up before) wherein, after they have related how the late deceaft tyrant, Charles the \\, was legally caft off by the DcclaraUon publiihed at Sanquhar ^ thcT give reafons of their revolt from, and difowning of his authority ; and in the end ihey iliew their adherence to the Rutherglen and Sanquhar declarations. So they de- clare againft whatever hath been done by Charles Stuart and his accomplices, in prejudice to our antient laws and liberties, in all. his fevcral pretended parliaments fince the year 1660, and particulaily the late parliament hol- den at Edinburgh, July 2^, 168 t, by a Commillioner profeiTedly Popilh, and for villainy exiled his native land, with all the acls therein enabled ; as that abomi- nable, ridiculous, unparalleled, and foul-perjuring Toft, and the reil. Alter this was done, the fame was pub- licly read ill the audience of all prcfent at the meeting. General Meetings Dec. l^th^ i68l. il theii- judgment required of, and their confent fought un- to it, which was cheerfully obtained ; fo that it was re- folvetl that the fame ihould be publifiied at Lanerk, upon the 1 2th of January 1682, and fomc horfe and foot to do the fame. That which gave the occaiion to the con- fulting and refolving upon the publifliing of this Tefti- mony, is a little mentioned above, and the doing thereof in fuch a public manner was necefTary, feeing thereby they evidencetl their zeal for the caufe wronged by thefe wicked laws, their fear of partaking of other mens ims, left they ihould partake of their judgments alfo \ their deiire to have the; conviftion of the heinoufnefs of the fins witnelTed againftfiiftened upon the confciences of the con- trivers, actors^ and compliers with the fame ; and to cafl a. fair copy to pofterity, if the like neceluty calling for the fame lliould occur ; as they had got many notable inftaftces of the like, from their predeceflbrs of worthy memory* Though what followed upon this fo neceflary a duty, be matter of mourning, yet not in the leafi: to make the lawfuinefs or expedienxry thereof to be called in quefiion. As upon the one hand, when the cruel sdverfary, angry that there fliould be any in the laud,'" Evidencing their love and loyalty to Chrift, and zeal a- gainft the wrongs done to him, his caufe and intereft, heard of the pubiifnlng of this Teftimony, to ihew their indignation againftiiie fame, they caufed the (fo called) magiftrates of Edinburgh to ere6: a ftage at the crofs, and there In their roles y (by the hand of the hangman) folemniy to hum the Deciaratio:n publiihcd at Lanerk, and with it the Solemn League and Covenant, upon which they faid, (in a paper they printed) that the Dcr claration v/as founded j and irned the town of Lanerk in 6000 Merks, becaiife they did not hinder the pabllfh- ing of it, although it was not in their power to do the fame. So upon the other hand, though it made the caufe owned by the publilhers more clear to fome, yet many minifters and profefTors condemned it, even for difowning the authority of the T\rant by fiich a party, as well asft>rfome expreihons in it, as Convent'ion of E^ jlateSy In our 7iame and authority^ &c, which were indeed not well worded, and unadvifedly put in, the defence of • which was afterward paft from, as it is to be feen in their informatory Vindication. • A fecond thing refolved upon, wv.^ the agreeing upon and fettling a General Gorrefpondence to run circular throiTgli the ■ whole focictles of the nation owning the B 2 Tefti- 12 General Meetings Dec. i^t/j^.i6Sl. Teftimony, every fourteen days, or at leafl: ever)^ month. This concluliort was thought very rational and neceflary, for the fpeedy knowing of one another's minds about a- ny matter in agitation among them, and communicating their thoughts to one another for counfel and direction, how to carry, in and about the fame, and for avoiding of confufion and prefer ving of union. And as the defign of agreeing upon this conclulion was very rational, fo what hath followed upon the fame, hath tended to the advantage of the caufe and encouragement of its owners, for it hath produced this effect : Where there were feve^ ral focieties in a fhire, they have endeavoured to keep up a correfpondence among themfclves by one or two per- fons fent frcJm every Ibciety in the fhire, to a place, and at a time appointed, efpecially prefently before, and pre- fently afte;* every General Meeting, for confuking and determining matters relative to one or more of the Socie- ties in the bounds, and for removing of differences among any of them, which was incum.bent for them to do in their ftation. Thefe are called iliire meetings ; and fometimes two or three fliircs do fo correfpofid : And when the fhire is large, and mary focieties in it, they di- vide fuch meetings in two, and meet together but upon fbme emergencies more than ordinary : But what things cannot be brought to any conclufion therein, and thefe matters more public, and which requhe the advice, coi^- currence and confent of the whole, were, and are brought to the General Meetiug, that there it might be conlider- ed, and fome conclufion put thereto, as was proper for them to do, according to their Hation and capacity. And this method continues unto this day. Further, it was concluded that every quarter of a year thereafter there fliould be a General Meeting of perfons to be fent from all the focieties in every fnire, burgh, and corner of the nation, where they refided who owned the Teftimony. To refolve upon this conclulion, was^ one caufe of the conveening of their meeting, which was looked upon as helpful to propagate the Teftimony, to preferve unity among its owners, and to ftrengthen and encourage one another in the way of their duty in that dark, fad and weary day. And though many have been pleafed from ignorance or prejudice to exclaim againft thefe meetings, and confcquently againft this conclufion nfthe hrft of them, ^et what effe^s the fame hath pro- r^uced, aiifwerable to the ends of their lirll appointment, the General Meethig^ Dec, i^th^ i68i. 13 following account of the fubfequent meetings will de- moiiftrate. Likewifc, it was concluded, that nothing fhould be done by any particular perfon, without the confent of the fociety whereof he was a member, in things whereof their knowledge and confent was requifite to be had. And alfo, that nothing fhould be done by any fociety, or focieties in a fliire, in matters relative to the public, and which concerned the whole, without the knowledge and confent of the General Meeting. That which made them fall upon this refolution, was the fears that perfons or focieties, (having more zeal than knowledge) might run and ruih upon things at their own hand, doing theta in name of the whole, and yet without their knowledge and confent, which though even right upon the matter, yet wanting the concurrence of thefeas much concerned, if not more than they, cannot be reckoned their deed : And if wrong both as to matter and manner, the whole would be blamed *, yea the caufe would fuffer more re- proach, feeing in a community it is ordinarvto findfome perfons rafh and precipitant in meddling with matters beyond their fphere : Efpecially there was ground for this fear, in that confufed and dark time, for feeking to prevent which they cannot be juftly blamed. And as the eonclufion was, and is rational, and neceffary for that end, efpecially among a community which deiires and de-f 'ligns to do do nothing relative to the public, and which concerr^s the whole, without the knowledge, concurrence and confent of all thefe concerned ; fo the fame hatli proved eifetoal for keeping of union, excluding of con- fulion, hedging in of petulant fpirits, and right manag- ing of affairs, though feveral have been pleafed to cry- out againft it as an impolition, efpecially feme who have broken off from them : But as they have explained their meaning in other things, fo alfo in this, as may be feeu in their Inform atory Vhidicat'w?7y P. 46, 47. Moreover it was concluded. That each commiflioner there prefent, fhould after his return to the fociety he was fent from, confult with, and feek their advice, if they judged it necellary, that fome perfon or perfons Ihould be fent abroad to foo-eign reformed churches, for making known to them the fad conditicn of this church, and in particular their own low and lamentable cafe ; and to come refolved to the ijext meeting, as to the w.^.y and manner of carrvinj? it on. Tho' fome eifecieties Ihould take it to their conlideration, whether it ■were necelTary to fend one or more of their number, in good repute among- them, and in fome capacity for ma- naging fuch an undertaking. It was alfo reiolved, that the 29th of December, next, fhould be obferved by all the focieties adhering to the Tcftimony, and united in that CorrefpondencCj as a day of faftinq and prayer unto the Lord, that he would be gra» ciouily pleafed in mercy, to direct, countenance and blefs the action which was to be gone :about upon the 1 2th of January, 1682. This a£tion was the publishing of t'le Declaration at Lanerk, And that the faid 12th of Jan- trary be obferved as a day of fafting and pi'ayerby all that fiiould remain at home, in their fevetal fociedes, and that the 26th of January, and 19th of February, be ob- ferved days of fafting and humiliation, prayer and tiiankt- giYing, by the faid focieties. And the next general meet- ing was appointed to be upon the 15th of March at the Frieft's-hill. Having given this account of the conchifions of this meeting with what gave the occafion to, and followed thereupon : I ihall next give the relation of this one thing, which, though it feem to rcfiedt upon thefe who had a- ry hind in it, yet I could not omit it, feeing it would be rCTikoned diii^igenuity in relating the laudable deeds of a perfon or party, not >o give fome account of their inif- carriages alfo : efpecially thefe which are not only nottour toothers, but alio confcficd to be fuch by themfclvcs : as Accciint of the Tear 1681. 15 !is this was. But becaufe I ftndy brevity, as well as im- partiality, I ihall give it in few words. Thsre was on*i engagement unto iecrecv taken by the members of this meeting, tlife import of which was, That they jhould ngt molic Iznoivn unto any^ ^L^kat conclufwtis ivcre r£jolvecl upo-n at the thney hut upon the like engagement. This was thought neceflary and expedient at the time, left th^ then intended publifliing of the DeclaraLion, Ihould have been diicovered, and fo the a?.s deplorably fad, as it was before it, Eneinies went ftill on in pref- fing conformity to their helliih courfes, getting ready compliance thereunto, by the generality of people, and perfecuting all recufants with rigour. But efpecially th^^ cafe of the witnelling party Was much to be pitied, for upon the one hand, the adverfary after the publilhing of Lan'.'rk Declaration breathed out cruelty and {laughter againft them, fome efle£ts of whofe fury is touched a little above. And upon the other hand, inftead oi compal- lion and fympatliy, which might have been expe^tei Would have been ihown tliem in fuch a lad jundlurc, many of their covenanted brethren: did not only con- demn iome v\-.)i-ds in the declaration, as convention ^c hut alfo the thing itfelf, as coming from fuch a party,' wiio, they then coiKrluded was running upon unwar- rantable and unhappy courfes, and v/ere rcprefcnted as fuch, both at home and abroad. A-ltlioiigh th^fe things were wounding and vveighty to them, yet they did no- thing abate, but rather kindle their zeal; they were more di'igerit than formerly, in keeping up their meet- ings for prayer and conference, and their dclirc wns more fervent to promote .'die Teftimony, and tranfmit it to poftcrity j for the fcttHng of the Correfpondenc<;, and 1 6 Gcjieral Meetings March i^tb^ 1682. and the publifliing of the Declaration, was a Httle re- viving to them in their bondage, a pledge that the Lord •would do more for them, and a branch of hope reached to them, in that their low condition. But their great complaint was the Avant of the faithfully preached gofpel which they longed after. However, according to the appointment of the lail general meeting did conveen at the Prieft-hill, in the parifh of Muir-kirk of Kyle, and iheriifdom of Air, upon the 15th of March 1682. After they were met, and prayer ended, this meeting (but efpeciaily afterxyard, method being attained by degrees, and not at the lirft) for order's fake was thus modelled ; when it was known who were thefe fent from the feveral focieties (there be- ing always more there than fuch) there was chofen of thefe fixteen, and fometimes more, to make up which number, every {hire choofed fome more, and fome few- er, according to the number of focieties therein, and where there was but one out of a fliire, he ivas aliuays of that number. Again out of thefe was chofen a Pr^efes, not that to iiim was given (neither did they claim) any power or authority, over the reft, but for keeping of or- der, and avoiding of confuilon, which was very incident among fuch a company. Sometimes the reft of the Commiflioners were delired to go to another place, and fpend the time in prayer ; but what concluiions were re- quifite for them to know and obtaintheir confent unto, were fignifled to them, that they might acquaint their focieties therewith when they went home; or if they had any thing to objecV, they might give it in ; at other times they were prefent, that they might fee and hear: what paft, and fpeak their mind, when they faw it ne- ceflary, that fo they might the better give an account thereof when they went home to their focieties. Next when this was done, there were fome queftions enquired at every one of the felected number ; fuch as,. If they knew the mind of the fociety they were fent from .? If they did, whether their fociety ov/ncd the Teftimony againft tyranny and defection ? if they were free of fcandal ? as alfo if any there prefent, knew any of tlie reft, chargeable with fpch things ? And if any were found fo chargeable ; they were in all fobriety delu'cd to withdraw, but not to be. offended, feeing what they did was out of love to them, and for their own exoneration, to manifeft their hatred at the fin, and ^tnit of^e jnft^ ncfs of the cenfure to be infticted for iwch fcartUals b^^r, thefe General Meeting y March i^ih^ 1682. 17 thefe who ^t'ere competent for the fame. This method hath been ftill followed. And about two years after this, thefe queftions were written, which I fhall infert when I come to the time in which the fame was done. And albeit, this hath been exclaimed againft by many, and called by fome cannons •, yet the fame was, and is thought neceflary, feeing, at the iirft beginning of thefe meet- ings, and fince, many people were fadly involved, and infnared in the public defections, and grofs compliances of the time; which would have been found cenfurable by church judicatories, in a peaceable and fettled condi* tion of the church, and in this confufed and broken time, wanting fuch judicatories to make application unto (however being willing to retain the fenfe of the juftnefs of the cenfure, which ihould be inflicted upon the per- fons guilty of public fcandal.) Therefore out of love to their brethren, and fear of partaking of other men's fins, they deiired and endeavoured to have the members they concurred with in thefe meetings, in carrying on, and managing the Teftimony in their ftations, fo qualifi- ed, as they might with comfort and confidence join with; being of one mind and judgment, as to the mat- ter of the Telbmony, and free of any public fcandal ; or if they had been chargeable with any, confeflcd it, were fenfible of the evil thereof, and willing to acknov/ledge offence they had given thereby, to fuch as w^ere compe* tent to take the fame. This was, nor is not a taking u«- pon them the trial of fcandak, or fcandalous perfons ^ for all the trial which they did. a!?d do judge incumbent for them being private perfons in their private capacity notwithllanding of the greateft necefilty, is not judicial and authoritative, but meerly private and popular, for mformation about the cafe and pra^Ttlce of the perfons, in order to the regulating of their eonfciences m their duty and carriage toward them 5 that fo according to tlit: judgment of difc retion, they might be fully perfuaded in their minds, as to whst was right and wrong, true or falfe, and might not remain itaggering or doubting in their duty toward them. Thefe queftions being enquired, and what followed thereupon at an end •, then what bufinefs they had to confult about, and to deliberate upon, came to be con* fidered. The firft thing done at the meeting, as like- wife at feveral meetings afterwards, was the reading of the conclufions of the foregoing meeting, and it was en^ quired at every member, if he approved of the fame. C At l8 General Meetings March 15//^, 1682. At this meeting they did aj^rove thereof. That which moved to this was, that in cafe any particular perfon, or fociety had feen lince the laft meeting ground cf ob- jection againft any of the refolutions therein concluded, they might give them in, that fo, after due eonfiderati- on, if it were found neceflary, fuch reiblutions might either be altered, or quite laid afide^ Next, it was concluded by them, that the honourable Alexatider Gordon of Earljlcfiy attended by John Nijhety fhould be commiihonate to foreign nations, to reprelent their low cafe to the reformed churches there ► And that money fhould be collected and brought into Edin- burgh, betwixt and the 4th of April next thereafter, for helping to defray his expences in that undertaking. The import of his commiflion was this : — -" After *' narrating the motives preffing to fend him abroad ; «< as the low cafe the church of Scotland was in by per- «« fecution ; and that in particular, their caufe and cafe ** was fadly mifreprefented abroad, by the fubtle dealings •* of adverfariss, whereas they declared, they neithcir « maintained, nor defired to hold any thing contrary to •♦ the written word of God, their ancient laws, civil and « ecclefiaftic^ and their former work of Reformation, *« agreeable thereto : They do eoncredite him faithfully ** to inform all the Proteftants, to whom he fhould come *■* (they deiiring to know their cafe, in order to the fym- ^ pathilmg with them, and holding up their cafe unto ** the Lord,^ as members of the fame body, under Jefus •< their Head) of their prefent cafe, principles, former ♦* and latter proceedings, and that they were (through «^ grace) labouring to keep themfelves clean in the way <* of the Lord,, as it had been walked in by their prede- ** cefTors, m their carrying on the noble work of Refor- *< mation, in the feveral fteps thereof, from Popery, •'Prelacy, and Eraftian fupremacy. And it is upon " thefe heads, their fuffcrings were, and are ftated ;, *« and for the more clear and full knowledge whereof, •' they recommended them to the infonnation of him *^ whom they had fent, as being well feen in their atFairs : ** Humbly defiring, that what information he lliould •* give, might be credited : And that what information ** they had gotten, or might get, of their principles, <* or practices being contrary to the fcripture might not be ♦* believed, the fame being only falfe afperlions caft upon ** them. Concluding with an intreaty to all the lovers " €/f Zion, not to flight, but to ponder deeply, the that an anfwer fhouki be written to the Letters fent from Glafgow by fome of the diiTenters ; intending thereby further to clear and confirm thofe who adhered to the conclufion, and for convincing and reclaiming thole who were againlt it, or for rendering the obftinate more inexcufable : and to do this, Mr» James Renwick and James Ruflel were employed, who undertook to write each of them one, and promifed to meet two or three days before the meet- ing, for revifing each other's papers, and if needful to put them both in one.. Accordingly they did meet, and read each other's papers j but !Mr. James, though he a- greed with the feope and matter of the other's writing, yet not with fome exprellions in it, fo it was concluded that each fhould be kept by itfelf. However, upon the forefaid day of meeting, after the Commiffioners had gi- ven in their commiflions> as was ufual, and the prefes chofen, Mr. James's paper againft the difientment was read, containing an anfwer to the objections of the op- ponents, and likewife fome retifons inducing to forefaid conclufion. But as he was of a meek and tender fpirit, fo in this paper, tho' the reafons were folid, weighty, and fharp, yet the ftrain of it was condefcending and gain- ing, whereby there was nothing faid againft it ; but when James Ruflel's (who was of a fiery and hot Ipirit) his paper came to be read, the moft part of the meeting as well thofe who were for the conclufion as thofe who were againft it, except two or three, condemned it, as having too much bitternefs, untendernefs and reflections Ink, ' But in the time of his and the meeting's conten- ding about that paper and other things, an alarm com* ing, they parted at that time, and at night met again without the town, where after long reafoning and de- bating betwixt the meeting and him, and two with hiin, inz, John Henderfon and Patrick Grant, in which the heat was not fmall, nbr the confufions few, upon which he and thefe two gave in a written proteftation (which they had drawn up befote) to the meeting, intitled, '* The Proteftation of the Societies of true Preft^yterians ** in the fhire of Fife and Perth, againft diforderly per- «* fons." In wkich, adhering to forefaid coucluiion at laft General Meet mg^ Aug, \ith^ 1682. 27 the laft meeting, they proteft agalnft admitting any to iit as m^mhers of the meeting, contrary to the eoncluii- on -of the laft, and then mention feveral things, where- of if any were guiUy, they were not to be admitted as members of a Conventiony (Jo term they the General Meeting) fome of which the meeting did look upon as caufes of withdrawing, and fome not. Likewife they gave in a paper about the names of the days of the week, and months .of the year, wherein were feveral unfuitable and unfavoury, unchristian expreljions ; and fo he and his comrades left them, after he had occafioned fonte confufion, which Qtherwife might not have fallen out, as was evident both at the laft meeting and this : And af- ter he was parted from them he was was not idle ; by tak- ing trouble to himfelf, he created more to others ; for he and fome few with him, feeking to juftify what they had done, were at no fmail pains .to inform, or rather mifinform feverals about the proceedings at the laft and this meeting, in goin^^ through the country, reading hit papers to fundry men and Vv'omen. Yet he gained few to his party^ Yea, he wrote abroad to Earlftoun, mif- reprefenting the proceedings of this meeting and the laft, whereby he and Mr. Hamilton were in hazard (as no wonder) of being jealous of friends, an wlijch he moft wil-, lingly and chearfully did. And fo upon this condition, he was received in, as a member of the meeting. Likewife concerning the diffcnters the meeting pro- ceeded thus, in order to them ; afking if they were v/illing to acknowledge their offence in what they had done, which if not, they v/ere not clear to a<51: with them. To which, the dilfenters faid, that they desired to hear Earlftoun's letter (which he had fent home, giving fome account of his progrefs abroad) bccaule pollibly* thereby, they might be more coDvinced of their miflakc, and cleared in their duty : which the meeting granted. And when they had heard the fame, they acknowledged that the appointment of fending one abroad was duty : arul that they were out of their duty in their diiTenting from Gemral: Meetings Aug. iithy ^^%2, a^ from it. And fo jointly with ►the reil of the meeting, approved all the conciufians of the foregoing meetings^ nnd i b approved of the diffenting from them upon the . account of decliiVmg the forefaid appointment. This W5^ fariafving to ajl the meeting, whereupon they were re- tcivcd as members thereof; and in token of the buriai^ tliatdiirentment, it was cone hided unanimouily, that the o])je<^ions of the diiFenters, together with all anfwers thereto, fhould be deftroyed. After which, thefe con- cluiions were jointly by them concluded upon, ly?, It was concluded that a call Ihould be fent to Mr. Thomas Douglas, inviting him to come home, and when come, if no exceptiojus be found againfi: him, he is tob^ joined with, but if there be any juft exceptions, his charges are to be paid and himfelf difmifled. The failing upon this relclution, proceeded from their longing, to have the gofpel freely preached by faithful minifters, which they had long been deprived of: and to have that foul ftain, that they would hear no minifters, whicii was Cifb upon them removed.^ And from a deiire in parti- cular to have the benefit of his miniftry, with vdiich, they had been privileged before, having heard of his re- maining affection to the caufe, they judged it their du- tv to write to him, beins: at the time in England, in or- der to his home coming. Accordingly a letter was writ- ten, and fent, to which he returned an anfwer, giving fome reafons of his not comiog which were not ytTj fa-i tisfying, 2.//«, Alfo, it was concluded upon the account of d;f- ability to manage the affair, that the honourable Alexan- der Gordon of Ea.rliloun, be dofiref to fettle his alfairs abroad, and to turn his commifiion ir;tQ his much hou- oured brothei' Robert Hamilton his hand ; yet not to leave matters in confulion, which may prove -ee crofs. Wliich letter, becaufe it v/as io much fpoken of afterward, and to let th.& toider fym.pathy of thac worthy minifter with the afiii(ned be {^t\\, for which he ^nli not ir»it his reward : And that the fame may tend to his corftmendation, although lince, by the mifinfcrmation liffcme Scots miniiters in Roterdam, and others, too much given heed unto by him, he hath altered his mind, I fii«U inftrt here a true coj^y of it in Englilh into which language it was faithfully tranilatsd out of the Latin, iu which it was originally written. ^0 our Fathers and Brethren that are under the p^ifcui^ tJQjf, in the Church ^/'Scotland. Although I do not elleem my gifts fo great as to write to you who are fo eminently taught ol the Hoiy Spirit 5 yet I cannot keep IHent from Ihewing you, that my foul is knit t6 yovr?, T>?hich fom^timcs ufes to be a com- Prefjyterians in Scot la fid* 1682. 3^ comfort to the affll<5ied, to wit, to have feme to bear burdens wich them. Vv''h ether I fiiall weep for fadnefs, or rejoice for gladnefs, is to me a great doubt. If I gave wav to af- feciion, grief would prevail ; but when I confult with reafon, joy abounds ; becaufe I heartily embrace the caufe of this, although joined with the caufe of the o- ther ; and I would not wilh the caufe of that taken away, with any difad vantage to this. My heart is not a httle wounded with fympathy, when I call to mind the fad thinr*"^ you are meeting with ; when I conflder how you are deprived of all the good things and means of life, that you are put to lodge day and night in the open air, without any flielter from the fun's heat, rain or cold, (how do you live ? furely God feeds you from heaven) when you embrace the bare rock for a bed, having the heavens, or it may be the cold fnow for a covering ; vrhen I confider what it is to fee the little ones (it may be) vreeping for hunger and cold, and cannot get wherev/ith to warm them ; v/hen I con- sider what it is to be always furrounded with deadly foes, and to hear fom.etimesof the hufband, fometimes of the father or mother, wife, Ton or daughter to be taken to execution, and all the day to be as lambs alloted to the flaughter ; what brother ? what .Chriftian ? yea, v/hat unbiafTed man can think on thefe things but with ex- ceA of grief ? But, upon the other hand, when I confider the hea- venly abounding blefiings, the great abundance of the Spi- rit, and fpiritual joy, the deniednefs to all worldly things, the ardent love to God and your neighbour, the chear- ful martyrdom for the name of Jefus, the hohnefs of life, life, vvdiich God your father has in a more abundant manner bellowed on you than any church in the world in thefe times. When I call to mind, that God is pre- ferving you as a remnant of anciently a moft flourifhing church, and calling you as the firft fruits, yea, I fay, the firft fruits of a church fliortly ; yea, I fay, fliortly to be raifed up : When I fee our Lord and Mafcer Jefus Clirift, the only head of his church, glorified^n your miraclous prefervation, and cncompafTIng you as with a wall of fire round about, calling you either living or dy- in, and fetting you forth, and preferving you to all, ei- ther godly or ungodly, who are lurking in quiet here and there, f&r to give a teftimonvfor almfelf. I fav, when E ' 'lie- 34 Mr. P/itlia^i Br at kefs Letter^ to the I ierioufly ponder thefe things^ how can I be iud ? what fhall I lay, but glory to the Lord ? what Ihall I do, but moll: willingly approve of his moil: holy and wife go\ crn- nient oi his houfchold, who follows you with a greater and more infinite and eternal love and good will than I can exprefs ^ fliould I Icem to repine by williing a change, and fo difapproving of his difpenlations ? nay, the mcic holy and mercifwl God docs all things well. But what Ihall I fay unto you, my dear brelhren ? I approve of your careful and mutual ccrrefpondence with one another, and all the churches •, I approve of your ftri(ft difcipline, both as to the private life of every mem- bei-, and alfo as to your feparation from thefe fwelling in' pride Bifliops and their adherents. Aud likcwiie I approve of your feptiration from thefe who have accepted the indulgence from the civil magiftr^.te, and fo haveac- k-nowledged a foreign and extraneous power in the church, and introduced it into the ciiurch againft the fole government of our only King Jefiis Chrift, which hath proven the deil:ru<^ion of tlie church, and the great- cii hin^derance to its reftoration^ I approve alio of^your feparation from the frighted and fearing, tliough ether- wife pious men, and thefe who are inclining to the in- dulged lide, loving a lliort bodily eafe, though with a check of confcience ; who deprive thcmfelves of all that open boldnefs they o.ught to have, and entrap themfelves in inextricable fnares, not conlidering licw great hurt they do to the cliurch. O how much rather Is it to be chofen to die a noble and Chrift-glorifying death, and to obtain the crown of martyrdom, or to endure all forts, of injuries and opprcihons in the defarts and mountains, ipau to cTijoy the the pleafures of fin for a feojofiy fr ivhai felhiu/htp hath rlghteoufnefs iviih unr'ighieoupiefs. Go on therefore, dear brethren, as ye have .begun ; Coine cut froni aniofig thcmy fciih the Lorciy cud touch not the unclean thing ; Thai J}:all I receive you^ and he' to ysu a father, and sejhall he unto me as Jons and daughters, faith the Lord of ho/} s. Let not. the devil and his inftruments and followers fright you, v/ho is come unto you fidi of great wrath, becaufe he knrAv:i his time is but Ihort, for the God of peace ihall bruife him \mdcr your feet. Let not the cruelty nor fubtilty of enemies, nor hun- ger, nor cold, nor the prifon, nor a gallows, nor the iVord, fear you : none of thefe things Jim! I feparate you from the love of God. Teay ywr light a^iclion^ luhii-'h is h/ord feems to pafs' by the>minifters of Scot- land, pitching upon Grangers, who not only off^ t^err fervice, bat are willing to lay down their lives for there- building of that once fo glorious and .beautiful work, iuid to be at the coil: and charges of educating our yotitb, whereby they may be fitted for the fervice of the honfe ofour reailr felt 40 Mr. Robert Hamiltoris Letter and known : yea, it has not been the want of learning", but cf grace, holy zeal, and courage, that has fo brought lis among the feet of our adverlaries, and kindled the wrath of the Lord fo hot agalnft us. O then, upon all hands, let it be gone about ^vith much fafting and prayer, as being the ordinary and appointed way to know the Lord*s will, and to be fitted for going about it, and ma- naging it aright. Worthy friends, to me this/ matter hath been often reprefented, as amongft the greateft concernments yet in hand ; as a mean that may be eminently for recovery from the dead, or of giving us the foreft blow that ever we yet had. O ! a down pouring of the Spirit in his ful- nefs, be your allowance, both for your encouragement in your managing of it, and for a token of our Mailer's approbation of the work. And O forget not to mind poor Freizland^ and In particular the work begun here, let the godly here, lie near to your hearts and prayers beiore the tlirbne, for that church, I dare fay, is dearer to them than their lives. Mind alfo worthy Mr. Brackel, Avho has now written to you : it is he whom the Lord is honouring here, and hath honoured to give a great teftimony, of which I gave you an account in my laft. And O for th«: Lord's fake mind worthlefs, worthlefs me, Avho am as a dead man, of a long time, feparate from my brethern, ^nd fliot at, yea bitterly Ihot at, by all ranks of off-fallers from the caufe of God. I will tell, I muft tell you, I have found my Lord, unchangeable, in every eilate the fame, ay the fame up making, and more than up mak- ing portion ; fweet and eafy is his crofs ; I cannot get him commended: O his love is lovely, yea lovlinefs itfelf: O if he were kent, whofe mercy endureth for ever ! O feek him to our land, to our mother, and to ourrelve>:, that his kingdom may come, and his will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. O let him do with us as \\z will, that he would but come as in the days of old ; yen, and forever blelTed be his name for what I have already feen and heard, both of fweet Scotland, and poor Frei/:- land. O let us not envy that he is enlarging lys tents and fettingup in other places \ 5^is prefence is more than able to fill heaven and earth ; there is no fear that he want plenifliing where he comes. Let him conquer, let hir^ ■^conquer, until he has ll:retchcd his conqueft from or «• end of the earth to the other, in breadth an- ; ' >J to Mr, James Renwich, ^r and laigth, and have made a footftool of all his ene- mies. Dear and wortliy Brethren, I will not further trouble yon, expevith thofe who were to come from the Societies to the next General Meeting ; and the young Men were dcfir- F 2 ' ' e4 44 General Meetings OB. Wth^ 1682, ed to be ready for their voyage betwixt and the fecond week of November. This conclufion was chearfully con- fented unto, and as wilHngly and readily put in pradlice ; for immediately thereafter, not only the money was gi- ven to the young men which was allowed them, tut al- fo what was needful Avas provided for them at Edin- burgh, two of them, Mr, W illjam Boyd and John Flifit, m November thereafter took fliip, and went to the Netherlands, to the Uviverfity of Gron'iugen -, but Mr. James K^rtiv'tth was not ready to go until December. However, though he went not fo foon as the other two, yet in the fhort time he was there, the Lord fo fitted ;ind qualified him for the great work which afterward he undertook, and finilhed with joy, that he was foon- er ready for the work he was fent about than any of them ; for on May i oth thereafter, he v/as ordained by the Prefbytery of Groningen, in whom they had great iatisfa for feeking counfel and d;reie time in that kingdom* They accordingly went, ha\T:ng' a letter with them directed to aill the three minifler^-, with Tome of Whcm they had conference. But neither tbitj, nor what eife they did there, produced any thing tending to that much deilred union v/ith them . ■ A copy of the letter follows, which evidences the loRging defire we Lad for the benefit of the go I pel ; as rJf 5 the great refpefb, and high efteem we had o^ theis sniniflers to whom it v/as direcled. Worthy Fatherf^ ''""ff^HE Remnant of the church of Scotland has con- y^ 6.t{c^ndt& upon an unanimous call to all the mi- nifters that can be found any way concerned with the caule for which they are fufferlng ; and have declared one in general to the fald mini Iters : But we (knowing your ccncernednefs above many) have thought fit to fend to you a copy of the lamel. ... . - , r, / . ,/ ^ 3^7/)', Becaufe there is {o much need of baptifm to irj- fants, and (o many like to be hard put to it, what hy reproach from pretended friends, and perfecution from enemies, becaufe their children are unbaptized* It Js true, we know that it is not abfoluteiy necef- fiiry to falvation j yet we ought to ufe aU means lawful, ;to have the fame in a cleanly way. ' , _ Thcfe are fome of our grounds for fending fb exprefly to yon, who we hope will ^uil'wer us. Thele our Com- miliioners cd.\\ fliew you nK)re fully our cafe, and how great our need is of fuch as you : Therefore we earneftly intreat you to make as little delay as ye poflibly can. 'It may be ye think we will not he^ir minillers except they preach publicly in the fields : But for anfwer, we will hear all rainifters (whether in houfes or fields) who will preach according to the word of God, our Covenants, ConfeiTion of Faith and Catechifms Larger and Shortr er, that £l\all embrace this our call, and preach without jmy limitation, either to time or place, but as conveni- ^ncy ihall oifer itfelf. Having no mci-e at prefent to trouble you with ; we reft (in the name, and behalf of the reft) your allured friend?^ in Jefus Ckrill our Lord. BY the means related above, and otlierways, the call being made public, it occadoned the United Societies to be much mifreprefented by many (and even by fome who had better thoughts of us before) thinking that we were running upon extravagances. But as fome of us at tht concluding thereon, and others afterwards, when they iaw it, were difpleafed therev/ith ^ fo it was not long till the faults and miftakes in it were feen, ^d condemned by all of us, as v/ell as by others ; and it wa* defired that aU copies thereof ihould be, called in, delivered back, ancjl no more mad*; ufe of, yea, fuch was our fenfe of feveral tilings wroi^g in it \ and that it might be known we did not own it, fomewhat was publilhcd concerni;ig it, iu our informatory vindication. However, tho' we retracted the call becaufe of its un- foundncfs in feveral particulars, yet it was thought fit to draw up another call to n'liniilers, that .thereby vre might <::iJeavoj.u- to have the benefii: of the gofpel as formerly G 2 we 52 A Call to Minifters^ 1683. vrt enjoyed it : and to endeavour to wipe ofF that re- proach caft upon us, that we were Schifmatics, and would hear no minifter at all. "Which call being drawn up, and agreed unto at the next meeting at Edinburgh on the 8th of May thereafter ; and prefented to fome of the minifters, but not embraced •, a copy whereof, may not be improper to infert here, feeing it falls in to be fpoken of in this place : And is as followeth. A Call by a Remnant of the true Prefbyterians of the Church of Scotland, who delire to adhere to the true principles therepf ; Containing a vindication of their withdrawing : And a proteftation, in cafe of not accepting of this Call \ which is to thole who v^ere once faithful minifters of our church. "We are called Schifmatics and erroneous in our prin- ciples, which we delire to clear ourfelves of, to all un- biafled Prefbyterians in Scotland, or through the world : And fo we fhall fet down the caufes of our prefent with- drawing. It is well known, that while thefe outed-minifters preached faithfully in the fields, and in houfes, plead- ing for their Lord and Mailer's right, whofe embafTy they did carry, they were eminently countenanced of the Lord, then our fouls did cleave to them •, and fever^ al of us (in humility be it fpoken) did lay out ourfelves to the uttermoft of our power in our ftatipns for the up- holding of the fweet and precious ordinances of our Loi-d ^nd Mafter, which our fouls rejoiced to follow, and as an evidence of our love to thefe ordinances, we, accord- ing to our engagements in our covenants did appear in armies, with no other deiign (of which our conlcience bears us witnefs) bat for the extirpating of Popery, Pre- lacy, Eraftianifm, and whatfoever is contrary to found doctrine, and principles, and againft the fupporters there- of 5 and for thefetting up, and eftablifliing of Prefby- terian governnuTit according to our covenant engage- ments, and fome of the minillers joined with us for our encouragement : But the Lord thought fit, for ends known to himfelf, and ordered it fo, as that party was broken (at Bothwel) and upon the back of that difpenfa- tion, many ftumbled, both minifters and people, for which, we think we may allude to that in John vi. 66» From that time man^ of his cUfapUs "jjent aivay hc^y and 'Walked A Call to Mimjers, 1683. 55 ivalhed no more with him. So a little time after that break, the enemy driving forward their own defign ; and feeking by all means the eftablifhin^ and fetting up of their fupremacy, and ufurping more and more over the prerogatives of our King and Lawgiver, they found a fit opportunity, by a pretended favour, an a£l called the A6t of Indemnity, in which they granted liberty to all that were in arms (fome minifters and heritors ex- cepted) upon the taking of a bond : And likewife a li- berty to minifters to preach (except the fore- mentioned) upon the terms of fome injunclions, limitations and re- ftri<5tions, v/hich we Ihall not name here, becaufe wc deiign brevity •, but in a word, it was the enemies ufur*- ping, and the minifters yielding up the government of Chrift's houfe into the hands of thefe hoi*rid and avowed ufurpers, which a great part of the minifters of the church of Scotland did in a meeting at Edinburgh ; the great part of them voting at that meeting for receiving of their miniftry on the terms propofed by the ufurpers ; and fo moft bafely gave up the government of Chrift's houfe in- to the hands of thefe his ftated enemies •, and fome of them went to their houfes and preached upon the fame terms, receiving their new entry (though moft corrupt) from them, which was not the dear, by which at firft they did enter. We grant, there were fome who voted not for the rcy ceiving their miniftry upon thefe terms, but yet gave not their proteftation againft their brethren, though their call to it was clear, for fear of hazard or fomething tQ that purpofe, which cannot be found found. And fo this is one of the grounds of our withdrawing, until there be evidences of their repentance, both by word and practice : And this we da for confcience fake, de- iiring to adhere to our fworn covenants, and "to adhere to our fworn-unto work of Reformation, in doctrine, wor- fhip, difcipline and government, for the breaking dovx-ii and difowning of which, the fbrefaid minifters wOl be found guilty, while they preached on thofe terms ; for they were not found to declare faithfully for our f\^*orn- unto work of reformation, in do(Sh'ine> worship, difci- pline and government ; neithercould they, becaufe their prafiice faid the contrary. And therefore in confcience, when we faw their deceitful dealing, we could not join with them, left we fhould ftrengrhen their hands in their defeclion j and therefore wc hope wc mi^y be ex- oncred 5f A Call to Mlni/lers^ 16S3- tsTKvz'X in withdrawing from thefe, left likewifc we be ifeund guilty in the tranfgrefTion : But attliattime the Xord ftirred up fome to v/itnefs faithfully againft all thefe nfurpdtions and encroachments upon thrift's preroga- ffirves, and againft their brethren that complied with tlie ^.ftgn of the enemies^ therefore out of confcience of dwtj we joined v/ith thofc who witnelTcd faithfully and firecly, even to the laying down of their lives, when caU h.'l to it. And for others of the minifters, the caufe of CRir withdrawing from them, was, Becaufe, they joined |K>t with their brethren, but left the work in the heat ©f the day, and left their brethren to the violence oi the enemy, and left their poor Hock to be devoured of ra- -^euing wolves, the lad elTects of which is (i:'yii\ this day ; sind they have followed the example of the prophet 7^- nahy fo tliat v/hen they iliould have taken their lives in fiheir hands ; as he went to Tarjwjh when he ihould have declaimed the Lord's meffage to Nineveh ; (o thev, when, they fb.ould have declared the Lord's meffage to iiis poor buffering people, they left the work, and went to the follawing a wi^y of felf-prefervation and fifetyj-— and from following of their duty, which we teftify againft by our withdrawing, ay, and until they repent, and be fet to she work again,, as may be found confiftent with Preft)y- terian principles *, and then, and not till then, we fhall «!dh'etQJoin with them with all our hearts, as what we &all fay afterwards will clear. This is, in ihort, for our TJndication, and thefe are feme of the grounds of our withdrawing. And he who knoweth the fecrets of all feeaits, knov/eth that we are moft- fadly reproached, and Ciliely blamed as fchifmaticks and erroneous, as any un- bialTed Chriftian may lee ; and what we do, we do it mit of zeal for our Lord and Mafter's work, which is trampled UT)on by his avowed enemies, and Hipped from fry many ][^ofeired fi-iends. And now, we, who are tlie poor fuHerlng people of the Lord, in all humility, and out of the zeal of our iiearts, in thirfting for the pure ordinances of God, and to clear ourfelves of the fore-mentioned afperfions, Di) jisvite you who are the Prefbyterian minifters of the church of Scotland, and \^bov;ere as dear to us as our cwn hearts, while ye continued faithful in delivering your Mafter's embally ; we fay, we invite you in our Mafter's name ; if ye have any love to him, to us, and to others^ v/lio we hone arc the ilieep und iambs of Chi-ift's A CaU to Minljiers^ 1683. jj Cluift's ilock, to come out after your manner, and preat^E the gofpcl, and adminlfLcr the iacramcjits, according tO) your former entry hy the well conftitute church, .a^ ft was eflabliflied m the year 164$, which was according to the word of God, reformed in do£lrinc, worlhip^dil- cipline and government, from Popery, Prelacy, and all that hierarchy, according to our fworn covenants, and according to the adls of our General AlTembiies, — m preach the gofpel in feafonand out of feafon, riglitly di- viding the word, Avith appHcation to the public fins "g^" the times, and particular fms cf the auditory, pariihes^ and countiy-fides where ye preach : For we declare unto yoi!, many of you have been, guilty, and have ftumhleJ. many, by your dark and ambiguous fpeecheR, efpeciallv" fmce Bothwel : you have not declared for the fwoni co- venants, nor againll the fupremacy of men who htivc encroached upon, and ufurped over the prerogatives of our Lord and Mafter ; and have not teftified againft tlie linful bond after the break at Bothwel ; we meaa that bond that engaged thofe who took it, not to 4e- »£end their mother church, according to our covenant- engagements ; and that bond that was given in for die miniilers peaceable behaviour. This was the betraying of your trufi, and mod bafely yielding up the govem- nient of Chriil's houfe into the hands oi his flated and avowijd enemies. This many of you have been guilty of, even unto the vreakening of yoUr brethrens hands that durJt not do fo ; and many of you have htzn iilent, and •have not declared againft the ufurpers, nor againft yoiir brethren who have ih-engthencd their hands,' but havs connived at their mifcarriages, when ye fliould have been fianding upon the watch-tower, according to that fcriptnre in I^aek. lii. 17. Ban of man ^ 1 ha%K made thee a nvntchman unto the houfe of Jfrael^ therefore hear the nvord at my mouthy and give them imrtilngfrovi ifie : ixiheti I fay unto the aricked, T^hgiifialt furely die, and thou gt'De/I him not nvarningy nor fpeak^f to loarn the wichedfrorA hrx irayy the fame ivirked manjha/l die in his iniquity y hut hij blood vjill 1 require ai thine hand. The apoille Paul had. that to fay, A and they fatisiied therewith. It was alfo appointed by the meeting, m cafe any let* ters came from London, which required an anfwer^ that one fhould be written by Thomas Lining, George Mac* Vey, and Robert Goodwin^ and another by friends in Edinburgh, and both to be prefented at next meetings The occafion of this refolution, was a letter fent by Mr. Nifbet then at London, and read at this meeting which being darkly written, they could not know well what to fay to it ; only they learned fo much from ity that there were people there, moft willing to join the Suffering Remnant in Scotland, and were defir^us tc^ know what they were doing, and that they were to write afterward, by which they would ihew their mind more fully. At this time there was a defign carrying on againfb the prefent evil government, and thefe people mention- ed in the letter, being concerned therein were deflrous to know what we were doing, and intended to do. And tho' the letter did not Hgnify fo much, yet it was thought that thefe people who were thus concerned, were of the Independents, or Anabaptifts, with whom (they fland- ing where they are) we could not joip. However it was thought fit to refolve that if any letters came from them, or concerning them, to write an anfwer thereto. But none coming, this refolution had no effect. It was alfo refofved that no Chrifl:ian-fellowfIiip (in focieties) was to be kept with any perfon who join- ed with John Gib, obflinately after the return of Mr. * The cfic<^ of tblr Call was this : thefe minivers being un- willing to run fnch an hazrtrd, made their work sfter ihis, mere than ever before, to reprefent ihefe people as perfons o; errone- ous principles, Gibbites, Republicans, Delpifers of the gofptl, Rejejfters of lawful authority, laying finful re(ifi(5lit>xis, and im- poiitions upon Minitters, Eraftians, (jc. In a word, that they ^ere fuch odious pecple, as had no right to call minifters. Whether this was true, aad a good ground for rejtfling their Call, cr not, mulVbe left with the Rieader tojudge' General Meetings Feb. ij\ih^ 1683. 59 Mr. Donald Cargill out of England:-- — And thofe who feparated from the faid John Gib, at that time, before thej be receiv^ed into fellowfhip, ought to be examined, and promife given by them, to give fa- tisfadllon to a Church Judicatory (when it (hall pleafe the Lord to fend it) according to the degree of their of- fence. This conclufion, conlidering the circumftances cf the time, was judged necellary^ not only from a fenfc of the hainoufnefs of the iin, and greatnefs of the fcan- (dal of thefe who joined with that vile impofture 5 but ;al'b, thereby to endeavour to take off the odium cail %voow usj that we were all of Gib's principles, when they n-ight fee that w^ carried fo toward them who had been involved in that fhame, 2nd that the perfons themfelves might be the more convinced of tli£ evil of their way. Moreover it was defired that €very one of the fellow- fnips that fends Commiffioners to General Meetings^ would be confcientious in chooiing of them orderly, and alfo thofe who are found to be beft qualified for judg- ing of matters treated of in thefe meetings. The rife of this conciiiiion was, that it yi^as found that fome focieties fent only fuch perfons as could have beft occafion to come, without refpeft to their qualifications : And there- fore to prevent this in time coming tlie meeting agreed upon this. In like n^nnner it was appointed by then>, that no let- ters concerning the public, or public declarations or pro- teftations, be written ,fpread, or publlflied, by any per- fon, or perfons whatfoever (of our focietie-i) untill the fame be prefented to the General Meeting, that it may be confidered by them ; v/hcther it were neceflary to publifli them^ or not. That which occafioned this re- folution to be made was, not only fome perfons had pub- iiflied papers, no ways necefiliry, nor incumbent for them to do, and ii> which, there were things which could not be juftified, whereby, others were reproached, and mifreprefented ; but alfo, it was feared others might be publilhed, that might tend to the prejudice of the caufe, ^.nd the reproach of its owners ; to prevent >vhich, this conclufion was fallen upon. Some of the meeting, having enquired if there were any letters from friends abroad j it was remembred that there was one com-" lately, but not brought there. How- ever, the fum of the letter was fignifiedto them, which i^as to this effect; That friends ubroud defired they 6o General Meetings Feb* 14///, 1683. fhoiild choofe another young man, to fend over to tl?e refl: of the ftudents, who were then at Grojungen. Xj- pon which, it was enquired whether they thought it ought to be done, or not, if one could be get •, ?.li judg- ed it to be duty, and a young man liiceAMie was conde- icended upon, v:"::. Thomas laning, who being called, the Frei'cs of the meeting defired of him that he would be free with them, and tell them v/hat he was inclined unto. He anfwercd to this purpofe : friends, feeing ye require this at my hand, I fiiaii freely cell you, my mind hath been,* and yet is, to follov/ my learning ; neverthe- iefs, I am at the mieetings d^fpofal in fo mr as' may tend to the public good, Afi:er he had thus f lie wed his mind, it was objedled by fomethat he could not be granted, u- pon feveral coniiderations \ whereupon after hearing, and weighing the fame, it was concluded that he ihguld flay, till it fhould be {t,^v). what became of John Smith, in Clafgow, who was then upon his deatli-bed, and in the mean time to wait upon, and learn forre young men St fchool, until it was known whether or not Andrew Young returned to them-, who had been terxhing fome cf them. This Thomas Lininsj condefcerided to do. Alfo it \vas agreed upon, that in regard we heard that there were fome young men abroad a letter fiiouid be written to friends, deiiring them to make. trial, con^^ cerning any of thefe young; men's qualihcatio^.s, and if tound rightly qualified, that he be chof jn for the |bre- faid end. At this, and other meetings there were feveral things fpoken unto and confldered, and alio fom.e refolutions concerning the fanae^ which were occafionally brought be- fore them, various ways : As when there vv'as any thing that any of the focletles reckon faulty, and a grievance, whereof others of the United Societies v\^ere guilty, and they deiiring it might be helped^ it was thought fit to re- prefent the fame to the General INleeting, that they might fall upon fome v/ay for the redrefhng thereof > as alfo, when matters fell out among any of them, or con- cerning particular pei'fons, whicii they could not, or knew not how to order among themfelvcs ; in that cafe it was judged fit to reprefent the iame to the faid meeting, t hat the^ miffht iret their advice how to carrv therein : and in like manner, v/hen any fociety, or par tic alar pcrfon of them had any propoials, one or more, ,to make, which might teou to the iidvantage of the taufc, and of fome, or Gencrcd Meetings Feb. ij^h^ 1683. % or of the whole of the United Societies ; then it was tliought requifite to m;.ke it known to the meeting de- lirin? their jiKlgment of it, and concurrence, if they a- greed therewith. Some of tlieie matters, as above cir- .ciimftantiate, being lignified to this meeting, they did coniidcr arxd give their mind concerning the fame, as tne following relation will Ihew, !"t Avas given in as a grievance by one, to be confider- ed by this meeting, that notwithftanding of refolutions made by former meetings ; yet there was little notice taken, whether they were obferved in fome things, as for infb.nce, it v/as refolved at one of them, that Qycrj relpeclive Society Ihould provide themfelves in arms, according to their power and ilation : yet this was not obferved by fome, which was a difregarding of what that meeting did therein. Upon this it was thought Jit to enquire at the Commiilioners, if they and their fc- cieties had obferved it, in providing themfelves witii arms \ which was done not only at thefe who were fit- ting, but at thefe ftanding by. And there were fevei*al found not to have obferved the faid refolution ; wheix;- iipon it was- defired that every Commillioner iliould ac- quaint thefe of the fociet'ies they came from v/ho iiad not . diMiC it, to obferve the forefaid refolution, for neglect of which, they defer vcd a rebuke : And if they further flighted it, they Ihould be looked upon, as contemners of the meeting's refclutions ; this they all promifed to do. It was likewife deiired by fome, that the meeting might Ihow their mind, and give their advice concern- ing the paying of llipends to tlic Curates, Avhereof fome perfons (in fociety) had at that time tht temptation : The Prefes enquired what the meeting thought thereof, and whetlier they judged it a duty, or a fin, and fo a head to faiier on, In giving an anfwer there \yas a diflin£lion made, that there might be an indirecl:, as well as a direct - paying thereof. As v/hen a tenant is bound by his tack^ to pay his mr.ilier io much money for his land he pof- fefleth, and the v\ray he is to m^ke ui^^ thereof is not de- clared by the tack *, but only all as the rent of the land ; in that cafe the tenant was not to be blamed, tho' his mafler gave as much of his rent as he pleafed to the Cu- rate : But when a m.an is bound by his tack to pay to the Curate, or Bifliop, fo much money, abftratSt from the reft oF his mailer's duty, in that cafe, the tenant was blame wcr.hy, and it was agreed unto, by all the meet- 6z General Meetings Feb. i/\lby 1685. ing, that they looked upon the fame to be a fin, and a head to fufFer on ; but withal they thought that the te^ nant Ihould not make his own ufe of that money, but give it in, for the public ufe,. Another thing was reprefented at this meeting ^nd their advice fought, and, that they might endeavour to take it away, which was conerning an engagement made among fome perfons a few years ago, at a feafon, when there was a tentation of paying cefs, locallity, and mih- tia-money, in this manner : That if any one, or more . of them fhould fuffer lofs at the hands of enemies, for not paying of thefe impofitions ; in that cafe, each one of thefe according to their power were to make up their lofs : And the lofers were to bear a proportion in the fame, th;it is to fay, the lirft lofers, were to lofs as much as thofe who were to make them up. After this tranfaiftion, moft'part of thefe that engaged ^herein^ complied with the courfes of the time, arid paid the forefaid impofitions : which occalioned debates a- mong them that did not comply, for fome of them fuf- taining lofs for refuling to pay : And as upor^ the one hand, it was alledged by the lofers, the non-complying party, were only alledged to make up their lofs, feeing they had not freedom to feek it from thofe who had com- plied with the enemy ; even fuppofe they had been wil- ling to pay it, they having broken their engagement : So, on the other hand, the perfons that complied not, and had fuffered no lofs, alledged they were obliged to pay only according to what their proportion would have been, if the whole of thefe vjrho entered into the vingage* ment had continued firm. This bufinefs was fignified to another meeting, who appointed fome perfons to endeavour the compofing there,. of, but they not getting it done, it was reprefented to this meeting ; to whofe determination both parties were willing to fland: whereupon they having confidered, whether the non-complying party, or thefe who had complyed, ought to make up the lofs : After' delibera- tion, they concluded (in regard rcdrefs at the time could n6t be got from the compliers, but left to a more conve- nient feafon) thefe who h4d not complied, fliould make up the lofs fuftained by thofe who refufed to pay the forefaid impofition -, feeing if they failed therein, they would alfo be breakers of their engagement. It • General Meeting, Feb, 14//^, 1683. 63 It was alfo, propofed bfy fom'e of the meeting, what would be the duty of the United Societies, if (as was much to be feared) there fiiould be a mafiacre by Papifts in the land ; and whether or not, they fhould gather themfelves together for the defence and fafety of their own, their wives and children's hves 5 this was condefcended on bj all to be duty, if it could be gotten done. Then it was enquired what would be the moft proba- ble way to effedtuate it. After deliberation, it was judg- ed moft convenient, that in the cafe forefaid, every three or four focieties lying neareft together, fhould appoint a place moft fit for a meeting ; as alfo, that there fliould be a place for the whole to conveen at ; which after consider- ation was agreed upon, to be at Car?itabU : And to the end they might be in greater readinefs to comcy and iit- licCs to defend themfelves when together, it W2ts conclud- ed that fome focieties which were neareft together, fhould meet in fome convenient place, for learning the ex^rcife of war, and perfoiis moft fkilled Made choice of to teach them, until they come to the public place of meeting, and there choice to be made without partia- Fity, of perfons to teachand conduft the" reftv It was likewife reprefented to the meeting by fome, that they thought the lively exercife of religion was much marred through the not propounding of queftions, and cafes of confcience at Society Meetings : which be- ing thought 1^ the whole meeting to have done much hurt, Thefefore it was concluded, that every Commif- fioner ihould fbotv this to their fociety, that it may be helped in time coming. it was alfo enquired by fome, if the oath of fecrecy ftood yet, in its binding force ; to which was anfwered^ it did. However it was thought expedient to alter fome words therein, viz. in place of indireSfly, to put in nvtt- tingly and luillingly. And thefe words perfons fro J7t nvhvm 1 am commijjicnatedy to be put out, and inftead thereof, except it be to friends. At this time there were fome per- fons taken engaged to the faid oath* Moreover it was propofed by fome, that it Teemed ne- cefiary to have a word, among all thefe joined in fociety, if the meeting, could condefcend upon it ; to tlie end that thefe who are Wandering through the country, might know c«\e another : And for preventing the making known what was among us, to perfons wandering, but not in fociety j which being done, tho* not wittingly, might do hurt in this jundure. After deUberation this was 64 Account of the Tear, 1 683. vrss thought fit to be done. Wliereupon it was agreed by the Prsfes, and one fitting next him who told the fame to anoth^^r, and fo it went through the whole ner- fons in the hoiiie privately. This being done, the Pref- ci? enquired, if they were all content with the word, (which was reformation) iii was anfwered they were. Then every Commilnoner was deiired to impart it to the fociety he came from. Finally it was concluded tliat the 2d of March, flioukl be kept as a faft by all cur focieties, upon the account of our former abufe and negle6l of the gofpcl. And al- fo to intreat of the Lord that whatfoever miniilcrs might accept of the call, might do it from a right principle, snd alfo have a right end in the farr.c. Likewife that the 5th of April may be obferved as a fifl upon thefe accounts, firft to mourn for the feveral }arrs that have been among us : Alfo to feek light and direction how to carry anent tiiatters againft the next meeting, which was to meet upon the 2d of May at Carn table. After the meeting was parted and mofb part gone a little diftance from the place, a young man, v/ho had come out of Edinburgh with letters from friendi abroad, met fome of them ; upon which, all that could be got- ten together df them, were called together again, before whom the letters were read j and after deliberation con- cerning the fiime, ifwas refolved, that Robert Good- wine, Alexander Gordon, John Smith, William Nairn, and Thomas Lining fliould anfwer the faid letters, and therein defire Earlftoun to return to this land againfb the middle of April next ; in regard that feveral weighty af- fairs called for' his being prefect at the aext General Mestini^. The cafe of the country fince the la 11: meeting was much like as it was before it, enemies went on in profe- cuting their wicked deligns, and cruelly perfecuting all diilenters, and in particular the Societie.:. The laft meet- ing being got notice of by the enemy, a party of enraged foldiers came prefently out and fpoiled the houfe, where it was kept, and appreherftled fbme perfons in the coun- try. But albeit perfecution be impleafant to tlelh and blood, yet it would have been eaiier and lighter to the Societies, if they had not, had other things in their cup, wliich made i^ r: ore bitter. Upon the one hand thty General Meetings ^ Alay 2//, 8/>&, 1683. 6^ they wanted the benefit of the gofpel, the enjoyment whereof, being an unfpeakable advantage, and will be reakoned to be lb h^j every one who have got the bleffing thereof, even though it Ihould be with the peril of their lives : And upon the other hand being before hand called Schifmatics and Separatifts, for their withdrawing in. that broken and declining ftate of the church, from fe- veral miniflers guilty of defection : And now after the laft meeting more miireprefented by fome on the account of the call. According to the appointment of the lafl meeting, a General Meeting'^met at CarntahU, upon the id day of May, 1683. -^fter prayer, and modelling of the meeting, the rcfolutions of the former meeting were read and appro ven : But in regard Earlftoun (according to the defire of the meeting) was to come to this land, and was at the time, at Edinburgh. It was thought mofl: fit and expedient, to go there and keep the meeting, that they might have him with them ; whereupon it was agreed that the fame fliould be at Edinburgh, upon the 8th of May at night ; and thereafter this meeting parted. According to the conclufion above, the General Meeting met at Edinburgh upon the 8th of May. Af- ter prayer, Ale.^iafjder Gordon of Earljiouti being pre- fent, gave them a full account of his diligence abroad. And they were extraordinarily well fatisfied with all his proceedings, as having a manifeft tendency to the glory of God, and the good of the Remnant. And in evi- dence of their fatisfa(ftion, he was continued to go fur- ther on in his commiffion. There were feveral things fpoken of, and fome refolutions agreed upon, an accoun. of which fliall be here related. ly?, It was refolved that a conjunct commifEon fhould bsj drawn, ijiciuding Alexander Gordoji^ with Robert Ha- milton that they might go further abroad, to give infor- mation of our ftate and condition to other Proteftant churches. Andaifo a particular commiffion, to each of them, in cafe it fhould be needful that they went not to- gether : And one, or both to return when neceffity re- quired ; providing they received a call from the meet- ing, for that effecl. Thefe commiilions being drawn up, were, with fome papers, delivered to Earljloun ; who prefeiitly after the meeting, took journey for Ncwcajlle ; 66 General Meetings May 8thy 1683. and having agreed with the mafter of a fhip, for his voyage to Holland, juft as the Ihip was fetting out from Tyne-mouth, it was accidently {lopt, and fome waiters coming aboard, Earljhim and Edward Aitken (who was along with him) were challenged, by them *, and they perceiving thcmfelves to be in danger, and fearing the leizurc of the papers which Earljhun had, threw them over board, to the end they might link, but the box in which they were, floating, were foon taken up. A- mong which, were the forcfaid coramilTions. Upon, this, they were both apprehended, and carried prifoners to Neiucajllcy and put in Nciogatc, and thaxafter brought to Scotland. idly, It was refolved by the meeting, that Michael Shields fiiould ftay at Edinburgh, and wait for letters from the poft-houfe, which might be fent from friends abroad ; and write any convenient anfwers to them, that iliould be rcquifite for him to do ■. And it was refolved ■that Thomas Lining fliould wait upon the more public meetings, and tranflate any letters that fhould come to them in Latin. 3///^, It was refolved that Mr. John Binning fhould be cielired to wait upon a fchool, for teaching fome young men *, and for his pains he was to have twenty-five pounds Scots per quarter, Thefe named at the meeting, were John WilliamJon, James Bool, John Dick, Benja- min Hall, Gavin Wotherfpoon junr. Edward Aitken, John Dalgleiih, David Gibibn, John Campbel,and Robert Millar. According to this refolution, Mr. Binning did teach Latin to feme of thefe young men for fome time. 4M/)', It was in like manner refolved by them, upon the account of the defigns of fome, and the rafnnefs of others, that no perfons (of our focieties) ihould draw to- gether in a public manner of rifing in arms, except it be lor neceflary felf-defcnce, and deliverance of our bre- thren, becaufe thereby we could do nothing but reader ourfelves a prey to the enemy, if not amarrto the Lord's work, and this was alfo the ijiind of friends both at home, and abroad, until the Lwd by his word and Spi- rit, fhould give us and them further light 'therein. The end of this refolution w^s to put a ftop to the raflinefs to appear in arms, of fome perfons in our focieties, who had Ihown much ibrwardncfs in that matter before, which would have tended' in that Junclurc, to theexpof- ing of them and others to the fury of the enemy. As alfo, General Meeting, May ^th, 16S3. 6'/ alfo, if there had been a public rifing in arms againft the prelent evil government, as was then expelled would be, with which, the focieties would have been folicited to concur ; a ftop would be put to the rafli appearance of anv of tkem, and to their joining with fuch with whom we could not aflbciate •, of whom there would have been not a fsw. But as the focieties were refolved to oppofe the coitimon enemy^ fo in doiug of it, it Vv'as their defire that it fhould be with common confent, unanimity, and avoidinc; iinful aflbciations. ^thl'jy A paper was agreed unto by this meeting, con- taining the reafons of feveral of our actions, which wag intended to be given in to the Confederators, wherein is fomewhat of our mind anent, and a proteflation againft their iinful afTociations. That which gave the rife, and occaiion to this refolution, was this ; there was a defign carrying on againfi. the prefent tyrannical government, by feveral perfons in both kingdoms. And the focieties were not againil the oppoling, and endsavouring to c- verturn the fiiid tyranny : Yet they were againft that promifcuous allbciation with men of blood, profanity, and malignancy, as alfo with Sectarians, wliich was at th^t time on foot for effe£iaating thereof. AVhereupon knowing that their concurrence would be defired in the fliid aSbciation, they thought it necefTary to draw up this paper, to ihev/ their mind concerning, and witnefs againft ftnfui aiTcciation *. As likewife to take occalioii therein, to vindicate a little, fome of our former ablings which were much condemned. Which paper was given ' to Earlftoun, that he might have delivered it to lome perfons at London, concerned in the allbciation, that fo it might have been made public -^ but when that gen- ■ tleman was apprehended, it was feized among the reft of ' the papers : A true copy of which follows. The reafons of the fufterings and adllngs of the true (though greatly reproached, and perfecuted) Pref- byterian, Anti-Prelatick, Anti-Eraftian Party in Scotland, ' I 2 We * The Reader may compare this, and what follows, with the principle^ arifl praiiices of the far greateft number of thefe, five or fix years thereaiier ; as thfy were much blamed, aj hav- ing relinquifh d their former pHnciples : it mull therefore beths d ny of every one to judge, whether their former, or later prin* cipfcs and practices be molt agreeable to the WOid of God. 68 General Meetings May %th^ 1683. We cannot but fadly regret in the very entry, the occafions of fuch vindications, as we are forced to make in this critical age, wherein for the moft part, all true principles of government and religion are like to be over- turned : And when any are contending for thefe, they are immediately branded as enemies to government and magiftracy, one of the moft excellent ordinances of God, when kept within its due bounds and limits fet down by him in his v/ord ; and when made ufe of for the ends propofed therein. This v/e fay we have reafon to re- gret, yet it ought not to difcourage any, or deter them from that which we are bound unto ; although -many- have been whedled out of both reafon and religion, yet this makes us put pen to paper, that thereby thefe who sre honeftly principled as to both, may be ftrengthened, and we vindicated : So that when the grounds are laid down, and procedures laid to the rule, it may be feen whofe courfes are m.oft aberrant, or differing therefrom, . Therefore we iliall touch upon fome of thefe heads which are moft carped at by cur enemies. I/?, The firft grand bufmefs is the cafting off the Ty- rant's authority, and the power to middle therewithj and what a length we ftretch that power : As for the manner of the doing thereof, it is narrated in the La- nerk Declaration, fo we fliall net touch thereon, but as a preamble fhall narrate fomewhat of the grounds upon which we walked. Firft, it is an undoubted principle a- mongft all ftates-men, that in a general defection, thefe who in th^t nation adheres clofeft to the ancient laws, liberties, and conflitutions, are the trueftand moft free- born fubjecls ; for laws being made for the government of the whole nation, every member within the {iime, prince, people are equally obliged thereto, and in all breaches upon either hr.nd recourfe muft be had to the rule. This is net denied by any found ftates-men, and con- tradicted by none, Barclay and other court Farafttes ex- cepted : Yea it is {o clear, that nature taught Heathens themfelves, from whx)m we have our civil laws, that they never gave their princes more, yea the princes them- felves required no more, hut thought it their greateft honour to be fubjeCl to tHe lav.\s, as can be clearly ^ttry. in the whole body o^ the civil law. But why ftiould we go thus far ? (if it were not to anfwer fuch quibblers in their own coin) for if we look to the conftitutions fet down by General Meetings May Slh^ 1683. 69 by God in his word, we will find all alongft thai: the laws are to be the fupreme judge, whereby the a6i:ioas of both magiftrates and people are to be judged; and where magiftrates and rulers walked contrary thereto, the oppoiing of them, and revolting . from under them, . are approven by God ; and where they were not revolted from, nor teftiiied againft, but joined with, and homo- logate ; we find at fuch times their fins charged upon the people, and the people plagued therefore *. This being conlidcred, gave foflicient ground to us in the moft legal and public way polEble ; (that as our iin was public, our contrary t^ftimony iiiight be alfo public) this, we fay, gave the occaiion tp us to teftify againfl, refill, and reject the authority, the exercife of which was tyranny, opprefRon and ufurpatipn, in mat- ters civil and cccleflaftic, as we have done by our decla- rations and teftimonies. But v/hcreas fome are pleafed to fay that we afTume the legiflative power cf the nation, znd the power of Parliaments to us. — : — We declare, all that we have done, or are doing in that kind, is but merely to make our tefiimony and procedure againft the prefeni: courfe of affairs more legal and ftrong ; that as; we have had an emment and public hand in the iln, and fetting up the idol of jealoufy, fp we may have an emi- nent and public hand in pulling of it down : And when it fhall pleafe the Lord to fend us well-conliitute judica- tories, we fhall defire to have, or afTume no more bu^ our privileges, in our places and ftations, as free born fubje<5ls. Secondly, As to the grounds of our not joining wjth minifters and profefTors, or others, who have made der fetStion, we have much to fay, which v/culd be tedious, and rather the work of a volume, than, of fach a paper ; b«t we think they may be very eafily reduced to this rule, which was our ancient rule all along, and ought ftill to continue yet : When joining with perfons in the exercife ofworfhipor otherwife, implies a homologating of, or joining with the public fins whereof they are guilty, there we ought to foot aftand, and not to join, becaufe the joining is tainted with their guilt, and fo i'n- ful ; for no fin ought to be joined with, but avoided : But where it does not homologate, nor can no-v/ays be tainted ♦ They who would fee this proved, rray confult Hind ht loofe, aD4 others. yo Gcveral Meeting. May Stb, 1683. tainted with t1i€ guilt, there we have freedom to join. ;^t this we ought to retort upon the heads of our ad- ^rrlaries, for they are the fepara*:ifts, and not we ; for it is the offenders and not the offended, that only beft deferve that name. Thirdly^ As to our making the work of Reformation, and particularly our covenants and late public declarati- ons, and martyrs teftimonies on fcatlblds, a tell, or mark whereby we may know one another, we elleem cmrfelves to have good ground fo to do ; for the n'ork of reformation, and the fevei-al fteps thereof, from Po- pery to this day, ar^ fuch a linked chain, that there are naxit that can dilbwn the teftimonies of oirr martyrs, ei^ ther former or latter, (being confidercd, every one ac- cording to the paiticular times and feafons when, and difpenfations under which they were given) but li€ muff certainly difown the whole ; for it hath pleafed the Lord to make their ftrain run all one 'way, and not erofs to one another ; whereby it may be evidently feen, that they have been ail dictated by one fpirit^ Always here- ^ declai'ing, we own only the true teftimonies, ex- eluding fome particular teftimonies vitiate by Gib and o- thers, fmce there may be errors on the one hand as well as on the othei* ; Thofe, we fay, being excluded, we kncJw nothing, nor deiire to own nothing that is contraw ry to fcripture and found reafon. Fourthly f We know likewife, that it hath been fcru- pledat, our refuftng to join iffue and intereft, or in arms with a malignant party, carryini^ on malignant defigns j however under anmingly buiked colours and pretexts, which when fcarched, are, and have been found out to be but m.eer cheating or beti*aying tlie true caufe of God in the land, as we have by lad experience found and fmarted for ; for we never yet took in, or ftrove to con« nive at, or palliate that malignant intereft, but the J^ord fhewed evident marks a^ainft us : and they are. fo clearly confuted by. the paffage of Jeholhaphat, and mi> ny other paffages in fcripture, that we need net take great pains to ftrike that nail to the head ; for our re- monftrances, Mr. Gilkfpie^ and many others, have redd marches fo well, that they have left nothing for us to do, but to put our feals to what they have left on re*- cord : Neither are we looking for, or expelling an army all of faints, for there will be tares among the whe^it, while the time of reaping come: But if we (after the Lord's ' General Meeting, May 8/v&, 1683. 71 Lord's lo emmently difcharging) tike in the Canaanites into our bofoms, who have inaje thorns in our eys, end fcorrrgfs in our fitles : If we (we fay) {hall confederat-e with thefe, and give them places of trufl and office with us, whom he has fo eminently appeared againft, wecan,- not expe<5lbut he -ivill whip us with taws of our own making, isncewe will not follow his method. And we xiefire to fhew all the lovers of Zion, that whofos^^cr con- federates with thefe men of blood and bloody practices, vre have jufl gromid to tea" that the helpers and th^ hol- pen will fall together ; andwedefire to teftify againft all fuch confederacies and affociations, in the name of the once ploriojis church of Scotland, th^fe being none -of her principles, to take in men againfh whom the fw-ord of jult'ce Ihoiild have freecourfe. Therefore whatever ihall be acted or done by fuch confederacies or aiTociati- ons, that no churches, neither foreign noi: neighbour- ing, attribute or afcribe the fame to the true churdi aad nation of Scotland, whofe laws both of church an4"ftate being fo juft, as that they could nqt admit them to live, much lefs to rule or officiate, being men of fuch wick- ed practices, deftructive not only to religion, but civil fociety. Ear{/Ioua]xx>vigh.t two letters from Mr. William Brae- kcl, directed to the focicties, one of them dated, Feh.. 19//S, the other, March i^ihy J683. Both whicli, be- ing wntten in Latin were translated into Englifli, ,and read at tliis meeting, to which tliey were acceptable and encouraging ; and it was thought fit by them, to write one to him. Which being done, agreed usito, tnd fub- fcribed, was given to Earljloimy that he might deliver it to Mr. Brackel, but the fame was feiz>ed on, when Futrifioun was apprehended, with feveral other pa- PC.T3. ^ , ^. . ' However, a true copy hereof follows ; as.alfo a part of Mr. Brackel's letter, dated. February 19//^, the fame being fuitable to the condition of thefe people to whom he wrote ; which I have thought fit firil: to fet down, and then the lettei- by the meeting to- him. I Jl-f^y'? loving fathers and- brethren in Chrijt Jefus our glorious KiJigy T is not only come \q my ears that ye wrote, and fcnt to me a letter, of anfwer,. but al.fo a r.opy of It --s 72 Mr. William BrackePs Letter come to my hand ; but where itfelf flicks, or by whom iiitercepted, I know not. It rejolc'eth my foul greatly to know your affairs both by the forefaid copy, and alfo by your letters fent to us \ efpecially the miraculous divine protection of you makes me both greatly to admire and rejoice ; who being cou- ragious and bulled in your convention, by taking a care of your church-affairs, did fee the cruel enemies even threatening death, feeking you, even comparing about thehoufe, flricken v/ith a ce,rtain ^odomiUjh blindnefs that they could not enter. Hov/ admirable are the works of God! how unfear- chable is his deep goodnefs ! truly we find that he hjth favour and mercy towards his faints, and perpetual care towards the elect ; truly he is a fiery wall about Jerufalem, and his angels compafs about thofe that fear him, and de- livers them. He that fits under the covert of the Moft High, fhail lodge under the fliadow of him that is omni- potent. YtZ'i praife and glory be fung to our Lord, by all who hear thefe things, both angels and men. It is needful that this experience of the moft efHcacious pre- fence of God fhould ftrengthen your confidence \ that he who delivered you out of the mouth of bear and lion, fhall alio in the time to come deliver you from all dan- gers that fhall fall in your lot, to the glory of his wai- ted-for divine defence. But if God ihould fuffer this or that man, or even many, to fall into the hands of e- nemies, or rather that hehimfelf fhould give them ; by this ye fhall be taught experience, that that has not fallen out becaufe of the defeat of divine proteftion, but that God has called them out, name by name, for a tef- timony of himfelf ; yea, although they fhould feem to die in the eyes of enemies, and their end to be an igno- minious afflicStion, yet they,. I fay, go away in peace, and are crowned with a joyful crown and immortality. Nei- ther are the martyrs of the church of Scotland killed, that it may b« extirpate, but that it may be builded ; for the blood of the martyrs is the feed of the church : the church was founded by blood, and it grew by blood. The more cruelly Pharaoh opprefTed the people of God, ths r^.iore fertilely they were multiplied. We are very defirous of the coming of ihe Lord ; faying, we wifli th-Atfalvatlon fnay come out of Z ion ; loheji the Lord fi jail turn again the captivity of his people^ Jacob Jhall be glad, and IJrad Jlndl rejoice^ But let no man cafl down his lieart, becaufe God to the General Meeting. yy God Is OT?ly trying your patience ; he is alfo making our way plain, and a way to himfelf, to his greater glory in all lands. Would lirael been more happy if he had been delivered out of lefs oppreflioli in Egypt ? Was not his deliverance the more glorious, the heavier the perfecuti- on was ? Wait therefore for the falvation of the Lord : how great fhall his goodnefs be ivhich he hath laid up fir them that fi-ar h'lm^ which he hath prepared for thofe that betake themlelves to him, before the fons of men. Shew vourfelves men in the time of diftrefs. Let him that is weak in ftrength, leaning upon his head, fay, I am a man of excellent valour. He that hath God near unto him (as is made known to you by many, both pub- lic and private experiences) from no man would fear ei- ther threatenings, iwords or ropes. Learned men, great men, albeit godly, of great name, err in this matter ; but God hath chofen thefe that were fools in the world, as wife -, thofe that were weak, as ftrong j the ignoble, and thofe of jio efteem, that he might bring to difgrace thofe who are in honour. In the mean time, let una- nimity, love, fervency of mind, gladnefs in jufliHcation remain among you ; and cut of thefe, holinefs, and a perpetual intercourfe of the foul with God. This one thing I exhort you, that every one may teach another ; the fathers, mothers, aged and more learned, may teach the little ones, and others who are more ignorant of the way of the Lord, the fundamentals of religion ; left a- ny fhould perifh thro* lack of knowledge, or left any lliould waver in the true faith. The three ftudents chofen by you to the paftoral of- fice are bufy at their ftudies 5 the fourth we are waiting for : By God's grace we hope you fhall fee them the nQ^\. year, and hear them preaching. Since the time that I have known your eftate, Lhave judged it neceflary that certain men, endued with the Holy Ghoft, piety, authority and years, fliould be cho- fen for tha paftorai office, and fhould be fent unto us, for the fpace of one or two months, that they might be inftru6led in the method of forming of preachings, and fome other things. Next that they ftiould be examined in a lawful way by fome paftor in an ecclefiaftic conven- tion, (let not little knowledge deter any man) and in the name of the Lord fent unto his vineyard, and be Confirmed in that office by the impoiition of hands ; and fo return to you in fuch a ftate of the church. I care K not y4 ^^^' Society s Letter to not much for the knowledge of ton^ucs^ nnd literal in*- ftruiftion, ahhough in itfelf, in other circumftances I think much of it j for not by the defecl of learning, but of tlie Spirit and piety, is the church of Scotland brought into fo miferable a condition ; and I think it is not to be reftored by learning, but by the Spirit and piety. I propofe thir things to you, that you may ferioufly con- iider that thing of fo great momeiU ; and that ye may either do or reje6l that as ye fliall think fit. The* 'Lord be a fun and lliield unto you. And, lam, Tmir lo'uer, ami promoted mhujiery Feb. p//^, 16^83. WILLIAM BRACKEL. Here follows the letter to M r. Right reverend Sir, THE receipt of your iirfi: letter did not a little en- courage na- to let about the duties of the dr.y, and to hold on in the way of the Lord. We cannot well ex- cufe our long iilence in not writing to you, (unto whom we are fo much obliged) but when we con (id cr the iirft part of your letter, which contains fo much of felf-de- nial, ?.nd a commendation put upon us, hr above our deferving, it puts us to a ftand what to write : A?id rilcfc foi'^when we efTay to put pen to paper ; we fee fo m.uch weaknefs in ourfelves, that we fear our letters (when written) belittle to the edification of either ydu or o- thers : But knowing you to be fuch, as can oafs by tlic infirmities of the weak, (according to the example of the apofiile P^f//) together with your ardent dcflre to know ourftate, makes us (though in weaknefs) write this lire to you. We wrote an anfwcr to it before, and fent it by pofV, but we Liar the fame has been, intercepted, ai'.d not com.e to your hand, but only a copy 5 we received Tilfo another letter of the date February . n^ih^ (comfortar ble and refrefhing to us indeed) and your iaft of the date March i4thy from EarlJ]oi{?i^ one of our honourable commiflioners, whofe prnence has not been a little re- frefhing to us under our prefent diflreires and labyrinths of difneulties ; together with the heart-comforting and hand-ftrengthcning account he has given of the Lord's condcfcending to us in our low condition, when we were become* Mr. WHliam Bracket 75 bccoTie as ftrangers, and aliens in our mather's hoiife, to raife up fathers, brotliers and fillers to us in a ftrange land, who give luch eminent proofs of their being fo to • us, by their accepting and welcoming of our mellage ; and alfo, by their fatiierly care of, and kindnefs to our honourable commillioners, and the ftudents lent by us ; nnd alfo that worthy lady f and her children, who could not get reft for the fole of their feet m their own native country. For which, and the like eminent favours we acknowledge ourfclves altogetherf out of a capacity to render a recompence, and therefore muft remain deb- tors"'; jonly we deiire to believe, that our Lord who has conferred iuch favours upon us, will alfo accompliHi his promifc, who hath faid. He that receivcth a righteous man in the name of a righteous many fiall receive a righteous ma7i^s i'fivand : This Letter, we fay, has occaiioned great joy in the hearts of all (efpecially that part which concerns the combing ho^ne of the ftudents) who are tru- ly longing to hear the found of the feet of thefe who bring the glad tidings of falvation. This is a ground of encouragement for us to hope that our God is returning to coven£(nted Scotland, to ride profperoufly on the white horfe of the gofpel, conquering and to conquer ; and lo be head and king over his church. We acknow- ledge the goodnels and mercy of the Lord in this t6 be very great, \n remembering us in our low condition ^ and in opening a door of hope in this manner (all praife and glory be 'to him for it) when all other doors feemed to be. Ihut, refuges failed us upon the right and left hand, to leiu-n us not to look to the hills and mountains for (?X' .ration, (which alas ! we have too much done) but unto hlmfelf. O noble exercife ! to be looking unto, and depending upon the Lord for all things, both fpiritual and tem.poral •, for what want we but he hath to give ? and not only hath to give, but is willing 4:o give to fuch as feek in faith. And alfo we acknowledge the Lord's goodnefs in raifmg you up to be inftrumental in this great work, (for which ye will not want your re- ward) and we count ourfelves greatly indebted to youy (much honoured of the Lord) for which, and all other i.ivours conferred by you upon us, we give you and the gcdlj vrirhyou, hearty thanks. K 2;. Now f This \^as lady E:rilcun. 76 The Society s tetter to Now wc fhall give you (dear Sir) a fhort hint of our cafe and condition at the time. Once it might have b«en faid of this church, thatjhe hohd forth as the mornings fair as the moon^ clear as the fun ^ and terrible as an arm"^ with banners : We had the light of the glorious gofpel : we were made to drink the pure blood of the grape j and the fons of the alien ivere made our plowmen ; we gave away ourfelves in covenant to be the Lords. But alas ! we have left our firfi love ; we that once were the head, are now become the tail, and thcfe to whom we were a ter- ror, are become a terror to us : Our crown is fallen from Bur heady ivo uitto us that we have finned : We have lallen by our iniquity ; we have finned away the precious gof- pel, the food of our fouls ; and the blefled Comforter that fliould relieve us, is withdrawn : Our enemies are ftrong, and increaling within and without, and on eve- ry hand. Thefe things fliould not only be matter of mourning and lamentation to us before the Lord, but even to all the truly godly who hear of them. There- fore we defire and invite all the lovers of our Lord Je- fus Chrjft, not to be among the number of the paflers- bye, and of them that care for none of thefe things ; but fincerely to fympathize with us, and lay out our cafe be- f 3re the Lord, and plead with him in our behalf, that he would ^et arife and have mercy on Zion, and let the time fo favour h^r come. O noble work ! this caufe has prevailed and will prevail \ for all that we have been, are, or may be tryfted with from cruel enemies or pretended friends, yet we have no reafon to complain •, we are pUt- nifhed lefs than our iniquity delerves : Why fhould a liv- ing man complain, a man for the punifhment of his ftns . Yea we have ground to fay. The lines are fallen to us in fleafant places , we have a goodly heritage : We are ho- noured with a noble privilege, to be counted worthy to fuffer fhame and reproach, robbing, fpoiling and mar- tyring for the name of precious Christ, — whereas many have ardently defired to give a proof of their love this way, and have not obtained it : For well is that word made out in our days, He fends none a warfare upon their own charges. Why fhould we fear, iince he hath pro- mifed to be with us both in the fire and in the water ? Who would not fuffer with him that they may reign with him ? Since there is a crofs laid down at every one's door by our Lord, why fhould we not take it up, and bear it for his fake, and follow him whitherfoever he goes .•* Mr, William Brachl 77 goes ? for he hath bought a blelfing to crofTes at a dear rate ; our light offliBion ivh'ich is but for a moment^ work'- ethfor us afar more exceeding^ and eternal iveight of gJ(h- ry. O ! noble, and weighty crown of glory, that they ■who endure to the end get ! Here is enough though we be under perfetution all our days, and though the voke of oppreffion, be wreathed fafter about our necks : It fets us to be filent, and not to quarrel at his difpenfa- tions, though they feem dark : And though he ihould caufe us all to fall in the wildernefs for our murrnurings 'and quarrelings with him ; wh^t is the matter, if he be glorihed ? Let us die in the faith of it, that he will have a Remnant, in whom he will be glorified, and a feed Xo ferve him in this land, and that he will return, and dweU among them. This is indeed an evil time, even a time of Jacob's trouble •, but here is comfort, he fliall be faved out of it, and the yoke fhali be broken from off his neck, and his bands will be buri^, and ftrangers fliall no more ferve themfelves of him. And though it be faid at this time, that Zion is an out-caft, whom no man feeketh after, yet our Lord has promifed to reftore health unto her, and heal her of her wounds. And we may fay, to tke commendation of his grace, he hath not left us comfort- lefs, for he is pleafed to go with us through the fire, and through the waters, fo that we might (if we could either write, or fpeak) invite all, to come and behold what wondrous works the Lord hath iliov/n to us, and among us, that there need none be afraid to venture upon ths like, or worfe fulFerings than thefe which we have feen, and are put to, fince we can fay it now from experience, that he bears us and our burdens both. And we defire to put a blank in his hand for the future, and fay, A- men, to it, if he fee it fit, for the further manifeftation of the glory of his free grace, and power, to heat our furnace yet feven times hotter, if one, like the Son of man be with us in it, we have enough. And dear Sir, lince your letters hitherto, have been fo refrefhing and comfortable, in our forrowful and dif- trelfed cafe ; we hope ye will yet be pleafed to confer that favour upon us, as to write, and let us hear from you, both for counfel, and encouragement, for we are hopeful the more that ye give of this kind, ye fhall get the more to give. Thus ^S Actaunt of the fmr 1 683. . Thus rceommending you to his grace, who walks ^^- Bffiong the candlelticks, and holds the flars in liis right liai^d \ Wq. remain your, ^c. Subrcribed in our name, and at our appointment It was appointed by the meeting, that the 2 2d of May, fehe 15th of June,, und 13th of July, ihould be kept by ©ttr Societies, in prayer \ and the next meeting to be at Carntable upon Auguli lit, to which the colieclioiiis were to be brought. Not long after the lafl: meeting, there was a deiign aguinft the prcfent evil government in England difcover- cd,. which had beeu carried on by many, and was then Bear to be put in execution, v/hich made a great noife through the three kingdoms, and.->ccarioned feveral per- fbns. to be fearched for imd apprehended, and fom-C fuf- ^red on that account. About this time fell out the apprehending, cf Eai-l- ^ouuy which was iK>t a little afflicting to the United So- deties, net only upon the account of the lofs of fuch a "«rorthy gentleman, but aifo for the feizure of the paper* that were di-awn up, and agreed to, at the lafi: meeting : Whereby enemies came to the knowledge of what was' sii them, and a ftop was put to his going abroad, for tlae end related above ; and though fome endeavours were made for bis relcue, out of the hands of his ene- mies, yet it proved unfuccefsful, jmd he continued a pri- foner a confiderable time*'. According to the ajx>intment of the n^eting be- fore, a General Meeting did conveen at Carntahle upon the I ft of Auguft, 1683, After prayer, and modelling of the meeting, they approved of what was done by the former meeting, and agreed ^upon Ibme refolutions, as £ollov»s. I. It was refolved by the meeting that a commliTion fliould be drawn, fubfcribed, and fent to Mr,, Robert HamUtony then at Leeway den, to the end he might in- form Proteftant j-eformed churches abroad of our ilate and condition. ^Ilie laft irveetin^ agreed upon the like com- * To wit, til! the RsToIution. A Letter by the Ge?teral Meetings 1683. 79 commitlion to him, which was fent with Earljhun -, Xwt he L»eing apprehended, the iame was leized, with other papers: wiierefore this meeting (being very delirous 5i* have the cafe they were contending and fuffering for, ardl their fad and afflicted cafe made known to reforip.ed Pro- teftant r^hurches, to the end. they might get their lympa- thy) thought fit that a a:ew one Ihould be drawn up 5 which was done and fent. And it diti'ered nothing frma jtiie former, faye as to time and place*. • Likewife they agreed upon a iettei" to Mr. 'Hamiltcm, which was accordmgly drawn up, and fent with Mi". VViniam Nairni A true copy of which here follows. Murh Honoured and Worthy: Sir^ W£ are much concerned with yon, and have good realbn to be, becaufe 'wc are feniibld of yotrr l2L')our and pains, v/hich you have been, and are yet at, ii* giving true information of the frate of the Lord's quar- rel, which we defire through God's ilrength to o^n- And for the better carrying oii of which, we have con- d.:;lcended upon a particular commilTidii to 'you, that thereby, a^ ye have been eminently adfi^'e -for truth ^al- ready j io the glory of God, and his pubhc (though per- iecuted) quarrel, may be further carried on thto' ether lands, and you may be employed as a mean in that fer- vice i for although it be a heavy burden in itfelf, yet your God, and our God, is ablefuHkiently to fit andfurnijla you, and all whomibever by his providence he calls to fucla a work and fervice, b)^ giving full expenceato all his fer- vants, and a back for the burden ; fo we declare that ni> motives lead us to this, but principally the further propa- gation of the glory of God. And you are to aft, and carry on, whatfoever work of this nature, the Lord Ihall put wl your hand, as fee fh all enlighten ybu, actording toliis word, and give fuccefs in all places where ye ihall traveL Worthy Sir, the carrying on of this, is unanimbufly deiired by your friends, and you to be employed as an inftriiment therein. .. • . • IMnch honoured Sir, This commiinon vt2i by '(he lad m.ccving ordained to be drawn up, which accordinp;ly was done, fubfcribed, and lent by the hand of your ho- naurable and dear brother, now in bonds for ' Chrifi-'< ■ It is yet ektant^ in X.aiJQ. 8o ^ Letter by the Gejierul Meetings 1 683. But the Lord who orders all things well, permitted the fame, with feveral other papers, to fall into the hands of his enemies : And as to the giving of a new one, it could not be done until this meeting : fo they declare their adherence to their former refolutions, and have fent you this commiilion, written and fubfcribed io parch- ment ; differing nothing from the former. We received a letter from you, of the date May 24th lafl, wherein we fee matter of rejoicing, and alfo of for- row. As we have reafon upon this account to rejoice and be glad, yea (o fing, and give praife to our God, who is making himfelf known as fuch, and his glorious iittributes of power, faithfulnefs, mercy, ^c, to fhine, in carrying on his noble caufe, .over the belly of fo great difficulties, and owning his people fo, in the managmg thereof : yea the many flops that were put in the way of our dear friend's (now Chrift's ambafTador^s) ordination, makes us hope that he is a poliflied fhaft in our Lord's quiver, and a Jojeph againft whom the archers have fore- ly fhot, and have not ptt-e vailed, and we hope will not. So, we have alfo reafon and ground of forrow and la- me»tation, upon the account of the carriage of thefe two young men ; but what fliall we fay, but ftand flill and behold the woudrous works of our God, who is even fitting as a refiner and purifier of filver, purifying the. fons of Levi, It becomes us therefore to be content, though but a third part come through the fire, fince it is himfelf, who is mailer of the work : it is like they will be cojilyjtoiiesy and hewed JloneSy whom our Lord will make life of, to lay the foundation of his fecond temple in this land. As' to that part of your letter, anerrt: ^vrlting a'protef- tation againfl the Scots church at Rotterdam : the fame is thought duty: And it is concluded that you are the fitted perfon to draw up the fame -, fo you are humbly defired to do it, and fend the fiime over with the bear- er to the next meeting, to be by them confidcred. As to other things treated of at this time, the bearer will fufficiently acquaint you, to whofe information we re- fer you. The meeting has defired me to acquaint you thus far, in their name. So wifiiing you all happincfs in the Lord, I refl, ftmch honoured Sir, ycur mcj} humble Servant. MICHAEL SHIELDS. Mr, Robert Hamilton s Letter^ &c. 8 1 P, S, Friends in Glafgow defired me to write to you, to fend them notice what is become of the book of Mr. Cargill's, and Mr. Cameron.*s fermons ; if It be correie in fome meafure, ^ " difpolition." After the reading over of his letter, \ found my heart greatly tyed to him, and was brought into a pleafant frame andcalmnefs of fpirit. J^ut again, in two or three days, I was brought into great perplexities for the cafe of the church in general, and more efpecially for my mo- ther-rchurch ; but I ^thought I found always my former folution founding within me, and that with great power, yet not fo as perfe^lly to calm me ; till fpme days after Mr. Renivich wrote another letter to my fifter concerning his, foul's cafe, which I alfo, as the Lord helped me, re- turned my thoijghts of. And the evening after, going out to walk, I was ftrongly overpowered with the im- preillon that Mr, ^enivick was prefently to be ordained, and that I muft lay out myfelf therein ; and as I thought, wan to great certainty, that whatever difficulties ihould be in the way^, they fhould be Removed j fqr he himfelf fhould concern himfelf in it, While thus, I v*^ent to our worthy friend Mr. Brackcl, and laid out the whole cafe to him ; who no fooner heard of it, hut was as one put of himfelf, with the great fatisfaction and joy he had in it, which helped to my itrengthening. Whereupon we refolved to write prefently to Mr. Reniuich^ anent it, and that without the leaft thoughts or relation to the o- ther two; and having but fmail time, we wrote but^iii ihprt to him ; which letter you may feefror; himfelf,, ^s it came to his hands ; he Ihewed it to the other t\xG ; who, on wbat grounds I know not, refolvcd to concern ^heinfelyes alike in the affair as if the letrer had been written to all -of them. And after fome days, Mr. Rt?:- wick fent us a very fatisfying and refrefhing letter,. for our encouragement to move further in it; as alfo, the other two pretending the fame clearncfs, wrote to me thereanent, which indeed was both furpriiing and. weigh- ty to n\c, on many accounts ; for the Lord, from niy vei-y g6' Mr. Robert Hamilton s iMicr^ very firft hearing of them named, led me in a quite con- trary way as to them than- to the other •, and I think I am»not, and alas for it, difappointed by any of them, turn as they will. Now, as to the difficulties I had tawreflle with, and our Lord's noble managing, of his own caufe, and poor worms concerned in it, it v.asthus •, i//. Our friend Mr. B'rachel, bad not only a great inclination, but told me, after the receiving of the letters, that he was fully deter* mi lied, that they Ihould all of them be ordained at Em-b^ den i which I ciurll not confent to ^ for the- lAain man intended to have^the management of it was Coccdan in his judgment, tho' he feemingly pretended otherwife, however I could not get him off that, Kfccond reafon, as. I told him, of my being againft it, was that lince the Lord had moved Grouhigen to own us, and to fliew kind- nefs to us in our low eftate, we could not pafs by them, without firft giving them the offer. However, nothing could prevail, and we were like to lofc our friend in it ; as alfo, others of n^y friends at Leeivardeny who would not contlefcend to let me go from them. Yet I divrfl not yield, neither durft I ftay, but as I had done fornix eriy, ventured myfelf on my fweet, rich, and lovely, and 0 kind Lord's hand, who never failed me ^ yea, was ay better than his promife ; when they faw I was coming a* way, Mr. Brackel proinifed to follow me within ibme days, and gave me a letter to one of the minlfters, (which was all the recommendation I had from men) defiring me to deliver it to one of the minifters at Gt-vningen^ pro- viding he was any thing acquainted by friends at Grouw" gen of my delign of coming there j and finding them all ilrangers ta it, I relblved as to my recommendation^ to C7ii\ myfelf on the Lord, and not to deliver my letter until Mr. Brackel came himfclf, thinking it migl^t be a mean to engage him the more for us. When he came, 1 told him n-y refolutions as to Kmbden were the lame as formerly, and that I was rather confirmed than altered, having got further notice from one of the profefibrs in the place, tliat Embden was not fo pure in fome things^ cfpeeially as to the magiftrate's ufurpation, -as G^^omnf^en / and withal begging he'iiiight propofe it to the minifters in GroJi'ingcfiy which he did; who told him, tbnt it might be done well, and vvith great fecrery bv the pro- feffors of the college^ which fatisfied our'fi-iead greatly ; who alone laid down the whole way of it with them, who, tofime- Friends in Scailani^ 8y Hvho, after his acquainting me of it, dep:u*ted out af the tr.nvii /leaving ine to manage what he had propeftd and tj ■ concluded. But, before I go further, I fliall give a fliort accoimt oF Mr. FJi/it'-Aud Mr. Boyd : 80 foon as I came to the town, I exAm'iiied all of them feveralPy, but really I could jSrid no f^tisfactiori in any of tiieni, iave in our friend. jN'Ir. F/irly I found him floatin^^ and unftable : as for Mr, Bjxdy Mr. j///nt informed me and the rell "very ladly of ]im\y both <3f his untendernefs in his walk, and unac- tjuaintedriefs.in our cafe; that he was not only ignorant of much of it; hut taken up, for the moft part, with the arguments oftheadverfaries, a defending againfthis bre- thren : tho* indeed I did meet with no great difappoint- meat, yet on many accounts it was trying, and many were our fiirs, as to acquainting him with our refohiti- <3!is, in not letting him pafs at the time. However, when we wan to be politive in it, and ftated upon fuch noble grounds, as not daring to lay his houfe with fuch fbones, iffc. the Lord removed that difficulty wonderfully, and made Mr. Boyd not only feemingly willing to omit, but alfo, confirn^ed others as to their duty in what they had done. Now, I fay, this being done, and bur worthy friend Mr. Brarkcl out of town, I went to the chief prp- feffbr, and eonfering of our bulinefs with him, I found i: could not be done without the concurrence of another brother-profeiibr of his, who was a profeffed Csrcaa/r; and u ling freedom with him, to teii him my fcruph^ ; he aniwered me, that the other was but to examine, and not lay on hands : I aike'd, if it could be done without him ; who faid, no : then I told him politively, that we could not admit of it in fuch a ^x'ay ; his being prefent, V2^. a Corceia/iy was eflential to the ordination. So part- ing from them, with this refolntion, to write to Mr. Brackel what was next' to be done, aiid" acquaint 'him with the cafe 5 fo writing to him ; he could fee no haly- ard in that way : However, if I could not grant it, there was a heceility yet to refolve upon EmMefi : ^viAtk^Q was a ftrange providence in Iws letter ; for in the end eft' it, to make me come over my; former fcruple,^"hete!Ii^ me, that he could aiTure me,' unlefs I had a full teilimo- ny from alHhe profefibrs bf Grofiifip^n to the minifteis ot Emhd^/i for* the ftudents, they could not be owned there. % is was a mean -to clear ine the mare,* that Hr.ibden was not the place that the Lord feemed tp be then 88 Mr. Robert Hamltons Letter^ then calling us unto, fince we could no more accept of the Cocceianh recommendation than ordination, as it was then circumftantiate. So that matters again feemed worfe than ever, being likely to have both Embclen and the whole profeiTors, and others our friends, againft us. But our Lord was then at hand, who had determined o- therwife ; that when I went again to Mr. Johannes a Mari, the honeft profeflor, and to one of theminifters, and told them our cafe, and the weightinefs of it, and that there was no other thing before our eyes in it, but the glory of God, and durft do no other-way than what we had told. So begging they would lay it to heart, and take it upon them to prevail with the clailis, that they would take it in hand, v/hich, to the great admira- tron of fome of us, they undertook moft willingly* How- ever the profeflbr called for their teftimonies, (for they were to have his alfo to the claffis) ,and which was ob- fervable, all were milling fat^v^^. Renwick^s, which was to the fore by a fpecial providence, having got it in my hand hut fome few days before. When the profeflbr did fee it, he was willing to take it off our hand, but one of the minifters being then prefent, told it would never pafs before the claffis •, fo I told them, that it could not be expelled, confidering the tofled cafe of our church, that it could be in fuch a drefs and order as otherwife were to be defired ; and the profeflbr owned me, and backed me in it. So that both faid, lince it was fo, they thought my teftimony, with Mr. Brackel'sy to the' claffis, ay un- til another was procured, were fufficient ; which I could not refufe, and it was of the Lord in a fpecial way. However, there lay a trial tome in it, which was very great, viz. to have a fpecial hand in Mr. Fli?tfs paffing, the teftlmony being laidfo to my door ; and conlidering how the Lord had led me, and I thought, by all difpen- jations, was even leading me by him ; as alfo, from what I was difcovering in him, it was to me a fore flrait ; for he, on the other hand, was preJ0ing it violently. Where- upon, I went to him, and fpake in private to him, an- cnt the buiinefs, with great tendernefs, fignifying the weightinefs thereof j as alfo, how the Lord feemed every way to difcountenance his paffing ; for, as to myfelf, I told him, I could give him no encouragement to it j but on the contrary, from the firit time that Ihad feen him and Mr. Boyd^ I wasjnade to tremble atthcir coining o- r • ' ■ - ver tofome Friends in Scotland, 89 ver upon fucli a delign. As alio, that the letter that Mr. Brackel and I wrote to Mr. Reniukk was no ways deligned for him : and aifo of the miffing of his teftimo- niai. However, Itoidhim, if he had the Lord's call to it, as he wrote to me, thefe might all be but as trials znd fpurs in his way. However I again begged him, as he loved his own foul, that he .would not venture on fuch a weighty work ralhly. Notwithftanding of all, he faid he would go forward : So I, not without great hea- vincfs of mind, was forced to countenance him ; and fo going jBrft to the profcflbr for his teftimony, I wrote next for our worthy Mr. Brachelh^ v/hich he prefently, and moft chearfuUy fent me •, after, thefe were had, and the day of the claiiis came, being 4clivered to them, they were fuftaincd valid ; and after Mr. Fli?it had a little harangue before them, they were fent out a little, and theclaffis taking our caufe into conlideration, after, firft one of the miniilers riiing up, and laying it openly out, and then another, all of them, v*^ith tears, cried out, It is the Lord's caufe, and coil what it would, if all the kings of t;he ear.h were againil: it, they would go on in it. And, which is obfervable, one of them alking, How it came we pafTed by the profeflbrs, and took not ordi- nation from them ? another of themfelves rofe up, and from that took occafion to lay out the govcrmnent and difcipline of our church ; and that it was inconfiftent with our noble order to take fuch a courfe, and that we were much to be encouraged for it. Another that was a depute of the general fynod, defired to be' excufed, for he feared he could not attend, it being :.t fuch a distance where he lived from the place ; the refc ofliis brethren, with tears in their eyes, fhood up, and requefted that no coft, pains nor charges might be look- ed unto in fuch a noble caufe ; v.diereupon he confelTed that it was fo. It being alfo the cullom of that place, that every one that pafied muft pay twenty gui/ders fcr the public ufe of the church j the brethren jointly declar- ed that they would be at all the charge themfelves. O dear friends, praife^him ! praife him ! who has been fo mindful of us in our low eftate. And after all this, cal- ling them in again, they received them in a moft friendly way, as never hitherto had been 5 their injunctions our friend himfelf will iliow you. But v/.hat is alio remark- able, that Mr. FIi?it m his harangue, gave an open tefli- mony againfl: all the forms and enormities in their church. O wonderful guiding and lezd'ng of the Loi d ! M • Now/ 90 Mr, Robert Hamiltmis Letter^ Now, after all thefe wondrous ways of the Lord with us, it might have been expected that we flioiild have been more knit to one another, more ferioiis, tender, and zealous than ever. However, on the contrary, Mr, Flint ftrikes in with his old antagonift, he had infoFmed fb againft, and ftates himfelf moft bitterly againil: our friend Mr. Refiivicky to the great grief of friends, and ftumbling of ftrangers, who were witneiles to it. When it came to my ears, however heavy his carriage was to me, efpecially conlidei-ingthe circunifhances,yet Ithought it was not without the lingular providence o£ God> who had permitted hrra to kythe and dilcover himlelf before he came a greater length ; as alfo I thought I h;!d now fair grounds to flop his going on any further in that fo great a Avork ^ fo I fent for our worthy friend G. 11. (who has been greatly encouraging to me Ance he came over, and i -great help to- me) and for Mr. Flint , and in all tendernef^ fia lay it to him what an extraordinary work he was about, and hov/ extraordinary his call to the land was,, and the way of bis now deilgning to re- turn ; and that in all, I thought it req^;iired more than an ordinary cafe, frame and walk, of which I could fee no evidences in him. AVhile I was to go on in my dif- courfe, he interrupted me, falling out in great bitter- nefsj declaring he would no more meddle in it ; and that he Was pofitive, that upon no account he v/ould go on in the work, nor go home with our friend Mr. Re?j^ ivick ; giving thefe fo-r his three unreafoaabie reufons j r. He faid, he was fure he would never agree with him. 2. Becaufe he iaid. He {viz^ Mr. Renwich) did read too little. 3. Becaufe of his fpirit of fiipremacy h'." Ihewetl in Scotland. \ afked him, why he could not agree with him } He could gave no reafon. As to the fecond, I afked him,, if he did not read, I dcfircd to know how he fpent his time? If in prayer, or meditating, or any o- ther way ? He anfwcred, he durli not but think he was much in that exercife^ To which I anfvvered, thefe were the fludies in this day mofb accomplllhing for e- very work, and efpecially the work in hand.. And for his laft, he could alfo give no ground for it. After 1 had got this from his own mouth, I thought we were fairly locfed from doing auv more with him, and then we fent for Mr. Re?nv'ick^ who came ; and we gave hipi before Mr. Flinty n relation of what had palled j who would have palled from fome things that he afTerted, yet to feme t'f lends hi Scotland, gt yet adhering to his non-paiUng at that time, but to ftay a longer time, and anotlier occafion : fo having prayed, i again begged him to lay things to heart ; how the Lord was provoked *, and prelled, that whether he ftaid or went, they might be as one -heart. However, when he went home, he lignified to all, his refolutions to ftay^ and bought books at a fti-ange rate, and fet himfelf to learn the Dutcky and went without advertising any of us, to the Dutch kirk on the Lord's day, and was pre-r fciit at all their forms without the leaft refentment ; all fad tokens. And as before he had joined hand in hand with Mr. Boyd againfl: Mr. Renwlck^ now again his paf- ^n turned into its old channel agarnft Mr^ Boyd^ which is wrath-like Novv^, dear Brethreii, I ibmd afloRiflied, and wonder how we are now again put to it ; for he had received the profeiTor's teftimony, with Mr. Byachet*s ; as alfo his be- ing befare, and haranguing before the clallis : fo that it threatened no lefs than a fad blow to all the beginnings and after expectations in that place ; as alfo to the caufe and whole remnant at iKsmc ; as alfo foput a flop to our friend's palling. This cod fore fighting and wreflling, though indeed Mr. Flint and Mr. Boyd were no more concerned in it than no fiich thing had been j but on the contrary, evidenced tokens of their fatisfadlion with- al J as alfo, in their expe£ling a ftop as to our friend's paffing^ At lafl: I wrote to Mr. Brachely advertiling him tliat we thought Mr. Flint could not pafs : and with his anfwer I v/as yet more difcouraged than ever, prelling me by all arguments, that he Ihould pafs ; and if he did jiot, how prejudicl;^! it would be to the caufe, and iuch like. Now, (which made our cafe heavier) we duril not vent mirfelves fo freely to Grangers as we v^^ould, fearing the confequences that might foUov/. However, tra- velling ill thefe diihcultie^ until time would fuffer no more delay, the time of ordination being at hand, we refolved to go to the prefes of the cLilfis, aod give them notice that M. FH7it could not pafs. When he iirfl: heard of it, he was greatly difcouraged, and had this word which Was obfervable \ " Sir, he faid, if ye had ** told me of it but a day fooner, I could have ftopped it, f ' and gotten a delay until Mr. Fl'wt was ready, and ful*- /* ]y recovered." (for he himf€our fiifferings and wrefllings j who were all i^o affeif^ed, that ye would have thought, they were both weeping ^d rejoicing ; grieving for our cafe, as they faid •, and rejoicing that the Lord had honoured us In fuch a noble |iiiece of fervice ; promiiiing to mind us both in public and private y and alfo offered themfelves anew again for tlie fame fervice, whatever might be the hazard. Then, tike prefes told them, that the magiilrate was ufurping 2S much upon them, and there was as great yiekiing a^ mongfl them as in our land *, and if they followed not cur praclice, the church would be ruined, and they and their poflerity rooted out. There was alfa another mi- nifber who declared, he had been twenty years a minifter in that place, but had never feen nor found (o liiuch of €he Lord^s Spirit, accompanying a work, as that *, and ^clared, he would die and live with us. O tune up your. harps, and fing praifes unto him, whofe mercy en.- dureth for ever, and lias had yet compaffion upon us in our low eftate. Now, my honourable Brethren, here ye have a fliort account, yet not the hmidred fold of what the Lord hath done for us inthisaffiiir; the bearer, with our dear and honoured friend in the Lord, will give you a fuller ac- count of matters than I was able in the time to do, viz, G. H, But now, when ^ve thought the battle was fought "and the ftorm over, it begun afrefli again upon us fron-i another airth, reprefenting itfelf as terrible as any of the former to fame Friends in Scotland. gr former; though, blefled be his name, through his rk2i blefiing, we were never once AifFered to be caft down at the thoughts of it ! and O again admire and wondei^? The morning after the ordination, as I was lying in my bed, I received a letter from Mr. Brackely wherein lie gives me an account of a letter from Holland to flop the ordination, for he was to receive a lybel againfl us al4 fubfcribcd by the church of Rctterdam, Mr, Br. Mr. Hcg younger, and Mr. Thanias Langlands^ accuiing us of many terrible things, and fent me three or four -of the prime of them, which I have fent with our friend; and withal deliring me, fo foon as it came to my hands,, to Ihow his letters tome to the claliis, and either to vin- dicate ourfelves before them, or otherw^ays to ftop Mr. Rctiivick and Mr. Flhifs ordination ; (for then he liad not known Mr. FUnth determination and ours) and u- j>on that pretence of Mr. Flint's licknefs, the letter wijs ient by an exprefs to me for its greater hafte, and mi^b|t have come three days fooner to my hand than it did, ibut the Lord in a wonderful way ftopped it, but what way ive could never yet learn, O wonderful Counfellor ! for if it had but come a day fboner, by all probability it hal flopped our friend's palling, for there had been a necci^ fity for my Viewing it to the claiTiS *, and they could have done no other at leaft, than to have taken it to consider- ation, and to have delayed the diet for that time-, but O his wifdom I inlinite wifdom and power ! After I got it, i went to the profelibrs, and minifrers, aal others of the godly, and gave them a full account of ai], and of all m.y letters, who were nothing troubled, but jufrliiedus all in our dealitigsa^ainft thefe minifters, and and promifed to own us in ail, and give us an account of a;iy informations that iliouldcame againft us; far Mr. Brcicker^ letters told us, they were prefentiy to write to GrQiiingeti againfl us, and caufe print their accufations a- giiinft us. So the liOrd was flill gracious unto us, in keeping us in continual exercife, th:it our dependance might be the more on himfelf : for when he had wrought for us and broken the fmire, we were made to fear Mr. Bi'nckel:ind friends in Fricfiand ; for in hi.^ letters, they had promifed to liave their libel ready again ft us at Am- jlerdamy againfl fuch a day as they named; and Mr. Brachly v.^ithout acquainting any but one or two, cafts hind elf to be at Ainfierdam the fame day, but when he C4nie, ihc libel wa^ not ready, iyjt they would have been at 96 Mr, Robert Hamiltoris Letter^ at telling it by word of mouth to him, but he refufed to hear them unlefs in writing -, and indeed he was wonder-' fully helped to own the Lord's caufe, and poor Scotland's caufe. When he left them, they promifed to have tlie information and libel againft us at him within four or five days: But now the time is long over, and there is no word of it ! And fo he returned to us all, to the wonder of all, and the joy of many, more our friend, and ScotlamVs friend than ever. And he told me a ftrange pafiage. That the day before he went to their meeting, he was walking in his own yard, and there he faw a little fmall bird hotly purfued by a great hawk, and after ma- ny toffings and turnings, the bird at lafl, flies to him for fiielter, and he relieved it, which was borne in upon him at the time, as a lively emblem of ours and the church's cafe. O praife to him ! when we had win to good hopes of that ftorm^s being broken, we muft yet again enter in-» to another, threatening as terrible as the other. That fame day, in the evening, that \ received Mr. BrackeFs letter with the apoftate minifters^ libel, arrive James KuJJdy Patrick Grant and David RobertfoHy with full af- furance to ftop the ordination ; but through the Lord's goodnefs, they came alfo a day too late, and were dif- appolnted, I think, every way •, as to that affair I refer -you wholly to the bearer. They are ftill flaying here, i fear their defign be not good ; and I think, in that place they fliall have none of our two, Mr. F!iT2t and Mr. Boydy much againft them. O Lord, give wifdom, and come yet and be feen. O honourable friends, hath he not been glorioufly feen in this bufinefs ! Now, what can I fay unto you, our engagements are gi-eat, let our thankfulnefs be anfwerable ; get you the gofpel, O the precious gofpel again amongfi: you ; hold it up by prayer amongfc you % be more in tendernefs, humility, watchfulnefs, crying, and wreftling th^^n ever ; {o\ he is a holy and jealous God. O be much for him, downright and upright for him, coft what It will j he is more than able to bear your charges, on whoie fhouklers the government is' laid. And my poor advice v/ould be. That with all hafteyou would write to London^ difcharg- ing Mr. Nifoet to come licre, for his bafe fitting of time, and fuch fpecial caiis. As alfo to fend for the two that are here ;*for no .v we are keeping fire in our own bofoms, and, if the Lord prevent, it not, putting weapons in mad- mens hands. As alio, to ftck the Lord's mind in ordaining of t6 fome Friends in Scotland. ■ .07 of mbr(^ miniflers, and that amdhg yoiirfelves. My cyv^'^n judgment has been, that providing yoii can iiiici jnch ■qualiiicd with holmefs, tendernefs, examples, as ^aid fays of the believer:-;, in wonl, in con\isrfatiOn, in ipirk, in faith and purity; and fudi as Acls i. 21. which ac- companied Vbu in your tribulations, and liave been Av'it- nelTes to your contendings and wreftlings, "and given ■proof of their eonilancy and faithfulnefs* And indeed that is the way, I think that would bring in moft glol'y to our Lord, aiid which would be much like our cafe, ftnd my foul VvT)uId moft ply with every way ; for I anr fir from the mind that the Lord will make y:Sz of learn- ing for the building of his houfe again. It is, andhsisr been fo much boafted of amongfl: us, fo truftcfd to, and improven agrfinft our L6rd, that, I think, fdr a time, he vx'ill put a mark of ignominy upon it, and train u'p at Ills own fchool. O my brethren, it is fe//^«r/that muft make .fit for minifters, elfe here it\vill never be.- — - I think ye ihoi.'ld fend over three ofthemdn: eminent a- mbng you, with the iiift occafion, in rooi^i of thefe ye are to cUll home, that ovir caufe inav be 'kept up la that tdllege, ^and fome to tvitnefs agJilnft Jdme^ Rujel^ and the otlierf, avIio have feated there, or'any that may Oppofe us. As alfo, letters of thanks Ihouid be written to thr,t college, and to the ciaUis ; as alfo, «n approba- tion of what they have done. As alfo, a joint declara- tioii aga:.:ft the church oi Rotterdam, frj}, for their fet- ting down to the Lord^s' t?.ble a promifcuous multitude, men of blood, that Ur^z bsen at Penilaml and Bothwel agalm} the Lord ; li: en banded, celled, and what not; as alio, debarring fronVit fit cha^ were faithfid, asXvorthy Rvthilkt, 6- c. Lcm, for rtr^'-MT^.g inaniongit t'hetn Mr, Fleming, who is rather Charles StuaYi^s niiaifVer thaii Chrifr's. A', alfo, their cr;ie] dealing and handling of their countrymen that came there, who are faithful in their day, threatening to ftariethem oiat of their con*, ft'.iences, notwichih-mdina of the larse fupplv, thev havfi but what I omit, I hope the bearers will flipply it.- • Let me hear more frequently from you aU, for your let- ters are very refreshing to me ; though many times I be but little in cafe to write unto you, yet I defire that you may find my practical kindnefs, and not miftake my filence. Now, The blefling of Him that dwelt inthe bufli, be with you all. y^cur fympathizing Brother ^ and real Servanty ROBt. HAMILTON, But to return : It was refolved by the meeting that William Nairn fhould be fent abroad to Mr. Hamilton with copies of the public papers ; and alfo t3 defire him to draw up a proteftation againft the Scots congregation HI Rotterdam ; and to fend it here, that it might be confidered by the next meeting. Accordingly William Nairn went abroad and took with him all the forefaid public papers which were copies of thofe that were feiz- edwhen Earljloun was apprehended. That which occafioned the meeting to mention the proteftation againft the Scots congregation at Rotter- dam, was the forefaid' letter (read to them that day) from Mr. Hamilton. — Upon which it was thought re- quifitethat he who was fo acquaint with thefe things which were to be protefted againft in that congregation, that none could be fo fit as he to dfaw up the faid pro- teftation General Meetings Aug. ijly 1683. 99 deflation. — Yet never any Inch paper came from him to the focieties ; and that prpteftation which was after- wards drawn up and publiflied, was written at hoi;iie, and fent abroad to Mr. Hamilton, who put it in print. It was Ukewife refolved, That a letter ihould be wrote to thofe two young men, Mr. John Flint, and Mr. Wiiiiam Poyd, then at the univerlity of Graningen^ exprefly calling them hpiiae, upon the account of fome information received againfl: them by the forefaid Letter, and the bearer G ~ Hill. But though it was deliver- ed to them by Mr. Nairn, ye.t Mr. Fhnt did not regard it, but not long after joined with James lluflelj neither Socktksw i oi ten4iags :,Nevertliele{s, to make this affair more clc^ir, ajid plaiii, the relating thefs accufations wh^rewitli t]ic, focietiLS were^ charged by the forefaid minlfters at .Rotter-, dam cannot.be well evited. Wherefore I Ihall ^-ft ii^. fcrt the fame, as they -were fet down in a letter by Mrm.. Brackel to Jdr. Hamilton, which he fent to this lan,d,. and the lanie was read to this meeting ; aii,4 next Jlh;dt give a copy of the letter to, Mr. Brackel 5^ wherein, is a^, Ihort anlVer to theie accpfations, which was thonglit fit to be fent to hiiii, (in regard thefe accufations w^re fent. ^o him) tb'6ny is no v printed with his Sermon?. i t Sec Renwick's ajth Lstler, P. 64oithe jiantcd Tclame. General Meetings OB. 3^, 1 683. 105 fome fpecid inducements, particularly and principally the carrying on of Lanerk declaration, that it Ihould not be diicovered and the a(Stion hindered, and therefore in that refpecl the engagement was requilite ; yet we b^ring- ing it and applying it all alongft, though the nature of it was only concerning the things treated upon at that time ; and aifo, feeing how it hath been fadly abufcd 5 upon the one hand, fome thereby binding up themfeives from duty, which was far contrary both to the nature of the thing, and aifo to the intention of the impofers ; and upon the other hand, by fome really involving themfelves in ti\e guilt of perjury by their inconflderate laxnefs in it. Therefore we (the fame power that laid it on) do require that engagement no further to be im- pofed, not fuifering that yoke to lie any longer upon peo- ple's necks ; yet we hope that none, as they tender the glory of God and the good of his caufe, will take occa- iion hereat to be more lax than was their duty formerly. This we do, really profeffing our iincere deiire to be humbled before the Lord for every way of our abufing that (no^v laid aiide) oath offecrefy i. The meeting alfo agreed upon a Letter to be fent to friends in Dublin in Ireland ; a true copy v/ hereof fol- ' lows : OEloler 3 that we may fay. Our pleafant things were not taken from us, but we give them away with our own hands. "We betrayed the intereft of Chrlfr, and gave enemies all their aiking, and made the Lord's pleafant portion a de- folate wildernefs. Yet the Lord, becaufe he had com- panion on his people, and on his dwelling-place, ftirred up fomc to go to the high places of the fields, and jeo- pard their lives unto the death, in proclaiming the trudis of God; whereby there were great inruads made upon Satan's territories, who finding himfclf at a lofs e.nd dii- advantage, fpewed out luiful fnares among^ll us, to rum the work of God, and to break us, viz. indulgences and indemnities, whereby Chriirs crown was eftabllihed lipon a man's head, which fome men, loving worldly eafe more than truth, embracing, , fhey betrayed the caufc of God, and yi«^ded the day to the d^'agon and his angels i Friends in' Dublin y hi Ireland, toy angels; others who had not the ofler, yet gapiiig afte]^ it, Struck in with them, to ftrengthen the devirs fide ^ and many who profefTed to be againft fuch courfes therti- felves, yet tendered more the credit of difcredit-able riieri than the honour of God j and inftead of uiing mean^ for their reclaiming, ftrengthened then* hands in their perverfe ways, and iided witli them againft thofe whom the Lord railed up to be faithful and free> and (weakly, though not deiignedly I hope, for we defire to be cha- ritable to them) wrought together to gain the end of the common adverfary ; who, as they gained ground, in- creafed the perfecution ; which now hath difcovered the thoughts 2.VLd hidden hypocrify of many hearts. Yet in all this, (blciTed be the holy and wife Lord) h^ had ftill a remnant who kept their ground, and through his affiftance, wreftled for him, by faithful preaching of his will, appearances, teftimonies^ declarations, and fuffer- jngs ; fo that there is not one ftep of all our public de- fection, but that he hath hontjured and helped a party to witnefs againft, and to feal their teftimonies with their baood, both minifters and people of divers qualities. And now, we deiire nothing but, the Lord alliftlng, to follow the good old way, and to ftand upon the ground whereunto the Lord, by our worthy reformers, brought jUS, and for which we have been wreftling and contend* jng : we fay, we are I'eeking nothing but to take the Lord's part againft his enemies, to ftand under Michael's banner to fight ai^ainft the dragon, and to have our ba» riiihed King Chrii^t brought back again ; and in order to this, ftudying to Uiake our hands clean of the caiifes of his difpleafure at us, which keeps him fo long av/ay^. and to fet about the duties of Chriftianity with mourn- ing, humiliation, fafting and prayer. Therefore^ heing all engaged in one common cauie, and bound in covenant together, and having fome kuow^ ledge of your cafe, and alio of your delire to know and follow (iutj ; we thought it expevHent to write unto yoti, ye having been, to the grief of our fouls, led.aflde by the cruel, and fubUe dealing of adverfaries, and the treachery and unfakhfulnefs of thefe who guve theni- (elves out for your leaders ; deliring, as bretliren, that ye would lay to heart the fad cafe our church is redacted .unto by realon of our ftn againft the Lord ; and conlidfer >p^t is called foi' at your hands, if either you deftire to io8 Th Society s Letter to fee his return again to Britain and Ireland^ or to tranf- jnit his truths to the fucceeding generation, as to the ihaking yourf elves clean of the abominations of* the times and alfp withdrawing yourfelves from thefe backiliddcn < minifters altogether unfaithful to our wronged Lord and Mafter : for as to your meeting-houfes, not knowing what underhand dealing hath been with the wicked powers of the time, neither thinking the cafe to be for- mally the fame with our hell-hatched indulgences in Scotland : yet the efFecTts are much one. For, 1. The embracing of thefe meeting-houfes was a divid- ing of themfelves from their more righteous brethren and their fufferings, expoUng them to be the only butt of the adverfaries malice, and to fhifc for themfelves con- trary to our engagements, whereby we were to take one common lot with the common caufc. 2. It was an embracing of a fiiare, whereby they v/ere were drawn into, not only a fupine and loathfome for^ mality and neutrality in the Lord's caufe, but into un- faithfulnefs in the higheft degree, palliating the fins, and covering the abominations of the tyrannical powers, left they, having the arm of flefh upon their lide, fhould caft down their meeting-houfes, and caft out themfelves j and in no meafure difcovering the duty of the day to people \ fo that they are ignorant of what thefe cruel ad- verfaries have done againfr our bltfied Lord, and of their own iin in ftrengthening their hands in their working wickednefs, and upholding that fabric of rebellion a- gainft the heavens. Oh ! what iliall we fay, lin and du- ty hath been both hid, and the fouls of the people not cared for, neither the ftanding of the intereft of Jefus Chrift which they have palpably betrayed ; and have ^oft actively given their confent to the enemies taking and keeping the houfts of God in pcfrell:on. And 3. They have quitted their nieeting-houfes at the com- mand and threatning of men ; for albeit their entry was hurtfome to the caufe, and the exercife of their miniftry nothing but a felling of truth, and a buying of finful li- berty to themfeWes ; yet that does not warrant another ftep of declining duty, in explicitly and more fully deli- vering np the privileges of Jefus Chrift •, yea, one pen- dule of his crown ftiould not be yielded, though it ftiould coft us all our lives, and we cry out, Let it not be heard in Gath, nor ptthlijbed in the Jlreets af Afkelon^ that the Covenanters in Britain and Ireland ihould be ftanding with Trknds in Dublin y in Ireland. 1 09 T^^ith their heads upon their necks in that day when King Chrift's crown \yas taken from him, O beloved Friends and Covenanted Brethren, go on in your duty, and follow no men, but them who wllj follow the Lord Jefus Chrift ; coniider truth as naked, abftraifting from ail perfons, and refolve firmly in Jeho- vah's ftrength to ftand to it alone, albeit none fliould iland with you ; and never take carnal rcafons and argu- ments to plead yourfelves out of your duty, but coniider ay the cafe, whether it Le duty or notj in all its circum- ftances ; and if found to be fo, then up and do it upon the greateft of hazards ; and think not to walk fo as the abufed laws of man fhall not reach you, for if they do not, the law of God will ; for they are now confronted one againft another, and the cry is gone forth from the Lord to all that v/iil lide themfelves with him, to take his part againft a cruel and treacherous generation. Say not a confederacy unto them, neither fear ye their fear y 7ior le rr- fraid. ld>u.t fa?iBify theLordofhoJIs himfelf and let him be your fear y and let him be your dread ; and he ffjall be a fanBuary unto you, Ifa. viii. 12, 13, 14. Wherefore come out from them, and be ye feparate, faith the Lord, an£ touch not the unclean thing ; and I 'will receive you, and be a father unto you, mid ye fhall be myfons and daughters, faith the Lord Almighty, 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. O come out from a- viong thetn, that ye be ?iot partakers of their fnS; and thai ye receive not of their plagues ; for their fns have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered their iniquities. Rev. xviii. 4, 5, O make hafce, and get in under the fiiadow of the Lord's v/ings, and give up v/ith every faife and wicked way, that now ye may be hid from the iiery indignation; for he is co?m;ig to fjake terribly the earth, and to punijh the inhabitants thereof for their iniquities. There is a f-word bathed in heaven to come down upon Idu-r mea, and upon the people of his curfe : and fpare whom he will, he will not fpare minifters, yea Prefbyterian mini* fters, for they have betrayed the intereft of Jelus Chrift ; yea, not only confented unto, but concurred _with^ ene- mies fpoiling him of his princely robes, and of the pov/- er he hath in his own houfe : They have made fc^d the hearts of the righteous, whom the Lord hath not made fad, and ftrengthened the hands of the wicke-1, that be ihpuld not return from his wicked way, b/ proinifing him lifcj and haye feduced the people^ by l^-cing viiions of ita General Meetings 03, ^d^ 1683, €sf peace for tkeiaa^ in their backiliding courlcs, \vhe» there was no peace from the Lord. O dearly bsioved in our blefled Lord, follow none fur- t^T than they follow Chrlft j and ceafe to hear the in- .^inKSlion \viikh caufeth to err from the words of know- &dge V and tnark and avQid them ivho canfc (Jj^jifidus Mid &ffe-nees contrary to the dcci'yhie which ye have learned j for ihey th^t are fuchy ferve not our Lord Jcfus Chrijly but £jmr cwn bellies y and by good words and fa,ir fpeeches de- ceirve the h.'^nrts ofthefrnple. We fhaU trouble you no further at the tiJue, but Iteartily and hiily approving of the carriage of your hear- ty fi-iend and M^cU-wifher in the Lord, Mr. James Ren- ^smchy, among you, ('vvho is for us a faithful minifter of Jefus Chrift) in net joining with thefe men-ixtinifters wixh vou, and in declining them as to the fceking and accept ting their call to preach, or giving them fatisfaciion as^ .tr> his crdih-Jtion ^ yet, as often he laid unto yourfelves, we hold ourfelves obliged in duty to fatisfy you who have been his hearers ; therefore we have fent unto you a true ii-anfcrlpt of the teltificate of his ordination in Latin^ srnd the Englij% verfion thereof, with fome oUiier paper$ for your clearing and information in the Lord's caufe 5 thanking you heartily for the great kindnefs, he reports, that ye flaewed unto him, taking it as if it had been doi;^ tto all of us. And deiiring that ye, ihaking yourfelves flean of the abominations of the time, may embody jourfelves in Chriftian fellowfhips and ibcieties, wi'Ji idl tendernefs and brokennefs of heart, crying mightily to the Lord, that he would return ^nd be reconciled unto tlie remnant of his heritage . and reclaim his captivate de^ darative glory out of the hands of the proud enemy 5 and we fhall keep a correfpondence with you, and help you with any whom the Lord fends foi'th unto us, cloathfr ei v/ith his commillion, to proclaim the glad, tidings of ialvation. The Lord, the Lord Qod, the covenanted God of Britain and Ireland^ be with you. The meeting like\vi{e appointed feme faft-days to be kept by the focieties, ^1%^ |t was appointed t)\at the nth %£OEfoher fliouldbs kept 5 day of public failing and hu- miliatioti tor our great and innumerable iniquities which have provoked the Lord for aleafonto deprive us of the unfpeakablc privilege of the gofpcl, ,and not endeavour-^ icgto order our hearts and coavgrfatioivi thereunto. If Account of the Year ^ l68> iit It was alio appointed that the 25tli of Ociohtr flioUkS be publicly kept a day of faftiiig and prayer to the Lar.J,» who hath' given ioine refreihing pledges of his doiii«; greater things, by his returning again (out of hisiiieis: rnercv, notwithftanding of our great tranfgrelhons) -vvitk a blink of the bleiTed goipel •, that he would now help us to improve the great mercy bellowed iipoti us, and kecja iis from .provoking him again to remove the candle out of our candieitick. As aliOj it was appointed that, the 15th of November bekcpta day of public thanklgiving to the Lord for /his •many and great mercies hitherto beiiowed upon tis^ ia liov ieaviag us altogether in our low condition* , And.it was appointed that the next General Meeting fiiuli be upon the 2t^th of November^ at Glafgcw : and that.the collections Ihall be brought there by thfc com- inlilioners who come. Thf. {Vate of the land was ft]]! as before, by violent prefilng of the Tefl and hearing o£ Curates, whicli weii^ 2las ! much complied with by not a few : iiut, through. grace, many were kept from both thefe abominations^ choolln^ rather to infer than to lirt. And though the periecurions and trials which the Ibckties v/er& tryfled with were not fmall, nor the reproach from friends vvh® liad mif-ved a mean to keep ibmeiroiri rui^.iwg apon, and tx) recover others from extremes Oil hotli handi. It \vas i>reijgthening in that weary day, comf«.>i*tlng in that i ad, and enlightening in that dark ^nd gloomy day. As before the laii meeting, tlie focietie'? v:ere nuich mlij-eprcrenteJ., fo after it they were not lefsj, Int rather more ; -efpecially Mr. James iienvack wa» greatly mifreprefented and reproached, occaiioned br ihc rt^iding of his vekimony at the lair mectijig, whjcii (particnlaHy that pr^rt tiiereof concerning ibmeminifters who were therein named) was very ill taken, and oiFend- ed feveral pcrfons, ye-.i, from that tim^e fome of our number fell ofF heia m, Bui as it was much talked of, fo 112 General Meetings Nov. 2%tb^ 1683. fo it was much mifreprefented> it being reported (which was believed by many) that he had excommunicated fome of thefe minifters, which was far from his thoughts and intention ; neither did the paper itfelf bear any fuch thing ; for all that is in it concerning thefe minifters named therein, is his teftimony againft what he thought was wrong in their practice, and not one word of excom- munication of them or any other. The General Meeting conveened at Woodfuk, near Glafgow, upon the 28th of November , 1683. After prayer, and modelling of the meeting, they approved of all that was done by the former meeting, OEloher 3d ; and particularly did agree v/:th, and approve of that re- folution concerning the oath of fecrecy, which was no further to be impoled. idlyy They agreed unto, and confented with a Pro- teftation againft the Scotch congregation at Rotterdam^ fcr feveral caufes therein contained ; which was there- after fent to Mr. Robert Hamilton, who put it in print^ and fent fome of them to Rotterdam. As this paper Bath fince been much fpoken^gainft, and condemned by many, fo the focieties upon more mature deliberation a- bout it, although they looked upon the caufes inferted therein materially conftdered and rightly applied, were true, and fufficient ground for a proteftatlon, and deftr- ed that it might be looked upon as a ftandlng teftimony (together with what contendings have formerly been by fome Scotch fufferers in that land) for the vindication of truth, and againft the fad wrongs and abufes in that con- gregation, ay, and while the caufes inferted were main- tained, and the offence and fcandal given, not removed ; yet they were convinced, not only that there was an o- miilion of the due method of going about fuch an adti- on, when they had not given previous admonition to the perfons protefted againft \ but alfo fome words and expreflions were unfuitable, untender, bitter and ofFcn- live. But in regard the Proteftatlon itfelf is in print, and the fociety's mind concerning it may be feen -in their Infcrmaiory VlndicatioTiy what is faid above may fufiice here. 3^/j, The meeting ag-recd upon two Letters, the one ta the claftis of Groningen, to v/hom they were very much obliged and indebted for the ordination of Mr. Renwick, and they thought it duty to fignify their thank- fulnefs (General Meeizngy Nov. Hth^ 1683. ii^ ixilnefs in a letter ; .which being tranflated into Latin was ^ icnt to them : And the other to feVeral perfbns in Priez- landy and more efpecially thefe in the city of Leewarden, who had various ways fliewn their fympathy with the focieties J which letter was likewife fent. i\thly^ It was appointed by the meeting that Thomsts Lining, William Nairn .atid Michael Shields fliould go to Fife, and fpeak with Ibme perfons there, who had. withdrawn with James RufTel from their brethren, and were continuing in that feparation ; And out of brother- ly love and kindnefs to them, to delire them to com^^ and iiear the .^ofpel preached by Mr< James ft.enwick» Accordingly the fqrefaid perfons went to Fife, and fpoke . with fome of x\\t{z people they were fent to* But to the end it may be the better knowil what they did there, and What aiihver they received, I fhall here fet down the re- port, fubfcribed by tliem all thre£-j and Ihewn to the next meeting as an account of their diligence; " We, under-fubfcribers, being commiltionate by the General Meeting, to go to the fociety of Fife, and invite them to hear the gofpel faithfully preached by Mr; James Renwick : In obedience whereunto we went ; and at Elie, in Fife, upon the 14th of December^ 1^83, got fome of them coiivcened together, vlzi three men and a boy, and , about feven or eight women. When conveetjed, be- fore we would impart our comiiiillion to them, we thought it duty that one of ourfelves fhbuld pray 5 which when heard by them, they declared they would not join with us : When we faw them fo, we forbare, and delivered ourcommiffion after this maimer. ^The General Mee- ting hath {^vX us to acquaint you, that the Lord out of his hee love and infinite mercy hath viHted his poor ped- pie in their low condition, in giving us the fweet and precious gofpel again, inftirring up Mr. JaitiesJ^cnwiolc a minifter, faithfully to preach the iarne, and freely to teftify againfi: the £i)*; and abo|j;iinations of the time, to which we have been v/itnefs both in private and in pu-* bile j and coisfidering our being bound in covenant to- gether, and out of brotherly love and kindnefs , to your fouls, they earneftly delire zmA invite you to come and hear the fame, and be p::irtaker3 of thatrich and unfpea-' kable bieffing the Lord hath beftowed. *' After we had thus fpoken, we defired an anfwer : Whereupon they declared they would.]* ither hear him, nor join with us, bscaufe of the reafons and grounds they P had. 114 General Meetings Nov. 28 tb, 1683. had feparated from us upon, before the faid Mr. Jamsg went from Scotland. "We defired they would inftance them :■ They inftancedthe « paying of cuftoms at ports, " and in markets j" yet they faid «< they were clear txk ** pay them at boats and bridges *." To which w- r plied, that we were not to- juftify the paying of ci tofns, yet we could not drive fo abruptly and' inconudei rately to fuch- a height of feparation upon that head as they did, But they refufed to debate any further anent them, becaufe they affirmed that it was fully debated before •, which we denied^ as to^ the way that they had taken in ftating a feparation upon that head,, efpeciall^ fo prefumptuoufly. They faid it was, and was to be feen in their public papers ; which, when we defired to fee, they faid they had them not.< And alf^^ they affir- med that the not paying of cuftoms was enacted at the meeting at Tala-linn,. and put as an inCerrogation to the members thereof :■ Which we denied,, two of us being prefcnt there. And likewife they faid, they had other things againft Mr. Renwick,. and us both : We defired to hear them ; They told us they were in. their public papers.. So all the ground they gave for refufing to hear the faid Mr. Janies preach,, was only this, that he does not as yet fee the paymg of cuftoms, and joining with thofe who pay the fame to be a ground of feparation, and of debarring from the privileges of the church.. And as for days of the week,, and months of the year, they own- ed the fame was not a ground of feparation, yet adhered . to that paper given in by James RufTel to the General Meeting .giaent the fame*, and particularly to that part of it, which fays,.-^" Thofe who own fuch names, ferve themfelves heirs to that fame (if not greater) punifh- ment, which Cod infli^ed upon idolaters of old :" which is a real contradi^lion^ This is truth, as witnefs our hands." THOJMAS LINING. Sic Subfcribitury * WILLIAM NAIRN. MICHAEL SHISLDS. And hjilyy the meeting appointed fome days to be kept b/the focieties, suid condefcended upon the caufes as follow. As ♦ By this ii is evident that they could not charge them with tolerating the paying of any other public burdens or taxe'i o- therwife tbey would not have faikd to do it. General Meetings Nov. 2%thy 1683. 115 ly?., It was appointed that the 5th of December^ fhould be;kept a day of public fafting and prayer unto the Lord, that he would either bridle the rage of enemies againft our honourable friend and fufFerer, Earlfloun, or carry ihim honourably through the trial j and alfo, that thofe mod 'Concerned in him may be kept by the Lord, and helped rightly to carry under -their fad afflictions. The occafion of fetting this day apart for the forefaid end, was the trials and tentations which they heard Earlftoun was at that time meeting witL. 2fl'j h was appointed that the 27th of December fhould be kept a day of public thankfgiving unto the Lord, for his conveening of us together upon the 23d oiNovembery to hear his gofpel preached, and bringing us all fafely off, notwiihftanding the great fury and diligence of enemies T^gainll: us. This 23d of November, Mr. James Renwick preached at Darmede, which was the firft public fermon Jie had in' the fields ; at which time the diligence ofcf iiemies was great againft us, and being delivered from them, it was ,thpu^ht fit to fet apart a day of thankfgivr dng for it. 3^, It was appointed tliat the 25th of January, 1 684, f^iould be kept a day of public fafbing and humiliation hefore the Lord, for our finful walking under that (eve- ry way) fadly abufed engagement unto -fecrefy. And it was appointed that the next -General Meeting fliouidbe upon the 21 ft o£ February, 16.84, at Aucheri" gilloch J to which the Societies were to fend the collec- tions, and the faid day was ^o be kept in prayer by thefe remaining at home. Having given fome relation of what was done at this meeting, I Jliall fubjoin tAvo letters agreed upon by them. Firft, the letter to the claffisof Groningen ; the ^ext to tlie fociety in Friezland, November 28, 1683. Reverendiffimi Dommi vigilanfljfimi PaBores^, THE Lord having now, to our great joy and cn- couragemen-t, reftored unto us our beloved friend a'nd minifter, Mr. James Renivich, and brought him through many imminent dangers 5 (for which we defire to rejoice in him, praifing his holy name) who hath j .givci fuch an ample ajxd iavcury accountof your real P 2, .COJL- lj6 7he Society s Letter to concerncdnefs for our Ma/ler*s caufe, and affection to and fympathy with us in Scotland^ tliat we muft burft out in ei^preiling our fenfiblenefs of, and joy in tlie fame, hj writing unto you : again and again bleffing the Lord, and thanking you for the fingular mercy which we en- joy, by your confirming of pur forefaid beloved friend Mr. James Rewwick in the work of the miniilrry (for Tvhich he was fent over unto you by us) whereof the Xord gives fpecial evidences of his ov5^1i approbation, be- ing Angularly with him in that great. and \feghty wcrk^ to our great refrefliing and encourageincfc : and alfo t"ftif}ing and confirming the tr^ith gf that3^ithful Mr. IVilliam Bracket minifler at Lee^vard^n) witttelTed in hi§ friendly tcftimony of our fludent before your Prefl^y- tiery, viz. That the tefHficates and, calls fdbfcribed by 115 unto them, particularly to the forefviid Mr. James; Rc?i'wic/c, were delivered into the hand of the right hor nourable the laird of Ea-ljhiw, We acknowledge o^r- felves many ways your debtors, both in fpii-ituals and temporals, and are very fenfible of your care of the church of God, evidenced fo many ways yntp lis in our low cafe and condition, now when the enennes of our Lord in this land have cafben down the Lord's lioufe tq the ground, and laid his pleafant portion defoiate, and cal^en mariy.of us out of our houfes, being violently per-, fecute, and that unto death, with all the fubtiity and craelty which the powers of hell and earth can dfcvife, O ! thg Tury and wickednefs of eneip.'es is rome to a great height, and the malice of backfliders is fwelled to a great meafure, not only Chriftianity but humanity being alto- gether given up by the moil part of the nation ; fo that all things fpeak forth the cup of the Aimite and Edo- ■m'lte to be npar full, and that the Lord is even at the doors with a great deluge of his wrath, to be let loofe Xipon the generation. But in the midO: of all our dlf- trelTes and difficulties (O ! blcffed be the name of the Lord) we have no reafon to complain, for he fpeaks com.- fortably to us in this wildernefs ; he is a prefent help to us in the time of our need, and puts fongs in our mouths 3n the midft of this hot £re ; and is wonderfully iecn in hiding, preferving and encouraging us , it being no fmall refrefhmeiit unto us, that he hath put into your hearts to ftand flill and to hear our complaints, and to become companions with us in our tribulations \ for which we dolire to praife the Lordj and to pray unto him, that he v.hu the Claffis of Groningcn. \\j who is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love may reward you, for putting to your hands to ftrengthen and help a wrellling and bleeding church ; and that he may make you ever faithful in his vineyard, following your labours with Jiis rich bleiiing, to the glory of his great name, and the advancement of his kingdom in the earth, an^ in the fouls of his people. O ! mind the diftrefled 3nd afHicted, bleeding cafe of the once glorious church of Scotland J as we defire to mind you, both in publie and in private. We remain. Tour affiired fripids atid obliged fervants to our full power in the Lord, Subfcribed in our name by the clerk of our general meeting, MICHAEL SHIELDS, To the right honourable^ truly gracious, and really fympa-. thijing Brethren and Sijlers in Friefland, ajid more e" fpecially in the city ^Leewarden, November 2Sth, 1683. TKE Lord did vouchfafe fuch gracious and glorious privileges upon us, that he brought us unto a high pitch of reformation, and many engagements to be for him, beyond many (yea^ we may fay to the praife of his free grace, and with refleclion upon our prefent in- gratitude, beyond any) lands ; but he hath been many ways provoked by us to lay us low as at this day^ which indeed we muft confefs we have deferved, yea, and more at his hand ; but we dcflre to take all in love from him, who chaftneth and loves, and loves in chaflifement ; and in feeking by this hot and fiery furnace to get a remnant purified for himfelf, amongft whom he may take delight to dwell. And now when the furnace is flill growing hotter and hotter, fhould not we look beyond the outfide of difpenfations, into the Lord^s glorious purpdfes and intentions •, w^ho, the more hot he makes the furnace^ minds to produce the more pure metal thereby ? Alfo when we think upon (of which we are fure ye are not without the apprehenfions) the fad and deplorable cafe of ^U national and other churches, by re^foa of unfaithful- n^^fs Ii8 Ttht Society s Letter to nefs to tloe Lord, little eftsem of his precious truths, w^nt of zeal for his glory, and not following him fully as he ought to be ; we are indeed perfuaded, that where lie hath thoughts of love, and purpofes of kindnefs, thi- ther he will come, and fit as a refiner's fire to purge and j-efine. But, O 1 ever blefTed be his holy and exalted name, he who is able to raife children unto Ahraharny out of the flones, will not want a teflimony for himfelf, and a company of living witnefTes : and we may fay, to the praife of his glorious free grace, and gracious conde- fcendency to our once glorious, but now bleeding and wounded, yet wreftling and contending mother-church, that in our land he hath had this ;. we fay, a company,, a party whom he ftill honoured, and is y^t honouring and helping to burfl: put with declarations, protefkations, teflimonies, refiijances, and that urito blood againft all the hciopus indignki^s done to him, whom he hath not left helplefs nor comfortlefs. And among our other re.- fcefliings from himfelf, this is one, and not a fmall one, that he hath ftirred you, our right honourable and dear-i- ly beloved brethren and fiflers, to JiTCftle lb diligently, and to contend fo faithfully, zealoufly. and valiantly for our church ; aud to bear burden, and really to fympa^ thize with us in our .affliclions, trials and tribulations, evidenced by your fincere love, and great kindnefs unto, and flngular fympathy with oiir right honourable friend Mr» Robert Hamilton^ who hath been much dignified and owned of the Lord, in his many engagements, ap-^ pearances, contendings and fufferings at home for the Lord's caufe \ and in his many wrefilings abroad, which ye are not ignorant of, ha-ving giyen many evidences of his care, dfligence, faithfulfiefs, .and zeal for the Lord : ^nd alfb evidenced by your great love and fyrnpathy with our right honourable friend Barlfloun^ and his perfecuted and caft-out family, who is the branch of an old f^and- ing houfe for the Lord ; he hifnfslf honoured to be greatly active for his f aufe, and now called to be imme- diately under the enemies laf]i upoa that account. And, moreover, evidenced by the great charges ye have been at in helping our diflrefTed and cad -out families, in col- le^fting fo liberally for the fame ; for which we defire to blefs the Lord, and to thank you, praying earnestly that \,4^ himfelf may reward you, who will not forget your kl? :)ur of love and compafiion of us in our bonds. O! what Friends in Friejland and LeiWarden. 1 1 9 what fliall we fay, we are all members of one body, fub- jedl fo one glori,ous head, our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath purchafed us to hhnfelf : and this is manifefted by you indeed. Therefore let us go on in evidencing the ik.T\di conjuncflion of us his members, that when one fuf- fers, all fuffer with it : and when one rejoiceth, ^ re- joice with it. And alfo making to appear our love t3 our lovely and blefled Lord, by following him fully j labouring not to be put off our ground by the violent and boifterous winds of perfecution which we are tolTed with, and which ye may expe(ft to he liable unto. Of have we not a noble and glorious Captain to follow, who hath fuffered more for us than we can do for him, deli- -ocring hhnfelffir our offences y and rift ng again far. our juf- tification. Ol it is highly defirable to behke him ; yea, fuch a high deiire, that loft worm man durft not have attempted it, if the Lord himfelf had not, out of his infinite and free love, condefcended both to provide the means, and call us unto it : and it is highly defirable to be like him in every thing, fo alfo in his fufFering^ (1^119 was made perfect thro^ fuffering) not being divided from him in his patience. O ! fhall we not look beyond what is in time, and in this howling but fhort wildernefs, unto what he hath provided for, and promifed onto thofe who overcome? who hath faid. They fhall walk ,with him in white. Now, right honourable Friends, we cannot exprefs the love we owe unto you ; but we may fay, we have our hearts united unto you, as we do not doubt but yours are alfo unto us, though we be not m the capacity to manlfell: the fame, as you have done many ways : but we delire to be often and much at a throne of grace for you, begging that ye will be fb for us, in our contend- ings and extreme fufferings. So remain. Tour hearty wellwifhing^ really endeared^ and very much obliged brethren^ fflers andfervants in our ever blejfed Lordy ' , Subfcribed in our name, and by our diredlion, by the clerk of our general meeting, MICHAEL SHIELDS. T9 120 *^he Sccietvs Letter to To all and Jundry true Frotefant Churches to 'u-hcm' thlr prefects may come. Kovemher iSth, l633» '^TITE do not in the leaft doubt, but in forile mea-* W fure it is known unto you, how that our anti- ent and refornled church of Scot/and did fometime glori- oufly flouriih with the great and bright fplendouf of the; true religion, fo that herhght was vifible to all adjacent churches : but now, defervedly for our llnning againft the Lord, we have occalioned his vineyard in our land to be overipread and trodden down with foxes, and devoured v/ith the wild bealh of the field •, we being undei" various •^nd fad exigences, great perfecutions and reproachesj which alfo we may be perfuaded are come unto your ear. The weighty confideration whereof (together with the great hope we have of your concernednefs with us in our low and defolate cafe, whereunto, as to the external face of our churcir^ we are redafted ; yet dignified and helped, though weakly, but willingly to ccritendfor the faith once delivered to the Jainis^ and for the privileges of the church of God) moved us to fend and commiffion- ate the right honourable Mr. Robert Hamilt'-Aiy unto all you who are wellvrifhers unto the commonwealth of Ifraely and that upon many deliberate and weighty grounds ; knowing that our caufe and cafe is fadly mifreprbfented unto you by the fubtile dealings of our adverfaries and backiliders, who are linfully a<^ive, but moft vigilant in ' giving mifinformation, and falfe relations of what we a6t and do ; as if our principles and proceedings were con- trary te the written word of God, the fupreme judge of all contrcverfies, and true Protcftantifni. Whereas, wc jointly and unanimoully declare, that v/e neither main- tain or hold any thing contrary to the fcrlptures of truth, our ancient laws eccklialHc and civil, and our noble work of reformation ; but delire (yea, and have been helped through the Lprd^s grace) to fquare our a the ftepping in of any \\\zh cn- eouragsment to the burden-bearers, and putting to their hands in helping, theip, makes both the Lord's hand to' be the more fecn in it, and the love of fuch to be the more manifclled in it. So we cannot but b^cis and praife the Hc/y One cff IfracU who hath viHted us in our low condrtron, in putting it in the hearts of any lo ftand flill and hear our complaints, and becom.e companions with 1JS in our tribulation ; and alfo to be fenllble of your c;u'e of the church of God froui \X\c many evident tokens thereof, Mr, William a BracheL ii\ thereof, wlikli we have clearly fcen, by your laying out yourfelf to the uttermoft of your power for the advance- meirt of his kingdom, and encouragement of his follow- ers ; and particularly Tjy your being fuch an inftrument to provide for us, both mfpirituals and temporals, which we are not in ^capacity to remunerate : Neither is that the thing (wc know) which you have your eye upon ; feeking enly to approve yourfelf to your Mailer, that Vv hen he comes, h« may fay, Well done^ good and faith' fuljervuint : evJer thou into the joy of thy Lprji, However, we hoid ourfelves many ways obliged unto you, being content to be your debtors, and withal humbly giving you many hearty thanks for your frieudly teftimony of our ftudcnts before the Prefbytery of. Groningen, we teilifying and confirming the truth of what you witnd'- jfed, to wit. That their teftiiic.ates fubfcribed by us, were jdcllvered by us into the hands of the honourable laird of Earlfloun j and alfo far your ar great thankfulnefs at our hands I Shoitld not we tridt in hint for the future, and. take this as a token for good, and tliat he v;^ho hadi done this for his own name's fake, ■^ T/ill yet do greater things for us ^ Ought we not to love him< and delipht in him, and v/aik in humility, fear and trem'-Ziing before him, left we provck^e him to leave U'^ ? O \ let us cry and pray unto hin^ that he would not leave us, but return and be gracious foi' his own name''j lake, and altogether break our bonds, both fpiritual and temporal ; make his gloriou? gofpel have a free courf- through the land, build his own houfe ag:un, and bring dowm theinfolent and proud enemy. Right honourable Sir, The General Meeiing deilred me, in iJieir name> to iignify to you, t4^.C3r unanimou?: and cavneil deiire, that as hitherto the Lord hath help- ed you to be aeen prefent at that conference, who read it in the prefence of MclTrs Cordon and Boyd, and me,* but with great all:oni11nnent, ^Imoft at every fentence crying out, O great and mani-^ feft untruths ! and kept the letter, to challenge them u- pon it; However, I ihall omit that affair until another ^jcc^fion, whei?, if the Lord will,, I may give you n ful-^ kr to the Societies, May S^Z^^ 1684. 3^ ler account of his mnnagement in this place : <^ he, and thiit whole company have been, and are a proud and cruel enemy : As for what they have done againft me, I bleis the Lord, I c?.nd keep it up agninil all oppoiltion ; yea an^lo 136 Mr, Robert Hamilton s Letter ftate the caufe, and declare war againft the bloody and whoriih beaft, and all his fupporters, whether right, or left hand enemies. O who could have believed that the that the pooreft, and moft contemptible among the na- tions, poor Scotland, fliould have been thus honoured, or that ihe fhould have maintained fuch a long and coil:- ly warfare, againft fo bloody, fo mighty, fo fubtile, fo rich, and numerous armies, recruited again and again, from the very ftool of Rome, and from all the courts of Antichrift, yea with all the policy, cruelty and fubtil- ty that hell itfelf could invent, a war, not only foreign' but inteftine ; maintained, not by nobles, gentry, ftatef- men, experienced wariours, nor by great and learned minifters ; but by a poor filly, fecklefs like company, enabled to do great exploits, and to counter-adl the deepefl: counfels that have ever been managed againft. a poor church, and that notwithftanding of the many treacheries carried on againft them, by their own mini- fters, and pretended brethren am'ongft themfelves. O behold and wonder ! O praife, praife and be encou- raged, for great is the Lord our God, the lion of the tribe afjudah. O let every foul cry out, not unto us, not un- to usy hut unto his name belongs the gloryy the honour aiid praife. Let nothing difcourage you, or make you lower your top-fails; hold up the gofpel, coft what it will; he has often, yea often declared his good pleafure in that way, in defending, ftveltering, blefiing and encouraging the followers thereof. And he fhall yet makq the greateft of his enemies ftrike fail thereto. O honoured and dear Brethren, one field-preaching this day, (when by a wicked law it is interdicted) is a greater teftimony for Chrift, and his caufe, than all our lives are worth (read Dai\. vi. 7, 10.) yea than all the preachings I know of in the world this day. O be much in prayer to God, fot our worthy friend Mr. James, who is the minifter, this day in the world, that I durft venture my life with, and^if it might pleafe the Lord to call me to that land, if my bcart deceive me not greatly, I would count it a greater Imnour to carry his wallet, than to wear a crown ; I hope he is a fon of ma- ny prayers, both at home, and abroad, and one that # Satan kythes much malice at, O that he iviay fpoil his kingdom, and advance greatly the kingdom of our fweet Lord Jefus. I doubt not but ye arc looki^ig out for * \ ftorms fo the Societies y May Stb^ 1 684. 1 37 norms, for I think there is a chattering of the poor birds here, before the bitter winter come on, a blaft be- fore the ftorm. O I think there fhall be no. ilieker ere it be long, fave imder the fliadow of the Ahnighty : and O but that fhall be made yet fweeter, and far more re- ' frefhing to fome, even in time, than either men or an- gels {hail ever be able to exprefs, for the life of faith is never half experienced, as long as there is a dry inch without the ark to fet our foot upon. But now the Lord's people are called to wait upon him, to mind du- ty, and ferioufly to ponder, what the time, the oppor- tunity, and difpenfations under which they are at pre- fent call for, waxing ftrong in the Lord and in the power of his might ; for yet a little v/hile, and he that Ihall come, will come, and will not tarry. Thus wifhing that the Lord God may lead you as a flock through the wildernefs, by counfel, protection, and diredlion, making frefh and living fprings of com- fort, life and confoiation accompany you. I remain. Much hoiwuredy and my dearejl Brethren^ your real fympatJAzer andfervant^ in the luork of the Lord* May m, 1684. ROBERT HAMILTON. P. S. I received a fhort line from my Brother ia Groningen, (hewing that Thomas Ruflel was lately at profeiror March^ deliring a fight of your anfwer to their accufation, and of the fubfcribers names, upon fee- ing of which, he faid they were a whine bairns. And as for David Steel, he called him a poor ignorant body. John Henderfon is daily expet;s fcparated from his brethren be with you alL ' ROBERT HAINIILTON. Here follows a Letter from the General Meet.hig, July ■ 3ifV^ 1684. ^he covt ending and Ju^ering dijlreffed Remnant of the Church of Scotland. To the Right famous John a Marck, Profejfor of Divitiityy in the Univcrfity of Gron-- ingcn. Right famous Sit'f IF wc ihould forget you, we (hould prove altogether ungrateful, for wc have had (by the infornia.ion of our right honourable d.clegate, and fuch of our friends as have been with you) held ont unto us large proofs of the S'efounding of your bovrcls of fympathy tov/ards us, gf your care and kindnefs many ways manifefted, which to- ns, a poor people in the fiirnace of afHiction, is no fmall encouragement, and refreihment, confidering that the Lord hath put you in fuch an emineiit capacity of doii>j good, not only to us, but to his church throughout ahc whole world. O employ (as heretofore you have done) your place, and lay out your gifts, which God hath-bountifully. be- il:owed upon you, for himfelf, and the reviving of his church throughout tlie earth : What is fo dcfireable, srs to do for Chrifr, and to fuffcr with him } His crofs is more to be efteemed than the riches, pomp and gallantry of this world; yea, he who fpeaks comfortably to his church in the wildernefs gives fo much of his company with his crofs, as fhe is made to cry out, that her lines are fillen to her in pleafant places ; we are fo convinced of the tender feeling whidi ye have of our diftrcHcs and and perplexities, and confident of the continuance theyeof^ as that wcknow wc need not now crave the fame ; how- ever we make this humble addrefs unto you, earncftly " begging, that ye would recommend (not ours b^u) the Lord's Mr, jfohn a March M9 Lord's caufe, contended and fufFered for by us.; and. oux- deplorable, and lamentable cafe, unto foreign church- es : That fo the Lord's work may be flrengthened, and tlie fpirits of fuch as are in the furnace of aiHi(StiGn re- vived ; and that there may be a right underftanding a- mongft Zion's well-wifliers, how their common caufc and intereft ftands, for, as the rage of the adverfaries of ^uth is infatiable ; fo their purpofes are not againfl a ihare of us only, but the whole gofpel intereft. AVe deiire iikewife a line from your hand unto our- felves, for you abundantly know what an orphan-condi-' tion -we are in, and how we get no reft from grappling with extreme diilicuUies. And becaufe we look upon" 3'0a as 2. father. Therefore we make the more bold to iiellre you to lay it upon that reverend learned and pious Prefbytery of Groningen to clear themfelves of that foul afperfton of Eraftianifm, and defending of corruption, which they are charged with, by thefe who have made defection from our church. For we may with grief of Jieart rehearfe it, that thefe minifters who have furren- dered up the privileges of Chrift's houfe, and deferted his followers, make their malice x\o more to appear in, reproaching us, than in reproaching that fam.ous Preff byteiy, yea, their expreflions are fuch, as a tender heart Vi'ould not find freedom to rehearfe them again. And now we clearly fee, that they oppofe themfelves not on- ly to I'.s, our wreftUngs, and fufferlngs, fome of them ii^ying no lels, than that they cou]4 deliver us up into the liands of the common adverfary, becaufe we defire ■to hold faft what we have received, to quit with all cur own things, before v/e quit with Chrift. But tliey put another face upon it, branding us, as if we were tl-c on- ly incendiaries of cliurch and ftate : Whereas, it is only the kingdom of Satan that we endeavour to give no peace ixnto : Bat alio (we fay) they oppofe themfelves to that venerable Prefbytery: yea and all reformed churches v/hole praiie-worthy ways, are a teftimony againft their backflidings. But fure we are, thai thefe noifome winds Avhich they raife in the air, fliall tend to the more re- fining of it ; and their continued oppofttion to truth, fliall make it m.ore clear, and precious, and tend to the vindication of the common gofpel intereft. Like wife, though we ourfelves be not in the leaft doubt about it, having feen his teftificate, and heard the ^ fame by the information of our honourable Delegate, »S a and 140 The Society s Letter to aud others whom we credit ; yet it would be {Irengthcn- Ing to us againft our antagonift, if that venerable Pref- bytery fhould in their long longed for letter, infert that the ordination ot Mr. James Renwick was purely Prefby- terian, and binding him to the word of God, and the reformation of the church of Scotland, and to fubjeft himfelf to the difciphne of this church, according to the fame. The Lord^s difpenfations give to obferve clearly, that ye, and we, are much called to ftudy to be one in him ; for without any difficulty we difcern that our oppoiites are become your oppoiites, and jours are become ours. Let us therefore flee in unto tEe Lord by frequent and fervent prayer, that he may lead us in the way of truth and holineis, where the wayfaring men, though fools, fhall not err. Let us only ftudy to deny our own ilrength, which is but Weaknefs, and our own wifdom, which is but folly, that we may truft in the Lord with our whole hearts, and fo be fitted for difplaying a ban-» ner againft all his adverfaries, with this motto upon it : ^he Lord of hojis is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge : our foiving in tears, doth promtfe a reaping time in joy ; for he ivill give ufitofuch as are mourning in Zion^ heautyfor afhes, the oil of joy for viourning, and the gar-r tnejits of praifefor thefpirit of heavi fiefs. -——Therefore let us wait upon him, and encourage ourfelves in him •, for his appearing for the church is ftill feafonable. Now the Lord God be with you, and make you as a brazen wall and an iron pillar againft all Zion's oppofers, and give you to fight the good fight of faith, enduring to the end, that ye may get the crown, whofe motto is. To THE Over COMERS. In your prayers alwa} s mind us, a poor, diftrelTed, bleeding, and perplexed people. Who remain. Tour really obliged friends, and always (Jhedient Servants in the Lord. iSubfcribed in our name, and by our direction, by the clerk of our General Meeting. MICHAEL SHIELDS. Given and Subfcribed at — July 31/, 1684. Ir^m Mr, Robert Hamilton. 14I From the contending and fuffering reformed church of ScoU land, to their right ho?wurable and triijty Delegate Mr. Robert Hamilton. July 31/, 1684, Right hon. and dearly beloved in the Lord, IT is like, our correfpondence together, by reafon of the diitance of place, your intended travels, and the diriiculty of tranfmitting letters, may be for a fealon in- terrupted. However, as we are bound in duty, we fhall endeavour, through the Lord's gracious aliiftance, to keep up a mindfulnefs of you, and that work wherein the Lord hath employed you for us, always praying the Lord may dire(ft: you wifely to manage his caufe againft ail his oppolites -, (as in a great meafure he hath done heretofore) may make you a brazen wall and an iron pillar in his houfe ; may blefs your labours and travels ; and that, when his holy will is, he (preferving you in your work) may reftore you unto us, loaded with the ipoils of Antichrift, trophies of the kirk of Chriftj and the longed-for fruits of your painful labours. O right honourable and trufty Commiffioner, Go on in your work, fear not men, the caufe- is the Lord's, and he will glorioufly own it. What fhall we fay to his praife and ' to your encouragement, but we are meeting with many proofs of his power and faithfulnefs, even v/heii onr furnace is hotteft ; we may fay, he is ftill delivering us, eithv?r by preventing trials, or fupporting under tri- als ; he, as it were, lays the bridle upon the mane of ad- verfaries, and yet lets it be icQn thaCi^ forne meafure they cannot get us reached. Q ! how glorious is he in wifdom, power, holinefs jullice, goodnefs and truth ; he is laying pledges into our hands that he will do great things for us, whereof we fhall be glad, and \yhich he ihall proclaim among the heathen. We are perfuaded he is pofting upon his way to appear for his broken and buried work ; he will conie at an unexpected time, and in an unexpected manner, and happy fliall they be whom he will find at their work, and who are not fleeping with . the generality of this generation : But fare we are, there are fad days abiding fuch as are cleriing with a^ llacK, hand this day, and who refufe to anfwer his call now, yrhcii 14^ 7be Soaet/s Letter to when he is many ways prefenting himfelf to his people, and teftifying his willingnels to return again to them. O ! we do not doubt but that he v/ill return, and that fnddenly -, and he hath great mercies abiding thefe diat are waiting for liim \ but judgments, judgments, judg- ments we are fure fhall ufher them in. Let us prepare to wade through judgments toward his mercies ; and O * noble way that he takes, for we cannot be othcrwiie pre- pared for mercies. How fhall we open up our hearts, or unfold our thoughts unto you ? The Lord he is God and the Cap- tain of our falvation, a cleared iight whereof would ob* ieurate all the difficulties that are in the way, and carry the eye over both the long, weary, flimy, and thorny wildernefs, and the proud fwelling': of Jordan, behold- ing and contemplating the gpod and promifed land. We hope the Lord h.ath taught you better than to re- gard oppofition in your way of ferving and following him, for the more fad your ways be, the more glorious fhali be your viclory ; you will milken yourfelf, when, in- ftead of a crown of thorns, you get an immortal crown of glory put upon your head, and a cloathing of white raiment, always beholding him who is^the wonder and praife of the family of that higher houfe. But now, we commii: you to the Lord for direfting, comforting and fupportlng grace, praying that he may be with you in your intended travels, and make your pains tend to the up-railing of his work ; and for what he hath done by you, we defire to blefs him, putting a prize upon all his mercies, efpecially upon that ineiiima- ble benefit of his gofpel, which is as reviving from the dead. Let us, if pollible, hear from you, ere you de- part from the place v/here you now are, and let us know wherein it lies in our power to be encouraging and ftreng- thening unto you. So again, we leave you upon the good hand of your God and our God, hoping that we need nojc defire you in prayer to be mindful of us, who Tc'ur Honour^ s obl'rgcd and endeared fiiends^ hrethrcuy and Servants in the Lord^ 3ubfcribed in our name, and by our dire and this we ejfteera much, not as it is our deliverance, but as it manifcfts the Lord's power and faithfulnefs towards us, and encourages us to believe that he ihall do great things for us : Wherefore our mouths fliall be filled with laughter, our tongue with finging, and we ihall be made to proclaim among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for us, luhcreofive are glad : Yea, we are always delivered, for we account it a blefTed and happy deliverance, that (though fome faint, yet) many are kept faithful unto the death, chooling rather to quit with their heads than any of the precious truths of Chrift, they iinging in the hot furnace, and crying out, that their lines are fallen to them in pleafant places . Now, Right reverend and dearly beloved in our Lord, we have the more encouragement to lay out our cafe e- very way unto you, that your brotherly fympathy and labours of love have been manifeft to us all, and through- out the world, by your kindly acceptance of our right honourable and faithful Delegate's informations, your refpecling and crediting him whom we owe fo much refpecl and credit unto ; by your affectionate kindneis unto and ordaining of Mr. James Renioiek, who is to us a faithful minifter of Jefas Chrift, wliich hath furnifhed us with no fmall encouragement and refreflnnent In this day of our diftrefs ; the Lord giving evidences that he is his meffenger ; and alfo, by your hitherto friendly entertaining of fuch as have been fent to your colleges : Withal, earneftly, though humbly, begging and in- treating, that (if there be any poffibility of it) ye would condefcend upon fome way for the future maintaining of fome of our youths at your colleges *, for we may fay, as we are not able to maintain them abroad, fo our fchools and colleges at home are fo corrupt and enfnaring, that none who will not run with them into the fame excefs of error and riot, can or dare meddle with the fame. However, we ferioufly deilrc that none from this land be owned or acknowledged by you, who have not our leftificate or tlie recommendation of cur Delegate. And as to thefe, who without our knowledge or counfel have already crept in amongll • you with their errors and ca- lumnies, tending to the weakning of' the Proteftant in- tereft ; v/e hope we need not again warn you. Judging that fnareto be already broken. So, in a deeper ienfe of our cafe, and with greater confidcnoe cfyoyr fyin- r ' pathy 146 The Society s Letter to pathy (having had proofs of the fame) than we can^ex- prefs, we make this humble addrefs unto you, in the bowels of Chrift, earneftly imploring your moft fervent prayers for us to the Lordy who is the hearer of prayer, that he who hides his face from us, may yet return agaia and lift up the light of his countenance upon us, may reclaim his captivated declarative glory, and fubdue and fcatter the enemies thereof* Now, the Lord profper youy and preferve us, that we may all, as one man, ftand up againft Antichrift and all his limbs, and whatever is contrary to found docSlrineand the power of godlinefs, that fo the work of thefe latter ages may be carried on, to the honour of God and the Church's joy, through Jefus Chriib- So,, we re- main,, Xour ohliged friendsy and humble Servant! in the Lordy Subfcribed in our name, and by our direction, by the Clerk of our General Meeting, MICHAEL SHIELDS. The contending and nvvejlling^ f'iff^^^^S ^^^ diflrej^d re- formed church of Scotland, to the true reformed church at Embden^ July 31/, 1684. Right revd, and dearly beloved in the Lord, OUR .long delaying to teftify our acknowledgment of your kindly fympathy and friendly commlfera- tion of us in our diftrefled,- bleeding and perplexed cafe, may make you apprehend that we are forgetful oiuthe great benefits which we received from your hands, and ungrateful towards your felves : but we earneftly intreat that no fuch thought may be entertained j for though our tranfmiflion of letters to you, hath hitliuerto, by r^eafon of fome providential exigences, been obftru(Sled, yet the fenfe of the duty of thankfulnefs which we owe unto you is, and we hope willbe, always upon our fpirits. Albeit we be in fuch a poor cafe as we are not able, tho* moft willing, to manifeil the fame by remunerating yoa any the Reformed Church at 'Emhden. 147 any manner of way, according to your kindnefs fhown, and liberality extended towards us •, but we know in what ye did, therein ye had your eye upon duty, and not u- pon reward. And your charitable frame of fpirit which was evidenced to us by your bounty, and declared by our right honourable Commiffioner, was more encouraging and refrefhing to us than all worldly things could be ; for we look upon the founding of bowels among Chri{^ tians as a great token of good to the univerfal church, which (as we a poor part thereof are In a deplorable •cafe) is in a very dangerous condition ; the rage of ene- mies being infatiable, not bended againfl us as men, but as Chriftians, yea as Proteftants \ and the more they prevail againft us, the more .courage they take to enter into univerfal plots and, confpiracies againft the whole reformed chm^ches. Therefore let us account the fuf- fering .of one member as intended againft all ; and fo let us take heed to ourfelves and to our common goipel in- tereft ; for the plots of Satan and his inftrumients are no -more deep than univerfal. Let it be our ftudy to be led iii the way of truth and holinefs, which is the way of pleafantnefs, and to ftand up as one man againft Anti- ■chrift, and whatever men of ant'ichriftian and malignant fpirits would intrude upon the, kingdom of our Lord. Let us beware of affronting our noble Captain by yield- ing to his enemies one foot of ground, for the caufe is his, and it is worth the contending for. It is fo honou- rable and precious that nothing is too coftly to beftow up- on it. And if the Lord were not letting us fee that this caufe Y/hich we are contending and fuftering for, is his ■own caufe, and the heads of our fufferings ar^ his crown a3id the pendicles of it : were it not io^ we would foon yield and give it over : for thefe men who are the rod of the Lord's anger againft iis have their fpirits fet Q'ci edge by the fire ef hell : their fury is fo fiery, their rage fo cruel, and their fnares fo fubtle, that our ctS^ hath none fo like it, as Vv^as the condition of the godly in the Netherlands, in the time of the Spanifti in- quilition. But we cannot get time to look upon our mi- feries and dangers, being forced to turn our contempla- tion another way, to wit, to behold the wonderful works of' the Lord in his doing for us in this our low conditio!), by ftirring up the fpirits of you and of fome others to fympathize with us, by bearing up our fpirits under this iierv trial, vou drawing out his breafts of conlolation, T 2 \\\ 148 The Sockty^ Letter^ &c. 5n fuch a meafure amongft us that are buiiclen-hearers in the heat of this our day, that many are made to cry out. Their work is eafy, their lines are fallen to tbern in plea" font places ; and by wonderfully delivering us out of the <:laws of this roaring adverfary, and plucking us as a prey out of their teeth, when fenfe, reafon and probc^blliiy faid the contrary ; fo thr.t from his pov/er and faithful-- Jiefs, meeting with many inexprcllihle proofs of th^ fame, we delire to believe, thatbecaufeof the glorv of his great name he will do great things for us, yea work wonders \ for indeed no lefs can raife up his bornrdown, yea ruined work in Scotland. But though the church's difeaie at this time he deplorable, yet we dare not look upon it as incurable, feeing Jefus Chrift the faithful phylician (who meddles only with defperate difeafes, that his IkiU fulnefs may the more appear) is engaged to look upon it, and to help it. He nuill heal her backfadings and ivill Jove hcT freely ; and ivill turn atuny his ci/iger front her, yea, and ivill be as the deiv tmto her, fo that fhe fho.H ^roiv as the lily, and cajl forth her roots as Lebanon. Ht?r branches fl^allfpready her beauty ffjall be «s the oliv.f-tret\ *ind hcrf nell as; Lebanon. We dciire to wait for that longed-for day, and for the time when judgment fhali return again to righteoufnefs, and when men lliall dif-? cern between the righteous and the wicked. So, right reverend, much honoured and dearly belo- ved, make many errands to the throne of grace for us, praying earneftly and frequently that the Lord who is the great m after-builder of his own work, may work, and accomplifh his work amongft us, and perfe^^t the fame over the belly of all oppofttion ; and that we may be ftrengthened with patience to endure to the^ end, itanding put refolutely cgainft our outward and inward enemies, and no-ways ftaining the honour of the glorious Captain of our falvation. No\y, the Lord God of hofts be with 3/ou, and forti- fy your fpirits againft all the machinations of Satan, making you all good foldiers, clothed with his armour of proof, th^t ye may endure to the end, and enjoy the crown which he hath laid up for all that fear him. We ihall detain you no furthe?- at the time, humbly dvlftrin^ (if pollible) to be dignified with a line from your hands, which Ihall be moft refreftiing and reviving unto Tour jno/l obliged and endeared friends, and obedient fervants in all Chriflii^n duty. General Meetings Q5h i^th^ 1684. 149 Subfcribed in our name, and by our dire£lion, by the Clerk of the General Meeting. MICHAEL SHIELDS, The next General meeting was October 15th, 1684, The ftate of the country in general, and of the focieties in particular, at that time being pretty largely defcribed by Mr, Alexander Shiflcls, in his account of the life of Mr. Jaims Renivkh^ from page 47, to 69. The reader muft be referred thereto. Only a Ihprt hint fhall be here 'Tiven. September 2cth, a mo'l: viperous proclamation, with letters of inter-communing was ilTued out againlt Mr. Renwick, ^c, commanding, and commiihonating all fubje^ls, not to harbour nor fupply with meat, drink, ^r* the wanderers, but to hunt and purfue them out of aii their dens, caves, and moft retired defarts, and to railc the HUE, and cry after them; and not to refet, or correlpond with them, under the pain of being efteem- ed art and part with them, and to be profecute ac- cordingly. With this wicked mandate many complied, ^o that the poor perfecuted wanderers were redacted to incredi- ble ftraits, many were taken and murdered, imprifoned, ?nd reduced to great hardlhips of hunger and cold ; oc- calioned efpecially by the indefatigable vigilance of fomc 'vagabond villains^ who were iubcined, and encouraged to give information, and intelligence of them, wherever they faw, or heard they were fsen : Thus they being in fuch a pinch of perplexity y having neither ability to fight, nor pofubility toilee, nor probability to hide themfelves, nor means of fuftentation to prefer ve themfelves alivcj^ •by hiding : They were forced to fall upon the only ex- pedient they cQuld think upon, in order to evite their .inelutStable ruin, which was to warn intelligencers, and bloody DoegSy of the wickednefs of their way, and to threaten them, (in cafe of perfifting in malicious fhed-s ding of their blood, or inftigating thereto, and aillfting therein) that they would not be fo flack handed in time coming to revenge it; that thus .threatening, and warn- ing them of their hazard, they might deter intelligen- cers, and murders from fuch a practice ^ and to vindi^^ c^te themfelves frora falfe afperAcuE^ of murdering prin- ciples ijo Mr, yames RenwicJts Letttr ciples caft upon them by the Counfel, the indulgejd and then* abettors ; by an ingenious apologetick reprefenta- tion of their fentiments, and refolutions in thefe things, fhewing how after the example of our reformers, con- tending with bloody tyrants, in former times, how far they were necelBtate to contend, and reduce to practice, in tlieir prefent circumftances, that privilege of extraor- dinary executing of judgment on murdering beafts of prey. See the above quotted book. Wherefore, at the General Meeting 0«5lober iy the minifters and others, of any thing they had ever done 5 for fliortly after the perfecutors framsd an oath abjuring the faid Declaration, which oath of abjuration, was univerfally prefjed in fuch an arbitrary manner as was never heard of before, in thefe words. I (iv abjure, re- nounce and dlfoiun a late Declaration^ &c. This oath be- ing prefled on both men and v/omen, and fuch as refuf- ed it imprifcned, and not a few of them execute on that feead, although alas ! many, yea very many complied, being inftigate thereto, by ths counfel, and example of inch as were called fuffering Frefbyterian miniders.- Notwithftanding Mr. i^Jexander Shields, hath fhown the linfulnefs of this oath in Hind let Loofe, Part 3d, Head 3d. and in Mr. Renwick's Life, Page 58, ^V. Yet it is hoped the" infcrtion of a letter ' of Mr. James Renwick's upon that fubjecSt, will be acceptable to ths: reader. A Letter by Mr. James Ri:nwick, concerning the Oath of Abjuration, to fome Friends, J^cvin^ Frkndsy ACCORDING to your defire, and my promife, I fliall write to you my thoughts (in weaknefs) of this fair faced, thouf^h four hearted. Oath, fo violently prelTed upon the confciences of young and old, lad and fafs, by the wicked powers of the land, whereby many fouls are catch ed in the fnarc, and fallen in the pit dig- ged by them, not conudering, or c'lfe not willing to fee the Concerning the OiUth of Abjuration, 151 tli^ Iiook under {o fair a bait, nor the poifori in the cup, although all their dainties be deceitful meat. And as this, upon the one hand ought to be matter of deep for- row, and mournful lamentation before the Lord, to all ferioufly concerned, and tender of the Lord's work and caufe, againft the wrongs and injuries done unto him, and that there fliould be fo many (and that in a cove- nanted land) wearing of his fweet and eafy yoke, as if he had been a barren wildernefs, and a land of droiiglit to them, v;ho have nov/ left his colours, and fled from his camp, and run uijto Satan's (that great red dragon^ fighting againft Michael zn& his angels) and lifted them- felves under his banner, taking on his livery, and wreath- ing his yoke about their necks : O foolifli people and un- v/ile, have they thus requited the Lord ? But as that yoke is a beggarly bondage, and an enflaving thraldom, fo iheir Avages (if free mercy prevent not) lliall be well paid them ; even to drink af the ivine of the lurath of God^ ivhich is poured out nmthout mixture^ - into the cup of his in^ dignatio?if Rev. xiv. lo. So upqn the other hand, we have this as a ground of encouragement, and matter of praife before the Lord, that notwithftanding fo many are rufiing^ as the hoife into the hatthy into enemies cam.ps, and receiving their mark in their right hand, or forehead, that yet there are many in this land whom the Lord has helped, and honoured by his grace, to follow him, waU^ing in his way, and hath kept them at a diftance from the pollutions and a- bominations of the times ; and out thefe deftru£tive paths yea to refiji unto blood Jhiving againfl fin. And I am hopeful he will keep a Remnant, whom neither the wind of temptation fhall blow aWay, nor the flame of perfe- cution burn, nor the fire of judgment confume ; But' they f hill I he a holy feed ^ to do fervice to hinty as a teil tree, or oak, nvhofe fubj}a?jce is in them^ when the carcafes of thoufands ihall dung the wildernefs. Havmg" premiled this, I ihall next unbofom my thoughts of the linfulnefs of the Oath (of Abjuration) by producing fbme reafons againft the Oath itfelf, ear- neftly deflring any who ihall be at the pains to look on this line, to read it ferioully, flngly, and impartially. Weighing the fame in the balance of the fan^luary. And I/?, There can no oath be taken rightly, except the perfon taking it, fwear in truth, in judgment and m ripjite- 1^^ Mr. James Retiunck's Letter righteoufnefs. But, O how can any think to take it, when the defigns thereof (as fliall be Ihown) are fo evi- dently deftriKSive to the intereft of reliirion, that is now lynig at the ftake ; and alio, the perions impohng it, are avowed enemies to God, and all righteoufnefs : x\nd arc fo lawfully and juftly difowned, as having no right to govern for their perjury and murder, *for their ufurpa- tion in things ecclefiaftic, and tyrannv in things civil. I.dlyy All who anfwer the enemies demand in taking this oath, are guilty of complying with their hellifh and wicked defigns to root out, and raze to the foundation the Proteftant Intereft (which, alas, is brought low by them already) that they may fet up in its place their fupci-ftitj- ous idolatry, and build their curfed Babel \ for to eficc- tuate this, they fall upon this delign, to have the hamls, heads, and hearts of all tied up from doing any tiling for the prefervation of religion : Is not this evident from that oath, wherein they fwear, not to have war againil,* but peace with thefe whofe defigns are fuch ? O dread- ful and monftrous wickednefs, to be guilty of rooting out the work of God, and laying the foundation of that curfed Babel again; 3^/^, All tlie takers of this wretched oath, cannot free themfelves of being guilty of condemning all that our fore-fathers have done in the defence and prefervation of our glorious work of Reformation, and in defence of themfelves, againft Papifts, Prelates, and Maiignants. ^thly^ All the takers of this oath fwear never to make war with thefe vxdio are following their footfteps, yea, and worfe than thefe who went before them ; yea, the taking thereof fays, that the enemies oppofition has been right, and the Lord's people wrong, and a^led as fools, and fuffer- ed as fuch ; which were blafphemy to affert : For the import and delign of that declaration, abjured by the oath, is nothing but to carry on and advance that glo- rious work of Reformation, and to defend themfelves againft all oppofers, (which nature allows) feeing their enemies had declared war againft them, and their de- claring war, was but a repelling of violence. O wicked fin, to be guilty of condemning and burying of fuch a glorious work. *- Sthly^ AH who take this oath, fwear unto a lie, for it fays that the declaration is for killing all who ferve his Majefty in church, Hate, army, or country ; whereas it makes a plain diilin<^tiou obvious to all, between the more Concemhig the Oath of Abjuration, i ^ | more moderate, and the cruel and blood^thirfty, and to make the degree of punifhment, according to the degree of their offence. And doth not the taking of God (who is truth itfelf) to witnefs to fuch a lie, make the fin greatly heinous, and may tiot fuch expc£l that their bands will be made Itrong ? 6//6/)', The fwearers of this oath make themfelves guil- ty of that blafphemous fupremacy, eftabliflied by their l:iw, in the perfon of a dying wretched mortal, over ail perfons, and in all caufes, which properly belongs to ChriR, as being head in and over his own church : And this they have tv/ined into the oath, in thefe words, " all who fcrve his Majefly, in Church and State." And fo by this oath, the Prelates, Curates, and other Gfhcers of their church are faid (not to ferve or be fub- je General Meetln^^ Jan. %th^ 1685'. 155 being aiBxt on many church doors^ it made a great noife thro' the whole land. Upon the one hand, it did much deter thefe intelligencers (concerning whom it was efpe- cially emitted) from that wicked work they were former- ly employed in. And it (with fomething that fell out at that time) * did not a little damp and fright many ma- lignants in the Weft, and elfewhere, efpecially fuch who had been active in the perfecution of the wanderers *, particularly many of the Curates, were fo terrified, that in fomc places, as in Galloway and Nithfdale, fcarce one of them durft ftay, but went into Edinburgh and other •towns : And upon the other hand, the Counfel ifTued •out a proclamation, commanding the taking of an oath abjuring the forefaid Declaration, which thereafter, was Tigoroully and rigoroufly impofed. — —The diftrefles, the calamities, and afflictions of .the Societies, ■a'^ere ma- ny, and of various kinds^ foldiers were impcwered to kill any of them, wherever they could be found vrith arms, (which they were neceffitate to have, for their own, and their brethren's defence) accordingly fome of them were killed in cold blood in the open fields, fome v/ere dragged to prifons, others v/ere m.urdered on fcaf- folds. And the toUings, wanderings, and hardlhips the reft were redacted to^ w.ere v^ry great* In this fad time a General Meeting conyeened at Auchengiiloch^ upon the 8tk day of January, 1685. Afr- ter prayer, and modelling of the meeting, they appro\'^ ed of what was concluded at the laft meeting which met at the 15111 of 0 ^ -'— -^-c tenor foilowcth. "The Society's Letter^ 8cc. 157 Tc fome Friends in Newcaftle. Jan, Zthy 1585, ,Dtnt'h beloved Brethven in the Lordy WE have heard from John Scoty whom we con- ceive to Jiave had commilhon from you for that runie ePfect, the difficulty aiid trials in your prefent cafe, v/hich are in no fmall meafure affecting to us. But, O ! be not difcouraged, . but rather rejoice, that the Lord will not give unto you cafe, which is very undelirable now when Zion is in trouble j neither think your fieij trials ftrange, for it is but the fame in meafure with, what happens unto your brethren : And though no af-r fii^tion for the prefent be joyous but grievous toiiefh and blood, yet we cannot but look upon the greateft tribu- lation, when the work of God is fo low, to be the great- er teftimony of his love. However, as to our mind and advice anent your pre-r fent ftrait, we judge it, ij}, Matter of great concernednefs, both to you and us, that fome of you fliould be redacSted to that intricate extremity, that your iin aiid fuffering is upon the on>c hand, and the fuffering of our neareft and dcarell rela- tions npon the other, which we know alTuredly, will be more bitter to you than any thing that can be brought upon yourfelves in following your duty, But, 2^/)', Ye, as we hope, not having confented a£l:iveiy or paffively, by iilence or concurrence, to your relation's their purchafmg your Uberty, by a bond to prefent yon again before the feilions ; we judge it -cannot be your duty to be either aftive or paiiive in prefenting yourfeive.s, but that ye ought to make out of the way, feeing ye know aiTuredly ye will be apprehended, (i.) It would infer your confcnting to what your relations have done, in tampering wifh the adverfary. (2.) It would infer your having a hand in your latter fufferings, whicn fure- ly is both a fm in the iight of God, and very difcpiieting to the confcience ; for though vv^e ought chearfuUy tu embrace fuffering when the Lord fends it in our WaV, yet we ought iirff to have no hand in it ourfeives, no not by omitting our duty in uffng what lawful means may prevent the fiune : When we are perfecuted in one cityy we are commamled to/^ fQ another, JLet iill of you that are S58 ^'he Society s Letter to are at liberty ufe all means to keep yourfelves fo ; for if you fliall caft yourfelves into tke trial, ye know not what fnares the Lord may fubjedt you unto, as your puniih- ments, whereof ye may be-.made to repent out of time. But, dear brethren, let not your prefent trials damp or confufe you, for if the Lord had not feen fuch a cafe for his glory and your good, he had not brought you un- to it. Seek not the carving out of your own lot, but put it in the Lord's hand, and fubfcribe your confent unto what he fees meet to do uiito you ; frudy to walk before him in the way of duty, in paths appro ven by him and well-plealing to him ; and there, and there on- ly, ye fhall enjoy the comfortable light of his pleaiant countenance, wherewith he beholdeth the upright : feek the upmaking of all your wants in himfelf, who hath promifed to take you up, though father fifid mother JJjouId both for fall e \qu. Now, if ye incline thereunto, and fee it fit to coitlc into Scotland, and take part and lot with us, know af- furedly, that ye lliall be moft acceptable ; and though we can promife you nothing but perfecution, yet ye fliall have our countenance, and all the encouragement that we can beftow upon you : and we hope that ye iliall not think your lot hard. So, leaving you upon the Lord, for the light of diredlion and confolation, v/e remain, Tour affecllonate brethren.^ fympcthizing friendsy a?id fervants in the Lord, Subfcribed in our name, by our direffliouj and by the Clerk of our General Meeting, MICHAEL SHIELDS. It was alfo concluded by the meeting that a letter fhould be written to the Laird of Earliioun, then a pri- foner. Which accordingly after the meeting was drav/n up and fent. The occalion of this rcfolution was the hearing of a letter read, fent by him to Mr. James Ren- wick that contained fome account of his cafe at the time, which was not a little rcfrelhing and afieding to them. ^rom the Laird of Earljloun. \y() From the fufferhjg aiid ivrejlling Remna?it of the church of Scotland, to the right honour able the Xfl/zY/^'^Earlfloun, prfcnerfor the caufe of Chrifl. Jan, Zth, 1685, Much honoured Siry YOUR letter, diretfled to the right reverend Mr, James Reniuicky was very refrefhing and encou- raging to us all J yea, we may fay, a little reviving to our fpirits in our, bondage, having not heard from your- felf, nor particularly of your cafe, for a confiderable time before, which, together with the many troubles wc have been and are tryfted with, hath occalioned our not writing unto you : and although you have not heard from us after this manner, yet you have not been for- gotten by us. But we were and are defirous to know your cafe, and to keep up that due fympathy and fellow- feeling with you, in your bonds for precious Chrift, which we ou^ht. However, we defire to blefs the Lord upon your account, who hath brought you for the ma- felling the riches of his free grace, through fo many and I'o various trials and temptations, from within and without, from malicious enemies and flattering pretend- ed friends ; yea, hath brought you again from the gates of death, and fides of the grave, gaping ready to devour you, thereby ditappointing the fears of his people, and cxpciSlatlons of his enemies, which you ought to look upon as teftimonies of his lave and fatherly chail:ife- ments, that before you be unpurged and turn drofs in the furnace, he will take great pains upon you, and take you from one fire to another, till ye be a velTel fitted for his fervice j and when enemies think to add forrow to your aliiittion, in making you like an howlm thedefart^ or a pelican in the wildernefs, by fliutting you up in clofe prifon, far from the converfe of your friends and rela- tions ; that then and there he fhould viiit you with his loving kindnefs, and nil your foul with a fenfe of his love, and make you ling in the midll: of tliefe hot ^res, (O v/onderful love, and matchlefs condefcendency i) and to fiy that beart-ravifhing and foul-comforting word, mentioned in your letter, Aly Lord ; and not only fo, but to give you fuch a lively and favoury impreflion u- pon your fpirit of his public wark^^and noble caufe in this i6o 'Ihe Society s Letter to tiiis day, when it is worn cfr the fpirits of many, \\h(> Seemingly had it once ; and, alas ! too much oii' many- of our own. All which, we fay, as it is ground of en- couragement, and matter of praile to us before the Lord ; io you ought, in a fpecial manner, to praife ani magnify him for the fame, and to make the experiences of his former loving kindnefs to your foul, as motives to believe, and helps to confide in him for the future •, that he, i^ho hath brought you thro' the depths before, remains faithful and cannot change, can and will bring you thro* the like again j yea, tbo' he ihould fee it fit in his holy wif* dom to make you wade thro' v/aters deep and broad, and tamake you go thro' fires more krgeand hot \ yet, O faint not, ti*uil in him who hath done fo great things to you ^ad for you : Remember Chrift^ your Head and Cap- tain, is above the waters ; he v/aded thro' deeper, wa- ters, and ran through hotter fires, (and all for the re- demption of poor loil finners) than you or any of his people can do : Remember him, luho endured fiich coi:» tradl&lon of fuinerSy and for finners ; njjho being tempted^ i/rcws Izoii} tQ flic ccur thcje that are fo. Labour to put a blank in his hand, that you may not quarrel with him, whatever lot he may tryfi: you with* O his prefence will make any lot defireable, for it fupplies all wants, and makes the creature to rcjoic-c, v/hen robbed and fpoiied of all other things ; it makes afillclions light, and trials eafy ; it makes a prifon a palace, and the threatenings of men to be defplfed ; yea, it will make the foul fing and rejoice, when going through the valley and fiadoiv of death. Much honoured Sir, what fhall we fay more for your encouragement but this. Go on, go on, in your fuffer- ing- for previous Chrift ; the caule you arc fuflcnng for is Chriil's own cauie, and he v/ill own it in hi" own due time, and own alt v,'ho own It finccrely : He lives and reigns, and will reign ; ^he croiun fJjall fourifj on his heady and all his enemies he cloathed nv'jh fhame. And al- though enemies in this land v/iil not have Chrlil to reign ©ver them, having robbed him of his crov/n arid royal prerogatives ; an.d fenfe and reafon would fay, he would never reign in this land, yet faith, which fees clearly in the darkeft, night, will fee him fitting in his throne, reigning and ruling in and amongfi his people, and over his enemies ; coming cloathed v/ith the garments of ven- gence, and cloak of zeal againft them, and vnththe gar- ments the Laird of Earljloun. i6i ments offalvation and mercy to his people. O happy fouls that will be found in his way, and about their work when he comes, to whom his coming will only be fweet. What fhall we fay more to his commendation ? He is good, and does good, his crofs is eafy, and his burden is light. Ha hath done and is doing great things for us ; he hath been and is at great pains with us to purge us from our drofs, and make us a holy and clean- ly people to himfelf. He hath given us the gofpel, and it feems he is countenancing the fame, and increafing the followers thereof. And O ! he feems to be about to do fome great work in this land, to bring to pafs his aSly his J}range act. Much honoured Sir, You make mention in your let- ter, of your refolution to write at more length to us, when an opportunity offers. That opportunity is long- ed for by us ; for your laft was fo refreihful, that we ear- ne/lly deiire to hear from you again. So, leaving you upon the God of Jacob for his direc- tion, aiTiftance, and confolation in time, and the enjoy- ment of himfelf throughout eternity : begging that while in the body, you v/ill not be unmindful of us, who are not forgetful of you. We are. Tour Honour'' s affiired and fyinpathi:zing Friends, brethren and fervants in the Lord, Subfcribed in our name, and by our direction, by the clcri-c of our General Meeting, MICHAEL SHIELDS. This General Meeting being for not joining in family exercife with fcandalous perfons, efpecially thofe who were groily fcandalous, by their compliance with the abominations of the time, defired that any of our Socie- ties who had roafons for it, or fcruples anent it, fhould bring them to the next General Meeting, to the end they might be confidered and anfwered, for^their fur- ther information. That which gave the rife to this, was, that fome who had occafion fometimes to join in family worfliipwith fuch perfons as is above mentioned, and having fcruples anent the fame, did therefore pro- pofe it to this meeting, that they might get their advice X how 1^2 Account of the Tear^ 1685. how to carry therein. But I do not remember that any thing more concerning this was done at any of our Gene- ral Meetings after this, or yet before it. It was further appointed by the meeting, that the :t7th of July be obferved by all our focieties as a day of pray- er, failing, mourning and humiliation before the l.crd, becaufe of our fad and iinful neglect of fdemn fetting time apart for acknowledging of God, feeking his coun- fel and countenance with what we fo foleranly went a- bout, being fenfibk that tht Lord hath been angry at us thereanent. And it was appointed that the next meeting {hould conveen at Auchengllloch^ upon the I2ch of I'd^rucry^ 1685. Aftek the laft Meeting, (as alfo a little before It) the troubles and trials of the country were exceeding great, by the violent preHing of the oath of Abjurrition, which in fame places was impofed upon young and old, lad and lafs, wherewith many complied ; yet after- wards not a few of thofe who took it, did fee the Vi^icked- nefs thereof, and publicly acknowledged the fame, and feverals of them joined with the wanderers. But when the prelling of the faid oath was going mofl vigoroufly through the country, tinexpey diflreiles, and weary wanderings, and forced to feek flielter in the wildeil: wildernciles and defarts. In a word, fuch was the inraged cruelryand furious helliih zeal of thefe Woc- dy adverfaries againfi: thefe poor people, whom they de- (igiied wholly to cut off, that they fpared neither the young man for his youth, nor the old man for his grey Jiairs and iloopirig ngc ; yea, won;en, and that both eld ! 64 General Meetings May 6tb^ 1685. and young efcaped not their bloody and barbarous hands, by whom fome were ftrangely murdered, and many of them carried to prifon. But notwithftanding of all this, and much more than can, or is fuitable to be relate* here, feveral joined with thefe wanderers, chufipg to take one lot with them, though as to the outward it was very hard ; and their zeal and courage was nothing aba- ted, but rather increafed. For though advcrfarics were cruel, and their malice infatiable, yet the Lord was gra- cious and kind, helping them to faffer chearfully, and to wander pleafantly. In thefe days of diftrefs anci' tri- bulation, the enjoyment (fometimes) of the gofpel was very encouraging to them,- although they got it with the hazard of their life, and were ftill in danger to have their blood mingled with their facrifice. And though they had many againft them, yet they wanted not fome friends ;for not a few up and down the country, were very kind, giving them entertainment and refet, (which was very helpful unto them in their defolate and wander- ing condition) notwithftanding that there were ftri£l commands to the contrary, and the fame was oftimes attended with fufferings. Among other means made ufe of at this time by the enemies to accomplifh their wicked defigns, the fending for many of the lavage and wild Highlanders was one, who coming to the well, were very cruel and vigorous in robbing and fpoiling and hunting of poor people, fome of whom fell' into their hands and were barbaroufly murdered. And by them (efpecially) and others ranging up and down the coun- try, feverals were hindered from coming to this Meet- ing, But fome few having met at , upon the 6th of JRday 1685. They condefcended upon another meeting to conveen at Bladgannoch^ on May 28th. The cafe of the land continued ftUl fad and deplora-" ble. Enemies were ftill hunting thefe poor people in towns, villages, mountains, woods and defarts, or where- cver they heard any of them were feen •, whereby ma- >iy fell into their hands, fome of whom they prefently facrificed to fatisfy their cruel luft, others they cattti^ to prifons, where they lay languiihing in great diftr^Ts. But although what they fulFered was very pinching, and hard to fleih and blood, and the remembrance there- of Jc count of the Year 1685.. 16^5 of be now fad ; yet it was, and is ground of comfort, and matter of praife, that the Lord helped them (albeit much defpifed and reproached) to contend and fuffer for truth, and honoured many of them to die martyrs for his caufe, wherein they were countenanced of him, and helped to fufFer chearfully to the admiration of on- lookers, and the convi9 ttn-ned great oppofers and tfaducers of their breth- ren. - According to appointment, A General Meeting conv<;ened at Blackganmch, on thefii-ft ofOSlober, 1685. It was appointed tjiat Mr. James Renwick, with Co- lin Alifon and Michael Shields, fliould draw up a full and true relation of the conference with the two mini- fters (above-named) and prefent the fan^e to the next meeting. This was thought neceffary to be done, to prevent miftakes and mifreprefentations of the faid con^ ference, ^c» Accordingly the fame was drawn up* It was ahb appointed that Colin Alifon fhall be fent abroad to Mr. Robert Hamilton, with the forefaid rela- ticji of the conference, ^r. and alfo to inform him a- nent our prefent circumftances* Accordingly after this meeting Colin went -abroad* And it was agreed that tho next meeting fhould con^ veen at Poiuheth-hurriy upon the 21ft of October, This meeting was appointed the fooner upon the account of the foreiald relation, that it might be done, and fent a- broad. According to the forefaid appointment, A Gene- rr.l Meeting conveened at Powheth-^bumy upon the 21 ft OiOciobcr, 1685. The relation of the conferences with Mr. George Bar- clay and Mr* Robert Langlands being drawn up by way of a letter to Mr. Robert Hamilton, and brought to this meeting, the fame was compleafed, every particular therein alTerted and proven by fufhcient witnelles, and direction given by the meeting to fubfcribe it in their name f ^ which was accordingly donei The tenor where- of follow eth : T Rii'ht Honour f I !e Sir, HE wifdom of God hath {ten it fit to call this poor church in Scotland to travel at this time through Y the t The need of this circnmfpedion appeared afterwards, as Mr. Robert Lang'ands wroie an account ol' this conference, far different from^ and in Tome things inconfident with this, but he prerends not to prove his accointto be true, bat p;ire3 his own word ^ot ail :. which being ex aot in his owrl hand write, might be here inieri, were it noi long, aad diicr»;ciubie to his aae* niory. 1 70 An account of the Conference with the deeps^, fo that the faithful memberSy whether at home or abroad, have the moft fingular difficulties and damping difcouragements to grapple with, whereof you have no fmall experience ; as alfo, we need not be igno- rant of either. Neverthelefs as you have been moft careful to fend us from abroad all informations needful for us, we Ihould be moft ungrateful towards you, and not a little weaken your hands, if we fhould not be at fome pains to give you an account of matters, and of our contendings. Wherefore we have jointly concluded to fend this bearer unto you,, with the full ?.nd particular re- lation of wha$ paft betwixt us and thefe two minifters, •y/z. Mr. George Barclay and Mr. Robert Langlands, that thereby you may the better know how to carry in it, and inform anent our present circumftances* The occafion of our meeting together was on this man- ner : Some perfons did meet with a company of our friends aflembled together by providence,, and informed them that it was Mr.- Barclay '^s eameft defire to nieet with lis, and that he would fpare no pains for that eiFe of the locality ; His not joining with thefe that were at the public work, and countenancing too much the compileis of the time : and his not makinga difference betwixt the clean i 74 An Account of the Co?iference with clean and the unclean, the precious and the vile (and fome of them faid that they never had the opportunity of joining with him after the differences fell in among the miniflers, howbeit the information they then had would have kept them back) they faid thefe kept them at a diftance from him. But there being no anfwer (at leaft not material) given to thefe things, and the going about of the queftion being marred by th^fe minillers them- felves, Mr. Barclay af^ed, will ye now join with us ? or have ye any exception? againft us ? To which this an- fwer was given, that if ditFerences could be removed in a right and honeft way, we would be moft willing to join witli them. Then thefe miuifters delired to hear what thefe exceptions might be» So they were given in (by Mr. James Renwick, when the queftion was put parti- cularly to him, to which *1I agreed who iided not with thefe minifters) as followeth. ijly Their not joining with fuch as were at the public work after Eothwel, i}iz, Mr. Cargil, and Mr. Cameron, 2dlyy Leaving the Country and deferting the work', 3.^/)', Joining with the corrupt Scotch Congregation at Rotterdam, particularly of Mr. George, his hearing of Mr. Veitch, whp was a llrength in weaknefs, ';^\\d. wifdom in folly. We delire to rejoice in appearing to be nothing, that he may be feen to be all things. And as we are a reproached, miftaken, mlfreprefented, wounded, wrongs ed, contemned, yea, a contemptible remnant, as ever had fuch things among their hands ; if God ihall make our names, our enjoyments^, and our all, ftepping-ftone<5 for him, v/hereupon to walk for the advancement of hjs name andintereft in the earth, we defire to be hear-, lily content, to offer them up upon that fervice. •Pw for us that we faint not in the day of trial ; that God may lead us in the good old way, and prevent or break i82 General Meetings OEi. 2ijiy 1685." break the fnares laid by men for fubverting of our paths ; granting us grace to follow him fully unto the end, to the praife of the glory of his own name. Remember us kindly to all our dear friends in Chrift with you, though unknowi^ by face ; the report which we have of their faithfulnefs, tendernefs, and zeal for the work of God, is very favoury and encouraging to their burden-bearing, and fympathy manifefted towards us in the furnace of afiliftion, toward yourfelf and your dear brother's fami- ly, doth bind us greatly to them as their debtors ; and we know no other \vay now, how to recompenfe them,, but by being often at the throne of grace on their be-.- half, which is and {hall be our endeavour : And fliew unto them that we forget them not, and M'e hope that they bear us upon their hearts before the Lord. Thus we remain, Much honoured and dear Str^ yoi4r friends and fervants in the Lord Jcjus. Subfcrlbed in our name, and by our diredlion, by the Cla*k of our General Meeting, MJGHAEL SHIELDS. It was alfo concluded by this meeting, that a letter directed to Mr. Hamilton, prefented and read to them, fliould be fubfcribed in their name by the clerk of the meeting \ which Avas done. It was Ukewife concluded, that every fociety fhould do their utmoft to gather up a lift of the names, and an account of the fufFerings of thofe within their refpecr tive bounds, who fufi'ered martyrdom and otherwife ; as alfo of the enemies barbarous dealing and cruelty there, and of any fignal and remarkable judgments that had been infliiSted upon any of thefe enemies : and all expe- dition was to be ufed herein, that the whole being col- lected together, might be for the good and comfort of the prefent and fuccfeeding generations. Somer what of this was done, but not io much as was de- fired. It was in like manner concluded, that the 19th of November fliould be obferved by the Societies a day of f^fting and prayer •, thr.t conlidering our wcaknefs and infuffi- The Society s Letter^ &C. 183 MifnfHciency either to withftand fiiares which We may be, and arc tryl\ed with from all hands •, that the Lord would be gracioufly pleafed to prevent them or elfe break them, left our ways ilnould be fubverted, and turned afide from the ways of God. Alfo, it was concluded, that the 24th of Decemler jQiould be obferved by the Societies a day of fafting and prayer, That coniidering the fufFering of the Lord's name thereby, he would be gracioufly pleafed to take fpme way in clearing and vindicating of his caufe, and re- moving away the miftakes and reproaches cafk upon his people : And coniidering the greatnefs and increafe of tlie harveft, that he will fend forth faithful labou- rers. And it was appointed that the next General Meeting fhould conveen at FrierminioJiy upon the 28 th of, J a" nuaryy 1 636. - Follows the forefaid Letter %o Mr. Hamilton. Hor.ourahie Sir, THERE are many ftrange obfervations that may be drawn from our cafe, but none more obvious than thefe which are clear to all who have eyes to fee, to wit, Tliut the Lord is taking ail pains to humble his people, and lay them low : But if he fhall hereby raifc up his work and prepare them for being exalted. Why not ? Let us rejoice therein v and that he is uling all means for carrying on a work of difeovery in bringing right and wrong to light, yea, he h faying by all his way of dealing, that he will have every one tried, and the righteoLifnefs of fome and the unrighteoufnefs of o- thers brought to light : Xnd if he fhall by this, bring about the clearing of his caufe and the making of his tnith more precious, let us with all chearfulnefs be content, yea, adore him for fuch a noble way of work- ing ! Forfurely the Lord's work of difeovery is not ter- rible and damping, but chearing and plealing to the fin- cere and upright. You and we are called to the ftage of combat and lifts of contending in this our day ; and not only to be loaded with heavy and grievous imputations, wliich furely would crufh any who were not of feared, obdurate and adamantine hearts, were it not that con- fcioufnefs of iincerity, integrity and innocencv, and the il;:ht 1^4 .: Tloe Society's Letter to fight of what /liall be the noble, profitable and pleafant product: of thefe things, -r'/z. The advantage of the work of God, the clearing of the owners thereof, and the con- founding of evil fpeakers, \^\\ofiaU Jiot be ef:ab!ipjed In the earth. jThis doth bear up our hearts and cheriih our fpfrits in travelling thro' fuch deeps, tho' not the fhal- loweft, and in bearing fuch caufeleis burdens, though not the lighteft. flpwbeit, we have thought it fit to fhew unto your Honour, fome things which have been reported of you unto us, with no fmall confidence ; hqrcby defiring that . you would not miftake, looking upon us as if we were become jealous of you, and receiving fuch things for truth, as we hope you can prove your innocency of. juut our love and refpe^St to the Lord's glorious caufe, which we own, and to your good name, which we are bound ftill according to verity to defend ; we have here written un- to you fome few things, of which we do humbly and ear- neftlydefire that you v/ould write unto us the truth, in- ftru^Sling your own innocency, that fo we may have wherewith to flop the mouth of fuch narrators. As, r/?. You are fa id to have countenanced the proclama- tion of the Hamilton declaration with your drawn fword in your band. 2^/y, You are faid to have fubfcribed the petition to the Duke of Monmouth, in your own name, and in the name of the army. 3^,^^, To have received large money from Dutch peo- ple for printing the telHmonies of the m'art)'rs, and not to Lave im proven it for that w^t. ^thl^y To have received large money from the Dutch, in the name and for the behoof of the fufFering party in Scotbnd, of v/hlch they never got any account. Now, Right honourable Sir, All thefe things are re- ported to you of us, and aifertedby fome v/ith no fmall confidenc€ j all which they otrer to prove. But thtlr arfirtion hath nof got the place of probation with us. Notwithftanding, we th9ught it greatly our duty, upon "^^i?. forefaid confidcrations to acquaint you herewith, defiring you may vindicate yourfelf according to truth, which we both long and hope for : And whatfoever may be found wrong in you, or us, or any other perfon, v/c defire to be far from either denying, extenuating or ex-. . cufing it. Moreover, for further clearing and corroborating of the caufe, we deiire that you will fend v/ith this bearer, a true, \ Mr. Robert Hamilton. ig-. ;) true J fail and exact probation of that proteflation a- gaiiiit the Scotch congregation at Rotterdam, efpecially oF that article fo often mentioned in our information fent unto you : For iho' many of us be ronvinced of the truth of all thefe things in that proteftation, yet it is re- f;r.iilte that in fuch a day, when many forts of people are lying at the catch, that we have wherewith to ftop their mouths, left fome who know not fuch things may be fiumbled ; for many whom we have to do with, will not take Ayith any thing, though never fo guilty, except it can be fufPiciently proven againfb them. Alfo, we defire that it may be tried, and an account fcnt unto us, "Whether or not Mr. Brackel received a letter written by Mr. Langlands, containing fuch accu- fations againil lis as are mentioned in our information, accordingly as he wrote to you when at Grcningen j or if he had thefe accufations given him by Mr. Koolcman by word of mouth, by virtue of a commiilion to him for that eifect, which was the occaiion whereupon he wrote fuch thlnq;s to vou ; or if Mr. Brackel v.'ill own his writing fuch things, and inftru^l what was the occaiion thereof : For Mr. Langlands did openly alTert that Mr. Brackel's letter, the true tranfcript whereof Ave read, is ituifed with lies. Finally, Vv e deiire that you will be at pains in dealing with the prefbytery of GixDningen, that they would an- iWer to what is laid to their charge by the Scottifh mi- nifters, to the end that the ordination of Mr. James Ren- wick may be rendered odious ; according to his humble deiire, as he writeth to them and to you. For though v\-e be not calling in cjueftion the lawfulnefs of his ordi- nation, yet it is requlfite to have fomething from their hands to convince gainfayers. Now, v^'hat Ihall we fay, it is a hard matter to carry right in fuch a day. We have all need to take hped to ourfelves, looking both before and behind us ; for God's eye io alv\ ays upon us, and man's eye is impfk intently beholding us ; iot AVe may fay with the Pfal- mift, ^hey rr.eet^ ihty hirh, they mark curjreps. But let us truftinthe Lord, and do good. Let us delight our- felves in God, and commit our v^^ay to him, and he fball bring forth our righteoufnefs as the light, and cur judg- ment as thenooii-dav : To whom, be glory for ever. Thus L^avir-g you upon his care, and praying thnt A a iudg.ment 1 86 Mr. Robert Hamilton s Letter judgment and righteoufnefs may meet again in the earth- We aj&e. Dear Sir, Tours ai formirlfy MICHAEL SHIELDS. /*. 5. RememberuS kindly to Thomas Lining, whom \re pray the Lord may fit for his intended work, and- make him a faithfnl and painful workman in his vine- yard, that we may reap the fruit of his labour, to the praife and glory of God. Let us hear \\'hat progrefs he makes, and if you think the Lord is fitting him for that work, and if there is any hope of a cleanly ordina- tion.. This Letter, with the relation of the conferences men- tioned before, were fent to Mr. Hamilton with Colin Alifon foon after the meeting, who fent back with Co- lin Alifon, before the next meeting, a long letter in ^nfwer to theirs ; A fhort abflra