11. The grate neglecte and creuell oppression of the comons and poore people of the land, neuerthelesse of our obligations and tayes, in the couenant, of mutuall aid and assistance one of another.
12. Laboring to carrey one a worke of reformation with so corrupte and vnsuttable instruments; yea the continuance of persons scandalous, in eminent places of trust, after ther was cleir euidence that they wer suche.
1652.
This day, (viz. Friday) 2do Jarij: did brecke vpe the meitting of some presbeterians, who did meitt at Edinbrughe, in reference to the satlement of present affaires. It was composed of them quho [are] called ministers and laymen, quherof Mr James Guthrie was moderator; who, as he was chosen to moderat, so in his olde wounted presbeterian zeall wold proceed in nothinge, till first he knew wither aney wer present who wer accessorey to the sheding of the blood of the saintes. Quasi wero, he had bein free of aney such thing; thoughe most instrumentall in drawing one ane ingagement at Dumbar, he may remember his accession to his spilling of blood at Hamilton; bot wee know the pharisies can bewaill the death and suffringes of the prophetts, thoughe apte to persecute Christe and his disciples. It is remarkeable, this meitting was not called without cuninge, for wpeholding the presbeterian intreste. The matter is this; about 8 weekes agoe and aboue, some godlie and weill affected men in this land, taking a coursse (besyde the preists not heeding them in the bussines) in order to the good of the nation, vith no lesse purpois then to remonstrat and petitione (quhosse proceidinges as zet wee houpe shall take effecte) aganiste coerciue restrainte, and for incorporatting the tuo nations into one comon wealthe. Bot the presbeterian ministers, with ther grandee, Wareston, finding this præiudiciall to ther crafte, Demetrius lyke, called togidder such as wer of ther auen stampe; cuningly breking of the meittinges of thosse quho intended to bring to naught ther crafte, in making siluer shrynnes for ther presbeterian Diana, did withdraw themselues altogider from suche meittinges: the result of wich is confusione; for nothing is now to be hard after this conuocatione, bot craying out, “Grate is the Presbetery.”
Now they haue drawin vpe a letter, thoughe with grate debait, not knowing weill to quhom to send it, ore how to call thosse to quhom they should directe it, and are aboute to send it to the Generall; testifing aganist all our proceidinges, and with a full pretence (I should say, purposse) of suffringe, doe earnistly bege religion in Scotland may be preserued, and established according to the couenant, wich in ther accompte is nothing bot presbeterey. Marke ther ingenuity; they resolue to suffer, and zet wold haue pouer to persecute. Werily, I thinke, they are justly sufferers, quho goe aboute to be persecutters. In the interim, I supposse they shall not receaue a satisfactorey anssuer in petitioning him (viz. Cromwell) aganist quhom they testifie; this bewrayethe ther policey, thoughe presbeterey be wsullay attendit therwith. Howsoeuer, as they conueined cuningly, with a full purposse to manteine their crafte, that ther idol presbeterey perishe not, so they are dismissed confusedly, craying out, “Grate is the Presbeterey.” We haue only to adde to it that Warrestone, in face of the meitting, contrarey to experience, with a full purposse to deceaue the simple, (Ex vngue Leonem) denayed aney trettey to haue beine offred by the Englishe, befor Dumbar, to the Scotts. Bot wee know it is a Matchiuelian policey, fortiter calumniarij.
1652.
Acts of the Assembly 1652, and other Documents, extracted from the Controversial Pamphlets of the Time, but never recognised or printed among the Acts of the Church since the Revolution.[451]
No. I.
Propositions which were offered to the Meeting of Ministers and others, appointed to be keeped at Edinburgh, July 21, 1652.
Wheras we, and many of the godly in the Land have been really scandalized and stumbled at their late Acts and Proceedings, relating to Publick Resolutions concerning the same in the nature and Intention of the Work, to have obstructed and shaken the Work of Reformation, (although we think honourably of diverse Godly and Learned men who have been concurring in the same, and dare not judge their Intentions to be such as we think their Work hath been, and do allow charity to others.) Therefore for satisfaction of our conscience, and for securing the Work of Reformation, for purging the Church, and for promoving the power of godlinesse, and for removing of these sad differences, and for attaining and preserving a good understanding, We desire,
That they give evidence and assurance, that they approve of, and will adhere unto the solemn Publick Confession of sins and engagement to duties, and all the Acts of the uncontroverted Assemblies of this Church, concerning the Work of Reformation, in the literal and genuine sense and meaning thereof. And that in dispensing of the Ordinances, censuring of scandalous persons, receiving of Penitents, trying, admitting, removing, and deposing of Church-Officers, they will walk according to the same. That it be laid seriously to heart before the Lord, how after such a defection, and so sad judgments for it, the Lord may be restored to his honor, the Land to his favor, and the like defection prevented in time coming.