devouzes of rebellion, and acknowledging the king's grandeur over church and ftate, as it is prefently eftablished by the laws of this realm; this being the narrative and foundation of that act: And I have found the indulged averfe to condemn it, the narrative of their licence being fomewhat fibb thereto; but as to the other public burdens, fuch as the common revenue of the crown, or locality (though I speak not this to justify myself, thefe not being my tentations) I defire a tenderness to be ufed to all fuch, as have not clearness therein, in respect the apoftle feems to difference them, I Cor. x. 28. "But if any man say "unto you, This is offered unto idols, eat not.'

I leave my teftimony against hearing of Curates, especially by profeft Prefbyterians; as being contradictory to the covenants, Binding us to the uttermost of our power for the extirpating prelacy: Our active power being ftopped, our next should be, to leave a teftimony by fuffering, and as being contrary to the rule of faith; for what Prefbyterian can pray for a bleffing to that ordinance, where the chief difpenfer is a blafphemer, by fwearing the teft, wherein the headship of the church, Chrift's prerogative is fworn by them to pertain to a man, and as being exprefly contrary to that Scripture, John x. 5." My fheep "hear my voice, but a ftranger they will not follow, but fly "from him." And here I think it not amiss to add, the words of Philpot, that learned and godly Martyr of the joiners with the papistical church, feeing the reafon he gives holds here. We can do no greater injury to the true Church of Christ, (whereof he is the only head) nor to seem to have forfaken her by cleaving to her adverfary, and that God's jealoufie in the day of vengeance, will cry for vengeance against such, unless they cleave infeparably to the gospel of Chrift; And that there must be no counterfeit illufion with them in this : and that their must be no presence of the body there, we being commanded to glorify God, as well in body as fpirit. These are his words imperfectly, yet truly as I remember; and fince the prelatical church, has not Chrift for her only head, the reafon holds ftill good.

1 could heartily with that all the ferious godly would leave off their joining with the indulgence, for in respect (to my own view) it has been attended with coldrifenefs, as to public fins, a glewedness to the world, and an infatuatness as to ap proaching judgments; And lastly, being a countenancing of them in that compliance with enemies; but fince I have little hopes thereof, I with all the feriously godly to be tender towards fich, whofe eyes are not enlightned, to behold the evil of it, and to reftrict their withdrawments to perfons of their own number, who recede from what they profefs; fince the end proposed by that rule, (withdraw from every brother that

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walketh diforderly) is to make afhamed; It cannot be fuppofed to attain its end any where elfe: And to ftudy to do that which may be moft edifying to all men," Let all things be done to edifying."

I leave my teftimony against that abominable teft, declaration, act of fupremacy, and all other acts overturning 'the work of God, and against all the blood shed upon that account.

And next, I think no man coming before the council can acknowledge the king's authority fimply, (confidering that he is clothed with one of the royal prerogatives of Jefus Chrift," viz. The headship of the Church, wherein to intrude is blafphemy for man or angel) unless they be guilty of giving him that ufurped title: And this is the ground of my fuffering, namely for affirming Chrift's headship over the church, to be his prerogative alone, which is the occafion of the burnt of the ruler's anger. And herein I have a moft folid peace; for Chrift fays, he came to bear witness to that truth, That he was a king, and fo I think that my fufferings are meerly apart of Chrilt's fufferings and though fome fay, I might have been fparing as to this confeffion; I fay, I durft not keep up my lips, they themselves having fworn that in the confeffion of faith, in their teft, which I affirmed, namely, That it is blafphemy for man or angel to ufurp this title yea it is the great heat of malice ftated hereon; but there is no piece of my fuffering yields me more content. Nor can any Christian come before them ackdowledging authority fimply, without being guilty of yielding this, it being declared effential to the crown, as Mr. Donald Cargil well notes in his teftimony: And I think that question of authority being propounded, a man has a fair open door to witnefs against the encroachments on Chrift's rights. I understand somewhat more of the mystery of this state nor I did, and conform to my weak conceptions, you may take it up thus:

The king, having through ftraits abroad, been complimented, and probably fupplied by Papifts, lyes under engagements to introduce Popery; and for that effect, takes this method, to overturn the hedge of church-government and difcipline, and turn ont all honeft hearted Minifters, and force people to a compliance with hirelings, to debauch men's confciences and from one degree to another to bring in Popery; but he being a man fo addicted to pleafures (and whiles counteracted by parliaments) loving cafe: wherefore Papifts practise to put him in mind of his engagements by aiming at his life; he find ing himself in this ftrait, and being in ftraits through his lavifh nels to court ladies, these ftraits must be fupplied by the king of France and the Pope, and for requital thereof, the management Kk

of the government must be turned over to his brother, who must have a cardinal and fome Jefuits, to contrive the mystery of iniquity, and bring this land to Babylon; in order thereunto, ftatefmen must be fet up, who are emulators of others, and men that studied, to pick quarrels with others, and then comes a general mittimus from court, to act after fuch a method of cruelty: for the Jefuits know, where two contrary parties act this game, they will be fure, for fear of their places, to confent to go alongft to tha utmost of cruelty. The next myftery is to conveen the whole country by circuit courts, as guilty fome of treason, some of one transgteffion and fome for another (the whole country being generally guilty by their laws) and force them to rife in arms; and then gather Papifts and take occafion to burn and flay all the country over, (the Lord in his mercy take them in their own net) but 1 fear Popery fhall once over-fpread; and I am really of that opinion, that God shall root this race of kings (root and branch) away, and make them Zeba and Zalmuna like, not only for taking God's houfe in poffeffion, but alfo, omitting in their last printed proclamation or indemnity. that they refolve to root out the feed of the godly, under the name of Phanaticks

My advice and humble request to Minifters is, to be tender toward any this day that has zeal, though knowledge be not fo great, and to be lefs fearful of outward danger, and more active where perfecution hath been hotteft, where they may have any freedom. My advice to all profeffors is. To lay no impofition on Minifters confciences; and that for the Lord's fake, they would study to take fome in among them, that have light and judgment to withstand the flood of defection and pery that is like to overfpread the land. And again, I leave another advice to Minifters and profeffors, that where any have fuffered for their confciences, they would be fparing to condemn them.

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I come now to declare my firft engagement with God, which was about ten years hence, which was through reading of the fulfilling of the Sciptures and Scripture truths therein contained. and the grounds of out-making thereof, which gave a check to my atheism, which is naturally feated in men's hearts: The next was Gray's Sermons on Prayer; and the laft, Guthrie's trial of an intereft in Chrift; all which, God fo powerfully laid home to my confcience, that I then covenanted with God; and though at that time, I could not get the faith of perfeve rance, yet I had a refpect to all his ftatutes, fo that the Bible was a moft fweet book to me; And I took up my whole time, for near a year thereafter, in studying religion, (the most plea

fant time that ever I had in my life time) yea, it was a burden to me to turn me to my neceffary affairs in the world. I found religion fharpened me in all my natural parts; yea, bring me, who was naturally a moft anxious, fretting, grudging creature, to fuch a calmnefs and ferenity in crofs providences, that I thought though there were neither hell nor heaven, religion was a reward to itself: And I was so taken up with Chrift's gracious condefcendency, that his name was most pleasing; yet durft I not draw a conclufion of an affurance and perfeverance; yea, was put to question the work itself upon account of the quality of my repentance; but meeting with Guthry's trial of a faving intereft in Chrift, I found fenfibly, that swallowed up a law work in love, but I found this, that there is not a more excellent piece of the armour of God, than the helmet of falvation, and which Satan is most busy with a Christian to keep it off; I found likewife, as knowledge and grace grew that prefumption grew, that is, that with what I had gotten, I could walk alone; but that truth, without me ye can do nothing, was known to my fad coft; but after all this sweet time; yea, I may fay, moft fweet time, falling more and more engaged in worldly affairs I found an impoffibility to me, to be inftant. in bufinefs and fervent in fpirit; fo that fome throngs in these abated that life which I had and accordingly as love grew to outward things, fo decreased that power and life I had attained, yet fo as all alongft, I find that God has ftill been holding me by the hand, and I defire with fubmiffion to other mens judg ments, to fay, I think a perfon falling in love with godliness, covenanting with God, to have a refpect to all his ftatutes with out exception, counting the coft, and feeing the cost of them felves impreftable, and believing that Chrift, who was the au thor, will be the finisher of such a work: I fay I cannot think that ever God will part with fuch, who do so covenant with him, yea it has been a comfort to me, when I could fee no more of my interest in him, but that I faid thou art my God and as I cannot conceal the loving kindness of God, fo upon the other hand, without compliments, as the words of a dying man, I look upon myfélf as the moft worthlefs object that ever free, love has paged and waited upon through the world, compaffed about with fo many fins, and clothed with fuch a perverse nation; but it is he with whom I made the bargain, makes crooked things ftraight, and rugged places plain.

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Next, I advife all fufferers to beware of propofing themfelves, to do this, and the other thing (for fafety of life) which is fic ful; for if fuch a falfe mind be in folk, God will lead the m forth with the workers of iniquity, and they will not ...

ftumbling blocks to be laid before them. I fay this to them
who have finned, and yet continue in the furnace; I fear that
be their doom, Jer. xxii. 1Q, "They hall go from their na
❝tive land, and return no more." As for you that have.tast-
ed, that which has been a terror to me, may be now a terror
to you" It is impoffible for these who were once enlightned,
and tafted the heavenly gift, if they fall away, etc. by put
"ting Chrift to open fhame, to renew them to repentance'
As for unconcerned folk, 1 fhall only fay this, think you no-
thing of mens chufing death before life: I know I have gotten
Roman gallantry caft up to me, fince I came to prifon; but for
my own part, I could never hear tell, that it set up the head of
it in the world, to face a gallows, fince the word of hell became,
fo rife in the world: But let me tell you this one thing, that
though I have read of some single ones dying for opinion (not
truth) yet could I never read of a tract of men, fuch as has
been in Scotland thefe 22 years, laying down their lives for a
naked opinion, fo calmly, fo folidly and compofedly, with fo
much peace and ferenity.

As for my own part, I am a man naturally most timorous ; yet the Lord has made fufferings cafyt might do you good to enquire into the cause of our fufferings fo owned by God; It is a bad caufe, that is defended with fwords and beating of drums on fufferers; and befides, the Lord has forced a teftimony from the mouths of feveral of our dying adverfaries, and from the mouths of executioners and apprehenders; yea,sin. this place, fome Pfalms (they being clear of the application thereof to themselves) would not fuffer them to be fung; And as to profeft Prefbyterians, too many of you for your uncon cernednels, I am fure the Lord fays, oye fhall drink of another fort of a cup, that is brewing for you, fhun it as you will by your compliance. And for our really concerned friends, 1 pray the Lord to protect you, and multiply his grace towards! you; I am confident, when you are beneath the rod, ye fhall find it an cafe to your own imart, however great a lift you have. taken of others fufferings,

"

Next, I fay to all that come under the rod, let no terrors of: men, nor temptations of Satan anent eternity come into your mind; but go to God. with them, acknowledging your unworthiness of his protection and council; and you will find him faithful, not to offer you to be tempted above what you are able; It is no new thing to be affaulted with terrors without, and within with fears; The apostle, a moft experienced Creature, wanted not this. I fee a Chriftian to be a molt pasfive Christian in his own falvat on; yet there must be an all oft diligence, otherwife the roaring lion will foon get advantages