whom he hath sanctified. O to be there where I shall sin no more, where I shall be tempted no more, neither feel any more of his hidings, the withdrawings of his Spirit's presence, and light of his glorious countenance, but shall be ever with him, see him as he is, and serve him for ever and ever!

Now, my dear friends in Christ, I have always, since the public Resolutioners were for bringing in the Malignants and their interest, thought it my duty to join with the Lord's people in witnessing against these sinful courses, and now we see clearly that it has ended in nothing less than making us captains that we may return to Egypt by the open doors that are made wide to bring in Popery, and set up idolatry in the Lord's covenanted land, to defile it, and thereby to provoke him to pour down his fierce wrath upon it and the inhabitants thereof.

Wherefore it is the unquestionable and indispensable duty of all who have any love to God, to his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, to the thriving of his kingdom, to their own soul's salvation, and to the following generation, to act a close, constant, and needy dependance on the Lord Jehovah's all-sufficiency, for light, for counsel, for direction, for strength and stability, to make conscience in bearing testimony for him, for his persecuted truth, work, and interest in these lands, which was sworn to with uplifted hands to God the Searcher of all hearts. And O that herein all could act a faithful part for him who hath done so much for poor wretched us, when we were lying, dying, and rotting in our blood-red sins, when passing by us with his love and life-giving visit, saying unto us, "Live, live."

And on the other hand, to witness faithfully, constantly, and conscientiously against all that the enemies have done, or are doing, to the overthrow of the glorious work of reformation; and banishing Christ out of these lands, by robbing him of his crown rights, (for he and he alone is Head of his own Church,) and by burning the covenants, which are the marriage bonds betwixt him and these lands; and by persecuting his Gospel ministers and members, who are labouring to keep their garments clean, and their

hands free of all the corruptions and compliances in these evil times. And however it be that many, both ministers and professors, are turning their backs upon Christ and his cross, reproaching and casting dirt upon you and the testimony of the day; yet let not this weaken your hands, stumble nor discourage you from going on in the strength of the Lord your God, to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, and witness a good confession for him and his cause, resisting unto blood, striving against sin; and herein let your soul possess itself with patience; for I assure you, it will not be long to the fourth watch, and then he will come with garments dyed in blood, to raise up saviours upon the mount of Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and then the house of Jacob and Joseph shall be for fire, and the Malignants, Prelates, and Papists shall be for stubble, the flame whereof shall be great.

But my generation work being done with my time, I go to him who loved me, and washed me in his own blood from all my sins; to him who has counted me worthy to suffer for his name: and O that I had many lives to lay down for him, and much blood to seal his noble and honourable cause with, even that he who graciously pitied, and hath now given me the full assurance of being a member of his Church triumphant, which is the new Jerusalem and city of the living God!

I die adhering to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament as the undoubted word of God, an unerring rule of faith and manners, and a firm foundation for principle and practice in the ways of godliness and true holiness.

2 Tim. iii. 16, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." And the Confession of Faith, Catechisms Larger and Shorter, as agreeable thereunto, and safely founded thereupon. 2 Tim. i. 13," Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." Heb. vi. 1, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the

foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God."

The Sum of Saving Knowledge, the Directory for Church Government in her doctrine, worship, and discipline.

I own all the attained unto pieces of Reformation in the Church of Scotland, particularly betwixt the years 1638 and 1649. The covenants, national and solemn league; the acknowledgment of sins, and engagements to duties.

I own the Protestation given by the Remonstrators against the Resolutioners; the apologetical declaration, and all public declarations hitherto emitted at Rutherglen, Sanquhar, and Lanark; with all dying speeches and testimonies of those who have sealed truth with their blood, so far as they agree with God's holy word.

I own all the appearances in arms that have been at Pentland, Drumclog, Bothwell, Airsmoss, and elsewhere, against God's stated enemies, and the enemies of the gospel, as it has been preached by all Christ's faithful ambassadors in Scotland since the Reformation, and now by that faithful servant of Christ, Mr James Renwick; and the testimony of the day, as it is stated and carried on by him and his adherents at home and abroad;1 and kingly government as appointed and emitted in the word of God, they entering covenant ways, and with covenant qualifications; but I am persuaded, Scotland's covenanted God will cut off the name of Stewarts, because they have stated themselves against religion, reformation, and the thriving of Christ's kingdom and kingly government in these lands. And although men idolise them much now, yet ere long there shall none of them be to tyrannise in covenanted Britain any more.

On the other hand, I die protesting against, and disowning Popery in all its superstitious bigotry and bloody cruelty; and Prelacy, the mother of Popery, and all that depends upon that hierarchy; and the unhinging and overthrowing of the glorious work

"Abroad" referreth principally to Messrs John Brown, John Nevoy, and Mr M Vaird, who were banished to Holland by King Charles and the Duke of Lauderdale.

of reformation by their woful Act Rescissory, burning the covenant, turning out gospel ministers, filling their rooms with profane, erroneous curates, and setting up Charles Stewart to be head of the Church; and so robbing Christ of his royal and incommunicable prerogatives by their cursed Act of Supremacy.

I protest against the putting Malignants into places of power and trust in Church, State, and Armies, and all declarations' anywhere published tending thereunto; and against all paying of stent, cess, and locality, to strengthen the enemies' hands to persecute Christ in his members, and all shedding of their blood in fields, seas, scaffolds, prisons, or any otherwise; and all robbing, plundering, or spoiling them of their goods; and all raising of the hue and cry after them; and all sinful oaths, such as the oath of Supremacy, the bond of peace, the test, the oath of Conformity, the Abjuration oath, and the oath Super inquirendis.

I die testifying against the woful Indulgence, the fruits and consequences of which have so much strengthened the enemy, increased our divisions, widened our breaches, and deadened the spirits, and cooled the zeal of the Lord's people, and stumbled and offended the weak, and, in a great measure, retarded the carrying on of a testimony for truth, by condemning the things contended for, and reproaching those that contend for truth.2

Wherefore I leave my testimony against all the acceptors thereof, and all ministers and professors who are any way guilty of any of the woful defections and sinful compliances with the enemies of truth, or any way guilty of condemning, reproaching, and ridiculing Mr James Renwick and his correspondents, or the testimony which they are carrying on: and let all such ministers and professors know, that this their practice at the best is a denying of Christ, and a shifting of his cross; therefore, let them take warning, and ponder these Scriptures.

1 Here the reader is referred to that relation of his, which, in this particular, is at more length expressed, as published in the Cloud of Witnesses.

2 The strength of which reasons is further enlarged upon in the History of the Indulgence.

Mat. x. 32, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven;" verse 33,"But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven;" (see Luke xii. 8, 9.) Verse 37, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me;" verse 38, " And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Mat. xvi. 24, "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." (See Mark viii. 34.) Mark viii. 35, " For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it." (See Mat. x. 39, also chap. xvi. 25.) Mat. xvi. 26, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (See Mark viii. 36, 37.) Mark viii. 38, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." Isa. viii. 11, "For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying," verse 12, "Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid;" verse 13, "Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread;" verse 14," And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offence, to both the houses of Israel, and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;" verse 15, "And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken," (as is expressed, verses 9 and 10 of the same chapter.) Prov. i. verse 10, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not;" verse 11, "If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause;" verse 12, "Let us swallow them alive as the grave, and whole as those that go down into the pit;" verse 13, "We shall find all

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