Religion & morality > Cloud of witnesses, for the royal prerogatives of Jesus Christ, or, The last speeches and testimonies of those who suffered for the truth in Scotland, in the years 1681-1688, with an appendix, containing the Queensferry paper, Torwood excommunications, &c

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LAST SPEECH AND TESTIMONY OF
fDspel,) and took that article for proof, in the Confession of
aith, which they have given out to be the confession of
their own faith, professing to build that abominable and
ridiculous test upon, which shows that they are ill-builders,
the building being so far off the foundation. But, I refer
you to the draught of a paper which I drew up as my tes¬
timony against that test, which, with the consent and advice
of others, was affixed on the parish kirk-dbor of Stonehouse.
And I am of the mind, that this proof, as it did enrage them,
“ being like a wild bull caught in their own net,” so it did
give them no small damp.
2. For speaking treason, as they call it, and declining
their authority, which consisteth in this, when asked, if their
king, (or rather their idol,) were a tyrant? I refered it to
his obligations in his coronation oath, to be considered
with his present actings and practice, with his usurpations
upon the privileges of the church, and prerogatives-royal of
Jesus Christ, who is the Anointed of the Father : and the
refusing to say, “ God save the king,” which we find was the
order that was used among the children of Israel, at the
king’s anointing to that office ; and used in our own nation
at the coronation. Now, this being only due to a lawful
king, ought not to be given but to a lawful king, and so not
to him, being a degenerate tyrant: for if I should, I thereby
had said Amen to all that he hath done against the church
and liberties thereof, and to all his oppression, by unlawful
exactions and raising of armies, for no other purpose but
to deprive us of the hearing of the gospel, and trouble or
molest the subjects, both in their consciences and external
liberties, and also to their blood-shed and murders of the
people of God, and free subjects of the kingdom ; and so bid
him God speed, contrary to that in the second Epistle of
John, verse 10. And seeing it cannot be given to any that
have thus used their power to a wrong end, in such a mea¬
sure and manner : so much less, when they have set him up
as an idol, in the room of God incarnate. And shall I pray
to bless that man in his person and government, whom God
hath cursed? for it cannot be expected, but that he shall
be cursed, that thus ventureth upon the thick bosses of the
buckler of God Almighty.
Now, I shall here give, in short, an account of my prin
ciples, which I shall do, as in the sight of an all-seeing