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

368
APPENDIX.
sation in all things. 2. To establish in the land righteousness and religion,
in the truth of its doctrine, purity, and power of its worship, discipline, and
government; and to free the church of God of the corruption of Prelacy on
the one hand, and the thraldom of Erastianism on the other. 3. To perse¬
vere in the doctrine of the reformed churches, especially that of Scotland,
and in the worship prescribed in the scriptures, without the inventions,
adornings, and corruptions of men; and in the Presbyterian government,
exercised in sessions, presbyteries, synods, and general assemblies, as a
distinct government from the civil, and distinctly to be exercised, not after
a carnal manner, by plurality of votes, or authority of a single person, but
according to the word of God, making and carrying the sentence. 4. To
endeavour the overthrow of the kingdom of darkness, and whatsoever is
contrary to the kingdom of Christ, especially idolatry and Popery, in all its
articles, and the overthrow of that power that hath established and upheld
it; and to execute righteousness and judgment impartially, according to the
word of God, and degree of offences, upon the committers of these things ;
especially, to wit, blasphemy, idolatry, atheism, sorcery, perjury, unclean¬
ness, profanation of the Lord’s day, oppression, and malignacy. 5. Seriously
considering,—there is no more speedy way of relaxation from the wrath of
God, that hath ever lien upon the lands since it engaged with these rulers,
but of rejecting them, who have so manifestly rejected God,—disclaiming
his covenant—governing contrary to all right laws, divine and human—and
contrary to all the ends of government, by enacting and commanding im¬
pieties, injuries, and robberies, to the denying of God his due, and the sub¬
jects theirs ; so that, instead of government, godliness, and peace, there is
nothing but rapine, tumult, and blood, which cannot be called a government,
but a lustful rage—and they cannot be called governors, but public grassa-
tors and land judgments, which all ought to set themselves against, as they
would do against pestilence, sword, and famine, raging amongst them—see¬
ing they have stopped the course of the law and justice against blasphemers,
idolators, atheists, murderers, incestuous, and adulterous persons—and have
made butcheries on the Lord’s people, sold them as slaves, imprisoned, for¬
feited, &c., and that upon no other account, but their maintaining Christ’s
right of ruling over their consciences, against the usurpations of men.
Therefore, easily solving the objections:—1. Of our ancestors obliging the
nation to this race and line ; that they did not buy their liberty with our
thraldom, nor could they bind their children to any thing so much to their
prejudice, and against natural liberty, (being a benefit next to life, if not in
some regard above it,) which is not an engagement to moral things ; they
could only bind to that government, which they esteemed the best for com¬
mon good ; which reason ceasing, we are free to choose another, if we find
it more conducible for that end. 3. Of the covenant binding to defend the
king ; that that obligation is only in his maintenance of the true covenanted
reformation,—which homage they cannot now require, upon the account of
the covenant which they have renounced and disclaimed ; and upon no other
ground, we are bound to them—the crown not being an inheritance that
passeth from father to son, without the consent of tenants. 3. Of the hope
of their returning from these courses, whereof there is none ; seeing they
have so often declared'their purposes of persevering in them. And suppose
they should dissemble a repentance,—supposing also they might be par¬
doned for that which is done—from whose guiltiness the land cannot be
cleansed, but by executing God’s righteous judgments upon them,—yet they
cannot now be believed, after they have violated all that human wisdom could
devise to bind them.
Upon these accounts they reject that king, and those associated with him