Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

2
THE REGISTER OF CONSULTATIONS
in which are involved all our contentment as men and
comfort and happiness as Christeans ; and in a speciall
way we have resolved to make application to your Lord-
ship, not only because you had and still have the charge
and conduct of these forces which invaded this land, and
now keep it in subjection, but because we look in upon
you as one who hath most tendered our condition, and is
most able, and, we may say, most obliged to help what
is past, and to prevent what is like to come. Wee shall
not insist upon the iniquity and unjustic of the invasion;
yet we should be unfaithfull to you and wrong our own
consciences if we should conceale that no thing which
hath hitherto come to pass, can to our understanding
justifie the authors of it and actors in it, or acquyt them
of the blood of many of the saints of Scotland precious
in the sight of the Lord, which we desire not to speak
from any bitterness or implacablenes of spirit. It is time
for us when God hath brought us so low for our iniquities,
to abandon evill thoughts against those who have done
us the greatest personall injuries, and to forgive them even
as we wold have them to forgive us. But as we desire to
justify the Lord in all that is come upon us for our many
and great provocationes against Him, whither in the late
Treatie with the King, or other transgressions by reason
of which He might have most justly shed more of our
blood, so doe we wish the instruments thereof to consider
what they have done, that they may not only know that,
the foundation being evill, the superstructure cannot
readily be good, but also that they may repent and doe
no more so, that they may find mercie in the day of the
Lord Jesus ; and we hope as many of them as are sharers
of the grace of the Gospell, shall, before the closeing of
their eyes, be humbled and ashamed before Him, even
for this thing. That which doeth most afflict us is the
exceeding great injuries which are done from day to day
to religion and the precious ordinances of Jesus Christ
amongst us. Wee take no delyte in reckning up of things
which we have observed in the Army, that are contrarie
to sound doctrine and to the power of godlines. We