United States or Lesotho ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
The consideration of which, and the lamentable case and condition the land already is, and may be in, by reason of the same, hath moved us, after the example and in imitation of the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us, to protest against the same, as being contrar to the Word of God, and repugnant to our former Union with England in the terms of the Solemn League and Covenant.
It may ha' been a' verra true for onything I ken, or onything the story says to the contrar'; but it wasna heumble or Christian-like o' him to be aye at it, ower an' ower, aye gloryin' as gien he had a'thing sae by ord'nar' 'cause he was by ord'nar' himsel', an' they a' cam till him by the verra natur' o' things.
Their admitting in many places, ignorant and scandalous persons to the Lord's table, contrar to the Acts of former Assemblies: Their not protesting against the present sinful confederacy with papists, malignants, and other enemies of religion and godliness; contrar to the Word of God, and former practise of this Church: their offensive partiality in their respective judicatories as to some particular members, where, the more lax and scandalous are overlooked and past by, and the more faithful and zealous are severely dealt with and handled, contrar to the rule of equity and the former practise of this Church: Their refusing and shifting to receive and redress the people's just and great grievances, and little regard had to prevent the giving offence to the Lord's people, and small endeavours to have these things removed that are stumbling and offensive to them, contrar to the Apostle's rule and practise, who became all things to all Men that by all means he might save some: their not declaring faithfully and freely against the sins of the land former and latter, without respect of persons, contrar to that express precept, "Set the trumpet to thy mouth, and show My people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sin."
And how far contrar to the second article, where we solemnly abjure prelacy for ever, when by this Union, prelacy comes for ever to be established and settled on the surest and strongest foundations imaginable, as is evident from the ratification of the articles in the English Parliament, with the exemplification of the same in the Scots Parliament, where the prelatick government in England is made a foundamental article of the Union: so it is also impossible for us to fulfill the other part of that article, where we forswear schism, which a legal tolleration of errors will infer and fix among us, as the native result and inevitable consequence of this Union; and how far this is contrar to the Word of God, and to our covenants, any considering person may decern.
And so to prosecute and carry on the ends of the same, and to evidence our firm adherance to it, with the outmost of our endeavours, in opposition to every thing contradictory or contrar unto or exclusive of these our sacred vows.
Lastly, we bear testimony against Ministers sinful and shameful silence, when called to speak and act by preaching and protesting against this unhallowed Union, which, as it is already the stain, so we swear it will prove the ruin and bain of this poor nation; though some of them, we grant, signified their dislike thereof, before and about the time it was concluded, yet there was no plain and express protestation, faithfully and freely given in to the Parliament, shewing the sinfulness and danger of this cursed Union, being contrar, not only to the honour, interest, and fundamental laws, and constitutions of the kingdom, and a palpable surrender of the sovereignty, rights and priviledges of the nation, but also a manifest breach of our Solemn League and Covenant, which was made and sworn with uplifted hands to the most high God, for purging and reforming the three nations from error, heresy, superstition and prophaneness, and whatever is contrar to sound doctrine, the power of godliness, and the purity of worship, discipline and government in the same.
"Ay!" said Nicie, "it wad be a gey cheenged warl' gien fowk gaed to my mither, an' did as she wad hae them. She says fowk sud never tell but the ill they ken o' themsel's, an' the guid they ken o' ither fowk; an' that's jist the contrar', ye ken, missie, to what fowk maistly dis dee." A pause naturally followed, which Ginny broke.
And so it involves this nation into a most fearful perjury before God, being contrar to the first article of the Covenant, wherein we swear to contribute with our outmost endeavours, in our several places and callings, to reform England in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government; But by this Union we are bound up for ever from all endeavours and attempts of this nature, and have put ourselves out of all capacity to give any help or assistance that way, as ye may see more fully in the late protestation against the Union, published at Sanquhar, October 22, 1707.
James Renwick, January 17, 1688. And to whatever wrestlings or contendings have been made, or testimonies given against the endeavours of any in their subtle and sedulous striving to insinuate and engadge us in a sinful confederacy with a malignant interest and cause, contrar to the Word of God, our Solemn League and Covenant, and testimony of this Church.
Onyway it behoved him to get an auld, decent wife to keep the manse for him an' see to his bit denners; and he was recommended to an auld limmer Janet M'Clour, they ca'd her and sae far left to himsel' as to be ower persuaded. There was mony advised him to the contrar, for Janet was mair than suspeckit by the best folk in Ba'weary.
Word Of The Day