Portal:Church of Scotland

“ And how little of the Power of Religion has been seen in the Lives of its Professors! How much have profane Swearing, and horrid Perjury abounded?——How much has Luxury, the Parent of many Vices, and productive of the greatest Miseries, spread its malignant Influence over all Ranks?——And how has Infidelity, Libertinism and Licentiousness, prepared the Minds of not a few for any Form of Religion that is calculated for an Indulgence to Vice?——How much more have men been ffected with temporal Inconveniences, and the Loss of their Goods, than with the Danger to which our holy Religion is exposed? ”

“ Loud Complaints are made, of insufferable Grievances, and Encroachments upon our Liberties, under the benign Administration of our present gracious Sovereign; to redress which, is the pretended Design of this wicked Rebellion. But how is this heavy Charge made out? Do our Enemies pretend to produce any one Act of lawless Power, ever done, or so much as attempted by his present Majesty, or his Royal Father, through the whole Course of their Reigns? ”

“ We must earnestly recommend it to all the Ministers of this National Church, to endeavour, by public and private insruction, to fill the Minds of People of all Ranks and Ages, as they have Opportunity, with a just Abhorrence of the Abominations of Popery; the Terrors of arbitrary Power, and of the extreme Danger these Lands must be certainly exposed to, of being over-run with Superstition, Tyranny and Oppression, if GOD for our Sins should ever suffer the Pretender to reign over us. ”

“ The Minds of these Men must be monstrously perverted, who can favour a Design, the natural and necessary Consequence of which must be, the Subversion of what Great Britain glories in above all Nations, Religious and Civil Liberty! Can we expect Liberty from arbitrary Power;——a free Parliament from an armed Force?——Just Laws from lawless Men?——The Security of our Property from the Invaders of Property?——The Protection of our Commerce from France and Spain?——The Safety of the Protestant Religion from a Popish Pretender?——and Toleration of tender Consciences from a persecuting Spirit! ”

“ Let us, in the most earnest Manner, address Almighty GOD of infinite Mercy, thro' the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, to pour down a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, of Repentance and Reformation, upon all Ranks of Men:——That he would enable us to walk worthy of the Gospel of Christ, and animate us with a Temper of Mind suitable to it:——That he would teach us to improve the present awful Dispensation of his Providence ”

“ As we pity those unreasonable Men who have risen up against us; so let us all heartily pray to GOD, that he would convince them of their Folly and Wickedness; give them Repentance unto Life, and the Forgiveness of their Sins; that being reclaimed from the Error of their Way, the further Effusion of Blood may be prevented: But that, if they should still persist in this unnatural Rebellion, GOD may defeat it ”

“ To strengthen this pretended Security, a Promise is made to call a free Parliament, and to act always by the Advice of Parliaments.——But, can any thing be more absurd, than to imagine, that he who founds his Title to govern upon an hereditary and indefeasible Right; that he who considers the whole Nation as his natural Estate, and all the Members thereof as his Property, will allow himself to be restricted by any Limitation, or have Regard to any thing but sole Will and Pleasure? ”

“ Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers: For there is no Power but of God; the Powers that be are ordained of God: Whosoevor therefore resisteth the Power, resisteth the Ordinance of God; and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation: For Rulers are not a Terror to good Works, but to the evil [5] Fear the Lord and the King, and meddle not with those that are given to Change [6] Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's Sake ”

“ The Calamities we in this Country have felt, and the Judgments with which GOD has been pleased to visit us, should awaken our Consciences; and excite us to a sincere and deep Repentance, for those Sins which have been the procuring Causes of them.——How insensible have many been of the Excellency of that Religion we have long enjoyed, pure from Idolatry and Superstition? ”

“ Our own History acquaints us, that there are some yet alive who remember to have seen the best Blood of the Nation shed on Scaffolds, in the Cause of Religion and Liberty; and great Numbers of peaceable Men fined, imprisoned and put to Death, for serving GOD according to their Consciences ”

“ What Abuses might not be expected from the Army he employs to raise him to the Throne? a great Part of which is made up out of the barbarous Corners of this Country? many of whom are Papists, under the immediate Direction of their Priests, train'd up to the Sword, by being practised in open Robbery and Violence; void of Property of their own; the constant Invaders of that of others; and who know no Law, but the Will of their Leaders. ”

“ The great Property of the Nation is in the Interest of the King and Government; and that of the Rebels bears but a very inconsiderable Proportion to it. What then have the Well-affected in Scotland to fear?——What may they not hope, from a Sovereign who has been so mild to his Enemies?——And what can be the Effect of the Destruction of Jacobitism ”

“ Judge it our indispensible Duty, as appointed by our Great Lord and Master to watch for the Souls of Men, and in pursuance of the Trust committed by the General Assembly to watch over thse concerns of this Church, to give faithful and public Warning to the People under our Care, of the imminent Danger to with which every thing valuable to us, as we are Men and Christians, is evidently threatened. ”

“ But, to complete our Destruction France and Spain, the avowed Enemies of our Country; not only of our Religion, but of our Trade and Commerce, are called in to their Assistance: Who, whilst they are preparing to invade us at home, are distressing our Trade abroad ”

“ Cultivate the Principles of true Liberty; and teach them to your Children; that they may not be early ensnared by slavish Doctrines, which may render them hurtful to Society, and involve themselves and their dear est Concerns in Ruin. ”