r treachery, bloodshed
and tyranny. And yet as all these faithful witnesses of Christ did
harmoniously agree in promoting the kingdom and interest of the Messiah,
in all his threefold offices, they stood in defence of religion and
liberty (and that not only in opposition to the more gross errors of
Popery, but even to the more refined errors of English hierarchy) we
must take their testimony to be materially all and the same testimony,
only under different circumstances, which may be summed up thus; "The
primitive martyrs sealed the prophetic office of Christ in opposition to
Pagan idolatry.--The reforming martyrs sealed his priestly office with
their blood, in opposition to Popish idolatry.--But last of all, our
late martyrs have sealed his kingly office with their best blood, in
despite of supremacy and bold Erastianism. They indeed have cemented it
upon his royal head, so that to the world's end it shall never drop off
again."

But, candid reader, to detain thee no longer upon these or the like
considerations,--I have put the following sheets into thy hands, wherein
if thou findest any thing amiss, either as to matter or method, let it
be ascribed unto any thing else, rather then want of honesty or
integrity of intention; considering, that all mankind are liable to err,
and that there is more difficulty in digesting such a great mass of
materials into such a small composition, than in writing many volumes.
Indeed there is but little probability, that a thing of this nature can
altogether escape or evade the critical eye of some carping Momus[20],
particularly such as are either altogether ignorant of reformation
principles, or, of what the Lord hath done for covenanted Scotland; and
those who can bear with nothing but what comes from those men who are of
an uniform stature or persuasion with themselves: and yet were it
possible to anticipate anything arising here by way of objection, these
few things following might be observed.

Here some may object, That many things more useful for the present
generation might have been published, than the deeds and public actings
of those men, who have stood so long condemned by the laws of the
nation, being exploded by some, and accounted such a reproach, as unfit
to be any longer on record.--In answer to this, I shall only notice,
(1.) That there have been some hundreds of volumes published of things
fabulous, fictitious and romantic, fit for little else than to amuse the
cred