ellion, and declared, not
many days since, to be following a most malignant design and course, are
contained under these exceptions, because very few of them are
excommunicated or forfaulted, and though more of them be indeed flagitious
and profane, yet very few of them will fall under the compass of the
exception, notoriously flagitious. Many wicked things will be said to
concur to make up a profane man. Some acts will not serve; a habit must be
demonstrated, and though that were showed, yet there must be also a
notoriety of it, which imports a man to be famous for looseness and
profanity, and there are none almost, if any in the land, who have been
professed enemies from the beginning, and continue so to this day. James
Graham was not such. It is the matter of our sad complaint, that whilst
many are enemies, they make profession and semblance of friendship.

Third. These exceptions do not comprehend any who are under censure for
malignancy or profanity, except such as are under the sentence of
excommunication, and that even such may not be excluded, lest the rule be
transgressed, by admitting and employing excommunicated persons, 'tis
withal resolved, that these persons shall be relaxed from that sentence,
that so they may be immediately in the same capacity of employment with
others, whatever formerly hath been their opposition or defection. Some
exceptions must be made, for honesty and credit's sake. But the nearest
and readiest way is taken to make them ineffectual.

Fourth. These exceptions do not only not reach these who were upon the
unlawful engagement and have not as yet given sufficient proof of their
abandoning their malignant principles and courses, but come not the length
of comprehending these men of blood who followed James Graham and in the
most barbarous and cruel way, shed the blood of their own brethren and
God's people. Because the most part of these are not excommunicated nor
forfaulted, nor notoriously flagitious and profane, nor such as have from
the beginning been, and still are enemies. If any will say, that such are
comprehended under these exceptions, why did the commission express the
exceptions in such terms, as to men's common apprehension do not include
many, especially seeing there are known rules, particular and distinct,
without ambiguity, and seeing there is such a propension in rulers to
employ all without difference, which would undoubtedly take advantage of
any thing that seemed to