nts now. Yea, all that hear of it may justly stand amazed at
us, and look on us as a people infatuated, that can take in our bosom the
fiery serpents, that have stung us so sore. But above all, that which
would heighten these sins to the heavens is this, that it were not only a
horrible backsliding, but a backsliding into that very sin, which was
especially pointed at, and punished by the prevalency of the malignant
party, God justly making them thorns and scourges, who were taken in as
friends, without any real evidence, or fruits of repentance. Alas! shall
we split twice upon this same rock, yea, run upon it, when God has set a
beacon on it? Shall we be so demented as to fall back to the same sin,
which was engraven in great letters in our late judgment? Yea, I may say,
shall we thus out face and out dare the Almighty, by protecting his and
our enemies, when he is persecuting them, by making peace and friendship
with them, when the anger of the Lord is burning against them, by setting
them on their feet, when God hath cast them down? O! shall neither
judgments nor deliverances make us wise? I must here apply to our
condition the words of Ezra, 'And after all this is come upon us for our
evil deeds, and for our great trespasses, seeing that thou our God hast
punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hath given such
deliverance us this, should we again break thy commandments, and join in
affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldest thou not be angry
with us till thou hast consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor
escaping?' O happy Scotland! if thou canst now improve aright, and not
abuse this golden opportunity, but if thou wilt help the ungodly, or love
them that hate the Lord, wrath upon wrath, and woe upon woe, shall be upon
thee from the Lord.

"This testimony of a dying man (who expects to stand shortly before the
tribunal of Christ) I leave with you my reverend brethren," &c. And again
in his Testimony against association and compliance with malignants,
written two days before his death, he says, "Seeing now, in all
appearance, the time of my dissolution is very near, although I have, in
my latter will, declared my mind of public affairs, yet I have thought
good to add this further testimony, that I esteem the malignant party in
these kingdoms the seed of the serpent, enemies to piety, and Presbyterian
government, (pretend what they will to the contrary,) a generation that
have not se