n, neither was our Fruit answerable to the pains taken
on us by Word and Work; We had much Gospel-preaching, but too little
Gospel-practice, too many went on in open wickedness, and some had but a
form of Godliness, denying the power thereof: Many also who had the Grace
of God in truth fell from their first love, and fell under sad
languishings and decays; and when for our sins the Anger of the Lord had
divided us, and we were brought under the feet of strangers, and many of
our brethren killed, and others taken captive and sold as slaves; yet we
sinned still, and after we were freed from the yoak of strangers, instead
of returning to the Lord, and being led to Repentance by His Goodness, the
Land made open Defection from the good ways of the Lord: Many behaved as
if they had been delivered to work abomination, the flood-gates of Impiety
were opened, and a deluge of wickednese did overspread the Land. Who can
without grief and shame remember the shameful debauchery and drunkenness
that then was? And this accompanied with horrid and hellish cursing and
swearing, and followed with frequent Filthiness, Adulteries and other
Abominations, and the Reprover was hated, and he that departed from
Iniquity made himself a Reproach of Prey. And when by these, and such like
corrupt practices, mens Consciences were debauched, they proceeded to
sacrifice the Interest of the Lord Jesus Christ, and priviledges of his
Church to the lusts and will of Men; The Supremacy was advanced in such a
way, and to such an height, as never any Christian Church acknowledged;
The Government of the Church was altered, and Prelacie (which hath been
always grievous to this Nation) introduced, without the Churches consent,
and contrary to the standing Acts of our National Assemblies, both which
the present Parliament hath (blessed be God) lately found; And yet
nevertheless, of the then standing Ministry of _Scotland_, many did
suddenly and readily comply with that alteration of the Government, some
out of Pride and Covetousness, or Man-pleasing, some through infirmity or
weakness, or fear of Man, and want of Courage and Zeal for God; many
faithful Ministers were thereupon cast out, and many Insufficient and
Scandalous Men thrust in on their Charges, and many Families ruined,
because they would not own them as their Pastors.

And alas! It is undenyable, there hath been under the late Prelacie, a
great decay of Piety, so that it was enough to make a man be nick