hereas your former enlarged bounty, and our present overflowing
straits would require a gratefull acknowledgement of the one, and a
serious representation of the other: Our case is such, as neither can be
expected at our hands, being stricken with astonishment, and full of the
furie of the Lord. We are these indeed who have seen affliction by the rod
of his wrath: So that it were more fit, we had a Cottage in the
Wildernesse amongst the Owles to mourn out our imbittered Spirits, then
that by word or writ we should compeere before any of his People: Although
you cannot be wearied in wel-doing, yet we shall up way think it strange,
if now you shall give over any more care of us; Seeing the Lord hath
testified against us, and the Almighty hath afflicted us. Your judgement
is with the Lord, and your reward is with God, not onely for your two
years visiting and watering a barren vineyard, but also for your zeale and
care to have your Reformation spred amongst other opprest and borne-down
Churches, whereof you have given an ample and famous testimony in sending
hither that blessed League and Covenant which wee much desired and longed
for, as by our Petitions to the Church & State of our Native Kingdome is
knowne unto you; which hath had a wished and gracious successe by the
favour and blessing of God, accompanying the pains of these to whom the
tendering thereof was intrusted by you. And we conceiving a chief part of
our miserie to consist in our want of opportunitie to joyne our selves
with the People of God in the foresaid Leagues; Esteeming our selves
rejected of God and unfit to be joyned in any comfortable fellowship in
the Gospel with them, when the said League and Covenant was presented to
the Regiments; Wee made bold to lay hold upon the opportunity (though
aflicted abjects) and cheerfully and unanimously joyned our selves
thereunto: That if wee peerish in our misery, wee may die a Covenanted
People: and, if our miserable life be prolonged, we may finde shelter and
refreshment under the shadow thereof in our fierie trials, confidently
expecting from the Lord by our neerer conjunction with you than before, an
accomplishment of what is agreed into the Covenant, which ye bountifully
expressed before we were one with you, to your never-dying-commendation.
We are nothing shaken in our minds with the odious aspersions of sedition,
combination against the King: and overthrow of Muncipal Laws, &c.
(wherewith our Covenant is bran