Digital Paxton: Digital Collection, Critical Edition, and Teaching Platform

A Looking-Glass for Presbyterians (Inscribed: J. Arbo) - 7

land, with a view to extirpate or butcher all those of the English Nation, who wou'd not join them in the worship of their great goddess the Presbytery, which they had set up in their own countryâ–ª Did the Blessed Spirit teach them to sell their King, in imitation of Judas who sold out Savior, even after he had voluntarily resign'd himself: Did they not murder their King in the face of the sun, and put a Tyrant chosen from the very dreggs of the people upon the Throne, who ruled them with a rod of iron, and corrected their harden'd and stubborn dispositions with scorpions instead of whips? How did they raise insurrections in various parts of the kingdom against Charles the Second. And when they collected an army of saints to fight Cromwell at the battle of Dunbar, did not their ministers in the name of the Lord assure the army of success; declar'd that they had been seeking God; and had obtained an answer to their prayers? Cromwell however soon made it appear that they had belied the Holy Ghost, and prophesied falsely.

Was not the Scotch Rebellion one principal cause of the insurrection of the Irish-Papists in the Year 164•? The Success that attended the one in behalf of the Kirk, encouraged the other to pursue the same steps in favor of the Mass, and if so, it may undoubtedly be made a question, whether all the innocent blood that was shed in that horrid Massacre, may not be justly laid to their charge? Certain it is the Natives of both kingdoms seem'd to vie with each other in acts of cruelty. For if the Catholics committed many outrages in defending their country against the inroads and depredations of those foreign interlopers who swarm'd like locusts from the barren hills of Loughaber in search of a better country, the Scotch-Presbyterians were no way behind hand with them, when without the least remorse, they murder'd 4,000 of the native Irish, men, women and children in the Isle Mc-Gee, much in the same manner their offspring murdered the Indians at Lancaster.

However glorious the Revolution might be, it is very certain the Presbyterians had no hand in it; for it is well known that when the English Church refus'd to comply with King James's dispensing power (for which seven of their Bishops were imprison'd, and one of their Universities ruin'd) the Presbyterians join'd with that weak, bigotted and tyrannical Prince, and thank'd his Majesty in many fulsome Addresses from all parts of the kingdom, for his goodness in overturning the constitution in favor of them and their dear Brethren the Catholics. Many of this same godly sect took commissions from James, and rais'd Regiments in order to oppose the Prince of Orange, but when the designs of our glorious Deliverer were attended with success, then indeed they turn'd tail upon their old master, and set up their pretensions for merit with the new King, who, being bred a Calvinist, establish'd their Religion in Scotland, and conferr'd many other acts of favor on them. All this, notwithstanding, cou'd not preserve his peace, or deter them from plotting against his Government and person; for altho' they valued the Man, yet they hated the King, being desirous of no King, but King Jesus. His

Contents of this annotation: