sed therein. And it is certain, that when the fall of Adam commenced, if no mediator had been pro vided nor intervened, the world, and all nature, now wholly corrupted, had been destroyed, by vir tue of the threatening for the breach of the first covenant; but the second covenant taking place, which is of grace in the hand of Christ the mediator between God and man; and therefore it follows, that the world subsists, and is sustained, by grace, and is governed by the grace of his Providence; and the angels that stood, are confirmed by grace, and all that we receive, or enjoy, or are promised to be possessed of, is of grace; and therefore the holy ordinance of magistracy is founded on grace, (and not on corrupt nature) external grace we mean, viz. Scripture qualifications, plainly expressed in the word of God, as well as the institution, as said is; and it is strange, that the mediator God, man should be appointed to judge the world, and yet have no concern to rule and govern the same, as these sectaries dream. But we aver, with Prov. chap. viii., and many other Scriptures, that our exalted Prince and Saviour, is head over all principalities and powers, as well as of the church; and is king of nations, as well as king of saints, and is king of kings, and lord of lords, as well as king in Zion, and hath the government upon his shoulders, and all power in heaven and in earth is committed to him, even because he is the Son of Man, and is God equal with the Father in power and glory. Now, to close up all, we would counsel and advise you, both parties of malignants, to lay aside your prejudice and malice against

the cause and people of God; and you old malignants, lay aside your idol of hereditary right, which is the ground and basis of all tyranny. And you revolution malignants, lay aside your parliament right, which is built upon usurpation and oppression, and take on both of you with Scripture right, which only is permanent, and will abide test and trial in the day of accounts; and your repentance and reformation, we invite you both to join issue and interest, heart and hand with us, to erect and set up, maintain and defend, a pure, holy, Christian, Protestant, Presbyterian magistracy, who will be a terror and punisher of evil-doers, and a supporter and encourager of those that do well; but if any, or both of you, should disdain or reject this good counsel, (as we fear ye will) then be it known unto you, that it will be bitterness in the latter end to you all, and your enterprises shall not prosper, so as to bring peace to these lands, or to your own consciences in a dying hour; and the cause and course that you. both maintain and carry on, with so high a hand at present, will be found to be fighting against God, kicking against the pricks, and running upon the thick bosses of his buckler, which will certainly procure the heavy wrath of the everlasting God upon your persons, families, and estates, and that speedily, except ye repent.

We shall make one brief observation more, which is obvious to all that will see, that since the pretended deliverance from the Highland army, and the expected reformation that was to follow thereupon, the quite contrary appears; for all manner of sin, iniquity, and abominations, are ten times in

creased, and on the growing hand; the hellish Pagan juggler plays, are set up and frequented with more impudence and audacity than ever, although near twelve months before, they durst not one of them be seen here; and more contempt of God, and blaspheming his holy name, more boasting and Jeaning to the arm of flesh; and more numerous, open, and bare-faced, are bawdy-houses kept and haunted, without controul or punishment, than ever before; and more security, pride, and cruelty, inhumanity, and lying, and flattering, than before; and add to all these wickednesses, besides the robbing, stealing, plundering, butchering, and blaspheming of the red-coat army already mentioned, their polluting and defiling the whole land wherever they come, with their abominable whoredoms, and other uncleannesses, by not only enticing maids and matrons to their cursed lust, but committing by force, horrible rapes upon many women through the land, and some dying amongst their hands, and others expiring soon after the abuse they receive, and others lose their wits and senses: for grief and horror of the injury done to them; and all this, and many more unparalelled abomi. nations are committed by these monsters of men the red-coats, and that without any check, controul, or punishment; these are the fruits of our boasted of deliverance, which cannot but fill up the measure of our cup, and provoke an angry God to hasten his righteous judgements, that whosoever heareth it, both his ears shall tingle.

JOHN HALDANE.

JOHN LESLIE.

[The following Account of Scotland is a specimen of the manner how our southern neighbours described the country and its inhabitants 200 years ago; it was written upon an occasion similar to the present, when James VI. was on a visit to his native country. It is said in the title to be the production of James Howel, Gent., but in reality was written by Anthony Weldon, author of "The Court and Charac ter of King James."]

A.

PERFECT DESCRIPTION

OF THE

PEOPLE AND COUNTRY

SCOTLAND..

Having had the fortune (honour I will not say), to be employed in weighty affairs of the public, between this my native kingdom of England, and

the neighbour kingdom of Scotland; and collecting, from time to time, with the greatest industry I could, the several most material passages observable, during the time of my sad employment; at last, seeing no end of the case I undertook, I com-posed myself to a retired life, and began to reflect upon the diary of my last five years action, which now seems to me as one in a continued trance, and often brings to my mind that of the psalmist, "Man walketh in a vain shadow, and disquieteth himself in vain." And now, as the stopping. of me in that career, was a sign of God's special favour unto me, so I now publish this relation in testimony of my thankfulness and repentance.

First, for the country, I must confess it is good for those that possess it, and too bad for others to be at the charge to conquer it. The air might be wholesome, but for the stinking people that inhabit it. The ground might be fruitful, had they wit to manure it.

Thr beasts are generally small, women only excepted; of which sort there are none greater in the whole world. There is great store of fowl too, as foul houses, foul sheets, foul linen, foul dishes and pots, foul trenchers and napkins; with which sort, we have been forced to say, as the children did with their fowl in the wilderness. They have good store of fish too, and good for those that can eat it raw, but if it once come into their hands, it is worse than if it were three days old. For their butter and cheese, I