An Answer to the declaration of the pretended assembly at Dundee and to a printed paper intituled The protestation given in by the dissenting brethren to the General Assembly, July 21, 1652, reviewed and refuted &c., in which answer are set down ten steps of their defection who follow the way of publick resolutions : together with observations upon some of the acts of the p. assemblies at Dundee and Edinburgh and some papers concerning the endeavors of the protesters for union with their brethren who differ from them in judgement.

DEFENCE.

I Confesse it is to me matter of sorrow and astonishment to hear these words. Was not the purging of the Army from such of the Engagers as had not approven themselves in their repentance, a duty that all of us were solemnly engaged unto before the Lord? Had not the Generall Assemblies of this Kirk, and their Commissi∣ons before that time, given in above twenty severall Petitions, War∣nings and Remonstrances to the Parliament and Committee of E∣states for that end? Had they not issued Declarations and Warn∣ings to all the Land concerning the necessity of that duty, as we

desired to prosper and be blessed of God? And had not all the Congregation, of the Lande kept severall Fasts and Humiliatious by then appointment in order thereunto? Had not the Parliament and Committee of Estates made Acts, and appointed Commissions there-anent, and taken the persons to whom Commission was gi∣ven, solemnly engaged and swor•• to go faithfully about it, as they would be answerable unto God; and after all these things (in which many of the leading men of that Assembly at S. Andrews and Dun∣des were concurring and consenting) to hear the endeavours of purging of the Army, so reflected upon and spoken against; what is this but to proclaim against themselves, that either they did then dissemble, or else that now they are repenting of the thing which they did then concur in and were consenting to as a duty, but what ever be their thoughts of it, as these whom they now speak against did in the simplicity of their hearts then endeavour it, so do they still owne it as a duty, and are sorry to hear it otherwise spoken of, especially by these who professe love to Reformation. And I do as much wonder of that which they speak of the Kings Interest, see∣ing nothing was done in reference thereto, but the declaring of the due subordination thereof unto God's, and that they would not otherwise owne him and his quarrell, but in that subordination, and that they meaned to fight upon the same state of quarrell up∣on which they had done these twelve years past, which was not done by any particular persons or party, but jointly and unanimous∣ly both by the Committee of Estates, and Commission of the Kirk, none dissenting, and was homologated by the whole Officers of the Army in a supplication to the Committee of Estates, and so far as did then appear, generally followed in their stations and capacity. This, together with the leaving that Declaration of the Commissi∣on of the Kirk, anent the subordination of the Kings Interest, out of the Act of the Assembly at Dundee, which ratifieth the procee∣dings of the Commission, speaks what spirit stirred in the Assembly when these things were penned and approven; but (say they) under pretence of these things, courses were taken fordividing of the Army, and yet they do not tell what these courses were at that time, but labour to find the evidence of them in after actings, they did wisely to wrap up in generals, without condescending upon any particu∣lar, lest they should have therein been found out, but their generals are as easily denied, as affirmed. What is meaned by after-actings, re∣quireth

explication, and somewhat over: If he can make this much out of the actings at Hamilton, which were their rast field-actings. I shall wonder at his wit, to say nothing of his conscience. Who these faithfull ones to God and the King are, whose spirits they did so much labour to perplex and discourage, I do not know. I do as little know what were these untimous and dangerous motions, wherein such as were under suspition of too much affection to the Enemy, were humoured in, and yeelded unto. It may be remembred that as a great part of the Army was much weighted in their spi∣rits, with the carriage of these, especially some of chief note, who did obstruct the purging of the Army, and gave countenance and encouragement to such as were, or should have been removed out of the Army; so the whole Army Officers and Souldiers, and the Committee of Estates were much perplexed, discouraged, and dis-satisfied with the slackness, shiftings, and delayes, and soli∣tary counsels and courses of chief men in the Army, who had the leading of the Forces, and for most part did do therein, and dispose therof as seemed best to themselves, without taking much notice ei∣ther of the Committee of Estates or Officers of the Army; and none was more perplexed, discouraged, and dis-satisfied with this way, then some of these who had a chief hand in penning this Declara∣tion, in so much that having once spoken therein, they got so unsa∣tisfying an answer, that with much discontent they did declare, they meaned never to speak again in that matter. And it may be also remembred, that the untimous and dangerous motions of which they speak, were so far from being thought so when they were proponed, that it was the grief of many in the Army & Com∣mittee of Estates, yea and of Assembly-men too, who are supposed to be skilled in these things, that they were not entertained and hearkened unto, the truth is, never any motion of that kind made by any of these whom they call of suspected affection, from the day that our Army came together, untill the day that it was routed, was hearkened unto, unlesse they instance the in-fall at Musste∣burgh, but onely the half of that motion was followed for the Par∣ty which was appointed by the unanimous resolution of the Offi∣cers to make good their retreat, who made the in-fall, was not sent, which, whether it was faithfulnesse to God and the King, and to their Brethren, much of whose blood was shed, their own hearts who did it can best judge, as best knowing what were the induce∣ments

that moved them not to make the resolution of the Officers concerning the sending of that Party effectual. Other motions were made by these suspected men also, as to have fallen on at Goger and at Dumbar, to set behind the Enemy, and not before them, but were not hearkened to. It is well known who made the motion to draw the Army down the hill on Monday morning, and carried it by plurality of voices in a Co••ncell of War, which appoi••ted it to be put presently in execution; yet upon a new conceit, without ad∣vice of the Officers, he delayed all that day till five at night that it was dark, and then he brought it down, contrary to the advice of the Officers. I trust they will not deny that this was a dangerous motion, and they cannot say, that any of these suspected men had a hand therein. Concerning the last words of that second step, let it be this day examined and considered, what hath been the carriage of these suspected men, and of their unsuspected men the Malignant Party, and it will at least be found very evident, that this Reviewer his suspition is calculated to a wrong Meridian.