Page:To the ministers and elders met at Edinburgh, April 26, 1710.pdf/3

 And Pow'r wherewith the Church is veſted by The Church's Breaches to repair again,

We ſhould have been employed to Cement

That Fabrick, which Defections ſore had rent;

Inſtead of which 'twas baſely plaiſt'red over.

With fair pretexts, not to remove but cover

All the Defection, Blood-ſhed, Perjury

Enacted by Enormous Tyranny.

Yea ſuch was your reſpect, rather diſdain,

To Us, who had the Nations Glory been;

Leaſt Your new Structure ſhould participate

Of any thing which might to Us relate;

You chuſed rather to reject as Duſt,

And to conſign to everlaſting Ruſt,

Theſe worthy Acts, which did corroborate,

And Us to Our juſt greatneſs elevate;

Than to controll the Arrogating Pow'rs,

Which o're Chriſt's Church ſeek to erect the Tow'rs

Of an unlimited Supremacy.

Fve [sic] five of the Churches Liberty;

And that you might their Humours gratifie,

Thereby t' obtain Peace and Proſperitie,

A temporary, Earthly, fading thing,

Which ſeldom doth true ſatisfaction bring

Unto the Soul as its Concomitant,

Being that it is the Glory of a Saint

To bear his Croſs and imitate his Maſter,

Who when on Earth was ſubject to Diſaſter,

To ſufferings great, and maniefold Afflictions,

And to the worſt of ſinners Contradictions:

But you contrarie ways, to purchaſe eaſe,

And Worldly wealth, or out of Cowardice,

A Puſillanimous unmanly Paſſion

Converſant more with Fear than ſolid Reaſon,

Have contrare to the Duty which doth ly, Rh