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⟨ſolemn⟩ league and covenant betwixt the three kingdoms of Scotland, England, and Ireland; theſe ſacred ⟨ſolemn⟩, public oaths of God, I believe can be looſed, nor {{reconstruct|deſpenſed with, by no perſon, nor party, or power upon earth; but are ſtill binding upon theſe kingdoms, and ſtill be for ever hereafter; and are ratified and ſealed by the converſion of many thouſand ſouls, ſince our ⟨entering⟩ thereinto. I bear my witneſs to the proteſtation againſt the contraverted aſſemblies, and the ⟨public⟩ reſolution to the teſtimonies given againſt the ⟨ſecratries⟩, againſt the courſe of backſliding and defection that is now on foot in the land, and all the branches and parts thereof, under whatſoever name or nation, acted by whatſoever party or perſon. And in the ⟨firſt⟩ place, I bear my witneſs to the croſs of Jeſus Chriſt and that I never had cauſe, nor have cauſe this day to ⟨repent⟩, becauſe of any thing I have ſuffered, or can now ſuffer for his name: I take God to record upon my ſoul, I would not exchange this ſcaffold with the palace or mitre of the greateſt prelate in Britain. Bleſſed be God, who hath ſhewed mercy to ſuch a wretch, and hath revealed his ſon in me, and hath made me a miniſter of the everlaſting goſpel, and that he hath deigned in the midſt of much contradiction, from Satan and the world, to feel my miniſtry upon the hearts of not a few of his people, and eſpecially in the ſtation wherein I was laſt, I mean the congregation and preſbytery of Stirling; and I hope the Lord will viſit that congregation and preſbytery once more with faithful paſtors. God forgive the poor empty man, that did there intrude upon my labours, and hath made a prey of many poor ſouls, and expoſed others to reproach and oppreſſion, and a famine of the word of the Lord. God forgive the miſleaders of that part of the poor people who temped them to reject their own paſtor, and to (illegible text)mit of intruders, and the Father of mercies pity that poor miſled people and the Lord viſit the congregation and preſbytery of Stirling once more with faithful paſ-
