were principally instigated by that arch-apostate Sharp; though a bad preparative for his exit out of this world, which soon came to pass, anno 1679, in the dispensation of adorable providence and righteous judgment of God, executed upon such a notorious traitor, who, having first betrayed the church, and all along deeply imbrued his hands in the blood of GOD’S saints and servants; had blood given him to drink because he was worthy.

8.  That the land might be more deeply soaked with blood, and made more heavily to groan under the inhabitants thereof, “Who had transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant;” that the scene of cruel suffering might be more widely opened, and the bloody tragedy more effectually acted; the primate’s death must now be added to the other pretended crimes of the sufferers.  Many were terribly harrassed on that account, who were no ways concerned in the action; and some were cruelly tortured and butchered by them for the same cause, though innocent thereof (for none of the actors did ever fall into their hands).  These enemies were hereby rendered more rude, barbarous and hard-hearted to all the sufferers who afterward fell into their hands, and breathed out threatenings and slaughter against the whole body of the persecuted Presbyterians through the nation.  All this, however, did not dispirit these zealous witnesses, or discourage them from attending to their work and duty; for we find them on the 29th of May, 1679, publishing their testimony at Rutherglen, against the wicked anniversary, on the same day appointed by the court for its celebration, and against all that had been done publicly by these enemies of CHRIST for the overthrow of his work and interest in the lands.  They likewise committed their acts rescissory, supremacy, act restoring abjured Prelacy, act of Glasgow, 1662, the presumptuous act for appointing May 29th for an unholy anniversary, indulgences, &c., all to the flames, their just desert, in retaliation of the impious treatment given unto our solemn and sacred covenants, and other good and laudable acts and laws for reformation, by their sacrilegious enemies in sundry cities of these covenanted kingdoms.  And so, after extinguishing the bonfires, a part of the unholy solemnity of the enemies’ anniversary day, and concluding what they had done with prayer and praise, as they had begun (Mr. Douglas, one of their ministers being along with them), they withdrew.  This Christian valor was followed with the LORD’S appearance for them, in a remarkable manner, on the following Sabbath at Drumclog near Lowdonhill, where being attacked by Claverhouse, when attending on public worship, they completely routed him and his troops, rescued Mr. John King, and a number of other prisoners, whom Claverhouse had seized that morning, from their hands.  Afterward they declared the grounds and causes of their present defensive