The Postscript By Another Author (1783 Edition).
THE POSTSCRIPT BY ANOTHER AUTHOR (1783 EDITION).
Christian Reader,
WHOSOEVER thou art, into whose hands these letters may come, in order to thine own establishment in the truth, and continuing in the faith of God's elect, grounded and settled, and that thou mayst not be moved away from the hope of the gospel, whereof thou hast heard, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, wherewith they ly in wait to deceive; thou art desired to take notice, to what dreadful and strong delusions, such who were ring-leaders in this separation, together with not a few of their followers (some I except, because God hath excepted them; and I pray, that he may still both except them, and let them see also the sin of what accession they had to this, which is so punished in others, while they are past by and preserved) have been left, and given up of God. Remember with fear and trembling, how the great God, who con-firmeth the word of his servants, and performeth the counsel of his messengers, hath fulfilled upon many of those, who fell off from, and forsook the communion of his church of Scotland, that which this great Seer (much upon his Master's secrets, because he had frequent access to lean his head upon his breast who came out of his Father's bosom) foresaw would follow upon this turning aside, and fall upon the head of such forsakers of a church, so often honoured by receiving signal testimonies of the great Bridegroom's love toward her, as his spouse, in rejoicing over her with singing, and so frequently helped to give him testimonies of her endeared affection to him, as her Head, Husband, supreme Lord and Governor. In this we may through grace humbly boast (nay, despise or envy who will, we cannot do less, without being guilty of the basest ingratitude) that we have not been inferior, (O blessed be his grace to whom we owe it! and it is for the commendation of his glorious goodness we mention it) whatever we were beyond them, to any church we know upon the earth. It is true, this succession seemed at the first but a small remove (O that there they had stopped their career, and stood without going forward, when it was downward) and in a matter wherein the great foundations of the gospel were not so immediately concerned, nor struck at; yet, after they