,,act1 ,,declaration1    ,,and          
,,testimony1    ,,for ,,the    ,,whole  
,,of ,,our ,,covenanted ,,reformation1  
,,as ,,attained  ,,to1 ,,and            
,,established ,,in ,,britain ,,and      
,,ireland2  ,,particularly ,,betwixt    
,,the ,,years #afch  ,,and #afdi1       
,,inclusive4    ,,as1 ,,also1           
,,against ,,all ,,the ,,steps ,,of      
,,defection ,,from ,,said ,,reformation1
 ,,whether ,,in  ,,former ,,or ,,later  
,,times1 ,,since ,,the ,,overthrow ,,of 
,,that  ,,glorious ,,work1 ,,down ,,to  
,,this ,,present ,,day3    ,,by ,,the   
,,reformed ,,presbytery4           99   
99       99       99       99    ,,psalm
 ,,ix1 #d4--,thou hast given a banner to
 them that fear thee3 that it  may be   
displayed because of the truth4         
,,isaiah ,,viii1 #af4--;,bind up the    
testimony1 seal the law among my        
disciples4    ,,jude1 verse #c4--,that  
ye should earnestly contend for the     
faith which was  once delivered to the  
saints4    ,,revelation ,,iii1          

#aa4--;,behold1 ,i come quickly3 hold   
that fast which thou  hast1 that no man 
take thy crown4           99       99   
99       99       99    ,,to ,,which    
,,is ,,now ,,added1    ,a ,,historical  
,,and ,,declaratory ,,supplement4       
#ahej4          ,,introduction4         
,the ,presbytery1 soon after their      
erection1 being convinced of the        
expediency and necessity of emitting a  
judicial testimony1 to discover  to the 
world the principles upon which1 as a   
judicatory of the ,lord  ,jesus ,christ1
 they stood1 in opposition to the       
different1 so called1  judicatories in  
the land2 together with the             
agreeableness of these  principles to   
the ,word of ,god1 the only rule of     
faith and practice1 and  to the         
covenanted constitution of the church of
 ,scotland in her purest  periods2 did  
therefore1 after a proposal for said    
effect1 agree in  appointing one of     
their number to prepare a draft of this 
kind to be  laid before them1 who1 after

 sundry delays1 to their grief of mind1 
at  once cut off their hopes of all     
assistance from him1 in that or any     
other particular1 by laying himself     
obnoxious to the censures of the        
church2 which the presbytery1 in duty   
both to him1 to ,god1 and to his        
people1 were obliged to put in execution
 against him1 while he1 in  contempt of 
that ordinance1 and other means used for
 his conviction and  recovery1          
obstinately persists in his impenitency 
and defection4 ,and  although the       
presbytery1 few in number1 were thus    
diminished1 yet1 being  still resolved  
to prosecute their former design1 they  
renewed their  appointment upon another 
brother1 who1 in consequence of his     
undertaking1 was allowed a cessation    
from his other public work1 in  order to
 expedite the proposed draft3 and now1  
when nothing was expected  that should  
retard the finishing of such a necessary
 work1 the  lamentable fire of division1
 that had long been smothered1 unhappily

  broke forth into a violent flame1     
whereby the presbytery was rent         
asunder1 and that brother1 on whom the  
appointment was formerly laid1          
happening to be of the separating party1
 a second stop was not only put  to the 
publication of this testimony1 but the  
presbytery1 from the  absence of a      
brother removed to a distant part of the
 world1 together  with the paucity of   
their number1 were almost wholly        
discouraged from  attempting again what 
they had been oftener than once         
disappointed in4    ,but notwithstanding
 of the above1 with many other          
difficulties which we  shall not at     
present take notice of1 the presbytery1 
still considering1  that1 even in their 
present circumstances1 when their number
 is few and  despicable1 their          
adversaries many1 and such as are in    
repute in the  world1 whereby the       
opposition made to them1 and the        
conspiracy formed  against the          
covenanted testimony of the church of   

,scotland maintained by  them1 must     
needs be strong2 there is yet a gracious
 door of opportunity  left open for them
 to attempt1 in their judicative        
capacity1 the  prosecution and          
accomplishment of the necessary work    
formerly proposed2  and which they could
 not but judge the ,lord still called   
them unto1  while after all the         
above-mentioned breaches made upon them1
 he still  continued to give them a nail
 in his holy place1 and a wall in ,judah
 and  ,jerusalem1 ,ezra ix1 #h1 #i1 they
 therefore again laid their appointments
  upon some others to prepare a draft of
 ,an ,act1 ,declaration1 and            
,testimony1 c41 and which1 under the    
favor of ,divine ,providence1 has at    
length been finished and laid before the
 presbytery4 ,we only need to  observe  
further with reference to this1 that the
 long delay of what is  now agreed upon 
did not proceed from any design in the  
presbytery1 of  depriving either the    
people of their particular inspection1  

or the  generation1 of any benefit that 
might be obtained by a work of this     
nature1 but partly from the fewness of  
their number1 and great extent of  their
 charge1 and partly from the great      
distance of members' residence  from    
each other1 whereby they can seldom have
 access to meet all  together1 for      
expediting this or any other work of    
public concern they  have in hand4      
,it is1 therefore1 with an eye to the   
,wonderful ,counselor 7when ,zion's     
faithful counselors are so few7 for     
light and direction in the  management  
of this great and important work1 that  
the presbytery have  resolved upon the  
publication hereof at this time1 for the
 reasons which  follow3    #a4 ,because 
this duty of bearing witness for truth1 
and declaring against  all error1 and   
defection from it1 and transmitting the 
same uncorrupted  to posterity1 is      
expressly enjoined on the church by the 
,spirit of ,god  in the ,scriptures of  
truth4 ,psal4 lxxviii1 #e3 ,for he hath 

established  a testimony in ,jacob1 and 
appointed a law in ,israel1 which he    
commanded  our fathers that they should 
make them known to their children4      
,isaiah xliii1 #aj3 ,ye are my          
witnesses1 saith the ,lord4 ,matth4 x1  
#cb3 ,whosoever1 therefore1 shall       
confess me before men1 him will ,i also 
confess before my ,father who is in     
heaven4 ,john xv4 #bg3 ,ye also  shall  
bear witness4 ,acts i1 #h3 ,and ye shall
 be witnesses unto me4    #b4 ,because1 
in agreeableness to the above scripture 
warrant1 it has been  the constant      
practice of the church in all ages1 when
 in such capacity1  judicially to       
assert1 and declare their approbation of
 the truths of the  everlasting gospel1 
and attainments of the church1 joined   
with the  condemnation of all contrary  
error1 as appears from their harmonious 
confessions3 and particularly1 this has 
been the honorable practice of  the once
 famous church of ,scotland1 witness her
 excellent confessions1  covenants1 c41 

whose posterity we are1 and1 therefore1 
in duty bound to  homologate1 and       
approve her scriptural form and order1  
by a judicial  asserting of her         
attainments1 as saith the apostle1      
,philip4 iii1 #af3  ,nevertheless       
whereunto we have already attained1 let 
us walk by the  same rule1 let us mind  
the same thing4 ,rev4 iii1 #c3          
,remember1  therefore1 how thou has     
received1 and heard1 and hold fast1 and 
repent4    #c4 ,that1 notwithstanding   
many1 both ministers and private        
,christians1  have been honored         
faithfully to publish their testimonies 
and  declarations1 and to seal them with
 their blood1 in opposition to the      
growing defections in the land1 being   
through the tyranny of the times        
prevented from acting in any other      
capacity3 yet never1 since the  national
 overthrow of the glorious structure of 
reformation1 has any  church judicatory2
 constituted purely on the footing of   
our covenanted  establishment1 appeared 

in a judicial vindication of our        
,redeemer's  interest and injured       
rights4    #d4 ,the unspeakable loss    
sustained by the present generation1    
through the  want of a full and faithful
 declaration of the covenanted          
principles of  the church of ,scotland1 
which they in the loins of their        
ancestors were  so solemnly engaged to  
maintain2 whereby1 as ignorance must be 
increased1 so prejudices are also       
gradually begotten in their winds       
against the truth in the purity thereof4
 ,and this1 through the many  mistaken  
notions at present prevailing among the 
different contending  parties of        
professors in these nations1 concerning 
the distinct  ordinances of divine      
institution1 viz41 the ministry and     
magistracy1 or  ecclesiastical and civil
 government2 and1 more especially1 the  
presbytery reckon themselves1 and all   
professing their allegiance unto        
,christ and his cause1 obliged to       
maintain the testimony of our ancestors 

for the divine institution and right    
constitution of civil government1       
according to the law of ,god1 as what   
they found to be1 and still is1         
indispensably necessary for the outward 
defense and preservation of             
righteousness and true religion2 and    
because the very foundation and  ends of
 this ordinance have been doctrinally   
subverted1 and the  generation taught   
the most licentious principles          
concerning it1 by a  body of professed  
witnesses among ourselves3 and this they
 design to do1  without 7as they are    
slanderously reported of by some7 laying
 aside  themselves1 or withdrawing      
others1 from the study of internal and  
habitual or practical holiness4    #e4  
,to wipe off the reproach of that odium 
cast upon the presbytery and  community 
belonging thereto1 by some who          
invidiously call them a  headless mob1  
whose principles cannot be known1       
anti-government men1 men  of bloody     
principles1 c41 than which nothing can  

be more unjust3  seeing1 as a body      
distinct from all others1 they have     
still stood upon  the footing of the    
covenanted establishment1 as has been   
frequently  declared to the world1 and  
as the constitution of the presbytery   
bears2  so that they can no more be said
 ever to have wanted a proper testimony 
exhibiting their principles to the      
world1 than the reformed church of      
,scotland1 whereof they are a part4     
#f4 ,the present broken and divided     
situation of the members of ,,christ',s 
mystical body1 together with the        
abounding of error1 seems necessarily   
to require it as a proper mean1 under   
the divine blessing1 for gathering      
again the scattered flock of ,christ1   
the chief shepherd1 to the one          
sheepfold1 and putting a stop to the    
current of prevailing apostasy and      
defection4    ,for these reasons 7with  
more that might be adduced7 the         
presbytery find  themselves in duty     
bound1 to ,god1 the present and         

succeeding  generations1 to throw in    
their small mite of a testimony1 against
 the  manifold avowed backslidings and  
defections of all degrees of men1 both  
in the former and present times1 from   
the precious truths of ,christ1 and     
purity of his ordinances2 unto the      
maintenance whereof1 not only they1  but
 all in these lands1 are solemnly bound 
by covenant engagements4    ,and1 to    
conclude1 let none mistake the          
presbytery's aim and intention1  in the 
whole or any part of the following      
testimony1 as if they minded  nothing   
else but magistracy1 c41 and that to    
have civil government1 and  governors   
established1 according to the rule of   
,god's word1 was all the  religion they 
intended1 without regarding or opposing 
any other of the  prevailing evils and  
iniquities of the present time4 ,so some
 are pleased  to allege1 as has been    
hinted above2 but such might do well to 
consider1  that1 as the sovereign and   
distinguishing goodness of ,god is      

clearly  evidenced in giving his        
statutes and judgments unto his ,israel1
 in all  ages1 while he has not dealt so
 with the other nations of the world1   
wherein his will is manifestly revealed1
 determining his people's duty  in all  
their regulations2 so his glory is      
equally concerned1 that they  receive1  
observe1 keep pure and entire1 all the  
ordinances he hath  appointed in his    
word4 ,the sinful prostitution of any of
 these1 or  breaking over the boundaries
 which ,jehovah hath set is an evident  
contempt of his sovereign authority1 and
 violation of the moral law4 ,god       
requires of his people an universal     
respect to all his ordinances and       
commandments4 ,hence what is designed by
 them in this undertaking1 is  equally  
to testify their adherence unto1 and    
approbation of the  doctrine1 worship1  
discipline and government of the house  
of ,god2 and to  signify their          
opposition to1 and dissatisfaction with1
 all the  apostatizing1 backsliding     

courses in principle and practice1 from 
that  reformation purity1 both in church
 and state 7which1 as the attainment  of
 the nations of ,britain and ,ireland1  
was by them accounted their chief       
ornament and glory71 that have taken    
place1 especially in this kingdom1      
since our woful decline commenced3      
whereby the witnesses for ,scotland's   
covenanted reformation1 have been       
deprived of any legal benefit1 as  well1
 since as before the late revolution2 in
 which the reformation1  neither in     
civil nor ecclesiastical constitutions1 
was adopted4 ,the  intent1 therefore1 of
 this work is of very great importance2 
no less  being proposed1 than the right 
stating of the testimony for the        
covenanted interest of ,christ in these 
lands1 and judicial vindication  of all 
the heads thereof1 after such a long and
 universal apostasy  therefrom3 a work  
that must needs be attended with great  
difficulties1  and labor under manifold 
disadvantages1 as in other respects1 so 

particularly from the consideration of  
the temper of this age1 wherein  nothing
 almost is pleasing1 but what is adapted
 to the taste1 not of the  best1 but of 
the greatest3 and naked truth without   
the varnish of  flattery1 and painting  
of carnal policy1 is generally treated  
with  contempt1 and exposed to ridicule4
 ,and therefore1 to remove as much as   
possible the prejudice of a critical    
age1 who are ready to reject every      
thing as new1 which is in some respects 
singular1 and not suited to  their      
favorite sentiments2 the presbytery have
 endeavored1 in this work1  to conform1 
as much as possible1 to the faithful    
contendings of former  honest contenders
 for the truths and testimony of        
,,jesus1 and that1 both  as to matter   
and manner3 and as the grounds of this  
testimony are not  any needless         
scrupulosities1 or strange novelties1   
but precious and  weighty truths1 of the
 greatest value and importance1 and of  
nearest  affinity unto the continued    

series and succession of the testimonies
 of  the church of ,scotland1 in former 
and more ancient periods2 so it is the  
presbytery's ambition1 that nothing1 as 
to the subject matter of what is  here  
contained1 be looked upon as theirs1 but
 may be regarded as an  ancient plea1   
wherein is nothing but what has been    
maintained and  confirmed by authors of 
the greatest fame and reputation in the 
church2  has been asserted by the       
greatest confessors1 and sealed by the  
best  blood of the honored and faithful 
martyrs of ,jesus3 so that it may       
appear1 the cause and truths here       
judicially stated and vindicated1 are   
not of yesterday's date1 but the same   
old paths and good way1 that we  are    
commanded to ask for1 and walk in1      
though paths that are not now  much     
trodden1 a way that is not much paved by
 the multitude of  professors walking   
therein4          ,,act1 ,,declaration1 
,,and ,,testimony4    ,,part ,i4        
,containing a brief historical narration

 of the several periods of the          
,testimony of the ,church of ,scotland1 
and of the faithful contendings of  the 
witnesses for ,christ1 particularly from
 the commencement of the  ,reformation  
in these lands1 down to the late        
,revolution2 with the  ,presbytery's    
approbation thereof4                    
,,ploughlandhead1 ,,june #f1 #agfa4     
,the which day and place1 the ,reformed 
,presbytery being met1 and taking  into 
their most serious consideration1 the   
deplorable situation of the  interest of
 ,christ and religion at present1 in    
these sinning lands  wherein so few are 
asking for the old path1 saying1 ,where 
is the good  way1 that we may walk      
therein8 but1 on the contrary1 an avowed
 apostasy  and backsliding from the     
right ways of the ,lord1 is by the      
generality  carried on1 with a secret   
undermining of reformation interests1 by
 some1  under more specious pretenses2  
and1 further1 considering the general   
deluge of error and heresy1 that has    

overrun these lands1 and the swarm  of  
erroneous heretics that has overspread  
the same1 making very impious  attacks  
upon the most part of revealed religion1
 who1 notwithstanding1  have found such 
shelter under the wings of a ,laodicean 
church1 and  almost boundless state     
toleration1 that they walk on without   
fear in the  foresaid broad way of sin  
and error4 ,and1 moreover1 all kinds of 
sin and  wickedness so universally      
abound and pass1 without any suitable   
check1  that he who departs from        
iniquity maketh himself a prey2 together
 with  the woful insensibility1 and deep
 security of all1 under our spiritual   
plagues and impending temporal strokes4 
,and yet1 while the land so  evidently  
groans under its inhabitants1 very few  
either acknowledge  themselves guilty1  
or turn from the evil of their ways1    
saying1 ,what  have we done8 ,also1     
considering the horrid breach and       
contempt of sacred  vows unto the ,most 
,high1 the great effusion of the saints'

 blood1 shed  in our late persecution   
under prelacy 7which is yet to be found 
in our  skirts71 and the faithful       
testimony they therewith sealed1 remains
  buried under the gravestones1 both of 
ecclesiastical and civil deeds of       
constitution1 unto this day4 ,so that we
 may rather admire1 that the ,lord  hath
 not made such inquisition for blood1 as
 to make our land an  aceldama1 than    
that we are yet under a dispensation of 
divine  forbearance4 ,all which is      
followed with a deep oblivion of most or
 all  of the memorable instances of the 
,lord's goodness1 mercy and power1      
manifested unto his church1 in these    
lands2 the remembrance whereof  ought   
still to be retained1 and the same      
acknowledged with thankfulness1  by all 
the children of ,zion1 unto the latest  
ages4    ,wherefore the presbytery1     
amidst their many difficulties1 partly  
noticed  in the introduction1 as a court
 of the true ,presbyterian ,covenanted  
,church of ,,christ in ,scotland1       

constituted in the name of the ,,lord   
,,jesus  ,,christ1 the alone ,,king and 
,,head of his church1 judicially to     
commemorate3 ,likeas1 they did1 and     
hereby do acknowledge1 with the  utmost 
gratitude1 the great goodness and tender
 mercy of our ,god unto  our church and 
land2 who1 in consequence of that early 
new covenant  grant1 made by ,,jehovah  
to his eternal ,,son1 to give him the   
heathen for  his inheritance and the    
uttermost parts of the earth for his    
possession1  caused the day spring from 
on high to visit us4 ,our glorious      
,redeemer1  that bright and morning     
,star1 having1 by his almighty power1   
shaken oft  the fetters of death1       
wherewith it was impossible that he     
could be held1  and1 as a victorious    
conqueror1 leading captivity captive1   
ascended into  the highest heavens1 and 
there sat down on the right hand of     
,god1 did  very soon discover his       
cordial acceptance of1 and superlative  
delight  in1 possessing his ,father's   

extensive grant1 by stretching forth the
  lines of his large and great dominion 
unto the distant nations of the  world1 
involved in the thickest darkness of    
stupidity and idolatry2 and1  in a      
particular manner1 did1 as the glorious 
sun of righteousness1  graciously       
illuminate this remote and barbarous    
isle1 causing the  refulgent beams of   
gospel light to dissipate the gross     
darkness that1  covered the people1     
which prevailed so far 7according to    
very authentic  historical accounts71   
that1 about the beginning of the third  
century1  those of the highest dignity  
in the nation1 voluntarily enlisted     
themselves under the displayed banner of
 ,,christ1 the captain of  salvation1   
and became nursing fathers and nursing  
mothers to his church1  employing their 
power to root out ,pagan idolatry1 and  
bring their  subjects under the peaceful
 scepter of the ,,son of ,,god4 ,this   
plant of  ,christianity having once     
taken root1 did1 under all the          

vicissitudes of  divine providence1 grow
 up unto a spreading vine1 which filled 
the land1  and continued to flourish1   
without being pressed down with the     
intolerable burden of prelatical or     
popish superstition3 the truths and     
institutions of the gospel being        
faithfully propagated and maintained in 
their native purity and simplicity by   
the ,culdees some hundreds of years     
before ever that man of sin and son of  
perdition1 by the door of  prelacy1     
stepped into the temple of ,god in      
,scotland4 ,those early  witnesses for  
,,christ1 having no other ambition but  
that of advancing  piety and the        
doctrines which were according to       
godliness1 were  therefore called       
,culdees1 that is1 ,cultores ,dei1 or   
worshipers of  ,god4 ,the doctrine1     
worship1 discipline1 and government of  
the house of  ,,god being thus          
established1 continued for many years1  
taught and  exorcised1 according to     
divine institution4 ,but1 in process of 

time1 the  ,church of ,,christ in this  
land came to be assaulted with the      
corruptions  of the see of ,rome1 by    
means of ,palladius1 the ,pope's        
missionary to the  ,britons1 who made   
the first attempt to bring our fathers' 
necks under  the anti-christian yoke1   
which gradually increasing by little and
  little1 clouded the sunshine of       
prosperity the church then enjoyed1 till
  about the eleventh century1 when the  
,romish fraternity fully established    
themselves1 by usurping a diocesan      
supremacy over the house of ,god2  after
 which a midnight darkness of popish    
error and idolatry overwhelmed  the     
nation1 for near the space of five      
hundred years4 ,yet1 even in this  very 
dark period1 the ,,lord left not himself
 altogether without some to  bear       
witness for him1 whose steadfastness in 
defense of the truth1 even  unto death1 
vanquished the inhuman cruelty of their 
savage enemies4 ,the  honor of the      
church's exalted ,head being still      

engaged to maintain the  right of       
conquest he had obtained over this      
remote isle1 and raise up  his work out 
of the ruins1 under which it had lain so
 long buried2 he1  about the beginning  
of the #aeth century1 animated some     
valiant champions  7,messrs4 ,hamilton1 
,wishart1 and others7 with a spirit of  
truth and  heroic courage1 to contend   
against the abominations of the         
,babylonish  whore1 whose labors1 by the
 blessing of ,heaven1 were rendered     
successful1 to open the eyes of some to 
see1 and engage many others to  inquire 
after1 and espouse the truth as it is in
 ,,jesus4 ,these1 not  regarding the    
fear of man1 nor the cruelty of their   
enemies1 but as good  soldiers of       
,,jesus ,,christ1 enduring hardness1    
chose1 rather than desert  their        
,master's cause1 to offer their bodies  
to be devoured by the  tormenting       
flames1 no more merciless than their    
hellish persecutors2  while in that     
fiery chariot1 through the serial       

regions1 their souls  ascended to the   
celestial country4 ,and herein1 also1   
did ,,god frustrate  the expectation of 
that monster of iniquity1 ,cardinal     
,beaton 7whose  memory let it for ever  
perish71 and his wicked accomplices1 and
 turned  their counsel into foolishness1
 who1 by the death of a few zealous     
contenders for the faith1 intended the  
total suppression of ,,christ',s  truth 
for ever2 but ,,god having purposed the 
contrary1 made the effusion  of their   
blood the occasion of rousing many from 
the deep sleep of gross  ignorance1 by  
putting them to search into the truth of
 those doctrines1  which these martyrs  
sealed with their blood2 so that ,,jesus
 ,,christ1 the  only true light in the  
orb of the gospel1 began again to shine 
forth  within this realm4    ,upon this 
begun revival of reformation1 the glory 
of the ,,lord went  remarkably before   
his people1 and the ,,god of ,israel was
 their reward1  uniting the hearts1 and 
strengthening the hands1 both of noble  

and  ignoble1 to a vigorous and active  
espousing of his gospel1 and concerns   
of his glory1 in opposition to the      
tyranny of the lordly bishops1          
persecuting rage1 and masked treachery  
of the two bloody ,marys1 the  mother   
and daughter1 who then successively     
governed1 or rather  tyrannized1 in     
,scotland4 ,their number1 as well as    
their zealous spirit1  still increasing1
 they1 for the more effectual management
 of this noble  enterprise1 entered into
 covenants to advance that begun work of
  reformation1 and to defend the same   
and one another in the maintenance      
thereof1 against all opposition         
whatsoever4 ,several such covenants our 
early reformers solemnly entered into at
 ,edinburgh1 ,perth and ,leith1 in  the 
years #aeeg1 '#ei1 '#fj and '#fb4 ,in   
#aefj1 the ,confession of the ,faith1   
and doctrine believed and professed by  
the ,protestants within1 the realm  of  
,scotland1 was compiled and civilly     
ratified1 or allowed of1 in free  and   

open parliament1 afterward sworn to in  
the ,national ,covenant annis  #aehj1   
#aeha and #aeij4 ,at the same time1 some
 other acts were passed1 in  favor of   
reformation2 one against the mass and   
abuse of the sacraments2  another1      
abolishing the ,pope's jurisdiction and 
authority with this  realm1 c4 ,in the  
above mentioned year #aefj1 the first   
book of policy  and discipline1         
containing the form and order of        
presbyterial church  government1 was    
composed1 approven and subscribed by the
 ministry1 and a  great part of the     
nobility4 ,thus1 by the wisdom and power
 of ,,god1 who  takes the wise in their 
own craftiness1 by means1 especially1 of
 the  indefatigable labors of the       
renowned ,mr4 ,,knox 7whose memory is   
still  savory in the churches71 was this
 surprising work of reformation         
advanced1 until it obtained the         
authority of a law2 whereby1 was not    
only the presbyterian protestant        
interest ratified1 but anti-christian   

supremacy and superstition abolished4   
,the church1 gradually increasing in    
beauty and perfection1 did1 with  much  
painfulness and faithful diligence1     
labor after a more full  establishment  
of the house of ,,god1 in all its       
privileges1 until1 by  perfecting the   
second book of discipline1 they         
completed the exact model  of           
presbytery1 which1 though they had      
enjoyed national assemblies for a       
considerable time1 yet was not brought  
to such an entire conformity to  the    
divine pattern1 nor so generally        
acquiesced in until now1 that it  was   
unanimously approven by the assembly    
#aeij1 and particularly enjoined  to be 
subscribed by all who did bear office in
 the church2 and1 at last1  they        
prevailed to get it publicly voted and  
approven in parliament1  ,june1 #aeib2  
and also at the same time1 obtained by  
act of parliament1  the ratification of 
all the privileges and liberties of the 
church1 in  her assemblies1 synods1     

presbyteries1 c4    ,and here we may    
observe1 that while this church and     
nation contended for  the obtaining of a
 legal establishment of the             
ecclesiastical polity1  they were no    
less concerned to have that other       
distinct ordinance of  ,,god1 civil     
magistracy1 unalterably settled1 in     
agreeableness to the rule  of ,,god',s  
word4 ,this appears1 not only by their  
earnest contendings  against the abuse  
of that ordinance among them2 but also1 
by the public  acts of parliament1      
obliging prince and people to be of one 
perfect  religion1 and wholly           
incapacitating all persons1 for bearing 
any office1  supreme or subordinate1 who
 refused1 by their solemn oath1 to      
approve  of1 and1 to the utmost of their
 power1 engage to defend the true       
religion1 as contained in the word of   
,,god1 and confession of faith  founded 
thereon1 then believed1 and publicly    
professed within the realm1  ratified   
and generally sworn to in the ,national 

,covenant1 during the  whole course of  
their lives1 in all their civil         
administrations4 ,see  ,acts ,parl4     
#ast1 ,james ,,vi1 #aefg4    ,thus the  
hand of ,,god was remarkably seen1 and  
his powerful arm evidently  revealed1 in
 delivering this nation both from ,pagan
 darkness and ,popish  idolatry1 the    
memory whereof ought not to be lost1 but
 thankfully  acknowledged1 to the honor 
of ,,god',s great name1 by all such as  
favor the  dust of ,zion1 for her sake1 
and long to see her breaches1 now wide  
as  the sea1 repaired4    ,but to       
proceed3 ,the church's grand foe envying
 her growing prosperity1  did soon      
disturb her peace1 by insinuating       
himself upon those of  superior dignity1
 who were intrusted with the            
administration of civil  affairs1 both  
supreme and subordinate1 blowing up into
 a flame that  inbred and rooted enmity1
 which they still retained1 at the      
simplicity1  strictness and scriptural  
purity of the reformation in ,scotland4 

,the  then supreme civil ruler1 king    
,james ,,vi1 formed a scheme for ruining
 the  church of ,scotland1 and stripping
 her of those comely and beautiful      
ornaments of reformation purity1 in     
doctrine1 worship1 discipline and       
government1 which she had now put on1 by
 introducing episcopacy1 and            
establishing bishops4 ,this he did for  
no other reason 7says one71 but  because
 he believed them to be useful and      
pliable instruments for  turning a      
limited monarchy into absolute dominion1
 and subjects into  slaves2 that which  
of all other things he affected most3   
and for this  purpose 7after several    
subtle and cunningly devised steps1     
previously  taken1 with design to do by 
degrees what could not be done at once7 
he  makes an open attack upon the       
general assembly1 robbing them of their 
power and liberty to meet1 judge and    
determine1 in all ecclesiastical        
concerns 7well knowing1 that so long as 
assemblies might convene in  freedom1 he

 would never get the estate of bishops  
established in  ,scotland71 and         
imprisoning and banishing many faithful 
ministers1  members of the general      
assembly1 who opposed him1 testified and
  protested against his wicked invasion1
 and sacrilegious robbery of the        
church's rights and privileges4 ,and1   
having at last obtained the  supremacy  
and headship over the church1 which was 
granted him by an  impious act of a     
pretended parliament1 of his own stamp1 
called by him  for that purpose1        
proceeded with his design1 until he had 
again  established ,prelacy1 and razed  
,presbytery almost to the very          
foundations1 notwithstanding all the    
opposition made to it by the  faithful  
in the land1 both ministers and people4 
,thus1 after several former attempts to 
this effect1 was ,episcopacy again      
established1 and prelates lording over  
,,god',s heritage advanced1 imposing    
their popish ceremonies1 which in that  
pretended assembly convened at  ,perth1 

anno #afah1 were enacted1 and afterward 
ratified in a subsequent  parliament in 
the year #afba4 ,and as the father had  
thus violated his  solemn professions1  
declarations and engagements1 to        
maintain the  covenanted interest2 so   
likewise1 upon the accession of the son 
to the  throne1 there was no amendment  
nor redress had3 but he followed the    
same  iniquitous course1 walking in the 
way of his father1 and in the sin       
wherewith he made ,israel to sin4 ,and  
further1 obtruded upon the church a     
service book1 a book of popish and      
prelatical canons1 which was followed   
with a violent prosecution of the       
faithful contenders for the former      
laudable constitutions of the church1   
carried on by that monstrous  ,erastian 
high-commission court1 patched up of    
statesmen and clergymen3  and hereby was
 the church again brought under the yoke
 of anti-christian  prelacy1 and        
tyrannical supremacy2 which lese-majesty
 to ,zion's ,king was  also ratified    

with the sanction of civil authority4   
,to this yoke1  oppressing ,,christ',s  
loyal subjects1 many of his professed   
servants  submitted their necks1 and1   
,issachar-like1 became servants to      
tribute  for a considerable time4       
,but when the ,,lord',s set time to     
favor ,zion came1 he made the long      
despised dust thereof again to be more  
pleasant and precious than ever  unto   
his servants and people1 and the long   
night season and thick clouds  of       
adversity under which his church        
labored1 amid some day-sky1 and         
sun-blinks of prosperity1 she at times  
enjoyed1 to issue in the dawning  of a  
day of clearer light wherein the        
glorious ,,sun of ,righteousness  shone 
in his meridian splendor1 with greater  
brightness both in this and  the        
neighboring nations1 than at his first  
arising therein1 in a gospel            
dispensation2 whose benign influences   
caused the small grain of good  seed1   
sown by the skill of the ,great         

,husbandman1 to grow up to a  fruitful  
plant1 the tender twig to spread itself 
into a noble vine1 and  the little      
cloud1 like a man's hand1 to cover the  
whole hemisphere of  the visible church 
of ,scotland1 which long ago1 as a      
church and nation1  had enlisted        
themselves under the ,,lord ,,jesus     
,,christ1 as their ,royal  ,prince2     
whose peaceful and righteous scepter    
being now also extended to  ,england and
 ,ireland1 they soon submitted          
themselves thereto1 in a  religious     
association and union with ,scotland in 
covenant engagements1  for reformation  
from prelacy1 as well as ,popery1 which 
they had never  hitherto yielded to4    
,upon this gracious return of divine    
favor1 and discovery of ,almighty  power
 manifested against the mighty agents   
for prelatical superstition1  both in   
church and state1 when1 from the paucity
 of those who appeared  in favor of     
truth1 in the year #afcg1 small         
opposition unto its enemies  could be   

expected2 yet their magnanimity in      
witness-bearing was so  followed by     
manifestations of the divine countenance
 and favor1 that  both their number and 
courage daily increased4 ,the ,national 
,covenant was  again1 after mature      
deliberation1 anent both the lawfulness1
 expediency  and seasonableness thereof1
 with great solemnity renewed in ,march1
  #afch1 with the general concurrence of
 the ministry1 noblemen1 gentlemen1  and
 others1 humbling themselves before the 
,,lord for their former  defections and 
breach of covenant2 though1 at the same 
time1 the court  faction1 and many      
temporising ministers1 continued in     
their opposition1  but which was indeed 
too weak to make resistance unto the    
cause of ,,god1  and force of truth     
carried home with suitable conviction   
upon the  conscience4    ,the covenant  
being first renewed at ,edinburgh1 they 
provided next1 that  it should also be  
renewed through the kingdom2 and for    
this purpose1  copies thereof were sent 

with all convenient speed to the several
  presbyteries1 together with suitable  
exhortations1 and instructions for      
renewing of the same in every parish of 
their bounds2 and by this means  it came
 to pass1 through the good hand of their
 ,,god upon them1 that in a  little time
 almost every parish through ,scotland  
did1 with much  solemnity1 cheerfulness 
and alacrity1 renew the same1 and       
publicly with  uplifted hand avouch the 
,,lord to be their ,,god4 ,and as this  
solemn action  was everywhere           
accompanied with remarkable evidences of
 divine power and  presence in a        
plentiful effusion of a spirit of grace 
and supplication2  so the joy of the    
,,lord herein became their strength1 and
 greatly  increased the faith and hopes 
of all the church's real friends1 that  
as  the ,,lord had begun1 so he would   
also make an end1 and carry on his work 
to perfection1 amid the terrible        
threatenings both of king and court2    
his majesty being highly displeased that

 his authority was contemned1  and no   
concurrence of his royal pleasure sought
 in the renovation of the  ,covenant3   
but their righteousness in this         
particular was brought forth  as the    
light1 when the legality of this and    
their other proceedings was  afterward  
attested to the king by the ablest      
lawyers in the kingdom4    ,the zealous 
contenders for the church's liberties1  
by supplications1  reasonings1 and      
proposed articles1 for enjoying what    
they much longed  for1 at last obtained1
 before the foresaid year #afch expired1
 a lawful  and free ,general ,assembly  
7constituted in the name of the ,,lord  
,,jesus  ,,christ1 the alone ,king and  
,head of his church71 consisting of able
  members1 both ministers and elders1   
who would not suffer an infringement    
upon their regular manner of procedure1 
or right to act as unlimited  members of
 a free court of ,,christ1              
notwithstanding the constant attacks    
made upon their freedom by the king's   

commissioner1 and protestations by  him 
taken against their regular procedure1  
which issued in his ,erastian           
declaration of the king's prerogative1  
as supreme judge in all causes1         
ecclesiastical as well as civil1 and    
renewing all his former  protestations  
in his royal master's name2 further     
protesting in his own  name1 and in the 
name of the lords of the clergy1 that no
 act passed by  them should imply his   
consent1 or be accounted lawful1 or of  
force to  bind any of the subjects2 and1
 then in his majesty's name dissolving  
the  assembly1 discharging their        
proceeding any further1 and so went off4
 ,but  the assembly judging it better to
 obey ,,god than man2 and to incur the  
displeasure of an earthly king1 to be of
 far less consequence than to  offend   
the ,prince of the kings of the earth1  
entered a protestation  against the lord
 commissioner's departure without any   
just cause1 and in  behalf of the       
intrinsic power and liberty of the      

church2 also assigning  the reasons why 
they could not dissolve the assembly    
until such time as  they had gone       
through that work depending upon them4  
,this was given in  to the clerk by     
,lord ,rothes1 and part of it read      
before his grace left  the house1 and   
instruments taken thereupon4 ,then1     
after several moving  and pathetic      
speeches delivered on that occasion1 for
 the encouragement  of the brethren to  
abide by their duty1 by the moderator1  
,mr4 ,alexander  ,henderson1 and others1
 ministers and elders1 exhorting them to
 show  themselves as zealous for        
,,christ their ,,lord and ,master1 in   
his  interests1 as he had shewed himself
 zealous for his master2 they           
unanimously agreed that they should     
continue and abide by their work  until 
they had concluded all things needful1  
and that on all hazards4  ,and so they  
proceeded to the examination of that    
complaint against the  bishops1 who1 on 
account of their1 tyranny1 superstition1

 and teaching  of ,popish1 ,arminian1   
and ,pelagian errors1 were all laid     
under the  sentence of deposition2 and  
many of them1 for their personal        
profaneness1 wickedness and debauchery  
proven against them1 together  with     
their contumacy1 were also              
excommunicated with the greater         
excommunication1 for the destruction of 
the flesh1 that the spirit might  be    
saved in the day of the ,,lord ,,jesus4 
,they gave their approbation of  the    
,national ,covenant2 and ,prelacy1 with 
the five articles of ,perth1  were found
 and declared to be abjured by it1      
together with the civil  places and     
power of kirkmen1 their sitting on the  
bench as justices of  the peace1 sitting
 in council1 and voting in parliament4  
,subscription of  the ,confession of    
faith1 or covenant1 was also enjoined1  
presbyterian  church government         
justified and approven1 and an act made 
for holding  yearly ,general            
,assemblies2 with many other acts and   

constitutions  tending to the           
advancement of that begun reformation1  
and purging the  church of ,,christ of  
those sinful innovations1 crept into it1
 which may  be seen more at large in the
 printed acts of that assembly4 ,the    
lawful  and just freedom which the      
church now claimed and stood upon1 so   
highly  incensed the court1 because     
their ,erastian encroachments were not  
yielded to1 that all warlike            
preparations were speedily made for     
having  them again reduced1 by force of 
arms1 to their former slavery4 ,yet1    
what  evil seemed intended against the  
church by the king1 with his popish and 
prelatical accomplices1 was by her      
exalted ,king and ,head happily         
prevented1 and they obliged1 at least1  
to feign subjection1 and yield to  a    
pacification4 ,in which it was          
concluded1 that an assembly be holden at
  ,edinburgh1 ,august #fth1 #afci1 and  
the parliament the #bjth of the same    
month1 that same year1 for healing the  

wide breaches1 and redressing the       
grievances both of church and state2    
that what was determined by the         
assembly1 might be ratified by the      
parliament4 ,in this assembly1 the      
covenant was ratified and subscribed by 
the commissioner1 and an  injunction    
laid upon the body of the kingdom for   
subscribing the same1  with an          
explication1 wherein the five articles  
of ,perth1 government of  bishops1 the  
civil places and power of kirkmen were  
expressly condemned4  ,hereby the hopes 
of the ,prelates again being in a great 
measure lost1  and they receiving fresh 
assistance from the king 7who seemed to 
have  little conscience in making laws1 
and found small difficulty in breaking  
them71 recruited themselves the year    
following1 and took the field1 but  with
 no better success than formerly1 which 
obliged them to yield to  another       
pacification1 wherein both religious and
 civil liberties were  ratified2 and in 
#afda1 these were further confirmed by  

the oaths1  promises1 laws1 and         
subscriptions of both king and          
parliament1 whereat  the king was       
personally present1 and gave the royal  
assent to all acts  made for the        
security of the same2 while at the same 
time he was  concurring in the bloody   
tragedy acted upon the ,protestants in  
the  kingdom of ,ireland4    ,the       
gracious countenance and abundant       
evidence of divine approbation          
wherewith the ,,lord vouchsafed to bless
 his contending1 reforming and          
covenanting church in ,scotland1 in a   
plentiful effusion of his ,holy  ,spirit
 on the judicatories and worshiping     
assemblies of his people1  proved a     
happy means to excite and provoke their 
neighbors in ,england  and ,ireland1 to 
go and do likewise4 ,for in the year    
#afdc1 when the  beginning of a bloody  
war between the king and parliament of  
,england  threatened the nation with a  
series of calamity and trouble2 the     
parliament having convocated an assembly

 of divines to sit at  ,westminster for 
consulting about a reformation of       
religion in that  kingdom1 sent         
commissioners1 consisting of members of 
both houses and  assembly1 to treat with
 the assembly of the church of          
,scotland1 and  convention of estates   
about these things4 ,in the month of    
,august1 they  presented their proposals
 to the convention of estates and       
assembly1  desiring1 that because the   
popish prelatical faction is still      
pursuing  their design of corrupting and
 altering the religion through the whole
  island1 the two nations might be      
strictly united for their mutual        
defense against them and their          
adherents1 and not to lay down arms     
until  those1 their implacable enemies1 
were disarmed1 c4 ,commissioners were   
deputed from the estates1 and assembly1 
to convene with those from  ,england1 in
 order to consider their proposals4     
,and1 at the first  conferences1 it was 
agreed that the best and speediest means

 for  accomplishing the union and       
assistance desired1 was for both nations
 to  enter into a mutual league and     
covenant for reformation and defense of 
religion and liberty against its        
enemies4 ,which being drawn up1 and     
affectionately embraced1 was unanimously
 approved by the general  assembly and  
sent up to ,england by the hands of the 
ministers and  elders1 sent             
commissioners from the church of        
,scotland to the synod at  ,westminster1
 where 7being proposed by the parliament
 to the  consideration of the synod71   
after the interpolation of an           
explanatory  note in the second article1
 it was approven1 and with public       
humiliation1 and all other religious and
 answerable solemnity1 taken and        
subscribed by them 7the synod71 and by  
both honorable houses of  parliament and
 by their authority taken and subscribed
 by all ranks in  ,england and ,ireland 
that same year1 ratified by act of the  
parliament of  ,scotland1 anno #afdd1   

and afterward renewed in ,scotland1 with
 an  acknowledgment of sins1 and        
engagement to duties by all ranks in the
  year #afdh1 and by the parliament1    
#afdi4    ,thus1 to the rejoicing of all
 true lovers of the prosperity and      
beauty  of the church1 who longed for   
,,christ the salvation of ,israel1 his  
coming  forth out of ,zion1 these three 
churches and nations combined and       
embarked together in the same honorable 
and glorious cause of  reformation1 and 
solemnly bound themselves by the oath of
 ,,god1 to  maintain and defend the same
 against all its enemies and opposers   
whatever2 thereby publicly professing   
their subjection to ,christ1 and  their 
preferring of pure and undefiled        
religion1 the advancement of the        
interest1 kingdom and glory of ,,jesus  
,,christ1 to their nearest and  dearest 
interests in this world4 ,and the ,lord 
was with us while we were  with him1 and
 steadfast in his covenant2 but when we 
forsook him1 and  broke his covenant1 he

 also forsook us1 and delivered his     
strength into  captivity1 and his glory 
into the enemies' hand4    ,in the next 
place1 the assembly at ,westminster1    
with the assistance of  commissioners   
from the general assembly of the church 
of ,scotland1  proceeded to conclude on 
what was needful for furthering and     
completing  this intended and covenanted
 uniformity in religion1 that the ,lord 
might  be one1 and his name one in the  
three lands4 ,and for this purpose1 a   
confession of faith was composed1 and   
agreed upon by that venerable  assembly1
 together with catechisms larger and    
shorter1 propositions  concerning church
 government1 ordination of ministers1   
and directory for  worship2 all which   
were received and approved by the       
,general ,assembly1  and convention of  
estates in ,scotland4    ,the ,lord thus
 prospering his work in the hands of his
 servants employed  in ecclesiastical   
affairs1 gave no less countenance unto  
the parliament  of ,england1 with the   

assistance they received from ,scotland1
 in  defeating all the wicked attempts  
of the popish1 prelatical and  malignant
 party in ,england1 overthrowing their  
tyranny1 and reducing the  supporters   
thereof4 ,a like victory was at length  
obtained over ,montrose  in ,scotland1  
who commanded the royalist1 or malignant
 party there1 and  had for some time    
carried all before him4 ,and so the     
,king being worsted  at all hands1 and  
despairing of overtaking his designs1   
his army having  been almost all cut to 
pieces1 and himself obliged to fly1     
resigned  himself over to the ,scots    
army at ,newark1 in the year #afdf1 and 
marched  along with them to ,newcastle2 
and they1 upon the frequent             
solicitations  of the ,english          
parliament1 and their engaging for the  
,king's honorable  treatment1 delivered 
him over to them4 ,afterward1 he falling
 into the  hands of ,cromwell and the   
,english army1 a number in this nation  
violated  the oath of ,,god1 which they 

had lately come under1 by engaging in an
  unlawful war with ,england1 commonly  
called the ,duke's engagement1 in  order
 to rescue the ,king from his captivity 
7notwithstanding that he  still         
persisted in his opposition to the just 
claims1 both of the church  and nation1 
and after all that was come upon him1   
could not be  reconciled to the         
covenants and work of reformation72     
where they were in  ,july #afdh1 totally
 routed by ,oliver ,cromwell2 and ,duke 
,hamilton1 their  general1 being made   
prisoner1 was incarcerated1 and         
afterward beheaded4  ,this engagement   
was remonstrated against1 and judicially
 condemned by  the ,general ,assembly of
 the church of ,scotland2 and the       
sinfulness of it  was publicly          
acknowledged as a breach of the         
covenant-union between the  two nations1
 by all ranks in ,scotland that same    
year1 at the renovation  of the ,solemn 
,league and ,covenant therein4 ,at last 
the king being seized  upon by ,cromwell

 and his sectarian army1 was1           
notwithstanding all the  remonstrances  
both of church and state1 removed by a  
violent death4 ,upon  which the         
parliament of ,scotland1 on the #eth of 
,february1 #afdi1  caused proclaim his  
son ,charles ,,ii1 king of ,great       
,britain1 ,france1 and  ,ireland 7which 
title he had assumed himself at the     
,hague1 as soon as the  report of his   
father's death came to his ears71       
promising their fidelity  and defence of
 his person and authority1 according to 
the ,national  ,covenant1 and the       
,solemn ,league and ,covenant4 ,and at  
the same time  declaring1 that before he
 be admitted to the exercise of the     
royal  power1 he shall give security for
 the preservation and maintenance of    
the true reformed religion1 and unity of
 the kingdoms1 now established1  by laws
 both civil and ecclesiastical1         
according to the covenants3 which       
security for religion and liberty1 at   
the first proposed treaty at the        

,hague1 he deferred to grant1 and       
afterward postponed the signing of the  
treaty at ,breda1 when everything was   
agreed upon1 from the great hopes  he   
entertained of accomplishing his design1
 without acquiescing with  their demand 
from ,montrose's expedition1 whom he had
 sent into ,scotland  with an army1 in  
order to prepare his way into that      
kingdom1 by  devastation with fire and  
sword4 ,but this intrigue not           
succeeding1 he  found himself obliged to
 comply with all their proposals1 and   
signed the  treaty4 ,this treaty the    
king did in effect break1 before he left
 ,breda1  by communicating after the    
episcopal manner1 contrary to the       
express  warning and remonstrance of the
 commissioners from the church of       
,scotland1 who went to him1 and showed  
him his sin in so doing1 and how        
inconsistent it was with his own        
concessions in the present treaty2 and  
an evidence that he had no intention to 
perform what he had agreed to1  but     

dissembled with ,,god and man2 and he1  
on the other hand1 put them off  with   
sham excuses and professions2 and so1   
from their too much credulity  to his   
fraudulent professions and promises all 
along1 they brought him  over to        
,scotland1 and before his landing in    
this kingdom1 he takes the  covenant at 
,spey1 on the #bcrd of ,june1 #afdi1 by 
his oath subjoined  in allowance and    
approbation of the ,covenants ,national1
 and ,solemn  ,league1 obliging himself 
faithfully to prosecute the ends thereof
 in his  station and calling2 and for   
himself and successors1 he shall agree  
to  all acts of parliament enjoining the
 same1 and establishing presbyterial    
church government the directory for     
worship1 confession of faith and        
catechisms1 in the kingdom of ,scotland1
 as approven by the ,general            
,assemblies of this kirk1 and parliament
 of this kingdom4 ,and for their        
further satisfaction1 according to the  
act of the ,west ,kirk1 ,edinburgh1     

,august #acth1 #afej1 approven the same 
day by the committee of estates1  he    
emitted a declaration at ,dunfermline1  
by profession1 fully and  heartily      
acquiescing with all their demands1 all 
which afterward served  for nothing but 
as a lasting monument of his horrid     
perjury1 wicked  dissimulation1 and     
mockery of ,god and man4 ,and even then1
 when this  declaration was published1  
he had formed a design for bringing in  
the  enemies of the covenant1 and work  
of reformation1 both into the army and  
judicatories1 and for dividing the      
,presbyterians among themselves4 ,and   
this he effectually managed for both    
foresaid ends1 by the public            
resolutions1 on the #adth of ,december1 
that same year #afej4 ,this  woful and  
prime step of defection1 so contrary to 
the word1 and  injurious to the work of 
,god1 was faithfully testified against  
by many1  both ministers1 and whole     
presbyteries1 who were sensible of the  
present  sinfulness and evil of it1 and 

foresaw the bitter and dismal           
consequences that followed upon it4     
,in the meantime1 notwithstanding this1 
and other shrewd evidences1 the  king   
gave of his double dealing and          
hypocrisy1 he was crowned at ,scoon1  on
 the first of ,january1 #afea1 and had  
the ,covenants ,national and  ,solemn   
,league again administered unto him1 by 
the reverend ,mr4 ,douglas1  after a    
sermon from #b ,kings xi1 #ab1 #ag1     
which he1 in a most solemn  manner      
renewed1 before the three estates of    
parliament1 the  commissioners of the   
,general ,assembly1 and a numerous      
congregation1 in  the words of his      
former oath at ,spey2 with the          
coronation oath1 as  contained in the   
#hth ,act1 ,parl4 #ast1 ,james ,,vi1 to 
all which he engaged  before his        
coronation2 and on these terms1 and no  
other1 were the oaths  of fidelity to   
him1 as the lawful supreme magistrate1  
taken1 at his  receipt of the royal     
authority4 ,and consequently1 these     

covenant  engagements became fundamental
 constitutions1 both in church and      
state1  and the door of access into     
office-bearing in either1 and formal    
ground  of the people's subjection4     
,then was the church's appearance       
,beautiful  as ,tirzah1 comely as       
,jerusalem1 and terrible as an army with
 banners4    ,from what is noticed      
above1 the presbytery cannot but declare
 their  hearty approbation of the zeal1 
courage1 and faithfulness of our honored
  ancestors1 in their valiant           
contendings for the valuable liberties  
and  privileges of the spiritual kingdom
 of the ,,messiah1 until they got the   
same established1 and the nations       
brought under the most solemn1 sacred1  
and inviolable engagements1 to maintain 
every branch of this glorious           
reformation2 a reformation1 not only    
from the more gross errors1 and         
idolatries of ,popery1 but from the more
 refined superstition of ,prelacy1  and 
all that ,antichristian and ,erastian   

supremacy1 that in former times  had    
been exercised on the heritage of the   
,,lord2 a reformation of both  the      
divine ordinances of ministry and       
magistracy1 from all the abuses  and    
corruptions thereof1 by the inventions  
of men1 joined with the above  mentioned
 establishment of them1 in some measure 
of agreeableness unto  their scriptural 
institution4    ,likeas1 the presbytery 
did1 and hereby do declare their        
approbation of1  and adherence unto     
foresaid reformation1 in all the        
different parts and  branches thereof1  
attained from #afch to #afej inclusive1 
and sworn to in  the ,national and      
,solemn ,league and ,covenant1 not      
exclusive of such parts  of reformation 
as were attained unto prior to this1 but
 as a further  advance on this          
foundation1 and as being much more pure 
and agreeable to  the infallible        
standard of scripture1 than any formerly
 arrived at in  these nations4    ,the  
daughter of ,zion1 thus going forth in  

the perfection of her beauty1  when all 
ranks and degrees voluntarily subjected 
themselves unto the  royal scepter of   
the ,,son of ,,god1 was most comely in  
the eyes of her  ,beloved2 ,but oh6 how 
is the gold become dim1 and the most    
fine gold  changed2 the stones of the   
sanctuary are poured out on the top of  
every  street1 so that the house that   
was called of all people the house of   
prayer1 is now become a den of thieves1 
being no less infamously  despicable for
 deformation1 than formerly1 for purity 
of reformation1  highly admired4 ,this1 
at first1 began with the public         
resolutions of the  commission of the   
,general ,assembly #afej1 above noticed1
 for taking into  places of power and   
trust1 in judicatories and armies1 such 
persons as  were known malignants1 and  
in heart disaffected to the work1 and   
people  of ,,god1 putting it in their   
power to destroy and pull down the      
,,lord',s  work at their pleasure2 a    
practice manifestly inconsistent with   

their  covenant engagements1 and the    
word of ,,god1 ,deut4 xxiii1 #i1 #b     
,chron4  xix1 #b4 ,those that were then 
called protestors 7from their opposing  
and  protesting against these           
resolutions71 continued steadfastly to  
witness  against the same1 as the first 
remarkable step1 to make way for that   
bloody catastrophe1 that afterward      
befell the church4 ,the ,lord1 then1 in 
his righteous displeasure and           
controversy with the nation1 for        
betraying  of his cause and interest    
into the hands of his enemies1 sold them
 into  the hand of that conquering      
usurper1 ,oliver ,cromwell1 who1 having 
stript  them of their civil liberties1  
as the most effectual method to rob the 
church of her spiritual privileges1 and 
nullify the forcible obligation  of the 
sacred covenants 7which1 when preserved1
 serve as a strong  barrier against all 
such usurpations71 framed a hellish and 
almost  unbounded toleration in         
,scotland1 of heretical and sectarian   

errors1 for  gratification of the       
abettors thereof1 which was followed    
with a deluge  of irreligion and        
impiety1 drowning the nation in a still 
deeper  apostasy4    ,in this hour of   
temptation1 the witnesses for ,,christ1 
endeavoring to  keep the word of his    
patience1 testified against these evils1
 as  contrary to the word and oath of   
,god1 and destructive of the church's   
former glory4 ,and ,charles ,,ii1 who   
had lately1 by all the confirmations  of
 word1 writ1 and solemn oath1 obliged   
himself for the maintenance and  defense
 of religion and liberty1 having cast   
off the thing that was  good1 the enemy 
did pursue him so1 that he1 instead of  
being able to  stand as a head of       
defense to the nations1 narrowly escaped
 with life  from the enemies' hands1    
being obliged to abscond and fly before 
the  sectaries into ,france2 where1 and 
in other parts1 he remained an exile    
for the space of ten years1 and there   
discovered1 he had no regard to  the    

principles he had lately professed and  
sworn to maintain3 but  breaking his    
professed wedlock with ,,christ1 is     
said1 at that juncture1  to have joined 
hands with the ,romish whore1 laying    
aside his cloak of  professed godliness1
 and again taking up with the mystery of
 iniquity4    ,during the ten years'    
usurpation of ,cromwell1 those who      
endeavored  faithfulness1 had a fight of
 affliction to keep their ground2 yet1  
after  this came to a period1 they had a
 far more fierce encounter1 and of      
longer duration1 to engage in1 in the   
cruel and bloody tragedy acted  upon    
them1 for the space of #bh years4       
,as1 by the public resolutions1 and     
foresaid unbounded toleration1 the      
bounds fixed by ,,jehovah1 and          
homologated and sworn to1 in our        
national  attainments and constitution1 
were greatly altered1 so the parliament 
of  ,england prepared the tools1 whereby
 the carved work of the sanctuary 7as   
far as human craft and cruelty could    

invent71 was broken down1 in  restoring 
,charles ,,ii1 without any conditions   
required1 or express  limitations set4  
,and ,sharp being sent from the church  
of ,scotland1 to  stand up for her      
rights and privileges1 fraudulently sold
 her into the  hands of her enemies2    
upon which1 many of the professed       
disciples of  ,,christ1 who followed him
 in the sunshine of prosperity and      
reformation1  forsook him1 and fled into
 the enemies' camp4 ,thus our decline   
began2  but1 oh6 to what a dreadful     
height ,erastianism1 tyranny1 and       
bloodshed  arrived1 before the ,lord1 in
 his providence1 put a stop to it4      
,although the ,presbytery cannot be     
supposed1 in a consistency with their   
present design1 to reckon up all1 yet   
they would endeavor to take notice  of  
some of the most remarkable instances of
 backsliding1 treachery and  oppression1
 bloodshed1 c1 acted in those nations   
during the late  persecuting period1    
together with the faithful contendings1 

and patient  sufferings unto death of   
the saints and servants of ,,christ1 in 
this hot  furnace of affliction into    
which they were cast4 ,as1 #a1 ,the     
unhappy  restoration of ,charles ,,ii1  
in manner before mentioned commencing4  
,the  faithful declarations and         
testimonies given in favor of the       
covenanted  reformation and uniformity1 
were all on a sudden given up with2 the 
viper received into our bosom1 and again
 advanced unto the regal  dignity1 who  
soon discovered himself to be of the    
serpentine seed1 and  by his wicked     
agency imped the dragon his master1 by  
casting out of his  mouth a flood of    
persecution after the church1 that he   
might cause her  to be destroyed        
therewith4 ,to this effect the          
anti-christian yoke of  abjured         
,prelacy1 with all its tyrannical laws1 
and canonical train of  observances1    
service book1 ceremonies1 c41 was       
speedily wreathed about  ,england's     
neck1 and ,scotland soon felt part of   

its weight4 ,for1 in the  month of      
,august1 #affj1 when some of her most   
zealous and faithful  ministers met upon
 this emergency1 in order to send an    
address to the  king1 reminding him of  
his duty1 and solemn obligations to     
perform the  same2 the committee        
appointed by the parliament1 anno #afea1
 for  exercise of government1 until     
another parliament should meet1 who then
  showed themselves zealous for the     
reformation1 yet now acted a            
counter-part1 by incarcerating the      
foresaid ministers1 and emitting a      
proclamation1 prohibiting all such      
meetings without the king's  authority1 
and all petitions and remonstrances1    
under pretense that they  were          
seditious4 ,this was the first beginning
 of those sorrows and  calamities that  
ensued in the many sanguinary laws      
afterward made and  executed upon the   
true friends of ,zion4    #b4 ,when the 
ministry1 by means of the foresaid      
prohibitions1 were much  dispirited from

 their duty1 dreading such usage as they
 had lately met  with1 the parliament   
which met in ,scotland in ,december1    
#affa1 falls  upon breaking down the    
carved work of the sanctuary            
effectually1 and  robbing our church of 
that depositum committed unto her by her
 glorious  ,head4 ,thus did they        
wickedly combine and gather themselves  
together to  plot against the ,lord1 and
 against his ,anointed1 that they might 
break  his bands1 and cast his cords    
from them4 ,for which intent1 after     
besmearing the consciences of most of   
the members with the guilt of that      
abominable and wicked oath of allegiance
 and supremacy1 that they might  be     
secured to the court and king's         
interest1 and ready to swallow down     
whatever might be afterward proposed1   
they passed an act rescissory1          
declaring all the parliaments1 and acts 
of parliament made in favor of          
reformation1 from the year #afdj to     
#afea1 null and void4 ,the king's       

supremacy over all persons1 and in all  
causes1 is asserted4 ,all  meetings1    
assemblies1 leagues1 and covenants1     
without the king's  authority1 are      
declared unlawful and unwarrantable4    
,the renewing of the  solemn league and 
covenant1 or any other covenants or     
public oaths1  without the king's       
special warrant and approbation1 is     
discharged4  ,besides these1 another    
heinous act was framed by the same      
parliament1  for observing every #bith  
of ,may as an anniversary thanksgiving1 
in  commemoration of the unhappy        
restoration of this ruiner of religion  
and  reformation4    #c4 ,in the second 
session of the pretended parliament1    
anno #affb  diocesan ,erastian ,prelacy 
is established1 and the king solemnly   
invested  with the church's headship1 by
 act of parliament2 wherein it is       
blasphemously declared1 ,that the       
ordering and disposal of the external   
government and policy of the church1    
doth properly belong unto his  majesty  

as an inherent right of the crown1 by   
virtue of his royal  prerogative and    
supremacy in all causes ecclesiastical4 
,all such acts  of parliament or council
 are rescinded1 which might be          
interpreted 7as  their acts bear7 to    
give any church power1 jurisdiction1 or 
government1  to the office-bearers of   
the church1 other than that which       
acknowledges  a dependence upon1 and    
subordination to1 the sovereign power of
 the king  as supreme4 ,and although the
 lordly prelates were hereby promoted to
 all  the privileges and dignities they 
possessed before the year #afch1 yet    
must they be all accountable to the     
king1 in all their administrations1  and
 in subordination to him1 as universal  
bishop of all ,england1  ,scotland1 and 
,ireland4 ,by which the fountain of     
church power and  authority is lodged in
 the king's person1 and ,,christ is     
exauctorated and  dethroned as ,king and
 ,head in ,zion4 ,and further1 by the   
second act of  that perfidious          

parliament1 the covenanted reformation1 
and all that was  done in favor thereof1
 from #afch to #afej1 was declared      
treasonable1 and  rebellious4 ,alike    
treasonable it was reckoned for         
subjects1 on pretense  of reformation1  
or any other pretense whatsoever1 to    
enter into any  federal association1 or 
take up arms against the king4 ,they    
also  declared1 that the ,national      
,covenant1 as sworn in the year #afch1  
and the  ,solemn ,league and ,covenant1 
were1 and are in themselves unlawful    
oaths1  and that they were imposed upon1
 and taken by the subjects of this      
kingdom1 contrary to the fundamental    
laws and liberties thereof4 ,and to     
complete all1 they repealed all acts1   
ecclesiastical and civil1  approving the
 covenants1 particularly the acts of the
 venerable assembly  at ,glasgow #afch1 
declaring it an unlawful and seditious  
meeting4 ,and  thereafter1 by a wicked  
act of the council of ,glasgow1 more    
than three  hundred ministers were      

illegally thrust from their charges1 for
 their  non-conformity1 in              
discountenancing a diocesan meeting1 or 
synod1  appointed by the archbishop of  
,glasgow1 and not observing the         
anniversary thanksgiving1 ,may #bith1   
enjoined by the parliament4 ,the  rest  
were violently ejected from the lawful  
exercise of their ministry  in their    
several parishes1 and were afterward    
commanded by act of  parliament to      
remove themselves and their families    
twenty miles distant  from their        
respective flocks1 and not to reside    
within six miles of any  of their 7so   
called7 ,cathedrals1 or three miles of a
 ,burgh4 ,by these  means1 many of those
 poor persecuted ministers1 with their  
families1  were brought into great      
hardships and wants1 being so far       
removed from  their beloved and         
affectionate flocks1 that they were     
deprived of that  help from them1 that  
doubtless they would cheerfully have    
ministered1  for relieving them in their

 necessities and straits4 ,all this was 
done  at the instigation of the         
prelates1 who could not endure to have a
 godly  presbyterian minister near them1
 and were resolved to make them as      
miserable as possible4    ,as the       
observation of that anniversary holy    
day1 ,may #bith1 was again  enjoined by 
this parliament #affb1 with             
certification1 the non-observance  of   
which was one main cause of the         
sufferings of the ministers above       
noticed1 we cannot pass over without    
mentioning that most abhorred and       
heaven-daring ignominy and contempt put 
upon our solemn and sacred  covenants1  
and upon ,,god the great ,party in them1
 at ,linlithgow on that  day1 by a      
theatrical exposing1 and presumptuous   
committing them to the  flames1 together
 with ,the causes of ,,god',s wrath1    
,lex ,rex1 acts of  parliament1 acts of 
committees of estates1 and acts of      
assemblies made1  during what they      
called the twenty-two years' rebellion1 

that is1 from  #afch to #affj1 done by  
the authority of the pretended          
magistrates there2  one of which1 and   
the minister ,ramsay1 were formerly     
zealous and active  covenanters1 and    
consequently now publicly avowed and    
proclaimed their  perjury in the face of
 the sun1 and left an indelible stain   
upon their  memory4    ,hitherto1       
although many1 both ministers1 gentlemen
 and others1 had  endured unexpressible 
hardships and severities1 yet few or    
none suffered  to the death1 save that  
noble peer1 the ,marquis of ,argyle1 who
 was  condemned by the parliament #affa1
 and beheaded ,may #bgth2 and the       
,reverend ,mr4 ,james ,guthrie1 who     
suffered five days thereafter4 ,these   
two were singled out--the one in the    
state1 the other in the church--to  fall
 a victim to the resentment and fury of 
the enemies of that  covenanted work of 
reformation1 which they had both1 in an 
eminent  manner1 been honored of ,,god  
to support and advance2 and also as a   

specimen of what was afterward to be the
 fate of all that should adhere  to the 
same glorious cause1 and stand up for   
,god against these workers  of iniquity4
 ,and1 as the foundation of that        
anti-christian and wicked  hierarchy in 
the church1 and of arbitrary power and  
absolute tyranny in  the state1 was laid
 in the blood of these two proto-martyrs
 for the  covenant and cause of ,,god1  
so they now 7,july1 #affc17 proceeded to
  build it up with the blood of another 
noble and worthy patriot1 the  eminently
 religious and learned ,lord ,warriston4
 ,he having before1 in  #affj1 when     
,argyle was apprehended1 been ordered1  
together with several  others1 to be    
secured and committed to prison1 fled   
beyond sea1 to  escape the fury of his  
enemies1 and even there did their crafty
 malice  reach him2 for1 having sent out
 one of their blood-thirsty emissaries  
in  quest of him1 he was apprehended by 
him at ,roan1 in ,france1 brought over  
to ,london1 and sent thence to          

,edinburgh1 where he was executed on a  
former unjust sentence of forfeiture and
 death1 passed upon him in his  absence4
 ,thus they built up ,zion with blood1  
and ,jerusalem with  iniquity4 ,but all 
this was nothing to the cruelty that    
followed1 and the  righteous blood      
afterward shed in that quarrel4    #d4  
,although the faithful servants of      
,,christ gave too silent submission  for
 a time to these encroachments made upon
 their sacred functions1 yet1  as they  
received not their mission from men1 so 
they resolved not to  become the        
servants of men1 but to hazard the loss 
of every thing that  was dear to them in
 this world1 that they might show       
themselves faithful  unto their ,lord   
and ,master1 and valiant for his truth  
upon the earth1 in  going forth without 
the camp1 bearing his reproach4 ,when   
they could no  longer1 with a safe      
conscience1 enjoy their benefices and   
churches1 and  the ,lord so expressly   
called for their service1 in feeding the

 starving  souls of his people1 they    
betook themselves to the open fields1   
setting  their faces to all the storms  
to which they were exposed by that high 
commission court that was erected2      
wherein the bishops were chief  agents1 
being made therein necessary members for
 putting the former1  with what         
subsequent wicked laws were made against
 the servants of  ,,christ1 in          
execution4 ,and1 by this time1 that     
deceiving1 cruel1  perjured1 apostate   
bishop1 ,sharp1 had obtained the        
presidency in this  and all other public
 courts in the kingdom4 ,the proceedings
 of this  court were very unjust1 cruel 
and arbitrary1 similar to its           
preposterous  and illegal constitution4 
,persons were1 without any accusation1  
information1 witness or accuser1        
arraigned before them1 to answer super  
inquirendis to whatever interrogatories 
they were pleased to propose1  without  
license to make any lawful defense1 or1 
upon their offering so  to do1 were     

required to take the oath of supremacy1 
their refusal of  which was accounted   
cause sufficient for proceeding against 
them4 ,and  although taking order with  
papists was first in their commission1  
yet  last1 or rather not at all1 in     
execution2 while their infernal rage was
  principally set on ,presbyterians1 in 
fining1 confining and imprisoning  them1
 for the non-conformity of ministers1   
and their disregarding their  pretended 
sentences of deposition1 and the        
people's refusing to  countenance the   
authority and ministry of these prelatic
 wolves1 who  came in to scatter and    
tear the flock of ,,christ1 but         
endeavoring to  cleave to their lawful  
pastors1 have equal friends and foes    
with them1  and hear ,,christ',s law of 
kindness from their mouth4 ,the idol of 
jealousy  was thus set up in the house  
of ,,god1 and our ,,lord ,,jesus        
,,christ  sacreligiously robbed of his  
incommunicable supremacy and headship   
over  his church by the state2 whereby  

the ,pope's supremacy was well nigh     
claimed1 and ,spanish inquisition       
cruelty almost acted1 by this           
abominable court2 and all at the        
instigation and for the gratification   
of these monsters of iniquity1 the      
prelates1 who still agitated the  court 
to exercise more cruelty than even of   
themselves they were  inclined to4      
#e4 ,upon the decline of this rigorous  
court1 new measures were again  fallen  
upon for the oppression1 suppression and
 extirpation1 of the true  reformed     
religion1 and the professors of it4 ,the
 council being very  diligent and       
careful to deprive the ,,lord',s people 
of every thing which  might contribute  
to their establishment and confirmation 
in the  righteousness and equity of the 
cause and covenant of ,god for which    
they  suffered1 and which tended to     
expose their tyranny and treason against
  ,,god1 ordered the famous ,mr4        
,brown's ,apologetical ,relation to be  
burnt  in the high street of ,edinburgh1

 on ,february #adth1 #afff1 by the hand 
of  the common hangman2 and all persons 
who had copies of said book were        
required to give them up1 and such as   
concealed them to be fined #bjjj 4      
,scots1 if discovered4 ,such was their  
hellish enmity and spite against  our   
covenanted reformation1 and every thing 
written in defense thereof1  and in     
vindication of those that suffered for  
their adherence to it4  ,about the same 
time1 ,sharp1 for the more effectual    
accomplishment of  his wicked designs   
7the high commission being now          
dissolved1 and his  guilty conscience1  
it seems1 suggesting fears of an        
insurrection of the  oppressed1 to      
relieve themselves from their cruel     
oppressors71 obtains  an order from the 
king for raising an additional number of
 forces1 for  the security and          
establishment of himself and his        
associates in their  thrones of         
iniquity1 by destroying all the faithful
 in the land1  oppressing and wearing   

out the saints of the ,most ,high1 and  
burning up  and dispersing all the      
synagogues of ,,god in the nation4 ,in  
consequence  of this1 about three       
thousand foot1 and eight troops of      
dragoons were  got together1 and the    
command of them given to ,dalziel of    
,binns1 a  wicked1 fierce1 cruel man4   
,these were the instruments of that     
unprecedented barbarity1 cruelty and    
oppression1 committed in the ,west1     
after the defeat of ,colonel ,wallace   
and his little army of covenanters1  at 
,pentland ,hills1 ,november #bhth1      
#afff4 ,the occasion and cause of  which
 rising was1 in short1 this3 ,sir ,james
 ,turner had been sent the  year before 
into the south-west shires of ,dumfries 
and ,kirkcudbright1 in  order to        
suppress conventicles 7so they called   
the assemblies of ,god's  people for    
public worship and other religious      
exercises71 levy the fines  appointed by
 the parliament1 and oblige the people  
to conform and submit  to the bishops   

and curates by force of arms4 ,turner1  
in pursuance of  these cruel orders1    
committed great severities1 dreadfully  
oppressed1  robbed and spoiled the      
country4 ,in the parish of ,dalry1 in   
,galloway1  three or four of his        
blackguard crew1 seizing upon a poor    
countryman1  carried him to his own     
house1 and were going to torture him in 
a cruel  manner1 by setting him naked on
 a red-hot gridiron2 which four of the  
persecuted party hearing of1 they       
repaired to the house1 disarmed the     
soldiers 7upon their refusing to be     
entreated in behalf of the poor  man71  
and delivered their fellow sufferer4    
,and lest the rest of the  soldiers     
quartered in the parish 7to force people
 to keep their parish  church71 should  
fall upon them1 being joined with seven 
or eight more of  their friends1 they   
attacked them early next morning1 being 
about twelve  in number1 and disarmed   
them1 killing one that made resistance4 
,whereupon1 the country being alarmed1  

and being apprehensive1 from sad        
experience1 of the revenge ,sir ,james  
would take upon the whole country  for  
this affront1 without distinction of age
 or sex1 they determined to  stand in   
their own defense4 ,and1 getting        
together a good number of horse  and    
foot1 they march to ,dumfries1 surprise 
,turner himself1 take him  prisoner1 and
 disarm his soldiers1 without any       
further violence4 ,being  thus by       
,providence engaged1 without any hope of
 retreat1 and being  joined by many more
 of their brethren in the same condition
 with  themselves1 some ministers1 and  
,colonel ,wallace 7afterward chosen     
general71 they come to ,lanerk1 where   
they renew the covenant1 ,november      
#bfth1 #afff1 and thence to ,pentland   
,hills1 where1 being attacked by        
,dalziel and his blood-hounds1 they     
were1 notwithstanding their bravery  in 
repulsing the enemy twice1 at last      
totally routed1 many killed and  taken  
prisoners1 most of the prisoners        

treacherously executed  7notwithstanding
 they were taken upon solemn promise to 
have their lives  spared71 of whom the  
,lord was graciously pleased1 not only  
to accept of  a testimony1 by           
sufferings1 but also countenanced them1 
even to  admiration1 in sealing the same
 with their blood4 ,after this1 there   
were  severe edicts issued out against  
all who had any hand in this appearance 
for ,,god',s cause and covenant 7called 
by them rebellion1 a horrible           
conspiracy1 and what not72 all the      
subjects were strictly charged not to   
harbor1 reset1 supply1 or in any manner 
of way correspond with any that  were   
concerned in this engagement1 but that  
they pursue and deliver them  up to     
justice1 or otherwise be esteemed and   
punished as favorers of it4  ,this      
appearance for religion and liberty     
became1 for a time1 the  principal crime
 of which those were indicted who were  
prosecuted by this  wicked council1 and 
other merciless enemies1 to whom they   

committed the  management of their      
affairs4    #f4 ,although the cruelty of
 the court had hitherto been very great1
 yet  they had not wholly effectuated   
their wicked design of exterminating and
  destroying true religion1 and the     
professors thereof1 both ministers and  
people2 but1 like ,israel under         
,pharaoh's yoke1 the more they oppressed
  them1 and suppressed their meetings1  
the more numerous and frequent they     
grew1 so that their enemies were obliged
 to alter their course a little  from   
cruelty into craft4 ,this appeared in   
the first indulgence1 granted  anno     
#affi1 with design to divide            
,presbyterians among themselves1 that   
they might the more easily destroy them4
 ,hereby a pretended liberty was  given 
to several ministers ejected by the act 
of ,glasgow1 #affb  7especially public  
resolutioners1 who had formerly served  
the court  interest in that matter71    
under certain restrictions1 destructive 
of  their ministerial freedom and       

faithfulness1 to preach and exercise the
  other functions of the ministry in    
vacant churches4 ,in this fraudulent    
snare many were taken2 and even such of 
them as did accept of the  indulgence1  
but did not keep by the instructions    
given them by the  council1 and observe 
the wicked anniversary1 c1 were         
afterward  prosecuted1 fined1 and some  
turned out4 ,and those who refused      
compliance  therewith1 and testified    
against it1 as flowing from that        
blasphemous  supremacy and absolute     
power1 which the king had assumed1 were 
most  severely handled1 and their       
assemblies for public worship           
interdicted  under the highest pains4 ,a
 second indulgence was framed in the    
year  #afgb1 in which net they expected 
to inclose such as the first had not    
caught4 ,by this1 liberty was granted to
 a number of non-conformed  ministers1  
named by the council1 not yet indulged1 
to exercise their  ministry in such     
places as the council thought fit to    

ordain and appoint  them1 conforming    
themselves to the rules given by the    
council to those  that were formerly    
indulged1 besides other restrictions1   
wherewith this  new liberty was clogged4
 ,and1 as one special design of the     
court1 in  granting both the first and  
this second indulgence1 was to put an   
effectual stop to the meetings of the   
,,lord',s people1 ludicrously called  by
 them field conventicles1 so they took  
occasion1 on account of their  contempt 
of this their indulgence and liberty1 to
 prosecute all such as  kept1 or        
attended on1 these meetings1 in a more  
merciless and furious  manner4 ,this    
indulgence was accepted by many         
ministers2 and part  thereof1 by others1
 represented as a grievance1 and redress
 required4  ,but although nothing of    
this kind was obtained1 yet it was      
fallen in  with and accepted by most of 
those who subscribed the remonstrance   
against it2 and those few who rejected  
it1 and continued faithfully to         

discharge their official trust in the   
open fields1 without coming under  any  
of these sinful restrictions1 became1   
more especially1 the butt of  their     
enemies' malice and tyranny1 were more  
vigorously prosecuted1 and  such as were
 suspected or convicted of attending on 
their field  meetings1 were fined in an 
exorbitant manner1 and ministers        
imprisoned1  when they could be         
apprehended4 ,and because these field   
meetings1 the  great eye-sore of the    
prelates1 still increased1 they         
prevailed with the  council #afgd1 to   
take more special notice of the         
preachers at said  meetings1 who        
appointed a committee for that effect1  
and ordered their  chancelor to send out
 parties to apprehend certain of them1  
according to  their direction4 ,and the 
same year1 a bond was imposed1 binding  
and  obliging tenants1 that if they1    
their wives1 or any of their children1  
cottars or servants1 should keep or be  
present at any conventicles1  either in 

houses or fields1 that every tenant     
laboring land be fined for  each house  
conventicle in #be4 ,scots2 each cottar 
in #ab4 ,scots2  each servant man in a  
fourth part of his year's fee1 and      
husbands the  half of these fines for   
such of their wives and children as     
shall be at  house conventicles2 and the
 double of these respective fines for   
each of  the said persons who shall be  
at any field conventicles1 c4 ,and upon 
refusal of said bond1 they were to be   
put to the horn1 and their escheat  or  
forfeiture given to their masters4 ,they
 likewise1 at the same time1  issued    
forth another proclamation1 for         
apprehending the holders of1 and        
repairers to1 field meetings1 by them   
designed rebels1 and whoever  should    
seize such should have the fines1 so    
unjustly imposed1 for their  reward2    
with a particular sum offered for       
apprehending any of the  conventicle    
preachers1 and this sum doubled for some
 that were more  eminent among them1 and

 diligent in working the work of him    
that sent  them1 against whom their     
malice was more especially turned4      
,these  rigorous measures they continued
 to prosecute2 and in the year #afge1   
letters of intercommuning were given out
 against several ministers and  private 
,christians1 by name1 both denouncing   
them rebels1 and secluding  them from   
all society in the kingdom of ,scotland2
 further requiring1  that no            
accommodation should be given1 or       
communication any manner of  way held   
with them1 under the pain of being      
7according to them7  accounted socii    
criminis1 and pursued as guilty1 with   
them1 of the  same crimes4 ,these       
inhuman and unprecedented methods       
reduced the  sufferers to many          
wanderings and great hardships4 ,it is  
impossible to  recite the miseries these
 faithful confessors                    
underwent--wandering about  in deserts1 
in mountains1 in dens1 and in caves of  
the earth1 destitute1  afflicted1       

tormented2 besides the other severe     
impositions upon the  country in        
general1 the bonds imposed1 and rage of 
the ,highland host  then raised1 which1 
together with the soldiers1 greatly     
spoiled and  robbed the west country    
especially1 by which means1 poor people 
were  brought to very low circumstances4
    #g4 ,notwithstanding of all the     
tyranny and treachery hitherto          
exercised1  the word of ,,god grew1 and 
converts unto ,,christ1 and the         
obedience of the  gospel1 were daily    
multiplied2 ministers being forward and 
willing to  preach1 and the people      
willing to hear and receive the law from
 their  mouth1 on all hazards4 ,and the 
,,lord ,,jesus1 following his word and  
ordinances with his blessing1 showed    
himself as mighty and powerful in  the  
open fields1 whither they were driven1  
as ever he had done in their  churches1 
from whence they were driven1 and which 
were now shut against  them1 and filled 
with time-servers1 and antichrist's     

vassals4 ,but  against ,,christ',s      
standard and banner thus displayed1 the 
tyrant ,charles  ,,ii erected his       
opposite standard for the utter         
destruction of ,,christ',s  true        
servants and subjects4 ,and having      
declared their lawful meetings  for the 
worship of ,,god1 according to his word1
 execrable rendezvouses of  rebellion2 a
 convention of estates1 anno #afgh1 was 
called and met1 by  which a large cess  
was imposed to maintain an additional   
army1 for the  suppression of the true  
religion and liberty1 and securing      
tyranny and  arbitrary government4 ,on  
account of the imposition of this cess1 
and the  rigorous exaction of it1       
together with the cruelties and ravages 
of this  new army maintained by it 7the 
soldiers having commission to dismiss   
and  disperse their meetings1 disarm1   
imprison and kill preachers and people1 
in case of resistance2 and a price being
 put upon the heads of several  faithful
 ministers if brought to the council    

dead or alive71 both  ministers and     
people were laid under the necessity of 
carrying arms for  their own defense    
when dispensing and attending upon      
gospel ordinances4  ,and it was no      
wonder that1 finding themselves thus    
appointed as sheep  for the slaughter1  
they looked upon this as their duty1 and
 accordingly  provided themselves with  
arms for their necessary defense against
 the  wicked violence of those who      
thirsted after their blood1 and 7which  
was  to them much more dear and         
precious7 the ruin and destruction of   
the  cause1 interest1 and gospel of     
,,christ in the land4 ,unto these severe
 and  hellish measures fallen upon at   
this time1 for the more effectual       
suppression and extirpation of the      
gospel of ,,christ1 and professors of   
it1 the managers were principally       
instigated by that arch-apostate        
,sharp2 though a bad preparative for his
 exit out of this world1 which  soon    
came to pass1 anno #afgi1 in the        

dispensation of adorable  providence and
 righteous judgment of ,god1 executed   
upon such a notorious  traitor1 who1    
having first betrayed the church1 and   
all along deeply  imbrued his hands in  
the blood of ,,god',s saints and        
servants2 had blood  given him to drink 
because he was worthy4    #h4 ,that the 
land might be more deeply soaked with   
blood1 and made more  heavily to groan  
under the inhabitants thereof1 ,who had 
transgressed  the laws1 changed the     
ordinances1 and broken the everlasting  
covenant2  that the scene of cruel      
suffering might be more widely opened1  
and the  bloody tragedy more effectually
 acted2 the primate's death must now be 
added to the other pretended crimes of  
the sufferers4 ,many were terribly      
harrassed on that account1 who were no  
ways concerned in the action2 and  some 
were cruelly tortured and butchered by  
them for the same cause1  though        
innocent thereof 7for none of the actors
 did ever fall into their  hands74      

,these enemies were hereby rendered more
 rude1 barbarous and  hard-hearted to   
all the sufferers who afterward fell    
into their hands1  and breathed out     
threatenings and slaughter against the  
whole body of  the persecuted           
,presbyterians through the nation4 ,all 
this1 however1 did  not dispirit these  
zealous witnesses1 or discourage them   
from attending  to their work and duty2 
for we find them on the #bith of ,may1  
#afgi1  publishing their testimony at   
,rutherglen1 against the wicked         
anniversary1 on the same day appointed  
by the court for its celebration1  and  
against all that had been done publicly 
by these enemies of ,,christ  for the   
overthrow of his work and interest in   
the lands4 ,they likewise  committed    
their acts rescissory1 supremacy1 act   
restoring abjured  ,prelacy1 act of     
,glasgow1 #affb1 the presumptuous act   
for appointing  ,may #bith for an unholy
 anniversary1 indulgences1 c41 all to   
the  flames1 their just desert1 in      

retaliation of the impious treatment    
given  unto our solemn and sacred       
covenants1 and other good and laudable  
acts  and laws for reformation1 by their
 sacrilegious enemies in sundry cities  
of these covenanted kingdoms4 ,and so1  
after extinguishing the bonfires1  a    
part of the unholy solemnity of the     
enemies' anniversary day1 and           
concluding what they had done with      
prayer and praise1 as they had begun    
7,mr4 ,douglas1 one of their ministers  
being along with them71 they  withdrew4 
,this ,christian valor was followed with
 the ,,lord',s appearance  for them1 in 
a remarkable manner1 on the following   
,sabbath at  ,drumclog near ,lowdonhill1
 where being attacked by ,claverhouse1  
when attending on public worship1 they  
completely routed him and his  troops1  
rescued ,mr4 ,john ,king1 and a number  
of other prisoners1 whom  ,claverhouse  
had seized that morning1 from their     
hands4 ,afterward they  declared the    
grounds and causes of their present     

defensive posture1 in  that short       
manifesto1 or declaration1 published at 
,glasgow1 ,june #fth1  #afgi4 ,but when 
their numbers multiplied1 their         
divisions increased1 and  lawful means  
for honestly defending the cause were by
 the majority  refused4 ,mr4 ,welsh and 
that ,erastian party with him1 being by 
this  time come up1 did in their        
declaration at ,hamilton1 take in the   
tyrant's interest2 against which1 those 
who were honest and faithful to  the    
interest of ,zion's king contended1 and 
protested1 that in conscience  they     
could not take in the interest of one   
into the state of the quarrel  who had  
manifestly stated himself in opposition 
to the interest of  ,,christ2 that it   
was inconsistent with the covenant1     
which could not bind  them to espouse   
the interest of its destroyers1 and the 
destroyers of  all that adhered to it2  
and also contrary to their testimony and
  declaration for the covenants and work
 of reformation at ,rutherglen1         

,glasgow1 c41 and against all defection 
from the same4    ,thus1 when the most  
part in a great measure forsook the     
,,lord1 he was  justly provoked to      
forsake them1 and their great divisions 
landing them  in such confusion1 they   
became an easy prey to the enemy1 by    
whom they  were totally routed at       
,bothwell1 ,june4 #bb;d1 #afgi1 where   
they felt the  dismal fruits and        
consequences of joining at all with that
 ,erastian  faction1 after they had     
openly declared and discovered what they
 were4  ,this was so far from proving   
any defense to them1 notwithstanding the
  numbers of that party1 that it proved 
their destruction4 ,and those whose     
hearts were upright and honest in the   
cause of ,,god1 by their means1 in  holy
 sovereignty1 were made to fall a       
sacrifice to their enemies' wrath4  ,the
 slain on that day were many1 and the   
after-cruelty to prisoners  great2 they 
being carried into and kept for a long  
time in the  ,gray-friars church yard of

 ,edinburgh1 exposed1 defenseless1 night
  and day1 to tempests of all kinds4 ,by
 this inhuman usage 7with design to     
wear out the saints of the ,most ,high71
 together with the insinuations  and    
persuasions of some of the indulgence   
favorers1 their faith failing  them in  
this hour of temptation1 and fear       
prevailing1 a number of these  prisoners
 were persuaded to take the insnaring   
bond of peace1 whereby  they were       
engaged to own their rising at ,bothwell
 to be rebellion1 and  to oblige        
themselves never to rise in arms against
 the king1 and to live  peaceably1 c41  
while others of them were tortured1 not 
accepting  deliverance4    #i4 ,although
 this defeat and dispersion of the      
espousers of the truth and  cause of    
,,christ1 in opposition both to its     
avowed enemies and secret  betrayers1   
brought the remnant that were left into 
very melancholy  circumstances1 their   
enemies having in a great measure       
extinguished the  light of the gospel1  

by apprehending and shedding the blood  
of their  faithful pastors1 who used to 
hold forth the word of life unto them1  
as  a light whereby they might discern  
between sin and duty2 and others who    
had formerly been helpful unto them1 in 
strengthening their hands1 and          
encouraging their hearts1 in the way of 
their duty1 were overtaken and          
overborne with fainting and             
discouragement2 so that1 in respect of  
public guides1 they wore at this time as
 sheep without a shepherd4 ,yet1  in    
this disconsolate and scattered state   
and condition1 ,,christ1 the  chief     
shepherd1 had compassion on them1 and   
raised up those two faithful  ministers 
and zealous contenders for the faith    
once delivered to the  saints1 ,messrs4 
,richard ,cameron and ,donald ,cargill1 
to come forth  for the help of the      
,,lord against the mighty1 and to       
jeopard their lives  along with his     
people in the high places of the field1 
in bearing  faithful testimony for his  

noble truths and cause1 and against all 
the  sins and defections of the time4   
,the first of these1 soon after he had  
showed his activity and zeal in that    
banner displayed against the  church's  
enemies1 in the declaration published at
 ,sanquhar1 ,june #bb;d1  #ajhj1 did    
honorably and bravely finish his course1
 among many others of  ,zion's true     
friends1 in the defeat they again       
sustained at ,airsmoss1  where1 in      
imitation of his princely ,master1 he   
valiantly fought his way  to the        
incorruptible crown4 ,the latter        
afterward narrowly escaped his  enemies'
 hands 7by means of ,mr4 ,henry ,hall1  
of ,haughhead1 that  honest sufferer for
 truth1 who1 to save his minister's     
life1 lost his  own2 on whom the        
,queensferry paper1 a draft of a        
covenant engagement  unto certain       
duties1 was found71 and was1 by the     
power and providence of  ,,god1         
preserved1 until he accomplished that   
signal piece of generation  work in     

drawing forth the sword of              
excommunication against the tyrant      
,charles ,,ii1 and some others of the   
chief actors in that bloody  tragedy4   
,and that1 because of their bloodshed1  
perjury1 heaven-daring  profaneness1    
debauchery1 inhuman and savage cruelty  
acted upon the  people of ,,god4 ,the   
which sentence stuck fast in the hearts 
of these  enemies of ,zion's king unto  
the day of their death1 and1 by some of 
their own acknowledgments1 would through
 eternity4 ,shortly after this1  that   
faithful minister crowned his work with 
martyrdom1 and entered into  his        
,master's joy4    ,this murdering period
 spared neither pastor nor people1 age  
nor sex2  while gross transgressors1 and
 deluded enthusiasts1 as ,gib and his   
faction1 were screened from condign     
punishment1 though some of them had     
arrived at that prodigious length in    
wickedness as to commit the ,holy       
,scriptures and ,confession of ,faith to
 the flames4    #aj4 ,so many of these  

once living and lively witnesses for    
,,christ being1  now slain1 and what was
 yet surviving of the scattered flock   
deprived of  their painful shepherds1   
and not being able to drink of the      
sanctuary  waters1 so muddied by their  
former pastors1 who had defiled the same
 by  sinful compliance with the time's  
defections1 they resolved1 under  divine
 direction1 to gather themselves        
together into a general meeting1  for   
advising and informing one another anent
 their duty1 in such  critical times of 
common danger1 that so whatever         
concerned the whole1  might be done with
 due deliberation and common consent4   
,the which  general meetings afterward  
afforded them both good comfort amidst  
their  discouragements1 and also good   
counsel amidst their perplexities and   
doubts1 and proved an excellent         
expedient for preserving the remnant    
from the destruction and contagion of   
the times1 propagation of the           
testimony1 and keeping alive the public 

spirit of zeal and concern for  the     
cause and interest of ,,christ2 and for 
these ends they have been kept  up ever 
since4    ,in the meantime1 that evil   
instrument1 ,james1 duke of ,york1      
receiving commission from his perjured  
brother to preside in the whole         
administration of ,scots' affairs1 upon 
his arrival for this effect1  held a    
parliament1 which began ,july #bhth1    
#afha2 wherein1 besides other  of his   
wicked acts1 that detestable1           
blasphemous1 and self-contradictory     
test was framed1 which1 in the first    
part thereof1 contains the  swearer's   
solemn declaration1 by oath1 of his     
sincere profession of the  true         
,protestant religion1 contained in the  
first confession of faith1  ratified by 
,parl4 #ast1 ,james ,,vi1 #aefg 7which  
confession asserts1 in  the strongest   
terms1 ,,christ',s alone headship and   
supremacy as lawgiver  and king in his  
church1 without copartner or            
competitor71 and that he  shall adhere  

thereunto all the days of his life1 and 
renounce all  doctrines1 principles1 or 
practices contrary thereto1 and         
inconsistent  therewith2 while1 in      
manifest contradiction thereto1 the     
blasphemous  supremacy1 in the utmost   
extent thereof1 is asserted--the        
,covenants  ,national and ,solemn       
,league1 the chief barriers against     
,popery1  ,erastianism1 and arbitrary   
power1 are renounced1 and unlimited     
allegiance unto the occupant is enjoined
 and sworn to1 and the  prelatical      
government of the church confirmed4     
,this oath was at first administered to 
those in public trust only1 and  thereby
 all were turned out of their places who
 had any principles of  common honesty  
remaining in them2 but afterward it was 
imposed on all  persons of all ranks4   
,against which sinful encroachments on  
religion and  liberty1 the witnessing   
persecuted remnant accounted themselves 
bound in  duty to emit their testimony1 
which they published at ,lanerk1        

,january  #abth1 #afhb1 adhering to1 and
 confirming their former at ,sanquhar1  
and  giving reasons at length for their 
disowning the unlawful authority of     
,charles ,,ii4 ,upon intelligence       
hereof1 this declaration1 with those at 
,rutherglen and ,sanquhar1 were1 by     
order of the council1 with great        
solemnity1 burnt at the cross of        
,edinburgh1 by the magistrates in  their
 robes1 together with the ,solemn       
,league and ,covenant1 which had  been  
burnt formerly3 but now they would give 
new demonstrations of their  rage       
against it1 in conjunction with these   
declarations1 which they saw  and       
acknowledged were evidently conformed   
to1 and founded upon it4 ,after  the    
publication of this testimony1 the      
sufferings of that poor people  that    
owned it were sadder and sharper than   
ever before1 by hunting1  pursuing1     
apprehending1 imprisonment1 banishment1 
death1 and torture2  this increasing    
rage1 oppression1 cruelty1 and          

bloodshed1 being no more  than what they
 might look for1 agreeable to the spirit
 and principles of  that popish         
incendiary1 to whom such trust was      
committed4    #aa4 ,the poor wrestling  
remnant1 besides their other grievous   
calamities  and sufferings1 being now   
obnoxious to much censure1 in their     
appearances for truth reproached1 and   
invidiously misrepresented1 both  at    
home and abroad1 by those that were at  
ease in ,zion1 as having  forsaken the  
right way1 and run into wild1           
extravagant1 and unhappy  courses2 and1 
withal1 being at this time destitute and
 deprived of their  public standard     
bearers2 their series of witnesses      
7since the death of  ,messrs4 ,cameron  
and ,cargill7 maintaining the testimony 
against the  public national defections 
being in all appearance interrupted1    
except  by martyrdom and sufferings2    
they were obliged to exert themselves1  
both  for their vindication from those  
calumnies and slanders1 wherewith they  

were loaded by their enemies1 to foreign
 ,protestant churches especially1  and  
for obtaining a supply of gospel        
ministers4 ,wherefore1 sending some  of 
their number abroad1 to represent the   
righteousness of their cause to  the    
churches there1 and crave their         
sympathy1 in helping them to a  supply  
of gospel ministers2 the ,,lord was     
graciously pleased to  countenance and  
bless their endeavors so1 that they     
obtained access for  the instruction and
 ordination of young men for the        
ministry1 at a  university in the       
,united ,provinces2 and1 in process of  
time1 gave them  a great reviving in    
their bondage1 by sending forth his     
faithful  embassador1 ,mr4 ,james       
,renwick1 who1 while he stood on ,zion's
  watch-tower1 ceased not night and day 
to give faithful warning of the  danger 
approaching the city of ,,god1 evidently
 discovering his being  clothed with his
 ,master's commission1 in bearing       
faithful testimony and  witness1 both   

against the avowed enemies of truth and 
backsliders from  it4 ,and              
notwithstanding all the malicious rage  
of deadly foes1 ranging  and keenly     
pursuing him1 through open or more      
secret places1 the  reproach of tongues 
and cruel mockings he endured1 by the   
divine  blessing1 on his painful labors1
 amidst his many hardships1 the number  
of ,zion's friends were greatly         
increased1 by the incoming and joining  
of  many to the fellowship of their     
settled societies1 who resolutely chose 
rather to suffer affliction with the    
people of ,,god than to enjoy the       
pleasures of sin1 which are but for a   
season4 ,upon this further attack  upon 
,satan's interest1 his emissaries issue 
forth fresh orders1 and give  commission
 to soldiers1 foot and dragoons1 to     
hunt1 search1 and seek  them out of all 
their most secret dens1 caves1 and      
lurking places1 where  they might hide  
themselves1 in the most remote and      
wildest glens and  recesses in the      

mountains and deserts1 allowing them to 
kill1 slay1  destroy1 and any way to    
make an end of them1 wherever they might
 be  found2 commanding the whole        
country1 at their peril1 to assist them1
 and  raise the hue and cry after the   
poor wanderers1 and not to reset1       
harbor1 succor1 or correspond with them 
any manner of way1 under the  highest   
pains1 but to do their utmost in        
informing against them4 ,thus1  without 
regard to any of their unlawful forms of
 legal procedure1 they  defiled and     
besmeared the high places of the field  
with innocent blood4  ,these            
unprecedented methods and measures      
obliged the sufferers1 for  their own   
preservation1 stopping the deluge of    
blood1 and to deter the  insolence of   
intelligencers and informers1 to publish
 the apologetic  declaration1 which they
 affixed on several market crosses1 and 
parish  church doors1 upon the #bhth of 
,october1 #afhd2 wherein they declare   
their firm resolution of constant       

adherence to their covenanted           
engagements2 and to the declaration     
disowning the authority of ,charles     
,stuart1 warning all bloody ,doegs and  
flattering ,ziphites1 to expect to  be  
dealt with as they deal with them2 to be
 regarded as enemies to ,,god1  and the 
covenanted reformation1 and according to
 their power1 and the  degree of their  
offense1 punished as such1 c4 ,after    
this declaration1  these enemies were   
still more enraged1 and their fury      
flamed more than  ever formerly4 ,they  
framed an oath1 commonly called the oath
 of  abjuration1 renouncing and abjuring
 the same1 and by a venomous bloody     
proclamation1 enjoined this oath to be  
taken by all universally1 from  sixteen 
years and upward1 women as well as men1 
under pain of death2 and  many prisoners
 who having the oath tendered them1     
refused or declined  it1 were sentenced1
 and executed all in one day1 according 
to the tenor  of their proclamation4    
,and1 moreover1 they1 on this occasion1 

renewed  their orders and commission to 
the soldiers1 for pursuing and chasing  
after the rebels 7as they designed them7
 more vigorously and violently1  and to 
shoot1 or otherwise put them to death   
wherever they did light  upon them4 ,in 
the midst of this confusion of slaughter
 and bloodshed1  ,,god cut off by death1
 ,february #fth1 #afhe1 that vile       
person1 the author  and authorizer of   
all this mischief1 ,charles ,,ii1 who1  
,antiochus  like1 came in peaceably1 and
 obtained the kingdom by flattery 7,dan4
  xi71 reigned treacherously and        
bloodily1 and like that wicked king1    
,jehoram 7#b ,chron4 xxi71 died without 
being desired or lamented1  poisoned1 as
 was thought1 by his unnatural popish   
brother4 ,and1  notwithstanding of all  
his bastards1 begotten in adultery and  
fornication1 at home and abroad1 he died
 without any to succeed him1  save him  
that was said to have murdered him4     
,,god pursued him with the  curse of    
,hiel the ,bethelite1 for his rebuilding

 of that cursed  ,jericho1 prelacy2 and 
of that impious and wicked tyrant1      
,coniah  7,jer4 xxii71 for his treachery
 and cruelty2 ,thus saith the ,,lord1   
,write ye this man childless1 a man that
 shall not prosper in his days1  for no 
man of his seed shall prosper1 sitting  
any more upon the throne  of ,israel4   
#ab4 ,notwithstanding the abundant proof
 that the duke of ,york had  given1 in  
many instances1 and in both kingdoms1 of
 his being a vassal of  antichrist1 and 
notwithstanding of his open and public  
profession of  papistry1 upon his       
brother's death1 fairly warning all what
 they might  expect1 yet were not those1
 who sat at the helm of affairs1        
deterred  from committing the reins of  
government into his hands2 but contrary 
to  the word of ,god1 and fundamental   
laws of the lands1 this professed and   
excommunicate papist ,james1 duke of    
,york1 was1 anno #afhe1  proclaimed king
 of these once covenanted1 but now      
treacherous and  apostate lands1 whereby

 they appointed themselves a captain to 
return  into their anti-christian       
bondage4 ,to this grievous yoke our     
infamous1  perjured1 and apostate state 
and council in ,scotland1 heartily and  
voluntarily subjected themselves and the
 nation1 while others did it  with      
reluctancy1 caressing and embracing with
 their dearest and best  affections1    
this enemy to ,,god1 and ,,christ1 and  
his church1 swearing  implicit and      
unlimited obedience unto him1 and       
asserting his absolute  power and       
supremacy1 indefeasible and hereditary  
right1 without ever so  much as         
requiring him to take the coronation    
oath1 or give the least  security for1  
any thing civil or religious 7a depth of
 degeneracy1  parallel to that eminency 
in reformation purity1 from which they  
were  fallen67 but laid the reins on his
 own neck1 that he might have full      
freedom for the satisfying of his lusts1
 and fulfilling his wicked  designs4    
,this laid religion1 liberty1 and all1  

at the mercy of absolute  power and     
popish tyranny2 and still more and more 
cut off the people of  ,god from having 
any hopes of mercy from their bloody    
enemies2 on the  contrary1 the duke of  
,york1 in his letter to his first       
parliament1  recommends and requires    
them to leave no means unattempted1 for 
the  extirpation of the poor wandering  
sufferers1 whom he brands with the      
odious names of murderers and assassins1
 wild and inhuman traitors1 c4  ,and    
these his ready servants and bloody     
executioners1 came nothing short  of his
 orders in the execution of them2 so    
that there were more murdered  in cold  
blood in the open fields1 without all   
shadow of law1 trial or  sentence1 more 
banished and sold as slaves1 condemned  
and executed1 c41  in the time of this  
usurper1 than in all the time of the    
former tyrant4    ,as the honest        
sufferers1 consistent with their        
testimony for truth1 in  opposition both
 to the secret and open subvertors of   

the cause and state  of ,zion's quarrel 
with her enemies1 could not concur in   
,argyle's  declaration 7although there  
were many things in it materially good1 
and  commend-worthy71 nor join in a     
military association with him1 on       
account  7among other things7 of the too
 promiscuous admission of persons to    
trust in that party1 who were then1 and 
afterward discovered themselves  to be1 
enemies to the cause4 ,yet1 against this
 usurpation of a bloody  papist1        
advancing himself to the throne in such 
a manner1 they published  another       
declaration at ,sanquhar1 ,may #bh1     
#afhe2 wherein1 approving of1  and      
adhering to all their former1 and       
considering that ,james1 duke of  ,york1
 a professed and excommunicated papist1 
was proclaimed3 they  protest against   
said proclamation1 with reasons         
subjoined at length for  their so       
doing--against all kinds of popery1     
general and particular  heads1 as       
abjured by the national                 

covenant--against its entry again  into 
this land1 and every thing that doth1 or
 may directly or  indirectly1 make way  
for the same1 c4 ,after this1 ,mr4      
,renwick and his  followers were exposed
 to the greater fury of their           
adversaries2 more  cruel edicts were    
given forth against them1 approving and 
ratifying of  former acts1 for raising  
the hue and cry1 c41 whereby their      
calamities  were very much increased1   
besides the slanders of professed       
friends1 on  account of their not       
associating and joining with them in    
their  compliances1 although1 to the    
conviction of all unbiassed minds1 they 
fully vindicated themselves from all    
their injurious reflections4    ,the    
extirpation of the ,presbyterian        
interest--nay1 the suppression of  the  
,protestant religion in general1 the    
reintroduction of popery1 and  plunging 
the nations in anti-christian darkness  
and tyranny1 being the  long concerted  
design of this popish bigot now got into

 the throne2 he  resolves to lose no    
time1 and leave no stone unturned1 for  
the  prosecution and accomplishment     
thereof4 ,and having made tolerable     
progress in the execution of this his   
favorite scheme 7although not  without  
opposition71 in ,england1 he turns      
himself to ,scotland1  expecting an     
entire acquiescence in his pleasure     
there1 having found the  first          
parliament1 which began1 #bc;d ,may1    
#afhe1 so much according to his  own    
heart1 in their hearty and sincere offer
 of their lives and  fortunes1 to       
assist1 defend1 and maintain him in his 
rights1  prerogatives1 sacred1 supreme1 
and absolute power and authority1 c4    
,wherefore1 the parliament being to meet
 again ,april #bi1 #afhf1 in his  letter
 to them1 he heartily recommends to     
their care his innocent ,roman          
,catholic subjects1 to the end1 that as 
they have given good experience  of     
their true loyalty and peaceable        
behavior1 they may have the  protection 

of his laws1 without lying under        
obligations their religion  could not   
admit of2 that all penal laws made      
against them might be  repealed1 c4 ,but
 though many were for obliging their    
king in this  particular1 yet it could  
not be carried without debates and      
strong  objections2 so that1 dissolving 
the parliament1 what he could not obtain
  there1 with any show or face of law1  
he effectuates1 by virtue of the        
prerogative royal and absolute power1 in
 a letter to his privy council1  and    
proclamation inclosed1 bearing date     
,february #ab1 #afhg1 granting a  royal 
toleration to moderate ,presbyterians1  
clogged with a number of  grievous      
,erastian conditions and restrictions1  
as usual4 ,secondly1 to  ,quakers and   
other enthusiasts4 ,thirdly1 to         
,papists1 abrogating all penal  statutes
 made against them1 and making them in  
all respects free4 ,and so  devoted were
 the privy council to his interests1    
that without demur they  published the  

proclamation1 and wrote back to the     
king1 that his orders  were punctually  
obeyed1 thanking him for this further   
proof of his  favors to all his         
subjects4 ,thus1 this champion for      
,satan and  antichrist proceeded with   
his wicked design1 and so far succeeded2
 all  kinds of papistry were publicly   
practiced1 and many churches converted  
to mass chapels4 ,for1 before this1 by  
the king's letter to his privy  council1
 of ,august #bast1 #afhf1 ,papists were 
allowed the free exercise  of their     
religion1 the council required to       
support and maintain them  therein1 and 
the royal chapel at ,holyrood-,house    
ordered to be repaired  for popish      
service4 ,by which means a door was     
opened for that swarm of  ,jesuits and  
priests1 ascending as locusts out of the
 bottomless pit1  which quickly         
overspread the lands4 ,but              
notwithstanding of all this  indulgence 
and royal toleration granted to these   
three forementioned  parties1 yet there 

is no favor nor mercy for the honest and
 faithful  sufferers1 and honorable     
contenders for the interests and        
prerogatives  royal of ,,jesus ,,christ1
 against his sacrilegious and           
blasphemous  usurpation of the same4    
,but while he thinks fit to give ease   
7as himself  says7 by this means1 to    
tender consciences1 he at the same time 
signifies his highest indignation       
against those enemies of ,christianity  
7he means ,popery7 as well as           
government1 and human society1 the      
field-conventiclers1 whom he recommends 
to the council to root out1 with  all   
the severity of the laws1 and the most  
rigorous persecution of the  forces1 it 
being equally his1 and his people's     
concern to get rid of  them4 ,in        
consequence of this1 all their artillery
 is directed against  the ,rev4 ,mr4    
,james ,renwick only1 and that poor1    
afflicted1 and  persecuted people that  
adhered to him 7all others being        
comprehended in  the pretended liberty  

granted71 so that they were prosecuted  
with fire  and sword1 and according to  
the utmost severity of their wicked laws
  made against them1 and a reward of a  
hundred pounds sterling offered  by the 
bloody council to any that should bring 
in ,mr4 ,renwick to them1  either dead  
or alive4 ,but he having his generation 
work allotted and cut  out for him by   
,,god1 was preserved and kept from      
falling into their  hands1 until that he
 had finished the work his ,master had  
given him to  do1 notwithstanding all   
this hellish and anti-christian rage and
 fury  wherewith they did pursue him4   
,about the beginning of the year #afhf1 
he1  in conjunction with ,mr4 ,alexander
 ,shields1 who had lately joined him1   
wrote the ,informatory ,vindication1 by 
way of reply to various  accusations in 
letters1 informations and conferences1  
given forth  against them and their     
people1 wherein they vindicate1 clear   
and justify  themselves from the heavy  
and false charges1 slanders and         

reproaches1  cast upon them by their    
enemies1 as may be seen in said book4   
,about this  time1 also1 ,mr4 ,shields  
set about writing his ,hind let loose   
7which  was published next year71 or1 ,a
 ,historical ,representation of the     
,testimonies of the ,church of ,scotland
 for the interest of ,,christ1 with  the
 true state thereof in all its periods2 
wherein he also solidly1  soundly1 and  
judiciously vindicates the present      
testimony1 in all the  principles       
thereof1 as stated1 against the popish1 
prelatical1 and  malignant enemies of   
that church1 for the prerogatives of    
,,christ1  privileges of the church and 
liberties of mankind1 and sealed by the 
sufferings of a reproached remnant of   
,presbyterians there1 witnessing        
against the corruptions of the time4    
,whilst these two loving and faithful   
fellow-laborers were thus  industriously
 exerting themselves for the propagation
 and vindication of  the persecuted     
gospel1 and cause of ,,christ2 that     

fiery ,jesuit1 popish  tyrant1 and enemy
 to ,,god and man1 the duke of ,york1   
and his popish  party1 were equally     
industrious on the other hand1 to       
promote their  grand design of utterly  
extinguishing the light of the gospel1  
and  bringing in ,antichrist1 with all  
his poisonous and hellish vermin1 and   
abominable idolatries2 and that1 with   
all the murdering violence1  diabolical 
subtilty and malignant rage that hell   
and ,rome could invent  and exert4 ,he  
had formerly published a proclamation   
7as is noticed  above71 granting a      
lawless liberty to several sorts of     
persons therein  specified1 called his  
first indulgence2 but breathing nothing 
but  threatenings and slaughter against 
the people of ,,god1 who stood firm to  
his cause4 ,but withal1 this            
proclamation1 enjoined an oath in the   
room  of all oaths formerly imposed1 to 
be taken by all that minded to share  in
 his royal favor2 wherein they swore1   
not only absolute subjection and        

passive obedience1 never to resist him1 
not only on any pretense1 but  for any  
cause1 let him do1 or command to be done
 what he would2 but  also1 absolute1    
active obedience1 without reserve3 ,that
 they shall1 to  the utmost of their    
power1 assist1 defend1 and maintain him1
 his heirs  and successors1 in the      
exercise of their absolute power and    
authority1  against all deadly4 ,this   
was so palpably gross and odious1 that  
it was  disdained and abhorred by all   
that had common sense4 ,wherefore1      
finding  that this proposal did not     
take1 nor answer his design1 in a letter
 to  the council1 bearing date about a  
month after the former1 he endeavors  to
 mend the matter1 and set it out in     
another dress1 pretending that  they had
 mistaken his meaning in the former1 and
 so lets them know1 that  it is his     
pleasure now1 that if the ,presbyterian 
preachers do scruple to  take the oath  
7contained in the proclamation71 or any 
other oath  whatsoever1 they1           

notwithstanding1 have the benefit of his
 indulgence  7without being obliged to  
take the oath71 provided they observe   
the  conditions on which it was granted4
 ,but this not having the desired       
effect neither1 it is followed with the 
third indulgence or toleration1  emitted
 by proclamation1 dated #bhth ,june1    
#afhg1 excellently well  calculated for 
obtaining his end2 wherein1 after a     
solemn declaration of  his intention to 
maintain his archbishops and bishops1 he
 does1 by his  sovereign authority1     
prerogative royal1 and absolute power1  
suspend1  stop and disable1 all penal   
and sanguinary laws1 made against any   
for  non-conformity to the religion     
established by law--granting liberty to 
all the subjects to meet and serve      
,,god1 after their own way1 in private  
houses or chapels1 or places purposely  
hired or built for that use1 with  an   
injunction to take care that nothing be 
preached or taught1 that  might any way 
tend to alienate the hearts of the      

people from him and his  government3    
but1 notwithstanding the premises1      
strictly prohibiting all  field         
meetings1 against all which all his laws
 and acts of parliament  are left in    
full force and vigor2 and all his       
judges1 magistrates and  officers of    
forces1 commanded to prosecute such as  
shall be guilty of  said field          
conventicles1 with the utmost rigor2 and
 all this under  pretense1 that now1    
after this his royal grace and favor1   
there is not  the least shadow of excuse
 left for these meetings4 ,wherefore1 he
 is  confident1 that none will1 after   
these liberties and freedoms given to   
all1 to serve ,god in their own way1    
further presume to meet in these        
assemblies1 except such as make a       
pretense of religion1 to cover their    
treasonable designs against his royal   
person1 and peace of his  government4   
,the most of the ,presbyterian ministers
 in ,scotland took the benefit of  this 
wicked and boundless toleration1 chiefly

 designed in favor of  ,papists4 ,and a 
large number of them1 being met at      
,edinburgh1 agreed  upon1 and1 in name  
of all the rest1 sent an address of     
thanks to the  tyrant for his           
toleration1 stuffed with the most       
loathsome and  blasphemous flatteries1  
to the dishonor of ,,god1 the reproach  
of his  cause1 and betraying of his     
church4 ,for1 in this address1 dated    
,july  #bast1 #afhg1 designating        
themselves the loyal subjects of this   
true  religion and liberty destroyer1   
they offer him their most humble and    
hearty thanks for his favor bestowed1   
and bless the great ,,god who put it    
into his heart to grant them this       
liberty1 which they term a great and    
surprising favor1 professing a fixed    
resolution still to maintain an  entire 
loyalty1 both in their doctrine and     
practice 7consonant to their  known1    
principles1 which1 according to the holy
 ,scriptures1 are  contained in the     
,confession of ,faith72 and they humbly 

beseech1 that  any who promote disloyal 
principles and practices 7as they disown
 them7  may not be looked upon as any of
 theirs1 whatever name they may assume  
to themselves2 and that1 as their       
address comes from the plainness and    
sincerity of loyal and thankful hearts1 
so they were much engaged by his  royal 
favor1 to continue their fervent prayer 
to the ,king of kings1 for  divine      
illumination and conduct1 and all other 
blessings1 both spiritual  and temporal1
 ever to attend his person and          
government4 ,thus these men  made       
themselves naked to their shame1 and    
declared to the world1 that  they did   
only presumptuously arrogate to         
themselves the name of  ,presbyterians2 
whereas1 in reality1 they were quite    
another kind of  creatures1 acting      
diametrically opposite to ,presbyterian 
principles1 in  congratulating1         
extolling and justifying a tyrant1 for  
assuming to  himself a blasphemous1     
absolute power1 whereby he suspends and 

disables  all penal laws against        
idolators1 and gives a toleration for   
all errors4    ,but while these         
pretended ,presbyterians1 who all along 
loved peace  better than truth1 and     
preferred their own ease before the     
concerns of  their ,master's glory1 were
 thus sheltering themselves under this  
refuge  of lies2 true ,presbyterians1   
who kept by presbyterian principles1 and
  acted a faithful part for ,,christ1   
refusing to bow down to the idol of     
supremacy1 which the tyrant had set up1 
or pay any regard to his  blasphemous   
toleration1 were pursued1 persecuted1   
and slain1 without  pity or compassion1 
all the engines of the court being      
leveled against  them for their         
destruction1 because they would still   
reserve to  themselves the liberty      
wherewith ,,christ had made his people  
free1 and  not exchange it for one from 
,antichrist1 restricted with his        
reserves  and limitations2 so that 7as  
,mr4 ,shields tells us in his account of

  ,mr4 ,james ,renwick's life71 in less 
than five months after the  toleration1 
there were fifteen most desperate       
searches particularly for  him1 both of 
foot and horse3 and1 that all           
encouragement might be given  to any who
 would apprehend him1 a proclamation was
 issued1 dated  ,october #ahth1         
,authorizing all officers1 civil and    
military1 to  apprehend and secure in   
firmance his person1 with some others2  
and for  encouragement1 insuring the sum
 of #ajj sterling for taking him1 or    
them1 dead or alive4 ,in the midst of   
all these hazards1 this unwearied  and  
faithful laborer did notwithstanding    
continue at his work1 in  preaching1    
catechising1 c41 and the ,lord still    
preserved him from  falling into the    
enemy's hand1 until he had finished that
 piece of  generation work1 in drawing  
up a full and faithful testimony against
  ,york's toleration1 and for the       
covenants and work of reformation1 c41  
which he gave in to a meeting of        

,presbyterian ministers at ,edinburgh1  
on the #agth ,january1 #afhh2 and going 
thence to ,fife1 whither he was  called 
to preach1 in his return1 was           
apprehended at ,edinburgh1 and  called  
to seal his above testimony1 with all   
his other contendings  against ,popery1 
,prelacy1 ,erastianism1 and all         
defection from the land's  attainments  
in reformation1 with his blood1 which he
 did in the ,grass  market of           
,edinburgh1 #agth of ,february1 #afhh1  
with a remarkable and  extraordinary    
measure of the ,lord's gracious presence
 and spirit1 not  only in this part of  
his sufferings1 but all the time of his 
imprisonment4 ,the ,lord hereby bearing 
witness1 both to the truth of that      
cause for which he suffered1 and also   
testifying his gracious acceptance  of  
his sufferings1 and of the              
free-will-offering of his life1 which he
  laid down for his sake4 ,and as       
neither the violence nor flattery of    
enemies could prevail with this faithful

 confessor and martyr himself1  to quit 
with one hair or hoof of what belonged  
to ,christ1 so he  recommended to the   
poor scattered remnant which he left1 as
 part of his  dying counsel1 to keep    
their ground1 and not to quit nor forego
 one of  these despised truths1 which he
 was assured the ,lord1 when he returned
  to bind up the breach of his people1  
and heal them of their wound1 would     
make glorious in the earth4 ,thus that  
worthy minister1 and now glorified      
martyr of ,jesus1 through a chain of    
sufferings1 and train of enemies1       
fought his way unto an incorruptible and
 immortal crown of endless  glory4 ,he  
was the last that sealed the testimony  
for religion and  liberty1 and the      
covenanted work of reformation1 against 
,popery1  ,prelacy1 ,erastianism1 and   
tyranny1 in a public manner1 on the     
scaffold1  with his blood4 ,after the   
death of this renowned martyr1 he was   
succeeded by the eminent ,mr4 ,alexander
 ,shields1 who carried on1 and          

maintained1 the testimony1 as it was    
stated1 in all the heads and  clauses   
thereof1 continuing to preach in the    
fields4 ,on which account1  he1 and the 
people who attended his ministry1 were  
exposed for some time  longer to the    
fury and resentment of their enemies4   
,but their power1  which they had so    
long perverted and abused1 quickly came 
to a period4  ,for in a few months1     
,god1 in his righteous judgment and     
adorable  providence1 overturned that   
throne of iniquity on which they        
depended1  and expelled that inhuman1   
cruel monster1 from his tyrannical and  
usurped power1 upon the prince of       
,orange's coming over into ,england1  in
 the beginning of ,november that same   
year4 ,but1 although the ,lord at  this 
juncture1 and by this means1 rescued and
 delivered our natural and  civil rights
 and privileges in a national way from  
under the oppression  and bondage of    
anti-christian tyranny1 arbitrary and   
absolute power1 yet  the ,revolution1 at

 this time1 brought no real deliverance 
to the church  of ,god4 ,but ,christ's  
rights1#a formerly acquired for him by  
his  faithful servants1 lay still buried
 under the rubbish of that              
anti-christian building of ,prelacy1    
erected on the ruins of his work in     
this land2 and the spiritual liberties  
and privileges of his house  remained1  
and do still remain under the bondage of
 ,erastianism1  supremacy1 toleration1  
c4 ,for it is well known1 that although 
this man1  ,jehu-like1 destroyed ,baal  
out of ,israel1 yet he departed not from
  the sins of ,jeroboam1 wherewith he   
made ,israel to sin4    ,about this     
time1 the united societies 7having no   
actual minister since  ,mr4 ,renwick's  
death1 ,mr4 ,shields being only         
preacher7 sent over some  commissioners 
from their general meeting to ,embden1  
one of the ,united  ,provinces1 to bring
 over ,mr4 ,thomas ,linning1 a young man
 whom they had  sent thither some years 
before in ,mr4 ,renwick's time1 to the  

university there1 and for ordination4   
,in consequence hereof1 the said  ,mr4  
,linning came home1 with testimonials of
 his ordination to the  ministry by the 
classes at ,embden2 and in conjunction  
with ,mr4  ,shields and ,mr4 ,william   
,boyd 7another of their ministers1 who  
had  also come from ,holland about this 
time71 renewed the ,covenants ,national 
and ,solemn ,league1 and dispensed the  
sacrament of the ,lord's supper near    
,lesmahago1 in ,clydesdale1 and         
continued to preach to the people for   
about four months1 until the first      
,general ,assembly 7so called7 met at   
,edinburgh #afhi-ij4 ,at which time1 he1
 with his two brethren1 in their  own   
name1 and the name of their people1     
presented a paper to that  ,assembly1   
bearing on what terms they and their    
people would join in  communion with    
them2 only craving that they might all  
join in humbling  themselves before the 
,lord1 and acknowledge and bewail their 
fathers'1  their own1 and the land's    

many and heinous iniquities1 and        
breaches of  ,covenant1 before they     
proceeded to any other business1 and so 
have their  public sins and scandalous  
compliances washed away by repentance1  
and  calling upon the name of the ,lord 
,jesus4 ,that they would purge out from 
among them1 all ignorant1 insufficient1 
heterodox1 and notoriously  scandalous  
ministers1 such as1 by information1     
accusation1 or otherways1  were guilty  
of the blood of the saints1 c4 ,but     
these proposals were  reckoned          
unseasonable and impracticable1 tending 
rather to kindle  contention1 than      
compose division1 and so were thrown    
over their bar4  ,the generality of     
these men were so plunged and puddled in
 the ditch of  defection and apostasy1  
that they could not think of the        
drudgery of  cleansing themselves in    
,god's way1 by a particular and public  
confession  of1 and humiliation for     
their own and the land's public sins1   
but chose  rather to sit down filthy and

 polluted as they were1 and presume1 in 
the  midst of their abominations        
unrepented of1 to approach ,god's holy  
things1 which1 how provoking to heaven1 
let ,god in his word be judge1  ,isa4   
lii1 #aa2 ,hag4 ii1 #ac1 #ad2 #b ,chr4  
xxx1 #c2 ,ezek4 xliv1 #aj4  ,nay1 it is 
but too1 too evident1 that for this     
cause1 ,god then laid them  under that  
awful sentence1 ,rev4 xxii1 #aa3 ,him   
that is filthy1 let him  be filthy      
still2 or that1 ,isa4 xxii1 #ad4 ,for as
 their hearts were  then hardened       
against ,god's call by his word and     
providence to that  important and most  
necessary duty2 so1 ever since1 they1   
have been so  much the more so1 and have
 gone on from evil to worse4    ,but to 
return to our purpose3 the two brethren1
 ,messrs4 ,linning and  ,boyd1 upon the 
rejection of the above said paper of    
proposals1  intending to unite with them
 at any rate1 gave in another1 importing
  their submission to the assembly2     
which paper1 ,mr4 ,shields also1        

through their influences1 insinuations1 
and persuasions1 was drawn in to        
subscribe and adhere to2 which he had   
never done1 had he not fallen by  the   
means of these false brethren1 and      
which1 it is said1 he sadly  repented   
afterward4 ,thus1 the poor people were  
again left destitute of  ministers1 and 
public gospel ordinances1 until the     
,rev4 ,mr4 ,john1  ,mc,millan acceded to
 them1 from the public judicatories of  
the  revolution church1 in the year     
#agjf4 ,and their kind friend1 ,mr4     
,linning1 to make amends for all his    
misdemeanors1 and in return for  the    
charges the societies were at about his 
education1 at home and  abroad1 did them
 that good office1 to write1 and load   
them with  calumnies and slanders1 to   
the universities in the ,netherlands1   
whither they had recourse formerly in   
like cases2 so that all access for      
having their loss retrieved from that   
quarter1 was blocked up4    ,what is    
thus briefly hinted above1 may suffice  

to afford some cursory  view of the rise
 and progress of religion and           
reformation in these  lands1 especially 
in ,scotland2 until1 as a church and    
nation1 our  kingdom became the ,lord's1
 by the strictest and most intimate     
federal  alliance1 and the name almost  
of every city1 was1 the ,lord is there3 
together with the general state and     
condition of the church and land1  from 
the fatal juncture of our woful decline1
 unto the end of the above  mentioned   
bloody period2 the faithfulness of some1
 in this time of trial  and temptation3 
the defection and backsliding course of 
others2 and the  great and avowed       
wickedness of the rest1 extended unto an
 exhorbitant  hight of savage           
inhumanity1 irreligion and impiety4     
,upon all which1 the  presbytery1 in    
duty to ,god1 the present and succeeding
 generations find  themselves obliged to
 testify3    #a1 ,their hearty          
approbation of the faithfulness of such 
ministers and  others1 who opposed1 and 

faithfully testified against the public 
resolutions of church and state1 framed 
in the year #afea1 for receiving  into  
places of power and trust1 malignant    
enemies to the work of  reformation1    
contrary to the word of ,god1 ,exod4    
xviii1 #ba2 ,deut4 i1  #ac2 #b ,chron4  
xix1 #b2 and to all acts of assembly and
 parliament in the  reforming period2   
the assembly disclaiming the            
resolutions1 as appears  from their act1
 ,june #agth1 #afdf1 session #adth1     
entitled1 ,act for  censuring the       
compilers with the public enemies of    
this church and  kingdom3 and their     
seasonable and necessary warning ,june  
#bgth1 #afdj1  session #bgth2 where they
 judge it a great and scandalous        
provocation1  and grievous defection    
from the public cause1 to comply with1  
these  malignants1 c4 ,as also1 ,act    
#aath1 ,triennial ,parliament of1       
,charles  ,i1 entitled1 ,act for purging
 the army of disaffected persons to the 
,covenant and work of ,reformation4 ,and

 the faithful warnings1 given by        
general assemblies and parliament1 even 
against the admission of ,charles  ,,ii 
to the regal dignity1 when so evidently 
discovering his disingenuity1  until    
once he should give more satisfying     
proof of hid sincerity2 see  act of the 
commission at the ,west ,kirk1 ,august  
#acth1 #afej1 where the  commission of  
the general assembly1 considering1 that 
there may be just  ground of stumbling1 
from the king's majesty's refusing to   
emit the  declaration offered him by the
 committee of estates1 and the          
commission  of the ,general ,assembly1  
concerning his former carriage1 and     
resolution  for the future1 in reference
 to the cause of ,god1 and enemies and  
friends thereof2 doth therefore declare 
,that this kirk and kingdom do  not     
espouse any malignant party1 quarrel1 or
 interest1 but that they  fight merely  
upon their former grounds and           
principles1 and in the  defense of the  
cause of ,,god1 and of the kingdom1 as  

they have done these  twelve years past3
 and therefore as they disclaim all the 
sin and guilt  of the king and of his   
house1 so they will not own him nor his 
interest1  otherwise than with a        
subordination to ,,god1 and so far as he
 owns and  prosecutes the cause of      
,,god1 and disclaims his1 and his       
father's  opposition to the work of     
,,god and to the covenant1 c4 ,the which
  declaration being seen and considered 
by the committee of estates1 was  the   
same day approven by them4 ,thus1 both  
church and state exerted  themselves in 
the discharge of their duty1 in order to
 obtain a  settlement1 according to the 
word of ,god1 and the covenants1 which  
were  now become the magna charta of the
 privileges and liberties of the        
nations1 both civil and religious2 and  
therefore1 were sworn to and  subscribed
 by ,charles ,,ii1 as was also the      
coronation oath1 for the  security and  
preservation of the true religion1 at   
his receipt of the  royal power4    #b4 

,the presbytery testify and declare     
their approbation of the conduct  of the
 faithful1 before the restoration1 who1 
adhering to the aforesaid  fundamental  
constitutions of the nations1 both      
refused subjection unto1  and testified 
against1 the usurpation of ,oliver      
,cromwell and his  accomplices1 his     
invading the land1 his anti-christian   
toleration of all  sectarian errors and 
heresies1 threatening the ruin and      
destruction of  the true religion1 as   
well as liberty4 ,this was particularly 
testified  against by the synod of      
,fife1 and others in conjunction with   
them1 as  wicked and intolerable2 as    
opposite unto1 and condemned by1 the    
,scriptures of truth1 ,job xxxiv1 #ag2  
,deut4 xiii1 #a-ab2 ,zech4 xiii1  #c2   
contrary to acts of assembly and        
parliament1 made against malignants1    
their being received into places of     
power and trust1 with whom these        
sectarians were compliers1 such as ,act 
#afth1 of ,assemb4 #afdf1  ,sess4 #acth2

 ,act #bfth1 ,sess4 #b;d1 parliament    
,charles ,i1 c4    #c4 ,the presbytery  
do hereby heartily approve and          
homologate the  testimony borne unto the
 truths and royal prerogatives of       
,christ1 as  ,king of ,zion1 by the     
witnesses and martyrs for the same1 from
 the  restoration1 anno #affj1 to the   
late revolution1 by protestations1      
declarations1 confiscation of goods1    
bonds1 imprisonment1 banishment1  all   
kinds of cruelty and suffering1 even    
unto the death 7as noticed  above71 by  
the impious revolters from the righteous
 laws of ,god1 and  overturners of the  
just and equitable laws of men1 both    
sacred and  civil2 to the maintenance   
whereof1 the greatest part of these     
transgressors had bound themselves by   
the most sacred and inviolable          
obligations1 which made their wickedness
 the more daring and aggravated1  and   
the testimony of the saints against such
 as had made themselves so  vile in the 
sight of ,god and all good men1 the more

 justifiable4 ,psalm  cxix1 #aci3 ,my   
zeal hath consumed me1 because mine     
enemies have  forgotten thy words4 ,and 
as the doers of the law have the promise
 of  justification by the great         
,legislator1 ,rom4 ii1 #ac1 so they     
ought to  have the approbation of his   
people for doing his will4    ,and as   
the ,spirit discovers the church's duty 
not to consist only in  bearing witness 
unto the truth1 and justifying ,christ's
 confessors and  martyrs1 in their      
faithful adherence unto it1 but also in 
testifying  against sin1 and condemning 
the wicked for their wickedness2 for    
which1  also1 we have the precedent of  
the reformed and covenanted church of   
,scotland1 both before and during the   
defection and wickedness of the         
forementioned period4 ,likeas1 the      
presbytery did1 and hereby do declare   
and testify particularly3    #a4        
,against that prime and leading step of 
defection1 the public  resolutions1 a   
scheme projected by that arch hypocrite 

and traitor to  ,god1 ,charles ,,ii1 for
 the reintroduction of men of the same  
wicked and  malignant spirit with       
himself1 into places of public trust in 
the  nation--men1 the most of whom had  
been formerly excommunicated by the     
church1 and excluded from all           
office-bearing in the commonwealth1 by  
the  states1 in their act of classes1 as
 being avowed and obstinate enemies  to 
,god and to their country4 ,which       
scheme1 approven of and put in          
execution1 with the consent of a corrupt
 part of the ministry of the  church1   
called afterward resolutioners1 made way
 for that sad and bloody  catastrophe1  
which after befel the poor church of    
,christ in this land4    #b4 ,they      
declare and testify against the         
usurpation of ,oliver ,cromwell1  with  
those who subjected themselves unto1 and
 owned1 his authority2  against his     
treacherous invasion of this land1      
contrary to the public  oaths and vows1 
and covenant union of the nations2      

together with his  sectarian principles1
 and wicked toleration1 then obtruded   
upon them4    #c4 ,they declare and     
testify against the restoration of      
,charles ,,ii1  #affj1 unto the         
government of these covenanted lands1   
after he had so  plainly discovered his 
spirit and designs1 in the matter of the
 public  resolutions4 ,on account of    
which treacherous and double dealing    
with ,god  and man1 he was1 in the      
,lord's holy and adorable providence1   
justly  secluded from the government1   
and lived an exile for the space of ten 
years2 but1 by means of his malignant   
public resolution friends1 he was       
again1 by might1 though not of right1   
restored1 without so much as his        
adherence sought to those oaths1 which  
he had formerly so solemnly  sworn4 ,add
 to this the church's sinful silence1   
through the influence of  the           
backslidden resolution party therein1 so
 that1 at the convention of  the        
pretended parliament1 anno #affa1       

consisting mostly of persons of  known  
disaffection to the true religion1      
elected of purpose to serve the  king's 
traitorous designs1 there was not so    
much as a protestation for  civil or    
religious liberties and privileges      
offered thereunto2 but the  vile person 
7as be afterward fully declared himself7
 was peaceably1  though illegally1      
exalted4    #d4 ,as the presbytery find 
themselves in duty bound to testify     
against  this most unhappy restoration  
of ,charles ,,ii1 so1 of necessary and  
just  consequence1 they declare against 
the whole of his usurped and  tyrannical
 administration--particularly against   
his blasphemous and  heaven-daring      
ecclesiastical supremacy2 against the   
act rescissory1  declaring null and void
 the covenants1 presbyterian church     
government1  and all the laws made in   
favor of the true religion since the    
year #afch2  the wicked anniversary     
thanksgiving day1 in memory of the      
restoration2  the re-establishment of   

diocesan and ,erastian ,prelacy2 his    
publicly and  ignominiously burning of  
our solemn covenants1 after pretending  
to  nullify their obligation2 with all  
his cruelty1 tyranny1 oppression and    
bloodshed1 under color1 and without     
form1 of law1 exercised upon the        
,lord's people1 during the whole of his 
reign4    #e4 ,they again testify       
against the treachery of these          
covenanted lands1  in their advancing   
7contrary to our solemn covenants and   
all law and  reason7 ,james1 duke of    
,york1 a professed ,papist1 and avowed  
malignant to the throne of these realms4
 ,as also1 they testify against  his    
,christ-dethroning supremacy1 and       
anti-christian indulgences and          
toleration1 flowing from that wicked    
fountain2 his horrid and cruel          
massacreing and murdering of the saints 
and servants of the ,most ,high2  with  
all his other wickedness briefly        
specified in the foregoing  narrative4  
,upon the whole1 the presbytery declare 

and testify against all the  affronts   
done unto the ,son of ,god1 and open    
attacks made upon his crown  and        
kingdom2 all the different steps of     
apostasy from a work of  reformation1   
and all the hellish rage and cruelty    
exercised against the  people of ,god   
during the foresaid period of           
persecution1 carried on by  these two   
impious brothers4          ,,part ,,ii4 
,containing the grounds of the          
,presbytery's testimony against the     
constitutions both civil and            
ecclesiastical at the late ,revolution1 
anno  #afhi3 as also1 against the gross 
,erastianism and tyranny that has       
attended the administration both of     
church and state1 since that  memorable 
period3 with various instances thereof1 
c4      ,after the ,lord1 for the       
forementioned space of twenty-eight     
years1 had1  because of their manifold  
sins1 sorely plagued this church and    
nation  with the grievous yoke of       
prelatical tyranny1 bloodshed1          

oppression and  fiery persecution1 and  
thereby had covered the daughter of     
,zion with a  cloud in his anger1 and   
cast down from heaven unto the earth the
 beauty  of ,israel1 and had thrown down
 in his wrath the strong holds of the   
daughter of ,judah1 yea1 brought them   
down even to the ground2 he was         
pleased1 in his holy sovereignty1 to put
 a stop to that barbarous  cruelty that 
was exercised upon his people1 at the   
last national  ,revolution1 by the      
instrumentality of the prince and       
princess of  ,orange2 which is the more 
remarkable1 in that those whom the ,lord
  employed as the rod of his anger1 to  
strike off that monstrous tyrant  ,james
 duke of ,york from the ,british throne1
 were natural branches  sprung up from  
the same stock3 and this at a juncture  
when not only the  church of ,christ was
 in the greatest danger of being totally
 extirpated1  but the whole land in     
hazard of being again overwhelmed with  
popish  darkness and idolatry4 ,but     

although a very fit opportunity was then
  offered the nations for reviving the  
long buried work of a covenanted        
reformation both in church and state1   
and re-establishing all the  ordinances 
of ,god in purity1 according to their   
scriptural institution3  yet1 alas6 how 
deeply is it to be lamented1 that1      
instead thereof1 the  multitude of his  
tender mercies being forgotten1 there   
was a returning1  but not to the ,most  
,high2 yea1 a turning aside like a      
deceitful bow2 so  that1 in many        
respects1 our national guilt is now     
increased above what  it was in former  
times3 wherefore1 as the presbytery     
desire with the  utmost gratitude to    
acknowledge the divine goodness1 in     
giving a respite  from the hot furnace  
of persecution2 so they likewise find   
themselves1  in duty to their princely  
,master and his people1 obliged to      
testify and  declare against foresaid   
revolution settlement1 in a variety of  
particulars1 with the many defections   

and backslidings flowing  therefrom4    
,likeas they hereby do testify against  
the constitutions1 both  civil and      
ecclesiastic1 at the ,revolution1 anno  
#afhi1 in those  respects1 and for these
 reasons3    #a4 ,because that in the   
civil constitution1 these nations once  
united  together in a scriptural and    
covenanted uniformity1 unmindful of     
their  former establishment upon a      
divine footing1 wherein king and people 
were  to be of one perfect religion1 and
 the supreme magistrate obliged by      
solemn oath to maintain and preserve the
 same inviolable1 did call and  invite  
,william and ,mary1 prince and princess 
of ,orange1 unto the  possession of the 
royal power in these lands1 in a way    
contrary to the  word of ,god1 as ,deut4
 xvii1 #ae3 ,thou shalt in any wise set 
him king  over thee whom the ,lord thy  
,god shall choose3 one from among thy   
brethren shalt thou set king over thee3 
thou mayest not set a stranger  over    
thee1 which is not thy brother4 #b ,sam4

 xxiii1 #c3 ,the ,god of  ,israel said1 
the ,rock of ,israel spake to me1 ,he   
that ruleth over men1  must be just1    
ruling in the fear of ,god4    ,in      
opposition to these clear precepts1 the 
nations did choose the  foresaid persons
 to sway the civil scepter over them1   
who were neither  brethren by birth1 nor
 religious profession1 being educated in
 a church  where ,erastianism prevails1 
as appears from their ascribing such an 
extensive power to the civil magistrate1
 as is inconsistent with the  intrinsic 
power of the church4 ,accordingly1 by   
these principles1 said  prince of       
,orange did regulate his conduct1 in the
 assumption of his  regal authority1    
consenting to swear two distinct oaths1 
whereby he  obliged himself to preserve 
and maintain the two distinct and       
contrary  religions 7or modes of        
religions worship71 ,presbytery and     
,prelacy1 and  so betrayed both to ,god 
and man his politic1 worldly views1 and 
proclaimed himself destitute of that    

truth and religious fear1 which is  the 
essential character of every person who 
may warrantably be invested  with       
supreme authority over the ,israel of   
,god4 ,and as they wanted  scriptural1  
so likewise covenant qualifications1    
namely1 known  integrity1 approven      
fidelity1 constant affection1 and zeal  
to the cause  and true church of ,god2  
and therefore could not in a consistency
 with  the covenanted constitution1 and 
fundamental laws of the crown1 be set   
up as king and queen of these covenanted
 lands4    ,again1 as during the        
persecuting period the nations generally
 were  involved in the guilt of perjury 
and deep apostasy1 by the many sinful   
contradictory tests1 oaths and bonds    
then imposed2 so1 in a particular       
manner1 those who1 by virtue of their   
birth and dignity1 ought to have  been  
the defenders of the nation's           
privileges1 both sacred and civil1 on   
the contrary1 as privy councilors to the
 two impious brothers in their  rage    

against the ,lord and his ,anointed1 and
 as members of their  iniquitous        
parliaments 7where perverting equity and
 justice1 they framed  the most         
heaven-daring and abominable mischiefs  
into a law1 and then  with the utmost   
cruelty prosecuted the same71 had many  
of them brought  themselves under the   
fearful guilt of these atrocious crimes 
of murder1  perjury1 tyranny and        
oppression1 and thereby1 according to   
the law both  of ,god and man1 not only 
forfeited their lives1 had the same been
 duly  executed2 but also divested      
themselves of all just right and title  
to  act the part of the nations'        
representatives1 in choosing and        
installing  any in the office of supreme
 civil governor1 until at least they had
  given suitable evidence of their      
repentance4 ,yet such were the          
constituent members of that committee of
 estates1 and first parliament1         
employed in the ,revolution settlement1 
without so much as making any  suitable 

public acknowledgment of their          
wickedness in the active hand  the      
generality of them had in the former    
bloody persecution1 as appears  from a  
comparative view of the lists of the    
members of parliament1 and  particularly
 the duke of ,york's last parliament1   
with act second of  the acts and orders 
of the meeting of estates1 anno #afhi4  
,yea1 by  viewing the lists of ,james   
,,vii1 his privy council1 annexed by    
,wodrow  to the second volume of his    
history1 it is evident1 that a great    
number  of the nobility alone1 members  
of that bloody council1 were also       
members  of foresaid convention of      
estates1 the members of which convention
  7seven bishops excepted7 were exactly 
the same with the members of the  first 
parliament at the ,revolution4 ,for     
this1 compare second act of the  meeting
 of estates1 with act first1 parliament 
first1 of ,william and  ,mary4 ,by all  
which it is evident1 that from princes  
who had thus  removed the bound1 and    

discovered no just remorse for their    
sins1 there  was little ground left to  
expect a happy establishment of         
religion1 in  restoring the flock of    
,christ to the full possession of those 
valuable  privileges and liberties      
wherewith he had made them free4    ,the
 character of the constituent members   
being considered1 the  constitution     
itself1 and wherein it is inconsistent  
with our covenanted  establishment1 and 
is therefore hereby testified against1  
comes next to  be considered4 ,although 
the declaration of the meeting of       
estates in  this kingdom1 containing    
their claim of right1 comprehended much 
more of  their civil liberties1 and     
formal rights of government1 than was   
enjoyed  under the former monstrous     
tyranny1 yet by no means sufficiently   
provided for the legal establishment of 
our former happy reformed  constitution1
 which necessarily obliged the civil    
rulers to employ their  power to        
maintain and defend1 not only the       

doctrine1 but also the  ,presbyterian   
worship1 discipline and government1 as  
the only and  unalterable form          
instituted by ,christ in his house4     
,whereas this craves  the abolition of  
prelacy1 and the superiority of any     
office in the  church above presbyters  
in ,scotland1 simply as it hath been a  
great  and insupportable grievance and  
trouble to this nation1 and contrary to 
the inclinations of the generality of   
the people ever since the  reformation  
from ,popery1 without regarding the     
divine right of  ,presbytery1 and the   
contrariety of ,prelacy to scripture    
revelation4 ,in  agreeableness to which 
demand1 when the first parliament met in
  ,scotland immediately after the       
,revolution1 which began the  day of    
,april1 #afhi1 in ,act #c;d1 ,sess4     
#ast1 entitled ,act abolishing          
,prelacy1 they abolished ,prelacy for   
the foresaid reason1 and further        
declare1 that they will settle by law   
that church government in this  kingdom1

 which is most agreeable to the         
inclinations of the people4             
,accordingly1 in the second session of  
the same parliament1 ,act #eth1  ,june  
#gth1 #afij1 the parliament establishing
 the ,presbyterian church  government   
and discipline1 as it had been ratified 
and established by  the #adth ,act1     
,james ,,vi1 ,parl4 #abth1 anno #aeib1  
reviving1 renewing  and confirming the  
foresaid act of parliament1 in the whole
 heads  thereof1 except that part of it 
relating to patronages1 afterward to be 
considered of4 ,likewise1 in the above  
mentioned act at the ,revolution1  the  
thirty-three chapters of the            
,westminster ,confession of ,faith      
7exclusive of the catechisms1 directory 
for worship1 and form of church         
government formerly publicly authorized1
 and ,covenants ,national and  ,solemn  
,league7 were ratified and established  
by the parliament4 ,and the  said       
,confession being read in their         
presence1 was voted and approven by     

them1 as the public and avowed          
,confession of this church1 without     
taking  any notice of its scriptural    
authority4 ,and further1 in the same    
session  of parliament1 by the royal    
power allenarly1 the first meeting of   
the  general assembly of this church1 as
 above established1 was appointed to  be
 held at ,edinburgh1 the third ,thursday
 of ,october following1 the  same year1 
#afij4 ,and by the same civil authority 
and foresaid act1 many  of the churches 
in ,scotland were declared vacant4      
#b4 ,the presbytery testify against the 
ecclesiastical constitution at the      
,revolution2 particularly1 in regard1   
#ast--,that the members composing the   
same were no less1 if not much more     
exceptionable1 than those of whom  the  
state consisted2 the whole of them one  
way or other being justly  chargeable   
with unfaithfulness to ,,christ1 and his
 covenanted cause1 by  sinful and       
scandalous compliance with the public   
defections of the  former times1 or     

actively countenancing the malignant    
apostasy of the  lands1 which will      
appear evident1 by considering1 that the
 ,revolution  ,church consisted of such 
office-bearers1 as had1 in contradiction
 to  their most solemn covenant         
engagements1 fallen in with1 and        
approven of  the public resolutions4    
,and these public resolutioners1 who had
 betrayed  the ,,lord',s cause1 which   
they had in the most solemn manner sworn
 to  maintain1 were1 without any public 
acknowledgement demanded or offered1  or
 adequate censure inflicted 7even1 after
 that the ,,lord had remarkably         
testified his displeasure against that  
leading step of defection1 by  suffering
 these vipers1 which we thus took into  
our bosom1 to sting us  almost to death7
 for this their scandalous defection and
 perjury1  admitted and sustained       
members of the ,revolution ,church4     
,again1 the  ,revolution assembly       
consisted of such ministers as had      
shamefully  changed their holding of    

,,christ1 and sinfully submitted1 in the
 exercise  of their ministry1 to an     
exotic head1 ,charles ,,ii1 who had1 by 
virtue  of his blasphemous supremacy1   
and absolute power1 taken the power of  
the  keys from ,christ's ministers1 and 
afterward returning only one of them    
7viz43 the key of doctrine7 to such as  
accepted his anti-christian1            
church-destroying1 and                  
,christ-dethroning indulgences1 attended
 with such  sinful limitations and      
restrictions1 as were utterly           
inconsistent with  ministerial freedom  
and faithfulness1 declaring the         
acceptors to be  men-pleasers1 and so   
not the servants of ,christ 7of which   
above74 ,of  this stamp were the most of
 them1 who1 without any public          
acknowledgment  of that horrid affront  
they had put upon the church's true     
,head1 dared  to constitute and act as  
the supreme judicatory of the church of 
,christ1  anno #afij4 ,again1 the       
foresaid assembly was almost wholly     

formed of  such as had petitioned for1  
accepted of1 and pretended to return a  
,god-mocking letter of thanks for that  
blasphemous unbounded toleration1  which
 that popish tyrant1 the duke of ,york  
7as is noticed formerly71  granted1 with
 a special view to reintroduce abjured  
popery2 and  therefore while it extended
 its protection to every heresy1 did    
exclude  the pure preaching of the      
gospel in the fields2 which toleration  
7according to ,wodrow7 was joyfully     
embraced by all the ,presbyterian       
ministers in ,scotland1 the honored ,mr4
 ,renwick only excepted1 who  faithfully
 protested against the same4    ,but    
further1 the ,revolution assembly did   
partly consist of such members  as1     
contrary to our solemn covenants1 had   
their consciences dreadfully  polluted1 
by consenting unto1 subscribing1 and    
swearing some one or  other of the      
sinful wicked oaths1 tests and bonds1   
tyrannically imposed  in the persecuting
 period1 or by persuading others to take

 them1 and  declining to give warning of
 the danger of them1 or by approving the
  warrantableness of giving security to 
the bloody council1 not to  exercise    
their ministry1 but according to their  
pleasure4 ,moreover1 they  were all1    
generally1 manifestly guilty of the sin 
of carrying on and  maintaining schism  
and defection from the covenanted church
 of ,,christ in  ,scotland4 ,as also    
7which from the history of these times  
is evident71  the ruling elders in that 
assembly1 being generally noblemen1     
gentlemen1  and burgesses1 were mostly  
such as had an active hand in the       
tyranny and  persecution that preceded1 
and in one respect or other1 were       
stained  with the blood of the martyrs  
of ,jesus4 ,thus1 that assembly was     
packed  up1 chiefly1 of such blacked    
compilers1 as1 one way or other1 were   
deeply involved in the apostasy1        
bloodshed and cruelty of the preceding  
period1 yet had not broke off their     
iniquities1 by a public confession  of  

these crying sins1 before that meeting2 
nor can it be found1 that any  adequate 
censure was inflicted on any of them for
 the same4 ,therefore1  the presbytery  
testify against the ,revolution church1 
as consisting  mostly of such scandalous
 schismatical members1 as could not1 in 
a  consistency with the scriptural rule1
 and laudable acts of this reformed     
church1 have been admitted to church    
privileges1 far less to bear office  in 
the house of ,god2 until1 at least1 they
 had been duly purged from  their       
aggravated scandals1 and given evident  
signs of a real repentance1  according  
to the ,word of ,god1 #b ,chron4 xxx1   
#c3 ,for they could not  keep the       
passover at that time1 because the      
priests had not sanctified  themselves  
sufficiently4 ,and ,ezek4 xliv1 #aj3    
,and the ,levites that  are gone away   
far from me1 when ,israel went astray1  
which went astray  away from me after   
their idols1 they shall even bear their 
iniquity2 v4  #ac3 ,and they shall not  

come near unto me1 to do the office of a
 priest  unto me1 nor to come near to   
any of my holy things1 in the most holy 
place2 but they shall bear their shame1 
and their abominations which  they have 
committed4    ,next1 the presbytery     
declare and testify against the         
,revolution church1  because plainly    
,erastian1 and utterly inconsistent with
 the covenanted  constitution of the    
reformed church of ,scotland1 anno      
#afdh3 the truth  of which charge will  
appear obvious1 from considering the act
 of  parliament1 on which the civil     
power settled the constitution of the   
,revolution church1 viz41 ,act #aad1    
,james ,,vi1 ,parl4 #abth2 where1  inter
 alia1 it is expressly declared1 ,that  
it shall be lawful to the  kirk         
ministers1 every year at least1 and     
oftener1 pro re nata1 as  occasion and  
necessity sall require1 to hald and     
keepe general  assemblies1 providing    
that the king's majesty1 or his         
commissioner with  them1 to be appointed

 be his highness to be present at ilk   
general  assembly1 before the dissolving
 thereof1 nominate and appoynt time and 
place1 quhen and quhair the next general
 assemblie sall be halden3 and  in case 
neither his majesty nor his said        
commissioner beis present for  the time1
 in that town1 quhair the said general  
assemblie beis halden1  then1 and in    
that case1 it shall be lesum for the    
said general assembly  be themselves1 to
 nominate and appoint time and place1   
quhair the next  general assembly of the
 kirk sall be keeped and halden1 as they
 have  been in use to do these times    
by-past4 ,here1 in this act1 a manifest 
invasion and traitorous attack is made  
upon the headship and supremacy  of     
,christ1 as a ,son in1 and over his own 
house4 ,he who is ,god's  annotated     
,king in ,zion1 and sits on the throne  
of his holiness1 is  hereby robbed of   
his crown rights2 the intrinsic power1  
the spiritual  liberty and freedom1     
granted by ,christ to his church1 is    

encroached  upon4 ,it is a received     
opinion among all true ,presbyterians1  
that the  church hath an intrinsic power
 to meet in the courts of ,christ's     
house1  from the lowest to the highest1 
by virtue of the power committed to her 
by the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 without    
dependence on the civil power4 ,this is 
agreeable to scripture1 ,matth4 xvi1    
#ai1 and xviii1 #ah1 #ai1 where the     
apostles receive the keys immediately   
from the hands of ,christ their  ,lord  
and ,master4 ,and as one principal part 
of that trust ,christ has  committed to 
his church1 this has been the constant  
plea of the  reforming and reformed     
,presbyterian church of ,scotland4 ,let 
us hear  what that renowned and faithful
 minister1 and venerable confessor for  
,christ1 the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,john ,welsh1   
says to this particular1 in his letter  
to the ,countess of ,wigton from        
,blackness1 #afjf1 when a prisoner for  
this same truth4 ,having asserted the   
independence of the church1 the         

spiritual kingdom of ,christ1 upon any  
earthly monarch1 and her freedom  to    
meet and judge of all her affairs2 he   
adds1 ,these two points1 #ast1  that    
,christ is ,head of his church2 #b;d1   
that she is free in her  government from
 all other jurisdictions1 except        
,christ's4 ,these two  points1 ,i say1  
are the special causes of our           
imprisonment1 being now  convicted as   
traitors for maintaining thereof4 ,we   
have been ever waiting  with joyfulness 
to give the last testimony of our blood 
in confirmation  thereof1 if it should  
please our ,god to be so favorable as to
 honor us  with that dignity4 ,yea1 ,i  
do affirm1 that these two points above  
written1 and all other things that do   
belong to ,christ's crown1 scepter  and 
kingdom1 are not subject1 nor cannot be1
 to any other authority1 but  to his own
 altogether3 so that ,i would be glad to
 be offered up as a  sacrifice for so   
glorious a truth4 ,so far he4 ,but now  
this assembly of  treacherous men1 by   

settling themselves upon such a         
constitution have  openly given up this 
scriptural truth and ,presbyterian      
principle handed  down to us1 sealed    
with the sufferings and dearest blood of
 the faithful  ,confessors and ,martyrs 
of ,christ1 and have consented that it  
is unlawful  for the office-bearers in  
the ,lord's house to exert their proper 
power  in calling and appointing general
 assemblies1 however loudly the         
necessity of the church may call for    
them1 unless the king authorize  their  
diet of meeting1 which he may1 or may   
not do1 according to his  pleasure4     
,again1 it is evident1 that the         
revolution church is constituted in the 
same ,erastian manner with the late     
,prelacy in ,scotland4 ,for proof of    
which1 observe1 that as ,prelacy was    
never ecclesiastically asserted to  be  
of divine authority1 neither has        
,presbytery1 by any explicit and  formal
 act of ,assembly1 at or since the      
revolution4 ,as the prelates'  high     

ecclesiastical court was called1        
adjourned and dissolved1 in the  king's 
name1 so likewise are the assemblies of 
the ,revolution ,church4 ,as  the       
,episcopalians owned the king1 in the   
exercise of his ,erastian  supremacy    
over them1 so the ,revolution ,church1  
instead of opposing1 did  take up her   
standing under the covert of that       
anti-christian supremacy1  and has never
 since declined the exercise thereof4   
,and1 as the civil  power prescribed    
limits unto1 and at pleasure altered1   
the prelatic  church1 so this church has
 accepted of a formula1 prescribed by   
the  civil power1 requiring that all the
 ordinances within the same be          
performed by the ministers thereof1 as  
they were then allowed them1 or  should 
thereafter be declared by their         
authority1 as ,act #bc;d1 ,sess4  #dth1 
,parl4 #ast1 #afic1 expressly bears4 ,by
 what is said above1 it may  appear1    
that this church is ,erastian in her    
constitution4 ,but it is  further to be 

observed1 that the present constitution 
is no less  inconsistent with the       
scriptural and covenanted constitution  
of the  church of ,scotland1 in regard  
that the retrograde constitution1 to    
which the church fled back1 and on which
 she was settled at the  revolution1 was
 but an infant state of the church1     
lately after her  first reformation from
 ,popery1 far inferior to her advanced  
state  betwixt #afch and #afdi          
inclusive4 ,it was before the church had
 shaken off  the intolerable yokes of   
,erastian supremacy and patronages2     
before she  had ecclesiastically        
asserted1 and practically maintained1   
her spiritual  and scriptural claim of  
right1 namely1 the divine right of      
presbytery1  and intrinsic power of the 
church1 the two special gems of         
,christ's  crown1 as ,king on his holy  
hill of ,zion2 before the explanation of
 the  national covenant1 as condemning  
episcopacy1 the five articles of        
,perth1 the civil power of churchmen2   

before the ,solemn ,league and          
,covenant was entered into2 before the  
,westminster ,confession of ,faith1  the
 ,catechisms1 larger and shorter1 the   
,directory for worship1 ,form of        
,presbyterian church government and     
ordination of ministers1 were  composed2
 and before the acts of church and      
state1 for purging  judicatories1       
ecclesiastical and civil1 and armies    
from persons  disaffected to the cause  
and work of ,god1 were made2 and all    
these  valuable pieces of reformation   
ratified with the full and ample        
sanction  of the supreme civil          
authority1 by the king's majesty and    
honorable  estates of parliament1 as    
parts of the covenanted uniformity in   
religion1 betwixt the churches of       
,christ in ,scotland1 ,england and      
,ireland4 ,and therefore1 this          
revolution constitution amounts to a    
shameful disregarding--yea1 disclaiming 
and burying--much 7if not all7  of the  
reformation attained to in that         

memorable period1 and is a  virtual     
homologation and allowance of the       
iniquitous laws at the  restoration1    
anno #affa1 condemning our glorious     
reformation and sacred  covenants as    
rebellion2 and is such an aggravated    
step of defection and  apostasy1 as too 
clearly discovers this church to be     
fixed upon a  different footing1 and to 
be called by another name1 than the     
genuine  offspring of the true          
covenanted church of ,christ in         
,scotland4    ,besides what has been    
already noticed1 respecting the         
sinfulness both of  the members         
constituent1 and the constitutions at   
the revolution1 it is  to be further    
observed1 as just matter of lamentation1
 that1 at this  period1 when such a     
noble opportunity was offered1 no       
suitable endeavors  were made for       
reviving the covenanted cause and       
interest of our  ,,redeemer2 no care    
taken that the city of the ,lord should 
be built upon  her own heap1 and the    

palace remain after the manner thereof2 
but1 on  the contrary1 a religion was   
then established1 not only exceedingly  
far  short of1 but in many particulars  
very inconsistent with1 and  destructive
 of1 that blessed uniformity in         
religion1 once the glory of  these now  
degenerate isles4 ,the presbytery1      
therefore1 in the next  place1 do       
testify against the settlement of       
religion made at the  revolution1 and   
that in these particulars following3    
#a4 ,instead of abolishing ,prelacy in  
,england and ,ireland1 as it had  been  
abjured in the ,solemn ,league and      
,covenant1 and stands condemned by  the 
word of ,god1 and fundamental laws of   
the nations1 conform to the  divine law1
 it was then1 with all its popish       
ceremonies1 anew secured1  confirmed and
 established1 in both these kingdoms1 as
 the true religion1  according to the   
word of ,god1 to be publicly professed  
by all the  people2 and the supreme     
civil magistrate solemnly sworn1 at his 

inauguration1 both that he himself shall
 be of the ,episcopal communion1  and   
that he shall maintain inviolably the   
settlement of the church of  ,england1  
in the kingdoms of ,england and         
,ireland1 and territories  thereunto    
belonging4 ,thus the revolution has     
ratified the impious  overthrow1 and    
ignominious burial1 of the covenanted   
reformation in  these two kingdoms1 that
 was made in the persecuting period1 and
 has  fixed a legal bar in the way of   
their reformation1 in agreeableness to  
the sacred oath the three nations       
brought themselves under to ,god        
,almighty4    #b4 ,as to the settlement 
of religion in ,scotland1 the presbytery
  testify against it3 because it was a  
settlement1 which1 instead of           
homologating and reviving the covenanted
 reformation between #afch and  #afej1  
in profession and principle1 left the   
same buried under the  infamous act     
rescissory1 which did1 at one blow1     
rescind and annul the  whole of the     

reformation1 and authority establishing 
the same1 by making  a retrograde       
motion1 as far back as #aeib1 without   
ever coming one step  forward since that
 time1 and herein acted most contrary to
 the practice  of our honored reformers1
 who always used to begin where former  
reformations stopped1 and after having  
removed what obstructed the work  of    
reformation1 went forward in building   
and beautifying the house of  the ,lord4
    ,that this backward settlement at   
the revolution1 was a glaring           
relinquishment of many of our valuable  
and happy attainments1 in the  second   
and most advanced reformation 7as said  
is71 and consequently1 an  open apostasy
 and revolt from the covenanted         
constitution of the church  of          
,scotland1 is sufficiently evident1 from
 the foresaid act of  settlement #afij2 
where 7after having allowed of the      
,westminster  confession7 they further  
add1 ,that they do establish1 ratify and
  confirm1 the ,presbyterian church     

government and discipline1 ratified and 
established by the #aadth ,act1 ,james  
,,vi1 ,parl4 #abth1 anno #aeib4 ,so     
that this settlement includes nothing   
more of the covenanted uniformity  in   
these lands1 than only the thirty-three 
articles of the ,confession of  ,faith1 
wanting the scripture proofs4 ,again1   
that the ,revolution  settlement of     
religion did not abolish the act        
rescissory1 nor ratify  and revive any  
act1 between #afch and #afej1           
authorizing and establishing  the work  
of reformation1 is clear from the same  
act3 wherein1 after  abolishing some    
acts anent the late prelacy in          
,scotland1 they declare3  that these    
acts are abolished1 so far allenarly1 as
 the said acts1 and  others1 generally  
and particularly above mentioned1 are   
contrary or  prejudicial to1            
inconsistent with1 or derogatory from1  
the ,protestant  religion1 or           
,presbyterian church government1 now    
established4 ,where  observe1 that this 

general clause is restricted to acts and
 laws1 in so  far only1 as they were    
contrary to the religion settled in this
 act2 and  therefore1 as this act       
includes no part of the covenanted      
reformation  between #afch and #afdi1 so
 this rescissory clause abolishes laws1 
not as  against foresaid reformation1   
but only in so far as they strike       
against  the revolution settlement1     
which the act rescissory could not do4  
,again1  in another clause of the same  
act1 it is added3 ,therefore1 their     
majesties do hereby revive and ratify1  
and perpetually confirm1 all  laws1     
statutes and acts of parliament1 made   
against ,popery and ,papists4  ,the only
 reason that can be given for the       
revival of laws1 not against  ,prelacy1 
but ,popery1 when abolishing ,prelacy1  
is1 that the parliament1  excluding the 
covenanted reformation from this        
settlement of religion1  resolved to let
 the whole of it lie buried under the   
act rescissory4 ,for  as1 in reality1   

there were no laws made expressly       
against ,prelacy before  #aeib1 but     
against ,popery and ,papists2 so1 had   
they said1 laws against  prelacy and    
prelates1 they thereby would have       
revived some of the laws  made by the   
reforming parliaments1 between #afdj and
 #afej2 wherein  bishops and all other  
prelates1 the civil places and power of 
kirkmen1  c41 are expressly condemned4  
,again1 in the foresaid act1 they       
confirm  all the article of the #aadth  
,act1 #aeib1 except the part of it anent
  patronages1 which is to be afterward  
considered4 ,now1 had the revolution    
parliament regarded the reforming laws  
to have been revived1 and so the  act   
rescissory to be rescinded1 by their    
,act #eth1 #afij1 they would not  have  
left this particular to be again        
considered of1 seeing patronages  were  
entirely abolished by an act of         
parliament #afdi2 but1 having the  ball 
at their foot1 they now acted as would  
best suit with their  political and     

worldly views4 ,once more observe1 that 
when the revolution  parliament ratified
 the act #aeib1 they take no notice of  
its having been  done before1 by a      
preceding parliament in #afdi4 ,all     
which plainly says1  that the reforming 
laws and authority of the parliaments by
 which they  were made1 are not regarded
 as now in force4 ,to conclude this     
particular1 if the settlement of        
religion1 made in #afij1 had revived and
  ratified the authority of our         
reforming parliaments1 and laws made by 
them2 then1 as these obliged the king to
 swear the covenants before his         
coronation1 and all ranks to swear them1
 and obliged to root out  malignancy1   
sectarianism1 c41 and to promote        
uniformity in doctrine1  worship1       
discipline and government1 in the three 
nations1 so the  revolution settlement  
would have obliged all to the practice  
of the same  duties1 and that1 before   
ever king1 or any under him1 could have 
been  admitted to any trust2 while all  

that would not comply therewith1 would  
have been held as enemies1 not only to  
religion1 but to their king and  country
 also1 as was the case when reformation 
flourished4 ,but1 as the  very reverse  
of this was authorized and practised at 
the revolution1 it  convincingly        
discovers1 that the settlement of       
religion1 made in #afij1  left the whole
 of the reformation attained to1        
ratified and established  by solemn     
oaths and civil laws between #afdj and  
#afdi1 buried under that  scandalous and
 wicked act rescissory1 framed by that  
tyrant1 ,charles  ,,ii1 after his       
restoration4 ,nor is there to be found1 
in all the acts1  petitions1            
supplications and addresses1 made by the
 assemblies at or  since the revolution1
 any thing importing a desire to have   
that  blasphemous act rescinded1 which  
stands in full force1 to the perpetual  
infamy and disgrace of the revolution   
settlement of religion1 so much  gloried
 in1 by the greatest part1 as happily   

established4    #b4 ,the presbytery     
testify against the ,revolution         
settlement of religion1  not only as    
including avowed apostasy from the      
covenanted constitution  of the reformed
 church of ,scotland1 and a traitorous  
giving up of the  interests and rights  
of ,christ1 our ,lord and ,,redeemer1 in
 these1 and  especially in this land2   
but also1 as it is an ,erastian         
settlement1  which will appear1 by      
considering #ast4 ,the scriptural method
 then  taken1 in establishing religion3 
instead of setting the church foremost  
in the work of the ,lord1 and the state 
coming after1 and ratifying by  their   
civil sanction what the church had done2
 the ,revolution parliament  inverted   
this beautiful order1 both in abolishing
 ,prelacy1 settling  ,presbytery1 and   
ratifying the ,confession of ,faith1 as 
the standard of  doctrine to this       
church2 #b;d1 ,in abolishing ,prelacy1  
as it was not at  the desire of the     
church1 but of the estates of ,scotland1

 so the  parliament did it in an        
,erastian manner1 without consulting the
 church1  or regarding that it had been 
abolished by the church1 anno #afch1 and
  by the state1 #afdj1 in confirmation  
of what the church had done4 ,thus1     
,act #c;d1 #afhi1 'tis said1 ,the king  
and queen's majesties with the  estates 
of parliament1 do hereby abolish        
,prelacy4 ,again1 when  establishing    
presbytery1 ,act #eth1 #afij1 they act  
in the same ,erastian  manner1 whereby  
the order of the house of ,god was      
inverted in the matter  of government2  
in regard that the settlement of the    
government of the  church in the first  
instance1 properly belongs to an        
ecclesiastical  judicatory1 met and     
constituted in the name of the ,lord    
,jesus ,christ2  and it is afterward the
 duty of the state to give the sanction 
of their  authority to the same4 ,this  
,erastianism further appears in the     
parliament's conduct with respect unto  
the ,confession of ,faith3 see  ,act    

#eth1 ,sess4 #b;d1 ,parl4 #ast1 wherein 
thus they express  themselves3 ,likeas  
they1 by these presents1 ratify and     
establish the  ,confession of ,faith1   
now read in their presence1 and voted   
and approven  by them1 as the public and
 avowed confession of this church4      
,hence it  is obvious1 that the         
parliament1 by sustaining themselves    
proper judges  of doctrine1 encroached  
upon the intrinsic power of the church3 
they  read1 voted1 and approved the     
,confession of ,faith1 without ever     
referring to1 or regarding the act of   
the general assembly #afdg1 or any      
other act of reforming assemblies1      
whereby that confession was formerly    
made ours1 or even so much as calling an
 assembly to vote and approve  that     
confession of new4 ,that the above      
conduct of the state1 without  regarding
 the church in her assemblies1 either   
past or future1 is gross  ,erastianism1 
and what does not belong1 at first      
instance1 to the civil  magistrate1 but 

to the church representative1 to whom   
the ,lord has  committed the management 
of the affairs of his spiritual kingdom1
 may  appear from these few sacred      
texts1 besides many others1 namely1     
,numb4  i1 #ej1 #ea3 ,but thou shalt    
appoint the ,levites over the tabernacle
 of  testimony1 and over all the vessels
 thereof1 and over all the things  that 
belong to it3 they shall bear the       
tabernacle and all the vessels  thereof1
 and they shall minister unto it1 and   
shall encamp round about  the           
tabernacle2 and when the tabernacle     
setteth forward1 the ,levites  shall    
take it down1 and when the tabernacle is
 to be pitched1 the  ,levites shall set 
it up1 and the stranger that cometh nigh
 shall be put  to death4 ,see also      
chapters iii1 and iv1 throughout2 also  
,deut4  xxxiii1 #h1 #aj2 #a ,chron4 xv1 
#b2 #b ,chron4 xix1 #aa2 ,ezra x1 #d4   
,so  ,david1 when he had felt the anger 
of the ,lord1 for not observing his     
commandments in this particular1 says1  

#a ,chron4 xv1 #ab1 #ac1 to the         
,levites1 ,sanctify yourselves that ye  
may bring up the ark of the ,lord  ,god 
of ,israel4 ,for because ye did it not  
at the first1 the ,lord our ,god  made a
 breach upon us1 for that we sought him 
not after the due order4  ,likewise     
,hezekiah1 a reforming king1 did not    
himself1 at first instance1  set about  
reforming and purging the house of ,god2
 but having called  together the priests
 and ,levites1 says to them1 #b ,chron4 
xxix1 #e3  ,sanctify yourselves and     
sanctify the house of the ,lord ,god of 
your  fathers1 and carry forth the      
filthiness out of the holy place2       
compared  with ver4 #aa2 ,mal4 ii1 #g2  
,matth4 xvi1 #ai4 ,i will give unto thee
  the keys of the kingdom of heaven4    
,and xxviii1 #ah1 #ai1 #bj3 ,all power  
is given unto me1 go ye therefore and   
teach all nations1 teaching them  to    
observe all things whatsoever ,i have   
commanded you4 ,from all which  it may  
safely be inferred1 that as the ,lord   

,jesus ,christ1 the ,king and  ,lawgiver
 of his church1 has committed all the   
power of church matters1  whether       
respecting the doctrine or government   
thereof1 to church  officers1 as the    
first1 proper receptacles thereof2 so1  
for civil  rulers1 at first instance1 by
 their own authority1 to make           
alterations  in the government of the   
church1 and to settle and emit a        
standard of  doctrine to the church1 is 
a manifest usurpation of ecclesiastical 
authority1 and tyrannical encroachment  
upon the ministerial office4 ,it  needs 
only to be added1 that this ,revolution 
conduct stands condemned by  the        
,confession of ,faith itself1 in express
 terms 7as well as in the holy          
scriptures71 chap4 xxiii1 sect4 #c1 ,the
 civil magistrate may not  assume to    
himself the administration of the word  
or the keys4 ,and also1  by the         
beautiful practice of our reformers1    
betwixt #afch and #afdi1 who  observed  
the scriptural order1 the church always 

going foremost1 in all  the several     
pieces of reformation attained to1 and  
then the state coming  after1 by        
exerting their authority1 in            
ratification and defense of the         
church's acts and deeds1 in behalf of   
reformation4    #c4 ,the ,erastianism of
 this settlement of religion1 appears   
plain from  the act of parliament #aeib1
 noticed above1 upon which the          
,revolution  parliament did found it1 as
 in ,act #eth1 ,sess4 #b1 #afij1 by     
which the  forementioned act #aeib1 is  
ratified1 revived1 renewed and          
confirmed1 in  all the heads thereof1   
patronage excepted4 ,now1 in regard that
 act #aeib  contains an invasion upon   
the headship of ,christ1 and intrinsic  
power of  the church1 and ascribes an   
,erastian power to the civil magistrate 
over  the church1 making it unlawful for
 the church to convocate her superior   
judicatories1 but in dependence upon the
 king for his licence and  authority2   
and in regard the ,revolution parliament

 did revive and renew  this clause in   
foresaid act #aeib1 as well as other    
heads thereof1 it  must needs follow1   
that this settlement of religion cannot 
be freed of  the charge of ,erastianism4
 ,nor is it very strange that statesmen1
 who  had been educated in the          
principles of ,erastianism1 should be   
fond of  reviving an act that robbed    
,christ of his crown rights1 and the    
church  of her spiritual liberty2 but   
most surprising1 that professed         
,presbyterian ministers should so       
greedily embrace and approve of         
,erastianism1 as a valuable and glorious
 deliverance to the church of  ,christ6 
,in agreeableness to this ,erastian     
article of the above act the            
parliament1 in their act #afij1 indicted
 and appointed the first general        
assembly1 as a specimen of their        
,erastian power over their newly        
constituted church2 and it has ever     
since been the practice of the          
sovereign1 to call1 dissolve and adjourn

 her assemblies at his pleasure1  and   
sometimes to an indefinite time4 ,it is 
further observable1 that the  king's    
commission to his representative in     
assembly1 runs in a style  that         
evidently discovers1 that he looks upon 
the assembly's power and  right of      
constitution as subordinate to him4     
,thus it begins1 ,seeing by  our decree 
that an assembly is to meet1 c4 ,yet    
notwithstanding of  this1 the assembly  
#afij 7nor any after them1 so far as was
 ever known to  the world7 did not by   
any one formal act and statue expressly 
condemn  ,erastianism1 and explicitly   
assert the alone headship of ,christ1   
and the  intrinsic1 independent power of
 the church1 in opposition to these     
encroachments made thereupon1 and       
therefore may be justly construed       
consenters thereto4 ,to conclude this   
particular1 of the ,erastianism of  the 
present settlement of religion1 it may  
be observed that although the           
,revolution parliament1 from political  

views1 did by ,act #ast1 ,sess4  #b;d1  
rescind the first act of the second     
parliament of ,charles ,,ii4  entitled  
,act asserting his majesty's supremacy  
over all persons and in  all causes     
ecclesiastical2 yet1 from what is above 
hinted1 it may be  inferred1 that the   
,revolution state has still preserved   
the very soul  and substance of that    
blasphemous supremacy 7though possibly  
they may  have transferred it from the  
person of the king1 abstractly          
considered1  and lodged it in the hand  
of the king and parliament conjunctly1  
as the  more proper subject thereof73   
for1 in the words of ,mr4 ,john ,burnet1
 in  his testimony against the          
indulgence1 quoted by ,mr4 ,brown in his
 history  of the indulgence1 ,to settle1
 enact and emit constitutions1 acts and 
orders1 concerning matters1 meetings and
 persons ecclesiastical1  according to  
royal pleasure 7and parliamentary is    
much the same71 is the  very substance  
and definition of his majesty's         

supremacy1 as it is  explained by his   
estates of parliament4 ,but the         
,revolution act of  parliament settling 
religion1 is just to settle1 enact and  
emit such  constitutions1 acts and      
orders concerning matters1 meetings and 
persons  ecclesiastical1 according to   
parliamentary1 instead of mere royal    
pleasure3 and therefore the act         
authorizing the ,revolution settlement  
of  religion1 is the very substance and 
definition of a royal parliamentary     
supremacy4 ,the truth of this will      
further appear by the sequel4    #d4    
,the presbytery testify against the     
,revolution constitution and  settlement
 of religion1 as it is not a religious1 
but a mere civil and  political one2 not
 built upon the foundation of the       
apostles and  prophets1 ,jesus ,christ  
himself being the chief corner stone2   
but upon  the fluctuating inclinations  
of the people1 as the formal foundation 
thereof4 ,for proof of which1 consider  
the acts of parliament relative to  the 

abolition of ,prelacy1 and the          
establishment of presbytery4 ,in        
consequence of an article of the claim  
of right made by the estates of         
,scotland1 the ,act #c;d1 ,sess4 #ast1  
,parl4 #afhi1 declares1 ,that  whereas  
the estates of this kingdom1 in their   
claim of right1 declared  that ,prelacy1
 and the superiority of any office in   
the church above  presbyters1 is and    
hath been a great and insupportable     
grievance to this  nation1 and contrary 
to the inclinations of the generality of
 the people  ever since the reformation1
 they having been reformed from ,popery 
by  presbyters1 and therefore to be     
abolished3 our sovereign lord and lady1 
with advice and consent of the estates  
of parliament1 do hereby abolish        
,prelacy1 and all superiority of any    
office in the church in this kingdom    
above presbyters2 and do declare1 that  
they1 with advice aforesaid1 will       
settle by law that church government in 
this kingdom1 which is most  agreeable  

to the inclinations of the people4      
,agreeable to this1 one of  king        
,william's instructions to the          
parliament #afij1 is1 ,you are to pass  
an act establishing that church         
government which is most agreeable to   
the inclinations of the people4         
,accordingly we have the ,act #eth1     
,sess4 #b;d1 #afij1 settling            
,presbyterian church-government in the  
same  form1 and on the same footing4    
,and so much king ,william1 who1        
doubtless1  was perfectly acquainted    
with the true intent and meaning of that
 act1  declares in his letter to the    
assembly indicted by him that same year4
  ,from all which 7without noticing the 
,erastian form of these acts1 c47  it   
may be observed1 that there is somewhat 
done that is materially good2  but then 
there is nothing importing the          
contrariety of ,prelacy to the          
scriptures of truth1 nor the divine     
right of ,presbyterian church           
government1 so that the whole of this   

settlement is purely political1  done   
for the pleasure of the good subjects of
 ,scotland3 for1 #ast1 the  only reason 
why ,prelacy is complained of and       
abolished1 is1 because it  was grievous 
and contrary to the inclinations of the 
generality of the  people4 ,it is not so
 much as declared contrary to law1      
though well known  that it was condemned
 by many of the reforming laws2 far less
 is it  declared contrary to the word of
 ,god1 and reformation principles       
founded  thereupon4 ,neither is it said 
to be a grievance to the nations1 though
  it is manifest1 by the nations        
entering into a solemn covenant to      
extirpate it1 that it was an            
insupportable burden to all the three4  
,and  the great reason assigned for the 
people's dissatisfaction to ,prelacy1   
is antiquity1 they having been reformed 
from ,popery by presbyters1  as if our  
reformers had only contended for a      
church government merely  human2 whereas
 they strenuously maintained the divine 

right of  presbytery1 and condemned     
,prelacy as contrary to the word of     
,god4 ,this  reason would be equally    
strong against presbytery1 on           
supposition that  prelates had got the  
start of presbyters in the reformation  
from ,popery4  ,again1 #b;d1 upon the   
same1 and no better ground1 was         
,presbytery  established1 namely1       
because it was more agreeable to the    
inclinations  of the people1 and as it  
was of a more ancient standing in       
,scotland than  ,prelacy4 ,further1 that
 the divine right of presbytery is not  
acknowledged in this settlement1 appears
 from the express words of the  act     
itself1 wherein it is designated1 the   
only government of ,christ's  church in 
the nation2 not the only government of  
,christ's church laid  down in the word 
of ,god1 received and sworn to by all   
the three nations1  ratified by both    
civil and ecclesiastical authority4 ,a  
clear evidence1  that church government 
was regarded as ambulatory only1 and    

what might  be altered at pleasure4     
,hence1 while the king was settling     
presbytery in  ,scotland1 he was also   
maintaining1 as bound by oath1 ,prelacy 
in ,england1  c4 ,and so ,presbytery1   
for peace's sake1 as most agreeable to  
the  inclinations of the people1 was    
settled in ,scotland as the government  
of  ,christ's church there4 ,thus1 there
 is a settlement of religion1 and yet   
not one line of scripture authority1 or 
reformation principles legible  therein3
 and1 as one said 7though a strenuous   
defender of the  settlement71 ,the glory
 of that church is at a low pass1 which 
hangs  upon the nail of legal securities
 by kings and parliaments1 instead of   
the nail which ,god has fastened in a   
sure place2 which1 alas6 is the  case   
with the church of ,scotland at this    
day4 ,it is true1 that the  parliament  
call their settlement1 ,agreeable to    
,god's word2 but it is  as true1 that1  
from their conduct toward both          
7abolishing ,prelacy1 and  establishing 

,presbytery1 from these political       
motives above mentioned71  it is        
abundantly plain1 that they believed    
neither of them to be  formally and     
specifically agreeable to1 and founded  
upon the word of  ,god2 but that they   
regarded all forms of church government 
as  indifferent1 and thought themselves 
at liberty to pick and choose such a    
particular form as best suited the      
humors and inclinations of the  people1 
and their own worldly advantage4        
,accordingly1 we find the  parliament   
#afhi1 appointing a committee to receive
 all the forms of  government that      
should be brought before them1 to       
examine them for this  purpose1 and then
 report their opinions of them to the   
house4    ,that the parliament at this  
time1 or the king and parliament        
conjunctly1  acted from the above       
latitudinarian principle1 is further    
evident1 from  their establishing and   
consenting to the establishment of these
 two  different and opposite forms of   

church government1 ,presbytery in       
,scotland1 and ,prelacy in ,england and 
,ireland1 and both of them  considered  
as agreeable to the word of ,god1 and   
the only government of  ,christ's church
 in the several kingdoms1 where they    
were espoused2  which1 as it is         
self-contradictory and absurd1 so it is 
impossible they  could ever have done   
this1 if they had believed the divine   
right of  either of them4 ,and finally1 
by this conduct of theirs1 the state    
declared their approbation thereof1 and 
resolution to copy after the  #afth     
,act1 ,sess4 #b;d ,parl4 #ast of        
,charles ,,ii 7yet in force71 which     
ascribes an ,erastian power to the king1
 of settling church government as  he   
shall think proper4 ,by all which it    
appears quite inconsistent with  the    
,revolution settlement1 to consider     
church power in any other light1  than  
as subordinate to the power of the      
state4 ,and yet with this  political and
 ,erastian settlement of religion1 the  

,revolution ,church  have declared      
themselves satisfied2 they have not     
condemned ,episcopacy1  as contrary to  
the word of ,god1 nor positively        
asserted the divine right  of           
,presbytery1 and disclaimed the claim of
 right and act of settlement1  as their 
right of constitution2 but1 on the      
contrary1 approved of both1  as appears 
from the commission's act1 #agji1 and   
their address to the  parliament1 #agaa1
 both homologated by the succeeding     
assemblies4 ,whereby  they declare1 that
 they have dropped a most material part 
of the  testimony of the reformed church
 of ,scotland1 and are not faithful to  
the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in maintaining
 the rights of his crown and  kingdom4  
,from the whole1 it may too justly be   
concluded concerning the  ,revolution   
settlement of religion1 what the prophet
 ,hosea declares of  the calf of        
,samaria1 ,hos4 viii1 #f3 ,for from     
,israel was it also1 the  workman made  
it1 therefore it is not ,god2 the calf  

of ,samaria shall be  broken in pieces4 
,it is not a divine institution founded 
upon the word  of ,god1 and regulated by
 his revealed law2 but a human          
invention1 owing  its original in both  
kingdoms to the inclinations of the     
people1 and  governed by laws opposite  
to the laws of ,christ in the word4     
,hence we have the idolatrous           
institutions of ,prelacy1 established in
 the  one nation1 and ,erastianism1     
under the specious pretext of           
,presbytery1  in the other2 and both    
under an exotic head of ecclesiastical  
government4    ,from what is said above1
 respecting the ,revolution             
constitutions1 and  settlement of       
religion in the nations1 it will appear1
 that the same are  opposite to the word
 of ,god1 and covenanted constitutions  
of both church  and state1 and to the   
reforming laws1 between #afch and #afej1
 ratifying  and securing the doctrine1  
worship1 discipline1 and government of  
the  church1 and all divine ordinances1 

sacred and civil1 according to          
scripture revelation2 and therefore     
cannot be acknowledged as lawful1 by    
any that make the law of ,god their     
rule1 and desire to go out by the       
footsteps of the flock of ,christ4      
,the ,presbytery proceed now to consider
 the administration since the late      
,revolution1 as standing in immediate   
connection with the forementioned       
constitutions and settlement3 only1 in  
the entry1 it may be observed1  that as 
the mal-administrations1 civil and      
ecclesiastical1 are increased  to almost
 an innumerable multitude1 so that it   
would be next to an  impossibility to   
reckon them all2 the ,presbytery propose
 only to observe  so many of the most   
remarkable instances1 as shall be       
sufficient to  justify a condemnation of
 the present course of the nations1     
although  the constitutions could not1  
be excepted against as sinful4 ,and1    
#a4 ,the ,presbytery declare and testify
 against the gross ,erastianism that    

has attended the administrations of both
 church and state1 since the            
,revolution4 ,as the constitutions of   
both 7above noticed7 were ,erastian  and
 anti-scriptural1 so their conduct ever 
since has been agreeable  thereto1      
tending evidently to discover that1     
while the state is robbing  out         
,redeemer of his crown1 and his church  
of her liberties1 this church1  instead 
of testifying against1 gives consent to 
these impieties4    ,particularly1 #a1  
as at the forementioned period1 so ever 
since1 the king  has continued1 by his  
own authority1 to call1 dissolve1 and   
adjourn the  national assemblies of this
 church4 ,the first ,revolution         
,assembly was  held1 by virtue of an    
,erastian indictment1 and by the same   
power  dissolved4 ,the nest was1 by     
royal authority1 appointed to be at     
,edinburgh #afia1 but by the same power1
 adjourned to #afib1 and then           
dissolved1 without passing any act2 and 
though again indicted to meet  #afic1   

yet was not allowed to sit until ,march 
#afid1 near a year after  the parliament
 had made an humble address to the      
sovereign for granting  that privilege4 
,but it would be endless to attempt an  
enumeration of all  the instances of the
 exercise of ,erastianism in this       
particular1 which  is annually renewed4 
,how often1 alas6 have the assemblies   
been  prorogued1 raised1 and dissolved1 
by magistratical authority1 and         
sometimes without nomination of another 
diet8 ,how frequently also1 have  they  
been restricted in their proceedings1   
and prelimited as to members1  and      
matters to be treated of1 and discussed 
therein2 depriving some  members of     
their liberty to sit and act as members1
 though regularly  chosen1 merely1      
because such had not taken the oaths    
appointed by law8  ,all which exercise  
of ,erastian supremacy natively results 
from the  parliamentary settlement      
#afij4 ,and when no adequate testimony  
was ever  given by the church against   

such ,erastian usurpations1 but they are
  still crouched under and complied     
with1 it may justly be constructed a    
tame subjection and woful consent to    
this supremacy4 ,that this is no  forced
 inference from the continued practice  
of this church1 appears  from this      
7besides other evidences that might be  
adduced71 viz41 ,that as  the           
,revolution parliament1 when ratifying  
the ,confession of ,faith1  entirely    
left out the act of ,assembly #afdg1    
approving and partly  explaining the    
same 7wherein these remarkable words    
are1 ,it is further  declared1 that the 
,assembly understands some parts of the 
second article  of the #cast chapter1   
only of kirks not settled or constituted
 in point  of government7 as being      
inconsistent with the ,erastian         
impositions of  the magistrate4 ,so this
 church1 when they cause intrants into  
the  ministry subscribe the ,confession1
 do not oblige them to subscribe it     
with this explanatory act 7which does by

 no means admit of a privative  power in
 the magistrate1 destructive of the     
church's intrinsic power71  but they    
only do it as the parliament ratified   
it4    #b4 ,another instance of         
,erastianism practiced by both church   
and state1  is1 that when the king and  
parliament did bind down episcopal      
curates  upon congregations1 forbidding 
church judicatories the exercise of     
discipline upon the impenitent1 and     
enjoining the ,assembly to admit  such1 
without any evidence of grief or sorrow 
for their former apostasy1  upon their  
swearing the oath of allegiance1 and    
subscribing a formula1  homologating the
 ,revolution settlement1 substituted in 
the room of the  covenants2 the church  
approved of this settlement1 and        
protection  granted by the civil powers 
to such curates all their lifetime in   
their  churches and benefices1 who yet  
were not brought under any obligation to
  subject themselves to the government  
and discipline of the church4 ,the      

truth of this is manifest1 from sundry  
of king ,william's letters to  the      
,assemblies1 together with after acts of
 parliament1 relative  thereto4 ,in his 
letter1 dated ,february #acth1 #afij1 to
 the commission  of the ,assembly1 he   
says1 ,whereas there has been humble    
application  made to us by several      
ministers1 for themselves and others1   
who lately  served under episcopacy2 we 
have thought good to signify our        
pleasure to  you1 that you make no      
distinction of men1 otherwise well      
qualified for  the ministry1 though they
 have formerly conformed to the law1    
introducing ,episcopacy1 and that ye    
give them no disturbance or vexation    
for that cause1 or for that head3 and it
 is our pleasure1 that1 until we  give  
our further directions1 you proceed to  
no more process1 or any  other business4
 ,in another letter1 dated ,june #aeth1 
#afia1 he says1  ,we are well pleased   
with what you write1 to unite with such 
of the  clergy1 who have served under   

,episcopacy2 and that you are           
sufficiently  instructed by the ,general
 ,assembly to receive them2 from all    
which1 we  do expect a speedy and happy 
success1 that there shall be so great a 
progress made in this union betwixt you1
 before our return to ,britain1  that we
 shall then find no cause to continue   
that stop1 which at present  we see     
necessary2 and that neither you1 nor any
 commission or church  meeting1 do      
meddle in any process or business1 that 
may concern the  purging out of the     
episcopal ministers4 ,and in a letter to
 the  episcopal clergy1 he says1 ,we    
doubt not of your applying to1 and      
concurring with1 your brethren the      
,presbyterian ministers1 in the terms   
which we have been of pains to adjust   
for you2 the formula will be            
communicated to you by our              
commissioners1 c4 ,see also the #bgth   
,act1  ,parl4 #afie1 where it is        
declared1 ,that all such as shall duly  
come in  and qualify themselves1 shall  

have and enjoy his majesty's protection1
  as to their respective kirks and      
benefices1 they always containing       
themselves within the limits of their   
pastoral charge1 within their said      
parishes1 without offering to exercise  
any part of government1 unless  they be 
first duly assumed by a competent church
 judicatory2 providing1  nevertheless1  
that as the said ministers are left free
 to apply1 or not1  to the foresaid     
church judicatories1 c4 ,to which agree1
 ,act #b;d1  ,parl4 #agjj2 ,act #c;d1   
,parl4 #agjb2 ,act #b;d1 ,parl4 #agjc1  
c4 ,behold  here the civil magistrate1  
exercising the supremacy in matters     
ecclesiastical1 in that he both         
establishes the old ,scots curates in   
their respective parishes1 upon their   
former footing1 limits them in the      
exorcise of their function1 discharging 
them from exercising any part of        
ecclesiastical polity1 but upon their   
uniting with the ,presbyterians1 on  the
 terms he had adjusted for them4 ,and   

further1 by his authority stops  the    
exercise of church discipline against   
these curates 7though the most  of them 
were notoriously scandalous72 nay1 even 
discharges the ,assembly  from          
proceeding to any other business1 until 
they received other  directions from the
 throne4 ,which palpable instance of    
,erastianism in  the state1 was not only
 peaceably submitted to1 but heartily   
acquiesced  in by the church3 for as    
they had declared they would censure no 
prelatical incumbent for his principles 
anent church government1 however  much  
disaffected to a covenanted reformation1
 and had given frequent  discoveries of 
their readiness to receive into         
communion the episcopal  curates1       
according to the terms prescribed by the
 parliament 7as appears  from the       
,assembly records72 so the ,assembly    
#afid1 ,act #aath1 having  framed a sham
 formula1 for receiving in the curates1 
containing no  such thing as any        
renunciation of abjured prelacy1 the    

abominable test1  and other sinful oaths
 these creatures had taken1 but only an 
acknowledgment of the ,revolution       
settlement of religion1 as established  
by law1 by the foresaid act1 appointed  
their commission to receive all  the    
episcopal clergy who applied1 and being 
qualified according to law1  would also 
subscribe their formula1 and that       
without requiring the  least show of    
repentance for their scandalous public  
sins1 and their  deep guilt of the      
effusion of the blood of ,god's faithful
 saints and  witnesses during the       
tyranny of the two brothers4 ,these     
instructions to  the commission and     
other judicatories 7as appears by their 
acts71 were  successively renewed by the
 ,assembly upward of twenty times1 from 
#afid  to #agaf1 and were indeed        
attended with good success1 as is       
evident from  their address to the      
queen1 recorded ,act #ajth1 #agab2 where
 they  declare1 as an instance of their 
moderation1 ,that since the ,revolution1

  there had been taken in1 and          
continued1 hundreds of the episcopal    
curates upon the easiest terms1 viz41   
such as were by the royal  prerogative  
adjusted to them4 ,which practice1 as it
 declares this church  homologators of  
,erastianism1 so is directly opposite to
 ,presbyterian  principles1 the         
discipline and practice of our reformed 
church of  ,scotland1 and to the laws of
 ,christ1 the supreme lawgiver1 ,ezek4  
xliv1 #aj-ae2 #b ,cor4 vi1 #ag1 #ah1 c4 
#c4 ,a third instance of the            
,erastianism practiced since the        
revolution1  is1 that the king and      
parliament have taken upon them to      
prescribe and  lay down1 by             
magistratical authority1 conditions and 
qualifications1  sine qua non1 of       
ministers and preachers4 ,for proof of  
which1 see  ,act #fth1 ,sess4 #dth1     
,parl4 #ast1 #afic1 where it is enacted1
 ,that  the said oath of allegiance be  
sworn the same with the foresaid        
assurance1 be subscribed by all         

preachers and ministers of the gospel   
whatever--certifying such of the        
foresaid persons as are1 or shall be1   
in any public office1 and shall own and 
exercise the same without taking  the   
said oath and assurance in manner       
foresaid1--ministers provided to  kirks 
shall be deprived of their benefices or 
stipends1 and preachers  shall be       
punished with banishment1 or otherwise1 
as the council shall  think fit4 ,also1 
,act #bc;d1 #afic1 it is ordained1 ,that
 no person be  admitted or continued to 
be a minister1 or preach within this    
church1  unless that he have first taken
 and subscribed the oath of allegiance1 
and subscribed the oath of assurance in 
manner appointed4 ,and further  statute 
and ordain1 that uniformity of worship  
be observed by all the  said ministers  
and preachers1 as the same are at       
present performed and  allowed therein1 
or shall hereafter be declared by the   
authority of the  same3 and that no     
minister or preacher be continued and   

admitted  hereafter1 unless that he     
subscribe to observe1 and do actually   
observe1  the foresaid uniformity4 ,the 
,erastianism in these acts seems screwed
 up  yet a little higher1 by ,act #gth1 
,sess4 #eth1 ,parl4 #ast1 #afie2  where1
 after appointing a new day to such     
ministers as had not formerly  obeyed1  
it is ordained3 ,with certification that
 such of the said  ministers as shall   
not come in between and said day1 are   
hereby1 and by  the force of this       
present act1 ipso facto1 deprived of    
their  respective kirks and stipends1   
and the same declared vacant1 without   
any  further sentence4 ,the ,erastianism
 in these acts is so manifest at first  
sight1 that it is needless to illustrate
 the same2 only it may be  remarked1    
that1 by these acts1 the civil          
magistrate prescribes new  ministerial  
qualifications1 viz41 the oaths of      
allegiance and assurance2  and these    
imposed instead of an oath of allegiance
 to ,zion's ,king1 viz41  the oaths of  

the covenants4 ,as also1 that ministers 
are hereby  restricted from advancing   
reformation1 being bound down to observe
 that  uniformity at present allowed1 or
 that shall hereafter be declared by    
authority of parliament4 ,and further1  
,erastianism is here advanced to  the   
degree of wresting the keys of          
government out of the hands of the      
church altogether--taking to themselves 
the power of deposing all such          
ministers as shall not submit to their  
anti-christian impositions1 and  of     
declaring and ascertaining1 by their own
 authority1 what mode of  worship or    
government shall take place in the      
church hereafter4 ,this  ,erastian      
appointment of ministerial              
qualifications1 c41 is evidently        
injurious1 both to the headship of      
,christ in his church1 and to the       
church's intrinsic power4 ,it pertains  
to the royal prerogative of  ,christ1 to
 appoint all the qualifications of his  
officers1 which he has  done in the     

,word4 ,and it pertains to the church   
representative1 by  applying the laws of
 ,christ in his ,word1 to declare who   
are qualified  for the ministry1 and who
 are not4 ,but here the civil power1    
without any  regard to church           
judicatories1 by a magisterial          
authority1 judges and  determines1 the  
qualifications that gospel ministers    
must have1  otherwise they cannot be    
acknowledged ministers of this church4  
,at the  same time1 it must be          
regretted1 that the church1 instead of  
faithfully  discovering the sinfulness  
of foresaid conduct1 and testifying     
against  it1 as an anti-christian       
usurpation1 have declared their         
approbation  thereof1 by taking the     
above named illimited oaths1 according  
to the  parliament's order2 and also by 
the assembly's enjoining their          
commission to act conform to the        
parliament's directions respecting      
ministerial qualifications1 in their    
admission of those that had  formerly   

conformed to ,episcopacy1 and refusing  
to admit any into their  communion      
without having these new ministerial    
qualifications4    #d4 ,a fourth piece  
of ,erastianism exercised since the     
commencement of the  revolution         
settlement1 against which the presbytery
 testify1 is1 the  civil magistrate1 by 
himself and his own authority1 without  
consulting  the church1 or any but his  
parliament1 privy council1 and diocesan 
bishops1 his appointing diets and causes
 of public fasting and  thanksgiving4 ,a
 number of instances might here be      
condescended on4 ,so an  act of the     
states1 anno #afhi1 for public          
thanksgiving4 ,an act of  parliament    
#afic1 appointing a monthly fast1       
declares1 ,that their  majesties1 with  
advice and consent of the said estates  
of parliament1 do  hereby command and   
appoint1 that a day of solemn fasting   
and humiliation  be religiously and     
strictly observed1 by all persons within
 this  kingdom1 both in church and      

meeting-houses1 upon the third ,thursday
 of  the month of ,may1 and1 the third  
,thursday of every month thereafter1    
until intimation of forbearance be made 
by the lords of their majesties'  privy 
council2 and ordains all ministers to   
read these presents a  ,sunday before   
each of these fast days1 nominated1 by  
authority2 and  ordains all disobeyers  
to be fined in a sum not exceeding      
#ajj41 and  every minister who shall not
 obey1 to be processed before the lords 
of  their majesties' privy council2 and 
requiring sheriffs to make report of    
the ministers who shall fail of their   
duty herein1 to the privy  council4 ,but
 it is to no purpose to multiply        
instances of this kind1  seeing it has  
been the common practice of every       
sovereign since the  revolution1 to     
appoint and authorize national diets of 
fasting1 with  civil pains annexed4 ,and
 as the state has made these            
encroachments upon  the royalties of    
,christ1 so this church1 instead of     

bearing faithful  testimony against the 
same1 have finally submitted thereto4   
,in  agreeableness to the royal         
appointment1 they observed the monthly  
fast  for the success of the war against
 ,lewis ,,xiv 7of which above71 and in  
favor of the ,pope1 which king ,william 
was bound to prosecute by virtue  of a  
covenant made with the allies at the    
,hague1 ,february1 #afia1 to be  seen in
 the declaration of war then made       
against ,france1 wherein it is          
expressly said1 ,that no peace is to be 
made with ,lewis ,,xiv1 till he  has    
made reparation to the ,holy ,see for   
whatsoever he has acted against  it1 and
 till he make void all these infamous   
proceedings 7viz41 of the  parliament of
 ,paris7 against the holy father1       
,innocent ,,xi4 ,behold  here the       
acknowledgment of the ,pope's supremacy1
 and his power and  dignity1 both as a  
secular and ecclesiastical prince2 and  
in the  observation of these fasts1 the 
church did mediately 7tell it not in    

,gath--7 pray for success to the man of 
sin--a practice utterly  repugnant to   
,protestant1 much more to ,presbyterian1
 principles1 and  which will be a       
lasting stain upon both church and      
state4 ,as this church  did then submit1
 so since she has made a resignation and
 surrender of  that part of the church's
 intrinsic right to the civil power1 see
 ,act  #gth1 ,assem4 #agaj3 ,all        
ministers and members are appointed     
religiously  to observe all fasts and   
thanksgivings whatever1 appointed by the
 church  or supreme magistrate2 and the 
respective judicatories are appointed to
  take particular notice of the due     
observation of this1 and ,act #dth1     
#agbb1 ,act #eth1 #agbe4 ,from which    
acts it is manifest1 that the           
,revolution ,church has not only        
declared the power and right of         
authoritative indicting public fasts and
 thanksgivings for ordinary1  even in a 
constituted settled national church1 to 
belong1 at least  equally1 to the civil 

magistrate1 as to the church2 but1 by   
their  constant practice1 have          
undeniably given up the power of the    
same to the  civil power altogether--it 
being fact1 that she never1 by her own  
power1  appoints a national diet of     
fasting1 but still applies to the king  
for  the nomination thereof4 ,and       
further1 as a confirmation of this      
surrender1 it appears from their public 
records1 that when some members  have   
protested against the observation of    
such diets1 the assembly would  neither 
receive nor record such protest4 ,now1  
the sinfulness of this  ,erastian       
practice still persisted in1 is evident 
from the ,scriptures of  truth1 where   
the glorious king of ,zion assigns the  
power of appointing  fasts1 not to the  
civil magistrate1 but to the spiritual  
office-bearers  in his house4 ,jer4     
xiii1 #ah3 ,say unto the king and queen1
 ,humble  yourselves4 ,here it is the   
office of the prophets of the ,lord1 to 
enjoin humiliation work upon those that 

are in civil authority1 contrary  to the
 present practice1 when kings and       
queens1 usurping the sacred  office1 by 
their authority1 say to ministers1      
,humble yourselves4 ,see  also1 ,joel i1
 #ac1 #ad1 and ii1 #ae1 #af1 compared   
with ,numb4 x1 #h-aj4  ,here whatever   
pertains to these solemnities1 is       
entrusted to1 and  required of1 the     
ministers of the ,lord1 without the     
intervention of  civil authority4 ,the  
same is imported in ,matth4 xvi1 #ai1   
and xviii1  #ah2 ,john xx1 #bc--;it     
being manifestly contained in the power 
of the  keys committed1 by the church's 
head1 to ecclesiastical officers4       
,moreover1 this ,erastianism1 flowing   
from a spiritual supremacy exercised    
over the church1 is peculiarly          
aggravated by these particulars3    #a4 
,that commonly these fasts have been    
appointed on account of wars1 in  which 
the nations were engaged1 in conjunction
 with gross anti-christian  idolaters1  
who have been most active in their      

endeavors to root out  ,protestantism4  
,now1 it cannot but be most provoking to
 the ,majesty of  ,heaven for professed 
,presbyterians to observe fasts1 the    
professed  design of which1 includes    
success to the interest of the avowed   
enemies  of our glorious ,,redeemer4    
,again1 the above practice is           
aggravated1 from  this consideration1   
that these diets of fasting1 with civil 
pains  annexed to them1 are sent by     
public proclamation1 directed to their  
sheriffs and other subordinate civil    
officers1 who are authorized to         
dispatch them to the ministers1 and     
inspect their observation thereof4  ,and
 while professed ministers of ,christ   
tamely comply with all this1 it  amounts
 to no less1 than a base subjection of  
the worship of ,god1 in the  solemnity  
of fasting in a national way1 to the    
arbitrament of the civil  powers1 when  
whatever time and causes they appoint1  
must be observed4    ,from all which1 in
 the words of the ministers of ,perth   

and ,fife1 in  their testimony to the   
truth1 c41 #ageh1 the presbytery testify
 against  the above ,erastian conduct1  
as being1 in its own nature1            
introductory to  greater encroachments1 
and putting into the hands of the civil 
powers1  the modeling of the worship of 
,god1 and things most properly          
ecclesiastical4    #e4 ,another piece of
 ,erastianism1 respecting the present   
administration1  which the ,presbytery  
testify against1 is the king and        
parliament their  arbitrarily imposing  
several of their acts and statutes upon 
ministers  and preachers1 under         
ecclesiastical pains and censures2 while
 this  ,revolution ,church1 by their    
silent submission and compliance        
therewith1  have1 at least1             
interpretatively given their consent    
thereto4 ,thus1 as  the oaths of        
allegiance and assurance were enjoined  
upon all in  ecclesiastical office1     
under the pain of church censure 7of    
which  above71 so likewise1 ,act #fth1  

#agjf1 ordains1 ,that no professors and 
principals1 bearing office in any       
university1 be capable1 or be admitted  
to continue in the exercise of their    
said functions1 but such as shall  own  
the civil government1 in manner         
prescribed1 or to be prescribed by  acts
 of parliament4 ,in consequence of      
which1 there is an ,act #agjg1 an  act  
in the first year of king ,george ,i1   
and another in the fifth year  of his   
reign2 by all which statutes1           
ecclesiastical persons are enjoined  to 
take the oath of abjuration1 with the   
other oaths1 under pain of  having      
ecclesiastical censures inflicted upon  
them4 ,and they ordain1  ,that no person
 be admitted to trials1 or licensed to  
preach1 until they  have taken the      
public oaths1 on pain of being disabled4
 ,the foresaid  act1 in the fifth year  
of ,george ,i1 ordains1 all ministers   
and  preachers to pray in express words 
for his majesty and the royal family1   
as in former acts4 ,the king and        

parliament at their own hand prescribe  
a set form of prayer for the ,church of 
,scotland1 and that under  ,erastian    
penalties1 upon the disobeyers4 ,again1 
by an act of #agcg1  framed for the more
 effectual bringing to justice the      
murderers of  ,captain ,porteous1 it is 
enacted1 ,that this act shall be read in
 every  parish church throughout        
,scotland1 on the first ,lord's day of  
every  month1 for one whole year1 from  
the first day of ,august1 #agcg1 by the 
minister of the parish1 in the morning1 
immediately before the sermon2  and1 in 
case such ministers shall neglect to    
read this act1 as is here  directed1 he 
shall1 for the first offense1 be        
declared incapable of  sitting or voting
 in any church judicatory2 and for the  
second offense1  be declared incapable  
of taking1 holding or enjoying any      
ecclesiastical  benefice in that part of
 ,great ,britain called ,scotland4 ,the 
,erastianism of this act is very plain1 
the penalties thereof are               

ecclesiastical1 and infer a kind of     
deposition2 seeing the disobeyers  are  
hereby disabled from exercising and     
enjoying what is essential to  their    
office4 ,moreover1 the wickedness of    
this act appears1 in that it  was       
appointed to be read on the ,sabbath    
day1 and in time of divine  service2    
whereby ministers being constituted the 
magistrates' heralds to  proclaim this  
act1 were obliged to profane the ,lord's
 day1 and corrupt  his worship1 by      
immixing human inventions therewith1    
which was directly  a framing mischief  
into a law4 ,yet1 with all these        
impositions above  noticed1 this church 
has generally complied2 and thereby     
declared that  they are more studious of
 pleasing and obeying men1 than ,god1   
seeing  their practice therein infers no
 less1 than a taking instructions in the
  ministerial function1 and matters of  
divine worship1 from another head  than 
,christ4    #f4 ,the last piece of      
,erastian administration in church and  

state1 the  presbytery take notice of1  
and testify against1 is that of         
patronages4  ,when the parliament #afij1
 had changed the form of patronages1 by 
taking  the power of presentations from 
patrons1 and lodging it in the hands of 
such heritors and elders as were        
qualified by law1 excluding the people  
from a vote in calling their ministers1 
this ,erastian act1 spoiling the  people
 of their just privilege1 was           
immediately embraced by the church1  as 
is evident from their overtures for     
church discipline1 #afif1 where  they   
declare that only heritors and elders   
have a proper right to vote  in the     
nomination of a minister4 ,also their   
overtures1 #agje and #agai1 do  lodge   
the sole power of nomination of         
ministers in the hands of the  majority 
of heritors1 by giving them a negative  
over the eldership and  congregation4   
,but1 as if this had not been a         
sufficient usurpation of  the people's  
right1 purchased to them by the blood of

 ,christ1 by an act  of parliament1     
#agab1 the above act1 #afij1 is         
repealed1 and patrons fully  restored to
 all their former anti-christian powers 
over the heritage of  the ,lord2 which  
yoke still continues to oppress the     
people of ,god4 ,while  again1 this     
church1 as if more careful to please the
 court1 and court  parasites1 than      
,christ and his people1 have not only   
peaceably fallen in  with this change1  
daily practicing it in planting vacant  
congregations1  but1 as fond of this    
child of ,rome1 have further established
 and  confirmed the power of patrons1 by
 the sanction of their authority1 as    
appears from several acts of assembly1  
thereby declaring their  resolutions to 
have this epidemic evil continued1      
though it should  terminate in the utter
 ruin of the church4 ,patronage was     
always by the  ,church of ,scotland     
since the reformation1 accounted an     
intolerable  yoke2 and therefore she    
never ceased contending against it until

 it was  at last utterly abolished by   
acts both of reforming assemblies and   
parliaments2 and that as one of the     
inventions of the whore of ,rome4    ,as
 this anti-christian practice was       
unknown to the church in her  primitive 
and purest times1 until gradually       
introduced with other popish            
corruptions1 so it has not the least    
vestige of any warrant in the word  of  
truth3 nay1 is directly opposite        
thereto1 and to the apostolical         
practice3 ,acts i1 #ae-bd2 chap4 vi1    
#b-g3 as also1 xiv1 #bc1 and xvi1 #i1   
with other passages therein2--a book1   
intended to give us the  apostolical    
practice and pattern1 in the settlement 
of the ,christian  church3 and #b ,cor4 
iii1 #ai1 c4 ,wherefore the presbytery  
testify against  this ,erastian         
usurpation1 as most sinful in itself1   
most injurious to  the church of        
,christ1 and inconsistent with the great
 ends of the  ministry2 and against this
 church1 for not only submitting unto1  

but  even promoting this wickedness2    
which is evident1 from her deposing some
  of her members1 for no other reason   
but because they could not approve  of  
this pernicious scheme4 ,witness ,mr4   
,gallespie1 minister at ,carnock1  who  
was deposed ,may1 #ageb3 and against all
 violent intruders1 who1 not  entering  
by the door1 can be regarded only as    
thieves and robbers2 ,john  x1 #a4      
,these are a few of the many instances  
of the ,erastian usurpations of the     
headship of ,christ1 as a ,son1 in and  
over his own house1 and of the  church's
 intrinsic power assumed by the state1  
and consented to by this  church since  
the ,revolution4#b ,and without         
condescending upon any more1  the       
presbytery concludes this part1 with    
observing upon the whole1 that  when    
,henry ,,viii of ,england did cast off  
the authority of the see of  ,rome1 and 
refused to give that subjection to the  
pope formerly paid by  him and his      
predecessors2 he did1 at the same time1 

assume to himself  all that power in his
 dominions1 which the pope formerly     
claimed2 and  soon afterward procured to
 have himself acknowledged and declared1
 by  act of parliament1 to be head of   
the church--head over all persons1 and  
in all causes1 civil and ecclesiastical4
 ,and which anti-christian  supremacy   
has1 ever since1 continued an essential 
part of the ,english  constitution1 and 
inherent right of the crown2 so that all
 the crowned  heads there1 have ever    
since been as little popes over that    
realm3 and  that all such still         
appropriate unto themselves that        
blasphemous  anti-christian title of the
 head of the church1 and supreme judge  
in all  causes1 is undeniably evident   
from the known laws and canons of       
,england3  and further appears from a   
declaration made by ,king ,george ,i1   
,june #acth1  #agae1 where he styles    
himself ,defender of the faith1 and     
supreme  ,governor of the church in his 
dominions2 declaring1 that before the   

clergy can order or settle any          
differences about the external policy of
  the church1 they must first obtain    
leave under his broad seal so to do4    
,which title or authority for man1 or   
angel1 to assume1 is a downright        
dethroning and exauctorating of ,christ1
 the only and alone ,head and  ,supreme 
,governor of his church4 ,from this     
spiritual anti-christian  supremacy1    
granted by ,english laws to the king of 
,england1 confirmed and  established1 by
 virtue of the incorporating union1 in  
,british kings1 by  acts of ,british    
parliament1 do flow all the             
forementioned acts imposed  upon the    
,revolution ,church of ,scotland4 ,and  
as these acts and laws  declare1 that   
the ,british monarch confines not his   
spiritual supremacy  to the church of   
,england1 but it extends it also over   
the church of  ,scotland3 so this       
,revolution ,church1 having never either
 judicially or  practically lifted up   
the standard of a public1 free and      

faithful  testimony1 against these      
sinful usurpations1 flowing from the    
fountain  of said supremacy1 and clothed
 with the authority of an anti-christian
  parliament1 where abjured bishops sit 
constituent members1 but1 on the        
contrary1 has submitted to every one of 
them2 therefore1 this church may  justly
 be constructed1 as approvers and       
maintainers of ,erastian  supremacy4    
,and hereby1 indeed1 the revolt of these
 degenerate lands from  their sworn     
subjection and obedience to the ,lord   
,jesus ,christ1 as  supreme in his own  
house1 is completed1 when they have     
these many years  substituted another in
 his place1 and framed supremacy into a 
standing  law1 to be the rule1 according
 to which their kings must lord it over 
the house and heritage of the ,living   
,god4 ,again3    ,the presbytery testify
 against the manifold1 and almost       
uninterrupted  opposition to the ancient
 glorious uniformity in religion between
 the  nations1 that has appeared in the 

administrations of both church and      
state1 since the last ,revolution4 ,the 
revolution constitution and  settlement 
of religion1 as has been already        
observed1 laid our solemn  covenants and
 work of reformation1 sworn to therein1 
in a grave1 and  many stones have since 
been brought and cast upon them3 many   
ways and  measures have both church and 
state taken to make sure the revolution 
sepulcher of a covenanted work of       
reformation1 and prevent1 if possible1  
its future resurrection3 against all    
which1 the presbytery judge  themselves 
bound to lift up their testimony4       
,particularly1    #a4 ,the presbytery   
testify against the incorporating union 
of this nation  with ,england2 and as   
being an union founded upon an open     
violation of  all the articles of the   
,solemn ,league and ,covenant1 still    
binding upon  the nations2 and          
consequently1 destructive of that       
uniformity in  religion1 once happily   
attained to by them3 which will at first

 view  appear1 by comparing the articles
 of the union with those of the ,solemn 
,league4 ,all associations and          
confederacies with the enemies of true  
religion and godliness1 are expressly   
condemned in scripture1 and  represented
 as dangerous to the true ,israel of    
,god3 ,isa4 viii1 #ab2  ,jer4 ii1 #bh2  
,psal4 cvi1 #ce2 ,hos4 v1 #ac1 and vii1 
#h1 #aa2 #b ,cor4  vi1 #ad1 #ae4 ,and if
 simple confederacies with malignants   
and enemies to  the cause of ,christ are
 condemned1 much more is an             
incorporation with  them1 which is an   
embodying of two into one1 and1         
therefore1 a straiter  conjunction4 ,and
 taking the definition of malignants1   
given by the  declaration of both       
kingdoms joined in arms1 anno #afdc1 to 
be just1  which says1 such as would not 
take the covenant1 were declared to be  
public enemies to their religion and    
country1 and that they are to be        
censured and punished1 as professed     
adversaries and malignants2 it  cannot  

be refused1 but that the prelatical     
party in ,england1 now  joined with1 are
 such4 ,further1 by this incorporating  
union1 this nation  is obliged to       
support the idolatrous ,church of       
,england2 agreeable  whereto1 the       
,scottish parliament1 in their act of   
security1 relative  to the treaty of    
union1 declares1 that the parliament of 
,england may  provide for the security  
of the ,church of ,england1 as they     
think  expedient4 ,accordingly1 the     
,english parliament1 before entering    
upon  the treaty of union with          
,scotland1 framed an act for securing   
the  ,church of ,england's hierarchy and
 worship1 as by law established4  ,which
 act1 they declare1 ,shall be inserted1 
in express terms1 in any  act of        
parliament which shall be made for      
settling and ratifying any  treaty of   
union1 and shall be declared to be an   
essential fundamental  part thereof4    
,hence1 the act of the ,english         
parliament for the union  of the two    

kingdoms1 contains the above act for    
securing the ,church of  ,england4      
,which act being sent down to ,scotland1
 stands recorded  among the acts of the 
last ,scottish parliament4 ,moreover1   
the last  article of said union         
contains1 that all laws and statutes in 
either  kingdom1 so far as they are     
contrary to1 or inconsistent with the   
terms  of these articles1 or any of     
them1 shall1 from and after the union1  
cease and become void2 which1 as in the 
act of exemplification1 was  declared to
 be1 by the parliaments of both         
kingdoms4 ,thus1 this nation1  by       
engrossing the ,english act1            
establishing ,prelacy1 and all the      
superstitious ceremonies1 in the act of 
the union parliament1 and by  annulling 
all acts contrary to the united         
settlement1 have sealed1 as  far as men 
can do1 the gravestones formerly laid   
upon the covenanted  uniformity of the  
nations4 ,to all which the revolution   
church1 by  consenting1 and practically 

approving this unhallowed union1 have   
said  ,amen2 though1 at first1 some of  
the members opposed and preached against
  it1 yet afterward changed1 and 7if    
some historians may be credited7 by  the
 influence of gold1 were swayed to an   
approbation4 ,this church's  consent to 
the union is evident1 from their        
accepting of the act of  security1      
enacted by the ,scots parliament1 as the
 legal establishment  and security of   
the ,church of ,scotland2 and from the  
assembly #agae1  utterly rejecting a    
proposal to make a representation to the
 king1 that  the incorporating union was
 a grievance to the ,church of          
,scotland2  though it ought still to be 
regarded as such1 by all the lovers of  
reformation principles1 because it is a 
disclaiming of our sworn duty1  to      
endeavor the reformation of ,england and
 ,ireland4 ,it is a  consenting to the  
legal and unalterable establishment of  
abjured ,prelacy  in them1 obliges the  
sovereigns of ,great ,britain to swear  

to the  preservation of the prelatical  
constitution1 and idolatrous ceremonies 
of the episcopal church1 and join in    
communion therewith2 and1  therefore1   
for ever secludes all true              
,presbyterians from the supreme  rule4  
,this union establishes the civil1      
lordly power of bishops1  obliging the  
,church of ,scotland to acknowledge them
 as their lawful  magistrates and       
ministers1 to pray for a blessing upon  
them in the  exercise of their civil    
power1 and is therefore a solemn        
ratification of  anti-christian         
,erastianism4 ,it has formally          
rescinded1 and for ever made  void any  
act or acts1 in favor of a covenanted   
uniformity in religion1  that might be  
supposed to be in force before this     
union3 and therefore1  while it stands1 
it is impossible there can be a revival 
of that blessed  work1 which was once   
the glory of the nations of ,scotland1  
,england and  ,ireland4    #b4 ,the     
presbytery testify against the sinful   

practice of imposing oaths  upon the    
subjects1 contradictory to presbyterian 
principles in general1  and the oath of 
the covenants in particular1 as the     
allegiance1 and  particularly the       
abjuration2 all which oaths1 imposed by 
a ,british  parliament1 exclude our     
covenanted uniformity1 and homologate   
the united  constitution4 ,but1 to      
prevent mistakes1 let it be here        
observed1 that  the presbytery do not   
testify against any of these oaths1 out 
of the  remotest regard to the spurious 
pretended right of a popish pretender to
  the throne and crown of these         
kingdoms2 for they judge and declare1   
that1 by the word of ,god1 and          
fundamental laws of the nations1 he can 
have no right1 title or claim1 to be    
king of these covenanted                
kingdoms--seeing1 by our covenants and  
laws1 establishing the covenanted       
reformation1 which are well founded on  
the divine law1 all ,papists1 as  well  
as ,prelatists1 are forever excluded    

from the throne of these1 and           
especially of this land4 ,so that it is 
utterly inconsistent with the           
principles maintained by this           
presbytery1 constituted upon the footing
  of the covenanted church of ,scotland1
 and the oath of ,god they1 with  the   
nations1 are under1 ever to acknowledge 
and own the popish  pretender1 or any of
 that cursed race1 as their king2 but   
they testify  against these oaths1      
because they bind to the acknowledgment 
of the  lawfulness of a prelatic        
,erastian constitution of civil         
government1 and  homologate the         
incorporating union1 in one article     
whereof1 it is  declared1 that these    
words1 ,this realm1 and the crown of    
this realm1  c1 mentioned in the oaths1 
shall be understood of the crown and    
realm  of ,great ,britain1 c42 and that 
in that sense the said oaths shall be   
taken and subscribed1 and particularly  
the oath of abjuration1 which  whosoever
 takes1 swears to maintain ,erastian    

supremacy1 ,prelacy1 and  ,english      
popish ceremonies2 and so1 at least1 by 
native and necessary  consequence1 the  
swearing thereof is an abjuring of our  
sacred  covenants4 ,but that which puts 
it beyond all dispute1 that the oath of 
abjuration1 in the literal sense        
thereof1 obliges to maintain the        
prelatic constitution of ,england1 both 
in church and state1 as by law          
established1 and secured by the union   
act1 is the express words of that  act  
of parliament1 by which this oath was   
imposed1 and to which it  expressly     
refers1 viz41 the act of further        
limitation1 where it is said3  ,on which
 said acts 7viz41 of limitation1 and    
further limitation71 the  preservation  
of your majesty's royal person and      
government1 and the  maintaining of the 
church of ,england1 as by law           
established1 do1 under  ,god1 entirely  
depend4 ,to the intent therefore1 that  
these acts may be  forever inviolably   
preserved1 it is hereby enacted1 that   

magistrates and  ministers shall take   
the following oath1 namely1 of          
abjuration4 ,the  above act1 then1      
declaring that said oath was directly   
intended for the  support and           
establishment of the prelatic church of 
,england1 it  follows1 that this oath is
 a solemn abjuration of the covenanted  
reformation1 as it is also expressly    
repugnant to ,presbyterian  principles4 
,but though the above oath is so        
manifestly sinful1 yet the  ministers of
 this church did neither faithfully warn
 others of the sin  and danger thereof1 
nor faithfully oppose it when imposed on
 themselves2  but1 agreeing that every  
one should act therein as he thought    
proper1  they who refused it may be     
reputed socii criminis with the         
generality1  who1 contrary to their     
professed principles1 did take and      
subscribe the  same1 and that 7as says  
the oath7 heartily and willingly2       
whereby they  not only engaged to       
maintain a prelatic government1         

,prelacy1 with all  its popish          
ceremonies1 but to maintain only a      
prelatic government1 and  to oppose all 
others1 even though ,presbyterian1 in   
their accession to  the throne2 and this
 by virtue of the sinful limitations and
 conditions1  wherewith the oath is     
clogged4 ,and hereby1 these nominal     
,presbyterians  discover that they are  
not possessed of a zeal for the         
advancement of  the true ,presbyterian  
cause and principles1 proportionable to 
that which  the ,english discover for   
their will worship and superstition4    
#c4 ,the presbytery testify against a   
sinful and almost boundless  toleration1
 granted anno #agab1 a woful fruit of   
the union2 by which  toleration act1 not
 only those of the ,episcopal communion 
in ,scotland  have the protection of    
authority1 but a wide door is cast open1
 and  ample pass given to all sects and 
heretics 7popish recusants and          
antitrinitarians some way excepted1 who 
yet are numerous in the nation71  to    

make whatever attacks they please upon  
the kingdom and interest of  our        
glorious ,redeemer1 in order to the     
advancement of their own and the        
devil's1 and all with impunity4 ,the    
foresaid act warrants the ,episcopal    
clergy publicly to administer all       
ordinances1 and perform their worship   
after their own manner1 with all the    
popish canons and ceremonies  thereof1  
and obliges all magistrates to protect  
and assist them1 while  it destroys the 
hedge of church discipline against the  
scandalous and  profane1 and is1        
therefore1 a settling and establishing  
of ,prelacy in  ,scotland1 giving it a  
security1 little1 if anything1 inferior 
to that  which the established church   
has4 ,again1 by a clause in the         
toleration  bill1 the security given by 
former laws to ,presbyterian church     
government and discipline1 is undermined
 and taken away1 at least  rendered     
ineffectual1 and made the subject of    
ridicule to the openly  profane1 by the 

civil magistrate's withdrawing his      
concurrence1 in as  much as it declares 
the civil pain of excommunication to be 
taken away1  and that none are to be    
compelled to appear before church       
judicatories4  ,there is nothing in     
religion of an indifferent nature2 ,for 
whosoever  saith ,christ shall break one
 of the least of these commandments1 and
  shall teach men so1 shall be called   
least in the kingdom of heaven4 ,it     
must1 then1 be the most daring          
wickedness1 and an affronting of the    
,majesty of ,heaven in the highest      
manner1 for an earthly monarch to       
pretend to enact a toleration of        
religions1 and thereby give a liberty   
where the divine law has laid a         
restraint2 it implies an exalting of    
himself1 not only to an equality with1  
but to a state of superiority  above1   
the ,god of glory4 ,whatever principles 
are of divine authority  require no     
toleration from man2 it is wickedness to
 pretend to do it1  seeing whatever     

comes under the necessity of a          
toleration1 properly so  called1 falls1 
at the same time1 under the notion of a 
crime4 ,and no  less wicked is it for a 
magistrate to protect1 by a promiscuous 
toleration1 all heretics1 heresies and  
errors2 yea1 it is a manifest  breach of
 trust1 and plain perverting the end of 
his office1 seeing he  is appointed to  
be custos et vindex utriusque tabulae1  
intrusted with  the concerns of ,god's  
glory1 as well as the interests of men4 
,experience  has1 in every age1 taught1 
that a toleration of all religions is   
the  cut-throat and ruin of all true    
religion4 ,it is the most effectual     
method that ever the policy of hell     
hatched1 to banish all true  godliness  
out of the world4 ,but however manifold 
the evils be that  toleration is big    
with1 this church1 instead of opposing1 
seems to have  complied therewith1 and  
to be of toleration principles2 which is
  evident1 not only from their receiving
 into communion the ,scots  curates1 of 

which above2 but from their joining in  
communion with ,mr4  ,whitefield 7an    
,english curate and member of that      
church1 and  ring-leader of the         
,methodists there71 when he is in       
,scotland4 ,again1  it is known1 that   
when the ,scots gentlemen are sent to   
attend the  ,british parliament1 or at  
any time in ,england1 they do1 many of  
them1 join in communion with the        
prelatic church--nay1 are guilty of     
taking the sacramental test 7that is1   
taking the sacrament after their        
superstitious manner1 to qualify them   
for any public post72 yet this  church  
receives them into the closest          
communion1 without requiring any        
satisfaction for these evils2 whereby   
they act contrary to ,christ's  example1
 in purging and keeping his house pure1 
and contrary to the  ,scripture2 ,rev4  
ii1 #ad1 #ae1 #bj4    #d4 ,in like      
manner1 the presbytery testify against  
the tyranny that has  frequently        
appeared in the administration since the

 revolution1 both in  church and state4 
,the civil powers have discovered not a 
little of  tyrannical and arbitrary     
power1 in imposing their laws1 statutes 
and  injunctions1 upon the church1 as in
 the instances of the particulars       
formerly noticed4 ,but further1 it has  
appeared in their fining and            
imprisoning persons1 because 7though    
endeavoring to live peaceably1 as  far  
as possible1 with all men7 they could   
not1 in conscience1 and in a  due regard
 to the covenanted cause1 own the       
lawfulness of their  authority1 by      
swearing fidelity to the present        
constitution4 ,again1 in  their         
dispensing with1 and counteracting1 the 
law of ,god in a variety of  instances4 
,thus1 while1 without any divine        
warrant1 the crime of theft  is         
capitally punished1 yet the grossest    
adulterers1 who are capitally           
punishable by the divine law1 pass with 
impunity4 ,and frequently  reprieves1   
and sometimes pardons 7as in the case of

 ,porteous71 have  been granted to      
murderers1 expressly contrary to the law
 of ,god1 which  declares that          
,whosoever sheddeth man's blood1 by man 
shall his blood be  shed4 ,another      
astonishing and full evidence of the    
above charge1 is in  the act repealing  
the penal statutes against witches1 c41 
#agce1 where  it is enacted1 ,that no   
prosecution1 suit or proceeding1 shall  
be  carried on against any person or    
persons1 for witchcraft1 sorcery1       
enchantment or conjuration1 c4 ,this    
act1 in plain terms1 flatly  contradicts
 and opposes the law of ,god1 in the    
very letter thereof4 ,see  ,levit4 xx1  
#f1 #bg2 ,deut4 xviii1 #aj-ab2 ,exod4   
xxii1 #ah4 ,not only has  the state1 in 
these and other instances 7as the       
imposing almost  intolerable taxations  
upon the impoverished subjects1 for     
supporting the  grandeur of useless and 
wicked pensioners1 and for carrying on  
wars1  often not only sinful in respect 
of their rise and causes1 but in their  

nature and tendency unprofitable to the 
nations71 been guilty of this  evil1 but
 also the ,revolution ,church has       
exercised a most tyrannical  government4
 ,as many of the constituent members of 
the ,revolution ,church  had shown a    
persecuting1 tyrannizing spirit1 against
 the faithful  contenders for the truth1
 in the matter of the public            
resolutions1 so  the same spirit has    
still continued since the revolution1   
and frequently  exerted itself in a most
 arbitrary manner1 against all who have 
made any  appearance for a covenanted   
work of reformation4 ,accordingly1 soon 
after  the revolution1 this church      
raised some processes against ,mr4 ,john
  ,hepburn1 minister at ,orr1 under     
pretense of some irregularities1 but  in
 reality1 for his making some appearance
 against their abounding  defection1 and
 for a covenanted work of reformation1  
and continued their  prosecution to     
suspension and deposition2 and further1 
applied to the  civil magistrate1 to    

apprehend said ,mr4 ,hepburn1 who       
accordingly was  imprisoned in          
,edinburgh1 and then1 because of his    
preaching to the  people out of a       
window1 was carried to ,stirling castle1
 and kept close  prisoner there for a   
considerable time1 as a book1 entitled  
,humble  ,pleadings1 fully discovers4   
,they likewise exercised their tyranny  
against ,messrs4 ,gilchrist in          
,dunscore1 and ,taylor in ,wamphray1    
whom they prosecuted1 not only to       
deposition1 but even excommunication1   
for no reason but their bearing         
testimony against that ensnaring oath of
  abjuration1 and a number of other     
defections4 ,again1 this church1 still  
fond of suppressing the good old cause  
and owners thereof1 framed and          
prosecuted a libel1 most unjustly 7some 
even of themselves being  judges71      
against ,mr4 ,john ,mc,millan1 minister 
in ,balmaghie1 for  presenting1 in a    
regular manner1 a paper of real and     
acknowledged  grievances2 and1 because  

he would not resile from it1 but        
continued to  plead for a redress1 was  
at last deposed4 ,as also ,mr4 ,john    
,mc,neil1  preacher1 for the same       
reason1 had his license taken from him2 
and1 by  the authority of the assembly1 
both of them were prosecuted and        
censured1 not for scandal1 insufficiency
 or negligence1 error in  doctrine1 c41 
but only on account of their pleading   
for the covenanted  reformation of the  
,church of ,scotland1 and maintaining a 
necessary  testimony against the        
prevailing corruptions and defections of
 former  and present times1 as appears  
from their paper of grievances and joint
  declinature1 printed #agjh4 ,nay1 such
 was their mad zeal against  reformation
 principles1 that1 by the ,act #aeth of 
,assem4 #agae1 the  commission was not  
only empowered to censure all the       
forementioned  persons1 but also        
enjoined to apply to the civil          
magistrate for  suppressing and         
punishing them2 and accordingly sundry  

of them were  proclaimed rebels over    
public market crosses1 only for their   
continued  adherence to reformation4    
,and besides other instances1 their     
magisterial  and lordly power exercised 
over the flock of ,christ1 in the       
violent  intrusion of ministers into    
vacant churches over the belly of the   
people1 and then excommunicating from   
sealing ordinances such as cannot  in   
conscience submit to the ministry of    
these intruders1 is a most  glaring one2
 while at the same time1 severe censures
 are inflicted upon  such ministers as  
have the honesty to oppose these        
anti-christian  measures4 ,loud         
complaints have likewise been made      
against their  arbitrary and tyrannical 
conduct1 with reference to ,mr4         
,ebenezer  ,erskine1 and others with    
him1 designated by the name of the      
,associate  ,presbytery1 because of     
their remonstrating against1 and        
endeavoring to  rectify1 some of the    
forementioned evils in the church2 the  

justness of  which grievances and       
complaints may be instructed from their 
own  writings on that head4    ,it must 
not be here omitted to remark1 that as  
this church is justly  charged with     
tyranny in government1 so she is equally
 guilty of  partiality in discipline4   
,though all that discover any measure of
  faithfulness in the concerns of       
,christ's glory1 are sure to meet with  
most severe treatment1 yet the loose1   
profane and erroneous1 have seldom  any 
church censures put in execution against
 them4 ,this church never  made any     
suitable inquiry into the sinful        
compliances1 and sad  defections of her 
members and office-bearers1 during the  
persecuting  period3 and that           
unfaithfulness in the exercise of church
 discipline is  still copied after4 ,how
 few1 guilty of the most gross scandals1
 are  censured1 such as notorious       
drunkenness1 blasphemy1 cursing1        
swearing1  sabbath-breaking1            
uncleanness1 especially among the rich1 

who are  capable to give pecuniary      
mulcts to free them from church censure8
  7,thus1 in conformity to the          
prelatical and anti-christian example1  
setting to sale the censures of the     
church1 and dispensing with the laws  of
 ,christ for money47 ,nay1 not only are 
such overlooked1 but many guilty  of    
these gross sins1 together with         
oppression1 neglecters of family        
worship1 and the grossly ignorant1 are  
without any public  acknowledgement of  
these sins1 admitted to the highest and 
most solemn  ordinances1 viz41 both     
sacraments4 ,and this may be thought the
 less  strange1 when persons chargeable 
with most of these sins1 are admitted1  
and continued to be office-bearers in   
the house of ,god4 ,persons1 and  even  
teachers maintaining most dreadful      
blasphemous errors connived at1         
patronized1 or but slightly censured1   
and still kept in communion1  without   
any open renunciation of these heresies4
 ,play-houses1 the  seminaries of vice  

and impiety1 erected in the principal   
cities of the  nation1 and stage        
players1 commonly among the most        
abandoned of mankind1  escape with      
impunity4 ,yea1 this pagan entertainment
 of the stage is  countenanced by the   
members and office-bearers of this      
church1 and that  to such a degree1 that
 one of the ministers thereof has       
commenced author  of a most profane     
play1 called ,the ,tragedy of ,douglas1 
wherein  immorality is promoted1 and    
what is sacred exposed to ridicule4 ,oh6
 how  astonishing6 that a minister in   
the once famous church of ,scotland     
should be guilty of such abominations1  
and yet not immediately sentenced  to   
bear the highest of all church censure6 
#e4 ,the ,presbytery testify against    
this established church1 for            
unfaithfulness of doctrine2 which will  
appear by a few instances3  although    
before the ,revolution1 the ,lord ,jesus
 was openly1 as far as  human laws could
 do1 divested of his headship and       

sovereignty in and  over his church2    
although the divine right of presbytery 
had been  publicly and nationally       
exploded1 derided and denied1 yet this  
church  has never by any formal act1    
declared that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ  
is sole  king1 the alone supreme head of
 his church--nor in the same manner     
declared that the presbyterian form of  
church government is of divine  right1  
and condemned all other forms as        
contrary to the word4 ,such a  testimony
 was the more necessary1 when the civil 
powers have arrogated  ,christ's power  
to themselves1 and continue to exercise 
it over his  church2 and the want of it 
is an evidence of the church's          
unsoundness in  the doctrine of         
government1 and of ,christ's kingly     
office4 ,this church's  error in        
doctrine further appears from their     
condemnation of a book  entitled ,the   
marrow of modern divinity1 as containing
 gross antinomian  errors2 whereby they 
condemned many great gospel truths as   

errors1  particularly1 that believers   
are altogether set free from the law1 as
 a  covenant of works1 both from its    
commanding and condemning power1        
together with others2 whereby they have 
made way for1 and encouraged  that      
legal1 moral way of harranguing1        
exclusive of ,christ and his most       
perfect righteousness 7which is so      
common and frequent in all parts of  the
 land71 and opened a door for           
introducing ,baxterian principles1      
which1 in consequence hereof1 have since
 very much prevailed4 ,another  evidence
 of this church's unsoundness and       
unfaithfulness in doctrine1 is  their   
excessive1 sinful lenity toward the most
 gross heretics4  ,notwithstanding      
,arminian and ,pelagian heresies1 and   
,arian  blasphemies1 have been publicly 
taught2 and although true godliness1 and
  the effectual working of the ,spirit  
on the souls of men have been  publicly 
exposed as enthusiasm1 and many other   
damnable heresies vented1  yet this     

church has never lifted up the faithful 
standard of a judicial  testimony1 in   
condemnation of these heresies1 and in  
vindication of the  precious truths of  
,christ thereby impugned4 ,and when the 
ministers and  members of this church   
have been processed before her          
assemblies1 and  convicted of           
maintaining many gross errors1 no       
adequate censure has been  inflicted4   
,this particularly appears in the case  
of ,mr4 ,simpson1  professor of divinity
 in the college of ,glasgow1 when       
processed before  the judicatories of   
this church1 in the years #agae and     
#agaf1 for several  gross errors2 such  
as1 ,that regard to our own happiness1  
in the  enjoyment of ,god1 ought to be  
our chief motive in serving him1 and    
that  our glorifying of ,god is         
subordinate to it3 that ,adam was not   
our  federal head2 and other ,arminian1 
,socinian and ,pelagian heresies1  all  
to be found in his answers to ,mr4      
,webster's libel given in against  him1 

and clearly proven3 yet was he dismissed
 with a very gentle  admonition4 ,which 
sinful lenity encouraged him1 not only  
to persist in  the same errors1 but also
 to the venting of ,arian heresies among
 his  students4    ,accordingly1 he was 
again arraigned before the assembly's   
bar in the  years #agbg-bh-bi1 when it  
was found clearly proven that he had    
denied  the necessary existence of our  
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and the numerical 
,oneness of the ,three ,persons of the  
,trinity in substance and essence1  with
 other damnable tenets4 ,yet when these 
articles1 whereby he had  attempted to  
depose the ,son of ,god from his supreme
 deity1 were proven1  and when 7as one  
of the members of this church1 in his   
protest against  the assembly's         
sentence1 said7 the ,son of ,god was1 as
 it were1 appearing  at the bar of that 
assembly1 craving justice against one   
who had  derogated from his essential   
glory1 and blasphemed his name1 at which
  every knee should bow4 ,yet such was  

the corruption and unfaithfulness of    
this church1 that the blasphemer was    
dismissed without any adequate  censure 
passed upon him1 and still continued in 
the character of a  minister and member 
of this church4    ,again1 when ,mr4    
,campbell1 professor of church history  
at ,st4 ,andrews1  was processed before 
the judicatories of this church1 for    
maintaining a  scheme of dangerous and  
most pernicious principles1 which he    
published  to the world1 having a       
manifest tendency to subvert revealed   
religion1  and expose the exercise of   
serious godliness1 under the notion of  
enthusiasm2 to advance self-love1 as the
 leading1 principle and motive  in all  
human actions whatever1 and to destroy  
the self-sufficiency of  ,god1 making   
him a debtor to his creatures3 yet      
though these1 with a  number of         
,god-dishonoring1 creature-exalting1 and
 soul-ruining errors1  were notorious   
from his books1 and were defended by    
him2 the heretic1  instead of being duly

 censured1 was countenanced and         
carressed3 whereby  this church has     
given a most deep wound to some of the  
most important  truths of the ,christian
 religion1 and becomes chargeable with  
the guilt  of all the errors maintained 
by that erroneous professor4    ,a third
 instance of this church's              
unfaithfulness1 appears in the case of  
,mr4 ,glas1 and others1 who openly      
vented1 by preaching and printing1      
independent schemes of church           
government1 with some new improvements2 
attacked our ,confession of faith and   
,covenants1 unhinging all order and     
government in the church1 pulled up the 
hedge of discipline1 to  introduce all  
errors in doctrine1 and corruption in   
worship2 and1 at  last1 openly renounced
 presbytery1 name and thing 7denying    
that there is  any warrant for national 
churches under the ,new ,testament71 and
  asserted1 that our martyrs1 who       
suffered for adhering to the covenanted 
reformation1 were so far in a delusion1 

with many other sectarian  tenets3 for  
which1 the church at first suspended1   
and then deposed some  of them4 ,but    
afterward1 as if this church repented of
 doing so much in  favor of presbytery1 
they were reponed1 to the great danger  
of the  church3 for having discovered no
 remorse for their errors1 they         
immediately employed all their parts to 
shake presbytery1 by setting up         
independent churches and ordaining      
several mechanics to be their           
ministers2 and nothing done by the      
church for putting a stop to these      
errors1 and for reviving and vindicating
 the precious truths they had  impugned4
    ,likewise1 when ,mr4 ,wishart was   
staged for error vented by him in some  
of  his sermons1 with respect to the    
influence of arguments taken from the   
awe of future rewards and punishments1  
and other erroneous notions2 he  was    
dismissed without any renunciation of   
his heterodox principles1 and           
assoilzied by the judicatories of this  

church3 and1 as easy absolutions        
encourage error1 so no sooner was he    
assoilzied1 but he had the  assurance to
 recommend erroneous books1 such as     
,doctor ,whitchcot's  sermons1 to his   
students4 ,it is indeed no small        
evidence of the  unsoundness of this    
church1 when the heads of colleges are  
suffered1  impune1 to recommend such    
books for students and probationers to  
form  upon4    ,again1 when professor   
,leechman was quarreled with for his    
deistical  sermon on prayer1 by the     
presbytery of ,glasgow1 and afterward   
carried  before the assembly2 yet       
although in all his sermons1 he presents
 ,god as  the object of prayer1 merely  
as our ,creator1 without any relation to
  ,christ1 as ,mediator2 but recommends 
to his hearers1 as the only  acceptable 
disposition of mind1 an assured         
confidence in the goodness  and mercy of
 their ,creator3 not only has that      
,christless sermon been  very much      
extolled1 but the author dismissed from 

the assembly's bar in  such a manner1 as
 if thereby he had merited their        
applause4 ,from all  which it           
sufficiently appears1 that this church  
is unsound and  unfaithful1 in point of 
doctrine2 especially1 if it is          
considered1 that  she has been          
frequently addressed by representations1
 declaring the  necessity of an         
assertory net1 affirming and            
ascertaining the precious  truths       
injured and impuned1 and that publicly1 
by the above mentioned  errors2 and that
 a solemn warning should be emitted1    
discovering the  evil and danger of     
them3 yet that necessary duty has still 
been  contemned and disregarded4    ,the
 great truths of ,god1 have1 for many   
years1 lain wounded and bleeding  in our
 streets1 trampled upon by their open   
and daring enemies2 while  this church  
has entirely forgotten and slighted the 
divine command1 to  contend earnestly   
for the faith once delivered to the     
saints4 ,and though  the ,westminster   

,confession of ,faith continues to be   
subscribed by  intrants into the        
ministry 7the covenants owned by the    
,reformed ,church  of ,scotland1 as a   
part of her confession1 being abstracted
 from the  confession of this present   
church71 yet how little of that system  
and  order of doctrine is now taught8   
the generality having just as much of   
,christ1 and the doctrines of his cross1
 in most of their discourses1 as  is to 
be found in the writings of ,plato1     
,epictetus and ,seneca1 and  the rest of
 the ,pagan moralists4 ,so that this    
church appears orthodox1  in little 7or 
no7 other sense than the church of      
,england is so1 viz41  by subscribing   
the thirty-nine articles1 which are     
,calvinistical in  the doctrinal parts2 
while yet the ,arminian system of       
doctrine is  generally received and     
taught by her clergy4 ,add to what is   
above1 that  this church maintains no   
suitable testimony against sins of all  
sorts1  in persons of all stations2     

neither emits faithful warnings anent   
the  snares and dangers of the nation1  
nor full and free declarations of       
present duty1 as church judicatories1   
like faithful watchmen did in  former   
times4 ,but such faithfulness in ,god's 
matters is not now1 alas6  to be        
expected2 seeing this church has made a 
formal concert1 or mutual  paction1     
binding up one another from preaching   
against1 and applying  their doctrines  
to the sins1 corruptions and scandals of
 the times3 see  ,acts of ,assem4 #afth1
 #agth1 anno #agab2 ,act #fth1 #agac2   
,act #hth1  #agad2 ,act #fth1 #agae4    
,the ,presbytery cannot also here omit  
observing1  and that with deep regret1  
that although the most damnable         
principles1  which have a direct        
tendency to deny the being of ,god1 and 
so to  propagate opinionative atheism1  
to subvert all religion1 to extol the   
power of corrupt nature1 and exalt      
,popery1 as the best form of religion1  
to deny the subjection of the world to  

the providence of ,god1 to destroy  all 
distinction between virtue and vice1 and
 consequently affirm1 that  there is no 
moral evil in the world1 and to ridicule
 ,christianity1 as  destitute of divine 
authority1 have been lately vented by   
,david ,hume1  ,esq42 and another       
designated by the name of ,sopho3 yet   
this church has  passed no suitable     
censure upon the authors of these       
impious and  blasphemous principles1    
though they justly deserve the very     
highest3 nor  have they done anything to
 testify their dislike1 or put an       
effectual  stop to the spreading of     
these abominable tenets4 ,the presbytery
  therefore1 as they declare their      
abhorrence of these1 and the other      
errors formerly mentioned1 so testify   
against the church's notorious          
unfaithfulness1 in suffering these      
wretches to pass with impunity2 and  as 
being1 on all these accounts noticed1   
unsound and corrupt1 in the  matter of  
doctrine1 c4 ,it may also be here       

remarked1 as an undoubted  evidence of  
the corruptness of the state1 that1     
although there are civil  laws presently
 in being1 which declare the maintaining
 of  antitrinitarian1 atheistical       
principles1 to be not only criminal1 but
  capital2 yet the civil powers in the  
nation have not so much regard to  ,god1
 and the ,son of ,god1 as to punish     
treason openly acted against them4      
#f4 ,the presbytery testify against both
 church and state1 for their  sinful    
associations with malignants3 as        
declared enemies to the  covenanted     
interest have engrossed the civil power 
wholly to their  hands1 since the public
 resolutions1 that a door was opened for
 their  admission2 so such is the nature
 of the laws presently extant and in    
force1 that one cannot be admitted to   
any office1 civil or military1 but  by  
swearing away all friendship to a       
covenanted reformation4 ,and1  moreover1
 all along since the late ,revolution1  
the nations have been the  most earnest 

pursuing after friendship with the      
grossest idolators2 and1  in express    
contradiction to the word of ,god1 have 
confederated in the  closest alliance   
with ,god's declared enemies abroad2    
nay1 have exhausted  their strength and 
substance1 in maintaining the quarrel of
 such as have  been remarkable for their
 hatred at1 and persecution of the      
protestant  interest4 ,the ,revolution  
,church has also said a confederacy with
 such as  have1 on all occasions1 shewed
 a rooted enmity and hatred at          
reformation  principles3 which appears  
from their admitting such 7noticed      
above7 to  be office-bearers in the     
church3 from their observing fasts1 and 
praying  for success to the allied      
armies1 though almost wholly composed of
 such1  and many of them oftentimes     
gross ,popish idolaters3 from their     
going in  with1 and approving of the    
sinful incorporating union with         
,england3  from their acknowledging the 
civil power of church men as lawful3    

from  their joining in religious        
communion with ,mr4 ,whitefield2 and in 
many  other instances4 ,not to insist   
further in enumerating particulars1 the 
,presbytery finally testify against     
church and state1 for their  negligence 
to suppress impiety1 vice1 and          
superstitious observance of  holy days1 
c4 ,the civil powers herein acting      
directly contrary to the  nature and    
perverting the very ends of the         
magistrate's office1 which is  to be    
custos et vindex utriusque tabulae2 the 
minister of ,god1 a  revenger1 to       
execute wrath on him that doeth evil4   
,transgressors of the  first table of   
the law may now sin openly with         
impunity2 and1 while the  religious     
observation of the sabbath is not       
regarded1 the superstitious  observation
 of holy-days1 even in ,scotland1 is so 
much authorized1  that on some of them  
the most considerable courts of justice 
are  discharged to sit4 ,stage-plays1   
masquerades1 balls1 assemblies1 and     

promiscuous dancings1 the very nurseries
 of impiety and wickedness1 are  not    
only tolerated1 but even countenanced by
 law4 ,and as these1 with  other evils1 
are permitted by the civil powers2 so   
this church seems to  have lost all zeal
 against sin4 ,no suitable endeavors are
 used to  prevent the growth of atheism1
 idolatry and superstition3 and though  
,prelacy1 as well as ,popery1 is growing
 apace in the lands1 and organs         
publicly used in that superstitious     
worship2 yet no testimony is given      
against them1 but new modes introduced  
into the worship of ,god1 for  carnal   
ends1 as a gradual advance toward that  
superstition4 ,yea1 so  unconcerned     
about suppressing vice and extravagant  
vanity1 c1 that not  only are the       
forementioned nurseries of sin          
frequented by ministers'  children1 but 
ministers themselves have countenanced  
them by their  presence1 to the great   
scandal of their office1 and manifest   
encouragement of these seminaries of    

immorality4 ,and notwithstanding  that  
by the late proclamation1 the penal laws
 against vice and profanity  seem to be 
revived 7which is in itself so far      
good71 yet this cannot  supersede or    
remove the ground of the ,presbytery's  
testimony against  church and state     
complexly1 on the above account1 or even
 against the  thing itself1 in the      
manner that it is gone about4 ,for      
besides that1  notwithstanding of all   
former endeavors of this kind1 since the
  overthrow of our scriptural and       
covenanted reformation1 immorality and  
wickedness have still increased and     
overflowed all these banks2 partly1     
because1 after all their pretenses1 the 
laws were not vigorously put in         
execution 7and as good1 no law nor      
penalty1 as no execution71 and  partly1 
because these law-makers1 being also    
themselves the  law-breakers1 have      
entrusted the execution to such as are  
generally  ringleaders in a variety of  
gross immoralities2 it is not likely1   

that  ever ,god will countenance and    
bless such attempts1 whereby 7contrary  
to  scripture and all good order7 the   
ecclesiastical power is subjected to    
the civil1 and ministers made the bare  
inspectors of men's manners1 and        
informers to inferior judges1 without   
having it in their power to oblige  such
 transgressors 7if obstinate7 to compear
 before church judicatories1  and       
conform and submit to the laws of       
,christ's house4 ,nay1 so far will  ,god
 be from approving such ,erastian       
methods of reformation1 that he will    
certainly visit for this1 among all our 
other iniquities1 and in his own  due   
time make a breach upon us1 because we  
sought him not in the due  order4       
,wherefore1 and for all these grounds1  
the ,presbytery testify  against both   
church and state1 as in their           
constitutions ,erastian and             
anti-scriptural1 including the          
substitution and acknowledgement of     
another head and governor over the      

church than ,christ1 as may be          
sufficiently evident from proofs above  
adduced4 ,and particularly1  because the
 ,british united constitution is such as
 involves the whole  land1 and all ranks
 therein1 in the dreadful guilt of      
idolatry1  communicating with idolators1
 apostasy1 perjury1 c4#c ,they declare  
they can have no communion therewith2   
but that it is such an association  as  
that ,god's call to his people1         
concerning it1 is1 ,come out from  among
 them4 ,be ye separate1 and touch not   
the unclean thing1 and ,i will  receive 
you1 saith the ,lord4           99      
99       99       99       99           
,,supplement ,,to ,,part ,,second4      
,for as much as a good number of people 
in the north of ,ireland have  acceded1 
and submitted themselves to the         
,presbytery1 and one of their  number is
 fixed among them as their proper       
pastor2 the ,presbytery  intended to    
have subjoined something by way of      
appendix to the above  ,testimony1 with 

relation to the state of religion in    
that kingdom1  especially with regard to
 the settlement of the presbyterian     
religion  there4 ,but as diocesan       
,episcopacy is the religion there       
established by  law1 against which the  
,presbytery has declared and testified  
7as above7  as an anti-scriptural1      
anti-covenanted and merely a human and  
political  settlement 7whether          
considered abstractly or complexly with 
that in the  kingdom of ,scotland71     
there needs nothing be further said     
anent it4  ,and as those called         
,presbyterians in ,ireland1 are equally 
enemies to  the true covenanted         
,presbyterian cause with those of the   
,revolution  ,church of ,scotland2 so   
the above testimony equally strikes     
against  them with the other4 ,there    
seems1 however1 to be this considerable 
difference betwixt the ,presbyterians in
 ,scotland and ,ireland1 viz41  ,that   
although the settlements the same as to 
the matter of it1 yet so it  is not as  

to the form or manner of it1 the        
,presbyterians in ,ireland  neither     
having1 nor claiming any other security 
or foundation for their  different mode 
of religious worship than the royal     
indulgence1 or  toleration ,act4 ,and   
therefore1 as the ,presbytery did and do
 testify  against toleration1 and       
toleration principles1 disclaiming such 
an  anti-scriptural shelter2 they       
therein1 of consequence1 bear witness   
and  testimony against all such as do in
 these lands 7where ,god has given his  
people a claim of another kind7         
professedly dwell under such a shadow4  
,but besides1 the ,presbytery view them 
7complexly considered7 as unworthy  of  
their regard or notice in these papers1 
as to engaging in any  particular or    
explicit testimony against them1 in as  
much as they have  denuded themselves of
 almost any pretense to the             
,presbyterian name1 by  not only        
disclaiming and opposing the true       
,presbyterian cause1 but  having also   

fallen from the belief and profession of
 the most important  and fundamental    
truths of ,christianity2 thereby plainly
 discovering  themselves to be creatures
 of quite another species and spirit1   
than the  ministers of ,jesus ,christ1  
and friends to the blessed spiritual    
,bridegroom2 deserving rather to be     
termed a synagogue of ,libertines1 a    
club of ,socinians1 ,arians1 ,pelagians 
c41 banded together against  ,christ1   
and the doctrines of his cross than a   
synod of the ministers of  the gospel4  
,therefore1 as the presbytery testify   
and remonstrate against  them1 their    
toleration1 or indulgence footing1 on   
which they professedly  stand1 together 
with their poisonous jumble and medley  
of errors1  commonly called ,newlight1  
adopted1 and with the greatest warmth   
and  diligence1 spread and propagated by
 most of them1 and connived at and      
tolerated by the rest and all their     
books or prints written by them1 or     
others of the like spirit with them in  

defense of these dangerous and  damnable
 tenets so they do hereby judicially    
warn and exhort all the  people under   
their inspection there1 to beware of    
such men1 and such  books1 however they 
may varnish over the doctrines they     
bring1 with fine  words fair speeches   
and pretenses1 in order to deceive the  
hearts of the  simple2 and this1 as they
 would not incur the displeasure of a   
holy and  jealous ,god1 and have their  
souls defiled and destroyed by these    
error's4 ,on the contrary to endeavor to
 have their minds and  understandings   
enlightened with the knowledge of the   
truths of ,christ1  and mysteries of his
 gospel1 and their hearts warmed with   
the love of  them2 so that being through
 grace established in the belief of the 
truth1 they may not be as children      
tossed to and fro1 and carried about    
with every wind of doctrine1 by the     
sleight of men1 and cunning  craftiness1
 whereby they lie in wait to deceive2   
,eph4 iv1 #ad1 #ae4  ,but speaking the  

truth in love may grow up in all things 
unto him1  which is the ,head even      
,christ2 and striving to refrain and    
keep  themselves from every wicked1     
offensive and backsliding course1 and to
  live soberly1 righteously and godly1  
blameless and harmless as the sons  of  
,god1 without rebuke1 adorning the      
gospel of ,christ with a  conversation  
becoming the same2 so shall they thereby
 glorify ,god1 and  transmit a faithful 
testimony for the despised truths of    
,christ to  posterity1 that so there may
 be a seed to do service unto him in    
these  lands1 and make his name to be   
remembered through all generations4     
,,part ,,iii4    ,the principles of some
 parties1 who have made the most        
specious  appearances for the           
,reformation1 considered4--,particular  
grounds of  testimony against that body 
of ministers and people known by the    
name of  the ,secession1 wherein their  
partiality and unfaithfulness in their  
profession of the covenanted testimony  

of the ,church of ,scotland is          
discovered in various instances1--their 
loose and immoral doctrine about  civil 
society and government--their corruption
 in worship1 sinful terms  of communion1
 c41 c4      ,the ,presbytery having in 
the preceding pages exhibited their     
testimony  against both church and      
state1 as now established in these isles
 of the  sea1 and therein discovered the
 reasons1 why they are obliged to       
disapprove of both1 proceed1 next1 to   
take notice of some of the parties  that
 have made the most specious appearances
 for reformation in this  land since the
 ,revolution1 of which that party       
commonly known by the  name of the      
,secession1 are not the least           
remarkable4 ,it is vast pity1  and it is
 with grief and lamentation1 that the   
,presbytery find  themselves1 in point  
of duty1 obliged to lift up a testimony 
against the  forementioned party2       
considering1 that they have made a      
professed  appearance under a judicial  

banner displayed for truth1 and a       
covenanted  work of reformation1 and    
have1 in reality1 showed much zeal in   
opposing  a variety of errors in        
doctrine1 corruption in discipline and  
government1 most prevalent in the       
national ,church of ,scotland2 have     
contributed to vindicate some of the    
most important truths and doctrines  of 
the ,christian faith1 that have been    
openly impugned in this day of          
blasphemy1 and may have been            
instrumental in turning many to         
righteousness1 and reviving the exercise
 of practical godliness among  not a    
few4 ,but as ,paul withstood ,peter to  
the face1 and testified  against his    
dissimulation1 though both of them      
apostles of our common  ,lord and       
,savior2 so it still remains duty to    
testify against the most  godly1 and    
such as may have been very useful to the
 church in many  respects1 in so far as 
they have not showed themselves earnest 
contenders for the faith once delivered 

to the saints1 but have dealt           
treacherously with ,god in the concerns 
of his glory4 ,it is therefore  with    
just regret they proceed to observe1    
that they are obliged1 to  testify      
against this party designated1 first1 by
 the title of ,the  ,associate          
,presbytery 7and then that of ,the      
,associate ,synod7--and that            
particularly1 for their error in        
doctrine1 treachery in covenant1        
partiality and tyranny in discipline and
 government4 ,it may at first  seem     
strange1 to see a charge of error       
advanced against those who made  the    
countenancing of error in the           
judicatories of the established  church1
 one principal ground of their secession
 therefrom4 ,but by taking  a narrower  
view of the principles and doctrines    
which they have roundly  and plainly    
asserted1 and endeavored to justify in  
their printed  pamphlets anent civil    
government1 the reception and belief of 
which they  zealously inculcate upon    

their followers1 it will appear1 that   
their  scheme is so far from tending to 
promote the declarative glory of ,god1  
and the real good of human and religious
 society1 or the church of ,god1  which 
are the very ends of the divine         
ordinance of magistracy1 that it  is not
 only unscriptural1 but anti-scriptural1
 contrary to the common  sentiments of  
mankind1 and introductive of anarchy and
 confusion in  every nation1 should it  
be thoroughly adopted1 and therefore    
ought to be  testified against4 ,the sum
 of their principles anent civil        
magistracy1  may be collected from these
 few passages1 to be found in a print   
entitled1 ,answers by the ,associate    
,presbytery to reasons of dissent1      
c4--,page #gj4 ,this divine law1 not    
only endows men in their present  state 
with a natural inclination to civil     
society and government1 but it  presents
 unto them an indispensable necessity of
 erecting the same into  some form1 as a
 moral duty1 the obligation and benefit 

whereof no  wickedness in them can lose 
or forfeit4--,page #gd4 ,whatever       
magistrates  any civil state            
acknowledged1 were to be subjected to   
throughout the  same4--,page #ej4 ,such 
a measure of these qualifications 7viz41
  scriptural7 and duties cannot be      
required for the being of the lawful    
magistrate's office1 either as essential
 to it1 or a condition of it  sine qua  
non3 ,i4 ,it cannot be required as      
essential thereunto2 for  then it would 
be the same thing with magistracy1 which
 is grossly  absurd1 and big with       
absurdities4 ,in the next place1 it     
cannot be a  condition of it sine qua   
non1 or1 without which one is not really
 a  magistrate1 however far sustained as
 such by civil society2 for then no     
person could be a magistrate1 unless he 
were so faultlessly4 ,the due  measure  
and performance of scriptural           
qualifications and duties belong  not to
 the being and validity of the          
magistrate's office1 but to the         

well-being and usefulness thereof4--,p4 
#hg4 ,the precepts1 already  explained1 
are a rule of duty toward any who are1  
and while they are  acknowledged as     
magistrates by the civil society4       
,nothing needs be added  for the        
clearing of this1 but the overthrow of a
 distinction that has  been made of     
those that are acknowledged as          
magistrates by the civil  society1 into 
such as are so by the preceptive will of
 ,god1 and such as  are so by his       
providential will only2 which           
distinction is altogether  groundless   
and absurd3 ,all providential           
magistrates are also preceptive1  and   
that equally in the above respect 7viz41
 as to the origin of their  office7 the 
office and authority of them all1 in    
itself considered1 does  equally arise  
from1 and agree unto the preceptive will
 of ,god4--,p4  #hh4 ,the precepts      
already explained 7,prov4 xxiv1 #ba2    
,eccl4 x1 #d2  ,luke xx1 #be2 ,rom4     
xiii1 #a-h2 ,tit4 iii1 #a2 #a ,pet4 ii1 

#ac-ah71 are  a rule of duty equally    
toward any who are1 and while they are  
acknowledged as magistrates by the civil
 society2 they are1 and continue  to be 
a rule of duty in this matter1          
particularly1 to all the ,lord's        
people1 in all periods1 places1 and     
cases4 ,these few passages1  containing 
the substance of ,seceders' principles  
on the head of civil  government1 may be
 reduced to the following particulars3  
#a4 ,they  maintain the people to be the
 ultimate fountain of magistracy1 and   
that  as they have a right to choose    
whomsoever they please to the exercise  
of  civil government over them2 so their
 inclinations1 whether good or bad1     
constitute a lawful magistrate1 without 
regard had to the divine law4 #b4  ,that
 the law of ,god in the scriptures of   
truth1 has no concern with the          
institution of civil government1 but    
only adds its precept in forcing        
obedience upon the conscience of every  
individual1 under the pain of  eternal  

damnation1 to whomsoever the body       
politic shall invest with the  civil    
dignity2 and that1 without any regard to
 the qualifications of  person or       
office4 #c4 ,whomsoever the primores    
regni1 or representatives  of a nation1 
do set up1 are lawful magistrates1 and  
that not only  according to the         
providential1 but according to the      
preceptive will of  ,god also1 in regard
 that ,god1 the supreme governor1 has   
prescribed no  qualifications in his    
word1 as essential to the being of a    
lawful  magistrate1 nor told what sort  
of men they must be1 that are invested  
with that office over his professing    
people1 though it is confessed  there   
are many that are necessary to the      
well-being and usefulness of  that      
office3 and therefore1 #d4 ,that no act1
 or even habitual series of  the        
greatest wickedness and                 
mal-administration can forfeit the      
person's  right to the people's         
subjection1 for conscience sake1        

considered as  individuals1 while the   
majority of a nation continue to        
recognize and  own his authority4 ,the  
absurdity of this scheme of principles  
may  obviously appear at first view to  
every unbiassed mind that is blessed    
with any competent measure of common    
sense and discretion1 and tolerable     
knowledge of divine revelation4 ,that   
magistracy is a divine ordinance1       
flowing originally from ,jehovah1 the   
supreme and universal ,sovereign of     
,heaven and earth1 as the ultimate      
fountain thereof1 cannot be denied4     
,neither is it to be doubted1 but that  
the ,lord has lodged a power and  right 
in the people1 of choosing and setting  
up those persons that shall  exercise   
civil government over them1 and to whom 
they will submit  themselves4 ,but then1
 while ,god has lodged this power in the
 people1 of  conveying the right of     
civil authority to their magistrates1 he
 has at  the same time given them       
positive and unalterable laws1 according

 to  which they are to proceed1 in      
setting up their magistrates2 and1 by   
the  sovereign authority of the ,great  
,lawgiver1 are they expressly bound to  
act in agreeableness to these rules1    
without any variation1 and that1  under 
the pain of rebellion against him1 who  
is ,king of kings1 and ,lord  of lords4 
,the ,presbytery1 therefore1 testify    
against this scheme of  ,seceding       
principles1 calculated1 in order to     
inculcate a stupid  subjection and      
obedience to every possessor of regal   
dignity1 at the  expense of trampling   
upon all the laws of ,god1 respecting   
the  institution1 constitution1 and     
administration of the divine ordinance  
of  magistracy4 ,particularly1 this     
opinion is1    #a4 ,contrary to the very
 nature of magistracy1 as described in  
the  scriptures of truth1 where we are  
taught1 that all authority to be        
acknowledged of men1 must be of ,god1   
and ordained of ,god4 ,the divine       
ordination of magistracy is the alone   

formal reason of subjection  thereto1   
and that which makes it a damnable sin  
to resist4 ,so the  apostle teacheth1   
,rom4 xiii1 #a1 c43 ,there is no power  
but of ,god2  the powers that be1 are   
ordained of ,god4 ,not only is it the   
current  sentiment of orthodox divines  
upon the place1 but the text and context
  make it undeniably evident1 that by   
power here1 is understood1 not a        
natural1 but a moral power1 consisting  
not only in an ability1 but in a  right 
to command4 ,which power is said to be  
ordained of ,god1 as  importing1 not    
merely the proceeding of the thing from 
,god  providentially1 but such a being  
from ,god1 as carries in it his         
instituting or appointing thereof1 by   
the warrant of his word1 law1 or        
precept4 ,so that that power which is to
 be owned as of ,god1 includes  these   
two particulars1 without which1 no      
authority can be acknowledged  as ,god's
 ordinance1 viz41 institution and       
constitution1 so as to possess  him1 who

 is ,god's minister1 with a moral power4
 ,in the divine  institution of         
magistracy is contained1 not only the   
appointment of it1  but the defining the
 office in its qualifications and form1 
in a moral  sense1 prescribing what     
shall be the end1 and what the measure  
of its  authority1 and how the supreme  
power shall rule and be obeyed4 ,again1 
the constitution of the power1 or the   
determination of the form1 and          
investiture of the particular person    
with the government1 is of ,god3  hence 
our ,savior1 ,john x1 #ce1 in his       
application of these words in the       
,psalms1 ,i said1 ye are gods1 to       
magistrates1 shows how they were  gods1 
because unto them the word of ,god came2
 that is1 by his word and  warrant he   
authorized them2 his constitution is    
passed upon them1 who  are advanced by  
men1 according to his law in his word4  
,when therefore a  nation acts according
 to divine rule1 in the molding of      
government1 and  advancing of persons to

 the exercise of it2 there the          
government and  governors may be said to
 be ordained of ,god4 ,but that         
government that is  not consonant to the
 divine institution1 and those          
governors1 that are  not advanced to the
 place of supreme rule1 in a ,christian 
land1 by the  people1 regulating        
themselves by the divine law1 cannot be 
said to be  the powers ordained of ,god4
 ,it is not merely the conveying the    
imperial  dignity by men unto any       
particular person1 that constitutes the 
power to  be of ,god2 but because1 and  
in so far as this is done by virtue of a
  warrant from ,god and in agreeableness
 to his law that the action has the     
authority of ,god upon it4    ,hence1 if
 in this matter there is a substantial  
difference from1 or  contrariety to the 
divine rule1 then there is nothing but a
  contradiction to ,god's ordinance3    
this must needs be granted1 unless it   
is maintained that ,god has wholly left 
the determination of this  ordinance to 

men1 absolutely and unlimitedly1 giving 
them an unbounded  liberty to act       
therein1 according to their own         
pleasure1 which is most  absurd4 ,from  
the whole1 it follows1 that more is     
requisite than the  inclinations of any 
people1 to constitute a lawful          
magistrate1 such as  can be acknowledged
 ,god's ordinance4 ,that power which in 
its institution  and constitution is of 
,god1 by his law1 can alone challenge   
subjection1  not only for wrath1 but for
 conscience sake4    #b4 ,the           
,presbytery testify against this scheme 
of principles1 as being                 
anti-scriptural1 and what1 in its       
tendency1 is destructive to the         
authority of the sacred oracles4        
,seceders maintain1 that the people1    
without regard to scriptural            
qualifications1 have an essential right 
to  choose whom they please to the      
exercise of civil government1 and that  
whomsoever they choose are lawful       
magistrates2 and thus make the great    

ordinance of magistracy dependent on the
 uncertain and corrupt will of  man4    
,but that this annarchical system is not
 of divine authority1 but  owes its     
origin to their own invention1 appears  
from the following texts  of holy writ1 
besides others1 ,exod4 xviii4 #ba3      
,moreover1 thou shalt  provide out of   
all the people1 able men1 such as fear  
,god1 men of truth1  hating             
covetousness2 and place such over them  
to be rulers4 ,this  counsel of ,jethro1
 was ,god's counsel and command to      
,moses1 in the choice  of magistrates1  
supreme and subordinate2 and discovers1 
that people are  not left to their own  
will in this matter4 ,it is ,god's      
direction1 that  the person advanced to 
rule1 must be a man in whom is the      
spirit2  ,numb4 xxvii1 #ah2 which ,deut4
 xxxiv1 #i1 interprets to be the spirit 
of wisdom1 7i4e47 the spirit of         
government1 fitting and capacitating a  
man to discharge the duties of the      
magistratical office1 to the glory of   

,god and the good of his people2 without
 this1 he ought not to be chosen4       
,deut4 i1 #ac3 ,take ye wise men and    
understanding1 and known among your     
tribes1 and ,i will make them rulers    
over you4 ,here is a precept1  directing
 the people in their choice3 they must  
not be children nor  fools2 if so1 they 
are plagues and punishments1 instead of 
scriptural  magistrates1 who are always 
a blessing4 ,and they must be men of    
known  integrity and affection to the   
real welfare of ,israel1 not such as are
  known to be haters of1 and disaffected
 to the ,israel of ,god4 ,again1  the   
express law of the king1 is1 that he    
must be one of the ,lord's  chosing2    
,deut4 xvii4 #ad1 #ae3 ,when thou art   
come unto the land which  the ,lord thy 
,god giveth thee1 and shalt possess it1 
and shalt dwell  therein1 and shalt say1
 ,i will set a king over me1 like as all
 the  nations about me3 thou shalt in   
anywise set him king over thee1 whom the
  ,lord thy ,god shall choose3 one from 

among thy brethren shalt thou set  king 
over thee1 thou mayest not set a        
stranger over thee1 who is not thy      
brother4 ,here1 though ,christians have 
a right to set a king over them1  yet1  
it is evident1 they are not left at     
liberty to choose whom they  please1 but
 are1 in the most express and positive  
terms1 limited and  circumscribed in    
their choice to him1 whom the ,lord     
their ,god shall  choose3 and this      
divine choice must certainly be         
understood 7in a large  sense7 of a     
person of such a character1 temper of   
mind1 and  qualifications1 as ,god      
pointed out to them in his law1         
particularly in  the text before cited  
7for whatever ,god's word approves of   
and chooses1  that ,god himself         
chooses74 ,and in the text before1 as   
the person is  further described1 both  
negatively and positively1 he must be a 
brother2  which relation is not to be   
confined to that of kindred or nation1  
but  especially respects religion4 ,he  

must not be a stranger and enemy to the 
true religion1 but a brother1 in respect
 of a cordial embracing1 and  sincere   
profession 7so far as men can judge7 of 
the same cause of  religion1 and so one1
 of whom it may be expected that he will
 employ his  power and interest to      
advance the kingdom of ,jesus ,christ4  
,this precept  respects the office1 and 
points at the very deed of constitution1
 and in  the most positive manner1      
restricts not only the people of the    
,jews1  but every nation blessed with   
the light of divine revelation1 in their
  setting up of civil rulers1 pointing  
forth on whom they may1 and on whom     
they may not confer this honorable      
office4 ,the same truth is confirmed  by
 #b ,sam4 xxiii1 #b1 #c1 #d3 ,the spirit
 of the ,lord spake by me--the ,god  of 
,israel said1--he that ruleth over men  
must be just1 ruling in the  fear of    
,god4--,so ,job xxxiv1 #ag1 #ah3 ,shall 
even he that hateth right  govern8--,is 
it fit to say to a king1 ,thou art      

wicked8 and to princes1 ,ye  are        
ungodly8 ,in which words1 while ,elihu  
is charging ,job with  blasphemy1 in    
accusing ,god of injustice1 declaring   
that if he made ,god a  hater of right  
and impeached him of injustice1 he did1 
in effect1  blasphemously deny his      
government1 universal dominion and      
sovereignty in  the world4 ,it is not   
only supposed1 but strongly asserted and
 affirmed1  that he that hateth right   
should not govern4 ,again1 #a ,cor4 vi1 
#a1 #d1  #e3 ,if then ye have judgments 
of things pertaining to this life1 set  
them to judge--,is it so1 that there is 
not a wise man among you8 no1 not  one  
that is able to judge between his       
brethren8 ,all these texts1 which  are  
plain1 positive1 moral precepts1 whereby
 ,god hath set boundaries  about his own
 ordinance2 that it be not corrupted by 
men1 as they  demonstrate what          
magistrates ought to be1 and prove that 
they cannot be  of ,god's ordaining who 
have not these qualifications3 so they  

evince1  that scriptural qualifications 
are nothing less necessary and essential
  to the being of a lawful scriptural   
magistrate1 than the consent of the     
people2 and consequently1 do            
sufficiently overturn this              
anti-scriptural  scheme4 ,seceders      
indeed grant1 that ,god hath declared   
his will1  concerning the choice of     
magistrates in the above1 and such like 
precepts2 but1 from their granting these
 scriptural qualifications to be  only  
advantageous to those that have them1   
and necessary to the  well-being and    
usefulness of lawful magistrates1 and at
 the same time  denying them to be      
necessary to the being thereof2 it      
necessarily  follows1 as the consequence
 of their sentiments1 that they allow   
civil  society a negative over the      
supreme ,lawgiver in this matter2 and in
 so  doing1 exalt the will and          
inclination of the creature above the   
will of  the ,creator1 which is the very
 definition of sin4 ,say they in the    

fore-quoted pamphlet1 page #hjth1 ,it is
 manifest1 that the due measure  and    
performance of scriptural qualifications
 and duties1 belong not to  the being   
and validity of the magistrate's office1
 but to the well-being  and usefulness  
thereof4 ,how easy is it here to turn   
their own artillery  against themselves1
 and split their argument with a wedge  
of its own  timber8 ,for if1 as is      
granted1 scriptural qualifications are  
essential  to the usefulness of the     
magistrate's office1 they must also be  
necessary to the being thereof1         
otherwise it is in itself quite useless4
  ,and if in itself useless1 with       
respect to the great ends thereof1      
without the due measure of scriptural   
qualifications1 it cannot then be  the  
ordinance of ,god1 in regard it must not
 be supposed1 that a ,god of  infinite  
wisdom and goodness1 who does nothing in
 vain1 has instituted  an ordinance for 
the good of his people1 in subserviency 
to his glory1  which yet1 in itself 7as 

to its being and essence71 is useless1  
and of  no profit nor advantage to them4
 ,and as for their comparison of the    
magistrate's office to other common and 
ordinary places and relations  among    
men1 the parallel will not hold1 no not 
for illustration1 far less  for a proof 
of their doctrine4 ,nor is there any    
comparison1 unless they  can prove1 that
 ,god in his word has as plainly and    
positively required  men to be so and so
 qualified1 before it is lawful for them
 to enter  into1 or for others to put   
them in such places and relations1 as he
 has  done1 with regard to magistracy4  
,this is indeed the scope and end of    
their whole scheme1 to derogate from1   
degrade and lessen the dignity of  this 
great ordinance of magistracy1 allowing 
it no more than what is  common to men  
in general1 in other inferior states and
 ordinary business  of life1 alleging1  
,that these qualifications 7which they  
grant ,god has  prescribed in his word7 
are only advantageous to them that have 

them2  and that at the hazard of        
evidently opposing and contradicting the
  intention of the ,spirit of ,god1 in  
the above texts of scripture1 which     
imply a specialty1 and particular       
appropriation to kings and rulers in    
their office4    ,again1 this principle 
either1 as above said1 denies magistracy
 to be  ,god's ordinance instituted in  
his word2 or then says1 that he hath    
instituted ordinances in his revealed   
will1 without prescribing any           
qualifications as essential to their    
being1 but entirely left the            
constitution of them to the will of man4
 ,but how absurd is this1 and           
derogatory to the glory of ,god1 in all 
his perfections1 who is a ,god of       
order1 once to imagine1 that he hath set
 any of his ordinances1 either  as to   
matter or manner1 upon the precarious   
footing of the pure will of  wicked and 
ungodly men8 ,the smallest acquaintance 
with divine revelation  will readily    
convince1 that he hath not4 ,it may as  

well1 and with the  same parity of      
reason1 be refused1 that there are any  
qualifications  requisite1 as essential 
to the being and validity of the office 
of the  ministry1 but only necessary to 
its well-being and usefulness2 and      
therefore1 is as lawful 7in its         
exercise7 in the want of these          
qualifications1 as the ordinance of     
magistracy is accounted to be4 ,but  how
 contrary is this to scripture1 ,tit4 i1
 #g1 #h2 #a ,tim4 iii1 #b1 #c1  #d1 #e1 
#f1 #g1 c4 ,now1 comparing these with   
the above-cited texts1  respecting the  
qualifications of magistrates1 it       
appears1 that the  qualifications of the
 magistrate are required in the same    
express and as  strong terms 7if not    
also somewhat more clearly17 as the     
qualifications  of the minister2 and    
seeing a holy ,god hath made no         
difference1 as to  the essentiality of  
the qualifications pertaining to these  
distinct  ordinances1 it is too much    
presumption for any creature to attempt 

doing  it4 ,both magistrate and minister
 are1 in their different and distinct   
spheres1 clothed with an equal authority
 from the law of ,god1--have  subjection
 and obedience equally1 under the same  
pains1 required to them  respectively1  
7as ,deut4 xvii4 #i to #ac2 #b ,chron4  
xix1 #e to #aa2 ,heb4  xiii1 #ag1       
c47--and the qualifications of both1 as 
above1 stated and  determined with equal
 peremptoriness1 making them no less    
essential to  the being and validity of 
the one than the other4 ,and this being 
the  case1 it is not easy to understand 
how ,seceders will reconcile their      
principles anent civil government1 with 
their principle and practice1 in        
separating from an established church or
 ministry1 whose constitution  they     
acknowledge to be good2 and who being   
presbyterially ordained1 are  also still
 countenanced by the body of the people4
 ,sure1 had they dealt  fairly1 honestly
 and impartially in the matters of ,god1
 they would have  acted in this case    

agreeably to their declared principle1  
page #gith of  their pamphlet1 viz43    
,the passages holding forth these       
qualifications  and duties of           
magistrates1 do not by the remotest hint
 imply1 that1 if  in any wise they be   
deficient in1 or make defection from the
 same1 their  authority and commands1   
even in matters lawful1 must not be     
subjected  unto and obeyed1 c4          
,certainly1 according to this1 all the  
deficiencies1 defections1 and           
mal-administrations in the church1 could
  never have been a warrantable ground  
7which yet they make the only  ground7  
of their separation from her4 ,but on   
the contrary1 they should  still have   
continued in communion with her1 and    
subjection to her in  matters lawful1 in
 a way of testifying against the same1  
and essaying  their reformation1 by all 
means that were habile for them4        
,seceders  must either grant1 that such 
was their duty1 and so of themselves    
condemn their separation as             

unwarrantable2 or else deny1 that the   
qualifications of the magistrate and    
minister are required in the same       
express terms in scripture2 that both   
are clothed with an equal 7though       
distinct7 authority2 and that subjection
 and obedience are under the  same pains
 enjoined to both1 and consequently say1
 that it is less  dangerous to cast off1
 contemn and disregard the authority of 
a church1  than that of the state2 while
 yet 7according to their scheme7 civil  
authority is entirely resolved into1 and
 depends purely upon the  changeable    
will of civil society4 ,but1 it is      
presumed1 they will allow1  that        
ecclesiastical authority is derived1 and
 flows from1 and depends  entirely upon 
the ,lord ,jesus ,christ alone1 the     
glorious ,judge1 ,lawgiver1  and ,king  
of his church2 so that 7according to    
them7 this being of a far  more noble   
extract and original1 it must be of far 
more dangerous  consequence1 to contemn 
and cast off it1 than the other4        

,again1 as this doctrine gives unto men 
a negative over the ,holy ,one of       
,israel1 it also opens a wide door for  
introducing and enforcing the  cause of 
deism1 already too prevalent3 for1 if   
all who are set up by  civil society1   
however wicked1 and void of the         
qualifications ,god has  required1 while
 they are acknowledged and submitted to 
by their  constituents1 must be equally 
regarded as ,god's ordinance1 with those
  who have those qualifications2 then it
 will follow1 that the corrupt  will of 
wicked men legitimates the magistrate's 
office and authority1  not only without1
 but in contradiction to the preceptive 
will of ,god2  and what is this 7absit  
blasphemia71 but to exalt man above     
,god1 in  giving unto the universal     
,sovereign and ,supreme ,lawgiver1 only 
a  consultative power in the            
constitution of magistracy1 while it    
ascribes  unto man an absolute and      
definitive power1 whereby they have     
power to  receive or reject the law of  

,god 7at least respecting magistracy7 at
  pleasure1 and their deed of           
constitution be equally valid1 when     
opposite1 as when agreeable unto1 and   
founded upon his righteous law4  ,and   
sure1 by the same reason1 that man may  
take a liberty to dispense  with the    
authority of ,god1 in one point of his  
commanding will2 he may  also in        
another1 until at last every part of it 
is rejected4 ,it is but a  contempt of  
the same authority1 and he that offends 
in one point1 is  guilty of all4 ,such  
are the absurdities that this their     
scheme leads to1  though it is hoped the
 authors do not intend so4 ,it may here 
be only  necessary further to observe1  
that among the other desperate shifts   
,seceders are driven to in defense of   
their favorite notion1 they say1  that  
scriptural qualifications cannot be     
essential to ,god's ordinance of        
magistracy1 or necessarily required as a
 condition of it sine qua non2  for then
 it would be the same thing with        

magistracy2 nor can these               
qualifications be the condition 7sine   
qua non1 or71 without which one  could  
not be a magistrate2 for then it would  
be necessary1 that every  one were      
possessed of them faultlessly1 before he
 could be owned as a  lawful magistrate2
 either of which they allege would be   
grossly absurd4  ,but this plausible and
 fair-set argument of theirs1 if it     
prove any  thing1 will prove more than  
it is supposed they themselves will     
grant1  and consequently proves nothing 
at all4 ,for the same gross absurdity   
may1 with equal reason1 be inferred from
 a maintaining1 that a due  measure and 
performance of scripture qualifications 
and duties are  essential to any other  
of ,god's ordinances1 and so that these 
are the  ordinance itself4 ,for         
instance1 they might as well reason 7as 
some have  justly observed already71    
that scriptural qualifications are not  
essential to a lawful gospel minister1  
for then it would be the same  thing    

with the ministry1 itself2 nor can it be
 a condition1 without  which one is not 
really a minister1 unless he were so    
faultlessly4 ,and  thus they have at    
once stripped1 not only all of the race 
of ,adam1  that ever exercised that     
office1 but themselves also1 of any real
  mission1 as ministers1 unless they    
have assumed the ,pope's  infallibility1
 and are advanced to the ,moravian      
perfection4 ,so1  although the scripture
 declares it essential to the true      
church1 that  she hold the head1 yet by 
their childish reasoning1 this would    
infer a  conclusion big with            
absurdities1 even that this             
qualification of a true  church1 is the 
church itself4 ,and1 in like manner1 it 
can no longer be  admitted1 that faith  
in ,christ1 and holiness1 are essential 
to the being  of a true ,christian2 for 
that would be to make faith the same    
thing with  a ,christian1 and would     
infer1 that as in heaven only holiness  
is in  perfection1 so there alone       

,christians are to be found4 ,upon the  
whole1  as the ,lord has given an       
indispensable law1 respecting the       
constitution  of kings1 showing what    
conditions and qualifications are       
required of  them2 it undeniably        
follows1 as an established truth1 that  
,christianized  nations must invest none
 with that office1 but in a way         
agreeable to  that law1 and those alone 
according to scripture1 are magistrates 
of  ,god's institution1 who are in some 
measure possessed of these              
qualifications4 ,it is therefore an     
anti-scriptural tenet1 that nothing  is 
requisite to constitute a lawful        
magistrate1 but the inclinations and    
choice of the civil society4    #c4 ,the
 ,presbytery testify against this system
 of principles1 because it  has a direct
 tendency to destroy the just and       
necessary distinction that  ought to be 
maintained between the perceptive and   
providential will of  ,god1 and         
necessarily jumbles and confounds these 

together1 in such a  manner1 as a man is
 left at an utter uncertainty to know   
when he is  accepted and approven of    
,god in his conduct1 and when not4 ,that
 this is  the scope of their principles1
 is confessed1 p4 #hg1 of their book of 
principles3 ,nothing needs be added say 
they for the clearing of this1  but the 
overthrow of a distinction that has been
 made of those who are  acknowledged as 
magistrates by civil society1 into such 
as are so by the  preceptive will of    
,god1 and such are so by his            
providential will only2  which          
distinction is altogether groundless and
 absurd4 ,it will not be  refused1 that 
all such preceptive magistrates are also
 providential4  ,but1 moreover1 all such
 providential magistrates are also      
preceptive4  ,the office and authority  
of them all1 in itself considered1 does 
equally  arise from1 and agrees to the  
preceptive will of ,god4 ,a doctrine    
most  shocking in itself6 ,how strange6 
that ,christians1 from any              

consideration1 will obstinately maintain
 a favorite opinion1 which is           
confessedly built upon1 and cannot be   
established but at the expense of       
blending and confounding the preceptive 
and providential will of ,god1  while   
the distinction thereof is clearly and  
inviolably established in  the word of  
,god6 ,although divine providence1 which
 is an unsearchable  depth1 does many   
times1 and1 in many cases1 serve as a   
commentary to  open up the hidden       
mysteries of scripture revelation2 yet1 
where the law  of ,god in the scriptures
 of truth is silent1 there providence   
regulates  not1 is neither institutive1 
nor declarative of ,god's will to be    
done by  us2 and where the said divine  
law does ordain or deliver a rule to us 
in  any case1 there providence gives no 
relaxation1 allowance or countermand  to
 the contrary4 7,see ,gee on magistracy1
 in his excellent discourse on          
providence47 ,that an overthrow of this 
necessary distinction1 for the  sake of 

the above dangerous scheme1 cannot be   
admitted of1 in a  consistency with a   
due regard to the authority of revealed 
religion1 and  that therefore the right 
and lawfulness of magistracy is not     
founded  upon the providential will of  
,god1 though they are countenanced and  
supported by the majority of a nation1  
will partly appear from the  following  
considerations3    #a4 ,if there is no  
distinction to be made between the      
preceptive and  providential will of    
,god1 then is providence equally in all 
respects the  rule of duty1 as much as  
the precept is1 and so man should be    
left at an  utter uncertainty1 what is  
duty1 in regard of the opposition that  
is  many times between providential     
dispensations and the precept4 ,nay1    
then  it is impossible that man can be  
guilty of sin1 in transgressing the     
divine will1 because ,god infallibly    
brings to pass1 by his holy and         
over-ruling providence1 whatever he has 
decreed by his eternal purpose4  ,rom4  

ix1 #ag4 ,and thus the ,jews1 in        
murdering the ,son of ,god1 should be   
acquitted from the charge of guilt1 and 
could not be said to transgress  the    
divine will4    #b4 ,if no distinction  
is to be made between the preceptive and
  providential will of ,god1 but        
providence is declarative of the        
precept1  then is providence a complete 
rule without the written word4 ,and this
 at  once supersedes the necessity of   
divine revelation1 and derogates from   
the sufficiency and perfection of the   
scriptures of truth4 ,the written  word 
is affirmed to be perfect3 ,psal4 xix1  
#g4 ,sinners are reproved  for doing    
that which the word gave no command for1
 ,jer4 vii1 #ca1 and  xix1 #e2 and      
challenged for following the promising  
appearances3 ,isa4  xxx4 #a1 #b1 #c1    
#aa4 ,it is therefore daring presumption
 to set up  providence for a rule in    
opposition to the written law of ,god4  
,hence it  must be concluded1 either    
that the preceptive will of ,god in the 

scriptures is imperfect1 or the laws    
therein repealable by providence2  or   
then that providence cannot be the rule 
of human actions4    #c4 ,if the        
distinction between the preceptive and  
providential will of  ,god is to be     
overthrown1 then providence must be     
expressive of ,god's  approbative       
ordination1 equally as his revealed will
 is4 ,for1 without  this 7viz4 the      
divine approbation71 there can be no    
lawful title to what  is possessed4 ,but
 this is what providence of itself      
cannot do2 it cannot  without the       
precept discover either ,god's allowance
 or disallowance4 ,if  then this        
distinction is denied1 and the          
providential will of ,god  asserted to  
be declarative of his preceptive1 and so
 of his approbative  will2 it remains to
 be manifested1 where and how it has    
been appointed  of ,god for such an end1
 an end that is by the ,spirit of ,god  
denied unto  it3 ,eccl4 ix1 #a1 #b1 #d4 
,if this distinction is to be           

overthrown1 then  either the            
providential will of ,god1 without any  
regard to the precept1  in every case1  
and in every sort of tenure1 gives a    
just and lawful  right and title2 or    
,god has declared in his word that it   
shall be so in  the matter of civil     
government only1 viz4 that whosoever    
gains the  ascendancy in the            
inclinations of the people1 by whatever 
sinful methods  this is obtained1 it    
matters not1 and so is by the hand of   
providence  raised up above all his     
rivals to the regal dignity1 he is the  
lawful  magistrate1 ,god's ordinance    
according to his precept4 ,the first    
cannot  be said2 it were impious to     
suppose it2 for that would justify all  
robberies and violences1 and legitimate 
every fraud2 not the latter1 for  where 
is it to be found in all the book of    
divine revelation1 that ,god  hath made 
such a law touching magistracy8 ,but how
 big with absurdities1  to say1 that a  
holy ,god has given to man a plain and  

positive law to be  his governing rule  
in every particular that concerns him1  
this of  magistracy only excepted4 ,in  
this great ordinance he hath wholly left
  him to be guided1 or rather misled and
 bewildered by his own corrupt          
inclinations3 but the contrary of this  
has been in part discovered1 and  may   
further4 #e4 ,if1 in order to establish 
their anti-government scheme1  the      
foresaid distinction is to be destroyed1
 and all such as are  providential      
powers1 and acknowledged by man1 are    
also preceptive1 and  therefore to be   
submitted to for conscience sake1 then  
are the kingdoms  of men necessarily    
obliged to own and submit unto the      
dominion of the  devil4 ,the devil not  
only claims to himself the possession of
 the power  of all the kingdoms of this 
world1 but it is certain that of the    
most of  them he still retains an actual
 predominancy1 hence styled the god of  
this world4 ,now1 it cannot be refused1 
but that the power he exercises  is     

providential 7or a power of permission72
 and it is most certain1 that  it is    
with the consent and good will of all   
the children of men1 while  in a natural
 state4 ,but are men therefore obliged  
to acknowledge his  authority1 or submit
 to that providential power he maintains
 over them8  ,if every providential     
power is also preceptive1 the answer    
must be given  in the affirmative4 ,the 
like may be said of the ,pope of ,rome1 
the  devil's captain-general1 to display
 his hellish banner against the ,king   
of kings1 and ,lord of lords1 with      
respect to those nations where he is    
acknowledged in his diabolical          
pretensions4 ,it can be to no purpose   
for  ,seceders to allege that the ,pope 
claims a power unlawful in itself1  and 
therefore cannot be owned1 in regard the
 person whom they make a  pretended     
acknowledgment of1 as their lawful      
sovereign1 is by the act of  his        
constitution invested with a similar    
power1 a power both civil and           

ecclesiastical1 and declared to be head 
of the church1 as well as the  state4   
,nothing1 therefore1 remains for them1  
but either to acknowledge  this clear   
distinction between the providential and
 preceptive will of  ,god1 or then      
profess the lawfulness of both the above
 mentioned powers4  #f4 ,if the foresaid
 distinction is too big with absurdities
 to be  received1 and if the authority  
of all providential magistrates does    
equally arise from1 and agree unto the  
precept1 then it would be no sin  to    
resist the powers ordained of ,god1     
provided that providence proves         
auspicious and favorable to the rebel1  
and advances him to the throne1  with   
the good will of his fellow rebellious  
subjects1 by expelling the  lawful      
sovereign2 at least such resistance     
could not be determined to be  sinful1  
until once the event declared1 whether  
providence would  countenance the       
treasonable attempt or not4 ,thus what  
the apostle  declares a damnable sin1   

,rom4 xiii1 #b1 must be justified and   
made the  foundation of subsequent duty1
 if patronized by a multitude4 ,this    
they  evidently maintain1 as appears    
from their declaration of principles1   
page #hb1 where1 pretending to obviate  
some difficulties anent their           
principles1 arising from the people of  
,god's disowning anti-scriptural        
magistrates3 ,the whole nature of any   
simple revolt say they lies in  breaking
 off immediately from the civil body1 by
 withdrawing from1 or  withdrawing part 
of their territories2 and then it       
necessarily follows  at the same time1  
that these revolters break off from the 
head of the  civil body1 without ever   
denying his authority over the members  
who  still cleave unto the same4 ,this1 
in connection with their grand          
foundation principle1 and the scope of  
their discourse at the above  citation1 
discovers that they grant1 that if the  
whole civil society  should reject the  
authority they had set up 7however      

agreeable it should  have been to the   
preceptive will of ,god1 and should     
again set up  another1 though never so  
opposite thereto71 their doing so would 
be  lawful2 but it is not lawful for a  
few to disown any authority 7however    
wicked and anti-scriptural71 unless they
 can at the same time withdraw  from1 or
 withdraw part of his territories4      
,nothing can be more absurd  than to    
say1 that a people are bound by the laws
 of ,god to give  subjection for        
conscience sake1 and yet at the same    
time are at liberty  to cast off and    
reject the same authority at pleasure4  
,if the magistrate  be lawful1 it is    
utterly unlawful to reject him2 an      
attempt to divest  him of his office1   
power and authority1 though carried on  
by the  primores regni1 is rebellion    
against ,god4 ,it is most ridiculous to 
allege1 that a people considered as a   
body politic1 are not under the  same   
obligation to their rightful sovereign1 
as when they are considered  as         

individuals1 but may lawfully reject    
him1 and set up another1 if they        
please2 so that he who one day is ,god's
 minister1 next day hath no title  to   
that office1 but if he claim it1 must be
 treated as a traitor1  whereby all     
security that can possibly be given to  
the most lawful  magistrate1 is at once 
destroyed4 ,thus1 if the ,chevalier had 
succeeded  in his late attempt1 had     
gained the favor of the primores regni1 
and  thereby mounted the ,british       
throne2 ,seceders must then1 of         
necessity1 either have quit their       
present principles1 or then have        
subjected to his yoke for conscience    
sake1 under the pain of eternal         
damnation4 ,his being a professed       
,papist1 and enslaved vassal of ,rome1  
could not have warranted them to leave  
their place of subjection to him  while 
owned by the civil society1 and so they 
must have treated the  present powers as
 usurpers and enemies to government1    
though they now  flatter them with the  

pretensions of an ill-grounded loyalty4 
,again1 how  absurd and self            
contradictory to grant1 that a minor    
part may not only  revolt1 but also     
withdraw part of a prince's territories2
 and yet that  the same party may not1  
when residing in the nation1 refuse to  
acknowledge the lawfulness of an        
anti-scriptural power4 ,this is to say1 
that people are no longer obliged to    
submit to authority1 than they are  in  
capacity to withdraw from1 or withdraw  
part of their prince's  territories from
 him1 and so to justify their rebellion1
 by that which  can only be a terrible  
aggravation of their sin4 ,these1 with a
 number of  other absurdities1 natively 
flow from a denial of the distinction   
between the providential and preceptive 
will of ,god1 making the title of  the  
lawful magistrate depend solely upon the
 will of the people4 ,nothing  is more  
evident than this1 that if the          
inclinations of the people1  exclusive  
of all other qualifications1 constitute 

a lawful magistrate1  then 7though he   
rules ever so agreeable to ,god's       
preceptive will71 so  soon as this body 
7though in a most unjust and tyrannical 
manner7 casts  him off1 he that moment  
for ever loses all title and claim to   
the  office1 and can no longer be       
regarded as a lawful magistrate4 ,a     
principle that in its nature and        
tendency is introductive of all anarchy 
and confusion1 and with the greatest    
propriety deserves the encomium of  the 
anti-government scheme4    #g4 ,this    
anarchical system of principles1 which  
destroys the above just  and necessary  
distinction1 is directly in opposition  
to the laudable and  almost universal   
practice of all nations1 in ordaining   
and enacting  certain fundamental laws1 
constitutions and provisos1 whereby the 
throne  is fenced1 the way to it        
limited1 and the property thereof       
predisposed4  ,the ,scripture           
sufficiently discovers those            
restrictions and rules1 which  ,god     

himself has prescribed and laid down1   
for directing and determining  of his   
people's procedure about the erection of
 magistrates4 ,and profane  history     
abounds in discovering certain          
fundamental laws and conditions  to take
 place1 almost in every nation1 without 
conforming to which1 none  can be       
admitted to that dignity over them4 ,but
 to what purpose are any  such laws and 
constitutions1 if this vague principle  
is once admitted1  which cancels and    
disannuls all such provisos and acts8   
,why should  ,moses have been so        
solicitous about his successor in the   
government of  ,israel1 ,numb4 xxvii1   
#ae-ag1 if ,god had ordained the        
inclinations of  the people alone should
 determine8 ,or to what purpose did     
,israel1  after the death of ,joshua1   
ask of ,god1 who should be their leader1
 if  their own inclinations alone were  
sufficient to determine it8 ,if ,god has
  declared1 that the corrupt will of the
 people is the alone basis of  civil    

power1 then1 not only are all state     
constitutions and fundamental  laws     
useless1 because1 on every vacancy of   
the throne1 they not only  must all give
 place to the superior obligation1 the  
incontrollable law1  of the uncertain   
inclinations of the body politic1 but   
they are in their  nature unlawful2     
their proper use in every nation being  
to prevent all  invasion upon the       
government by unqualified persons1 and  
to illegitimate  it1 if at any time     
done4 ,so that1 if the consent of civil 
society is the  only essential condition
 of government which ,god has           
authorized1 not  only are all scriptural
 conditions and qualifications useless  
and  unlawful1 but also all human       
securities1 either from intruders or for
  lawful governors1 are unlawful1 in    
regard the very design of them all is   
to oppose this grand foundation         
principle1 the jure-divinity of which   
,seceders have found out1 and do        
confidently maintain4 ,and thus1 by the 

seceding scheme1 is condemned1 not only 
the practice of almost all other        
nations1 determining by law1 some       
indispensable qualifications that  their
 rulers must have2 but particularly the 
practice of these once  reformed lands1 
when reformation had the sanction1 not  
only of  ecclesiastic1 but also of      
civil1 authority1 is hereby condemned4  
,scripture and covenant qualifications  
were then made essential to the  being  
of a lawful magistrate1 by the          
fundamental laws and constitutions  of  
the nations2 so that however the        
inclinations of the people might run    
7as it soon appeared they were turned in
 opposition to these71 yet1 by  these   
laws1 and in a consistency with that    
constitution1 none could be  admitted to
 the place or places of civil authority1
 but such as  professed1 and outwardly  
practiced1 according to reformation     
principles4  ,see ,act #aeth1 ,sess4    
#b;d1 ,parl4 #afdi4 ,and how happy we   
had been1 if  we had constantly acted in

 conformity to these agreeable laws1    
experience1 both former and latter1 will
 bear witness4 ,how much better  had it 
been for us to have walked in ,god's    
statutes1 and executed his  judgments1  
than by our abhorrence of them1 and     
apostasy from them1 to  provoke him to  
give us statutes that are not good1 and 
judgments whereby  we cannot live       
7,ezek4 xx1 #be71 or have any           
comfortable enjoyment and  possession of
 the blessings and privileges of his    
everlasting gospel1 as  it is with us at
 this day4 ,and yet1 this is what       
,seceders would have  us caressing1     
embracing and 7with them7 blessing ,god 
for1 under the  notion of a present     
good2 and so bless ,god for permitting  
his enemies  7in anger against an       
ungrateful and guilty people7 to        
overturn his work  and interest1 and    
establish themselves upon the ruins     
thereof2 to bless  him for making our   
own iniquities to correct us1 and our   
backslidings to  reprove us1 until we   

know what an evil and bitter thing it is
 to depart  from the ,,lord ,,god of our
 fathers2 to bless him 7for what is     
matter of  lamentation7 that the        
adversaries of ,zion are the chief1 and 
her  enemies prosper1 ,lam4 i1 #e3 and  
all this abstractly1 under the notion1  
of good1 which comes very near the      
borders of blasphemy4    ,but1 moreover1
 the civil settlement at the revolution 
is also condemned  by this principle of 
theirs2 not because of its opposition to
 a  covenanted reformation1 but in      
regard it includes some essential       
qualifications required in the supreme  
civil ruler4 ,the nations are1 by  that 
deed of constitution1 bound up in their 
election of a magistrate2  and all      
,papists1 such as marry with ,papists1  
or do not publicly profess  the         
,protestant religion1 are declared      
incapable of the throne4 ,so that  we   
see the present law makes some other    
qualifications1 besides the  consent of 
the body politic1 essential to the      

constitution of a lawful  sovereign in  
,britain4 ,from all which it is plain1  
that this principle  of ,seceders is    
neither a reformation nor a revolution  
principle2 let  then the impartial world
 judge whence it came4    ,seceders1 in 
consequence of their contradictory and  
self-inconsistent  system of principles1
 declare they cannot swear allegiance to
 a lawful  government4 ,they maintain   
the present to be lawful1 yet 7in ,dec4 
of  their principles1 page #eeth7 they  
say1 ,the question is not whether it  be
 lawful for us to swear the present     
allegiance to the civil  government1    
which the ,presbytery acknowledge they  
cannot do1 seeing  there are no oaths to
 the government in being1 but what      
exclude the oath  of our covenants1 and 
homologate the united constitution4 ,but
 seeing  they acknowledge that every    
constitution of government1 that        
comprehends  the will and consent of    
civil society1 were it as wicked and    
diabolical  as can be imagined1 is      

lawful--yea1 as lawful as any that is   
most  consonant to the preceptive will  
of ,god1 having all the essentials of   
his ordinance2 and seeing1 because of   
the will and consent of the  people1    
they own the present to be lawful1 it is
 most surprising why  they cannot swear 
allegiance to it2 their reasons cannot1 
in a  consistency with their principle1 
be sustained as valid4 ,that the        
present oaths of allegiance and the oath
 of the covenants are  inconsistent1 is 
readily granted2 but seeing the oaths of
 allegiance  bind to nothing more than  
what they confess they are bound to for 
conscience sake1 namely1 to own the     
lawfulness of the government1 and to    
maintain it according to the            
constitution thereof 7which is a duty   
owed  by subjects to every lawful       
sovereign72 and seeing that whatever is 
in  the oaths of allegiance contrary to 
the covenants1 does not flow from  them1
 abstractly considered1 but from the    
constitution to which they  bind 7which 

constitution is sanctified by the       
people's acknowledgement  of it74 ,if1  
therefore1 the covenants forbid a duty1 
to which they are  bound for conscience 
sake1 their authority in that ought not 
to be  regarded4    ,but certainly      
,seceders1 who have found it duty to    
alter and model the  covenants1         
according to the circumstances of the   
times they live in1  might have found it
 easy work to reconcile the oath of the 
covenants  with allegiance to a lawful  
government4 ,the other part of their    
reason  is no less ridiculous and       
self-contradictory1 viz41 ,they cannot  
swear  allegiance to the present        
government1 because it homologates the  
united  constitution4 ,but is not this  
constitution according to the will1 and 
by consent of1 the body politic8 and is 
it not ordained by the  providential    
will of ,god8 therefore1 according to   
them1 has all the  essentials of a      
lawful constitution1 which claims their 
protection1  under pain of damnation4   

,how great the paradox6 they cannot     
swear  allegiance1 because they would   
bind them to acknowledge and defend a   
lawful constitution4 ,is not active     
obedience1 is not professed  subjection 
for conscience sake1 an homologation of 
the constitution8  ,certainly they are1 
and that not in word only1 but in deed  
and in truth4  ,and what is the         
allegiance1 but a promise to persevere  
in what they do  daily1 and what they   
hold as their indispensable duty to do8 
,to grant  the one1 then1 and refuse the
 other1 is1 in effect1 to homologate or 
acknowledge the constitution1 and not to
 acknowledge it1 at the same  time1     
which is a glaring absurdity4    ,but   
here1 they would have people attend to  
their chimerical distinction  between   
the king's civil and ecclesiastical     
authority4 ,they have made a            
successless attempt 7in order to        
establish their antigovernment scheme7  
for the overthrow of a distinction1     
which ,heaven has irreversibly fixed1   

between the preceptive and providential 
will of ,god2 and1 for the same         
purpose1 they will impose this          
distinction on the generation--a mere   
shift and artifice1 which has no        
foundation nor subsistence any where    
else1 but in their imagination1 and     
serves for no purpose but to cheat      
their own and others' consciences1 and  
betray the cause of ,god4 ,it is  plain1
 that as a power1 both civil and        
ecclesiastical1 belongs to the  essence 
and constitution of an ,english diocesan
 bishop1 so the same is  declared to    
belong now to the essence and           
constitution of an ,english  king1 who  
is the head and chief prelate among them
 all2 and it is their  manner to call   
themselves his bishops 7not ,christ's71 
as having their  power1 both            
ecclesiastical and civil1 immediately   
from him1 as the  fountain of all power 
within his dominions ,so that there is  
no room for  this distinction of        
,seceders here1 unless they are such    

expert  logicians1 as to distinguish a  
thing from that which is essential to   
it1  and so from itself2 but this is a  
destruction1 not a distinction4         
,seceders indeed presume and depend very
 much upon their abilities of  this     
kind2 for they can distinguish between  
the magistrate's office and  its        
essential qualifications1 which ,god has
 inseparably joined together  in his    
word4 ,they can distinctly pray for the 
head1 author1 authorizer  and prime     
supporter1 of abjured ,prelacy and      
,prelates1 that ,god would  bless him in
 his government1 and yet not pray for   
the ,prelates  themselves4 ,they can    
pray very fervently and distinctly for  
the ,british  and ,irish parliaments1   
and yet not at all pray for the bishops1
  necessary and essential members there4
 ,and what is all this but to pray  for 
a nonentity1 a mere creature of their   
own mind8 ,they have neither  king nor  
parliament in their abstracted and      
imaginary sense1 but do  clearly        

distinguish themselves out of both4 ,we 
might refer them to that  famous and    
faithful embassador1 and renowned martyr
 for the cause and  testimony of ,jesus1
 ,mr4 ,donald ,cargill1 in his last     
speech and  testimony1 and let him      
determine the controversy 7in this      
particular7  between us4 ,they will not 
be so bold as to say1 that this         
honorable  witness died with a lie in   
his right hand4 ,his words are these3   
,as to  the cause of my suffering1 the  
main is1 not acknowledging the present  
authority as it is now established4     
,this is the magistracy ,i have         
rejected1 that was invested with        
,christ's power2 and seeing that power  
taken from ,christ1 which is his glory1 
and made the essential of the  crown1 ,i
 thought it was as if ,i had seen one   
wearing my husband's  clothes1 after he 
had killed him4 ,and seeing it is made  
the essential of  the crown1 there is no
 distinction we can make1 that can free 
the  conscience of the acknowledger from

 being a partaker of this  sacrilegious 
robbing of ,god4 ,and it is but to cheat
 our conscience1 to  acknowledge the    
civil power1 for it is not the civil    
power only1 that is  made the essential 
of the crown4 ,and seeing they are so   
express1 we must  be plain2 for         
otherwise1 it is to deny our testimony1 
and consent to his  robbery4 ,from these
 words it is evident1 first1 that ,mr4  
,cargill was  no ,seceder1 or of their  
mind1 in this particular2 and second1   
that1  at the time1 there were some who 
did cheat and impose upon their own     
consciences1 by distinguishing 7where   
there was no room for distinction7      
between the king's civil and            
ecclesiastical authority--which         
distinction  was condemned and testified
 against by all who were truly faithful 
to  ,christ and their own consciences1  
and tender of his honor and glory1 by   
their unanimous rejection of that       
anti-christian and unlawful power2 and  
that when they had much more reason and 

temptation to fly to such a  subterfuge 
for their safety1 than ,seceders now    
have4 ,and1 third1  from these words it 
is also clear1 that ,mr4 ,cargill and   
that poor1  distressed and persecuted   
people that adhered to him1 rejected and
  disclaimed the then authority1 not so 
much because of their tyranny and       
mal-administrations1 as on account of   
the unlawfulness and wickedness of  the 
constitution itself 7which was the prime
 original and spring of all  the        
wickedness in the administration71      
namely1 because the king  arrogantly and
 sacrilegiously assumed to himself that 
power1 which was  the sole and glorious 
prerogative of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and as  
to the  difference that ,seceders make  
between that and the present time 7since
  the revolution71 it is certain1 that  
whatever greater degree of absolute     
supremacy was then assumed by ,charles  
,,ii1 it does not vary the kind of  that
 claimed1 or rather conferred on and    
exercised1 by the supreme  powers1 since

 the revolution 7for majus et minus non 
variant speciem71  nor acquit them of   
the guilt of robbing the ,son of ,god1  
,jesus ,christ1 of  his incommunicable  
prerogative and supremacy in and over   
his church1 as  the only king and head  
thereof4 ,nor will the difference of    
times1 while  the constitution remains  
the same1 while ,god remains the same1  
and truth  and duty remain the same1 nor
 yet any distinction that can be made1  
free  the conscience of the             
acknowledger1 more now than then1 from  
being a  partaker 7art and part7 with   
the civil power1 in this sacrilegious   
robbery4 ,psal4 l1 #ah3 ,when thou      
sawest a thief1 then thou consentedst   
with him1 c4    ,but passing this3      
seeing the above mentioned reasons1     
which ,seceders  allege why they cannot 
swear allegiance to the present         
government1 which  they assert is lawful
 and scriptural1 cannot be sustained1   
some others  must be sought for them3   
and they may be either1 because they    

judge  allegiance itself unlawful2 or   
rather1 because then they would be bound
  by oath to continue faithful to this  
government in all changes that can      
happen4 ,whereas now1 they are free1 and
 equally ready1 in a full  consistency  
with their principles1 to profess their 
subjection to  another1 were it even a  
popish pretender4 ,for according1 to    
them1 an  infidel or papist may have a  
just and lawful authority over us1      
notwithstanding all1 both the           
reformation and revolution laws1 to the 
contrary4 ,if1 therefore1 the           
legislature would1 in the oaths of      
allegiance1 insert this limitation1 viz4
 so long as the body politic is  pleased
 to acknowledge the supreme magistrate1 
they would find it easier  to come over 
their other pretended and inconsistent  
difficulties4 ,for  the truth is1 they  
cannot1 in a consistency with their     
anti-government  scheme1 and with safe  
consciences1 swear to any government1   
but with  such limitation1 in regard    

they cannot be sure1 but he that is now 
owned  by civil society may be rejected1
 and another set up1 who must be        
acknowledged4 ,so they would be brought 
into an inextricable dilemma2  either   
they must own them both to be ,god's    
ordinance1 which is absurd2  or then be 
perjured1 by rejecting him to whom they 
had sworn2 or then  incur damnation1 by 
refusing obedience to him1 who is set up
 by the body  politic4 ,such is the     
labyrinth of confusion and contradiction
 this  anarchical system leads into2 a  
system that cancels all constitutions by
  ,god and men anent civil government4  
#h4 ,this anti-government ,seceding     
principle1 destructive of said          
distinction between the providential and
 preceptive will of ,god1 is both       
contrary to1 and confuted by many       
approven scriptural examples2 in which  
the ,spirit of ,god testifies1 that the 
actual possession of the throne1  under 
the favor of providence1 and by the     
consent of a majority of a  nation1 may 

be in one1 while the moral power and    
right of government is  in another4 ,the
 word of ,god acknowledges ,david the   
rightful sovereign  over all ,israel1   
for the space of forty years 7#a ,kings1
 ii1 #aa2 #a  ,chron4 xxix1 #bf1 #bg72  
seven of these he is said to have       
reigned in  ,hebron1 and thirty-three in
 ,jerusalem4 ,during the first seven    
years  of his reign at ,hebron1 there is
 a positive confinement of his actual   
rule to the tribe of ,judah only2 #b    
,sam4 v1 #e4 ,and at the same time1     
,ishbosheth is said to be made king over
 all ,israel1 and to have  reigned two  
years4 ,in agreeableness to ,seceding   
principles1 there is no  reconciling    
these different texts4 ,according to    
their scheme ,david can  with no        
propriety be said to have reigned forty 
years over all ,israel1  seeing seven of
 the years were elapsed before he was   
actually  acknowledged by all ,israel1  
before providence put him in the actual 
possession of all that extensive power4 

,there is another known example1        
applicable to the present purpose1 in   
the instance of ,david1 during  the     
rebellion of his unnatural son ,absalom4
 ,according to the sacred  story1 #b    
,sam4 chap1 xv1 xvi1 xvii1 xviii1 xix1  
it appears1 that he was  wholly ejected1
 both out of the hearts and territories 
of ,israel1 and  not only the throne1   
but the will and consent of the people  
given up to  ,absalom4 ,but was ,david  
therefore divested of his right and     
title8  ,though it is most contrary to  
scripture to suppose it2 yet1 according 
to  ,seceders1 seeing ,absalom was king1
 by possession of the throne1 and  had  
not only the power providentially put   
into his hand1 but had it also  by the  
consent of the people2 it necessarily   
follows that ,absalom1  being a         
providential magistrate1 his office and 
authority did equally  arise from1 and  
agree to the preceptive will of ,god1   
and subjection and  obedience1 for      
conscience sake1 was equally due to him1

 as to ,david1  by the ,israelitish     
tribes4 ,and so it was a damnable sin in
 ,david to  fight against him1 as it    
could be no less than a resisting the   
ordinance  of ,god4 ,the same may be    
said with respect to that other revolt1 
by the  instigation1 and under the      
conduct of ,sheba2 #b ,sam4 chap4 xx4   
,but  although1 according to ,seceders1 
he must also have been their lawful     
magistrate1 the ,spirit of ,god         
discovers the reverse1 still            
acknowledging  the right of government  
in all these changes to be in ,david4   
,another  example is in the case of     
,solomon1 who was ordained or designed  
by ,god  expressly for the kingdom of   
,israel4 ,adonijah had obtained the     
ascendancy1 both in respect of actual   
possession1 and the inclinations  and   
consent of the majority of the nation2  
the consent was general2 #a  ,kings1 i1 
#e1 #g1 #i1 #aa1 #ah1 #be1 and ii1 #ae4 
,he had all to plead for  himself1 which
 ,seceders make essential to the        

constitution of a lawful  king4 ,he had 
got to the throne by providence1 and had
 full admission and  possession1 by the 
inclinations of the people4 ,if then    
there is no  distinction to be made of  
those who are acknowledged by civil     
society1  into such as are so by the    
preceptive will of ,god1 and such as are
 so by  his providential will only--then
 ,solomon had no right nor title to the 
crown2 and the enterprise of ,david and 
,nathan1 c41 of setting him  on the     
throne1 was utterly unlawful4 ,both they
 and ,solomon ought to  have acquiesced 
in the duty of subjection to ,adonijah1 
as being the  ordinance of ,god4 ,but   
this would have been opposite to the    
express  direction of the ,lord1        
appointing the kingdom to ,solomon1 ,it 
was his  from the ,lord1 as ,adonijah   
himself confessed4 ,to the same purpose 
might be adduced1 the instance of       
,joash1 the son of ,akaziah1 who was    
king de jure1 even when ,athaliah had   
not only the countenance of  providence1

 but the consent of the people1 in the  
possession of the  kingdom2 #b ,chron4  
xxii1 #aj1 #ab4 ,again1 the practice of 
nations1 in  owning those for their     
lawful sovereigns1 who1 by providence1  
were put  from the actual exercise of   
their rule and authority1 contributes to
  confute this absurd notion4 ,thus1 the
 people of ,israel1 who had risen  up   
for ,absalom1 do even1 when ,david was  
out of the land1 own him for  their     
king4 ,so1 during the ,babylonish       
captivity1 there are several  persons   
noted as princes of ,judah1 whom the    
people owned1 as having  the right of   
government over them4 ,with a variety of
 other instances1  all discovering1 in  
opposition to their anarchical system1  
that it is  not by the dispensations of 
providence1 that the right and title of 
the  lawful magistrate is to be         
determined4 ,moreover1 as the ,associate
  ,presbytery have so barefacedly belied
 the scriptures of truth1 as to  assert 
that there cannot be so much as an      

instance found in all the  history of   
the ,old ,testament1 of any civil       
members refusing1 either by  word or    
deed1 an acknowledgment of1 or          
subjection unto the authority of  any   
magistrate actually in office1 by the   
will of the civil body3  besides what   
have been already adduced1 take these   
few following  examples of many4 ,after 
that ,saul1 by his disobedience to the  
commandment of the ,lord1 had forfeited 
his title to the kingdom1 he was  no    
more honored as king1 by ,samuel1 the   
prophet2 but1 on the contrary1  he      
openly testified to his face1 that the  
,lord had rejected him from  being king2
 #a ,sam4 xv1 #bf-ce4 ,though he mourned
 over him as one  rejected1 yet he no   
more acknowledged him as clothed with   
the authority  as a lawful king2 nay1   
the ,lord having rejected him1 reproves 
his  prophet for mourning for him1 #a   
,sam4 xvi1 #a4 ,from which1 and the     
command  he received to anoint ,david in
 his stead1 and that even while the     

civil society did acknowledge1 and was  
subject unto ,saul1 it appears1  that   
the throne of ,israel was then regarded1
 both by the ,lord and his  prophet1 as 
vacant1 until ,david was annointed2 from
 which time1 in the  eye of the divine  
law1 he was the rightful king1 and      
ought1 in  consequence of the public    
intimation made by the prophet of       
,saul's  rejection1 to have been        
acknowledged as the ,lord's ,anointed by
 the whole  kingdom of ,israel4 ,in     
agreeableness whereto1 the scripture    
informs1  that not only ,david in       
expectation of the ,lord's promise1     
resisted  ,saul as an unjust usurper1   
but many among the tribes of ,israel1   
whom  the ,spirit of ,god honorably     
mentions1 rejected the government of    
,saul1  and joined themselves to him    
that was really anointed of the ,lord2  
#a  ,chron4 xii1 #a-bc4 ,now1 if the    
,lord did command1 under pain of        
damnation1  to give loyal obedience to  
all in the place of supreme authority1  

however wicked1 while acknowledged by   
the body politic1 he would not  reject  
such1 nor command to set up others in   
their room1 nor approve of  those who   
disowned and resisted them4 ,but all    
this is done in this  instance1 which of
 itself1 is sufficient to overthrow     
their scheme4  ,another instance is in  
#b ,chron4 xi1 #ac1 #af1 where the      
authority of  ,jeroboam is rejected and 
cast off1 even when acknowledged and    
submitted to by the nation of ,israel1  
by the priests and ,levites1  and after 
them1 by all such as did set their      
hearts to seek the ,lord ,god  of       
,israel1 through all the ten tribes2 and
 this1 because of his  abominable       
wickedness4 ,whereby it appears a       
commendable duty to refuse  the         
lawfulness of the authority of wicked   
occupants1 though acknowledged  by the  
majority of a nation4 ,a similar example
 there is in the reign of  ,baasha1 who 
could not by all his vigilance prevent  
many from casting  off his government2  

#b ,chron4 xv1 #i4 ,again1 there is an  
express example  of ,elisha's disowning 
the king of ,israel1 even when the civil
  society owned him2 #b ,kings1 iii1    
#ad1 #ae4 ,he did not regulate his      
conduct  by providence1 and the will of 
the people1 but1 in opposition to both1 
refused him that honor that is due to   
all that are really kings4 ,to  these   
may be added that notable example of    
,libnah1 a city of the  priests1 who    
could not but have knowledge by the law 
of their ,god what  was their duty2 #b  
,chron4 xxi1 #aj4 ,here is an instance  
of a people's  casting off allegiance to
 a king1 properly because of his        
apostasy and  intolerable wickedness1   
whereby they bore testimony against him1
 and  discovered what was the duty of   
the whole nation1 on account of his     
apostasy from the ,lord4 ,their so doing
 was a most positive1 actual and        
express condemnation1 both of ,jehoram  
for his wickedness1 and of the  people  
for concurring1 joining with him1 and   

strengthening his hands in  it 7even as 
,noah by his faith and obedience is said
 to have condemned  the antediluvian    
world2 ,heb4 ix1 #g47 ,and this their   
conduct and  testimony the ,spirit of   
,god justifies1 and records to their    
honor4 ,these  few of many that might be
 adduced1 declare the impudence1 as well
 as  fallacy and imposture of ,seceders 
in this matter1 and also justify the    
principles which they maliciously       
nick-name the anti-government scheme2   
and that for no other reason1 but       
because it establishes the ordinance  of
 magistracy among a people favored by   
,god with divine revelation1 upon  his  
preceptive will1 in opposition to their 
anarchical notions of  setting it wholly
 upon the tottering basis of the corrupt
 will of man4  ,and1 to conclude this   
particular1 how ridiculously absurd is  
it in them  to insinuate1 that1 in the  
examples above1 or others to be found in
  sacred history1 those persons did1    
notwithstanding their own practice in   

rejecting the authority of wicked       
rulers1 still view it as the duty of    
the rest of the nation1 to acknowledge  
them8 ,this is pure jargon and          
nonsense1 contrary both to reason and   
religion4 ,by what law could the        
opposite practices of those that        
disowned1 and those that still          
continued to own the authority of       
unlawful rulers1 be justified8 ,it      
could not by the divine law1 which never
 condemns that as sin in one1  which it 
approves as duty in others in the same  
circumstances4 ,seeing  therefore these1
 in the instances above1 are justified1 
the practice of  those who continued to 
acknowledge the lawfulness of these     
wicked  rulers1 must be regarded as     
condemned1 both by the divine law1 and  
also  by the practices of the above     
persons1 which do all jointly concur in 
witnessing1 that they viewed it the duty
 of all the rest of the nation1  to have
 done as they did4 ,and from the whole1 
it appears a commendable  duty for the  

,lord's people to disown the right and  
lawfulness of rulers  set up in         
contradiction to the divine law4    #i4 
,the iniquity of attempting to destroy  
the necessary distinction  between the  
providential and preceptive will of ,god
 in the matter of  magistracy1 appears  
from ,god's express disallowance of some
 whom  providence had actually exalted  
to the supreme command over a people2   
,ezek4 xxi1 #bg3 ,i will overturn1 c4   
,although this may have an  ultimate    
respect to ,christ1 yet it has also a   
reference to the rightful  governors of 
,judah1 when disposessed of their right 
by the  providential will of ,god4 ,and 
here the ,lord threatens the execution  
of  his judgments upon the unjust       
possessor4 ,see also ,amos vi1 #ac2     
,hab4  ii1 #e1 #f2 ,nah4 iii1 #d1 #e2   
and ,matth4 xxvi1 #eb4 ,by all which it 
appears1 that the supreme lawgiver      
states a real difference between  those 
who are only exalted by the providential
 will of ,,god1 and not  authorized by  

his preceptive will2 and therefore it is
 impossible that  the office and        
authority of them both can equally arise
 from1 and agree  to the precept4       
,again1 in ,hos4 viii1 #d1 ,they have   
set up kings1 but  not by me2 they have 
made princes1 and ,i knew it not1 is    
this  distinction showed1 as with the   
brightness of a sun-beam1 so that he    
that runs may read it4 ,the ,,lord by   
his prophet here charges this people    
with horrid apostasy1 in changing both  
the ordinances of the magistracy  and   
the ministry1 particularly1 although the
 ,,lord commanded1 if they  would set up
 kings1 they should set up none but whom
 he chose2 ,deut4  xvii1 #ae4 ,yet they 
had no regard to his law4 ,this charge  
seems to have  respect to the civil     
constitution among the ten tribes after 
their  revolt from the house of ,david2 
not simply charging their revolt on     
them1 but that after their secession1   
they did not consult ,,god1 nor act     
according to his precept1 in their      

setting up of kings4 ,as nothing can    
happen in the world1 but by the course  
of providence2 and as all things  are   
known unto ,,god1 in respect of his     
omniscience1 the text cannot  respect   
either of these4 ,the true import of the
 charge then is1 they  have set up      
kings1 but not according to the law and 
preceptive will of  ,,god2 and therefore
 he neither did nor would approve either
 them or their  kings4 ,hence the       
prophet charges this as one cause of    
their national  destruction4 ,here then 
it is undeniably evident that ,,god     
himself  establishes that distinction   
pleaded for2 and it is therefore most   
wicked to assert1 as ,seceders do1 that 
it is altogether groundless and  absurd4
 ,again1 this text discovers1 that all  
kings that are set up and  acknowledged 
by civil society1 are not agreeable to  
the preceptive will  of ,,god1 or1 as   
such1 approven by him1 as they have     
falsely asserted3 for  here the ,,lord  
declares1 that ,israel had set up kings 

that were not  agreeable to his precept3
 and the charge respects their          
authority1 the  very deed of            
constitution4 ,to say then1 that all    
providential  magistrates are also      
preceptive1 is directly to give the     
,,god of truth  the lie4 ,moreover1 this
 plainly intimates1 that all such       
providential  magistrates as are not set
 up in agreeableness to the precept2 are
  disallowed and condemned by ,,god1 and
 therefore ,,god commands to put away   
the carcasses of such kings1 as1 because
 of the blind consent of civil  society1
 were little better than adored by the  
people1 ,ezek4 xliii1 #i1  that he might
 dwell in the midst of them forever2 and
 therefore he  declares it the sin1 and 
so the cause of the people's ruin1 as in
 the  above text3 and also in ,hos4 v1  
#aa1 ,ephraim is oppressed2 because  he 
willingly walked after the commandment1 
deliberately and implicitly  followed   
every wicked ruler set up by civil      
society4 ,it is but a  perverting and   

abusing the above text1 to plead that it
 is only a  condemnation of ,israel1 for
 not consulting the ,,lord in making    
choice  of their kings1 but no          
condemnation of them for setting them   
up1 and  acknowledging them1 in         
contradiction to the ,,lord',s choice1  
as plainly  laid before them in his     
preceptive will4 ,and it is very        
contradictory1  to acknowledge it a sin1
 not to consult ,god1 and yet to assert 
that it  is a matter of indifference as 
to the validity of their office1 whether
  his counsel be followed or not1 which 
it must be1 if1 as their principle      
bears1 the being of the magistrate's    
office and authority is equally  good   
and valid1 when contrary1 as when       
agreeable to the commanding will  of    
,god4 ,but if1 as is granted1 it be a   
sin not to consult ,god in the  choice  
of magistrates1 it must needs be a great
 aggravation thereof1  after consulting 
him1 to reject and contemn his counsel1 
and openly  contradict his positive     

command1 by constituting kings in       
opposition to  his declared will1 which 
is evidently the sin charged upon       
,israel1 and  the reason why he         
disclaims all such2 and therefore1      
according to that  known and approven   
rule1 that wherever any sin is forbidden
 and  condemned in scripture1 there the 
contrary duty is commanded and          
commended2 it follows1 that the setting 
up of rulers1 in opposition to  the     
express command of ,god1 being here     
condemned1 the contrary duty is         
commended1 namely1 a disowning of all   
such rulers2 for1 if it be a sin  to set
 up rulers1 and not by ,god1 it must    
also be a sin to acknowledge  them when 
so set up1 in regard it is a continuing 
in1 and approving of  the sin of that   
wicked erection2 although such an       
acknowledgment may  indeed be agreeable 
to their principle1 which gives to the  
creature a  prerogative above the       
,creator4 ,from the whole it may already
 appear1  what reason the ,presbytery   

have for testifying against ,seceders1  
for  maintaining such a corrupt         
doctrine2 a doctrine1 which they very   
justly  acknowledge 7p4 #hg7 cannot be  
established1 but by the overthrow of    
this  distinction between the           
providential and preceptive will of     
,god2 a  distinction1 that as they shall
 never be able to overturn by all their 
impotent and impious attacks3 so it will
 to all ages stand as a strong  bulwark1
 inviolably defending the truth here    
contended for by the  ,presbytery4      
#d4 ,the ,presbytery testify against    
this anti-government principle of the   
,secession1 as being contradictory to1  
and inconsistent with the  reformation  
principles1 and covenanted obligations1 
whereby these  nations1 in agreeableness
 to the law of ,god1 bound themselves to
  maintain all the ordinances of ,god in
 their purity1 according to their       
original institution in the scriptures  
of truth4 ,the ,seceding scheme 7as  has
 been noticed formerly7 is1 that        

whomsoever the bulk of the nation1  or  
body politic1 set up1 and providence    
proves auspicious and favorable  to1 is 
the lawful magistrate1 to be owned and  
submitted to for  conscience sake4 ,the 
inconsistency of which tenet with       
reformation  principles1 may appear from
 viewing and comparing therewith the    
coronation oath1 ,james ,,vi1 ,parl4 #a1
 cap4 #h1 where it is ordained as  a    
condition sine qua non1 that all kings1 
princes1 and magistrates1  shall at     
their installment solemnly swear to     
maintain the true religion  of ,jesus   
,christ1 and oppose all false religions4
 ,so also ,james ,,vi1  ,parl4 #a1 cap4 
#ith1 which ordains1 that no person may 
be a judge or  member of any court that 
professes not the true religion4 ,also  
,charles  ,i1 ,parl4 #b1 sess #b;d1     
,act4 #ad1 it is ordained1 that before  
the  king be admitted to the exercise of
 his royal power1 he shall give         
satisfaction to the kingdom anent the   
security of religion3 and so the  same  

parliament1 ,act #aeth1 #afdi1 express  
themselves 7referring to the  coronation
 oath above mentioned73 ,the estates of 
parliament judging it  necessary1 that  
the prince and people be of one perfect 
religion1  appoint1 that all kings and  
princes1 who shall reign or bear rule   
within  this realm1 shall at the receipt
 of their princely authority1 solemnly  
swear to observe in their own persons1  
and to preserve the religion1 as  it is 
presently established and professed4    
,and they ordain1 that before  the      
king's majesty who now is1 or any of his
 successors1 shall be  admitted to the  
exercise of his royal power1 he shall1  
by and attour the  foresaid oath1       
declare by his solemn oath1 under his   
hand and seal1 his  allowance of the    
,national ,covenant1 and of the ,solemn 
,league and  ,covenant1 and obligation  
to prosecute the ends thereof in his    
station  and calling2 and that he shall 
consent1 and agree to acts of           
parliament1  enjoining the ,solemn      

,league and ,covenant1 and fully        
establishing  ,presbyterian government1 
the ,directory for worship1 ,confession 
of ,faith1  and ,catechisms approved by 
the ,general ,assembly of this kirk1 and
  parliament of this kingdom--and that  
he shall observe these in his own       
practice and family1--and shall never   
make opposition to any of these1  or    
endeavor any change thereof4 ,likeas1   
the estates of parliament  discharge all
 the lieges and subjects of this kingdom
 to procure or  receive from his majesty
 any commissions or gifts whatsoever1   
until his  majesty shall give           
satisfaction1 as said is1 under the pain
 of being  censured in their persons and
 estates1 as the parliament shall judge 
fitting4 ,and if any such commissions or
 gifts be procured or received by  any  
of the subjects before such             
satisfaction1 the parliament declares   
and ordains all such and all that shall 
follow thereupon1 to be void and  null4 
,and the same session1 ,act #bfth1 it is

 in short ordained1 that  none shall    
bear any place of public trust in the   
nation1 but such as  have the           
qualifications ,god requires in his     
word4 ,thus1 in the prefatory  part of  
the act1 they say1 ,the estates of      
parliament taking into  consideration1  
that the ,lord our ,god requires that   
such as bear charge  among his people1  
should be able men1 fearing ,god1 hating
 covetousness1  and dealing truly3 and  
that many of the evils of sin and       
punishment1  under which the land       
groans1 have come to pass1 because      
hitherto they  have not been            
sufficiently provided and cared for1 c4 
7,and afterward  in the statutory part71
 ,do therefore ordain1 that all such as 
shall be  employed in any place of power
 and trust in this kingdom1 shall not   
only  be able men1 but men of known     
affection unto1 and of approved fidelity
  and integrity in the cause of ,god1   
and of a blameless ,christian           
conversation1 c4 ,to the same purpose1  

,act #aath1 ,parl4 #b;d1 ,sess4  #c;d1  
entitled act for purging the army4 ,see 
also the coronation oath1  of ,scotland1
 as subscribed by ,charles ,,ii1 at     
,scoon1 #afej4 ,all  which1 and many    
other fundamental laws of the like      
nature1 made in time  of reformation1   
show the principles of our reformers to 
have been quite  different from those of
 ,seceders anent civil government3 and  
that to  constitute lawful magistrates1 
they must of necessity have scriptural  
and covenant qualifications1 besides the
 consent of the people4 ,with  what face
 then can they pretend to have adopted a
 testimony for  reformation principles1 
and to be of the same principles with   
our late  reformers8 ,the vanity of this
 pretense will further appear1 by       
comparing  their principles with the    
,solemn ,league and ,covenant1 with     
every article  of which they are        
inconsistent4 ,they profess the moral   
obligation of the  covenants1 and yet at
 the same time maintain the lawfulness  

of every  providential government1      
whether popish or prelatic1 if set up by
 the  body politic4 ,but how opposite   
this to the first article1 obliging     
constantly to endeavor the preservation 
of the reformed religion8 ,can it  be   
consistent therewith1 to commit the     
government of the nations to a  sworn   
enemy to the reformation8 or1 with that 
sincerity which becomes  the professors 
of ,christ1 to plead the lawfulness of  
an authority raised  upon the overthrow 
of the reformed religion8 ,no less      
opposite is it to  the second article1  
which obliges1 and that without respect 
of  persons1 to endeavor the extirpation
 of popery1 prelacy--to maintain and    
plead for the lawfulness of that which  
establishes or supports prelacy  or     
popery in the nations4 ,this appears    
rather like a sincere endeavor in  them 
to promote whatever is contrary to sound
 doctrine1 and the power of  true       
godliness2 and that1 because an apostate
 people approves thereof1  contrary to  

,exod4 xxiii1 #b3 ,thou shalt not follow
 a multitude to do  evil4 ,again1 the   
third article binds to preserve the     
rights of  parliaments1 and the         
liberties of the kingdoms1 and the      
king's authority  in the preservation   
and defense of the true religion4 ,but  
how  inconsistent is it therewith1 to   
own and defend an authority that in its 
constitution and habitual series of     
administration1 is destructive of  all  
these precious and valuable interests8  
,it is full of contradiction1  and a    
mocking both of ,god and the world1 to  
pretend to own and defend  the          
destroyers of the true religion1 in the 
defense of religion1 as  ,seceders do in
 their mock acknowledgment of such as   
are sworn to  maintain ,prelacy1 in     
opposition to the reformed religion4    
,the  contradictoriness of this         
principle of theirs to the fourth       
article1  needs no illustration4 ,again1
 the owning of an authority1 which is   
reared up and stands upon the footing of

 the destruction of the  covenanted     
union1 and uniformity of the nations in 
religion can never be  consistent with  
the fifth1 article1 which binds1 to an  
endeavoring1  that these kingdoms may   
remain conjoined in that firm covenanted
 union  to all posterity4 ,in like      
manner1 as the sixth article obliges to 
a  defending of all that enter into that
 ,league and ,covenant1 and never to    
suffer ourselves to be divided1 and make
 defection to the contrary part2  it    
must be a manifest contradiction        
thereto1 not only to defend such as  are
 enemies to that covenant1 but even in  
their opposition thereto4 ,and  it is a 
making defection to the contrary part1  
and from that cause and  covenant with a
 witness1 to plead the lawfulness of the
 national  constitution1 which is       
established upon the ruins of a         
covenanted work  of reformation1 as     
,seceders do2 whose principle and       
practice1 in  opposition to what is     
professed in the conclusion of the      

covenant1 as  well as what was the very 
design of entering into it1 is1 instead 
of a  going before others1 in the       
example of a real reformation1 a        
corrupting  of the nations more and     
more1 and going before them in the      
example of a  real apostasy and         
defection from the reformation1 so      
solemnly sworn to  be maintained in this
 covenant2 and a teaching of them to    
appoint  themselves a captain1 to return
 to their anti-christian bondage4       
,upon the whole1 as the ,presbytery     
ought to testify against this new       
scheme of principles1 respecting the    
ordinance of magistracy2 they           
therefore1 upon all the grounds formerly
 laid down1 did1 and hereby do  declare1
 testify against1 and condemn the same1 
as what is1 indeed1 a  new and dangerous
 principle1 truly anti-government1      
introductory of  anarchy and confusion1 
of apostasy and defection from the      
covenanted  work of reformation1 the    
principles by which it was carried on   

and  maintained1 and acts and laws1 by  
which it was fenced and established2    
and what is flatly opposite to1 and     
condemned by the word of divine         
revelation1 in many express and positive
 precepts1 and approven  examples1      
agreeable thereto1 as well as by our    
solemn national  covenants1 founded     
upon1 and agreeable to the said word of 
divine  revelation4 ,and finally1 let   
this be further observed1 that as it was
 a  beautiful branch of our glorious    
reformation1 that the civil government  
of this nation was modeled agreeable to 
the word of ,god2 and that the  right of
 regal government was constituted1      
bounded and fixed by an  unalterable    
law1 consonant to the word of ,god1 and 
sworn to be  inviolably preserved both  
by king and people3 so the ,associate   
,brethren1 by their doctrine on this    
head1 which is inconsistent with  our   
uncontroverted establishment1 and       
fundamental laws1 excluding from  the   
throne all papists and prelatists1 have 

counteracted a most  important point of 
the covenanted reformation1 and opened a
 wide door to  ,jacobitism4 ,for1 if    
every one is bound to acknowledge       
implicitly any  government1 in fact1    
that prevails3 then1 if a party in these
 nations  should rise up1 and set a     
popish pretender on the throne1         
according to  their doctrine1 all should
 be obliged to subject to him2 and it   
would be  sinful to impugn the          
lawfulness of his authority1 although   
that1 by  being popish1 he is destitute 
of the essential qualifications required
  of a king1 not only by the word of    
,god1 but by the national constitution  
and laws1 in order to make him a lawful 
sovereign to these nations4    #b4 ,the 
,presbytery testify against the         
,associate ,presbytery1 now called      
,synod1 for their wronging1 perverting  
and misapplying the blessed  scriptures 
of truth in many texts1 in order to     
support their erroneous  tenet3 namely1 
that the word of ,god requires no       

qualifications as  essential to the     
being of a lawful ,christian magistrate3
 but that  whosoever are set up1 and    
while they continue to be acknowledged  
by  civil society1 are lawful           
magistrates1 though destitute of        
scripture  qualifications1 and acting in
 a manifest opposition to the revealed  
will  and law of ,god4    ,the texts of 
scripture used by them1 do prove this   
general proposition1  viz41 ,that it is 
the duty of the people of ,god to obey  
and submit to  lawful rulers in their   
lawful commands3 and that it is utterly 
unlawful  and sinful to oppose such     
lawful authority4 ,but none of these    
texts  quoted by them1 prove1 that it is
 the duty of the people of ,god1 blessed
  with the knowledge of his revealed    
will1 to submit to1 and obey1 for       
conscience sake1 an authority that is   
sinful1 and opposite to the  revealed   
will of ,god1 both in its constitution  
and general course of  administration4  
,nor do they prove1 that a prelatical1  

,erastian or popish  government1 is a   
lawful government1 either expressly1 or 
by right of  necessary consequence1 over
 a people1 who either do1 collectively  
considered as a church and nation1 or   
are bound to profess all the parts  of  
the true religion1 and to maintain all  
the divine ordinances in their  purity3 
nor do they prove1 that any can be      
lawful rulers over these  ,christian and
 covenanted nations1 who want the       
essential qualifications  required by   
the word of ,god1 the covenants1 and    
fundamental laws of the  kingdoms3 or   
that it is sinful in the people of ,god1
 to say so much1 in  testifying against 
the joint and national apostasy from    
,god and the  purity of religion4       
,particularly1    ,the first text they  
adduce is1 ,prov4 xxvi1 #ba3 ,my son1   
fear1 thou the  ,lord and the king1 and 
meddle not with them that are given to  
change4  ,it is granted1 that this      
scripture enjoins all those duties that1
 in a  consistency with the fear of the 

,lord1 a people owe to their rightful   
kings4 ,but nothing can be more absurd1 
than to extend the command to all  that 
bear the name of kings1 who are         
acknowledged by a nation as kings1  and 
while they do so own them1 though their 
constitution should be most             
anti-christian1 and they justly         
chargeable with unparalleled evils not  
only in their private character1 but in 
their public conduct3 be they           
idolaters1 adulterers1 blasphemers1     
sabbath-breakers1 murderers1  invaders1 
and avowed usurpers of the throne1 crown
 and scepter1 and  incommunicable       
prerogatives of ,christ1 the glorious   
,king of ,zion1  setting themselves in  
the temple of ,god1 and exalting        
themselves above  all that is called    
,god1 by dispensing with his laws1 and1 
in place  thereof1 substituting their   
own wicked laws1 whereby they establish 
iniquity1 and enjoin1 under severe      
penalties1 the profanation of the  name1
 day and ordinances of the ,lord4 ,this 

command must certainly be  understood in
 a consistency with the duty and        
character of one that is  resolved to be
 an inhabitant of the ,lord's holy hill1
 ,psal4 xv1 ,in  whose eyes a vile      
person is contemned4 ,it must be        
consistent with the  fear of the ,lord1 
which can stand very well with a fearing
 and honoring  all who are really kings2
 but a flat contradiction thereto1 to   
fear  every vile person1 because it is  
the will of civil society to set him up 
in the character of king4 ,till         
therefore ,seceders prove1 either that  
kings are under no obligation to obey   
the law of ,god themselves1 and so  not 
liable to its sanction and penalty1 in  
case of disobedience2 or  then1 that the
 favor and approbation of civil society 
can justify a  dispensing with the law  
of ,god1 they will never be able to     
prove from  this1 nor any other text1   
that such as are guilty of any crime    
declared  capital in the word of truth  
have a right and title to that fear1    

honor  and obedience1 that is due to    
lawful kings1 even though they are      
acknowledged by civil society4 ,and so  
this text makes nothing for1 but        
against their darling tenet2 and their  
explication thereof is evidently  a     
wresting of scripture1 making it speak  
in their favor1 contrary to the  scope  
and meaning of the ,holy ,spirit        
therein4 ,and their inviduous           
insinuation1 that all who differ from   
their opinion1 do likewise depart  from 
the fear of the ,lord1 is but a further 
evidence of their abuse of  scripture1  
while it is at the same time utterly    
false4 ,see ,mr4 ,knox's  history1 p4   
#dbb1 #ast ,book of ,discipline1 cap4   
#aj1 #aa4    ,a second text abused1 for 
supporting their forementioned          
principle1 is  ,eccles4 x1 #d3 ,if the  
spirit of the ruler rise up against     
thee1 leave  not thy place1 for yielding
 pacifieth great offenses4 ,as formerly1
 so  here they assert1 that this text   
refers to any rulers presently          

acknowledged by the civil society1 and  
that the rising of the ruler's  spirit  
must be understood as groundless1 and so
 sinful1 and necessarily  comprehends   
any wrath or wrong that a subject may   
meet with unjustly at  the ruler's hand1
 upon personal or religious accounts4   
,that yet1  notwithstanding1 the subject
 7in the use of lawful endeavors for his
 own  vindication7 must continue in     
subjection and obedience to the ruler1  
in  lawful commands1 while the civil    
state continues to acknowledge him2 and 
this1 as the only habile mean of        
convincing the ruler of his error1 and  
preventing further evils4    ,but1 as   
the reason which they there allege1 does
 not necessarily  conclude and prove    
this rising of spirit in the ruler to be
 sinful2 so  the whole of their         
application and gloss built upon it1 is 
invalidated2  and1 moreover1 is a       
condemnation of the principles and      
practice of our  reformers1 and         
sufferers for the cause and truths of   

,christ1 in the late  times1 when they  
left their place of subjection1 and took
 up arms in  defense of their religion1 
liberties and lives4    ,their          
explication is also self inconsistent2  
for1 if this rising of  spirit          
necessarily comprehends any wrath or    
wrong1 on personal or  religious        
accounts1 then there must be a yielding1
 or keeping the place  of subjection1   
not only in lawful commands1 but in all 
matters1 whether  lawful or not2        
otherwise1 this yielding cannot be      
supposed to answer the  end designed4   
,for though a subject should yield in   
all other  particulars1 yet1 unless he  
also yield in that particular1 on which 
the  rising of the ruler's spirit is    
grounded1 his yielding cannot pacify the
  ruler's wrath4 ,so all the subjection1
 they contend1 the sufferers gave1      
particularly in the beginning of the    
late persecution1 to the then  rulers1  
did not1 nor could1 pacify their wrath1 
because they would not  give up with    

their conscience and all religion1 which
 was the very  foundation of the rising 
of his spirit against them2 though1     
according  to their explication of the  
text1 this was what they should have    
done1  and so have pacified the ruler's 
wrath4 ,it is but a mere shift to tell  
the world1 that it is only in lawful    
matters they are to yield2 the  yielding
 must surely correspond to the rising of
 the spirit spoken of4  ,but with such  
deceitful shifts are they forced to     
cover over a doctrine1  which1 if       
presented in its native dress1 would not
 meet with such ready  reception4 ,but  
in opposition to their strained         
interpretation of the  text1 the ruler  
must be understood a lawful ruler1 who  
is the minister  of ,god for good--one  
who has not only moral abilities for    
government1  but also a right to govern4
 ,and as a subject may be keeping his   
place of  subjection to a righteous     
ruler1 and yet be guilty1 in his private
 or  public character1 of what gives    

just offense1 and occasions the ruler's 
spirit justly1 and so not sinfully1 to  
rise against him--thus1 one may  be     
guilty of many criminal mismanagements  
in the discharge of his public  trust1  
guilty of profaning the name of ,god or 
his day1 or of riot1  excessive         
drinking1 c1 without having any thought 
of casting off the  authority of his    
ruler--so1 when a person has hereby     
provoked the spirit  of his ruler1 this 
divine precept teaches the party        
offending not to  aggravate his offense1
 by attempting 7though able7 to make    
good his  part1 or rebel against his    
sovereign1 but to yield1 acknowledge his
  guilt and trespass1 and submit to such
 punishments as the lawful ruler  shall 
justly inflict1 according to the degree 
and quality of the  offense2 whereby    
only1 the ruler will be satisfied4      
,agreeable to this1  is that parallel   
text1 ,eccles4 viii1 #b1 #c3 ,i counsel 
thee to keep the  king's commandment1   
and that in regard of the oath of ,god3 

,be not hasty  to go out of his sight2  
stand not in an evil thing4 ,on the     
whole1 it  must be a great abuse of     
,scripture1 to wrest a divine precept1  
which  directs subjects to submit to    
such punishments as their lawful ruler  
shall justly lay them under for their   
offenses1 to the support of this        
anti-scriptural notion1 viz41 that every
 wicked person1 whom the  majority of a 
nation advances to the supreme rule1 is 
the minister of  ,god1 to whom obedience
 is due1 under pain of eternal          
damnation1 as is  done with this text4  
,a third scripture1 perverted to support
 the above principle1 is ,luke  xx1 #be3
 ,render therefore to ,caesar the things
 which be ,caesar's1  and unto ,god the 
things which be ,god's4 ,from this1     
,seceders imagine  strongly to fortify  
their cause4 ,but1 from a just view of  
the text1 it  will appear1 that the     
answer given by ,christ contains no     
acknowledgment  of ,caesar's title to   
tribute1 or of his authority as lawful4 

,it is  beyond doubt1 that the question 
was captious1 and that the design of the
  ,scribes and ,pharisees1 in proposing 
it to ,christ1 was to have him  ensnared
 in his words4 ,this they thought       
themselves sure of1 whether he  should  
answer positively or negatively4 ,for if
 positively1 and so  recognize and      
acknowledge ,caesar's title1 then they  
would have  occasion to accuse him to   
the people1 as an enemy to the laws1    
liberty  and honor1 of the ,jewish      
nation4 ,this is evident from ver4 #bf3 
,and  they could not take hold of his   
words before the people4 ,and then1 if  
he should deny that it was lawful1 they 
would have an opportunity or  pretense  
of delating and delivering him to the   
,roman governor1 as an  enemy to        
,caesar4 ,they seem1 however1 to have   
been confident1 that he  who taught the 
way of ,god in truth1 without regard to 
any1 would never  inculcate it as a duty
 for them to give tribute to ,caesar1   
subjection  to whom1 as their lawful    

governor1 for conscience sake1 was so   
contrary  to the divine law given to the
 ,jews1 respecting their magistrates2   
and  if so1 they would not miss of      
sufficient accusation against him4 ,but 
here infinite wisdom shone forth1 in    
giving such an answer as declared  their
 wisdom to be but folly1 and at once    
disappointed all their  malicious hopes2
 an answer which left ,caesar's claim   
unresolved1 as to  any positive         
determination whether it belonged to him
 or not4 ,the  question is in direct    
terms4 ,our ,lord does not directly     
answer to the  question1 in the terms   
proposed by the wicked spies4 ,he       
neither  expressly says it is lawful or 
unlawful to pay it1 but gave his answer 
in such terms as they could not from it 
form an accusation against him1  either 
to the people or to the governor4 ,he1  
in general1 teaches to give  ,caesar all
 things that1 by the law of ,god1 were  
due to him2 at the  same time enjoining 
them that1 under pretense of giving to  

men their  demands1 they rob not ,god of
 what was his due1 namely1 a            
conscientious  regard to all the laws he
 had given them1 and universal obedience
 to all  his commands1 without regard to
 persons of any station4 ,and it is     
certain1 that ,caesar was a proud1      
aspiring1 idolatrous and bloody  usurper
 7like the king of ,babylon1 ,hab4 ii1  
#e1 for which causes the  ,lord         
denounces fearful wrath and judgments   
against him1 ,hab4 ii1 #g-ad71  having  
no other right to the most part of his  
dominions1 than the ,lord's             
providential disposal1 which sometimes  
makes the tabernacles of robbers        
prosper2 into whose hand ,god bringeth  
abundantly2 ,job xii1 #f4 ,and for      
their sins gives ,jacob to the spoil1   
and ,israel to the robbers2  ,isa4 xiii1
 #bd4 ,and giveth power to the beast1 to
 continue forty and two  months1 and to 
have power over all nations2 ,rev4 xiii1
 #e1 #g4 ,so that1  by looking into the 
divine law1 which determines every one's

 due1  according to their just          
character1 and of which they could not  
be  ignorant1 they might see that he had
 a just title to all that was due to  an
 usurper1 idolater and murderer4 ,that  
the ,jewish coin did bear  ,caesar's    
image1 could be no evidence of his being
 their lawful  sovereign1 seeing it is  
most common for the greatest usurpers   
and  tyrants to stamp their image upon  
the coin of the nations they tyrannize  
over4 ,and though it be granted that the
 ,jews had1 by this time1  consented to 
,caesar's usurpation1 yet that could not
 legitimate his  title1 nor warrant     
their subjection to him for conscience  
sake1 seeing  they could not consent to 
his authority1 but in express           
contradiction to  the many plain and    
positive scripture precepts1 given by   
,god unto them1  as has been seen above4
 ,it is1 therefore1 violence done to the
 text 7as  also opposite to the         
sentiments of some eminent divines on   
the place71  to say that it contains a  

command to pay tribute to ,caesar2 and  
it  would appear from ,luke xxiii1 #b1  
that the ,jews themselves did not       
understand it so4 ,it may be further    
observed1 that this is not the only     
instance where our ,lord1 in infinite   
wisdom1 declined to give direct  answers
 to the ensnaring questions of his      
malicious enemies4 ,see ,john  viii1    
#c-ab2 ,matth4 xxi1 #bc-bh2 ,john xviii1
 #ai-ba1 where are questions of  a      
similar nature1 proposed with the same  
hellish intention1 and all  answered by 
him in like manner4 ,in each of which1  
,seceders might1 on  as good ground as  
in the answer to the question anent     
tribute1 say that  ,christ did shift and
 dissemble the truth4 ,but the least    
insinuation of  such a charge cannot be 
made from any of these answers1 without 
the  greatest blasphemy4    ,a fourth   
text used by them for maintaining their 
erroneous scheme1 is  ,rom4 xiii1 #a-h4 
,without animadverting upon every part  
of their  explication of this place of  

holy writ1 it is sufficient to observe3 
#a4  ,that the power here spoken of by  
the apostle1 is not a physical1 but a   
moral power2 a power that is lawful and 
warranted1 in regard of  matter1 person1
 title or investiture4 ,a legitimacy in 
each of these must  go to the making of 
a moral power2 and an illegitimacy in   
any of these  is an illegitimacy in the 
very being and constitution1 and so a   
nullity  to the power as moral1 a making
 it of no authority4 ,as the text speaks
  only of this moral power1 so it       
excludes every unlawful power 7see ,mr4 
,gee on magistracy1 on this text74 #b4  
,that the being of ,god1 or the         
ordination ,god here spoke of1 is not a 
being of ,god providentially  only1 but 
such a being of ,god as contains in it  
his institution and  appointment1 by the
 warrant of his law and precept2 so that
 the  magistrates to whom the apostle   
enjoins obedience1 are such as are set  
up according to the preceptive          
ordination and will of ,god1 as is      

evinced  not only by the author referred
 to above1 and other divines1 but what  
sufficiently appears from the context1  
where the subjection enjoined1  and     
resistance forbidden1 with their        
respective reasons1 are what can  only  
be spoken with respect to powers        
ordained by the preceptive will of      
,god4 ,again1 by considering the office 
and duty of the powers1 and the  end of 
their ordination1 as described1 ver4 #c1
 #d1 which by no means  agree to any but
 those moral powers ordained by the     
preceptive will of  ,god1 it appears a  
manifest abuse of this text1 to apply it
 to every one  advanced by providence to
 the place of supreme rule1 not only    
without  any regard1 but in direct      
opposition to the preceptive will of    
,god4 ,it  is most absurd and           
self-contradictory in professed         
testimony bearers for  a covenanted     
reformation1 to apply this text in a way
 of pleading the  lawfulness of an      
,erastian1 anti-christian constitution1 

that is  destitute of all those         
qualifications already mentioned 7and   
always  included in the scriptural      
definition of a lawful magistrate71 as  
necessary to constitute a moral power1  
viz41 in regard of matter1  person1     
title or investiture1 c4 ,but of the    
power which they so  zealously plead    
for1 the matter is unlawful1 being      
,erastian1 partly  civil1 partly        
ecclesiastical1 by the united           
constitution4 ,the person  invested with
 this supreme power1 is one who is      
declared incapable1 by  the fundamental 
laws and covenanted constitution of the 
nations2 the  manner of investiture1 and
 terms on which the crown is held1      
sinful--the  constitution being in an   
immediate opposition to the unalterable 
constitution of the kingdom of the      
,messias1 and founded on the            
destruction of the covenanted           
reformation4 ,and it may be added1 that 
it  is unlawful1 as to the exercise and 
application of it1 which has been  all  

along in opposition to all true         
religion1 and a grievous  oppression of 
the church1 the kingdom of ,christ1 in  
the liberties  thereof4 ,and it must be 
so2 for the tree must be made good1     
before the  fruit can be such4 ,by all  
which it appears1 there is a nullity in 
the  power as moral1 being so very      
opposite to the revealed will of ,god4  
,and  from what is said1 it is obvious  
that this scripture gives no            
countenance to their corrupt scheme1 but
 furnishes with strong arguments        
against it4    ,a fifth scripture       
adduced is1 ,titus iii1 #a3 ,put them in
 mind to be  subject to principalities  
and powers1 c4 ,as ,seceders apply this 
text  to the same purpose1 and explain  
it in the same manner1 as they have     
done those others above mentioned1 so   
what is already said is sufficient  to  
discover the deceit of their use and    
explication thereof4 ,the powers  and   
magistrates the apostle requires        
subjection to1 are only such as are  so 

in a moral sense2 none but such are     
accounted powers and magistrates  in the
 sense of the text4 ,the apostle must   
mean the same powers here he  describes 
in ,rom4 xiii1 #a-c1 c41 otherwise he   
contradicts himself1  which must not be 
admitted2 and the powers he there speaks
 of1 are moral  powers1 i4e41 such as   
have not only proper abilities for      
government and  rule1 but also a right  
of constitution1 impowering them to use 
their  abilities for that purpose4 ,how 
can one be expected or said to be the   
minister of ,god for good1 or a terror  
to evil doers1 and a praise  to them    
that do well1 if he is so disposed and  
inclined1 as to love  that which is     
evil1 and hate that which is good1 and  
so actually is a  praise to evil doers1 
and a terror to such as do well8 ,to    
suppose any  such thing1 is to overthrow
 the universally established connection 
between cause and effect1 the means and 
the end4 ,and so much 7namely1  that the
 powers there spoken of are moral       

powers71 ,seceders are forced  to grant 
in their explication of ,rom4 xiii4 ,say
 they1 ,the text speaks  only of powers 
in a moral sense4 ,and this concession  
at once destroys  their scheme1 and     
confirms what the ,presbytery plead for1
 namely1 that  none are lawful powers   
but such as are so according to the     
preceptive  will of ,god in his word2   
which certainly1 in the judgment of all 
who  would deal reverently with the     
oracles of ,god1 is1 in this case1 a    
rule  far preferable to the remainders  
of natural light1 in the moral  dictates
 of right reason1 from which ,seceders  
fetch the institution  of this divine   
ordinance of magistracy1 and on which   
they settle it1 as  on 7what they call7 
the natural and eternal law of ,god2    
preferring  that to the plain1 perfect  
and complete1 revelation of ,god's will 
in his  word4    ,the last text used by 
them1 is1 #a ,pet4 ii1 #ac to #ag1 the  
import of  which1 they say1 is1 that all
 who have a constitution by consent of  

the  civil society1 are to be subjected 
to for the ,lord's sake1 as having an   
institution from him3 and that1 however 
seldom they were inclined or  employed  
in the discharge of the duties proper to
 their office4 ,it may  suffice to      
observe1 that while the apostle is here 
speaking1 as in the  above texts1 of    
moral powers1 as above described1 it is 
evident1 that by  every ordinance of    
man1 can only be meant the different    
kinds and  forms of civil government1   
and governors set up by men1 to each of 
which  the apostle exhorts to a         
submission1 providing1 that in the      
setting up  of these1 they acted        
agreeably to the general laws and rules 
appointed  by ,god in his word1 both    
respecting the constitution of          
government1 and  the qualifications of  
governors4 ,then1 as they bear the stamp
 of divine  authority1 they were to be  
submitted to for the ,lord's sake4 ,but 
what  manifest abuse of scripture is it1
 to allege with them that the inspired  

apostle exhorts to submit to every      
monster of iniquity1 if only set up  by 
the civil society1 though perhaps guilty
 of a number of crimes that  by the law 
of ,god1 and laws of men founded        
thereon1 are punishable by a  severe    
death8 ,sure1 such can never have a     
title to that obedience which  is due to
 the ordinance of ,god1 who have not so 
much as a title to live  upon the earth4
 ,moreover1 let it be considered1 that  
in the above cited  texts1 the spirit of
 ,god enjoins either that obedience and 
subjection  that is due to lawful       
magistrates1 or that subjection only    
which is for  a time1 by an             
extraordinary and special command1 such 
as ,jer4 xxix1 #g1  given to conquerors 
and usurpers1 having no right but what  
is  providential4 ,if the first1 then   
they cannot intend any but those moral  
powers who are said to be of ,god1 in   
respect of his approbative and          
preceptive will4 ,if the last1 then     
these texts are not the rule of         

obedience to lawful rulers1 who are set 
up qualified1 and govern  according to  
the law of ,god4 ,but that these texts  
can only be understood  of the first1 is
 evident from this1 that in them not    
only is the office1  duty and end of the
 civil magistrate as particularly       
described1 as the  obedience and        
subjection commanded2 but the one is    
made the foundation1  ground1 and reason
 of1 and inseparably connected with the 
other4 ,and  therefore it was1 that the 
renowned witnesses for ,christ and his  
interest1 contended so much for         
reformation in the civil magistracy and 
magistrate1 in an agreeableness to the  
original institution of that  ordinance1
 and endured so great opposition on that
 account4    ,to conclude this3 as it is
 evident these texts give no countenance
 to  the corrupt scheme of ,seceders1   
but always suppose the power1 to which  
subjection and obedience for conscience 
sake is enjoined to be lawful1  in      
regard of matter1 person1 title1 c4 ,so 

the ,presbytery cannot but  testify     
against them for perverting and wresting
 the scriptures of  truth1 to a favoring
 of their anarchical and anti-scriptural
 tenet1 and  for their so stiffly and   
tenaciously pleading for avowed apostasy
 and  defection 7which is the whole     
scope and amount of their declared      
scheme  of politics71 viz41 that it is  
lawful for posterity to turn back to    
where their forefathers were1 giving up 
with many precious truths1 and  further 
attainments in reformation1 valuable and
 necessary1 acquired at  the expense of 
much zeal1 faithfulness and treasure1   
and handed down to  us1 sealed by the   
spirit of ,god upon the souls of his    
people1 as his  work and cause2 and on  
public scaffolds and high places of the 
field1  with the dearest blood of       
multitudes of ,christ's faithful        
witnesses1 who  loved not their lives   
unto the death4 ,and this1 in express   
contradiction  to the land's solemn     
covenant engagements to the ,lord1 for  

maintaining  and holding fast that      
whereunto we had attained4 ,for         
notwithstanding all  the regard and     
deference ,seceders profess to the      
covenants and  reformation principles1  
they are1 all the while1 directly       
pleading in  defense of the same cause1 
advancing the same arguments to support 
it1  and likewise giving the same       
corrupt and perverted explication of the
  above texts of scripture1 that the    
merciless and bloody murderers and      
persecuters did1 in the late tyrannous  
times1 in their stated opposition  to   
the cause and interest of glorious      
,christ1 together with the indulged  who
 took part with them1 in opposing the   
kingdom and subjects of ,zions  exalted 
,king4 ,and as pity it is ,seceders have
 pleaded the cause of  malignants1 and1 
rubbing the rust from their antiquated  
arguments1 have  presented them with a  
new lustre2 so the ,presbytery1 in      
opposition  thereto1 are satisfied to   
plead the same cause1 with the same     

arguments  and to understand these      
scriptures in the same sense as was done
 by the  witnesses for reformation1 whom
 the ,lord honored to seal his truths   
with  their blood1 as is sufficiently   
confirmed from the ,cloud of ,witnesses2
  where their concurring testimonies are
 harmoniously stated1 upon their        
disowning the authority of the then     
anti-christian and ,erastian            
government1 even when acknowledged by   
the bulk and body of the nation1  both  
civil and ecclesiastical4 ,whence also  
it is evident1 that the  persecution was
 not the cause of their casting off that
 authority2 but  that authority's       
assuming and usurping the royal         
prerogatives of ,christ1  the church's  
,head1 was the cause of their disowning 
it2 and then their  refusing to         
acknowledge foresaid authority1 was the 
cause of all their  persecution4    #c4 
,the ,presbytery testify against        
foresaid ,associates1 on account of     
their corruption in worship2            

particularly1 in the duty of prayer1    
both  as practiced by their ministers1  
and by them enjoined upon their people4 
,wherein1 in an inconsistency with a    
faithful testimony against the  declared
 enemies of the church's head and king1 
they affect to express a  superlative   
loyalty unto the prelatic possessors of 
power1 not much  differing from the     
forms imposed upon1 and observed by the 
,erastian  church4 ,the ,presbytery     
acknowledge it duty to pray for all men1
 in the  various stations of life1 as   
sinners lost1 of the ruined family of   
,adam1  standing absolutely in need of a
 ,savior1 that they may be saved and    
come  to the knowledge of the truth2 as 
is enjoined1 ,tim4 ii1 #a1 #b4 ,which   
yet must not be understood in an        
unlimited sense1 but with submission to 
the will of ,god1 if they belong to the 
election of grace4 ,nay1 they           
acknowledge it indispensable duty1 as to
 pray1 that the church may  obtain such 
kings and queens1 as shall he nursing   

fathers and mothers1  according to the  
,lord's gracious promise2 so1 when such 
are granted to  them1 it is their duty  
to make prayers and supplications1 in a 
particular manner1 for them4 ,but it is 
no less than an abuse of  scripture1 and
 flat contradiction to many promises and
 threatenings1 to  extend foresaid      
command to every person without         
distinction whom  providence advances to
 the supreme rule over the people of    
,god1 in a way  of acknowledging their  
authority as lawful1 and of praying for 
success  and prosperity to them 7as     
,seceders do71 to pray for success unto1
 and  the continuance of wicked rulers1 
that are enemies to the ,lord1 and      
usurpers of his crown1 and such whom the
 ,lord in anger against a people  for   
their sins1 may send as a special       
punishment upon them1 and from  whom he 
has promised deliverance unto his       
people1 as a peculiar  blessing1 is no  
less than the slighting of the promises1
 and deriding of  threatenings1 and in  

reality1 is a taking part with ,god's   
enemies1  against him and his cause4 ,as
 it is impossible1 sincerely to pray for
  the coming of ,christ's kingdom1 and  
advancement thereof1 without also1  as a
 necessary mean conducive thereto1 to   
pray for the downfall and  destruction  
of all his enemies1 as such1 whatever be
 their place and  station 7which is not 
at all inconsistent with praying for    
their  salvation1 as lost sinners72     
seeing ,jesus ,christ no less           
effectually  destroys his enemies1 when 
he makes them to bow in a way of willing
  subjection to the scepter of his law  
and grace1 than when he breaks them  in 
pieces with his iron rod of wrath2 so1  
how self-contradictory is it  in        
,seceders1 to pray for the coming of    
,christ's mediatory kingdom2  and1 at   
the same time to pray for the success   
and preservation of one1  in his kingly 
character1 who themselves acknowledge1  
has1 in that  character1 made grievous  
encroachments upon the royal            

prerogatives of  the ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 is an usurper of his crown1 and
 therefore1 in  that view1 must be      
considered as an enemy to his kingdom8  
,that the above is no false charge      
against ,seceders1 is witnessed by a    
variety of their causes of fasting1     
concluding with such prayers1 which     
they have emitted1 as well as by their  
daily practice3 and particularly1       
,antiburgher ,seceders1 have given a    
late recent proof of this2 in what  they
 call1 ,a solemn warning by the         
,associate ,synod1 c4 ,which  unfaithful
 warning concludes with a               
self-contradictory form of prayer1      
enjoined upon all under the inspection  
of said ,synod4 ,among other  things1   
they exhort all--the people under their 
inspection1 to pour out  earnest and    
incessant supplications before the      
,lord1 in a dependence  upon the merit  
and intercession of our great           
,high-priest1 that he  may--bring about 
a revival of our covenanted             

reformation1--removing all  the         
mountains which stand in the way2 that  
he may abundantly bless our  sovereign  
king ,george1 and the apparent heir of  
the crown1--blasting  all the plots or  
efforts of whatever enemies1 open or    
secret1--against  the ,protestant       
succession to the throne of these       
kingdoms in the family  of ,hanover2    
that he may be gracious to the high     
courts of parliament1  in this and the  
neighboring island1--leading them to    
proper measures for  the honor of       
,christ2 that he may hasten the         
enlargement of the  ,mediator's kingdom1
 c4    ,on all which1 let it suffice to 
observe1 #a4 ,that as in no part of this
  prayer they make any exceptions       
against1 so they must be understood     
therein1 approving of the constitution  
of the king1 the establishment1  and    
limitation of the throne of these       
kingdoms in the ,hanoverian  family1 as 
presently by law established3 and also1 
approving of the  ,british and ,irish1  

parliaments1 in their constitution as by
 law  established1 though both of them  
grossly ,erastian1 and necessarily      
connected with maintaining ,english     
popish ceremonies1 the whole  ,english  
hierarchy1 and civil places and power of
 churchmen2 in  opposition to the word  
of ,god1 reforming laws1 and covenanted 
constitutions of the nations4 ,hence1   
#b4 ,this pattern of prayer must be     
understood as containing earnest        
supplications to the ,lord1 that he may 
continue and preserve an ,erastian      
constitution1 that he may perpetuate    
the limited succession to the throne in 
the family of ,hanover2 and  that1 in   
opposition to all attempts whatever1    
toward any change1 however  much it     
might contribute to the glory of ,god1  
good of the church1 and  revival of a   
covenanted reformation2 and also1 seems 
to include a desire  that1 ,god may     
preserve and maintain a parliament in   
the nations1 one of  the houses whereof1
 viz41 the ,house of ,peers1 is composed

 partly of  spiritual lords1 as         
essential members thereof1--an          
anti-christian  designation1 a title and
 office1 not to be found in the book of 
divine  revelation4 ,so1 #c4 ,this      
prayer seems to suppose a consistency   
between  the preservation of all these1 
and the revival of a covenanted         
reformation in these lands2 and also    
that they1 particularly a  parliament1  
thus anti-christian in its constitution1
 are proper  instruments for promoting  
the honor and declarative glory of      
,christ2  although the prelates1        
constituent members therein1 are a      
generation of  men that were never yet  
known to have a vote for ,christ's      
kingdom and  interest4 ,and therefore1  
#d4 ,this prayer consists of flat       
contradiction4  7#a47 ,in regard the    
revival of a covenanted reformation1 and
 the  flourishing of ,christ's mediatory
 kingdom1 nationally1 must be attended  
with the overthrow of all constitutions1
 civil and ecclesiastical1 that  hinder 

and oppose the same2 ,hag4 ii1 #f1 #g1  
and with the down bringing  of all the  
enemies thereof1 from the height of     
their excellency4 7#b47 ,it  is a       
contradiction for them to pray1 that the
 ,lord would remove all the  mountains  
that stand in the way of the revival of 
our reformation2 and  yet1 at the same  
time1 pray for the preservation and     
continuance of the  constitution1 under 
which 7as they themselves acknowledge1  
,defense of  their ,princ41 page #ea73  
,there is a mighty bar thrust into the  
way of  our covenanted reformation1 both
 in church and state2 yea1 a gravestone 
is laid1 and established upon the same4 
7#c47 ,it is a sinful and glaring       
contradiction for ,seceders to rank an  
approbation of the ,english  hierarchy  
among our public national sins and steps
 of defection 7as they  do1 page #ec of 
their pamphlet72 and yet themselves     
persist and continue  in the same sin   
and guilt1 homologating and approving   
the anti-christian  constitution of the 

,british and ,irish parliaments1 by     
praying 7like  their forefathers1 in    
their fulsome address to ,james the     
,papist7 for  divine illumination and   
conduct to the ,prelates in their civil 
places  and power1 as necessary members 
there1 as they do in this prayer of     
theirs4 ,can such be supposed to be     
either truly sensible of sin1 or        
humbled for it1 who1 notwithstanding all
 their confessions1 still  continue in  
the love and practice of it8 ,but with  
such mock  acknowledgements 7of which a 
variety of other instances might be     
given7  have they hitherto imposed on   
the generation4 ,and so1 #e4 ,it is a   
prayer1  that in several parts thereof1 
has no scripture warrant1 no foundation 
in the promises of ,god4 ,particularly1 
on what scriptural warrant1 what        
promise1 can ,seceders build their      
prayers for1 or expectation of the      
,lord's answering them1 by blessing an  
,erastian government to themselves  or  
others1 which being1 in its             

constitution1 contrary to the word of   
,god1--is such1 that under it 7as they  
grant1 ibid1 page #df71 a people  cannot
 truly prosper in their civil concerns1 
nor be enriched with the  blessings of  
the gospel8 ,from what scriptural       
promise are they warranted  to pray1    
that ,god may perpetuate the succession 
to the throne in any one  family1 and   
especially1 when that succession is     
circumscribed and  limited1 in a way    
opposite to the laws of ,god1 and       
mediatory kingdom of  ,christ8 and      
therefore1 a prayer that cannot be made 
in faith1 and so  cannot be acceptable  
to ,god in its complex form4 ,no person 
can have  faith in the merit and        
intercession of ,christ1 for obtaining  
anything in  prayer1 but what ,christ   
has priorly merited1 and does actually  
intercede  for4 ,but it would savor too 
much of blasphemy1 to apply some of the 
particulars already noticed in this form
 of prayer1 to the merit and            
intercession of our great ,high-priest4 

,sure it cannot be thought1 that  he    
makes intercession for the prosperity   
and success of his enemies1 in  their   
stated opposition to his kingdom and    
interest in this world2  neither can it 
be consistent with fidelity to ,christ1 
as a ,king1 for his  professed subjects 
to pray for it4 ,what a fearful trifling
 with ,god in  the duty of prayer1 is it
 to pray that the ,lord may bring down  
,popery  and ,prelacy2 and next breath  
to pray that the ,lord may continue1    
prosper1 and preserve the ,erastian     
head1 and great bulwark of ,prelacy8    
#d4 ,again1 the ,presbytery testify     
against the ,associate party for their  
treachery in covenant4 ,this is a sin   
that is in scripture1 and even by  the  
common voice of mankind1 declared very  
heinous2 but which1 by what  is already 
discovered anent said party1 appears    
too1 too justly  chargeable upon them4  
,it is notorious1 and what themselves   
boast much  of1 that they professedly   
maintain the moral and perpetual        

obligation of  the covenants1 both the  
,national ,covenant of ,scotland1 and   
the ,solemn  ,league and ,covenant of   
,scotland1 ,england1 and ,ireland1      
entered into  for reformation and       
defense of religion1 and bringing the   
churches of  ,god in the three kingdoms 
to the nearest conjunction and          
uniformity in  religion1 according to   
the word of ,god4 ,they also do in the  
most public  manner profess1 that they  
are the only true faithful witnesses for
 a  covenanted reformation4 ,but the    
consistency of such a profession with   
maintaining principles that are         
diametrically opposite to these         
covenants1 and the cause of truth1 sworn
 to in them 7as has been made  evident  
they do7 is altogether unintelligible4  
,is it possible  strenuously to maintain
 the lawfulness of a prelatical         
government  abjured in the covenants1   
and yet at the same time sincerely and  
honestly1 according to the profession   
made by the church1 ,psal4 xliv1  #ag1  

#ah1 to contend for the moral obligation
 of the covenants1 and the  work of     
reformation sworn to in them8 ,but      
further1 the necessity of  lifting up a 
testimony against ,seceders for their   
treachery and  unfaithfulness in the    
matter of the covenants1 will appear by 
considering that they1 after making a   
very solemn profession of renewing  the 
,national ,covenant of ,scotland1 and   
the ,solemn ,league and ,covenant  of   
the three lands1 in place of practicing 
accordingly1 have1 in  reality1 made a  
new and very different bond or covenant1
 both in form  and substance1 which they
 have not only sworn themselves1 but    
also  imposed upon many honest people3  
and this as a renewing1 nay1 as the     
only right way of renewing said         
covenants according to the              
circumstances1 of the times4 ,that this 
bond entered into by ,seceders  7however
 good it may be1 considered in an       
abstract sense7 is not a  renovation of 
the national covenants1 as they assert  

it to be1 but a  treacherous and        
deceitful burying of these covenants1 as
 to their sum  and substance1 is        
abundantly evident from their           
industrious keeping out1  and omitting  
the most part of them out of their new  
and artificial bond4  ,particularly1    
although they pretend to a renovation   
both of the ,national  and ,solemn      
,league and ,covenant1 yet they have    
almost entirely left out1  and passed   
over the ,national ,covenant of         
,scotland2 and satisfying  themselves   
with simply testifying against ,popery1 
have omitted all the  particular errors1
 and branches thereof expressly         
contained in the  ,national ,covenant4  
,as to the ,solemn ,league1 of which    
they pretend their  bond is also a      
renovation1 there is very little of it  
to be found  therein1 as appears from a 
comparison of the one with the other4   
,thus  they have left out that          
remarkable and necessary clause in the  
first  ,article1 viz41 ,against our     

common enemies3 and in place of         
endeavoring  to bring the churches of   
,god in the three kingdoms to the       
nearest  conjunction and uniformity in  
religion1 ,confession of ,faith1 ,form  
of  ,church ,government1 ,directory for 
,worship and ,catechizing1 as in said   
article1 there is an unintelligible     
clause or jumble of words brought  in1  
viz41 to promote and advance our        
covenanted conjunction and  uniformity  
in religion1 just as if that conjunction
 and uniformity had a  present existence
 7in its native and original state and  
form7 in the  three lands2 when1 on the 
contrary1 ,presbytery is established in 
,scotland1 yet not on the footing of the
 word of ,god and the covenants1  and   
,episcopacy is established in ,england  
and ,ireland1 in  contradiction to the  
word of ,god and the covenants4 #b4     
,they have kept  out that necessary     
clause in the #b;d article1 viz41       
,without respect of  persons1 endeavor  
the extirpation1 c1 and instead thereof 

say1  ,testify against ,popery and      
,prelacy2 where appears not only a      
difference in expression1 but a         
substantial difference4 #c4 ,they have  
altogether omitted and kept out the #c;d
 and #dth articles4 #d4 ,they have  kept
 out that material and necessary clause 
in the #eth article1 viz41  ,that       
justice may be done on the willful      
opposers thereof1 in manner  expressed  
in the preceding article4 #e4 ,they have
 left out all the #fth  article1        
excepting these words3 ,we shall not    
give ourselves up to a  detestable      
neutrality and indifference in the cause
 of ,god4 ,and #f4 ,they  have wholly   
omitted that material paragraph of the  
conclusion of the  ,solemn ,league4 ,it 
is therefore evident1 that the model of 
the covenants  agreed to by ,seceders1  
is different in substance1 as well as   
form1  from our ancient covenants2 so   
that1 under pretense of renovation1 they
  have made a new bond4    ,but1 again1 
that their pretended renovation is a    

real burying of the  covenanted         
reformation1 appears from their         
overlooking1 casting by1 and  keeping   
out the ,national ,covenant1 as it was  
renewed in the year #afch1  and the     
,solemn ,league and ,covenant1 as       
renewed in the year #afdh1 and  going   
back to the years #aehj and #aeha1 as   
the pattern they propose to  follow in  
carrying on of their covenanted         
testimony4 ,and what can be the  reason 
of this8 ,can it be1 because ,prelacy1  
and the civil places and  power of      
churchmen1 were1 by the explication and 
application of the  covenant1 anno      
#afch1 expressly and explicitly         
condemned1 while they  were formerly    
only implicitly1 and by way of          
consequence8 ,so they have  at least1 by
 this step back1 both tacitly condemned 
our reformers1 of  giving themselves    
needless trouble in their explanation of
 the covenant1  as condemning and       
abjuring ,episcopacy2 and also1 do      
overlook1 despise1  and disgracefully   

bury the many advanced steps of         
reformation attained  to in these       
covenanted lands between #afch and #afdi
 7particularly the  church of           
,scotland's testimony against ,prelacy7 
in which time  reformation arrived to a 
greater height of purity than ever was  
attained  in any foregoing period of    
this church and nation4 ,however1       
whatever  their reasons were for so     
doing1 that they have so done is clear1 
from  their act ,edinburgh1 ,february   
#c;d1 #agdc1 where they conclude with a 
nota bene1 lest it should not otherwise 
have been observed that they  do so1 and
 thereby declare their sin as ,sodom1 as
 if the publishing of  it would make an 
atonement for it4 ,n4,b4 ,only the      
,national ,covenant1 as  it was entered 
into1 annis #aehj1 #aeha 7without the   
bond wherein it was  renewed anno #afch7
 and the ,solemn ,league and ,covenant  
7without the  solemn acknowledgment of  
sins1 and engagement to duties1 anno    
#afdh71  are hereby prefixed unto the   

following act1 agreeably unto the design
 of  said act3 and for this they pretend
 the example of our reformers1  anno    
#afch1 who renewed the ,national        
,covenant by a new bond1 in place  of   
that new bond wherewith it was renewed  
and sworn1 #aeij1 which they            
omitted--wherein their deceit and       
unfaithfulness is very obvious from  the
 following observations3 #a4 ,hereby    
they have cast a most injurious  calumny
 and reproach upon our honored          
reformers1 and in their pretending  to  
imitate their practice1 in renovation of
 the covenants1 are guilty of  a most   
dreadful and deceitful imposition on the
 generation2 for though  our reformers  
did renew the covenants with a new bond1
 and perhaps very  seldom swear them    
without some additions1 yet they never  
went back from  any part of reformation1
 espoused1 and sworn to in the          
renovations that  were before them1     
under a pretense1 that such points of   
reformation  formerly attained1 were    

unsuitable1 or not adapted to their     
circumstances1 as ,seceders have done4  
,on the contrary1 our reformers1  in all
 the different renovations of the       
covenants1 not only included all  that  
was formerly attained to1 binding       
themselves in strict adherence to  all  
the articles priorly in the oath and    
covenant of ,god 7at the same  time     
solemnly acknowledging all former       
breaches thereof2 and obliging          
themselves1 in the strength of grace to 
the performance of the contrary1  and   
consequential duties71 but also1 still  
went forward in explaining  and more    
explicitly applying the covenants       
against the sins of the day1  and more  
expressly binding themselves to the     
opposite duties1 as is  clear from the  
bond wherewith our reformers renewed the
 covenants #afch1  and the solemn       
acknowledgment of sins1 and engagement  
to duties1 #afdh2  both which the       
,seceders have barefacedly cast by and  
exploded in their  alleged renovation of

 the covenants2 whereby1 as it is       
manifest that our  reformers always went
 forward to further degrees of          
reformation1 so it  is no less manifest1
 that foresaid party acting contrary to 
them1 have  gone backward4 ,but #b;d4   
,they have not only rejected the        
renovations of  the covenants by our    
ancestors #afch and #afdj2 but even when
 they  pretended to follow the          
renovation of the covenant1 #aehj and   
#aeha1 they  have kept out and perverted
 almost the whole of the national       
covenants1  as was already observed2    
particularly in their new bond1 they    
have cast  away the civil part of the   
covenants altogether4 ,for what reason  
they do  so1 is indeed hard to say4     
,true1 they allege it would be a        
blending of  civil and religious matters
 together2 and that it is not proper 7or
  competent for them1 as a church       
judicatory7 to meddle in these matters  
that are of a civil nature4 ,but seeing 
infinite wisdom has not judged it  a    

7sinful7 blending of civil and religious
 concerns together1 to deliver  the     
duties both civil and religious in one  
and the same moral law unto  mankind2 it
 is difficult to conceive1 how the      
people of ,god their  binding themselves
 in a covenant of duties to the         
conscientious  performance of all the   
duties ,god required of them in his     
word1 whether  civil or religious1      
according to their respective or        
immediate objects1  can be reputed a    
blending of them together2 or that this 
has the  remotest tendency to destroy   
that distinction which ,god in his      
revealed  will has stated between what  
is immediately civil in its nature1 and 
what is properly religious4 ,this1      
therefore1 is a mere groundless         
pretense and evasion2 and if it has any 
force at all1 as a reason1 it  strikes  
against the reformers who compiled these
 covenants4 ,they are the  proper       
objects at whom through the sides of    
others it thrusts2 for they1  at the    

framing of sundry of their covenants1   
and afterward at the  renovation of     
their covenant1 did it both without the 
ecclesiastical  authority1 and also     
without1 and contrary unto1 yea1 at the 
hazard of  suffering the greatest       
severities from the civil authority on  
that  account4 ,and yet the             
ecclesiastical judicatories of the      
church of  ,scotland afterward found it 
competent for them1 as such1 to approve 
of  these covenants1 both as to the     
matter and form of them1 without        
branding and exploding them as a        
blending of matters civil and religious 
together1 as ,seceders have done4       
,again1 as the covenants require no     
other than a lawful magistrate2 and     
seeing ,seceders acknowledge the        
present as lawful1 and that it is their 
duty to be subject to1 and  support them
 as such1 it is impossible to conceive  
any reason1 why they  have not honored  
the present rulers with a place in their
 new and  artificial bond3 unless       

perhaps this1 that they were aware that 
would  have been so glaring a           
contradiction to these covenants they   
were  pretending to renew1 as would     
doubtless have startled and driven away 
from them a good many honest people1    
whom they have allured and led  aside by
 their good words and fair-set speeches2
 and yet it is pretty  obvious they have
 included the present rulers in their   
bond1 and taken  them in an oblique and 
clandestine way1 by swearing to the     
relative  duties contained in the fifth 
commandment1 seeing they acknowledge    
them  as their civil parents4 ,again1 as
 their bond is supposed to reduplicate  
upon the national covenants1 and so to  
bind to every article in them1 by       
native consequence1 they swear to a     
prelatical government3 for seeing  they 
have made no exception in their bond1 it
 must be applied to no  other1 but the  
government1 which presently exists2 and 
this1 in flat  contradiction to the     
covenants1 by which such a government is

 abjured4  ,so that their new bond is no
 less opposite to the national          
covenants1  and is much mere deceitful1 
than if they had plainly and explicitly 
sworn allegiance to the present         
government therein2 only the generality 
of their implicit followers do not so   
readily observe it4 ,upon the  whole1   
how strange is it1 that they should have
 the assurance to father  their         
deceitful apostasy1 and wretched burying
 of the covenants upon our  reformers1  
so injuriously to their character1 and  
at the hazard of  imposing a heinous and
 base cheat upon the world1 while1      
notwithstanding  all their vain         
pretensions1 it is undeniably evident to
 those who will  impartially1 and       
without prejudice1 examine the method   
and order whereby  our ancestors renewed
 our covenants1 that in this they have  
been so far  from following their       
example1 that they have directly        
contradicted the  same1 and1 in reality1
 buried much of the covenants and work  

of  reformation sworn to in them4 ,for  
though a people may very lawfully1 by  a
 new bond1 enlarge and add to their     
former obligations that they  brought   
themselves under2 yet they can never1   
without involving  themselves in the    
guilt of perjury1 relax or cancel former
 obligations  by any future bond4       
,accordingly1 our worthy ancestors1 by  
all the new  bonds they annexed to      
former obligations1 were so far from    
attempting to  loose themselves from any
 covenanted duty that either they or    
their  fathers were priorly bound unto1 
that they thereby still brought         
themselves under straighter bonds to    
perform all their former and new        
obligations of duty to ,god4 ,but1 as   
has been discovered1 ,seceders1 by      
their artificial bond1 have cast out the
 very substance and spirit of  the      
covenants1 by their rumping and hewing  
them at pleasure1 to reduce  them to the
 sinful circumstances of the time3 and  
this1 in opposition to  their own public

 profession1 that these covenants are   
moral in their  nature and obligation   
upon these nations to the latest        
posterity4 ,how  surprising it is then1 
that after such a profession1 they dare 
cast out  of their bond the greatest    
parts of the covenants6 ,this is not    
only to  break these obligations1 but it
 is to make a public declaration1 that  
different times and circumstances do    
free men from their obligation to  keep 
their most solemn vows to the ,most     
,high4 ,to this1 as very  applicable1   
may be subjoined the words of ,mr4      
,case1 in a sermon  relative to the     
covenants3 ,others have taken it 7viz41 
the covenant7  with their own evasions1 
limitations and reservations3 such a    
,jesuitical  spirit has got in among us1
 by which means it comes to pass1 that  
by  that time that men have pared off   
and left out1 and put what              
interpretation they frame to themselves1
 there is little left worth the  name of
 a covenant4 ,and1 indeed1 so many are  

the self-inconsistencies  and gross     
contradictions attending this new bond1 
that it would have  been much more for  
the honor both of the covenants1 and of 
,seceders  themselves1 rather never to  
have attempted such a work1 than to have
  done it in a way of tearing to pieces 
our solemn national vows4  ,wherefore   
the ,presbytery cannot but1 in          
testifying against them for  their      
unfaithfulness1 obtest all the lovers of
 truth1 to beware of  joining in this   
course of treachery1 and apostasy from  
,god and his  covenanted cause4    #e4  
,the presbytery testify against foresaid
 party1 for their  unfaithfulness and   
partiality in point of testimony-bearing
 to a  covenanted1 work of reformation2 
while yet they not only profess to be   
witnesses1 but the only true and        
faithful contenders for the said work   
and cause4 ,the justness of this charge 
manifestly appears from the scope  of   
their ,act and ,testimony1 which seems  
to be principally leveled  against the  

corruptions of the present church       
judicatories1 and not  equally against  
the corruptions of both church and      
state1 in  agreeableness to the faithful
 testimonies of the ,lord's people in   
former  times1 and in a consistency with
 the reformation that was jointly       
carried on in both church and state1 and
 solemnly sworn and engaged to  in the  
covenants4 ,they appear never to have   
fully adopted the testimony  of the     
,church of ,scotland in her purest      
times1 when the profession of  the true 
religion was by law made a necessary    
qualification of every one  that should 
be admitted to places of civil trust and
 power in the  nation4 ,nor are the     
faithful testimonies of the valiant     
sufferers and  contenders1 even unto    
death1 for the precious truths of ,god  
in the late  persecuting period1 as     
stated against both church and state1   
fully  stated1 and judicially approven  
by them2 much less have they fully      
adopted the testimony1 as stated against

 the revolution constitution1  both     
civil and ecclesiastical1 which they did
 not in their testimony  condemn as     
sinful2 but1 on the contrary1           
acknowledged the civil  constitution    
lawful1 notwithstanding of their        
complaining of some  defects and        
omissions therein4 ,of which error in   
the foundation1 it may  be said1 in     
respect of all the mal-administrations  
since1 it was fons  et origo mali4 ,and 
seeing1 in and by the revolution        
constitution1 the  nation was involved  
in the guilt of apostasy and treachery1 
in  subverting and overturning the good 
and laudable laws for true religion  and
 right liberty1 a faint declaring       
against some omissions cannot be        
accounted sufficient2 especially when   
what is thus partly complained of1  is  
at the same time complexly extolled1 as 
a great and glorious  deliverance to the
 church and nation4 ,their testimony    
further appears to  be partial and      
unfaithful1 considering that their      

secession was not from  the constitution
 of the ,revolution ,church1 but in a   
partial and limited  way1 from a        
prevailing corrupt party in the         
judicatories of the church3  upon which 
footing it was1 that some of greatest   
note among them made  their accession   
after their first secession1 expressly  
declaring so  much2 whereby they have   
injured the true state of the testimony 
which  the ,lord honored his covenanted 
,church of ,scotland to bear2 which is  
stated against all lukewarm and         
,laodicean professors1 as well as open  
enemies1 and against all ,erastian      
usurpation1 and sectarian invasion on   
the cause of ,christ4 ,moreover1 their  
unfaithfulness in point of  testimony1  
convincingly appears from their bitter  
contentions1 and  almost endless        
disputes among themselves1 after their  
breach1 upon the  religious clause of   
some burgess oaths1 anent the true state
 of their  own testimony1 whether lifted
 up against the revolution constitution 

of  the church1 and settlement of       
religion1 or not4 ,had necessary and    
real  faithfulness been studied1 in     
stating their testimony clearly and     
plainly1 against all the defection1 and 
apostasy of the day from a  covenanted  
reformation1 there had been no occasion 
for such a dispute  among them4 ,and    
now1 when the one party have more openly
 avowed their  unfaithfulness1 in       
receding from almost everything that had
 the least  appearance of faithfulness  
to the cause and covenant of ,god1 in   
their  former testimony1 and professedly
 adopted the revolution settlement1 as  
theirs1 acknowledging the constitutions1
 both civil and ecclesiastical1  as     
lawful1 in an open contradiction to any 
testimony for reformation  work3 the    
other party1 to wit1 ,antiburghers1 have
 now indeed  professedly cast off the   
revolution constitution of the church   
7at the  same time continuing to make   
their partial ,act and ,testimony the   
basis  of their distinguished           

profession72 but yet1 in an             
inconsistency  therewith1 and in        
contradiction to the covenanted         
testimony of the  church of ,scotland1  
continue to adopt the constitution of   
the ,state1  as being1 however          
defective1 yet agreeable to the precept 
and so lawful4  ,hence1 they are still  
most partial in their testimony1 of     
which they  have given a fresh and      
notable proof1 in forementioned warning 
published  by them3 wherein though there
 are a variety of evils condescended    
upon1  as just grounds of the ,lord's   
controversy with the nations1 yet there 
is  not that faithfulness used therein1 
in a particular charging home of the    
several sins mentioned1 upon every one  
in their different ranks1 as1 in        
agreeableness to the word of ,god1 is   
requisite to work a conviction in  every
 one1 that they may turn from their     
sins1 and as might correspond  to the   
title given that performance4 ,thus1    
passing other instances that  might also

 have been observed1 they justly remark1
 page #cast1 ,the  glorious sovereignty 
of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as the     
alone ,king and  ,head of his church1 is
 sadly encroached upon and opposed by   
the royal  supremacy1 in causes         
ecclesiastical4 ,the king is            
acknowledged as supreme  head1 or       
governor on earth1 of the churches of   
,england and ,ireland4  ,the civil      
sovereign is thus declared to be the    
head or fountain of  church power1 from 
whence all authority and ministrations  
in these  churches do spring1 is vested 
with all powers of government and       
discipline1 and constituted the sole    
judge of controversies within the  same4
 ,the established ,church of ,scotland  
have also1 by some  particular          
managements1 subjected and subordinated 
their ecclesiastical  meetings to the   
civil power4 ,but while they acknowledge
 this to be the  sin of the church1 and 
an high provocation against the ,lord2  
yet1 as to  the particular sin of the   

civil power1 in assuming and usurping   
this  ,erastian supremacy unto itself1  
they are quite silent4 ,they have not   
the  faithfulness to say1 in their      
warning1 to the robber of ,christ1 in   
this  matter1 as once the prophet of the
 ,lord said to the king of ,israel1 in  
another case1 ,thou art the man4 ,on the
 contrary 7which cannot but have  a     
tendency to ward off any conviction of  
his sin that this warning1  should it   
come into his hands1 might be expected  
to work71 they are  guilty of the basest
 flattery1 used by court parasites1     
stiling him1  the best of kings1 of the 
mildest administration1 as in page      
#acth2  and acknowledge it1 as a        
particular effect of the ,lord's        
goodness1 that  we are privileged with  
such an one4 ,but is he indeed deserving
 of such a  character8 better than which
 could not be given to the most faithful
  ruler1 devoting all his power1 as in  
duty bound1 to the support and          
advancement of the kingdom and interest 

of ,jesus ,christ1 that over  reigned4  
,does he really merit such an encomium1 
who sacrilegiously  usurps and wears the
 crown1 that alone can flourish on the  
head of  ,zion's king8 ,and is this such
 a blessing to the church1 that an enemy
  to her ,lord and ,head rules over her8
 ,oh6 may not the ,lord say8 ,i         
hearkened and heard1 but they spake not 
aright4    #f4 ,the ,presbytery testify 
against said ,seceding party1 because of
 the  sinfulness of their terms of      
ministerial and ,christian communion1 as
  being partly destructive of that      
liberty wherewith ,christ has made his  
people free4 ,by which they have both   
imposed upon themselves1 and shut  the  
door of access unto the privileges of   
the church1 upon all such1 as1  in a    
consistency with their adherence to     
truth and duty1 cannot accept  of their 
unwarrantable restrictions4 ,of this1   
they gave early  discoveries1 as appears
 from the known instance of that        
notable1  backslider1 ,mr4 ,andrew      

,clarkson1 whom they obliged1 before    
license1 to  make a public and solemn   
renunciation of his former principles   
and  profession1 respecting the         
covenanted reformation4#d ,as also1     
their  rejecting all accessions from his
 ,laodicean brethren1 wherein was       
contained an explicit adherence to the  
same1 until they did drop their  former 
testimony4 ,this blind zeal in          
,seceders1 against a testimony for      
truth in its purity1 did gradually      
increase1 until it hurried them on to  a
 more particular and formal stating of  
their terms of communion1  whereby were 
totally excluded all the free and       
faithful of the land from  their        
communion1 who could not approve of1 nor
 swear the bond1 whereby  they pretended
 to renew the covenants3 as in their act
 at ,edinburgh1  #agdd2 wherein they did
 resolve and determine1 ,that the       
renovation of  the ,national ,covenant  
of ,scotland1 and the ,solemn ,league   
and ,covenant  of the three nations1 in 

the manner now agreed upon1 and proposed
 by the  ,presbytery1 shall be the terms
 of ministerial communion with this     
,presbytery1 and likewise of ,christian 
communion1 in admission of people  to   
sealing ordinances2 secluding therefrom 
all opposers1 contemners1 and  slighters
 of the said renovation of our solemn   
covenants4 ,by this act1  ,seceders have
 obliged their adherents to consent to  
their infamous  burial of our national  
covenants with the ,lord1 and           
reformation therein  sworn to1          
particularly as they were renewed1 both 
#afch and #afdh4 ,and  that they might  
further evince their resolution to bear 
down the  foresaid work1 they afterward 
proceeded to subjoin unto their formula 
of questions to be put to candidates    
before license1 and to probationers     
before ordination1 the following        
questions1 viz41 ,are you satisfied     
with1 and do you propose to adhere unto1
 and maintain the principles  about the 
present civil government1 which are     

declared and maintained in  the         
,associate ,presbytery's answers to ,mr4
 ,nairn1 with their defense  thereunto  
subjoined8 ,whereby1 in opposition to   
the professed endeavors  for the revival
 of a covenanted reformation in the     
lands1 they expressly  bind down all    
their intrants into the office of the   
ministry1 to an  explicit               
acknowledgement of their anti-government
 scheme of principles  anent the        
ordinance of magistracy2 and thereby to 
an acknowledging of  the lawfulness of a
 government1 which themselves confess   
has not only  departed from1 and        
neglected their duty of espousing and   
supporting the  covenanted principles of
 this church1 but also opposed1         
contradicted and  overthrown the        
glorious reformation once established in
 these nations4 ,a  government1 under   
which1 as they profess1 the nations     
cannot be enriched  by the blessings of 
the gospel2 and that1 because it does   
not1 in all  the appurtenances of its   

constitution and administration1 run in 
agreeableness to the word of ,god4 ,by  
all which it appears that although  they
 refuse formally to swear any oaths of  
allegiance to the powers in  being2 yet 
they do materially1 and with great      
solemnity1 engage  themselves to be true
 and faithful to a government1 under    
which1 and  while it stands1 they are   
certain1 if their concessions hold true1
 that  they shall never see the nations 
flourish1 either in their temporal or   
spiritual interests4 ,it is only needful
 further to observe1 that  ,seceders in 
the terms of their communion1 by        
debarring from the table  of the ,lord1 
all who impugn the lawfulness of a      
prelatic1 ,erastian  government 7as is  
notourly known they do71 make subjection
 and loyalty  to such an authority1 a   
necessary1 and1 to them1 commendatory   
qualification of worthy receivers of the
 ,lord's supper1 although none of  those
 qualifications--required by ,god in his
 word4 ,while 7as has been  already     

observed7 they1 with the most violent   
passion1 refuse to admit  the professing
 and practicing the true religion1 a    
necessary  qualification of lawful civil
 rulers over a people possessed of and  
professing the true religion1 which is  
in effect to deny the necessity  of     
religion altogether as to civil rulers1 
than which nothing can be  more absurd4 
,lastly1 not to multiply more           
particulars1 the ,presbytery testify    
against the scandalous abuse1 and sinful
 prostitution of church  discipline1 and
 tyranny in government1 whereby the     
forementioned party  have remarkably    
signalized themselves2 and which1 in a  
most precipitant  and arbitrary manner1 
they have pretended to execute against  
such as  have discovered the smallest   
degree of faithfulness1 in endeavoring  
to  maintain the principles of our      
reformation1 in agreeableness to the    
true  state of the covenanted testimony 
of the ,church of ,scotland2 which has  
not only appeared in the case of ,david 

,leslie1 and some others1 on  account of
 a paper of grievances given in to said 
,associates2 against  whom they         
proceeded to the sentence of            
excommunication1 without using  those   
formalities and means of conviction     
required and warranted by the  church's 
,head1 even in the case of just offenses
 done by any of the  professed members  
of his mystical body2 or so much as     
allowing that  common justice to the    
sentenced party1 that might be expected 
from any  judicatory1 bearing the name  
of ,presbyterian4 7,though the          
,presbytery are  not hereby to be       
understood as approving every expression
 contained in  foresaid paper47 ,but    
particularly1 they have given notable   
proof of  their fixed resolution1 to    
bear down all just appearances in favor 
of  ,zion's ,king and cause1 in the case
 of ,mr4 ,nairn1 once of their  number1 
because of his espousing the principles 
of this ,presbytery1  especially1       
respecting ,god's ordinance of          

magistracy1 against whom they  proceeded
 to the highest censures of the church1 
upon the footing of a  pretended libel2 
in which libel1 they did not so much as 
pretend any  immorality in practice1 or 
yet error in principle1 as the ground of
  their arbitrary procedure1 further    
than his espousing the received         
principles of this church in her best   
times1 and what stood in necessary      
connection with such a profession3      
although1 in adorable providence1 he    
has since been left to fall into the    
practice of such immorality1 as has     
justly rendered him the object of church
 censure by this ,presbytery4 ,as  also 
in the case of ,messrs4 ,alexander      
,marshall1 and ,john  ,cuthbertson1 with
 some others1 elders and private        
,christians1 against  whom they         
proceeded in a most unaccountable1      
anti-scriptural1 and  unprecedented     
manner1 and upon no better foundation1  
than that noticed  in the case above1   
pretended to depose and cast such out of

 the  communion of their church1 as     
never had subjected to their authority1 
nor formerly stood in any established   
connection with them4    ,and further1  
besides these instances condescended    
upon1 they habitually  aggravate their  
abuse of the ordinances of ,christ's    
house1 in pretending  to debar and      
excommunicate from the holy sacrament of
 the supper1 many  of the friends and   
followers of the ,lamb1 only because    
they cannot  conscientiously1 and in a  
consistency with their fidelity to their
 ,head  and ,savior1 acknowledge the    
authority of the usurpers of his crown  
as  lawful4 ,from all which1 and every  
other instance of their continued       
prostitution of the discipline          
instituted by ,christ in his church1 and
  of that authority1 which he1 as a ,son
 over his own house1 has given unto     
faithful gospel ministers1 to the       
contempt and scorn of an ungodly        
generation2 the ,presbytery cannot but  
testify against them1 as guilty of      

exercising a tyrannical power over the  
heritage of the ,lord2 and to whom  may 
too justly be applied1 the word of the  
,lord1 spoken by his prophet1  ,isa4    
lxvi1 #e3 ,your brethren that bated you1
 that cast you out for my  name's sake1 
said1 ,let the ,lord be glorified3 but  
he shall appear to  your joy1 and they  
shall be ashamed4 ,wherefore1 and for   
all the  foresaid grounds1 the          
,presbytery find and declare1 that the  
pretended  ,associate ,presbytery1 now  
called ,synod1 whether before or since1 
in  their separate capacity1 claiming a 
parity of power1 neither were1 nor  are 
lawful and rightly constituted courts of
 the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1  according to
 his word1 and to the testimony of the  
true ,presbyterian  ,covenanted ,church 
of ,christ in ,scotland3 and therefore  
ought not1 nay  cannot1 in a consistency
 with bearing a faithful testimony for  
the  covenanted truths1 and cause of our
 glorious ,redeemer1 be countenanced  or
 submitted to in their authority by his 

people4    ,again1 the ,presbytery find 
themselves in duty obliged to testify   
against  these brethren who some time   
ago have broken off from their          
communion1  for their unwarrantable     
separation1 and continued opposition to 
the  truth and testimony1 in the hands  
of this ,presbytery1 even to the extent 
of presuming1 in a judicial capacity1 to
 threaten church censure against  the   
,presbytery1 without alleging so much as
 any other reason for this  strange     
procedure1 than their refusing to       
approve as truth1 a point of  doctrine1 
that stands condemned by the standards  
of the ,reformed ,church  of ,scotland1 
founded on the authority of divine      
revelation4 ,but1 as  the ,presbytery   
have formerly published a vindication of
 the truth  maintained by them1 and of  
their conduct1 respecting the subject   
matter  of difference with their quondam
 brethren1 they refer to said           
vindication1 for a more particular      
discovery of the error of their         

principle1 and extravagance of their    
conduct in this matter4 ,and            
particularly1 they testify against the  
more avowed apostasy of some of  these  
brethren1 who are not ashamed to declare
 their backslidings in the  streets1 and
 publish them upon the house tops2 as   
especially appears  from a sermon       
entitled1 ,bigotry ,disclaimed--together
 with the  vindication of said sermon2  
wherein is vented such a loose and      
latitudinarian scheme of principles1 on 
the point of church communion1  as had a
 native tendency to destroy the         
scriptural boundaries thereof1  adopted 
by this church in her most advanced     
purity2 and which is also  inconsistent 
with the ordination vows1 whereby the   
author was solemnly  engaged4 ,this1    
with other differences1 best known to   
themselves1  occasioned a rupture in    
that pretended ,presbytery1 which for   
some years  subsisted3 but this breach  
being some considerable time ago again  
cemented1 they constituted themselves in

 their former capacity1 upon  terms 7as 
appears from a printed account of their 
agreement and  constitution1 which they 
have never yet disclaimed as unjust7 not
 very  honorable nor consistent with    
their former principles and professed   
zeal  for maintaining the same4 ,which  
agreement was made up1 without any      
evidence of the above author's          
retracting his lax principles1 contained
  in the foresaid sermon4 ,whatever was 
the cause1 whether from the  influence  
of others 7as was said by the publisher 
of their agreement71  or from a         
consciousness of dropping part of       
formerly received  principles1 is not   
certain2 but one of these brethren1 for 
a time1 gave  up with further practical 
communion with the other1 namely1 ,mr4  
,hugh  ,innes1 late of the ,calton1     
,glasgow2 while yet it was observed1    
that  both used a freedom1 not formerly 
common to them1 anent the present       
authority1 in their public immediate    
addresses to the object of worship2     

which1 together with their apparent     
resiling from part of their former      
testimony occasioned stumbling to some  
of their people1 and terminated  in the 
separation of others4 ,foresaid         
latitudinarianism and falling  away1 is 
also sadly verified1 in the conduct of  
another principal member  of their      
pretended ,presbytery1 who has          
professedly deserted all  testimony     
bearing for the reformation principles  
of the ,covenanted  ,church of          
,scotland4#e    ,at last1 after their   
declared interviews for that purpose1   
these  brethren have patched up a mank  
agreement1 which they have published1 in
  a paper entitled ,abstract of the     
covenanted principles of the ,church of 
,scotland1 c41 with a prefixed          
advertisement in some copies1 asserting 
the removal of their differences1 which 
arose from a sermon on ,psal4  cxxii1   
#c1 published at ,glasgow1--by a        
disapprobation of what is  implied in   
some expressions hereof1 viz41 ,that all

 the members of  ,christ's mystical body
 may1 and ought to unite in visible     
church  communion4    ,here is1 indeed1 
a smooth closing of the wound that      
should have been  more thoroughly       
searched1 that1 by probing into the     
practical  application of said sermon1  
the corrupt matter of communion with the
  ,revolution ,church1 in the gospel and
 sealing ordinance thereof1 might  have 
been found out2 but not one word of this
 in all that abstract1  which contains  
their grounds of union1 and terms of    
communion4 ,nothing  of the above       
author's recanting his former           
latitudinarian practices of  hearing1   
and thereby practically encouraging1    
that vagrant ,episcopalian1             
,whitefield2 his communicating1 which   
natively implies union1 with the        
,revolution ,church1 in one of the seals
 of the covenant2 nor his public        
praying for an ,erastian government1 in 
a way1 and for a reason1 that  must     
needs be understood as an homologation  

of their authority4 ,on which  accounts1
 the ,presbytery testify against said   
union1 as being  inconsistent with      
faithfulness in the cause of ,christ2   
and against said  abstract1 as1 however 
containing a variety of particulars very
 just and  good1 yet bearing no positive
 adherence to1 nor particular mention   
of1  faithful wrestlings and testimonies
 of the martyrs and witnesses for       
,scotland's covenanted cause4 ,as also1 
they testify against the  notorious     
disingenuity of their probationer1 who1 
after a professed  dissatisfaction on   
sundry occasions1 with the declining    
steps of said  brethren1 particularly   
with the declaimer against bigotry1 has 
overlooked more weighty matters1 and    
embraced a probability of enjoying  the 
long grasped for privilege of           
ordination1 though it should be         
observed at a greater expense than that 
of disappointing the expectation  of a  
few dissatisfied persons1 who depended  
upon his honesty1 after they  had broken

 up communion with those he continues   
still to profess his  subjection unto4  
,and further1 the ,presbytery testify   
against the adherents of foresaid       
brethren1 in strengthening their hands  
in their course of separation  from the 
,presbytery1 rejecting both their       
judicial and ministerial  authority1 and
 the ordinances of the gospel dispensed 
by them4 ,and more  especially1 the     
,presbytery condemn the conduct of such 
of them as1  professedly dissatisfied   
with the above said left-hand extremes1 
and  other defections of foresaid       
brethren1 have therefore broken off from
  their communion2 yet1 instead of      
returning to their duty in a way of     
subjecting themselves to the courts of  
,christ1 and ordinances instituted  by  
him in his church1 have turned back     
again to their own right-hand  extremes 
of error1 which once they professedly   
gave up1 but now persist  in1 an        
obstinate impugning the validity of     
their ministerial authority  and        

protestative mission1 undervalue the    
pure ordinances of the gospel  dispensed
 by them1 and live as if there were no  
church of ,christ in the  land1 where   
they might receive the seals of the     
covenant1 either to  themselves or their
 children2 and therefore1 in the        
righteous judgment  of ,god1 have been  
left to adopt such a dangerous and      
erroneous system of  principles1 as is a
 disgrace to the profession of the      
covenanted  cause4#f                    
,,advertisement4      ,the following    
supplement1 having been a competent     
length of time before  the church in    
overture1 was adopted in ,logan county1 
,ohio1 ,may1 #ahej4  ,and1 although     
without the formality of a judicial     
sanction1 we trust it  will not be found
 destitute of divine authority4 ,the    
design of it is to  show the application
 of the principles of our ,testimony to 
society1 as  organized in the ,united   
,states4 ,for although conventional     
regulations1  civil and ecclesiastical1 

in this land1 are very different from   
the  condition of society in ,great     
,britain1 where our ,testimony was first
  emitted1 yet the corruptions of human 
nature1 embodied in the  combinations of
 society1 are not less visible in this  
than in other  lands1 nor less hostile  
to the supreme authority of the ,lord   
and his  ,anointed4 ,the beast and the  
false prophet continue to be the objects
  of popular devotion3 ,rev4 xix1 #bj4  
,cincinnati1 ,nov4 #abth1 #ahej4        
,,supplement ,,to ,,part ,,iii1         
,containing an application of the       
principles of our ,covenanted ,testimony
  to the existing condition of society  
in these ,united ,states4      ,the     
controversy which arose between the     
,associate and ,reformed churches1  on  
the doctrine of civil magistracy1 was   
the occasion of greater  divergency     
between them1 on collateral subjects4   
,from false principles1  consistent     
reasoning must produce erroneous        
conclusions4 ,assuming that  the ,son of

 ,god1 as ,mediator1 has nothing to do  
with the concerns of  ,god's moral      
government beyond the precincts of the  
visible church1 it  would follow1 that  
church members1 as citizens of the      
kingdoms of this  world1 neither owe him
 allegiance nor are bound to thank him  
for  common benefits4 ,the assumption   
is1 however1 obviously erroneous1       
because1 as ,mediator1 he is head over  
all things to the church1 ,eph4  i1 #bb1
 consequently1 all people1 nations and  
languages1 are bound to  obey and serve 
him1 in this office capacity1 and to    
thank him for his  mercies4    ,while   
this controversy was keenly managed by  
the respective parties in  the ,british 
isles1 the ,lord ,christ interposed     
between the disputants1 as  it were1 to 
decide the chief point in debate4 ,by   
the rise of the ,british  colonies west 
of the ,atlantic1 against the parent    
country1 and their  successful struggle 
to gain a national independence1 a clear
 commentary  was furnished on the       

long-contested principle1 that1 in some 
cases1 it  is lawful to resist existing 
civil powers4 ,seceders1 forgetting1 for
 the  time1 their favorite theory1      
joined their fellow colonists in casting
  off the yoke of ,british rule4 ,those 
who vehemently opposed ,reformed        
,presbyterians1 for disowning the       
,british government1 joined cheerfully  
in its overthrow4 ,how fickle and       
inconsistent is man6 ,during  the       
revolutionary struggle might be         
witnessed the singular                  
spectacle--humbling to the pride of     
human reason1 revolting to the          
sensibilities of the exercised          
,christian--brethren of the same        
communion1 on opposite sides of the     
,atlantic1 pleading with the ,god of    
justice to give success to the          
respective armies6 ,east of the ocean   
the  petition would be1 ,lord1 prosper  
the ,british arms2 on the west1 ,lord1  
favor the patriots of these oppressed   
colonies6 ,such are the  consequences   

natively resulting from a theory alike  
unscriptural and  absurd--a principle   
deep-laid in that system of opposition  
to the ,lord  and his ,anointed1        
emphatically styled ,the ,antichrist4   
,great national revolutions are special 
trials of the faith and patience  of the
 saints4 ,no firmness of character will 
be proof against popular  opinion and   
example at such a time1 without special 
aid from on high4  ,reformed            
,presbyterians in the colonies rejoiced 
in the success of the  revolution1      
issuing in the independence of the      
,united ,states4 ,their  expectation of 
immediate advantage to the reformation  
cause was too  sanguine4 ,a new frame of
 civil polity was to be devised by the  
colonies1  now that they were           
independent of the ,british crown4 ,this
 state of  things called forth the      
exercise of human intellect1 in more    
than  ordinary measure1 to meet the     
emergency4 ,frames of national policy   
are  apt to warp the judgment of good   

men4 ,even ,christian ministers are     
prone  to substitute the maxims of human
 prudence for the precepts of           
inspiration4 ,many divines conceived the
 idea of conforming the visible  church 
to the model of the ,american republic4 
,the plan was projected and  advocated1 
of bringing all evangelical             
denominations into one  confederated    
unity1 while the integral parts should  
continue independent  of each other4    
,this plan would have defeated its own  
object1 the unity  of the visible       
church1 and subverted that form of      
government established  by ,zion's      
,king4 ,upon trial by some of the ,new  
,england ,independents and              
,presbyterians1 the plan has proved     
utterly abortive4    ,prior to the      
,revolutionary war1 a ,presbytery had   
been constituted in  ,america1 upon the 
footing of the covenanted reformation4  
,the exciting  scenes and active        
sympathies1 attendant on the            
,revolutionary war1 added  to a         

hereditary love of liberty1 carried many
 covenanters away from  their           
distinctive principles4 ,the ,reformed  
,presbytery was dissolved1 and  three   
ministers who belonged to it1 joining   
some ministers of the  ,associate       
,church1 formed that society1 since     
known by the name of the  ,associate    
,reformed ,church4 ,the union was       
completed in the year #aghb1  after     
having been five years in agitation4    
,these ministers professed1 as the basis
 of union1 the ,westminster  standards2 
but the abstract of principles1 which   
they adopted as the  more immediate bond
 of coalescence1 discovered1 to         
discerning  spectators1 that the        
individuals forming the combination1    
were by no  means unanimous in their    
views of the doctrines taught in those  
standards4 ,indeed1 there were certain  
sections of the ,confession  reserved   
for future discussion1 which1 in process
 of time1 were wholly  rejected4 ,this  
attack upon a document1 venerable not so

 much for its age  as its scriptural    
character1 gave rise to zealous         
opposition by some in  the body1 and    
ultimately resulted in a rupture4 ,two  
ministers dissented  from the majority1 
left their communion1 and proceeded to  
erect a new  organization1 styled ,the  
,reformed ,dissenting ,presbytery4 ,this
 was in  the year #ahja4 ,at this date1 
there were four denominations1 in the   
,united ,states1 claiming to be the     
legitimate successors of the ,british   
reformers1 viz41 the ,associate1        
,reformed1 ,associate ,reformed1 and    
,reformed ,dissenting ,presbyterians4   
,three of these professedly appear      
under the banner of a standing judicial 
testimony1 which they severally  emitted
 to the public4 ,the ,associate         
,reformed ,church1 by judicial          
declaration and uniform practice1 is    
opposed to this method of               
testimony-bearing4    ,the ,reformed    
,presbytery1 which had been dissolved by
 the defection of  the ministry1 during 

the ,revolutionary war1 was reorganized 
toward the  close of the eighteenth     
century4 ,the troubles in ,ireland1 when
 the  inhabitants united for the purpose
 of gaining independence of the         
,british crown1 were the occasion of    
bringing strength to the church in      
,america4 ,reformed ,presbyterians1     
feeling sensibly with others the arm of 
,british tyranny1 joined interests      
hastily with ,papists and others1 in    
one sworn association1 for the purpose  
of overturning the existing  government 
by force of arms4 ,the enterprise1 as   
might have been  expected1 was          
unsuccessful2 ,isa4 viii1 #aa1 #ab2     
,obadiah #g2 #b ,cor4 vi1 #ag4  ,many   
fled to the asylum which ,god had       
provided1 shortly before1 in  ,america4 
,among the refugees were some of the    
,covenanters1 by which the  church was  
strengthened in her ministry and        
membership4    ,early in the nineteenth 
century1 measures were taken by the     
,reformed  ,presbytery1 in the ,united  

,states1 for re-exhibiting the          
principles of a  covenanted reformation1
 in a judicial way4 ,accordingly1 in the
 year  #ahjf1 the ,presbytery published1
 as adopted1 a work entitled            
,reformation  ,principles ,exhibited--a 
book which has ever since been popularly
 called  the ,american ,testimony4 ,the 
familiar designation1 ,testimony1 the   
general complexion of the book1 the     
orthodox aspect of terms1 and even  most
 of the leading sentiments of the work1 
gave it currency1 and  rendered it      
generally acceptable to pious and       
intelligent ,covenanters4  ,and however 
it seemed to the unsuspecting to        
sustain1 it eventually and  effectually 
supplanted the ,scottish ,testimony4    
,the men who had the  principal hand in 
giving shape and direction to the       
principles and  practice of ,covenanters
 in the ,united ,states1 at that time1  
were located  in some of the most       
populous and commercial cities on the   
,atlantic  coast1 where temptations to  

conform to this world were many and     
pressing4 ,a disposition to temporize   
was manifested in these localities1     
soon after their principles had been    
judicially exhibited4 ,the last war     
between the ,united ,states and         
,england1 subjected ,covenanters to new 
trials in ,america4 ,as aliens1 they    
were deemed unsafe residents at the     
seaboard1 and were ordered1 by the      
government1 to retire a certain         
distance to the interior 7much like the 
course pursued by ,claudius  ,caesar    
toward the ,jews1 ,acts xviii1 #b74 ,to 
meet the exigency1 a  deputation of the 
church was appointed to repair to       
,washington1 in #ahab1  and offer a     
pledge that they would defend the       
integrity of the country  against all   
enemies4 ,this measure was1 however1    
never carried out4    ,the church       
increased in numbers and influence1 and 
began to be noticed  with respect and   
professions of esteem among surrounding 
denominations4  ,some of her members had

 ventured to act in the capacity of     
citizens of  the ,united ,states1 by    
serving on juries4 ,this was of course  
managed for  a time clandestinely4 ,at  
length1 waxing confident by success1    
they began  to act more openly4 ,this   
gave rise to a petition addressed to the
  supreme judicatory of the church4 ,the
 petitioners were answered by           
instructing them to apply for direction 
to the inferior  judicatories--thus     
shunning the duty of applying their own 
acknowledged  principles4 ,this was in  
the year #ahbc4 ,this course did not    
satisfy the  petitioners1 and           
application was again made to ,synod in 
#ahbe1 to explain  the import of their  
former ,act4 ,the reply was--,this      
,synod never  understood any act of     
theirs1 relative to their members       
sitting on  juries1 or contravening the 
old common law of the church on that    
subject2 a response obviously as        
equivocal as the preceding4 ,as early   
as #ahbc1 a motion was made in the      

,synod to open a correspondence with    
the judicatories of other denominations4
 ,this motion was resisted1 and  for the
 time proved abortive4 ,at next meeting 
of ,synod1 however1 the  measure was    
brought before that body1 by a proposal 
from the ,general  ,assembly to         
correspond by delegation4 ,this proposal
 found many1 and some  of them able1    
advocates in the ,reformed4 ,p4 ,synod4 
,the measure was1  however1 again       
defeated2 but immediately after the     
failure1 a number of  ministers forsook 
the ,reformation ranks and consorted    
with the ,general  ,assembly4 ,in the   
year #ahbh1 the ,synod gave its sanction
 and lent its  patronage to the         
,colonization ,society1 which was       
continued till the year  #ahcf1 when its
 patronage was transferred to the cause 
of ,abolition4 ,the  spirit of          
declension became manifest at the       
session of ,synod in #ahca1  when some  
of the most prominent and practical     
principles of the ,reformed  ,church    

were openly thrown into debate1 in the  
pages of a monthly  periodical1 under   
the head of ,free ,discussion4 ,through 
the pernicious  influence of that       
perfidious journal1 sustained by the    
patronage of  ministers of eminent      
standing in the church1 a large         
proportion--neatly  one-half--of the    
ministry were prepared1 by the next     
meeting of ,synod in  #ahcc1 to renounce
 the peculiar principles and long known 
usages of the  ,reformed ,covenanted    
,church4 ,organizing themselves as a    
separate body1  yet claiming their      
former ecclesiastical name1 they        
deliberately  incorporated with the     
government of the ,united ,states1 and  
some of the  senior ministers1 more     
fully to testify their loyalty1 in their
 old age1  took the oath of             
naturalization6--thus breaking down the 
carved work  which they had for many    
years assiduously labored to erect4     
,it was hoped that the severe trial to  
which the professing witnesses of       

,christ were subjected at that time1    
would have taught them a lesson not     
soon to be forgotten4 ,it was thought by
 many that the church was now  purged   
from the leaven which had almost        
leavened the whole lump4 ,the  ,synod   
met in #ahcd1 when a perverse spirit was
 evident in the midst of  its members4  
,the ,colonization and ,abolition       
,societies1 with other                  
associations--the exfoliations of       
,antichrist--had evidently gained an    
ascendency in the affections of many of 
the members4 ,the altercation and       
bitterness with which the claims of     
these societies were discussed1         
evidenced to such as were free from     
their infection1 that some of those     
present viewed these popular movements  
as transcending in importance1  the     
covenanted testimony of the church4 ,as 
the practice of occasional  hearing was 
on the increase in some sections of the 
church1 ,synod was  memorialized on that
 subject1 but refused to declare the law

 of the  church4 ,the old spirit of     
conformity to the world was still more  
manifest in #ahcf1 when ,synod was      
importuned by her children1 from the    
eastern and western extremes of the     
church1 by petition1 memorial1  protest 
and appeal--growing out of the practice 
then generally prevalent  of            
incorporating with the voluntary        
associations of the age4 ,the  response 
of the supreme judicatory was in this   
case as ambiguous as on  any former     
occasion4 ,the backsliding course of the
 factious majority was  but feebly      
counteracted by dissent from only two   
members of ,synod2 a  respectable       
minority having been outwitted by the   
carnal wisdom of those  who were prompt 
in applying the technicalities of law4  
,hope was1  however1 cherished1 that    
this check so publicly given1 together  
with the  practical workings of the     
system of moral amalgamation1 would     
induce  even reckless innovators to     
pause--to consider their ways and their 

doings4 ,this hope1 however rational and
 sanguine1 was totally  disappointed in 
#ahch1 when the table of the supreme    
judicatory might be  said to be crowded 
with petitions1 letters1 remonstrances1 
memorials1  protests and appeals4 ,the  
just grievances of the children of      
witnessing  and martyred fathers1 were  
treated with contempt--laid on the      
table1  returned1 with the cry let them 
be kicked under the table1 c4 ,and  when
 some attempted to urge their right to  
be heard1 they were called to  order1   
treated with personal insult1 or        
subjected to open violence4 ,a  few of  
these1 having thus experienced the      
tyranny and abuse of the  ruling        
faction1 declined the authority and     
communion of ,synod1 and  established a 
separate fellowship4    ,when the ,synod
 again met in #ahdj1 the same measures  
which had been  carried by mob violence 
at the preceding meeting1 were pressed  
as  before2 but with less               
tumult--leaders having learned caution  

from the  consequences following their  
former outrageous conduct4 ,matters had 
now  come to a crisis1 when a reclaiming
 minority were reduced to this          
dilemma--either to acquiesce in the     
almost total subversion of the          
covenanted constitution of the church2  
or1 by separating from an  irreclaimable
 majority1 attempt1 by an independent   
organization1 to make  up the breach4   
,it is easy to see which alternative was
 duty1 not only  from the nature of the 
case1 but from the well defined         
footsteps of the  flock4 ,reformation   
has been effected in the church of ,god 
in all ages1  by the protestation and   
separation of a virtuous ,minority4 ,at 
this  juncture a paper was laid upon the
 table of ,synod1 of which the          
following is a true copy3    ,,preamble 
,,and ,,resolutions4    ,whereas1 ,it is
 the province and indispensable duty of 
this ,synod1 when  society is in a state
 of agitation as at present1 to know the
 signs of  the times and what ,israel   

ought to do3 and whereas it is also the 
duty  of this ,synod1 to testify in     
behalf of truth1 to condemn sin and     
testify  against those who commit it2 to
 acquaint our people with their danger1 
and search into the causes of ,god's    
controversy with them and with us3  and 
whereas it is the duty of ,synod        
further1 to point out to the people  of 
,god the course to be pursued1 that     
divine judgments may be averted or      
removed--therefore1    #a4 ,resolved1   
,that uniting with1 or inducing to      
fellowship1 by the  members of the      
,reformed ,presbyterian ,church1 in the 
voluntary and  irresponsible            
associations of the day--composed of    
persons of all  religious professions   
and of no profession--be condemned1 as  
unwarranted  by the word of ,god1 the   
subordinate ,standards of the church1   
and the  practice of our covenant       
fathers4    #b4 ,that an inquiry be     
instituted1 in order to ascertain the   
grounds of  ,god's controversy with us1 

in the sins of omission and commission1 
wherewith we are chargeable in our      
ecclesiastical relations4    #c4 ,that  
the sins thus ascertained1 be confessed1
 mourned over and  forsaken1 and our    
engagement to the contrary duties       
renewed2 that the  ,lord may return1 be 
entreated of his people and leave a     
blessing behind  him4    ,this paper was
 instantly laid on the table2 and when1 
at a subsequent  session of the court1  
it was regularly called up for action1  
it was  again and finally laid on the   
table6 ,ever since that transaction1    
this  paper has been diligently         
misrepresented1 as consisting only of   
one  resolution1 and that the first1    
contrary to its own evidence4    ,after 
the final adjournment of ,synod1 those  
individuals who1 as a  minority1 had    
opposed the innovations and backslidings
 of their  brethren1 embraced an        
opportunity for consultation4 ,it       
appeared that  without preconcert1 they 
were unanimous that all legal means     

having  failed to reclaim their         
backsliding brethren1 who constituted a 
large  majority of ,synod2 both duty and
 necessity required them to assume a    
position independent of former          
organizations1 that they might1         
untrammeled1 carry out practically their
 testimony4 ,accordingly two  ministers 
and three ruling elders proceeded to    
constitute a ,presbytery  on            
constitutional ground1 declaring in the 
deed of constitution1  adherence to all 
reformation attainments4 ,this          
transaction took place in  the city of  
,alleghany1 ,june #bdth1 #ahdj4 ,the    
declining majority continued  their     
course of backsliding1 following those  
who had relinquished their  fellowship  
with slanderous imputations and         
pretended censure1 as is  usual in such 
cases4 ,since that time1 there are no   
evidences given by  them either of      
repentance or reformation4    ,the      
,synod of ,scotland has for many years  
been in a2 course of  declension1 in    

many respects very similar to that of   
,america4 ,as early  as the year #ahae1 
some ministers of that body began to    
betray a  disposition to accommodate    
their profession to the taste of the    
world4  ,the judicial testimony emitted 
by their fathers was represented as too 
elaborate and learned to be read and    
understood by the common reader1  and   
too severe in its strictures upon the   
principles and practice of  other       
,christian denominations4 ,the abstract 
of terms of communion was  viewed as too
 strict and uncharitable1 especially the
 ,auchensaugh  ,covenant became         
particularly obnoxious4 ,by a           
persevering importunity for  a series of
 years this degenerating party prevailed
 so far in the ,synod  as to have the   
,auchensaugh ,deed expunged from the    
symbols of their  profession4 ,this was 
accomplished in #ahbb2 and1 taken in    
connection with  other movements        
indicating a prevailing spirit of       
worldly conformity1  this outrage upon  

the constitution of the ,reformed       
,presbyterian ,church1  gave rise to a  
secession from the body1 by the oldest  
minister in the  connection1 and a      
considerable number of others1 elders   
and members4 ,at  the above date1 the   
,rev4 ,james ,reed declined the         
fellowship of the  ,scottish ,synod2 and
 he maintained the integrity of the     
covenanted  standards in a separate     
communion till his death3 declaring at  
his  latter end1 that he could not have 
laid his head upon a dying pillow in    
peace1 if he had not acted as he did in 
that matter4    ,deaf to the            
remonstrances of this aged and faithful 
minister1 his former  brethren pursued  
their perverse and downward course1     
until their new  position became        
apparent by the adoption of a ,testimony
 and ,terms of  ,communion adapted to   
their taste4 ,their ,testimony was      
adopted in #ahcg4  ,this document       
ostensibly consists of two parts1       
historical and  doctrinal2 but really   

only of the latter as authoritative4    
,this will  appear from the preface to  
the history1 as also that it is without 
the  formal sanction of the ,synod1     
which appears prefixed to the doctrinal 
part of the book4 ,a considerable time  
before they ventured to obtrude  this   
new ,testimony on the church2 they had  
prepared the way for its  introduction1 
by supplanting the authoritative ,rules 
of ,society1  framed and adopted by     
their fathers4 ,this was done by issuing
 what they  called a ,guide to ,social  
,worship1 which the ,scottish ,synod    
sent forth  under an ambiguous          
recommendation1 and the spurious        
production was  republished by order of 
,synod1 in ,america1 #ahcf1 with the    
like equivocal  expression of           
approbation4    ,what has been just     
related of the ,ref4 ,pres4 ,church in  
,scotland1 will  apply substantially to 
that section of the same body in        
,ireland4 ,on the  doctrine of the      
magistrate's power circa sacra1 however1

 there was a  controversy of several    
years' continuance and managed with much
  asperity1 in which ,rev4 ,messrs4     
,john ,paul1 ,d4,d41 and ,thomas        
,houston were  the most distinguished   
disputants4 ,their contendings issued in
 breach of  organic fellowship in #ahdj4
 ,indeed the sister-hood which had      
subsisted  for many years among the     
,synods east and west of the ,atlantic  
ocean1 was  violated in #ahcc2 when the 
rupture took place in the ,synod of     
,america1  by the elopement of the      
declining party1 who are since known by 
alliance  with the civil institutions of
 the ,united ,states4 ,among these five 
,synods1 the principle called elective  
affinity has been strikingly            
exemplified2 while what the ,scripture  
denominates schism1 has been as  visibly
 rampant as perhaps at any period under 
the ,christian  dispensation4    ,this  
brief historical sketch may serve to    
show the outlines of the  courses       
respectively pursued by the several     

parties in the ,british ,isles  and     
,america1 who have made professions of  
attachment to that work in the  kingdom 
of ,scotland especially1 which has been 
called the ,second  ,reformation4 ,but  
the duty of fidelity to ,zion's ,king1  
and even the duty  of charity to these  
backsliding brethren2 together with the 
informing of  the present and succeeding
 generations1 require1 that we notice   
more  formally some of the more         
prominent measures of these             
ecclesiastical  bodies and so manifest  
more fully our relation to them4 ,it is 
not to be  expected however1 that we are
 about to condescend upon all the       
erroneous sentiments or steps of        
defection1 supplied by the history of   
these communities4 ,to direct the honest
 inquiries of the ,lord's people1  and  
assist them in that process of reasoning
 by which facts are compared  with      
acknowledged ,standards1 supreme and    
subordinate1 that their  moral character
 may be tested1 is all that is proposed 

in the following  sections4    ,,section
 ,i4 ,the ,secession from the           
,revolution ,church of ,scotland in that
  country assumed a position in relation
 to the civil institutions of  ,great   
,britain1 which their posterity continue
 too occupy until the  present time in  
the ,united ,states without material    
alteration4    #a4 ,they cooperate      
practically with all classes in the     
civil community1  in maintaining        
national rebellion against the ,lord and
 his ,anointed4  ,they give their       
suffrages toward the elevation of vile  
persons to the  highest places of civil 
dignity in the ,american                
confederacy--knowing the  candidates to 
be strangers or enemies to ,immanuel4   
,and although they  have recently lifted
 a testimony against that system of     
robbery called  slavery1 which is so far
 right2 yet this fact only goes to      
render their  professed loyalty to an   
unscriptural frame of civil government1 
as  manifestly inconsistent as it is    

impious4    #b4 ,the have all along in  
the ,united ,states renounced the civil 
part of  the ,british ,covenants1       
declaring that they neither have nor    
ever had  anything to do with them4     
,truth is not local1 nor does the       
obligation  of the second table of the  
moral law1 on which that part of our    
covenants is plainly founded1 depend on 
the permanency of our residence  in a   
particular portion of the world4 ,the   
earth is the ,lord's and the  fullness  
thereof4 ,it follows1 that however      
solemnly or frequently they  profess to 
renew their fathers' covenants2 the     
whole transaction  displays their       
unfaithfulness to the ,lord1 who is a   
party in the  covenants2 and is         
calculated to mislead the unwary4    #c4
 ,their unsteadfastness is further      
evidenced1 by conforming to other       
ecclesiastical communities in the loose 
practice of occasional or               
indiscriminate hearing2 and even in some
 instances of ministerial               

intercommunion--the law of their church 
on that matter having become  obsolete4 
,against these courses1 in some of which
 that body has  obstinately persevered  
for more than a hundred years1 we deem  
it  incumbent on us to continue an      
uncompromising testimony4 ,many comments
  the ,moral ,governor of the nations   
has furnished in his providence within  
the last century1 making still more     
intelligible the righteous claims of    
his word3 but ,seceders seem to have    
their moral vision obscured by a  vail  
of hereditary prejudice4 ,we trust the  
,lord is on his way to destroy  the face
 of the covering cast over all people1  
and the vail that is  spread over all   
nations2 ,is4 xxv1 #g4    ,,sec4 ,,ii4  
,our testimony against the              
unfaithfulness of the ,associate        
,reformed ,church1 continues also       
without material change since the rise  
of that body4 ,the following among      
others may here be noticed1 as          
constituting just grounds of opposition 

in a way of testimony-bearing1  by all  
who would be found faithful to the      
,lord1 and their covenant  engagements4 
#a4 ,their very origin was unwarranted  
by scripture4 ,all the scriptural       
attainments to which they profess to    
adhere1 were already incorporated  in   
the standards of the organic bodies1    
from whose fellowship they  seceded4    
,they did therefore make a breach       
without a definite object1 and  multiply
 divisions in the visible body of       
,christ without necessity4 ,thus  they  
did violence to the royal law of love2  
for while under a profession  of charity
 they invited to their new fellowship   
their former brethren2  the nature of   
the case evinces a disposition to       
unmitigated tyranny4  ,this state of    
things we think has not been generally  
understood4 ,we  shall here endeavor to 
render it intelligible4 ,the fact of    
organizing  that church 7the ,associate 
,reformed7 said to both ,covenanters and
  ,seceders ,it is your duty to dissolve

 your respective organizations1 and     
join us4 ,this is undeniable4 ,the      
,covenanter or ,seceder replies by      
asking--,what iniquity have you or your 
fathers found in us1 that you  forsook  
our communion8 c4 ,not any1 replies the 
,associate ,reformed  ,church2 only some
 trifling opinions peculiar to you      
severally which we  deem unworthy of    
contending about4 ,only join our church1
 and we will  never quarrel with you1   
relative to your singularities4 ,ah1    
replies  the other party1 the matters   
about which we differ1 are trifling in  
your account2 how then could they be of 
such magnitude as to warrant  your      
breaking fellowship with us8 ,what you  
call trifles1  peculiarities1 c1 we     
cannot but still judge important        
principles1  sealed by the precious     
blood of martyrs3 must we deny these or 
bury them  in silence1 to gain          
membership in your new church8 ,is this 
the nature  and amount of your professed
 charity8 ,this is not that heaven-born 

principle 'that rejoiceth not in        
iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the truth4'  
,you break fellowship for what you      
esteem mere trifles--you propose to us  
a new term of communion1 with which it  
is morally impossible that we  should   
comply1 without doing violence to our   
consciences4 ,is this  charity or       
tyranny8    #b4 ,although covenanting   
was declared by this body at their      
origin1 to be  an important duty1 they  
never recognized the solemn deeds of    
their  fathers as binding on them2 nor  
have they ever attempted the            
acknowledged duty in a way supposed to  
be competent to themselves4 ,nay1  the  
obligation of the ,british covenants has
 been denied both openly and  frequently
 from the pulpit and the press2 and even
 attempts have been  made1 not seldom1  
by profane ridicule1 to bring them into 
contempt4 ,the  very duty of public1    
social covenanting1 either in a         
,national or  ecclesiastical capacity1  
has been often opposed in the polemic   

writings  of the ministers of this body1
 however often inculcated and           
exemplified  in the word of ,god4 ,the  
moral nature of the duty taken in       
connection  with prophetic declarations1
 to be fulfilled only under the         
,christian  dispensation1 demonstrates  
the permanency of this divine ordinance 
until  the end of the world4    #c4     
,this church set out with unsound views 
of church fellowship1 as has  been      
already in part made appear4 ,but when  
their position came to be  more         
pointedly defined1 they made the novel  
distinction between fixed  and          
occasional communion4 ,the practical    
tendency of this unscriptural           
experiment was necessarily to catholic  
communion1 which theory was  soon       
advocated by some of the most prominent 
of the ministry2 and  accordingly       
eventuated in the merging of a large    
number of her ministry  and membership1 
in the communion of the ,general        
,assembly4    #d4 ,on the doctrine of   

the divine ordinance of civil           
government1 this  church has all along  
been unsound2 as is fully evidenced in  
the practice  of her members1 which has 
been similar to that of ,seceders4 ,our 
testimony against the latter is1 in this
 particular1 equally directed  against  
the former4    #e4 ,this church has     
appeared as the advocate of a boundless 
toleration1  conforming her views and   
policy in a most servile manner to the  
infidel  model presented in the civil   
constitutions of republican ,america4   
,it  would seem1 indeed1 that this body 
aimed at conforming their               
ecclesiastical polity to that standard1 
from the fact that the very  symbol of  
their profession as a corporate body1 is
 designated the  ,constitution of the   
,associate ,reformed ,church--a         
designation which  might be considered  
as militating against the supremacy of  
the ,holy  ,scriptures4 ,in this        
,constitution a sphere is assigned to   
conscience1  which is incompatible with 

due subjection to the ,supreme          
,lawgiver4 ,as  well might the will1 or 
any other faculty of the soul of man1 be
  invested with this impious supremacy1 
and immunity from control1 by any       
authority instituted on earth by the    
only ,lord of conscience4 ,jehovah  will
 rule the consciences of his creatures1 
as well as their  judgments and wills1  
by his holy law1 in the civil           
commonwealth1 in  the church and in the 
family4    #f4 ,the unfaithfulness of   
this body appears further1 in shunning  
to  declare the divine right and        
unalterableness of ,presbyterial ,church
  ,government1 she testifies not against
 ,prelacy or ,independency4 ,if this    
church is ,presbyterial in practice1 it 
is on no better footing than that  of   
the ,revolution ,church of ,scotland4   
#g4 ,the purity of divine worship is not
 guarded by the terms of  fellowship in 
this church4 ,it is true1 ,no ,hymns    
merely of human  composure1 are allowed 
in her churches4 ,but what mean these   

guarded  terms and phrases1 merely2     
churches8 ,the best interpretation of   
these cunningly contrived expressions is
 supplied by the practice of  those     
ministers of the body1 who scruple not  
to offer unto ,god hymns  merely of     
human composure when occupying pulpits  
of other  denominations1 or sojourning  
for a night in families where these     
hymns  are statedly used4 ,it is known  
that this part of the order of public   
worship has been submitted in some      
instances1 to the voice of the          
congregation by their pastor2 thus      
manifesting in the same act1            
latitudinarianism in regard both to the 
government and worship of the  house of 
,god4    ,lastly1 to specify no         
further--,laxity of discipline is       
observable in  this church4 ,she has    
always admitted to her fellowship1 and  
to a  participation in her special      
privileges 7the seals of the covenants71
  persons who openly deny the divine    
warrant for a fast in connection with   

the celebration of the ,lord's ,supper2 
yea1 who ridicule that part of the      
solemnity as superstitious6 ,the same   
privileges are granted in this  church  
to such as habitually neglect the       
worship of ,god in the family4  ,nor    
does this church inculcate or enjoin1 as
 a part of ,christian  practice1        
fellowship meetings for prayer and      
conference4 ,we must1 as  witnesses for 
the cause of ,christ1 solemnly protest  
against these  sentiments and           
correspondent practices1 as inconsistent
 with the  scripture and the reformation
 attainments of our covenant fathers4   
,,sec4 ,,iii4 ,the ,reformed ,dissenting
 ,church embraced more of the peculiar  
principles of the covenanted reformation
 than either of the two  preceding4 ,on 
the doctrines of magistracy and         
toleration1 abstractly  considered1 they
 have manifested commendable fidelity4  
,nevertheless1 in  the practical        
application of these doctrines and in   
other respects1 we  are constrained to  

continue a testimony against them4      
#a4 ,what has been remarked of the      
origin of the ,associate ,reformed body1
  is partly true also of the party which
 dissented from them3 their             
organization was uncalled for1 there    
being no scriptural attainment  embraced
 by them1 which was not already         
exhibited under a judicial  banner4     
,those who erected the ,reformed        
,dissenting ,presbytery may have  been  
harshly treated by ministers of the     
,reformed ,presbytery1 when  attempting 
negotiations for union1 as public fame  
has often rumored3 yet  supposing this  
to have been the case1 multiplying      
separate fellowships  was not a happy   
expedient for effecting union in the    
truth4    #b4 ,this body of ,christians 
have been all along unfaithful in       
applying  their own avowed principles   
relative to magistracy4 ,their          
innovation in  this respect would seem  
to have been a carnal expedient to reach
 a  two-fold object3 the one1 to        

retaliate on the ,reformed ,church for  
supposed indignities offered2 the other1
 to render themselves more  popular in  
the eyes of other communities4 ,they    
admit that a constitution  of civil     
government may be so immoral1 that it   
cannot be considered as  ,god's         
ordinance2 that in such a case no       
,christian can1 without sinning  against
 ,god1 accept any office supreme or     
subordinate1 where an oath to  support  
such a constitution is made essential to
 his office4 ,these  admissions are     
equally just and important2 yet these   
concessions are  wholly neutralized in  
practice by these people1 for they claim
 it as  their privilege to choose others
 to fill those offices1 which they say1 
they themselves cannot fill without     
sinning against ,god4 ,we must  continue
 our earnest testimony against this     
attempt to separate in law1  between the
 representative and his constituents1   
involving as it does1  if consistently  
carried out1 the total overthrow of the 

covenants of  works and grace1 and      
ultimately of ,god's moral government by
 his  annotated ,son6 ,the effort made  
to sustain their practice in this       
matter1  from the examples of the       
,marquis of ,argyle and ,lord           
,warriston1 is very  disingenuous2      
simply because the church of ,scotland  
had not at the date  referred to1       
reached the measure of her attainments  
on that head4  ,indeed1 the whole drift 
of their argument goes to justify the   
position1  that in some cases1 it is    
expedient to do evil that good may come4
    #c4 ,on the doctrine of faith this  
church has1 we think1 darkened counsel1 
by words without knowledge4 ,their      
distinctions and caveats relative to    
assurance1 are calculated rather to     
bewilder than enlighten the mind  of the
 general reader4 ,receiving and resting 
on ,christ as offered in  the gospel1   
amounts to appropriation1 certainty1    
assurance1 c4 ,there  is evidence of a  
tendency to vain jangling here1 against 

which1 even  suppose there be no error  
couched in the terms1 we ought to       
testify4    #d4 ,this church evinces a  
disposition to intercommunion1 in the   
practice  both of ministers and members1
 wholly inconsistent with steadfastness1
  and at war with her own declared views
 of toleration4 ,occupying pulpits  in  
common with more corrupt communities1   
doing this in connection with  the      
celebration of the ,lord's ,supper1 and 
attendance and co-operation  with others
 in conventional proceedings among those
 who style themselves  ,reformed        
,churches1 are practices among these    
people1 on which we feel  constrained to
 animadvert with decided disapprobation4
 ,as also their  violation of the form  
of ,presbyterian church government by   
one minister  with ruling elders        
presuming to set apart candidates to the
 office of  the holy ministry4    ,,sec4
 ,,iv4 ,to speak thus publicly against  
those who may be the precious  sons of  
,zion1 is a painful duty4 ,that charity1

 however1 which rejoiceth  in the truth1
 requires of ,christ's witnesses that   
they censure and  rebuke1 in a way      
competent to them1 those of the         
household of faith whom  they see and   
know to be in a course of error or of   
sin2 ,isa4 lviii1 #a2  ,tit4 i1 #ac4    
,many of those with whom we were wont to
 take pleasure in displaying a  banner  
jointly1 and in a judicial capacity1 are
 now1 alas6 arrayed  against us4 ,to the
 real friend of ,jesus1 and the truth as
 it is in  ,jesus1 there cannot be a    
more lamentable spectacle than the      
professed  witnesses of the ,lamb       
disposed in rank under hostile colors as
 the  company--not of two1 but of many  
armies1 ready to engage in mutual       
destruction6 ,and indeed those who bite 
and devour one another1 are in  danger  
of being consumed one of another4 ,the  
,lord is righteous in all  that is come 
upon us2 for we have sinned against     
him--both we and our  fathers4 ,we know 
not how to avert more wrath from the    

,lord1 reclaim  backsliders1 confirm the
 wavering1 direct sincere inquirers1    
apprise the  unsuspecting of their      
danger1 and exonerate our own           
consciences1  otherwise than by giving  
open1 candid and honest testimony for   
,christ  and truth1 against those1 even 
once brethren by covenant bonds1 who    
have  dishonored him1 and caused the way
 of truth to be evil spoken of4         
,against those who separated from us in 
,philadelphia1 #ahcc1 erecting a  rival 
judicatory1 and dishonestly claiming the
 name ,reformed  ,presbyterian ,church1 
we bear our feeble testimony for the    
following  among other reasons3    #a4  
,they did then openly enter on a course 
subversive of our whole  covenanted     
system of doctrine and order1 by        
withdrawing their dissent  from the     
civil institutions of the ,united       
,states1 and incorporating with  the    
,national ,society--knowing the same to 
be1 by the terms of the  national       
compact1 opposed in many respects1 both 

to godliness and  honesty4    #b4 ,this 
party had1 in a clandestine way1 exerted
 their influence to  seduce and draw    
away disciples after them for a series  
of years4 ,this is  evident from the    
petitions addressed to ,synod on the    
jury law1 issuing  from those who are   
known to have been in correspondence    
with some of the  leaders in that       
defection4    #c4 ,this party are       
chargeable with mutilating the ,judicial
 ,testimony  emitted in ,scotland1      
#agfa2 and also with changing the terms 
of  communion1 and obtruding a mutilated
 formula upon an unsuspecting  people1  
contrary to due order4    ,history and  
argument are excluded from the terms of 
,church  ,fellowship1 on the very face  
of ,reformation ,principles ,exhibited2 
and  the ,auchensaugh ,covenant expunged
 from the formula of terms of           
communion1 without submitting them in   
overture to the people for  inspection4 
,we say these steps of defection and    
apostasy are chargeable  to the account 

of those who made the breach in #ahcc3  
,first1 ,because  the senior and leading
 ministers in that separation were the  
men who  framed the ,american ,testimony
 and ,terms of ,communion2 and so had   
many  years before laid the platform and
 projected the course on which they     
violently entered at that date4 ,second1
 ,these separatists1 in the  edition of 
these symbols of their profession lately
 published1 have  consistently left out 
of the volume1 the ,historical ,part1   
and also  remodeled the formula of      
,terms of ,communion4    #d4 ,this body 
continues to wax worse and worse1       
against all remonstrance  from their    
former connections and others1 as also  
in the face of  providential            
rebukes2--losing1 because forfeiting1   
the confidence of  conscientious and    
honorable men1 exemplified in the       
frequent meetings1  and to them1        
disastrous results1 of the ,convention  
of1 so called1  ,reformed ,churches4    
,,sec4 ,v4 ,with the foregoing party may

 be classed those different and         
conflicting fellowships in ,scotland and
 ,ireland1 whose recent ,terms of       
,communion and ,judicial ,testimony1    
substantially identify with those       
mentioned in the preceding section4     
#a4 ,public fame charges the ,eastern   
,synod of ,ireland1 and the ,synod of   
,scotland1 with connivance at the       
members and officers under their        
inspection1 in co-operating with the    
immoral and anti-christian  government  
of ,great ,britain4 ,they are therefore 
guilty of giving their  power and       
strength to that powerful and           
blood-thirsty horn of the beast4  ,we   
are inclined to give more credit to     
public fame in this than we would  in   
many other cases1 because3    #b4 ,these
 ,synods have opened a door in their new
 ,testimony for such  sinful            
confederacies4 ,what6 will the simple   
and uninitiated reader of  the          
,testimony ask1 does not that ,testimony
 declare1 often and often1  that the    

,british constitution is anti-christian8
 ,we answer1 the book  declares so2 but 
we caution the reader to be on his      
guard1 lest he judge  and take for      
granted1 without a careful examination1 
that the book and  the ,testimony are   
the same thing4 ,let the honest inquirer
 consult the  preface to the ,historical
 part of the book1 and then the preface 
to  the ,doctrinal part3 the latter1 he 
will find1 on due examination1 to       
constitute the ,testimony4 ,true1 in    
page #h of the preface to the volume1   
it is said1 the ,testimony1 as now      
published1 consists of two parts1 the   
one ,historical and the other           
,doctrinal4 ,this sounds orthodox2 but1 
in the same page1 when these two parts  
come to be defined1 it is said1  when   
the church requires of those admitted   
into her fellowship1 an  acknowledgement
 of a work like the present1 the        
approbation expressed  has a reference  
to the principles embodied in it1 and   
the proper  application of them1 c4 ,so 

they wrap it up--better than our fathers
  succeeded in a similar enterprise in  
,america4 ,the truth is what they  call 
the historical part is largely          
argumentative2 and both these  parts are
 carefully and covertly excluded from   
the terms of  fellowship6 ,we shall have
 occasion to recur to this subject1 as  
there  are many others likeminded with  
these innovators4    #c4 ,these people  
are also deeply involved in the popular1
 so called1  benevolent associations of 
the world1 ,sunday ,schools1 ,bible     
,societies1  ,temperance ,reforms1      
,missionary ,enterprise1 c1 evidencing a
 wide  departure from our covenanted    
uniformity1 based upon our covenanted   
,testimony4    ,,sec4 ,,vi4 ,those who  
in #ahch1 on account of sensible        
tyranny1 growing out  of defection on   
the part of the majority1 declined the  
authority of  ,synod1 have shared all   
along in our sympathies2 and it has been
 our  desire that they and we could see 
eye to eye in the doctrines and order   

of the house of ,god4    ,although this 
party promised fair for a time1 and     
apparently contended  for all the       
attainments of a covenanted reformation1
 in process of  time it became apparent 
that they possessed not intelligence    
sufficient  to manage a consistent      
testimony for that cause4 ,they seem to 
have been  under the influence of       
temporary impulse1 arising from the     
experience of  mal-administration2      
rather than to have discovered any      
constitutional defection in the body    
from which they separated4 ,this  is    
apparent indeed if we have access to any
 credible source of  information        
relative to the principles they profess1
 and their ,christian  practice4 ,more  
particularly1    #a4 ,although that     
paper which they designate ,safety      
,league1 has the  sound of orthodoxy2   
yet1 as originated1 and since           
interpreted by them1  there is a        
lamentable falling off from the         
attainments and footsteps of  the flock4

 ,first1 so far as we can ascertain1    
that instrument had  clandestine origin 
being framed and subscribed by those who
 were yet in  fellowship with the       
,synod6 ,this might be earnest1 but1 we 
think1 not  honorable contending for the
 truth4 ,second1 when this paper comes  
to  be interpreted by its framers and   
signers1 it seems to cover only the     
,american ,testimony and ,terms1 as     
remodeled by breach of presbyterial     
order4 ,at other times1 it will         
conveniently extend to the ,scottish    
,testimony1 #agfa1 and the ,auchensaugh 
,deed1 #agab6 ,from which we infer  that
 these people have no settled standards4
    #b4 ,we testify against these people
 for unwarrantable separation from us4  
,one of their elders co-operated in     
organizing the ,reformed ,presbytery in 
#ahdj2 this in official1 and1 as then   
distinctly understood1  representative  
capacity4 ,yet1 some time afterward1 he 
and his brethren  withdrew from said    
,presbytery1 without assigning          

justifiable reasons4    #c4 ,efforts are
 known to have been made1 by some then  
in their  fellowship1 to have social    
corresponding meetings established among
  them1 but without success2 in         
opposition to the well-defined example  
of  our witnessing fathers1 whose       
example they affect to imitate4         
,lastly1 these quondam brethren are not1
 to this day1 distinguishable1 in  the  
symbols of their profession1 from any   
party who have more evidently  and      
practically abandoned the distinctive   
principles and order of a  covenanted   
ancestry4 ,there is no constitutional   
barrier in the way of  their coalescence
 with any party1 whom interest or       
caprice may select4    ,,sec4 ,,vii4    
,against that party usually1 but        
improperly1 styled the ,old  ,lights1   
are we obliged to testify more pointedly
 than against any other  party now      
claiming to be ,reformed ,presbyterians4
 ,first1 because we  believe there are  
among them still1 real ,covenanters2    

and1 in proportion  to the whole body1 a
 greater number of such than in any     
other  fellowship4 ,these we would      
undeceive1 if the ,lord will2 for we    
earnestly  desire renewed fellowship    
with all such on original ground4       
,second1  because the leaders among     
these make the fairest show in the      
flesh1 and1  calculating on spiritual   
sloth and the force of confirmed habit1 
hope to  lead honest people insensibly  
after them back into ,egypt4 ,third1    
because they are more numerous1 and1    
from habit1 more exemplary than  other  
parties2 and therefore more likely to   
influence honest ,christians            
unwittingly to dishonor ,christ1 and    
gainsay his precious truth4    #a4      
,these former brethren acted1 in #ahcc1 
very similar to the policy of  the      
,revolution ,church of ,scotland in     
#afhi4 ,instead of repairing the        
breaches made1 and going on to fortify  
our ,new ,testament ,jerusalem1  against
 the assaults of enemies in future1 they

 rested in their present  position1     
providing only for a new edition of     
,reformation ,principles  ,exhibited1   
with a continuance of the history to    
that date4 ,it was urged1  at the time1 
that the argumentative part of our      
,testimony should be  hastened to       
completion1 but without effect4 ,as the 
apostate ,assembly of  ,scotland1 #afhi1
 admitted unsound ministers1 curates1   
c41 to seats in  court2 so1 with the    
like politic design1 members were       
admitted to seats  in ,synod1 #ahcc1 who
 claimed a right to withdraw to another 
party1 if  they should see cause--yea1  
one of these was called to the          
moderator's  chair6    #b4 ,at next     
meeting1 #ahcd1 when the continuation of
 the historical part  of the ,testimony 
was read1 and referred to a committee   
for publication  in the forthcoming     
edition of ,reformation ,principles     
,exhibited1 it was  directed that the   
terms of communion should be inserted1  
supplying the  deficiency in the first  

term1 in these words3 and the alone     
infallible  rule of faith and manners4  
,in the new edition these important     
words  were omitted1 as before6 ,several
 ministers seemed to be influenced in   
social relations1 at that time1 more by 
public opinion1 than by the  infallible 
rule4 ,no further progress was made with
 the argumentative  part of the         
,testimony1 and a petition from         
,greenfield1 to have ,synod's  mind     
relative to occasional hearing1 was     
returned4 ,against these steps  of      
unfaithfulness we lift our protest4     
#c4 ,against the tyranny manifested at  
the next meeting1 there were some  to   
stand up at the time2 but the spirit of 
the world prevailed in all  the         
important transactions4 ,we testify     
against those who refused to  permit    
petitions1 memorials1 and other papers  
addressed to that court1  to be read4   
,especially do we protest against that  
satanical spirit  evidenced in          
misrepresenting certain respectful and  

argumentative  papers1 as being abusive1
 insulting1 c43 also the unrighteous    
attempt1 by some guilty members of that 
court1 to stop the mouth of             
petitioners2 and we condemn the reason  
assigned for so doing1 viz41  ,they had 
no right to petition1 because they were 
under suspension6  ,this reason is      
worthy of double condemnation1 as coming
 from the mouth  of him who1 in this    
instance1 acted the ecclesiastical      
tyrant1 and who  would come down from   
,zion's walls to the plains of ,ono1    
mingle in  political strife1 that he    
might open his mouth for the dumb2 and  
because  a brother in covenant bonds    
would demur1 censure him1 and then make 
the  fact of censure a reason why he    
should not be heard when petitioning for
  relief from such tyranny6 ,revolters  
are profound to make slaughter4    #d4  
,as papers were numerous on the table of
 ,synod in #ahch1 so they  furnished    
occasion for displays of character and  
conduct1 humiliating to  all lovers of  

,zion1 who witnessed the transactions of
 that meeting of  the supreme           
judicatory4    ,this was the first time1
 so far as we know1 when that body was  
called  upon formally to review and     
rectify1 in a way competent to them1    
some  parts1 both of the constitutional 
law and administration of the ,reformed 
,presbyterian ,synod and ,church in     
,america4 ,for a series of years1 and   
chiefly through the influence of leaders
 in that faction which separated  from  
the body in #ahcc1 high-handed measures 
of tyranny had transpired3  and some of 
the subjects of that tyranny were yet   
writhing under a sense  of accumulated  
wrongs2 others had1 by death1 been      
released from this  species of          
persecution4 ,some thought it dutiful to
 call ,synod's  attention to these      
matters1 and a petition was laid before 
them1 from  ,rev4 ,robert ,lusk1        
requesting that certain cases of        
discipline1 which the  petitioner       
specified1 be reviewed2 and especially  

asking1 that the term  testimony be     
restored to its former ecclesiastical   
use4 ,as this was1  in our deliberate   
opinion1 the most important measure     
brought under the  cognizance of the    
church representative in ,america1      
during the current  of the nineteenth   
century1 it was thought the court would 
take the  matter under deliberate       
consideration4 ,whether through         
ignorance of the  matter proposed1 or   
that sectional interests engrossed the  
attention of  parties1 or that the      
prevailing majority desired to be       
untrammeled in  their future course1 the
 petition was smuggled through and      
shuffled by1  under the cognomen of a   
letter1 which a member of ,synod        
answered on  behalf of the court1 as    
though it were a matter of the smallest 
importance imaginable6 ,we solemnly     
testify against this manner of          
disposing of a weighty matter at that   
time1 whether through inattention  or   
design4 ,we protest also against the    

violent conduct of those  ministers1 and
 others on the same occasion1 who made  
the place of solemn  worship and        
judicial deliberation1 a scene of       
confusion1 by  vociferations1           
gesticulations and physical force1 in   
violation of ,god's  law1 ordination    
vows1 and the first principle of        
,presbyterian church  government4    #e4
 ,here we can advert only to a tithe of 
the fruits of darkness1 which  had been 
increasing in quantity and bitterness1  
since the meeting of  ,synod in ,new    
,york1 #ahch4 ,to carry out measures of 
worldly policy1 in  #ahdj1 diligent     
electioneering was carried on during the
 intermediate  time1 that the court     
might be what is technically called a   
packed  ,synod4 ,that court was chiefly 
composed of such ministers and elders as
  were known to favor innovations2 and  
some who were known to be disposed  to  
resist defection1 were excluded from    
seats in court4 ,against this           
dishonest1 partial and unjust measure1  

we protest4 ,and here we lift our       
testimony against this course1 as having
 greatly retarded the ,lord's  work for 
many years before1 and as having        
facilitated the introduction  of error1 
disorder and open tyranny1 in manifold  
instances1 during the  same period4     
#f4 ,we testify against the tyranny     
exercised upon ,james ,mc,kinney1 of    
,coldenham1 who was not allowed to read 
his vindication and  justification1 when
 he asked permission to do so1 from the 
published  sentiments of some of those  
who condemned him666 ,also the cruelty  
practiced toward ,miss ,king1 an absent 
member1 whose representation of  her    
case to the ,synod1 could not so much as
 be heard4 ,we bear testimony  against  
those who in that ,synod would          
interrupt1 call to order--in  violation 
of order--those members who were        
appearing in defense of  injured truth1 
and who were often silenced by tumult1  
or the call of  order by an obsequious  
moderator4 ,especially do we testify    

against the  dishonesty and             
unfaithfulness of that body1 displayed  
by them in  disposing of the paper      
inserted 7see p4 #acb71 calling ,synod's
 attention  to what we firmly believe to
 be the source of all the error1 guilt  
and  distractions incident or attending 
to that body for many years4    ,on the 
practice of confederating with the      
enemies of ,god1 we testify  against    
this party1 not only for the fact of so 
confederating1 but  also1 and chiefly1  
for resisting the evidence of ,god's    
word1 often  adduced in condemnation of 
the practice--refusing to hear the      
testimonies1 experience1 and reasoning  
of ,christ's witnesses and  martyr's    
when cited from the ,cloud of           
,witnesses1 ,informatory  ,vindication1 
,gillespie on ,confederacies1 c2 and for
 obstinately going  on in this trespass1
 in the face of manifold convictions    
from living  witnesses and providential 
rebukes4    ,as it respects             
ecclesiastical relations1 we testify    

against these former  brethren for      
having wittingly1 perseveringly1 and    
presumptuously  fostered schism in the  
visible church1 manifestly for carnal   
ends1  during many years4 ,it is        
notorious that five ,synods are in      
organic  fellowship1 while hardly two of
 them will hold ministerial or          
sacramental communion6 ,what a picture  
does this state of things in the        
professing church of ,christ present to 
the infidel2 how hardening to the       
self-righteous and the openly profane6  
,and although conventional  regulations 
be lightly looked upon by many1 not     
being based upon express  words of      
scripture2 yet when framed and engaged  
to1 according to the  general rules of  
scripture1 much sin is the result of    
violating them1  and trampling them     
under foot1 as has often been done by   
this body of  people4 ,this has been the
 case in ,presbyteries1 subordinate     
,synods1 and  especially in the general 
,synod4 ,subordinate ,synods have been  

dissolved  by the action of the general 
,synod after they had ceased to be2 and 
without consulting the ,presbyteries1   
who alone were competent to decree  or  
dissolve the delegation form of the     
general ,synod1 that court  dissolved   
itself1 after having many years trampled
 upon the law of  ,presbyteries fixing  
the ratio of delegation4 ,against such  
reckless1  disorderly procedure we      
testify as being the cause or occasion  
of much  sin against ,zion's ,king1 and 
much suffering to his precious people4  
,finally--,we solemnly enter our        
protestation against this church1 as    
having taken the lead of most others in 
razing the very foundation stone  of the
 covenanted structure4 ,all the evils   
that have befallen the  professed       
friends of a work of reformation on both
 sides of the ,atlantic  are traceable  
to a setting aside the footsteps of the 
flock from  being terms of              
ecclesiastical communion4 ,it is now    
more than ten years  since this         

important matter was expressly submitted
 to the ,old ,light  ,synod's           
consideration1 and during the subsequent
 period1 in various  forms1 the same has
 been pressed1 but without effect2      
except as  manifesting more fully their 
obduracy4 ,they refuse still to return1 
,ephraim-like1 going on frowardly in the
 way of their own heart4    ,that       
uninspired history ought to be          
incorporated among the terms of         
communion in the ,church of ,christ1 is 
a proposition which we firmly  believe1 
on the evidence both of reason and      
,scripture1 although denied1  condemned1
 and rejected by all pretenders to      
reformation attainments4  ,that history 
and argument are so rejected by all     
parties affecting  to be reformed       
churches1 will appear from the following
 citations from  their own authoritative
 judicial declarations3 ,authentic      
history and  sound argument are always  
to be highly valued2 but they should not
 be  incorporated with the confession of

 the ,church's faith4 ,the  ,declaratory
 part is1 the ,church's standing        
,testimony4--,ref4 ,prin4  ,exhibited1  
preface--edition1 #ahce4 ,here history  
and argument are both  excluded1 not    
only from the ,church's testimony but   
also from her  confession6 ,this is the 
declared sentiment of ,old and ,new     
,light  ,covenants1 together with the   
,safety ,league people--evidencing to   
all who  are free from party influence1 
that however they differ in practice1 on
  this all important point they         
perfectly harmonize in principle4 ,east 
of  the ,atlantic1 among the three      
,synods professing to follow the        
footsteps  of the flock1 the declared   
sentiment is the same1 but then they    
differ  from their brethren in          
practice--mingling with the heathen and 
learning  their works without scruple4  
,in this respect they are more          
consistent  than the other parties1     
though more visibly corrupt4    ,the    
,reformed ,dissenters prefix a          

,narrative to their testimony1 thus     
rejecting history from testimony4 ,some 
advocates for union in  conventions of  
reformed churches1 have plead for a     
historical  introduction to their       
proposed testimony2 but they have       
carefully  assured the public that this 
introduction shall constitute no term of
  union or communion4 ,thus1 it is      
evident1 that all the professed         
followers of the ,british ,reformers    
around us1 have cast off this           
reformation attainment from the         
standards of their professions          
severally4 ,we condemn this             
church-rending and soul-ruining         
sentiment1  and testify against all who 
maintain it1 for the following reasons3 
,first1 on their part it is inconsistent
 and self-contradictory4 ,they  all say 
they are following the footsteps and    
holding the attainments of  the         
,scottish ,reformers4 ,but how do they  
discover these footsteps1 or how        
ascertain these attainments8 ,are they  

recorded in the ,bible8 ,no4 ,are  they 
to be found elsewhere but in uninspired 
history8 ,certainly no  where else4 ,yet
 all these parties absurdly reject      
uninspired history  from their bonds of 
fellowship6 and still venture to tell   
the world1  they are holding fast these 
attainments66 ,this is solemn trifling1 
profane mockery4 ,second4 ,this position
 is unsound and false in the  light of  
reason4 ,all civilized nations1 as well 
as the ,jews1 have it  written in their 
laws1 ,that the testimony of two men is 
true4 ,the  witnesses do not need to be 
inspired to be credible4 ,we receive the
  witness of men1 although a false      
witness will utter lies4 ,no society    
can exist without practical recognition 
of the credibility of human  testimony2 
and this is especially true of the      
,church of the living ,god1  which is   
the pillar and ground of the truth2 for1
 ,third4 ,in the light  of ,scripture1  
her members cannot perform some of their
 most important  duties1 either to ,god 

or to one another if they irrationally  
and  wickedly relinquish this principle4
 ,god's people are charged not to       
forget his mighty works2 ,psa4 lxxviii4 
#g4 ,are these works all written  in the
 ,bible8 ,they are required to confess  
their fathers' sins1 as well  as their  
own4 ,since the divine canon was closed1
 many sins have been1  and now are      
chargeable against professing           
,christians4 ,are these recorded  in the
 ,scriptures8 ,and thus the reader may  
ask himself of sin and duty  to any     
extent1 in relation to ,god as a party4 
,and the same is true of the second     
table of the moral law4 ,for example3   
in reference to the first commandment   
with promise1 should the  ,christian    
minor be asked as the ,jew did his      
,lord1 ,who is your father8  ,how shall 
he answer8 ,is he warranted to appeal to
 ,god to manifest his  earthly sonship8 
,no2 but he is required by ,god's law to
 honor his  father2 and his obedience to
 this command is grounded on human      

testimony as to the object to whom this 
honor is due4 ,thus consistency1  reason
 and scripture combine1 to accuse and   
fasten guilt--the guilt of  apostasy    
upon all who have renounced that        
fundamental principle of our  glorious  
covenanted reformation--that history and
 argument belong to  the bond of        
ecclesiastical fellowship4 ,with any who
 hold the theory  here condemned1       
however exemplary or even conscientious 
in morals and  religion they may appear1
 we can have no ecclesiastical          
fellowship2 for1  however ardent their  
attachment or strong their expressions  
of affection  to ,confession1           
,catechisms1 ,covenants1 c42 they give  
no guarantee of  competent intelligence 
or probable stability2 as alas6 we see  
in the  present declining course of many
 in our day4    ,we would earnestly and 
affectionably beseech all well wishers  
to a  covenanted work of reformation3   
that they would take into their serious 
consideration whether these things are1 

or are not connected inseparably  with  
the wellfare of ,zion4 ,especially would
 we expostulate with such as  have any  
regard for the ,judicial ,testimony     
adopted at ,ploughlandhead1  ,scotland1 
in #agfa3 that they conscientiously     
compare it with the book  called        
,reformation ,principles ,exhibited1 and
 also with the new ,scottish            
,testimony1 where it is practicable1 and
 all these with the supreme  standard1  
the holy scriptures4 ,they will find on 
examination1 that these  are wholly     
irreconcilable in the very form of      
testimony-bearing4  ,particularly1 let  
the reader notice that our fathers in   
#agfa1 considered  history and argument 
as constituting their testimony3 and did
 not  look upon doctrinal declaration as
 formal testimony at all4 ,look at  the 
very title page of their ,testimony2    
where you read1 ,act1  ,declaration and 
,testimony1 plainly distinguishing      
between declaration  and ,testimony4    
,now1 all innovators make doctrinal     

declaration their  testimony1 reversing 
our fathers' order2 yea1 we would add   
,god's order1  for he distinguishes     
between his law and testimony2 ,ps4     
lxxviii1 #e-g2  cv1 #db-de4 ,god's      
special providences toward his          
covenanted people  constitute his       
testimony by way of eminence2 ,exod4 xx1
 #a1 c41 and their  conduct under his   
providences constitute their testimony1 
which must  consist of history2 and by  
this and the blood of the ,lamb1        
,christ's  witnesses are destined to    
overcome all anti-christian             
combinations4    ,in attempting thus to 
follow the approved example of our      
covenant  fathers1 whose practice it was
 to testify not only against the        
corruptions of ecclesiastical1 but also 
of civil constitutions1 where  their lot
 was cast1 we deem it incumbent on us to
 continue our testimony  first published
 in #ahjf1 against the immoralities     
incorporated with the  government of    
these ,united ,states4    ,believing    

that a nation as such1 is a proper      
subject of ,god's  government1 and that 
those nations favored with his law as   
revealed in  the holy scriptures1 are   
peculiarly required to regard the       
authority of  the ,lord and his         
,anointed1 therein made fully known3 it 
is with deep  regret that we feel       
constrained to designate and testify    
against evils  in the ,constitution of  
this nation4 ,notwithstanding numerous  
excellencies embodied in this           
instrument1 there are moral evils       
contained in it also1 of such magnitude1
 that no ,christian can  consistently   
give allegiance to the system4 ,there is
 not contained in it  any acknowledgment
 of the ,christian religion1 or         
professed submission to  the kingdom of 
,messiah4 ,it gives support to the      
enemies of the ,redeemer1  and admits to
 its honors and emoluments ,jews1       
,mohammedans1 ,deists and  ,atheists--it
 establishes that system of robbery by  
which men are held in  slavery1         

despoiled of liberty1 and property1 and 
protection4 ,it violates  the principles
 of representation1 by bestowing upon   
the domestic tyrant  who holds hundreds 
of his fellow creatures in bondage1 an  
influence in  making laws for freemen   
proportioned to the number of his own   
slaves4  ,this constitution is1 in many 
instances1 inconsistent1 oppressive and 
impious4    ,much guilt1 and of long    
standing1 is chargeable against this    
nation1 for  its cruel treatment of the 
colored race1 in subjecting them ever   
since  #aghi to hopeless bondage2 its   
unjust transactions with the ,indian    
race1  and more recently waging an      
unjust war with a neighboring republic1 
as  would appear1 for the wicked purpose
 of extending the iniquitous system  of 
slavery4    ,arise ,o ,god1 judge the   
earth3 for thou shalt inherit all       
nations4          ,,part ,,iv4    ,a    
brief declaration or summary of the     
principles maintained by the            
,presbytery1 as to doctrine1 worship1   

discipline1 and government1 in          
agreeableness to the word of ,god1 our  
,confession of ,faith and  ,catechisms1 
and whole covenanted testimony of the   
,church of  ,scotland4--,the contrary   
doctrines condemned4      ,unto what has
 been more generally laid down in the   
preceding pages1 with  respect to the   
principles and practice of this church  
and nation1 both  in former and present 
times2 the ,presbytery proceed to       
subjoin a  positive and explicit        
declaration of their principles anent   
the truths  of our holy religion1       
whether by the generality agreed unto1  
or by some  controverted4    ,i4 ,,of   
,,god4--,the ,presbytery did1 and hereby
 do acknowledge and declare1  that there
 is one infinite1 eternal1              
self-existent1 and independent  ,being2 
and that this only true and living ,god1
 absolutely  all-sufficient1 having all 
being1 perfection1 glory1 and           
blessedness1 in  and of himself1        
subsists in three distinct1 divine      

persons1 the ,father1  ,son1 and ,holy  
,spirit 7in one and the same undivided  
essence and  godhead71 all equally the  
same in substance1 power1 and glory1    
although  distinguished by their        
personal properties2 according to ,deut4
 vi1 #d2 #a  ,cor4 viii1 #f2 #a ,tim4 i1
 #ag2 ,acts xvii1 #bd1 #be2 #a ,john v1 
#g2 ,matth4  xxviii1 #ai2 ,confession of
 ,faith1 chap4 #b2 larger catechism1    
quest4  #g--aa2 shorter catechism1      
quest4 #d--f4    ,,ii4 ,,of ,,the ,,holy
 ,,scriptures4--,again1 they confess and
 declare1 that  although the light of   
nature discovers unto us that there is a
 ,god1 yet  of itself it is absolutely  
insufficient to teach us the saving     
knowledge  of the invisible ,being and  
his will2 and therefore ,god of his     
infinite  condescension has given us a  
most perfect revelation of himself and  
of  his will in the scriptures of truth1
 contained in the sacred books of  the  
,old and ,new ,testament2 which         
scriptures the ,presbytery assert to be 

of divine authority1 and not to be      
believed and received because of any    
other testimony1 than that of ,god their
 author1 who is truth itself4  ,which   
word of ,god is the alone perfect and   
complete rule1 both of faith  and       
practice1 containing a full and ample   
revelation of the whole  counsel of     
,god1 both respecting his own glory and 
the salvation of men2  by which all     
spirits are to be tried1 and to which   
all doctrines and  controversies in     
religion are to be brought1 as to the   
supreme judge1 in  whose sentence alone 
we are to acquiesce2 according to ,rom4 
i1 #ai1 #bj2 #a  ,cor4 ii1 #ac1 #ad2    
,heb4 i1 #a2 #b ,tim4 iii1 #af2 #b ,pet4
 i1 #ai1 #ba2 #b ,tim4  iii1 #ae2 ,gal4 
i4 #h1 #i2 ,eph4 ii1 #bj1 and our       
standards1 ,confess4 chap4 #a2  larger  
,cat4 quest4 #b-e2 shorter ,cat4 quest4 
#b1 #c4    ,,iii4 ,,of ,,the ,,decrees  
,,of ,,god4--,again1 they assert and    
maintain1 that  ,jehovah1 according to  
his own most wise counsel1 and for his  

own glory1  has1 by one immanent act of 
his will from eternity1 purposed and    
decreed  all events in time2 and        
particularly1 that by his absolute      
sovereignty1  he has unchangeably       
determined the final state of all       
intelligent  beings1 visible and        
invisible4 ,that ,god of his mere good  
pleasure1  abstracting from all other   
causes whatever1 for the praise of his  
glorious grace to be manifested in time1
 has from all eternity  predestinated a 
certain definite number of mankind      
sinners1 in and  through ,jesus ,christ1
 to eternal life1 together with all the 
means  leading thereunto4 ,and also1 by 
the same sovereign will1 has passed by1 
and left others in their sins1          
foreordaining them to bear the just     
punishment of their own iniquities2 as  
is evident from ,rom4 ix1 #aa1 #ac1     
#ae1 #af1 #ah2 ,eph4 i1 #d1 #f1 #i1 #aa2
 ,jude verse #d2 and according to       
,confess1  chap4 #c2 larger ,cat4 quest4
 #ab1 #ac2 shorter ,catechism quest4 #g4

    ,,iv4 ,,of ,,creation4--,in like    
manner they acknowledge and declare1    
that as  ,god1 from the infinity of his 
being and goodness1 has communicated a  
finite created existence to all other   
beings1 framing them with natures       
wisely suited and adapted to the        
different ends of their creation2 so by 
the same all-powerful word whereby they 
were at first created1 he  preserves and
 upholds all his creatures in their     
beings1 and by the  incessant care and  
invariable conduct of his divine        
providence1 does  constantly direct and 
overrule them and all their actions unto
 his own  glory2 according to divine    
revelation1 ,gen4 i1 throughout2 ,col i1
 #af2  ,rom4 xi1 #cf2 ,psal1 cxlv1 #ag1 
and xxxiii1 #i2 and cxix1 #ia2 ,heb4 i1 
#b1 #c2  ,confess1 chap4 #d1 #e2 larger 
,cat4 quest4 #ad2 short4 ,cat4 quest4   
#h4    ,likewise they profess and       
declare1 that ,god1 as the last and     
finishing  part of his workmanship in   
this lower world1 created man an        

intelligent  being1 endued with a       
living1 reasonable and immortal soul1   
whose  greatest glory consisted in his  
having the gracious image of his ,god   
and  ,creator drawn upon his soul1      
chiefly consisting in that knowledge1   
righteousness and inherent holiness     
wherewith he was created4 ,and  further1
 that ,god1 in his favor and            
condescension to man1 was pleased to    
enter into a covenant with him1 as the  
public head and representative of  all  
his posterity1 wherein ,god promised    
unto him eternal life and  blessedness  
with himself in glory1 upon condition of
 personal1 perfect  and perpetual       
obedience2 to the performance whereof1  
he furnished him  with full power and   
ability1 and threatened death upon the  
violation of  his law and covenant1 as  
is evident from the sacred text2 ,gen4  
i1 #bf1  #bg2 ,eccl4 vii1 #bi2 ,gen4 ii1
 #ag2 ,rom4 x1 #e1 and according to our 
,confess1  chap4 #d1  #b2 chap1 #g1  #a1
 #b2 chap4 #ai1  #a2 larger ,cat4 quest4

 #bj2  short4 ,cat4 quest4 #aj1 #ab4    
,v4 ,,of ,,the ,,fall ,,of ,,man4--,they
 again assert and maintain1 that the    
first  and common parents of mankind1   
being seduced by the subtilty of ,satan1
  transgressed the covenant of          
innocency1 in eating the forbidden      
fruit2  whereby they lost the original  
rectitude of their nature1 were cut off 
from all gracious intercourse with ,god1
 and became both legally and            
spiritually dead2 and therefore they    
being the natural root of all  mankind1 
and the covenant being made with ,adam1 
not as a private1 but  a public person1 
all his descendants by ordinary         
generation1 are born  under the guilt of
 that first sin1 destitute of original  
righteousness1  and having their nature 
wholly depraved and corrupted2 so that  
they are  by nature children of wrath1  
subjected unto all the penal evils      
contained in the curse of a broken law1 
both in this life1 and in that  which is
 to come2 ,gen4 iii1 #f1 #ac2 ,eccl4    

vii4 #bj2 ,rom4 v1 from #ab to #bj2     
,rom4 iii1 #aj-ai2 ,eph4 ii1 #c2        
,confess1 chap4 #f3 larger ,cat4 quest4 
#ba1  #bb1 short4 ,cat4 question #ac to 
#bj4    ,in like manner they assert and 
declare1 that all mankind1 by their     
original apostasy from ,god1 are not    
only become altogether filthy and       
abominable in the eyes of ,god's        
holiness2 but also1 are hereby utterly  
indisposed1 disabled1 and entirely      
opposite to all good1 the  understanding
 become darkness1 and the will enmity   
and rebellion itself  against ,god2 so  
that man1 by his fall1 having lost all  
ability of will  to what is spiritually 
good1 cannot in his natural state1 and  
by his own  strength1 convert himself   
7being dead in trespasses and sins71 nor
 can  he in less or more contribute to  
his own salvation1 or in the least      
prepare himself thereunto2 neither is   
there any natural1 necessary or  moral  
connection between the most diligent and
 serious use of the means1  and         

obtaining salvation thereby4 ,although  
the ,presbytery maintain1 that  as a    
,god of grace has promised the          
converting influences of his ,spirit  to
 be showered down upon dead souls1 in   
the use of means of his own             
appointment2 they are therefore to be   
attended to with the utmost care  and   
diligence2 as appears from ,rom4 v1 #f2 
,john vi1 #dd1 #fe2 ,tit4 iii1  #c-e2   
,job xiv1 #d2 ,confess4 chap4 #i1  #c2  
larger ,cat4 quest4 #be4    ,,vi4 ,,of  
,,the ,,covenant ,,of                   
,,grace4--,likewise they assert and     
declare1 that  ,jehovah1 in the person  
of the ,father1 having purposed to save 
a certain  number of the ruined family  
of ,adam1 did from all eternity enter   
into  a covenant transaction with ,jesus
 ,christ1 his eternal and only begotten 
,son1 who contracted as the second      
,adam1 in the name of all his  spiritual
 seed4 ,in which covenant1 the ,father  
promising to confer  eternal life upon a
 select number given unto ,christ1 upon 

condition of  his fulfilling all        
righteousness for them2 the ,lord ,jesus
 ,christ did  again stipulate and       
engage1 as the condition of the covenant
 by him to  be fulfilled1 that in the   
fullness of time1 assuming the human    
nature  into a personal union with the  
divine1 he would therein1 and in the    
elect's name fulfill1 not only the      
preceptive part of the law1 but also    
bear the whole punishment contained in  
the threatening thereof3 which          
covenant1 that it might be absolutely   
free to sinners1 and that the  salvation
 therein provided for them1 might not be
 of debt1 but of grace1  was unto ,jesus
 ,christ a covenant of redemption1      
nothing being therein  promised to him1 
but upon his paying a full price1       
adequate to the most  extensive demands 
of law and justice2 according to ,psal4 
lxxxix1 #b1 #c1  #bh1 #cd1 #ce2 ,tit4 i1
 #b2 ,isa4 liii1 #aj1 #aa2 ,matth4 v1   
#ag2 ,confess4 chap4  #g1  #c2 ,larg4   
,cat4 quest4 #cj1 #ca2 ,short4 ,cat4    

quest4 #bj4    ,,vii4 ,,of ,,the        
,,mediator4--,in like manner they       
profess1 assert1 and declare1  that the 
,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the second person 
in the glorious and  adorable ,trinity1 
being by the ,father's appointment      
constituted mediator  and surety of the 
new covenant1 did1 in the fullness of   
time1 assume the  human nature1         
consisting of a true body and reasonable
 soul1 into a  personal union with his  
divine2 which two natures1 in the one   
person of  our ,immanuel1 ,god-man1     
remain distinct1 without conversion1    
composition1  or confusion4 ,and being  
every way completely qualified and      
furnished for  executing his mediatory  
offices of prophet1 priest1 and king1   
was called  to the exercise thereof1 by 
,god the ,father1 who put all power and 
judgment into his hand1 and gave him    
commandment to execute the same2  ,prov4
 viii1 #bc2 ,heb4 ii1 #ad2 #a ,tim4 ii1 
#e2 ,john vi1 #bg1 and v1 #bg2          
,confess4 chap4 #h throughout2 ,larg4   

,cat4 quest4 #ba-bc2 short4 ,cat4 quest1
  #ba1 #bb4    ,again1 they acknowledge 
and declare1 that the ,lord ,jesus      
,christ our  ,,redeemer1 the only       
begotten ,son of ,god1 by eternal and   
ineffable  generation1 is most properly 
a divine person1 true and very ,god1 one
 in  essence1 equal and the same in     
power1 eternity1 glory1 and all divine  
perfections with the ,father and ,holy  
,ghost3 and that therefore it is  most  
blasphemous to assert1 that the terms1  
necessary existence1 and  supreme deity1
 and the title of the only true ,god1 do
 not belong to  the ,son equally with   
the ,father1 as the same in substance1  
being  expressly contrary to these texts
 of sacred writ which assert the        
opposite truth2 ,john i1 #a-d2 ,phil1   
ii1 #f2 ,john x1 #cj2 #a ,john v1 #bj1  
and  to our standards1 ,confess4 chap4  
#h1  #b2 ,larg4 ,cat4 quest4 #cf2       
,short4  ,cat4 #f4    ,they likewise    
further acknowledge1 assert1 and        
declare1 that the ,lord  ,jesus ,christ1

 the eternal ,son of ,god1 and only     
,mediator between ,god and  man1 being  
designed from everlasting the ,,redeemer
 of his people1 and  having all         
fullness1 power1 and authority lodged in
 him for the  execution of his mediatory
 trust1 has1 ever since the fall of     
mankind1  as the great and good shepherd
 of ,israel1 undertaken the care1       
government1 protection1 and instruction 
of the ,church of ,god1 in              
agreeableness to the above said trust3  
which he did all along under the  ,old  
,testament1 and still continues         
faithfully to discharge in all the      
parts thereof2 so that whatever         
revelation ,god made unto his church    
since the fall1 was by ,jesus ,christ as
 the great prophet and preacher of      
righteousness4 ,particularly1 it was he 
that first appeared unto lapsed  man1   
and as the great revealer of the council
 of peace1 called upon him  in the voice
 of mercy1 saying1 ,adam1 where art     
thou8 ,it was he that1  pleasing himself

 in the forethoughts of his future      
incarnation1 and as a  prelude thereto1 
condescended at different times to      
appear in a human  form1 and speak unto 
the fathers4 ,by him1 as the messenger  
of the  covenant1 were the lively       
oracles delivered to the ,israelitish   
church2  and by his ,spirit in the      
prophets1 successively raised up to     
instruct  his church in the knowledge of
 the divine will1 was signified and     
foretold the grace that should come1    
until the fullness of the time          
appointed in the council of ,heaven1    
when it was promised he should come1    
and by his personal presence fill his   
house with glory4 ,then did ,god in     
these last days speak unto men by his   
,son1 whom he has appointed heir of  all
 things2 who1 not only by himself1 but  
also1 after his ascension1 by  his      
evangelists and apostles filled with the
 ,spirit1 has made known all  things    
that he heard of his ,father4 ,and now1 
after the canon of  scripture is        

completed1 and no new revelation to be  
expected to the end  of time1 continues 
by his word and spirit to instruct      
sinners in the  knowledge of all things 
necessary for their sanctification and  
salvation2 according to ,acts x1 #ch1   
and iii1 #bb2 ,luke iv1 #ah1 #ba2 ,john 
i1 #ah2 #a ,pet4 i1 #aj-ab2 ,heb4 i1 #a1
 #b2 ,eph4 iv1 #aa-ac2 ,confess4 chap4  
#h1   #a2 ,larg4 ,cat4 quest4 #dc2      
,short4 ,cat4 quest4 #bd4    ,in like   
manner1 they profess and declare1 that  
the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1  being called 
of him that said unto him1 ,thou art my 
,son1 this day have  ,i begotten thee1  
unto the honorable office of ,high      
,priest over the  house of ,god1 and    
confirmed therein by all the solemnities
 of the oath  of ,god1 he did most      
willingly undertake this work1 saying1  
,lo1 ,i come  to do thy will1 ,o ,god6  
,and that he might finish and fulfill   
the same1  in agreeableness to his      
eternal engagements to the ,father1 to  
the ,old  ,testament types and          

sacrifices1 promises and prophecies1    
wherein he was  foresigned and revealed 
to be the seed of the woman1 that should
 bruise  the serpent's head1 did1 in the
 fullness of time1 humble himself to be 
made of a woman1 made under the law1 in 
the form of a bond servant to  ,jehovah4
 ,in which character1 he not only       
fulfilled the preceptive part  of the   
law1 but also1 with the most            
unparalleled meekness1 patience and     
resignation1 submitted to the most      
grievous and dreadful sufferings1  both 
in body and soul1 even all that divine  
wrath1 indignation and  punishment1     
wrapped up in the terrible curse of a   
broken covenant of  works4 ,by which    
obedience of his unto the death1 through
 the eternal  ,spirit offering himself  
without spot unto ,god1 a proper1 real  
and  expiatory sacrifice for sin1 he has
 fully satisfied divine justice1 made   
reconciliation for the iniquities of his
 people1 and purchased an  eternal      
inheritance for them in the kingdom of  

glory4 ,the saving  benefits of which   
redemption1 by the ,spirit's effectual  
application  thereof1 he does1 by his   
intercession at the ,father's right     
hand1 as an  arisen1 living1 and now    
glorified ,savior1 constantly and       
certainly  communicate unto all those   
whom the ,father has given him4         
,further1 the  ,presbytery declare1 that
 however they acknowledge the standing  
of the  world1 as a theater to display  
the riches of divine grace1 the         
preaching  of the gospel indefinitely to
 mankind sinners1 and all the common    
favors  of life indifferently enjoyed by
 them1 do all result1 as native1        
necessary and determined consequences1  
from the interposition of ,christ  in   
behalf of his spiritual seed1 and have  
their ultimate foundation in  the       
infinite sufficiency1 fullness and      
perfection1 of the blood and  sacrifice 
of ,christ1 ,god-man3 yet they affirm1  
that1 as a certain elect  and select    
number were given unto ,christ1 to be   

redeemed from among men1  so1 for their 
sakes alone1 he engaged his heart to    
approach unto ,god4  ,for their sakes1  
he sanctified himself2 in their name1   
i4e41 in their  law-room and stead1 and 
for their good1 as the surety of the    
better  covenant1 he became obedient    
unto death1 and endured the whole of    
that  punishment threatened by the law1 
and incurred by the transgression of    
it4 ,he subjected himself to that very  
curse1 bore that wrath and died  that   
death1 which they themselves should have
 undergone4 ,and hereby1 by  his doing  
and dying1 he made a proper1 real1 full 
and expiatory  satisfaction to the      
justice of ,god for their sins4         
,wherefore it is  impossible but that to
 all those for whom ,christ has         
purchased this  complete redemption1 and
 for whose sins he has given this full  
satisfaction accepted of ,god1 he will  
certainly and effectually apply  and    
communicate the same in the saving      
benefits thereof2 seeing that it  is his

 will who has merited it1 that all those
 who are the ,father's  choice by       
election1 and his purchase by           
redemption1 should be ever with  him    
where he is1 that they may behold his   
glory2 and since1 as he is  thus        
willing1 he is also able1 to save them  
to the uttermost that come  to ,god by  
him4 ,so that all for whom ,christ died1
 all that are redeemed  by his blood1   
are1 in consequence hereof2 effectually 
called1 justified1  sanctified and      
glorified2 according to ,psal4 xl1 #g1  
#h2 ,heb4 x1 #e-aa2  ,phil4 ii1 #h2     
,gal4 iv1 #d1 #e2 ,heb4 ix1 #ad1 #bh2   
,dan4 ix1 #bd2 ,psal4 lxxv1 #c2  ,isa4  
xlix1 #h2 ,john vi1 #cg1 #ci1 chap4 x1  
#ae1 #af2 ,eph4 i1 #g2 ,rom4 viii1  #cd1
 and ver4 #bi1 #cj2 ,john xvii          
throughout2 ,john xi1 #eb2 ,confess1    
chap4  vii1  #d1 #e1 #h2 ,larg4 ,cat4   
quest4 #dd2 ,sh4 ,cat4 quest4 #be4      
,they also acknowledge1 assert and      
declare1 that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ  
is1 by the appointment of ,god the      

,father1 set as ,king upon his holy hill
  of ,zion2 over which1 as his special  
kingdom1 he is invested with an         
absolute power and supremacy1 as the    
sole and only head thereof1 to  appoint 
offices1 officers1 laws and ordinances4 
,and that accordingly1 by  virtue of    
this solemn investiture1 the same ,lord 
,jesus ,christ has1 in  all ages1 called
 out of the world1 and maintained       
therein1 a church unto  himself1 which  
he visibly governs by a complete system 
of laws1 officers  and censures1        
instituted in his word1 and has not left
 the affairs of  his church1 in which   
7as a ,son over his own house7 he       
peculiarly  presides1 to be regulated   
and modeled by the carnal policy and    
invention  of men4 ,also1 that1 as ,king
 in ,zion1 he powerfully and            
irresistibly1  in a day of efficacious  
grace1 subdues the perverse hearts and  
wills of  sinners unto his obedience1   
persuading and enabling as many as were 
appointed to obtain salvation through   

him1 to believe in his name1 in  order  
thereunto4 ,all whom he either preserves
 from1 or supports under1  the various  
temptations1 trials and afflictions1    
they are liable to in  this mortal life2
 till at last1 completing a work of     
grace in their  souls1 he advances them 
to a state of perfection and glory4     
,further1 the ,presbytery declare and   
maintain1 that1 in subserviency to  this
 his special mediatory kingdom1 the     
,lord ,jesus ,christ has a supreme  and 
sovereign power given unto him1 in      
heaven and in earth1 and over the       
infernal powers of darkness--angels1    
authorities and powers being put in     
subjection to him2 that he has the      
management of all the wheels of         
providence put into his hand1 whereby he
 restrains1 disappoints1 and at  last   
totally destroys1 all the enemies of his
 interest and glory2 and by  which he   
orders and overrules all the events that
 fall out in time1 for  the             
accomplishment of the great and glorious

 ends of his incarnation1  and lasting  
good of those that love him3 according  
to ,psal4 ii1 #f2 ,isa4  ix1 #f1 #g2    
,isa4 xxxiii1 #bb2 ,matth4 xxi1 #e2     
,isa4 lv1 #d1 #e2 ,gen4 xlix1 #aj2      
,heb4 iii1 #f2 ,psal4 cx1 #a1 #b2       
,matth4 xxviii1 #ah2 ,john vii1 #b2 #a  
,pet4 iii1  #bb2 ,phil1 ii1 #i-aa2      
,confess1 chap1 viii  #c2 ,larg4 ,cat4  
quest4 #de2 ,sh4  ,cat4 quest4 #bf4     
,they again declare and assert1 that as 
the light of nature is absolutely       
insufficient to give a just discovery1  
either of the grievous malady of  sin1  
or the blessed remedy provided for      
sinners1 so none1 however  diligent they
 may be to frame their lives according  
to the dictates of  nature's light1 can 
possibly attain to salvation1 while they
 remain  without any objective          
revelation of ,jesus ,christ1 as the    
great  propitiation and peace-maker1 who
 has abolished death1 and brought life  
and immortality to light1 by the gospel4
 ,and further1 that there is no  other  

name1 doctrine or religion1 whereby any 
can be saved1 but in the  name1 doctrine
 and religion of the ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 of which he is the  great      
author and institutor2 in the profession
 and faith whereof1 he  leads his people
 through this world into the possession 
of endless  felicity and glory in the   
world to come4    ,,viii4 ,,of ,,the    
,,gospel ,,offer4--,they further        
declare1 that1 as ,god the  ,father1 out
 of his unbounded love1 has1 on the     
footing of the infinite  sufficiency of 
the death and sacrifice of ,christ1 made
 a free and  unhampered gift and grant  
of him1 as an all-sufficient ,savior1   
unto  sinners of mankind lost1 as such1 
in the word3 so the ministers and       
embassadors of ,christ 7according as    
they are expressly authorized and       
commanded by him7 are to publish this   
gospel1 these glad tidings of  great joy
 to all the world1 wherever they may be 
called or cast1 in the  providence of   
,god1 and make a full1 free and         

unhampered offer of ,christ  and his    
whole salvation to sinners1 without     
distinction1 assuring them  of ,god's   
mercy and grace1 through ,christ1 in    
whom he proclaims himself  well pleased2
 of ,christ's omnipotent power and      
ability to save to the  uttermost all   
that come unto ,god by him2 and that    
there are no  impediments1 bars or      
hinderances1 ab extra1 between ,jesus   
,christ1 as  held forth in the offer of 
the gospel1 and sinners lost1 why they1 
even  every one of them1 may not receive
 and appropriate him1 as the ,lord      
their righteousness4 ,and the above said
 frank and unhampered gift of  ,christ1 
and him crucified1 by ,god the ,father1 
as a full and  all-sufficient ,savior   
unto lost and ruined sinners1 the       
,presbytery view  as the great and prime
 foundation1 both of the ministerial    
offer1 and  of1 faith in the ,lord      
,jesus1 for life and salvation3 as is   
clear from  ,rom4 x1 #ad2 #a ,cor4 i1   
#ba-be2 ,isa4 lv1 #a2 ,mark xvi1 #ae2   

,john iii1 #af2  ,confess1 chap1 vii1   
#c2 ,larg4 ,cat4 ques4 #fg2 ,sh4 ,cat4  
ques4 #ca1 c4    ,,ix4 ,,of             
,,justification4--,again1 they profess  
and declare1 that the active  and       
passive obedience1 or the complete      
mediatory righteousness1 of the  ,lord  
,jesus ,christ1 is the only meritorious 
cause of a sinner's  justification1     
pardon of sin1 and acceptance of his    
person and services  with a holy ,god2  
and that true and saving faith1 which is
 also the gift  of ,god1 is the alone   
instrumental cause of the sinner's      
justification in  his sight2 or that    
evangelical condition1 or internal mean1
 in and by  which the soul is interested
 in ,christ1 and the whole of his       
righteousness and salvation4 ,which     
righteousness1 received and rested on   
by faith1 is the only foundation of a   
sinner's title to eternal life and      
glory2 as appears evident from ,rom4    
iii1 #bb-bi2 ,rom4 v1 #ag-bj2 ,jer4     
xxiii1 #f2 ,gal4 ii1 #af2 ,acts x1 #dc2 

,col4 i1 #bg2 ,acts viii1 #cg2 ,rom4 x1 
#i2  ,mark v1 #cf2 ,eph4 ii1 #h2        
,confess1 chap4 #aa1 #ad2 ,larg4 ,cat4  
ques4 #gj1 #gc2  ,sh4 ,cat4 ques4 #c4   
,they likewise profess and maintain1    
that believers1 by the righteousness  of
 ,christ being justified from all       
things1 from which they could not be    
justified by the law of ,moses1 are by  
,jesus ,christ perfectly delivered  from
 the law1 as a covenant of works1 both  
as commanding and condemning2  so as    
that thereby they are neither justified 
nor condemned1 it being  dead to them1  
and they to it1 by the body of ,christ1 
to whom they are  married4 ,however1    
notwithstanding of this freedom1 they   
are still  servants unto ,god2 still    
under the moral law1 as a rule of life  
in the  hand of their glorious ,mediator
 and new covenant ,head1 directing them 
how they are to walk1 so as to please   
,god2 the obligation whereof1 as  such1 
remains perpetual and indissoluble2 and 
that this privilege is  peculiar to     

believers only1 all others being still  
under the old  covenant obligation1 both
 as to the debt of obedience and        
punishment2  according to ,rom4 vi1 #ad1
 and vii1 #d1 #f2 ,gal4 iv1 #d1 #e1 and 
ii1 #af2 ,rom4  viii1 #a2 ,gal4 iii1    
#aj2 ,confess1 chap1 xix1  #e1 #f2      
,larg4 ,cat4 ques4 #ig2  ,sh4 ,cat4     
ques4 #dc1 #dd4    ,x4 ,,of ,,good      
,,works4--,again1 they assert and       
declare1 that as no works  are truly and
 spiritually good1 but those that are   
performed by a person  united to the    
,lord ,jesus ,christ by faith1 and under
 the influence of his  ,holy ,spirit2   
and consequently1 that none of the      
actions of the  unregenerate1 however in
 themselves materially agreeable unto   
the letter  of the law1 are either      
pleasing or acceptable to ,god2 nor can 
they  dispose or prepare their souls for
 receiving his grace1 though their      
omission and neglect of these is still  
more displeasing unto ,god1 and         
destructive unto themselves4 ,so        

likewise they declare1 that even the    
best works of obedience performed by the
 regenerate1 can neither merit  the     
pardon of any one sin1 nor procure them 
the smallest measure or  ,god's grace or
 favor1 because of the manifold sins and
 imperfections  they are still attended 
with1 and because of the infinite       
distance  between ,god and them1 with   
respect to whom1 when they have done all
 that  they can1 they are but           
unprofitable servants4 ,neither is their
 ability  to do them at all of          
themselves1 but wholly from the ,spirit 
dwelling in  them4 ,and further1 that   
the spring and principle motive of true 
love to  ,god1 and acceptable obedience 
to him1 is not self-interest or love to 
our own felicity1 nor yet a slavish fear
 of punishment2 but the glorious        
perfections and transcendent            
excellencies of the ,deity1 manifested  
in  the face of ,jesus ,christ1 who is  
the brightness of the ,father's glory1  
and express image of his person1 are the

 prime and chief motives both of  love1 
fear and obedience unto ,god2 all who   
really love ,god loving him  principally
 for himself4 ,as also1 that all        
acceptable service to ,god1  performed  
by believers1 is principally influenced 
by the authority of a  ,god of grace1   
stamped upon his word1 springs from     
faith in ,jesus ,christ1  as an         
animating and active principle in their 
souls1 and is ultimately  directed to   
the glory of ,god in ,christ1 as the    
great end thereof4 ,hence1  therefore1  
although ,god has graciously connected  
his own glory and his  people's felicity
 inseparably together1 that yet no      
actions1 however  good in themselves or 
beneficial to others1 which arise only  
from a  principle of self-interest1 love
 to one's own bliss1 or fear of hell1   
are evidential of saving grace in the   
soul1 or any more than what one in  a   
state of nature may perform2 according  
to ,gen4 iv1 #e2 ,heb4 xi1 #d1 #f2      
,matth4 vi1 #b1 #e1 #af2 ,hag4 ii1 #ad2 

,amos1 v1 #ba1 #bb2 ,tit4 i1 #ae1 and   
iii1  #e2 ,rom4 iii1 #bj1 and iv1 #b1   
#d1 #f2 ,job xxii1 #b1 #c2 ,eph4 i1 #f2 
#a ,pet4 ii1  #e2 ,exod4 xxviii1 #ch2   
,confess1 chap4 #af throughout2 ,larg4  
,cat4 ques4 #gc1  #aja2 ,sh4 ,cat4 ques4
 #dd4    ,,xi4 ,,of ,,assurance ,,of    
,,grace4--,in like manner they declare  
and assert1 that  although there may be 
much darkness1 and manifold doubts and  
fears1  seated in the same soul where   
true and saving faith is3 and although  
true believers may wait long before they
 know themselves to be  believers1 and  
be assured that they are really in a    
state of grace2 and  even1 after they   
have arrived at a subjective assurance  
of their  salvation1 may have it much   
shaken1 clouded and intermitted2 that   
yet  there is no doubting1 no darkness1 
in the saving acts of a true and  lively
 faith3 but in all the appropriating    
acts of saving faith1 there  is an      
objective assurance1 an assured         
confidence and trust in ,jesus  ,christ1

 and the promise of life in which he is 
revealed to the soul2  according to     
,isa4 #a1 #aj2 ,mark ix1 #bd2 #a ,john  
v1 #ac2 ,psal4 lxxvii1 #a to  #aa2      
,psal4 lxxxviii1 throughout2 ,gal4 ii1  
#bj2 ,mark xi1 #bd2 ,confess1 chap4  #ah
 throughout2 ,larg4 ,cat4 ques4 #gb1    
#hj1 #ha2 ,short4 ,cat4 question #hf4   
,,xii4 ,,of ,,the ,,perseverance ,,of   
,,the ,,saints4--,they further assert   
and  declare1 that whosoever1 of any of 
the children of men1 in all ages1  have 
attained salvation1 did believe in1 and 
receive the ,lord ,jesus  ,christ1 the  
promised ,messiah1 and only ,savior from
 sin1 to whom all the  prophets bear    
witness1 in whom all the promises and   
lines of salvation  do center2 and      
particularly1 that however much the     
faith of the  disciples and apostles of 
our ,lord and ,savior ,jesus ,christ in 
him1 as  their only ,redeemer1 might be 
at any time overclouded1 yet it was     
never  totally subverted2 and that the  
noble grace of faith in the souls of    

believers cannot be totally lost2 but   
that such is the immutability of  ,god's
 decrees1 and his unchangeable love2    
such the efficacy of their  ,redeemer's 
merit1 and constant abiding of the      
spirit of holiness in  them2 and such   
the nature of the new covenant1 that1   
notwithstanding of  various temptations 
and afflictions1 the prevailing of      
remaining  corruption in them1 they must
 all and every one of them1 certainly   
and  infallibly persevere in a state of 
grace unto the end1 and be at last      
saved with an everlasting salvation2 as 
appears from ,heb4 xi1 #ac2 ,john  iv1  
#db2 ,phil4 i1 #f2 ,john x1 #bh1 #bi2 #a
 ,pet4 ii1 #i2 ,jer4 xxxiv1 #d2         
,confess1 chap4 #h1  #a1 chap4 #ad1  #b1
 and chap4 #ag throughout4    ,,xiii4   
,,of ,,liberty ,,of ,,conscience4--,they
 further assert and declare1 that  the  
noble faculty of conscience1 ,god's     
deputy in the soul of man1 over  which  
he alone is absolute ,lord and          
,sovereign1 is not subjected unto the   

authority of man2 neither are any human 
commands further binding upon  the      
consciences of men1 than they are       
agreeable unto1 and founded upon  the   
revealed will of ,god1 whether in       
matters of faith or practice4 ,and      
although the ,lord ,jesus ,christ has   
purchased a glorious liberty unto       
believers from sin1 and all the bitter  
fruits thereof1 and of access to  a     
throne of grace with boldness2 and has  
procured unto his church  freedom from  
the yoke of the ceremonial law1 with a  
more abundant  communication of gospel  
influences3 yet1 inasmuch as conscience 
is the  rule ruled1 not the rule1       
ruling1 none can1 without manifest sin1 
upon  pretense of conscience or         
,christian liberty1 cherish any         
forbidden lust  in their souls1 nor are 
left at freedom to reject any of the    
divine  ordinances instituted in the    
word1 to change or corrupt their        
scriptural  institution1 by immixing    
human inventions therewith1 or in the   

least  deviating from the punity        
thereof4 ,and that therefore1 all who   
vent or  maintain tenets or opinions1   
contrary to the established principles  
of  ,christianity1 whether in the matter
 of doctrine1 divine worship1 or        
practice in life1 which are contrary to1
 and inconsistent with the  analogy of  
faith1 and power of true godliness1 or  
destructive to that  pure peace and good
 order established by ,christ in his    
church1 are  accountable unto the       
church2 and upon conviction1 ought to be
 proceeded  against1 by inflicting      
ecclesiastical censures or civil pains1 
in a way  agreeable unto the divine     
determination in the word concerning    
such  offenses4    ,and further1 they   
declare1 that it is most wicked1 and    
what manifestly  strikes against the    
sovereign authority of ,god1 for any    
power on earth  to pretend to tolerate1 
and1 by sanction of civil law1 to give  
license  to men to publish and propagate
 with impunity1 whatever errors1        

heresies1 and damnable doctrines1       
,satan1 and their own corrupt and       
blinded understandings1 may prompt them 
to believe and embrace2  toleration     
being destructive of all true religion1 
and of that liberty  wherewith ,christ  
has made his people free2 and the great 
end thereof1  which is1 ,that being     
delivered out of the hands of our       
enemies1 we may  serve the ,lord--in    
holiness and righteousness1 all the days
 of our  lives4 ,agreeable to ,james iv1
 #ab2 ,rom4 xiv1 #d2 ,acts iv1 #ai1 and 
v1 #bi2  #a ,cor4 vii1 #bc2 ,matth4     
xxiii1 #i2 #b ,john #aj1 #aa2 #b ,cor4  
i1 #bd2 ,matth4 xv1  #i2 ,col4 ii1 #bj1 
#bb1 #bc2 ,gal4 ii1 #d1 #e1 and v1 #a1  
#ac2 ,isa4 viii1 #bj2 ,acts  xvii1 #aa2 
,hosea v1 #aa2 #a ,cor4 v1 #a1e1 #aa1   
#ac2 ,tit4 i4 #aj1 #aa1 #ac1 and  iii1  
#bj2 ,matth4 xviii1 #ae-ag2 ,deut4 xiii1
 #f-ab2 ,ezek4 vii1 #bc1 #be1 #bf2      
,zech4 xiii1 #b1 #c2 ,rev4 ii1 #b1 #ad1 
#ae1 #bj2 ,confess1 chap4 #bj2 ,larg4   
,cat4  quest4 #ajj1 #ajc2 ,sh4 ,cat4    

quest4 #di1 #ej4    ,,xiv4 ,,of         
,,testimony-,,bearing4--,again1 they    
declare and assert1 that all  true      
believers1 members of the church        
invisible1 are by the indissoluble  bond
 of the ,spirit1 and true faith in      
,christ1 their ,head1 savingly  united  
unto1 and have communion with him in    
grace and in glory1 in this  life and   
the life to come4 ,in all their         
afflictions he is afflicted1 and  shares
 with them in their sufferings and      
trials1 is with them in and  through    
death1 exalteth them at last over all   
their enemies1 receiving  them into     
glory and blessedness with himself1 that
 they may behold and  share in his glory
 with him through eternity3 and that all
 of them being  knit and joined together
 in holy love and affection1 do         
participate  mutually of each others    
gifts and graces2 and are indispensably 
bound to  exercise themselves in the    
practice of all commanded duties1 for   
preserving the love of ,god1 and life of

 grace1 in their own1 and one  another's
 souls4 ,and further1 they declare that 
the visible church1 and  the members    
thereof1 are externally in covenant with
 ,christ their ,head1  have one and the 
same ,lord1 profess the same faith in   
doctrine and  worship1 receive the same 
seals of ,god's covenant1 baptism1 and  
the  ,lord's ,supper3 and are thereby   
bound to hold fast the ,head1 to be     
subject to his authority1 keep the faith
 they have received1 and  maintain an   
holy communion and fellowship in the    
worship of ,god2 closely  abiding by the
 standard of ,christ1 their captain and 
leader1 and lifting  up the banner of   
divine truth1 in opposition unto1 and   
holy contempt of  all their enemies of  
every kind4 ,and further1 they affirm1  
that as the  visible church in general1 
is bound to be faithful to ,christ1     
their ,head  and ,lord1 and to preserve 
inviolate1 the whole of that sacred     
depositum of truth wherewith she is     
intrusted by him1 not quitting  with1   

nor willfully apostatizing from the     
same1 in profession or  practise3 so no 
particular subject of this spiritual    
kingdom of ,christ  can recede from any 
part of divine truth1 which they have   
received1 and  whereof they have made   
profession1 without lese-majesty unto   
the ,son of  ,god1 and violation of     
their obligations they have come under1 
at  receiving the seals of the covenant1
 with whatever other lawful vows  they  
have made unto the ,most ,high2         
according to #a ,john i1 #b1 #c2 ,eph4  
iii1 #af-ai2 ,john i1 #af2 ,heb4 x1 #bd1
 #be2 ,acts ii1 #db1 #df2 ,eph4 iv1     
#d-f2  ,phil4 iii1 #af2 ,rev4 ii1 #be1  
and iii1 #c2 ,confess1 chap4 #b1 #f2    
,larg4 ,cat4  quest4 #fc2 ,short4 ,cat4 
quest4 #ej4    ,,xv4 ,,of ,,church      
,,government4--,they likewise affirm and
 declare1 that the  ,lord ,jesus        
,christ1 our exalted ,immanuel1 the sole
 and supreme ,head1  ,lawgiver and ,king
 of his church1 which is his spiritual  
and absolutely  free and independent    

kingdom1 has herein warranted1          
instituted and  appointed certain       
office-bearers 7who derive their mission
 and authority  from him alone7 to      
regulate1 administer1 judge and         
determine in all the  affairs of his    
house1 to whom alone the keys of the    
kingdom of heaven  are by him committed4
 ,particularly1 they are intrusted with 
the key of  doctrine1 to discover the   
mind of ,god1 and preach ,christ        
crucified unto  sinners2 the key of     
government for preserving that beauty of
 order1  purity and power in the house  
of ,god1 which he has enjoined should   
take  place therein2 the key of         
discipline1 to inflict ecclesiastical   
censures  upon such as turn aside after 
their crooked ways1 or continue         
obstinate in their offenses2 the key of 
ordination and mediate mission1  in     
ordinary circumstances of the church1   
solemnly to set apart and send  forth   
church officers unto that sacred        
function and official trust in  the     

house of ,god1 on the regular trial of  
the suitableness of their  gifts and    
qualifications for that spiritual       
service and ministration2  according to 
#a ,cor4 xii1 #bh2 ,eph4 iv1 #aa2       
,matth4 xviii1 #ai2 ,john xx1 #bc2      
,matth4 xviii1 #ah2 ,acts xv1           
throughout1 and xvi1 #d2 ,matth4 xxviii1
 #ai1  #bj2 ,mark xvi1 #ae2 ,acts vi1   
#f2 #a ,tim4 iv1 #ad1 and iii1 #aj2     
,confess1 chap  #cj1  #b1 #c and #ca2   
#c4 ,form of church government1 books of
 discipline1  and the several laudable  
acts and constitutions of this church2  
particularly1 ,act of ,assem4 at        
,edinburgh1 ,august #dth1 #afdi1  ,sess4
 #d1 entitled1 ,directory for electing  
of ministers4    ,they likewise assert  
and maintain1 that the ,lord ,jesus     
,christ1 the  church's glorious ,head1  
hath appointed a certain form of        
government  therein1 distinct from civil
 government1 and not at all subordinate 
to  civil rulers4 ,and that the only    
ecclesiastical government warranted by  

,christ is his word1 and to continue in 
his church unalterable1 is              
,presbyterial church government1        
exclusive of all superior dignity above 
a teaching presbyter1 and consisting in 
her judicative capacity of              
kirk-sessions1 in subordination to      
presbyteries2 of presbyteries1 in       
subordination to provincial synods2 of  
provincial synods1 in  subordination to 
national2 and national to ecumenical    
assemblies1 or  general councils4       
,and further1 they assert1 that the     
office-bearers of the ,lord's house1    
are1 according to the command1 and in   
the name and authority of the ,lord     
,jesus ,christ1 the only ,lawgiver and  
,king of his church1 and by virtue of   
the church's intrinsic power derived    
from ,christ1 to assemble1  constitute  
and adjourn these several courts of his 
house1 nominate the  fixed or occasional
 times of their subsequent meetings1 as 
the church's  condition or exigencies   
require2 although they grant that the   

,christian  magistrate may1 in          
extraordinary cases1 or otherwise1 call 
together a  synod of ministers1 and     
ether fit persons1 for consultation and 
advice  in religious matters3 but in    
which they have no power to judge or    
determine in matters of faith2 but only 
discretively to examine1 whether  the   
synod's determinations and decisions be 
consonant and agreeable to  scripture1  
and accordingly to acquiesce therein2   
,isa4 ix1 #f1 #g2 ,ezek4  xliii1 #aj1   
#aa2 ,acts xv1 #b1 #d1 #f2 #a ,tim4 v1  
#ag2 ,heb4 xiii1 #ag2 #b ,chron4  xix1  
#h-aa2 ,acts xvii1 #aa2 ,confess1 chap4 
#cj1  #a and chap4 #ca1  #a1 #b1  and   
conform to act of assembly1 anno #afdg2 
#b1c2 #b;d book of discipline1  and     
propositions for church government4     
,they likewise assert and maintain1 that
 the office-bearers in the church  of   
,christ1 according to their different   
places and stations therein1  must give 
evidence of their being possessed in    
some suitable measure of  the           

qualifications which ,god in his word   
requires to be in any that are  to be   
placed in such stations or offices1     
particularly that of  devotedness to the
 cause and honor of ,christ4 ,and they  
further assert1  that ministers of the  
gospel1 and other church officers1 must 
enter into  the exercise of their       
office1 at the door of ,christ's        
appointment1 by  the call and choice of 
the ,christian people1 who are capable  
with  judgment to give their consent2 #a
 ,tim4 iii1 from verse #b to #ab2 ,tit4 
i1  #e1 #f1 #g2 ,acts vi1 #b to #f2     
,chap1 xiv1 #bc2 ,john x1 #d1 #e1 and   
agreeable to  the laudable acts and     
ordinances of this church and state1 in 
favor of  reformation principles1 books 
of discipline1 c4    ,,xvi4 ,,of ,,civil
 ,,government4--,in like manner they    
assert and maintain1 that  ,god         
,almighty1 the ,sovereign ,lord of all  
things1 and special protector  and      
preserver of his professed subjects in  
this lower world1 hath for  his own     

glory and the public good1 authorized   
and instituted in his word  the office  
and ordinance of civil government and   
governors1 for the  preservation of     
external peace and concord1             
administration of justice1  defense and 
encouragement of such as are1 and do    
good1 and punishment of  evil doers1 who
 transgress either table of the law4    
,for all which ends1  subordinate unto  
that of his own glory1 ,god1 the alone  
supreme fountain  of all power1 has     
instituted and appointed this ordinance4
 ,and further  they maintain1 that a due
 measure of those qualifications which  
,god1 the  great lawgiver requires in   
his word1 together with what other      
stipulations according to the same      
unerring rule1 a ,christian people1  who
 are blessed with the light of divine   
revelation1 have made the  fundamental  
conditions of civil government among    
them1 are essentially  necessary to the 
constitution and investiture of lawful  
authority over  such a people4 ,no other

 but such a constitution and            
investiture1 can  either be approven of 
by ,god1 or answer the ends1 ultimate or
  subordinate1 of this ordinance1 unto  
the honor of the great institutor1  as  
appears from ,prov4 viii1 #ae1 #af2     
,psa4 cxlvii1 #ai1 #bj1 and cxlix1 ,g1  
#g1 #h1 #i2 ,isa4 xlix1 #bc2 ,rom4 xiii1
 #a1 #b1 #c1 #d2 ,deut4 xvii1 #ad1 #ae2 
#b  ,sam4 xxiii1 #b1 #c1 #d2 ,exod4     
xviii1 #ba4 ,confess1 chap4 #bc1  #a4   
,seasonable  warning by the general     
assembly1 ,july #bg1 #afdi4 ,act #ae1   
,sess4 #b1 ,parl4  #a1 #afdj4    ,they  
further assert and maintain1 that the   
constituting of the relation  betwixt   
rulers and ruled1 is voluntary and      
mutual2 and that the lawful             
constitution of civil magistrates1 is1  
by the mutual election of the  people   
7in whom is the radical right1 or       
intermediate voice of ,god1 of  choosing
 and appointing such as are to sway the 
scepter of government  over them7 and   
consent of those who are elected and    

chosen for the  exercise of that office1
 with certain stipulations according to 
scripture and right reason1 obliging    
each other unto the duty of their       
different stations and relations4 ,and  
further they affirm that when           
magistrates are so constituted1         
,christians are bound by the law of ,god
  to pray for the divine blessing upon  
their persons and government1  reverence
 and highly esteem them1 yield a        
conscientious subjection and  obedience 
to their lawful commands1 defend and    
support them in the due  exercise of    
their power2 which power magistrates are
 especially to exert  for the outward   
defense of the church of ,god1 against  
all her external  enemies1 restraining  
or otherwise punishing1 as the case may 
require1  all open blasphemers1         
idolaters1 false-worshipers1 heretics1  
with all  avowed contemners of the      
worship and discipline of the house of  
,god2 and  by his civil sanction to     
corroborate all the laws and ordinances 

of  ,christ's house1 providing and      
enjoining that every thing in the house 
of  the ,god of heaven1 be done         
according to the law of the ,god of     
heaven2  ,deut4 xvii1 #ad2 #b ,kings xi1
 #ag2 #a ,sam4 xi1 #ae2 #a ,tim4 ii1    
#a1b2 #a ,peter  ii1 #ag2 ,rom xiii1 #b 
to #h2 #b ,kings xviii1 #d1 and xxiii1  
#a to #bf2 #b ,chron4  xxix1 and xxx1   
chapters throughout2 ,ezra vii1 #bc4    
,confess4 chap4 #bc1   #c1 coronation   
oath of ,scotland1 sworn and subscribed 
by ,charles ,,ii4 at  ,scone1 ,january  
#ast1 #afea1 and oath of fidelity by the
 people4    ,,xvii4 ,,of ,,corruptions  
,,in ,,the ,,two ,,preceding            
,,ordinances4--,but1 with respect  to   
these two great ordinances of divine    
institution1 the magistracy and         
ministry1 with the qualifications of the
 persons and duty of the people1  as    
before asserted1 the ,presbytery reject1
 like as they did1 and hereby  do reject
 and condemn the following contrary     
errors1 tenets and  opinions1 whether of

 older or later date1 vented either by  
open enemies  or professed friends to   
the reformation cause4 ,and1    #a4     
,they reject and condemn that loose     
latitudinarian tenet and opinion  of    
opening the door of communion with the  
church in her judicative  capacity1 or  
sealing ordinances1 unto the grossly    
ignorant1 loose1  careless1 profane and 
scandalous3 and to the anti-christian   
deist1  blasphemous heretic1 or any who 
maintain doctrines1 principles and      
opinions contrary to1 and eversive of   
the cardinal and fundamental  doctrines 
of ,christianity1 or such principles and
 practices as oppose1  obscure or darken
 the church's beauty and purity1 and    
spoil her of her  power1 and            
particularly that of the church of      
,scotland1 in her  attainments in       
reformation2 this being evidently       
destructive and ruinous  to truth and   
holiness1 the only foundation and basis 
of external union  and concord in the   
church1 and consequently of all durable1

 harmonious  and comfortable communion  
among the ministers and members of      
,christ's  mystical body3 ,see ,eph4 v1 
#aa2 ,isa4 viii1 #bj2 ,amos iii1 #c2 #a 
,cor4 vi1  #aj2 ,heb4 xii1 #ad2 ,rev4   
xxii1 #ad1 #ae2 #b ,cor4 vi1 #ag1 #ah2  
and conform to  the acts and practice of
 this church1 in her best and purest    
times1 in  excluding from her communion1
 and refusing to unite with any         
chargeable  as above4    ,again1 they   
hereby reject that false and ungodly    
principle and opinion1  ,that a ,god of 
infinite wisdom has left his professing 
people destitute  of any declaration of 
his will 7which they are absolutely     
bound to  regard7 concerning both the   
institution1 administration and         
qualifications of such persons as should
 administer these two distinct          
ordinances1 government1 civil and       
ecclesiastical2 or that these two       
different species of government have not
 their foundation and  institution1 as  
the ordinances of ,god1 in his revealed 

will2 but that  either 7with the corrupt
 revolution church7 he hath left the    
government  of his house a matter of    
indifference1 and the pattern thereof to
 be  moulded by the discretion of the   
wise men of this world1 and according   
to the corrupt will and fluctuating     
inclination of the people2 or1 with     
their public resolution-brethren1 the   
,seceders1 exchanging the clear         
scriptural and covenanted basis of civil
 government1 with the obscure           
foundation of the law and light of      
nature1 or the more dissolute basis  of 
mere election and acknowledgment of     
whomsoever the primores regni1  though  
never so wicked and licentious1 choose  
and set up as magistrates4  ,which      
notion contains an injurious and impious
 impeachment of divine  revelation1 as a
 rule imperfect and insufficient to     
guide ,christians  into the knowledge of
 the will of ,god1 and their duty1 as   
the peculiar  and professed subjects of 
the ,king of kings1 and supreme         

lawgiver1  concerning all his           
ordinances2 and is contrary to #b ,tim4 
iii1 #af2 ,rom1  ii1 #ad2 ,ezek4 xliii1 
#aa2 and xliv1 #e2 ,lev4 xviii1 #b1 #c1 
#d1 #e2 ,matt1  xxviii1 #bj4 ,confess1  
chap4 #bc1  #c4    ,they in like manner 
reject and condemn the ecclesiastical   
headship of  the church1 blasphemously  
arrogated by that man of sin1 and son of
  perdition the ,pope of ,rome2 with all
 that superiority of dignity and  office
 in the house of ,god1 claimed by       
anti-christian ,prelates1 together  with
 the whole of their hierarchical order1 
and the civil places and  power of      
churchmen1 by both usurped2 which is a  
most wicked attempt to  overturn ,god   
the ,father's deed1 constituting his    
,son ,christ1 sole ,king  and ,head of  
his church1 an exauctorating of ,jesus  
,christ from his  throne1 and headship  
in his church1 an elevation of his      
ministers1  contrary to his will1 and   
the nature and ends of their office2 and
 an  anti-scriptural and confused       

blending together of different and      
distinct  ordinances4 ,psa4 ii1 #f2     
,isa4 ix1 #f1 and xxii1 #bd2 ,col4 i1   
#ah2 ,mark x1  #db1 #dc2 ,luke xxii1    
#be1 #bf2 ,i ,pet4 v1 #c2 #b ,chron4    
xix1 #ab2 #a ,cor4 vii1 #b4  ,confess4  
chap4 #be1  #f1 and contrary to our     
solemn covenants1 and many  acts and    
ordinances of both church and state1 in 
times of reformation4    ,they likewise 
reject and condemn that gross ,erastian 
principle1 ,that the  civil magistrate  
is supreme head over all persons1 and in
 all causes1  ecclesiastical as well as 
civil1 whether in more ancient and later
 times  of tyranny and persecution1     
openly and blasphemously usurped1 or at 
and  since the ,revolution1 more        
craftily yet too manifestly claimed2 as 
appears from the #cgth article of the   
church of ,england1 and king's          
declaration prefixed to the said        
articles3 and is further evident from   
the many encroachments made upon the    
royal dignity and headship of  ,christ1 

by the usurpers of his throne1          
practically vesting themselves  with    
power and authority to convene and      
adjourn at their pleasure1 and  give    
laws and ordinances to the church1 which
 is a daring attack on the  prerogative1
 sovereignty1 wisdom and power of her   
absolute ,king and  ,lord1 on whom1 as a
 nail fastened in a sure place1 his     
,father has hung  all the glory of his  
house1 and vested him with the sole     
supremacy over  the same1 being filled  
abundantly with the spirit of wisdom and
  understanding1 with the spirit of     
counsel and of might1 to direct and     
preside in the management of all her    
concerns1 and to preserve from and      
overcome all her enemies2 ,isa4 xxii1   
#bd1 and xi1 #b1 #c1 and ix1 #f2 ,col4  
i1 #ah2 ,eph4 i1 #bb2 #b ,chr4 xxvi1    
#ah2 ,heb4 v1 #d2 ,confess4 chap4 #be1  
#f4    ,they also reject and condemn    
that ,erastian tenet and opinion1 that  
the  whole or any part of the power1    
mission1 qualifications1 or             

administration of ecclesiastical        
officers1 or ministers of the church of 
,christ1 depends upon the authority and 
dictation of the civil  magistrate1     
because it is manifestly destructive of 
the church's power  and authority1 under
 ,christ her ,head1 and derived from    
him1 and likewise  of the ministerial   
freedom and faithfulness of ,christ's   
embassadors3 and  particularly they     
reject and condemn1 as gross            
,erastianism 7whether  practiced before 
or since the ,revolution1 and especially
 since the  incorporating union with    
,england on terms diametrically opposite
 to  our covenant union71 the civil     
magistrate's limiting the mission of    
office-bearers in the church1 according 
to his will2 prescribing certain        
qualifications1 and restricting to      
certain limitations2 such as the  test1 
indulgences1 allegiance1 assurance1 and 
abjuration oaths1 act  restoring        
patronages1 and the act anent ,porteous1
 together with the  threatened          

deprivation of office and benefice1 upon
 non-compliance2 #a  ,cor4 xii1 #bh2    
,matt1 xviii1 #ag1 #ah2 ,john xx1 #bc4  
,they further reject and condemn that   
,erastian opinion1 that the external    
government of ,christ's house is left   
unto the precarious determination  of   
sinful men1 or hath either its immediate
 or mediate dependence upon  the will   
and pleasure of the civil magistrate1   
according to the import  of the claim of
 right1 the anti-scriptural basis of the
 revolution  settlement4 ,this being    
evidently an impious reflection on the  
perfect  wisdom of the church's ,head1  
subversive of the beauty of his house1  
and  fertile of disorder therein1 laying
 the kingdom of ,christ obnoxious to    
spiritual tyranny and oppression1 when  
strangers1 enemies1 or such as  have no 
call or warrant to build the house of   
the ,lord1 put to their  hand to model  
the form of her government as best suits
 their perverse  inclinations and       
secular views1 in express contradiction 

to the will and  law of the ,god of     
heaven1 ,exod xxv1 #dj1 and xxvi1 #cj2  
,ezek4 xliii1 #aa2 #a  ,chron4 xv1 #ab1 
#ac2 ,neh4 ii1 #bj1 with many other     
texts above cited4    ,again they reject
 and condemn that latitudinarian tenet1 
,that the ,lord  ,jesus ,christ1 the    
alone ,head of the church1 hath left his
 house void of  any particular form of  
government1 of divine institution       
exclusive of  all other1 under the ,new 
,testament dispensation3 which1 is a    
manifest  reflection upon his fidelity  
to him who appointed him1 and most      
absurd  to suppose of him who is true   
and faithful1 as a ,son over his own    
house1  and contrary to ,isa4 ix1 #f1   
#g2 #a ,tim4 v1 #ag2 ,heb4 iii1 #b1 #c1 
#e2 #a ,cor4  xii1 #bh2 ,rom4 xii #f1   
#g1 #h2 ,acts xx1 #ag1 #bh2 ,matt1      
xxviii1 #bj4 ,confess4  chap4 #cj1  #a1 
and to the propositions for church      
government4    ,they further reject and 
condemn that sectarian principle and    
tenet1  whether in former or latter     

times maintained1 that a kirk session1  
or  particular congregational eldership1
 is vested with equal ecclesiastical    
power and authority1 with any superior  
judicatory1 and is neither  subordinate 
nor accountable to them 7in the ,lord7  
in their  determinations4 ,they likewise
 reject as sectarian1 ,that the         
community of  the faithful or professing
 ,christians1 in a private station hath 
any  scriptural warrant for public      
teaching1 or judicative determination in
  the church2 both which opinions are   
not only expressly contrary to          
scripture1 ,acts xv1 throughout1 and    
xvi1 #d2 ,i ,cor4 v1 #d2 #a ,tim3 v1    
#ag2  ,heb4 v1 #d1 and xiii1 #ag1 c1 but
 also have been found hitherto most     
hurtful and dangerous to the church of  
,god1 depriving her ministers and       
members of just and necessary recourse  
to superior judgment and decision  in   
matters difficult1 discrediting and     
prostituting the sacred office of  the  
ministry1 and tending to overthrow a    

standing ministry in the church  of     
,christ1 and subvert that comely and    
beautiful order he hath  prescribed     
therein4    ,in like manner they reject 
and condemn that gross invasion and     
encroachment upon the church's          
liberties1 by the intrusion of popish   
patronages1 whether imposed as a law by 
civil1 or executed by  ecclesiastical   
powers4 ,of the latter of these1 the    
ministers and  judicatories of the now  
corrupt1 harlot ,church of ,scotland1   
cannot but  be more egregiously guilty4 
,the nature of their sacred function and
  trust obliges them to preserve        
inviolate the church's freedom and      
liberties3 but in place of this1 their  
hands are chief in the  trespass1 in an 
authoritative and active enforcement of 
this wicked  act--an act evidently      
destructive of the very nature and      
essence of that  mutual relation between
 pastor and people1 and which has the   
native and  necessary tendency to schism
 in the church1 spiritual leanness1 and 

starving of the flock1 by thrusting in  
idle1 idol shepherds upon them1  such as
 serve not our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 but
 their own bellies2 feed  themselves1   
but not the flock2 and seek not them1   
but theirs1 contrary  to ,john x1 #b1   
#i2 ,heb4 v1 #d2 #a ,tim4 iii1 #c2 #a   
,cor4 xii1 #ad1 with many  more2 and to 
acts of both church and state1 in times 
of reformation in  these covenanted     
lands4    ,but1 on the other hand1 that 
the ,presbytery1 when thus condescending
 on  particulars1 pass not over in      
sinful silence1 what stands opposite to 
the word of ,god and their declared     
principles1 as above concerning civil   
authority1 the administrators thereof1  
and subjection of the people  thereto3  
they reject1 likeas they hereby reject  
and condemn that  anti-scriptural       
principle and opinion1 that the divine  
scriptural  ordinance of magistracy has 
not its foundation in the moral         
preceptive  law of ,god 7wherein alone  
his will is revealed and declared unto  

his  people1 concerning the nature1 use1
 and ends of all his ordinances71 but   
in the subjective light of nature 7even 
as corrupted71 so confused and  dark in 
its discoveries1 so gross and selfish in
 its principles1  motives1 and ends1    
that neither the true nature of this1   
nor any other  of the ordinances of     
,jehovah1 as revealed in his word1 can  
hereby be  known1 or the true use and   
ends thereof sufficiently discovered or 
obtained4    ,they likewise testify     
against1 and reject that equally absurd 
opinion1  as a stream flowing from the  
foresaid corrupt fountain1 that the     
office1  authority1 and constitution of 
lawful magistrates1 does not solely     
belong to professing ,christians1 in a  
,christian reformed land1 but that  the 
election and choice of any one          
whosoever1 made by the civil body       
7whether ,pagan1 ,papist1 ,atheist1     
,deist1 or other enemy to ,god1 to man1 
and to true religion71 makes up the     
whole of what is essential to the       

constitution of a lawful magistrate     
according to ,god's ordinance4 ,a  tenet
 contrary to the light and dictates both
 of reason and scripture4    ,and they  
hereby also disclaim that corrupt       
notion1 that all providential           
magistrates1 who are1 and while they are
 acknowledged by any civil  society     
especially in an apostate backsliding   
land and people from the  scriptural    
standard 7in respect of the origin of   
their office71 are also  preceptive2 and
 that the office and authority of all so
 constituted and  acknowledged1 in      
itself considered1 does equally arise   
from1 and agree  unto the preceptive    
will of ,god1 contrary to scriptural    
precepts1 ,deut4  xvii1 #ah2 what falls 
under scriptural reproof1 ,hos4 viii1   
#d2 and what  greatly depreciates the   
valiant contendings of our honored      
ancestors for  civil reformation1 and   
tends to invalidate their deeds of      
constitution  thereanent4    ,again the 
,presbytery testifies against1 and      

condemns that principle1  that the      
,christian people of ,god ought to give 
explicit acknowledgment  of1 implicit   
subjection and obedience to1 whatever   
civil authority  7though most wicked and
 unlawful7 the ,lord in his holy        
providence1 may1  for the trial and     
punishment of his church1 permit a      
backsliding people  to constitute and   
set up1 without regard to the precept of
 his word4 ,and  they hereby reject     
whatever in opposition to the covenanted
 principles  of the ,church of          
,scotland1 does justly1 and in its own  
nature imply a  voluntary and real      
acknowledgment of the lawfulness of the 
title and  authority of an              
anti-scriptural1 anti-covenanted1 and   
,erastian  government1 constituted upon 
the ruins of our scriptural covenanted  
reformation4 ,particularly1 they testify
 against praying for success and        
prosperity to such1 in their stated     
opposition to the ,lord and his         
,anointed1 or in any form implying a    

homologation of their title as  lawful1 
swearing oaths of fidelity and          
allegiance to such1 accepting any       
office from such1 and executing these in
 their name and authority under  them1  
military associations with such1 by a   
voluntary enlisting under  their banner1
 and fighting for their support and     
establishment4 ,and that  in regard     
these are actions1 as they express a    
proper and explicit  owning of the      
lawfulness of that authority1 which they
 immediately  respect1 so they are such 
as cannot be obtained without the actual
  consent of the party performing1 and  
must therefore imply a deliberate       
approbation of foresaid iniquitous      
authority4    ,further1 they testify    
against a direct and active1 free and   
voluntary  paying of tribute and other  
dues1 unto such1 and that for conscience
  sake1 as unto the ordinance of ,god1  
according to his precept2 and           
particularly1 when these dues are       
required as a tessera of loyalty to     

such2 or when required1 as an evidence  
of a person's active contributing  to   
the accomplishment of some wicked       
action1 expressly declared to be  the   
immediate end of the imposition4 ,thus  
the case was in the time of             
persecution1 when the declared end of   
the additional cess1 was the  immediate 
suppression of the pure preaching of the
 gospel in the fields4  ,as also1 not   
only against professed witnesses for    
reformation  principles1 their          
prosecuting of their witnessing brethren
 at law before  the courts of           
anti-scriptural1 unqualified judges2 but
 generally1  against all law processes1 
in a way of direct counteracting any    
part of  reformation attainments1 or    
express homologating the authority of an
  unlawful judge4 ,and1 in fine1 against
 all voluntary subjection1 for          
conscience sake1 unto such powers as are
 not the ordinance of ,god1  according  
to his revealed preceptive will1 as     
contrary to scripture2 #b  ,sam4 ii1    

#aj2 #b ,kings xi1 #d1 #ag2 #b ,chron4  
xix1 #b2 ,isa4 viii1 #ab and lxv1  #aa2 
,rom4 xiii1 #a to #h2 #a ,cor4 vi1 #a to
 #h1 contrary to the acts of this       
church approving1 and ordinances of the 
state1 establishing the civil  authority
 upon its scriptural foundation1 and    
thereby discovering the  proper object  
of a ,christian people's voluntary and  
conscientious  subjection2 and          
particularly1 to the act of classes4    
,while in the  meantime1 it must be     
acknowledged1 that the state and        
condition of  ,presbyterian ,covenanters
 in these lands1 continuing1 as a       
community1 to  witness and contend for  
reformation of both church and state1   
that  obtained1 and was established1    
between #afch and #afej1 cannot be      
regarded  as that of a free people      
enjoying their ancient privileges and   
liberties1 but as that of an oppressed  
people1 brought under the power  of a   
conqueror1 and no better than captives  
in their own land4 ,as this  was        

evidently the state of the suffering    
remnant under the persecuting  period1  
when1 by the force of the sword1 they   
were robbed of their  former liberties1 
and reduced to the most deplorable      
condition4 ,so1  however the ,revolution
 did alter some circumstances in the    
condition of  ,covenanters2 yet1 in     
regard it was established upon1 and did 
homologate  the overthrow of the        
reformation1 to which that people do    
still adhere1  it could make no         
substantial change in their condition1  
from what it  formerly was4 ,and        
moreover1 as it is necessarily requisite
 to the  constituting of the relation   
between magistrate and people1 that     
there  be a mutual and voluntary        
consent2 and as the community of        
presbyterian  ,covenanters did never1 at
 or since the ,revolution1 give such    
consent2  but1 on the contrary1 have1 in
 the most public manner1 protested      
against  the constitution and           
installment of rulers in agreeableness  

thereto1 as  being contrary to the word 
of ,god1 covenanted constitution1 and   
fundamental laws of the nations2 as is  
evident from their printed  testimonies 
and declarations4 ,it follows1 that     
their state is that of an  oppressed    
people1 in passive subjection to a      
conquering power1 whose  duty is1 to    
wait with patience upon ,israel's ,god  
for his return to  revive his work1 and 
recall the bondage of his ,zion4 ,and   
while they  are to take care to do      
nothing that justly implies their       
consent to the  continued opposition    
made unto the covenanted reformation1   
yet they  ought to observe a proper     
difference between such actions and     
things as  are necessary1 and in        
themselves just and lawful1 by a moral  
obligation1  and those that are not so4 
,as also1 between that which cannot be  
had1  nor the value or equivalent of it1
 unless the person actually give it2    
and that which may be obtained1 whether 
he actually contribute to it or  not4#g 

,most applicable to this our present    
condition1 are the words of  the        
,levites1 expressing the distressed     
state of ,israel1 which they  had       
brought themselves into by their sins1  
as recorded by ,neh4 ix1 #cf1  #cg3     
,behold we are servants this day2 and   
for the land thou gavest unto  our      
fathers1 to eat the fruit thereof1 and  
the good thereof1 behold we  are        
servants in it3 and it yieldeth much    
increase unto the kings which  thou hast
 set over us1 because of our sins2 also 
they have dominion over  our bodies1 and
 over our cattle1 at their pleasure1 and
 we are in great  distress4    ,likewise
 the ,presbytery testify against all    
ministerial or church  communion with   
such1 who1 though they may occupy the   
place of  office-bearers in the church  
of ,christ1 yet are destitute of those  
qualifications indispensably required by
 the church's ,head1 or enter not  into 
their office by the door he has         
appointed in his word1 own another  head

 than ,christ1 or apostatize and fall   
from the truth and cause of  ,christ1   
formerly espoused and sworn to by them  
in a church capacity2  against all      
active owning and countenancing of such1
 by attending upon  any of their corrupt
 official ministrations1 or receiving   
any ordinances  from such1 to whom the  
,lord has denied his blessing4 ,against 
all  voluntary contracting with         
prelates1 curates1 or such officers of  
human  invention in the church1 for     
paying tithes or other dues unto them1  
as  unto lawful1 scriptural parish      
ministers4 ,for besides that there is   
nothing due unto them1 their office     
having no divine authority2 so there    
being under the ,new ,testament a change
 of the priesthood1 there is also  a    
change of the law1 respecting tithes2   
according to #b ,cor4 vi1 #ag2 ,rev4    
ii1 #bj1 c4    ,by all which it appears1
 from what is above asserted and        
declared  concerning these two divine   
distinct ordinances1 the ministry and   

magistracy1 that the principles         
maintained thereanent by the            
,presbytery1  are nothing else than an  
endeavor1 as a judicatory of the ,lord  
,jesus  ,christ1 constituted in his     
name1 to hold fast the church of        
,scotland's  testimony1 agreeable to the
 scriptures of truth1 for confession and
  covenants1 fundamental acts and       
constitutions both of church and state  
and this1 according to the command of   
the church's sole ,king and ,head2      
,rev4 ii1 #be1 and iii1 #aa4 ,and what  
is testified against1 is1 in the  nature
 of it1 an homologation of the church's 
faithful opposition to  backsliders1 in 
their course of defection1 from the     
national1  attainments in religion and  
reformation1 resisting even unto blood1 
striving against sin4    ,,xviii4 ,,of  
,,oaths ,,and ,,vows4--,the ,presbytery 
further assert and declare1  that oaths 
and vows are a part of religious        
worship1 warranted in the  word of ,god1
 and under the ,new ,testament          

dispensation1 and may be  lawfully taken
 and entered into by the ,lord's people4
 ,that such oaths  and vows only are    
warrantable1 as are lawful both for the 
matter and the  manner of them2 and     
those that are so1 when once engaged in1
 must not be  violated on any           
consideration1 and that1 because of the 
authority of the  awful name of ,god    
interposed in them4 ,and further1 they  
declare1 that  the right of             
administering oaths is competent only to
 those vested with  such authority as is
 agreeable to the word of truth4 ,as    
also1 that it is  the incumbent duty of 
,christians1 by solemn oath to bind     
themselves to  maintain and defend the  
persons of righteous rulers1 in the     
lawful  exercise of their authority2 and
 to such only1 it is lawful to swear    
oaths of allegiance and fidelity4 ,and  
hereby1 they disapprove the  principle  
of refusing allegiance to lawful        
authority4 ,at the same time1  the      
,presbytery testify against1 as above1  

all the oaths of allegiance in  being1  
to an ,erastian ,prelatical government4 
,and further1 they reject  and detest   
that sinful1 idolatrous and             
superstitious form of swearing1  in     
laying the hand upon1 and kissing the   
gospels1 practiced by the  ,prelatical  
churches of ,england and ,ireland1 and  
even introduced into  ,scotland1 as a   
gross profanation of that holy          
ordinance1 and contrary  to the         
scripture examples thereof4 ,hereby they
 also testify against all  sinful       
swearing1 whereby the name of ,god1 his 
titles1 perfections1 or  graces of his  
,holy ,spirit1 are profaned in ordinary 
discourse4 ,as also1  the unnecessary   
oaths of customhouse1 trade1 c41 as a   
reiterated and  fearful profanation of  
the name of ,god4 ,and moreover1 they   
testify  against1 and condemn that      
ungodly and superstitious oath1         
practiced by  that unhallowed club1     
called ,free ,masons3 according to      
,deut4 x1 #bj2  ,exod4 xx1 #g2 ,neh4    

xiii1 #be2 ,ezra x1 #e2 ,deut4 vi1 #ac2 
,matth4 iv1 #ce1 #cf2  ,ezek4 xvii1 #af1
 #ag1 #ah1 #ai2 ,rev4 x1 #e1 #f2 ,jer4  
iv1 #b4 and v1 #b2 ,confess4  chap4 #bb4
    ,again1 they testify and declare1   
that the work of solemn covenanting     
with a ,god in ,christ1 is a duty       
warranted in the scriptures of the ,old 
and ,new ,testament1 and by the examples
 of the godly1 agreeable thereto2  and  
that not only to individuals in         
particular1 but to churches and  nations
 in general4 ,which covenants once      
entered into1 and being for the  matter 
of them lawful1 are most sacred1 and    
therefore inviolably  binding2 and what 
cannot be broken or transgressed1       
without manifest  guilt1 and incurring  
the dreadful resentment of a holy and   
jealous ,god1  who has severely         
threatened to punish covenant-breakers4 
,and hence they  assert1 that the       
,national ,covenant of ,scotland1 and   
the ,solemn ,league  and ,covenant      
entered into by the three nations1 for  

reformation and  defense of religion1   
and for the maintainance and            
preservation of the  truths and         
ordinances of ,god in purity1 and sworn 
by our honored  ancestors1 not only for 
themselves1 but including also their    
posterity1  are of divine authority1 as 
having their foundation upon the word of
  ,god2 therefore moral1 and so         
perpetually binding upon the nations1   
and  every individual of them1 to the   
latest posterity4 ,wherefore1 the       
,presbytery testify against the         
principle of refusing the lawfulness of 
national covenanting1 particularly1     
under the ,new ,testament  dispensation1
 and all principles and practices that  
strike against the  moral obligation of 
these covenants2 see ,deut4 vi1 #ac1    
,isa4 ix1 #ah1 and  xliv1 #e2 ,jer4 #a1 
#e2 ,deut4 xxix1 #ab to #af1 #bd1 #be2  
,lev4 xxvi1 #be1 #bf2  ,josh1 ix1 #ad1  
#ae1 #ah1 #ai2 #b ,sam4 xxi1 #a2 ,ezek4 
xvi1 #ei1 and xvii1 #ae1  #af1 #ah1 #ai2
 ,hos4 x1 #d2 ,gal4 iii1 #ae2 #b ,cor4  

viii1 #e4 ,see also acts and  ordinances
 both of church and state in times of   
reformation1 respecting  the taking1 and
 binding obligation1 of the covenants4  
,again1 the ,presbytery hereby testify  
and declare their approbation of1  and  
adherence unto1 all the different steps 
of reformation1 that ever1  in any      
period1 were attained unto in this      
church and land3 particularly1  besides 
what has been mentioned above1 they     
declare their adherence to  the         
,westminster ,confession of ,faith1 as  
it was approven by act of the  ,general 
,assembly of the ,church of ,scotland1  
anno #afdg3 ,catechisms1  larger and    
shorter2 ,form of church government1    
,directory for worship1  and ,books of  
,discipline1 as agreeable to1 and       
extracted from the sacred  oracles4     
,and with respect to the fourth article 
of the #bc;d chapter of our             
,confession1 the ,presbytery hereby     
declare1 that they reject that corrupt  
sense and gloss which has been imposed  

upon it1 whether by open enemies1  or   
false friends to our covenanted         
reformation in former or latter  times1 
viz41 ,that a reformed ,christian       
people1 having generally  received1 and 
publicly professing the true religion2  
and more  especially1 having expressly  
and solemnly bound themselves by public 
national vows to the ,most ,high1 for   
the preservation of it1 may  warrantably
 set over them an infidel1 or one of a  
religion differing  from the true       
religion1 and thereupon acknowledge and 
submit themselves  unto him1 as their   
lawful civil ruler for conscience sake4 
,and moreover1  they declare that they  
understand said articles1 as principally
 relating  to the condition of a people 
emerging out of the darkness and        
superstition of ,paganism or ,popery1   
c41 before that religion has  obtained  
the sanction of civil authority2 when1  
although the major part  or bulk of a   
people should embrace the true religion1
 yet that does not  dissolve or loose   

the relation subsisting between them and
 their civil  rulers1 prior to their    
conversion1 agreeable to1 and founded   
upon the  just and reasonable laws of   
the realm4 ,in this case only1 it is    
granted1  that an infidel1 or one of a  
different religion1 may have authority  
just  and legal over a people partly    
converted to the knowledge and gospel of
  ,christ4 ,thus it was with the        
primitive ,christians1 and thus it was  
particularly with our ancestors in      
,scotland1 at the beginning of the      
reformation2 and this perfectly well    
agrees to the apostolic precept and     
determination in a case similar to the  
above2 #a ,cor4 vii1 #ab1 #ac and #ci1  
and #b ,cor4 vi1 #ad4    ,as also1 they 
further declare their approbation of1   
and adherence to all  the faithful      
testimonies1 declarations and           
protestations1 emitted by the  witnesses
 for the work of reformation1 whether   
before or under the late  times of      
tyranny and persecution1 in prisons1    

scaffolds1 or in the  fields1 by land or
 sea2 or by such1 as since that time    
have succeeded4  them in the self same  
testimony1 as they are founded upon1 and
 agreeable  to the word of truth1 and as
 a just and proper vindication of       
foresaid  covenanted cause4 ,and        
particularly with the above proviso and 
limitation1 they declare their adherence
 to the ,rutherglen1 ,sanquhar  and     
,lanerk declarations1 annis #afgi1      
#afhj1 #afhb2 as also to the            
declarations published at ,sanquhar1    
#afhc1 #afhd1 #afib1 and #afie1 #agjc1  
#agjg2 to the informatory vindication1  
and cloud of witnesses2 to the          
covenants national and solemn league1   
sworn at ,auchensaugh1 near  ,douglas1  
in the year #agab1 at ,crawfurd-john    
#agde2 with the  additional             
acknowledgments of sins1 and engagements
 to duties at these  times2 to the      
declarations published at ,sanquhar1    
#agah1 and at  ,montherrick1 #agdj1     
#agda4 ,and in like manner1 they testify

 their  adherence to the ,act formerly  
emitted by this ,presbytery1 in         
condemnation of the universal scheme4   
,and they do hereby testify  against1   
and disapprove all partiality and       
unfaithfulness1 whether in  respect of  
right or left hand extremes1 in any     
testimonies1 published in  a way of     
professed adherence to reformation      
principles2 particularly1  they reject  
the testimony published by those        
designated the ,associate  ,presbytery1 
as no adequate testimony for truth1     
because of the  partiality and          
unfaithfulness1 both to ,god and the    
generation1  discovered therein2 being1 
instead of a faithful vindication1 no   
better  than a burial of some of the    
most important attainments in           
reformation  of this church and land4   
,and they likewise reject1 detest and   
abhor that  spurious brat1 stuffed with 
gross error1 blasphemy and nonsense1    
most  falsely and unjustly designated1  
,a testimony for the word of ,christ's  

patience1 by that sacrilegious usurper  
of the ministry1 ,william  ,dunnet1 who1
 being once plunged into the depths of  
enthusiasm1 such is  his madness1 that  
under pretense of an immediate mission  
from heaven1 he  not only daringly      
usurps the whole of the ministerial     
function1 but also  wickedly claims an  
,erastian exercise of the office of the 
civil  magistrate1 in a stupid          
unaccountable declaration of war1       
offensive and  defensive1 against all   
mankind1 himself1 and his blind-folded  
confederates only excepted2 having      
probably had these anti-scriptural      
notions instilled into him by the       
industry of some unstable heads1 who1   
after they had made a professed         
subjection to this ,presbytery1 in the  
,lord1 did1 with some others of the same
 stamp1 in a most unwarrantable  and    
schismatical manner1 break off from     
their communion1 without so much  as    
discovering any shadow of reason1 in    
justification of their rash1  ungrounded

 and precipitate separation4    ,upon   
the whole1 the ,presbytery1 protesting  
that they have been  influenced to this 
necessary work of displaying a judicial 
banner for  the covenanted cause and    
interest of our exalted ,redeemer1      
purely out of  a regard to the glory of 
,god1 a desire that ,christ's kingdom   
may be  advanced1 and his buried truths 
revived1 as also a concern for the      
welfare and happiness of the present and
 succeeding generations1 do  earnestly1 
in the bowels of our ,lord ,jesus       
,christ1 beseech and obtest  all and    
every one1 into whose hands this        
testimony may come1 that1  without      
considering the insignificancy of the   
instruments1 and laying  aside prejudice
 and carnal selfish considerations1 they
 receive the  truth as it is in ,jesus1 
not only in the notion1 but in the love 
and  power of it2 that they take with   
the many just and highly aggravated     
grounds of the ,lord's controversy1 and 
causes of his wrath against us1  not    

only on account of private and personal 
wickedness come to a very  great height1
 but particularly on account of the     
general opposition to  the public       
concerns of his glory1 in what respects 
the doctrine1  worship1 government and  
discipline of his house4 ,alas6 our     
public  abominations are both           
obstinately persisted in and publicly   
justified4  ,that they lay to heart the 
great and terrible wickedness of the day
 and  generation1 with deep humiliation 
before the ,lord1 while he waits to1 be 
gracious1 and is calling all ranks to   
humble themselves1 and saying1  ,rend   
your heart and not your garments1 and   
turn unto the ,lord your ,god1  for he  
is gracious and merciful2 ,joel ii1 #ac4
 ,that1 in the way of  flying under the 
covert of the atoning blood of the ,son 
of ,god1 by faith  in his name1 for the 
remission of sins1 and endeavoring after
 personal  reformation1 as to all the   
impiety and irreligion1 all the         
detestable  indifferency1 lukewarmness  

and hypocrisy1 in the matters of ,god1  
which  universally prevail2 they also   
study and set about public reformation1 
every one in their several stations1    
according to our solemn national        
engagements1 concurring to restore the  
,lord's ruined and buried work1  and    
rebuild his house1 which is now lying as
 a desolate heap1 covered  over with the
 rubbish of manifold errors1 corruptions
 and human  inventions4 ,if we still    
hold fast our abominations1 and will    
not1 by  repentance and reformation1    
return and give glory to the ,lord our  
,god  before he cause darkness1 then1   
when he returns for the salvation of    
,zion1 ,he will come treading down the  
people in his anger1 and making  them   
drunk in his fury1 and bringing down    
their strength to the earth2  ,isa4     
lxiii1 #f4 ,but is there no hope in     
,israel concerning this thing8  ,is     
there no balm in ,gilead8 ,is there not 
a physician there8 ,is there  not virtue
 in ,christ's blood for the most        

desperate cases1 that  churches1 as well
 as particular persons1 can be in8 ,is  
there not ground  to hope1 that the     
,lord will not altogether forsake these 
sinful lands1  which were given to him  
of old for an inheritance1 and wherein  
he has so  long maintained his          
possession1 but that he will yet build  
up our  ,zion1 and appear in his glory  
therein1 will plead his own cause1      
revive his own work1 a covenanted work  
of reformation1 and remove all  the     
contempt and ignominy which it presently
 lies under8 ,sure the  continuance of  
his gracious calls and invitations to   
return to him1  gives ground to hope1   
that our ,israel hath not been forsaken1
 nor  ,judah of his ,god1 of the ,lord  
of ,hosts1 though their land was filled 
with sin against the holy ,one of       
,israel2 ,jer4 li1 #e4 ,and though1     
while  so much of error1 prejudice and  
carnal interest1 lie as impassable      
mountains in the way1 there is little   
appearance of the nations taking  this  

course yet the ,lord seems still to     
bespeak us in that endearing  language1 
,jer4 iii1 #ab1 ,go and proclaim these  
words towards the north1  and say1      
,return thou backsliding ,israel1 saith 
the ,lord1 and ,i will  not cause mine  
anger to fall upon you2 for ,i am       
merciful1 saith the  ,lord1 and ,i will 
not keep anger forever4 ,though we have 
nationally torn  our marriage contract  
with heaven1 and taken away our names1  
yet the  ,lord has not4 ,turn1 ,o       
backsliding children1 saith the ,lord1  
for ,i am  married unto you4 ,let all1  
then1 repent1 and turn themselves from  
all  their transgressions1 so iniquity  
shall not be their ruin2 but if not1    
then let all the impenitent despisers of
 the repeated calls of mercy  know1 that
 abused patience will at length turn    
into fury1 and the ,lord  ,jehovah1 who 
has already furbished his sword1 and    
prepared the  instruments of death1 will
 speedily give that dreadful commission 
to the  executioners of his wrath3 ,put 

ye in the sickle1 for the harvest is    
ripe2 come1 get you down1 for the press 
is full1 the fats overflow1 for  their  
wickedness is great3 ,joel iii1 #ac4    
,but because ,god will do this  to      
,israel1 let us prepare to meet our     
,god4 ,further1 the ,presbytery  invite 
and entreat all who tender the glory of 
,god1 the removal of the  causes of his 
wrath and indignation1 and who desire   
the continuance of  his tabernacle and  
gracious presence among us1 to come and 
join in a  harmonious1 zealous and      
faithful testimony for the precious     
truths and  interest of ,zion's glorious
 ,king1 and against every course that   
has a  tendency to heighten1 and at last
 to lay on the copestone of our         
defections4 ,consider it is the ,lord's 
call and command to every one1  even in 
their most private station1 ,contend    
earnestly for the faith  once delivered 
to the saints4 ,it is the burden he1 at 
this day1 lays on  his church and       
people3 ,hold fast what thou hast till  

,i come1 that no  man take thy crown2   
hold fast by our former attainments in  
reformation4  ,and finally1 the         
,presbytery exhort all with whom they   
are more  particularly connected1 ,to   
stand fast in one spirit1 with one mind1
  striving together for the faith of the
 gospel1 and in nothing terrified  by   
your adversaries4 ,let the flame of     
fervent and true love to ,god1 his      
truths1 and to one another1 prevent and 
extinguish the wild fire of  unnecessary
 and hurtful mutual animosities2 and    
endeavoring to keep the  unity of the   
spirit in the bond of peace1 study      
oneness in promoting  the ,lord's       
opposed work1 and in walking in the good
 old way1 without  turning aside to the 
right hand or to the left1 because of   
the lion that  is therein1 and without  
laying other foundations than what were 
laid4  ,let none of ,christ's true and  
faithful witnesses suffer their hearts  
to  sink into despondency2 the cause is 
the ,lord's1 and assuredly he will      

thoroughly plead that cause which is his
 own4 ,it will outlive all its  enemies1
 and yet have a glorious resurrection2  
and this will be the  crown and comfort 
of all such as continue1 amidst all     
trials and  sufferings1 contending for  
him1 in the blessed expectation of the  
conqueror's everlasting reward4         
,therefore1 lift up the hands that hang 
down1 and strengthen the feeble knees2  
greater afflictions have been           
accomplished in those that are gone     
before1 and are now inheriting the      
promises1 than any wherewith the ,lord  
is presently trying his church4  ,and as
 the ,god of all grace1 after they had  
suffered awhile1 made them  perfect1 and
 put them in possession of that eternal 
glory to which they  were called by     
,jesus ,christ1 so shall he establish1  
strengthen and keep  his people still   
from falling1 and1 after all their      
sorrows and  sufferings1 present them   
faultless before the presence of his    
glory1  with exceeding joy4 ,return1 we 

beseech thee1 ,o ,god of ,hosts2 look   
down  from heaven1 and behold and visit 
this vine2 and the vineyard which thy   
right hand hath planted1 and the branch 
that thou madest strong for  thyself1 it
 is burnt with fire1 it is cut down1    
they perish at the  rebuke of thy       
countenance4 ,let thy hand be upon the  
man of thy right  hand1 upon the ,son of
 man whom thou madest strong for        
thyself1 so will  not we go back from   
thee2 quicken us1 and we will call upon 
thy name2  turn us again1 ,o ,lord of   
,hosts1 cause thy face to shine1 and we 
shall be  saved3 ,let ,god arise1 let   
,zion's immortal and omnipotent ,king   
,jesus  reign1 and let all his enemies  
be scattered2 but let them that love him
  be as the sun1 when he goeth forth in 
his might4    ,extracted by ,,jo4       
,,thorburn1 ,pr4 ,clk4                  
,,addenda4    ,in addition to what is   
said 7from page #fe to #fg preceding1   
respecting  the establishment of ,popery
 in ,canada71 the ,presbytery deeply    

lament1  that1 in the present edition of
 their ,testimony1 they are furnished   
with  fresh matter to animadvert upon   
the continued tendency of the ,british  
administration in favor of the religion 
of ,antichrist4    ,not long after the  
civil establishment of ,popery in       
,canada1 new  privileges1 civil and     
religious1 were bestowed upon the       
professors of  that religion at home1   
both in ,england and ,ireland1 by which 
,catholics  have received toleration1   
under the sanction of law1 openly to    
profess  and practice their idolatry1 to
 open seminaries of learning for the    
public instruction of youth in their own
 religion1 and to purchase and  transfer
 estates to their ,popish relations1 in 
direct opposition to the  established   
laws of the land1 framed by our         
,protestant ancestors1 under  the sense 
of felt necessity1 whereby ,catholics   
were laid under  disabilities1 as to the
 enjoyment of those privileges1 which   
they saw to  be inconsistent with the   

peace of the state and safety of the    
,protestant  religion1 on account of the
 barbarous massacres committed by       
,catholics  upon ,protestants1 and the  
numerous hostile attempts made to       
overturn1 by  violence1 the ,protestant 
religion within these lands1 as         
proceeding from  the sanguinary spirit  
of ,popery4 ,the modern plea set up in  
favor of  those privileges being        
conferred upon ,popery1 that the        
,catholics of this  day have candidly   
renounced the whole of their old        
principles which they  held1 as inimical
 to a ,protestant country1 never can be 
admitted1 while  they still retain the  
most dangerous of all their principles1 
viz41  implicit faith in the doctrines  
of supreme councils1 and the dispensing 
authority of the ,pope4 ,against this   
sinful indulgence granted to ,popery1   
the ,presbytery testified at the time1  
in a separate piece1 entitled1 ,a       
,testimony and ,warning against the     
,blasphemies and ,idolatries of ,popery1

  c41 to which they still refer the     
reader4 ,an attempt also was made to    
extend a similar indulgence to          
,catholics in ,scotland1 but which was  
happily frustrated through the zealous  
exertions of the people1 who1  pleading 
the established laws of the land1 boldly
 reclaimed against the  measure1 which  
produced the desired effect of          
compelling the government  to desist4   
,but alas6 no sooner1 was the popular   
zeal cooled1 than  government sowed     
tares by enlarging the privileges of    
,catholics with  regard to civil        
property4 ,the deplorable fact now is1  
that ,popery1  basking in the sunshine  
of legislative power1 advanced to the   
legal  possession of new privileges1 and
 shielded by a formal toleration in the 
neighboring kingdoms1 may be considered 
as enjoying the actual  protection of   
government in ,scotland4 ,in ,ireland1  
privileges of a still  more exalted     
nature are bestowed upon ,popery1 while 
the ,catholic is so  far enfranchised1  

that1 in conjunction with the           
,protestant1 he may give  his voice for 
members to serve in the legislature of  
the country4 ,what  greatly adds to the 
evil is1 the lamentable alteration of   
public  opinion1 so lately displayed    
against the measures of government in   
former indulgences bestowed upon the    
,catholic interest2 but which has  now  
changed into an entire approbation      
thereof1 both by the great body  of the 
people and the minority in the two      
houses of ,parliament2 and the  only    
complaint against government on that    
score is1 that1 stopping short  of      
meeting just claims of ,catholics1 they 
have not ingrafted them into  all the   
privileges of ,british subjects1 and for
 ever done away the  odious distinction 
between ,protestant and ,catholic1 as to
 privilege4    ,when we open our eyes to
 the measures of the present day1 we    
behold  still more abominations4 ,the   
government so far from remembering      
whence  they are fallen1 repenting and  

doing their first works1 have started   
again in the cause of ,antichrist1 by   
leaguing themselves in a military       
expedition with a group of ,popish      
despots on the continent1 who have  long
 given their power to the beast2 of this
 expedition one object  evidently       
appears to be the re-establishment and  
support of ,popery in  ,france1 where   
under the administration of the         
omnipotent1 and avenging  holy          
providence of ,god1 in the pouring out  
of the vials of his wrath  upon the     
beast1 that false religion has received 
a sore and bleeding  wound1 and where   
the people1 long crushed under the      
tyranny of a  despotic throne1 and      
usurpation of an imposing priesthood1   
have risen to  extricate themselves from
 the accumulated oppression1 and by     
their  astonishing efforts have shaken  
off the ,papal yoke1 by renouncing their
  accustomed allegiance to the head of  
the ,antichristian states at ,rome1     
have withdrawn their wonted supplies    

from his treasures1 and completely      
overthrown the temporal power of his    
religion in their own country1  which   
had for many ages kept them in fetters4 
,if any doubt should be  entertained    
with regard to the support afforded to  
the sinking cause of  ,popery in ,france
 by this expedition1 the declaration    
published by the  brother of the late   
,king of ,france1 stiling himself ,louis
 ,,xviii1 at the  head of the emigrants 
in arms1 exhibits the fact in the       
clearest point  of view1 while he       
plainly and unequivocally says1 in that 
declaration1  that their designs are the
 erection of the throne and altar1 by   
which  are meant the civil government   
and the ,catholic religion1 as they     
existed in ,france prior to the         
revolution4 ,britain1 not satisfied with
  sending forth numerous hosts to the   
field abroad1 and lavishing her         
treasures to supply the exhausted       
finances of the coalesced powers1 has   
opened her arms at home to receive      

flying emigrants1 caressed by her1 as   
if they had been sufferers in the cause 
of genuine ,christianity4 ,by the  voice
 of ,episcopal dignitaries the ,popish  
clergy have been extolled1 as  men of   
the most eminent piety1 while places    
have been furnished by  government1 to  
accommodate them in their mass service2 
and a branch of  the bloody house of    
,bourbon1 whom divine vengeance has     
reduced to the  abject state of a       
wandering exile1 is admitted among us1  
with all marks  of honor1 and1 with his 
train1 provided for1 as if he were a    
zealous  supporter of the ,protestant   
cause1 seeking an asylum from the rage  
of  ,papal persecution in this reformed 
land4 ,it cannot escape the notice of   
the attentive observer1 how closely the 
crown of ,britain has become  allied to 
this false religion1 in consequence of  
the conquest of the  island of ,corsica1
 and the accession of the crown of that 
island to the  crown of ,britain4       
,according to the new constitution of   

,corsica1 the king  of ,great ,britain1 
as represented by his viceroy1 makes an 
essential  branch of the parliament1 all
 the acts whereof must be assented to by
  him1 in order1 to give them the force 
of law4 ,now1 it is to be remarked1     
that in this constitution ,popery is    
expressly declared to be the only       
established religion in the island2 it  
is therefore agreed to be divided  into 
districts1 to be filled up with         
ministers of the ,catholic religion1    
endowed with legal maintenance4 ,so the 
king of ,britain1 as wearing the        
,corsican crown1 engages to unite this  
constitutional establishment of  the    
,catholic religion1 the king of ,great  
,britain1 as the king of  ,corsica1     
gives his firm assent4 ,moreover1 to    
provide for the more  extensive         
propagation of ,popery in ,corsica1 the 
legislature stipulate to  consult with  
the ,see of ,rome2 here1 also1 he       
engages to join the wisdom  of his      
counsels to those of the ,pope1 for the 

express purpose of giving  a wider      
spread to ,popery4 ,if the prophet ,jehu
 accused ,jehoshaphat1  though a good   
prince1 when he was returning from a    
military expedition  with ,ahab1 king of
 ,israel1 in such cutting language2 #b  
,chron4 xix1 #b1  ,shouldst thou help   
the ungodly1 and love them that hate the
 ,lord8  therefore1 is wrath upon thee  
from the ,lord3 in what words shall we  
pronounce upon this conduct of ,britain1
 in mixing with her politics and  wars1 
active measures to raise again the      
falling ,dagon of ,popery from  the     
threshold1 and to help forward the      
interests of a religion which the  ,lord
 has solemnly declared he will destroy  
with the judgments of his  hand and the 
brightness of his coming4 ,besides the  
iniquity of the thing  itself1 in giving
 direct aid to this religion2 our guilt 
derives great  aggravations from a view 
of the present dispensations of         
,providence in  visibly sending down    
terrible judgments 7no matter through   

what rough  hands7 upon that            
anti-christian power1 that has long1 sat
 upon many  waters2 and the loud voice  
of ,jehovah is uttering1 on the awful   
crisis  of its downfall1 to all the     
fearers of his name to escape a share in
 its  judgments1 by flying away from all
 communion with its evils2 ,rev4 xviii1 
#d1 ,come out of her1 my people1 that ye
 be not partakers of her sins1  and that
 ye receive not of her plagues4 ,but1   
blind to his avenging  hand1 and deaf to
 this summons1 ,great ,britain1 once    
without1 is now  again returning into a 
most unlawful communion to support this 
adjudged  power1 by which she           
constitutes herself a partner in its    
sins1 and  thereby exposes herself to a 
portion of its plagues4 ,in vain will it
 be  urged as a plea of justification1  
that the authors of the revolution in   
,france1 having overturned the          
constitution of their own country1 and  
spread desolation through the wide      
extent of it1 menaced other nations1    

and us also2 and that1 therefore1       
,britain1 acting on the first principle 
of nature's law1 self-preservation1     
joined the allied powers for her own    
defense4 ,though the ,presbytery are by 
no means to be understood as  giving    
their suffrage for the lawfulness and   
justice of the war on our  side2 yet1   
for the sake of argument1 allowing the  
plea--what then8 ,will  this sanctify   
the measures adopted by ,britain1 in    
recovering1 supporting  and propagating 
the cause of ,popery1 that the conquest 
of the enemy1 and  her own safety are   
the ends ultimately to be gained by     
them8 ,the  ,christian maxim1 that evil 
is not to be done that good may come1   
binds  as strongly nations as           
individuals4 ,popery is not a local     
evil2 it is  still the mystery of       
iniquity1 as much in ,france1 and in    
,corsica1 as it  is in ,great ,britain2 
it is everywhere the forbidden fruit1   
not to be  touched4 ,if the security of 
a ,protestant country is to be sought   

for1 in  dependence upon1 or in any     
state of connection with the            
co-existence and  maintenance of        
,antichrist1 we have indeed a feeble    
pillar to rest upon1  for1 as sure as   
,god himself has spoken it1 the ,papal  
kingdoms are the  ,babylon to fall and  
to rise no more again at all4 ,perhaps1 
our allies  would not be pleased with   
another mode of conduct2 and shall we   
run the  hazard of displeasing the ,god 
of all our salvation1 to gratify1 in    
sin1  the friends of the man of sin8 ,if
 the crown of ,corsica cannot be worn1  
but upon the condition of supporting    
,popery1 and joining in councils  with  
the ,church of ,rome1 to advance her    
interest there1 we are afraid  the      
weight of it1 like a millstone1 will    
sink us deep in the gulf of  ,god's     
wrath4 ,but ,popery was the former      
religion of that island1 and the  people
 wished no change4 ,if the wretched     
inhabitants1 loving darkness  rather    
than the light1 refused to be reclaimed1

 leave them to  themselves1 but why     
should we have fellowship with them in  
their  unfruitful works of darkness4    
,the ,presbytery would not wish to be   
understood as if they meant that        
,protestants ought to raise a crusade1  
in order to exterminate ,catholics in   
foreign lands1 as ,catholics have       
attempted to do against ,protestants1   
for the weapons of our warfare1 in      
propagating religion are not carnal4    
,but it certainly is the incumbent  duty
 of all ,protestant nations to abstain  
from anything1 that has a  tendency to  
uphold and propagate their religion2 and
 as no positive  countenance should be  
given to it1 so it is highly proper that
 ,catholics  should be kept in such a   
state of restraint1 as they may not     
again have  it in their power to repeat 
those bloody scenes1 which ,popery had  
acted  upon us4 ,with a view to deliver 
themselves from the guilt of            
participating in the evil1 the          
,presbytery do lift up a judicial       

testimony against the present           
anti-christian courses of               
administration2  as1 also1 against those
 state fasts1 proceeding from an        
,erastian  supremacy1 which have been   
appointed to be observed by all persons1
 in  order to engage by prayer the      
,almighty to crown their measures with  
success4 ,likewise1 the ,presbytery do  
testify against the national  church1   
particularly her ministers1 who from    
their station ought to act  as spiritual
 watchmen1 and give pointed warning of  
sin and danger on the  present occasion2
 but1 who1 instead of faithfully        
discharging this duty1  sanction all    
these measures of government1 which     
cannot fail to produce  a hardening     
effect upon the generation4    ,n4,b4   
,since writing the above1 by a reverse  
in the war1 ,britain has lost           
possession of ,corsica1 but while this  
does not acquit her of the guilt  of her
 anti-christian administration there1   
neither will it supersede  the necessity

 of our testimony against it4           
99       99       99       99       99  
,,advertisement4    ,the late ,reformed 
,presbytery1 ,june #b;d1 #ahde1 adopted 
the following  doctrinal and practical  
declarations4 ,they have therefore a    
judicial  sanction2 and having been in  
overture before the people prior to the 
action of ,presbytery1 we subjoin them  
as a suitable supplement4  ,cincinnati1 
,nov4 #abth1 #ahej4      ,,judicial     
,,declarations4    #a4 ,man is a free   
agent1 unconscious of restraint in his  
volitions by the  execution of the      
immutable decree of ,god2 and it is not 
possible for  him1 in any instance1 to  
avoid fulfilling that decree3 yet the   
law of  ,god--not his decree--is the    
rule of man's conduct1 and the standard 
of  final judgment4    #b4 ,it is the   
duty of a ,christian to pray for the    
church of ,christ--to  inquire          
diligently into her scriptural          
character1 and to seek covenant         
blessings in her communion4    #c4 ,if  

the majority should violate the terms   
upon which church members  were united1 
it is lawful for the minority to testify
 against the  defection1 and to walk by 
the rule of their former attainments4   
,and when  any community assuming to be 
the ,church of ,christ1 imposes sinful  
terms  of communion--when the           
constitution is anti-scriptural--when   
the  administration is corrupt1 and     
attempts at its reformation have proved 
ineffectual--it is the duty of          
,christians to separate from it3 ,come  
out of her1 my people1 c42 ,rev4 xviii1 
#d4    #d4 ,no member of the ,reformed  
,presbyterian ,church can1 without      
contracting guilt1 in the present state 
of society1 take the oath of  allegiance
 to the government of these ,united     
,states1 hold office1  exercise the     
elective franchise1 act as a juror1 or  
hold communion in  other ecclesiastical 
bodies1 by what is commonly styled      
occasional  hearing2 ,rev4 xi1 #a-c4    
,,terms    ,,of    ,,ministerial ,,and  

,,christian ,,communion    ,,in ,,the   
,,reformed ,,presbyterian ,,church4     
99       99       99       99       99  
#a4 ,an acknowledgment of the ,old and  
,new ,testament to be the ,word of ,god1
  and the alone infallible rule of faith
 and practice4    #b4 ,an               
acknowledgement that the whole doctrine 
of the ,westminster  ,confession of     
,faith1 and the ,catechisms1 larger and 
shorter1 are  agreeable unto1 and       
founded upon the ,scriptures4    #c4 ,an
 acknowledgment that ,presbyterian      
,church government is of divine  right1 
and unalterable3 and that the most      
perfect model as yet attained1  is      
exhibited in the ,form of ,government   
and ,directory for ,worship1 as  adopted
 by the ,church of ,scotland1 in the    
,second ,reformation4    #d4 ,an        
acknowledgment that public1 social      
covenanting1 is an ordinance of  ,god1  
and obligatory on churches and nations  
under the ,new ,testament  dispensation3
 and that the ,national ,covenant of    

,scotland1 and the ,solemn  ,league and 
,covenant of ,scotland1 ,england and    
,ireland1 were an  exemplification of   
this divine institution3 and that these 
solemn deeds  are of perpetual          
obligation upon the moral person1 as    
continued by  representation and        
accession3 and in consistency with this1
  acknowledging the renovation of these 
covenants at ,auchensaugh1 #agab1 to  be
 agreeable to the ,word of ,god4    #e4 
,an approbation of the faithful         
contendings of the martyrs of ,jesus1   
against paganism1 popery1 prelacy1      
malignancy1 and sectarianism2 and       
against immoral constitutions of civil  
government--,erastian tolerations  and  
persecutions which flow therefrom3 the  
,judicial ,act1 ,declaration and        
,testimony1 emitted by the ,reformed    
,presbytery in ,north ,britain1 #agfa1  
together with the ,historical and       
,declaratory ,supplements adopted by the
  ,reformed ,church in ,north ,america1 
#ahej--;as containing an noble example  

for their posterity to follow1 in       
contending for all divine truth1 and  in
 testifying against all corruptions     
embodied in the constitutions of  either
 church or ,state4    #f4 ,practically  
adorning the doctrine of ,god our       
,savior1 by walking in  all his         
commandments and ordinances blamelessly4
            ,,footnotes3    ,footnote   
#a3 ,christ's rights1 c4 ,by these are  
not meant the rights of  ,christ        
personal4 ,it is not in the power of    
mortals1 or any creature1 to  acquire   
and secure these to him2 but the rights 
of ,christ mystical1 that  is1 of the   
church1 or1 of his truth1 true worship1 
and religion1 and  professors of it as  
such4    ,footnote #b3 ,besides the     
above instances of that unholy1         
tyrannical1 and  church-robbing policy1 
which has been exercised by the supreme 
civil  powers in these nations with     
reference to religion and the worship of
  ,god1 all of which existed when the   
presbytery first published their        

testimony1 there has1 of late1 a very   
singular instance of the same kind      
occurred1 in the course of              
administration1 which the presbytery    
cannot  forbear to take notice of1 but  
must embrace the present opportunity to 
declare their sense of1 and testify     
against2 and especially1 as it is  one  
that carries a more striking evidence   
than any of the former1 of our  public  
national infidelity and licentiousness1 
and of our being  judicially infatuated 
in our national counsels1 and given up  
of heaven  to proceed from evil to      
worse1 in the course of apostasy from   
the cause  and principles of the        
reformation4 ,we particularly mean the  
instance of  a late bill or act1 which  
has been agreed upon by both houses of  
parliament1 and which also1 ,june1      
#aggd1 was sanctioned with the royal    
assent1 entitled ,an act for making more
 effectual provision for the  government
 of the province of ,quebec in ,north   
,america4 ,by which act1  not only is   

,french despotism1 or arbitrary power1  
settled as the form of  civil           
government1 but1 which is still worse1  
,popery1 the ,religion of  ,antichrist1 
with all its idolatries and blasphemies1
 has such security  and establishment   
granted it1 as to be taken immediately  
under the legal  protection of the      
supreme civil authority of these nations
 in that vast  and extensive region of  
,canada1 lately added to the ,british   
dominions  in ,north ,america--a        
province so large and fertile1 that it  
is said to be  capable of containing1 if
 fully peopled1 not less than thirty    
millions  of souls4 ,this infamous and  
injurious bill1 before it passed into a 
law1  was publicly reprobated and       
declaimed against by sundry members of  
both  houses4 ,it has been petitioned   
and remonstrated against by the most    
respectable civil body corporated in    
,britain1 or its dominions1 the city  of
 ,london2 by all the provinces of ,north
 ,america south of ,quebec2 and  even by

 the inhabitants of the city of ,quebec 
itself4 ,it has been1 in  the most      
public manner1 in open parliament1      
declared to be a most  cruel1           
oppressive1 and odious measure--a child 
of inordinate power1 c4  ,all which are 
sufficient indications how scandalous1  
offensive1 and  obnoxious this act was4 
,there was afterward1 in the month of   
,may1 #agge1  a bill brought into the   
house of lords1 in order to effectuate  
the  repeal of the foresaid disgraceful 
act1 when1 in the course of public      
debate1 it was represented by those few 
members of the house who  appeared in   
the opposition1 as one of the most      
destructive1 most  despotic1 most       
nefarious acts that ever passed the     
house of peers4 ,but  all in vain--the  
repeal could not be effected4    ,and   
moreover1 let it be further observed    
here1 that the bench of bishops  in the 
house of peers1 who assume the          
anti-christian title of spiritual       
lords1 and pretend to claim a seat in   

parliament for the care of  religion1   
during the whole course of this contest1
 instead of appearing  for the          
,protestant interest1 have1 to their    
lasting infamy1 publicly  distinguished 
themselves in opposition to it1         
by--,standing forth the  avowed         
supporters of ,popery4    ,the          
presbytery1 therefore1 find themselves  
in duty obliged1 in their  judicative   
capacity1 principally in behalf of the  
rights and interests  of the great ,god 
and of his ,son ,jesus ,christ our      
,redeemer--that is to  say1 in behalf of
 the rights of truth1 true religion1 and
 righteousness  among men1 which he ever
 owns as his1 to add1 as they hereby do1
 their  public testimony against this   
nefandous national deed1 so manifestly  
injurious to all these4    ,the         
presbytery do not1 as some others1 found
 their testimony against  this          
extravagant act establishing ,popery1   
c41 in ,canada1 solely or  simply on its
 injuriousness to the private interests 

of men--their  bodily lives1 goods1 or  
outward privileges2 nor do they declare 
against  and condemn it merely because  
that religion which is sanctioned with  
this national decree and engagement for 
its defense is a sanguinary one3  ,has  
deluged our island in blood1 and        
dispersed impiety1 persecution1  and    
murder1 c41 through the world4 7,see an 
address from the general  congress to   
the people of ,great ,britain47 ,these  
are all indeed  incontestable proofs    
that it is not the religion of the      
divine ,jesus1  but of antichrist4      
,nevertheless1 the same have been known 
to be the  staple and constant fruits of
 ,prelacy too1 which1 to the extent of  
its  reach and influence1 has as much   
,christian blood wrapped up in its      
skirts as ,popery1 if not more4 ,nor yet
 is it merely on account that it  is    
greatly injurious1 as indeed it is1 and 
a notorious breach of the  public faith 
to the ,british ,protestant settlers in 
that province4 ,the  presbytery's       

particular objections against this      
extraordinary measure  are of a         
different quality4 ,they are briefly    
such as follow3    #a4 ,the iniquity of 
it against ,god4 ,it is certainly a deed
 highly  provoking and dishonoring to   
the ,god of heaven4 ,for 7#a71 it is a  
giving  that public protection and      
countenance to a lie1 i4e4 to idolatry  
and  false worship 7and to              
anti-christian idolatry1 the worst of   
all other71  which is only due to the   
truth of ,god4 ,it is a devoting and    
giving our  national power to the       
preservation of the life of the ,romish 
beast1  after the deadly wound given it 
by the ,reformation4 ,and therefore     
7#b71 a  most wretched prostitution of  
the ordinance of civil power1 sacred by 
its divine institution1 to be a terror  
and restraint to evil doers1  and a     
praise to them that do well1 ,rom4      
xiii1--to the quite contrary  purposes4 
,what right have open idolaters and     
blasphemers to be protected  and        

supported by any ordinance of ,god in   
the public acts of their  idolatry8 ,and
 how awful is it to think 7#c71 that it 
is a setting  ourselves openly to fight 
against ,god1 in a national engagement  
to  support and defend what ,god has    
declared and testified to us in his     
word1 he will have destroyed2 and       
wherein he expressly forbids giving  the
 least countenance to idolatry4 ,and    
shall we thus harden ourselves  against 
,god and prosper8 7#d71 ,as this last   
instance of our profane  national policy
 is a still more open discovery of our  
incorrigibleness  in our apostasy1 so it
 is also the most striking of all the   
former of  that ,erastianism and        
spiritual supremacy exercised by the    
civil powers  in these lands over the   
church and kingdom of ,christ4 ,herein  
we have an  open and avowed             
justification of that anti-scriptural   
right and power  claimed by them to     
settle and establish whatever mode of   
religion they  please1 or is most       

agreeable to the inclinations of the    
people1 or which  best answers their    
worldly political purposes1 although it 
should be the  religion of ,satan in    
place of that of ,christ4 ,this has been
 the great  leading principle all along 
since the ,revolution1 but never more   
openly  discovered than in this         
instance4 ,upon all which it may appear 
how  sinful and provoking to the divine 
,majesty this act must be4    #b4 ,the  
folly and shamefulness of it as to      
ourselves4 ,how disgraceful  and        
dishonorable is this public act in favor
 of ,popery1 even to the  nation itself1
 and its representatives1 who me the    
authors of it4 ,how  palpably           
inconsistent is it with our national    
character and profession  as            
,protestant1 and with our national      
establishments1 civil and               
ecclesiastical 7both which are          
professedly built upon reformation from 
,popery71 to come to take that          
idolatrous religion under our national  

protection1 and become defenders of the 
anti-christian faith2 nay1  were it     
competent for the presbytery as a       
spiritual court1 and spiritual          
watchmen1 to view this act in a civil   
light1 they might show at large1  that  
it is a violation of the fundamental    
national constitutions of the  kingdom1 
and reaches a blow to the credit of the 
legal security granted  to the          
,protestant religion at home4 ,we need  
not here mention how  contrary this act 
is to the fundamental laws and          
constitutions of the  kingdom of        
,scotland1 which are now set aside4 ,but
 it is contrary to1 and  a manifest     
violation of the ,revolution and        
,british constitution itself2  contrary 
to the ,claim of ,right1 yea1 to the    
oath solemnly sworn by every  ,english  
and ,british sovereign upon their       
accession to the throne1 as  settled by 
an act of the ,english parliament in the
 first year of ,william  ,,iii4 ,by     
which they are obliged to profess1 and  

to the utmost of their  power maintain1 
in all their dominions1 the laws of     
,god1 the true  profession of the       
gospel1 and the true reformed religion  
established by  law4 ,but these things  
the presbytery leave to such whom it may
 more1  properly concern4 ,let it1      
however1 be observed that the presbytery
 are  not here to be interpreted as     
approving of the abovesaid oath1 as it  
designedly obliges to the maintenance of
 the abjured ,english hierarchy  and    
popish ceremonies1 which might better be
 called a true reformed  lie1 than the  
true reformed religion4 ,nevertheless1  
this being the  ,british coronation     
oath1 it clearly determines that all    
legal  establishments behoove to be     
,protestant1 and that without a         
violation of  said oath1 no other       
religion can be taken under protection  
of law but  what is called ,protestant  
religion only4    ,the presbytery       
conclude the whole of this additional   
remark with  observing1 ,that as in the 

former instances of the exercise of this
  ,erastian power above mentioned1 the  
present church of ,scotland never  gave 
evidence of her fidelity to ,christ1 so 
far as to testify against  them2 so     
their assembly has1 in a like supine1   
senseless manner1  conducted themselves 
with reference to this last and most    
alarming  instance4 ,notwithstanding all
 that has been remonstrated against it1 
and  in favor of the reformed religion1 
they have remained mute and silent1     
which indeed evidences them not to be   
truly deserving of the character  of    
venerable and reverend1 which they      
assume to themselves1 but  rather that  
of an association2 or1 in the words of  
the weeping prophet1  an assembly of    
treacherous men3 ,jer4 ix1 #b4          
,footnote #c3 ,see pages #fh1 #fi1      
preceding4    ,footnote #d3 ,mr4 ,andrew
 ,clarkson originally belonged to the   
community  of ,old ,dissenters under the
 pastoral inspection of the ,rev4 ,mr4  
,john  ,mc,millan senior2 was educated  

and lived in communion with them1 till  
upwards of the age of thirty years2     
during which time he wrote and          
published a book1 entitled1 ,plain      
,reasons1 c41 setting forth the  grounds
 why ,presbyterian ,dissenters refused  
to hold communion with the  revolution1 
church and state2 but1 having no        
prospect of obtaining  license and      
ordination among them1 in regard they   
had then no ordained  minister belonging
 to them but old ,mr4 ,mc,millan alone1 
it appeared  that1 from a passionate    
desire after these privileges1 he left  
his old  friends1 and made his          
application to the ,associate           
,presbytery1 who  treated him as above  
narrated4    ,footnote #e3 ,mr4 ,john   
,cameron1 then a probationer and clerk  
to their  ,presbytery4    ,footnote #f3 
,these people1 referred to above1 very  
unjustly designate  themselves such who 
adhere to the testimony for the kingly  
prerogative  of ,christ4 ,they did at   
first1 before their agreement with the  

,presbytery1 and ever since their       
elopement1 do still profess to appear   
for what they call ,an ,active          
,testimony1 conform to the rude draft of
 a  paper commonly known by the name of 
the ,queensferry ,paper or  ,covenant   
7see ,cloud of ,witnesses1 ,appendix1   
page #bgj74 ,after their  activity had  
carried them the length of avouching the
 most  inconsistent anti-predestinarian1
 ,arminian schemes of universal         
redemption1 and not only to a total     
separation from the ,presbytery1 and    
rejection of their judicial authority1  
but even to an open denial of the       
protestative mission of the ministers   
therein1 and of all others2 the  most   
part of them were1 in ,god's holy and   
righteous justice1 left to  receive and 
submit to the pretended authority and   
ministrations of  ,william ,dunnet1 a   
deceiver1 destitute of all mission and  
authority1  whom they were afterward    
obliged to abandon ,in #agga1 they      
published a  pamphlet entitled1 ,a short

 ,abstract of their ,principles and     
,designs4  ,in this they cunningly evade
 the acknowledgment of our ,confession  
of  ,faith and ,catechisms1 decline to  
own the doctrine of the holy ,trinity in
  unity1 and do professedly adopt and   
avow the hypothesis of the famous       
modern ,socinian1 ,dr4 ,taylor1 of      
,norwich1 anent the person of ,christ4  
,according to which he is no more than a
 glorious being1 truly created  by ,god 
before the world4 ,this pre-existent    
creature they call a  superangelic      
spirit2 which spirit1 coming in time to 
be united to a  human body1 makes       
according to them1 the person of        
,christ4 ,a person  neither truly ,god  
nor truly man1 but a sort of being      
different from  both4 ,the absurdity and
 blasphemy of this hypothesis needs no  
elucidation4 ,thus they idolatrously    
worship another god than the  ,scripture
 reveals1 and blasphemously substitute  
and trust in another  savior than the   
gospel offers unto sinners4 ,in the same

 pamphlet they  declare and publish     
their resolution to take some of their  
number under  formal trials1 whom1 upon 
being approved1 they might appoint and  
send  forth to preach the gospel and    
administer the ordinances of it4 ,and   
all  which they have accordingly done1  
to the great dishonor of ,god1 reproach 
of religion1 and the profession of it4  
,and now1 from the above principles and 
practices1 the reader may justly        
conclude how unworthily these           
,christians 7if they may be called such7
  profess to stand up for the royal     
prerogatives of ,christ4 ,what an       
arrogant and presumptuous invasion upon1
 and usurpation of1 the powers  and     
prerogatives of this glorious ,king1 for
 any mortal to assume to  appoint and   
call men1 not to the work 7which yet is 
all that the  ,church of ,christ1       
according to the will of ,god1 and her  
privileges from  ,christ her head1 ever 
claimed71 but to the very power and     
office of  the holy ministry1 and to    

install them in it4 ,besides1 that their
  doctrine as to ,christ's person1 which
 denies his divine nature and  sonship1 
saps the very foundations of that and   
all his other offices4  ,we would1      
therefore1 yet beseech them1 by the     
mercies of ,god1 to repent  them of all 
their wickedness1 and to pray ,god1 if  
perhaps the thoughts  of their heart may
 be forgiven them4    ,footnote #g3 ,it 
has been complained by some1 that the   
sense of both the  members of this      
particular paragraph is obscure1 and not
 so intelligible  as it should be to    
many readers2 but this complaint seems  
rather to  arise from the want of proper
 attention and consideration1 than from 
any  other cause4 ,as to the first      
branch of the sentence1 ,among--,such   
actions and things as are necessary1 and
 in themselves just and lawful  by a    
moral obligation--may be reckoned the   
payment of county tolls on  highways and
 bridges1 for the benefit of an easy and
 commodious  passage--keeping watch in  

cities which have no settled or regular 
guard1 to prevent public damage by fire 
or otherwise4 ,in like manner1  the     
payment of custom in public markets or  
fairs1 or of town dues1 all  of which1  
being intended for the benefit of public
 corporations1 are  given or paid as the
 price of liberty and privilege of trade
 and  commerce4 ,and to this may be     
added1 such necessary instances of      
self-defense as a person may be obliged 
to1 when maliciously and  villanously   
attacked in his character or goods1 by  
persons perhaps  designedly taking      
advantage of his ,christian temper1 or  
profession4 ,or  when perhaps a person  
may be maliciously charged with1 and    
prosecuted  for crimes not only         
peculiarly dishonorable to religion1 but
 even  capital1 as has been the case    
with some individuals4 ,in all such     
cases1  self-defense at law becomes     
necessary before the ordinary courts and
  judges of any nation1 or place of the 
world whatever1 when such defenses  are 

admitted without the formal and explicit
 acknowledgment of the  lawfulness of   
unjust or usurped authority 7when such  
happens to be in  place1 as in the      
instance of ,paul's appeal to ,caesar1  
,acts xxv71 or  acting any otherwise    
contrary to justice and charity4 ,and   
with regard to  the other branch of the 
sentence where it is observed--,that a  
difference ought to made between those  
things that cannot be had1 nor  yet the 
value and equivalent of them1 unless the
 person actually give  it1 c43 ,this is 
sufficiently explained in a paragraph1  
page #afc1 near  the foot4 ,prayers for 
,god's blessing on any                  
government--enlisting and  bearing arms 
in their service--accepting offices and 
places of power  from them--swearing    
oaths of fidelity to them1 c4--are such 
things as  can by no means be got1 nor  
yet the equivalent of them1 unless the  
party  actually consents and grants     
them4 ,these1 therefore1 and1 such like1
 are  the only instances of action      

which1 the ,presbytery judge1 do1 in    
their  own nature1 contain and express a
 proper and explicit acknowledgment of  
the lawfulness of that authority which  
they immediately respect4