1 
 
 Declaration and Teftimony 
 
 FOR 
 
 The Doctrine, Worftiip, Difcipline' 
 and Government of the Church of 
 SCOTLJ ND; 
 
 Agreeable to 
 
 The Word of God, the Confeffion of Faith, 
 the National Covenant of Scotia?? i, and 
 the Solemn League and Covenant of the 
 Three Nations : 
 
 And againft 
 Several Steps of Defection.fr om the fame> both in 
 former and prefent Times. 
 
 By Tome Minifters affociate together for the Exercife 
 of Church Government and Difcipline in 3 Presb)j- 
 terial Capacity. 
 
 With an Introduction, containing the Grounds of 
 their Aflbciating into a Presbytery, znd the Reaions 
 of their emitting thig Adi and Teftimony. 
 
 To which is alfo fubjoined the Acceffion of the Re* 
 verend Mv. Ralph Ershine, and the Reverend Mr. 
 Thomas Ala'tr, to the laid Presbytery and the 
 Teftimony. 
 
 EDINBURGH. 
 Printed by T. Lu m i s d s n and Co in r- a n y for Jo 8 s K £ r ;. 
 Son Merchant in Ab.rncthy and fold by James You kg 3d 
 big<k' in i i\ his Honfe a lit • 
 
 M . 
 
m 
 
 The Introduction. 
 
 THE Commijfion of the Genera] AfTem- 
 bly that met at Edinburgh Novtmbtr 1733, 
 having, by their A& and Sentence decla- 
 red Mr. Ebtntz.tr Erskine Minifter at Stir- 
 ling, Mr. William Wilfon Minifter ix Perth % 
 Mr. Alexander Moncritff Minifter at Abernethy, and 
 Mr. James lijher Minifter at Kinclaven, to bt no longer* 
 Minifters of this Church, 6cc. Upon the Intimation of 
 the above Sentence, the forefaid Minifters gave in a 
 Protection, bearing a Stctjfion from the Judicatories 
 of the Church, and that it ftiould be lawful and war- 
 rantable for them to cxerciie the Keys of Doftrine, 
 Difcipline and Government, according to the Word 
 of God, Confeffion of Faith, and the Principles and 
 Conftitutions of the Covenanted Church of Scotland. 
 As the Rtafons of their Seceffion were publifhed 
 fometime thereafter, in a Paper intituled, A Teftimony 
 to the Doclrine, Worflnp, Covtrnmtnt and Difcipline of 
 the Church of Scotland ; fo, in Confequence of the 
 lafi Part of their above Protection, after mature and 
 ferious Deliberation, they came to a Refolution to 
 confiitute themfelves into a Presbyterial Meeting, for 
 the Exercife of Church Government and Difcipline, 
 as the Lord (hould clear up their Way: And that 
 for the following weighty ^Rtafons. 
 
 i. The Keys of Government and Difcipline arc 
 given to Minifters, and belong to the Paftoral Office, 
 as well as the Key of Doctrine; with this Difference, 
 That the Key of Doftrine may be exercifed by every 
 fingle Paftor alone; whereas the Key of Government 
 and Difcipline muft be exercifed by Paftcrs two or 
 three in tolUgio* And when they considered that four 
 A z Mink 
 
Iv Introduction. 
 
 Minijters, being thruft out all at once from Minifterial 
 Communion with the prefent Judicatories, were a com- 
 petent Number for affociating together for the Ex- 
 ercife of Government and Difcipline, they judged 
 it a fpecial and very particular Call in Providence, to 
 affopiate thernfelves Pres'bytcriaHy, that they might 
 be in a Condition and Capacity to cxercifeall the Parts 
 of their Paftoral Office, according to the Power and 
 Authority given them by the Lord Jefus, Matth. \6. 
 jo. Chap. 18. 18, John 2.0. 23. and his exprefs Com- 
 mand to feed the Church and Flock of God, A£ls 20. 
 2.8. 1 Pet. 5. 2. the original Word in both Places 
 iignifying the Exercife of Rule and Government, as well 
 as that of Feeding by the Preaching of the Word. 
 
 2. As they judg'd thernfelves warranted to aflbciate 
 together for the exercife of Government and Difci- 
 pline, from the Power'and Authority given them from 
 the Lord Jefus; fo they were encouraged to this Step 
 from rhe Promife of the Divine Prefence, Matth. 18. 
 2.0. It being plain from the Context, that' by gathe- 
 ring together in Chrifi's Name, is chiefly intended 
 meeting together in a judicative Capacity, for the Ex- 
 ercife of the Keys of Government and Difcipline"; 
 therefore they judged, that, when they were con- 
 ftitute in his Name, they had a more efpecial Claim 
 to the aboye Promife. 
 
 3. When they were cafi out from Communion with 
 the Judicatories, they alio judged it neceilary for 
 them to enter into a Presbytetial Affociation, not only 
 for maintaining that Order among thernfelves, which 
 is required by the Word of God, and by the appro- 
 Yen Adls and Conftitutions of this Church ; but alfo 
 to dijlinguifl) thernfelves from theft of the Sectarian and 
 Independent Way, who lodge the Keys of Government 
 and Difcipline in the whole Community of the Faith- 
 ful, as they fpeak, and who refufe the due Subordina- 
 tion of Congregational Elderlhips to fuperior Judi- 
 catories. 
 
 4. It had confiderable Weight with them, to de- 
 termine them to this important Step, when they <x>h- 
 
 fidered 
 
Introduction. y 
 
 fidered the deploraVs Situation of many Congregations 
 in- Scotland, groning under the Weight of Violence 
 and Opprefiion by the Intrusion of Minifters upon 
 them, and crying for Help and Relief from the Ju- 
 dicatories of the eftablifhed Church, but finding 
 none: Therefore; fince by adorable Providence they 
 were thurft out from the Judicatories, they judged, 
 that, if they entered into a Presbyterial Affociation, they 
 would be in a better Capacity for affording Help and 
 Relief to the opprerTed Heritage of God through the 
 Land, according to the Word of God, and the Rules 
 and Conftitutions of the Church of Scotland. 
 
 5. They likewife thought it incumbent upon them, 
 not only to teftify doclrinaliy, but to endeavour to lift 
 lip a judicial Testimony for Scotland's Covenanted Re- 
 formation, and againit the prefent* Declinings and 
 Backflidings from the fame. And fince the Judica- 
 tories were carrying on a Courfe of Backfliding, they 
 thought it the more incumbent on them, tho' their 
 Number was fmall, and their Hands weak, to improve 
 the Opportunity Providence had given them, by ufing 
 their Endeavours in a judicial Way, to bear Witnefs 
 for the Truths of God, againft a ftrong Current of 
 Defection and Backfliding from the fame. For thefe 
 and other weighty Reafons, they did, by folemn Pray* 
 ^CONSTITUTE themfelves into a Presbyterial 
 Meeting, "fometime after they were call out from the 
 Judicatories of the Church. 
 
 The ajfociate Minifters agreed, that they would not 
 be judden in proceeding to any Ads of Jurifdi&ion, 
 but refolved, before any fuch Procedure, to wait if 
 the Judicatories of the Church would return to the 
 Reformation-ftandards; and therefore they held their 
 Meetings mainly for asking Counfel of the Lord, and 
 for mutual Advice in their prefent Situation, and for 
 ftrengthning of one another's Hands in the Way and 
 Work of the Lord. 
 
 When the General Affembly met at Edinburgh 
 May 1734, the Majority of the Members appeared 
 to be oppofite to the Meafures taken by fome former 
 
 Affeni- 
 
vi JntroduBton 
 
 Affemblies and their Commiffions, Among' ether 
 Things enafled by that Affembly, they empowered 
 the Synod of Perth and Stirling, under certain Limi- 
 tations mentioned in their A&, to reftore the four Mi- 
 nifters to their refpediive Minifterial Charges: They 
 likewife paft an Ad concerning 'Minifterial freedom. 
 And when fome Time afterwards the Synod of Perth 
 and Stirling clothed with this delegated Power from 
 the faid Affembly, had taken off the Sentences pro- 
 nounced by the Commiffion of the General Aflembly 
 
 1733 againft the forefaid four Brethren, it was the 
 Judgment of many, both Miniftcrs and private Chri- 
 stians, that they fhould have inftantly acceded unto 
 the Judicatories of the Church. 
 
 The forefaid Minifters having frequently met to 
 confider what was their Duty in the prefent Jun^ 
 (Sure, the Gjueftion before them was, If the Grounds 
 of their Seceffion were removed by what the Affembly 
 
 1734 had done I Or, if they were fo far removed, 
 that without counteracting the Teftimony, which by a 
 particular and fpecial Providence was put into their 
 Hands, they might return to the Judicatories of the 
 Church ? And having deliberately and ferioufly con- 
 sidered the forefaid Gjiuejiion, as the Weight and Im- 
 portance of the Matter did require; and particular- 
 ly having confidered the Conduft of the Affembly 
 1734, with refpedt to the Acl and Sentence of tJe 
 prcccedisg Affembly/paffed againft th^mfelves, where- 
 by Minifterial Freedom, in tcftifying dottrinally a- 
 gainft the Defections and Backmdings of this 
 Church was condemned, and the Liberty of protefting 
 for Exoneration againft a finful Sentence and Decifioi* 
 of a General Affembly, affecting the publick Caufe 
 and Intereft of Chrift, y/zswrefted out of the Hands of 
 the Minifters and Members of this Church; they 
 found that the faid A& of Affembly 1733 fonds to 
 this Day unrepealed; and that the Synod of Perth and 
 Stirling were exprefly bound up from judging in the 
 Legality or Formality of the former Proceedings of 
 the Chmcb-judicatorics in relation to this Affair, and 
 
 from 
 
Introduction. vi* 
 
 from cenfuring any of their Proceedings againft the 
 four protecting Minifters, tho' in their Cafe Church- 
 power was fcrewed up to a raoft exorbitant Height. 
 Likewife they found, that the AS of the faid Af- 
 fembly I734> concerning Minifterial Freedom t was fo 
 far from afferting that Freedom and Liberty, which 
 belongs to the Minifters of the Gofpel, and which in 
 the prefent Cafe was contended for, that their Teftimo- 
 ny in this Point was by the faid A& materially con- 
 demned, in lb for as the A<ft declares, That due and 
 regular Minifterial Freedom was not impair d nor re* 
 /trained by the preceeding Ajfemblys Decifion in the 
 Procefs againft the forefaid Minifters : And therefore 
 the A6i and Sentence of the Affembly 1734, alledged 
 to be paft in their Favours, together with the A& of 
 the faid Affembly anent Minifterial Freedom, inftead 
 ©f removing the Grounds upon which they found 
 themfelves obliged to declare a Seceffion from the 
 Judicatories, did, upon the Matter, condemn the Tefti- 
 roony which they judged their Duty to give againft 
 the Proceedings of the Affembly 1731. All that was 
 done by the forefaid Affembly 1734, in the Cafe of 
 the protefting Minifters, was, That the Synod of 
 Perth and Stirling was impowered, upon fome politi- 
 cal Confiderations, to reftore the faid Minifters to 
 their refpe&ive Charges; when yet their alledged 
 Guilt and Crime, in protefting againft the Decifion of 
 the Affembly 1733, is ftill fappofed, and they ftand 
 condemned for the fame, Likewife they found, that 
 the Acl concerning the Presbytery of Dunfermlins 9 
 whereby unwarrantable Terms of Minifterial and 
 Chriftian Communion are impofed upon the Minifters 
 and Members of this (Shurch, ftands dill in Force: 
 As alio, that no judicial Teftimony was lifted up againft 
 the grofs Errors overspreading the whole Land. There- 
 fore, for thefe and the like Reafons, which are laid 
 open more fully in a Print publifhed immediately 
 before the Meeting of the Affembly 1735, the affe- 
 date Minifters bad not Freedom to re-enjer into the 
 Judicatories of the Cbjrcb* by pie Door which was 
 
 at 
 
Viii Introduction. 
 
 at that Time opened unto them. Bnt, in regard the 
 forefaid Affembly 1734 did put fome Stop to the uV 
 warrantable Proceedings of former Affemblics > and 
 their Commiflions, they judged it their Duty to con- 
 tinue their Meetings at that Time as formerly, with- 
 out proceeding to any Ac"ts of Government and Dis- 
 cipline. 
 
 When the General Affembly met at Edinburgh 
 1735, that Edge and Concern, which appeared to Be 
 in the preceeding Affembly, was fomewhat cooled 
 and blunted: For tho' it was prefs'd by Inftru&ions 
 from feveral Presbyteries that the Acceptance of Pre~ 
 feniations might be duly teftified againft, yet this, and 
 other Motions toward Reformation, were upon po- 
 litical Confiderations laid afide; and tho' both this 
 and the former Affembly appointed their refpe&ive 
 Commiffions to appoint a National Faji ; yet, in thefe 
 Acts for National Fafting, there was no particular 
 Enumeration of the Evils and Defections of the Day 
 and Time wherein we live: This, together with 
 fome other Steps taken by the forefaid Affembly, and 
 which are more fully narrated in the following A& 
 and Tefiimony, were a lamentably Evidence, thar a 
 fincere and thorow Reformation was neitherl aimed 
 nor intended. 
 
 When the General Affembly met Anno 1736, they 
 went dill further backward from any Thing like true 
 Reformation-work. They appointed the Presbytery 
 of Stirling to proceed to the Settlement oizPrefentee 
 to the Parifh of Denny, tho' the Elders and far 
 greater Part of the People of that Parifh were dif- 
 fering and reclaiming: Likevvife they appointed the 
 Synod and Presbytery of Dumfries to iniol the J;>m/- 
 der into the'Pariih or Traquair, as a Member cf thefe 
 Judicatories. And further, irfiead of condemning 
 the many giofs and dangerous Errors, vented by Mr, 
 Archibald Campbell Profeffor of Church-hiftory at 
 St. Andrews, which have a manifeft Tendency to 
 fubvert all Religion Natural and Reveal'd, they dif- 
 miffed hira«without any Cenfure whatsoever. And (as 
 " . " ' will 
 
JntroduBton. ix 
 
 will appear in the following Aft and Teftimony) they 
 have likewife adopted his pernicious Principle con- 
 cerning Self-love; whereby, inftead of removing the 
 former^ a new and ftrong Ground of Secejfion is ad- 
 ded. 
 
 The Afihifters affoctate in Presbytery having thus 
 waited for a confiderable Time, to fee if the Judica- 
 tories of the Church would lift up a particular Tefti- 
 mony againft the Evils of the prefent, and the Sins 
 of former Times; but beholding wirh Regrete the 
 Conduct of fome former General Aflemblies, that, 
 inftead of going forward in Reformation-work, they 
 had gone vifibly backward in many Inltances: There- 
 fore, after mature and ferious Deliberation, they 
 judged it their Duty, to emit a judicial Declaration 
 or Teftimony for the Do&rine, Worihip, Govern- 
 ment and Difcipline of the Church of Scotland, and 
 againft former and prefent Defections from the lame, 
 and that for the following Reafons ; 
 
 i. The Iniquities and- Backflidings of former- 
 Times have never been particularly acknowledged, 
 nor condemned by the x Judicatories of this Church, 
 fince the Revolution; neither have the valuable Pieces 
 of Reformation once attained unto by this Church 
 and Land, nor the Contendings and Wreftlings of the 
 former fuffering Period againft Defe&ions from the 
 fame, been judicially juftified and approven : tho' the 
 former are juft Grounds of the Lord's Controverfy 
 againft the Land., and the latter the Privilege and the 
 Honour of this Church. 
 
 %> Tho' the Backflidings and Defe<2ions of this 
 Church are many, and a Flood of Error and .Pro- 
 fanenefs at prefent overflows the Land; yet a Banner 
 is not judicially difplayed for Truth, and againft the 
 prevailing Evils of the prefent Time-, And therefore, 
 
 3. A judicial Tellimony appears to be neceffary 
 at this Time, for the Glory of God, for the Infor- 
 mation and Convidtion of the prefent Generation, 
 for the Information of Pofterity, and that Truth may 
 be tunlmitted to them with a Juitable Teftimonjf;. 
 3 tilers 
 
x Introduction. 
 
 thereuritd : Far it itiuft be own'd, that this is a D^bt; 
 Ifrhich one Generation owes to another; to ufe their 
 Endeavours, to tranfait the Truths of God in their 
 Purity unto them ; and, when Truth is oppofed and 
 controverted, it ought to be delivered off our Hands 
 to the following Generation, with a more foiemn 
 and peculiar Teftimony unto it. 
 
 4. The Lord having, in his adorable Providence, 
 permitted the Judicatories of the Church to call out 
 from Communion with them four Mimfiers> at a Time 
 when the Current of Defection was ftrong; and they 
 having at the fame Time made a Secejfion from them, 
 upon the Grounds contained in their Protection given 
 in to the Commiffion November 1733, anc * more 
 fully laid open in their Teftimony afterwards public 
 fiied; and thefe Reafons and Grounds of their Secef- 
 fion not being to this Day removed; they judge, 
 that now when they have entred into a Presbytenal 
 Aflbciation, for the Reafons above condefcended 
 upon, that the fame adorable Providence calls them 
 to lift up the Standard of a judicial Teftimony for 
 the Truths of God, and againfta-Courfe of Backflid- 
 ing from the fame: And to this they find themfclvcs 
 more efpecially and more particularly called, when 
 they confider that a Teftimony of this Kind lias been 
 fo long wanting, and fo much defired by many that 
 fear the Lord thro* the Land; and tho* it has been fa 
 neceffary, as has been already obferved; yet there is 
 bow no Hope of obtaining it from the prefent judi- 
 catories of the Church. 
 
 5^ They were the more excited to emit this De«* 
 claration and Teftimony, that they might make an 
 open Confelllon of their Principles, that the World 
 might fte what they own and acknowledge, and 
 upon what Foundation they defire, thro* the Grace of 
 the Lord Jefus, to ftan8. 
 
 6. They reckoned , themfelvcs ftill the more o- 
 bliged unto this Duty, both from the fpecial and par- 
 ticular Engagements they came under at their Ordi- 
 nation t to fulfil th^f Miniftry which they received 
 
 from 
 
htrofa&ion. xi 
 
 from the Lord, whereby they are bound to teach 
 the Obfervame of all Things whatfoever the Lord 
 Chrift has commanded them, and that not only doclri* 
 nally, but judicially, as the Lord gives Opportunity; 
 and likewife from the Obligation which they, as 
 well as the whole Land, are under by foiemn Oath to 
 the mod High God, " That we (hall fincerely, really 
 " and conftantly, thro' the Grace of God, endeavour, 
 u in our fcveral Places and Callings, the Prefervation 
 " of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scot- 
 M land, in Doctrine, Worfhip, Difcipline and Go- 
 
 u vernment; and, that we (hall not give out- 
 
 " felves to a deteftable Indifferency er Neutrality in 
 ** this Caufe; but (hall all the Days of our Lives 
 " zealoufly and conftantly continue therein." 
 
 The forefaid Minifters, being met in Presbytery, 
 appointed fome of their Number to prepare the 
 Draught of an Jcl and Teftimony, aliening the Do- 
 ctrine, Worfhip,' Government and Difcipline of the 
 Church of Scotland; and condemning fcveral Steps 
 of Defection from the fame, both in former and pre- 
 fent Times: And the faid Draught having been 
 prepared and laid before the Presbytery, it was, in 
 feveral Meetings, ferioufly and deliberately confider- 
 ed, reafoned upon and amended; and, as thus amend- 
 ed and corrected, it was, at a Meeting of Pres- 
 bytery at Perth, December 3d 1 736, unanimoufly 
 approven,*»dtf*i, and, for the above and like weighty 
 Reafonsy ordered to be pubiiflicd ; the Tenor whereof 
 follows. 
 
 B a ACT, 
 
( >3 ) 
 
 A C T, 
 
 Declaration and Teftimony 
 
 FOR 
 
 The Do&rine, Worfhip, Government, 
 and Diicipline of the Church of Scot- 
 land, AGREEABLE to the Word 
 of God, the Confeffion of Faith, the 
 National Covenant of Scotland, and 
 the Solemn League and Covenant of 
 the Three Nations ; and AGAINST 
 feveral Steps of Defe&ion from the 
 lame, both in former and prcfent Times: 
 By fome Minifters aflbciate together 
 for the Exercile of Church Govern- 
 ment and Diicipline in a Presbyterial 
 Capacity. 
 
 AT Perth, the third Day of December, One 
 thoufand feven hundred and thirty fix 
 Years. Which Day and Place the Pref- 
 bytery being met, and taking into their 
 ferious Confideratiou the low State of Religion at this 
 
 "Day 
 
( 14 ) 
 
 Day, the manifold Defections and Backflidings of 
 all Ranks, both in former and prefent Times, from 
 the Truths of God, and the precious Ordinances 
 and Inftitutions of Jelus Chrift, delivered as a valu- 
 able Truft into his Church and People in this Na- 
 tion; and to the Maintenance and Prefervation of 
 which, the whole Land ftands indifpenfibly bound 
 and obliged, *by the moft folemn Covenant-engage- 
 ments : And efpecially, confidering the prefent Growth 
 and fpreading of dangerous land pernicious Errors, 
 and the many Injuries that are done to the Govern- 
 ment and Difcipline of the Houfe of God amongft 
 us; together with the abounding Sin, Wickednefs 
 and Profanenefs of the prefent Generation, and the 
 deep Security and general Stupidity that prevails 
 under our national Sins and fpiritual Judgments^ 
 by all which God is highly diftionourcd and proYob- 
 cd, his Sanftuary profaned, the Kingdom of his Son 
 undermined, arid the whole Land involved in the 
 dreadful Guilt of Apoftafy from the Lord : Where- 
 fore this Presbytery find themfelves bound in Duty, 
 to caft in their Mite of a Teft'trnony to the many great 
 and wonderful Appearances of the Lord for this 
 Church and Land, and to the Dodhine, Worfliip, 
 Government and Difcipline of the Lord's Houfe 
 therein, agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, our Con- 
 feffion of Faith and Catechifms, the National Co- 
 venant of ScotUxd, and the Solemn League and Co- 
 venant of the Three Nations ; as alfo againft the In- 
 juries andinfolent Indignities done unto, and the En- 
 croachments, Violations and Breaches made upon the 
 &me. 
 
 To this they reckon they are warranted, from 
 the Pradlice and Example of the Church and People 
 of God, recorded in Scripture, who very often com- 
 memorate the remarkable Appearances made for them, 
 the fignal Deliverance they have met with, together 
 with their own deep Ingratitude and hainous Pro- 
 vocations, hoth of an older and later Date; and alfo 
 from "the .Pwdice and Example of this Church in for- 
 me 
 
( 15 ) 
 
 »er Times: And likewife they judge a Teftimony 
 of this Kind neceffary, for the Information of the 
 prefent Generation, who have generally loft the Know- 
 ledge, both of what God hath done for Scotland, and 
 of the Grounds and Caufes of his righteous Quarrel 
 and Controvcrfy againft us; neceffaiy, for the Con- 
 viction and Humiliation of all Ranks of Perfons; 
 neceffary, to preferve and maintain the Truths of 
 God, and an ufeful Mean to tranfmit them to follow* 
 ing Generations in their Purity: Therefore, for all 
 the above, and many other weighty Reafons and 
 Confiderations, the Minifters ajfociatea, being^et in 
 Presbytfry, did, and hereby do, in the firft Place, 
 with thankful Hearts, acknowledge, and bear Re- 
 cord unto, the wonderful Power, Grace and Good- 
 nefs of God, in vifiting this Land very early with 
 the Light of the glorious Gofpel, whereby from 
 theft uttermoft Ends, of the Earth were Songs heard, 
 even Glory to Jefus Chrift the Righteous ; and thus th? 
 Promifes and Prophecies given of old were re- 
 markably accomplifhed, namely, That the Heathen 
 fhould be given unto Chrift for his Inheritance, and 
 the uttermoft Parts $} the Earth for his Poflejfton ; 
 That the Jfles Jhould wait for his Law; and that he 
 fhould be the Confidence of the Ends of the Earth, and 
 cf them that are afar off upon the Sea. Yea, when 
 this and other Nations were involved in Popifh Dark- 
 nefs, God left not himfelf without a Witnefs m this 
 Land ; our ancient Records bear, that in the darkeft 
 Times of Popery, the Lord had fome Witneffes for 
 himfelf amongft us, againft the Errors and Idolatry 
 of Rome : And when the Lord, by a bright and clear 
 Sun-ftiine of the Gofpel in feveral Parts of Europe^ 
 difcovered that Myftery of Iniquity, Babylon the great 9 
 the Mother of Harlots, and Abominations of the Earth ; 
 He was alfo gracioufly pleafed, with an high Hand, 
 and an outftretched Arm, to ranfora this Land from 
 the Bondage of Popifb Tyranny, Idolatry and Su- 
 perftkion, and again to blefs it with the Light and 
 Liberty of the Gofpel, So firong was the Hand of 
 
 tho, 
 
. C ** ) . 
 
 the Lord upon a few polifhed Shafts, chofen and fur- f 
 niflied by himfelf, that in ajfhort Time, in the Midft 
 of the Flames of fiery Perfecution, and againft the 
 Rage and Fury of Devils and Men, this great Work 
 was fo far advanced and effediuate, that, in the Year 
 1560, the Pope's Authority was abolifhed in Scotland, 
 and the firfi Gonfejfion of Faith ( directed mainly a- 
 gainft the Errors and Abominations of the Church 
 of Rome, the great Point upon which the Tefti- 
 mony of the Lord's Witneffes was then flated) was 
 ratified and approven by the Parliament; and, in a 
 few ^ears thereafter, moll Congregations were plan- 
 ted with the Miniftry of the Gofpel, and did yield 
 Subje&ion unto the Ordinances of Chrift: The Go- 
 vernment and Difcipline of the Church was eftabli- 
 flied according to the Pattern fhown in the Mount, 
 in a due Subordination of Congregational Elderfhips, 
 Presbyteries and Synods, unto General Affemblies: 
 Thefirft Book of Difcipline, which contains many ex- 
 cellent Reformation-principles, written with a Sim- 
 plicity and Plainnefs peculiar to Reforming Times; 
 together with fome other Things 'that were, in the 
 Judgment of the Compilers' of that Book, adapted 
 to the then State and Circumftances' of the Church, 
 was approven by the Privy Council of Scotland in the 
 forefaid Year 1560. The General Affembly, Anno 
 1 562, refufed to admit one Mr. Alexander Gordon to be 
 Superintendent of Galloway till he (hould fubfcribe 
 the famef. And the General Affembly Anno. 1638, 
 in their Aft condemning the five Articles of Perth, 
 refer feveral Times unto it; from whence it is plain, 
 that it was received and approven by this Church 
 at our Reformation! Afterwards the fecond Book of 
 Difcipline, wherein the Form of Government and 
 Difcipline in the Houfe- of God is more diftinflly 
 laid down, was approven and regiftrate by the Ge- 
 neral Affembly Anno 1581, and appointed to be fub- 
 fcribed by all the Minifters. of this Church Anno 
 1590; and all the Pieces of the Reformation then 
 
 attaimi 
 \ Caldcrwood^ Hifl. p. 32. 
 
( *7 ) 
 
 attained unt$, were ratified and approver! by the Par- 
 liament Anno 1591. In grateful Acknowledgment 
 of which rare and Angular Mercies, and for their 
 own mutual Strength and Support againft the common 
 Enemy, the National Covenant having been firft fub- 
 fcribed by the King and his Houihold in the Year 
 1580, was fubferibed by Perfons of all Ranks Anno 
 i^8j, and again by all Ranks of Perfons in the Year 
 1590. This Covenant, relating to the Reformed 
 Religion then profefied in Scotland ', and more par- 
 ticularly exprelfed in the Large Confejfwn of Faith, 
 was fworn with much Chearfulnefs and Gladnefs of 
 Heart, the whole Land rejoiced at the Oath of God* 
 And, by this folemn Oath and Covenant, this King- 
 dom made a National Surrender of themfelves to the 
 Lord, and bound and obliged both themfelves and 
 their Pofterity to cleave to the Truths of God, and 
 to the Obfervation of his - Laws, Ordinances and 
 tnftitutions. 
 
 But the above-mentioned Reformation, and the 
 Glory of this Church, was much defae'd, when King 
 James Vl. defirous to gratify the Prelatical Party 
 in England, did, contrary to his moft folemn Pro- 
 feffions, Declarations and Engagements, by the Ad- 
 vice and Affiftancc of fome covetous Time-ferving 
 Churchmen, firft introduce a lordly Prelacy into this 
 Church, and afterwards corrupted the Worfhip, 
 by impofing Popifh Ceremonies of the Church of 
 England, under the Authority of a pretended Gene* 
 ral AlTembly that met at Perth Anno 1618; and his 
 Son King Charles I. endeavoured to carry on the 
 fameDefign, by impofing a Service-book, and a Book 
 of Popiih and Prelatick Canons : Which Courfe of 
 Defedion continued for many Years without inter- 
 ruption. Yet, during this Period of grievous Sinning 
 and Backfliding, there were feveral eminent Men 
 who witneffed againft the fame ; a]fo the Word of 
 the Gofpel was countenanced in feveral Corners of 
 the Land with more than ordinary Power and Suc~ 
 cefs, particularly in feveral Places of the Weft q£ 
 C sml 
 

 ( 1 8 ) 
 
 • Scotland Anno 1615, and at the Kirk of Shuts \n the Year 
 1630. And, after all, the Lord wasgracioufly pleafed 
 to turn back the Captivity of this Church when it 
 was leaft expedted, even when Prelacy appeared to 
 be fenced with all the Strength of Civil Authority, 
 and a great Body of the Miniftry couching in Confor- 
 mity under the Burden of it: Yet he did, in a mod 
 furprifing and wonderful Manner, cut afunder the 
 Cords of thefe Plowers who plowed upon the Back 
 of this Church, and revived his own Work thro' the 
 Land, by animating at firft a few of his Servants and 
 People, in the Year 1637, to teftify more openly and 
 boldly againft the Current of the Defefti^n and A- 
 poftafy of that Time; and he was pleafed to give 
 fuch remarkable Countenance to their Proceedings, 
 that in the Month of February 1638, notwithftan- 
 cling of many Threats and ftrong Oppofitaon of Ad- 
 verfaries, they renewed the National Covenant; and 
 the Power of God was prefent with tkem in fuch 
 an eminent Manner, that, within a few Months there- 
 after, almoft the whole Land did cheerfully and joy- 
 fully come under the Oath of God. Here there 
 was no Force nor Compulfion from the Civil Powers, 
 aft this was done voluntarily and cheerfully in the 
 Face of great Oppofition from a threatning and 
 enraged Court. Likewife, in the latter End of the 
 ibrefaid Year, a free and lawful General Affembly 
 Tiiet ztGlafgow, who depoied all, and excommuni- 
 cated fome of the Prelates; recognized and approved 
 the National Covenant; and Prelacy, with the five 
 Articles of Perth, were found and declared to be ab- 
 jured by it; and feveral other laudable Afts and Con- 
 stitutions were made for purging the Houfe of God, 
 and the Advancement of Reformation, as the Acfte 
 of that Affembly more fully, bear. And tho* the 
 Determinations of this Affembly were much oppo- 
 fed by a Popifh and Prelatick v Party, yet, thro 1 the 
 good Hand of the Lord upon his Servants and People, 
 the Reformation, then begun and carried on, was rati- 
 fied and confirmed by the tecond Parliament of King 
 
 Charles 
 
( Ip ) 
 
 Charles I. 'Anno 1640, the laft Scffion of which 
 Parliament was countenanced by the King's Prefence 
 Anno 1641 , and from this Time till the Year 1650 
 the Building of the Houfe of God went on profpe- 
 roufly and fuccefsfully. During which Period, the 
 following Thiags deferve particularly to be remem- 
 bred ; 
 
 1. The Lord gave Teftimony and Witnefs to 
 his own Work, by a remarkable Down-pouring of 
 his Spirit from on High on the Judicatories acd Af- 
 femblies of his People for Worfhip; the Word 
 of theGofpel was 'powerful and fuccefsful, the Plea- 
 fure of the Lord did profper thro' the Land, and a 
 Seed was fown, which the Fury and Rage of Twenty 
 eight Years hot Perfecution afterwards could not 
 extirpate. 
 
 2. The remarkable Countenance which the Lord 
 gave to the Reforming and Covenanting Church of 
 Scotland* did excite their Neighbours in England and 
 Ireland, to join with them, in a Solemn Covenant, for 
 maintaining, advancing and carrying on a Work of 
 Reformation in the three Kingdoms. This Covenant, 
 however reproached and reviled, was for the Mat- 
 ter of it juft and warrantable, for the Ends necef- 
 fary and commendable, and for the Time feafon- 
 able: The Sea/on when this Covenant was entred 
 into, was the dangerous State of the Church and 
 Kingdom of Scotland, the diftieffed State of the 
 Church and Kingdom of England, and the deplorable 
 State of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland : The 
 Matter of this Covenant was all the precious Things 
 that are involved in pure Religion and true Liberty, 
 namely, the Preservation of the Reformed Religion 
 in Scotland, in Doctrine, Worfhip, Government and 
 Difcipline; and the Reformation of Religion accor- 
 ding to the Word of God in England and Ireland. 
 In this Covenant every one bound themfelves to Per- 
 final Reformation, aud, in their feveral Places,. Sta- 
 tions and Callings, to endeavour National Reformati- 
 on ; Duties obligatory upon every one antecedently 
 
 C z to 
 
( *o ) 
 
 to this Oath and Covenant: The End of this Solemn 
 Covenant was, that they and their Pofterity after 
 *hem might, as Brethren, live in Faith and Love, that 
 the Lord might be one, and his Name one, thro* 
 the Three Kingdoms. And, as an eminent Divine* 
 expreiTed himfelf before the Heufe of Commons in 
 England, when they were about to fwear the faid 
 Covenant, " This Oath (faith he) is fuch, in the 
 4t Matter and Confequences of it, as I can truly fay 
 44 it is worthy of us, yea, of all thefe Kingdoms, yea, 
 44 of all the Kingdoms in the World ; for it is a 
 f l fwearing Fealty and Allegiance unto Chrift the 
 44 King of Kings, and a giving up of all thefe King- 
 4i doms, which are his Inheritance, to be fubdued 
 " more unto his Throne, and ruled more by his 
 u Sceptre, upon whofe Shoulders the Government is 
 *' laid.*' This Oath and Covenant was appointed 
 to be fworn by Perfons of all Ranks in England and 
 Jreland, and was entred into by the ivhole Body of 
 this Land: And, when it was approven by the Gene- 
 ral Affembly of this Church, Anno 1643.- they ex- 
 prefs themfelves in this Manner, " That they all 
 4( with one Voice approve of the fame, with thefe 
 •• Feelings of Jo^f which they did find in fo grea-t 
 4i a Meafure at the Renewing of the National Co- 
 44 venant of this Kirk and Kingdom." 
 
 3. In Profecution of the above Covenanted Uni- 
 formity, a Confejjjon of Faith was agreed upon by the 
 Aifembly of Divines at Weftminfter, wirh CommilTio- 
 ners from the Church of Scotland; likewife the Larger 
 and Shorter Catechijms, the Propofuions concerning 
 Church-government, and the Ordination ot Mini- 
 fters, and the Direclory for Worfhip, all agreed upon 
 by the forefaid Aifembly at Wefiminfter> were re- 
 ceived and approven by this Church, in the Manner 
 expreiTed in the feveral Ads of AlTembly relative un- 
 to them ; to all which the General AlTembly of this 
 Church reckoned this Lano 1 bound and obliged by 
 
 the 
 
 J Mr, Pkify Nay, 
 
( si ) 
 
 the Solemn League and Covenant, as their faid Afts 
 more fully bear. 
 
 4. When the much defired and covenanted Unifor- 
 mity had proceeded thus far, many in this Land in- 
 volved themfelves in the Breach of Covenant, by the 
 War with England commonly called the Duke's 
 Engagement, which was reftified againft, and con- 
 demned by the General Affemblies of this Church i 
 and the Sinfulnefs thereof was afterwards acknow- 
 ledged by all Ranks of Perfons, when the Solemn 
 League and Covenant was renewed in Scotland, Anno 
 1648, with a folemn Acknowledgment of Sins and 
 Breaches thereof, and Engagement to the Duties 
 therein-contained. In the faid Engagement to the 
 Duties of the Covenant, they bind and oblige them- 
 felves to preferve the Purity of Religion againfi all Er- 
 ror, Herefy and Schifm, and to ftudy and endeavour 
 the carrying on the Work of Uniformity : Whereby the 
 above-mentioned Uniformity in one Confeffion of 
 Faith, one Form of Ciiurch-government and Di- 
 rectory for Worfhip, is folemnly approven and 
 fvvorn unto. And, by the forefaid Renovation of 
 the Solemn League and Covenant, this Land de- 
 clared they look'd upon this Oath as Nationally bin- 
 ding upon them, whatever the Behaviour of their 
 Neighbours in England or Ireland might be. And 
 as the General Affembly, in their Brotherly Exhorta- 
 tion to their Brethren in Englard, Augufi 6th 1649, 
 exprefs themfelves, •• Altho' (fay they) there were 
 W none in the one Kingdom who did adhere to the 
 " Covenant, yet thereby were not the other King- 
 ?i doms nor any Peribn in either of them, abfolved 
 " from the Bond thereof; fince in it we have not 
 " only fworn by the Lord, but alfo covenanted 
 " with him. It is not the Failing of one or more 
 " that can abfolve others from their Duty or Tie 
 " to him: Beiides, the Duties therein-contained be- 
 " ing in themfelves lawful, and the Grounds of our 
 " Tie thereunto moral; tho* others do forget their 
 *! Duty, yet doth not their Defection free us from 
 
 " Out 
 
( « ) 
 
 « that Obligation which lies upon us by the Cove* 
 " nant in our Places and Stations. And the Cove- 
 " nant being intended and entered into by thefeKing- 
 H doms, as one of the beft Means of Stedfaftneis 
 u for guarding againft declining Times, it were 
 " ftrange to fay that the Backfliding of any fhould 
 «! abfolve others from the Tie thereof; efpecially 
 ••feeing our Engagement therein, is not only Na- 
 *• tional, butPerfonal; every one with uplifted Hands 
 «« (wearing for himfelf, as is evident by the Tenor 
 ff of the Covenant." 
 
 5. During this Period, the Eflates of the Nation 
 alfo gave their Helping-hand to the Work of Re- 
 formation, not only by the legal Efiablifhment given 
 unto it in the forefaid Year 1640, bat alfo by ap^ 
 proving the Solemn League and Covenant Anno 1644, 
 and by many laudable Ads of Parliament pafs'd-rf»»# 
 1649; particularly by the A& aboiiQ»ng Patronages, 
 a Grievance and Yo'.e under which this Church had 
 gron'd ever fince the Reformation from Popery ; and 
 by their A6t for keeping the Judicatories and Placet 
 of Trufi free of Corruption; and by the Afl of Ciajfes 
 for purging the Army of Perfons diiaffedted to the 
 Caufe and Work of Reformation. Aifo, by another 
 A<ft paft'd in the forefaid Year 1649, they ordained 
 and declared, " That before the King's Majefty 
 M who now is, or any of his Succeffors, (hall be ad- 
 * ' mitted- to the Exercife of his Royal Power, he 
 €< {hall affure and- declare, by his folemn Oath under 
 " his Hand and Seal, his Allowance of the National 
 " Covenant, and of the Solemn League and Co- 
 »• venant, and his Obligation to profecute the 
 u Ends thereof, in his Station and Calling; and that 
 ft he fhall, for himfelf and his Succeffors, confent 
 01 and agree to the Ads of Parliament enjoining the 
 ** Solemn League and Covenant, and fully eftablifli- 
 e< ing Presbyterian Government, the Direftory <tf 
 *' Worfhip, Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, as 
 " they are approven by the General Affernbly of 
 £1 this Kirk, and Pariiament of this Kingdom, in all 
 
 " his 
 
( *3 ) 
 
 * his Majefty's Dominions ; and that he (hall obferve 
 €< thefe in his Praftice and Family; and that he (hall 
 u never make Oppofition to any o' thefe, or endea- 
 «* vour any Change thereof.'* In Purfuance of this 
 A& of Parliament , King Charles II. having, by his 
 folemn Oath, declared his Approbation of rhe Na- 
 tional Covenant, and of the Solemn League and Co- 
 venant, and obliged himfelf to profecute the Ends 
 thereof, was cnwriA with great Solemnity at Scorn 
 upon the ift January 1650. 
 
 The above Particulars are fome Inftances of the 
 Power and Goodnefs of the molt High God, manife- 
 fted in the Beginning and Progrefs of the Work of 
 Reformaion in this Land, which this Presbytery 
 judge it their Duty to record and bear Witnefs un- 
 to: For, as the Arm of the Lord was glorioufly 
 revealed in recovering this Church and Nation from 
 Antichriftian Darknefs, and bringing all Ranks of 
 Perfons within the Bond of a National Oath and Cove- 
 nant to be the Lord's; So, when, by a furprifing and 
 wonderful Appearance of Divine Providence, this 
 Church was delivered from the Brink of Ruin in the 
 Year 1638, the Judicatories of the Church pulled 
 down and carried off the Rubbtfh of Defection ; they 
 began where former Reformation hadftopt, and went 
 foreward in building and beautifying theHoufe ofGod. 
 
 But, fincc the Church, while militant, is in an im- 
 perfefi State, it is not hereby intended to affirm, 
 That, under the above-mentioned Period, there was 
 nothing defe&ive or wanting as to the Beauty and 
 Order of the Houfe of God, or that, there was no- 
 thing culpable in the Adminiftration ; All that is 
 defigned by the above particular Deduction is, to 
 declare, that this Church endeavoured, and merci- 
 fully attained, a confiderable Pitch of Reformation, 
 during the forefaid Period : Towards this their feve- 
 ral Contendings and Wreftlings, their folemn Vows 
 and Engagements, their Declarations and Teftimo- 
 iries, all pointed. It would have been the Hap-* 
 pinefc and Glory of this Church, if (he had tield 
 
 fall 
 
( *4 ) 
 
 faft what by the good Hand of God upon her, and 
 by a Series and Train of remarkable Providences 
 both of Mercy and Judgment, (he had attained un- 
 to; But how foon did her Gold become dim; How 
 quickly was her mofi fine Gold changed * Ah ! how 
 was her Glory eclipfed, and her Beauty fuddenly 
 departed from her ? A glorious Building was pulFd 
 down; a Reformation, ratified, confirmed and efta- 
 blifhed in the (trongcft Terms by Law, and fenced 
 by the moil folemn Oaths and Covenants, fworh 
 with uplifted Hands by our King, by our Noble- 
 men, Barons, Minifters, Burgeffes and Commons of 
 all Sorts, was, not only fullied, but overturned, and 
 that by thefe very Hands that had been lifted up to 
 Heaven for the Prefervation and Maintenance of 
 the fame. Hath a Nation changed their gods, which 
 yet are no gods ? but Scotland hath changed her Glory 
 for that wh ch doth not profit! May it not be faid, 
 Be afionifhed, O ye Heavens, at this, be horribly afraid; 
 for my People have committed two Evils, they havefor- 
 faken me the Fountain of living Waters, and have 
 kewen out to themselves Ci/ierns, broken Cifterns that can 
 hold no Water} Can there be a Parallel given in any 
 Church or Land, of that Scene that opened of Back- 
 Aiding and Defection; of Perjury and Apoilafy, or 
 of that Oppreflion and Cruelty, afterwards exercifed 
 upon fuch as adhered unto the Caule and Covenant 
 of their God, after fo many and fo great Appear- 
 ances of the Lord in a Way of Mercy amongft us, 
 and after fuch folemn Profeffions of Subjedion and 
 Obedience unto him. 
 
 The Presbytery pretended not to reckon up the in- 
 numerable Abominations ot the Land; but they 
 judged it their Duty \o give fome particular Inftances 
 of the Beginning, Progrefs and Hight of the A- 
 poftafy and Defection frcm the above-mentioned 
 Steps of Reformation, in which all Ranks of Per- 
 ions have fmfully and ihamefully involved tkem- 
 felves. 
 
 x. When 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 I. When the Judicatories of the Church were 
 carrying on the Work of Reformation with a beau* 
 tiful and pleafant Harmony, a Snare was laid for 
 breaking and dividing them; when, in the Month 
 of December 1650, and in the Beginning of 1651, 
 two feveral Queftions were put unto the Commiffioa 
 of the General Affembly by the King and Parlia- 
 ment, concerning the AdmiiTion into Places of pu- 
 blick Truft, both Civil and Military, of fuch as were 
 debarred from the fame by the above-mentioned 
 Arts of Parliament Anno 1649. The Rejolutiont of 
 the Commiffion upon the faid Queftion were fuch, as 
 the King and Parliament took Occafi.on from them 
 to repeal the forefaid laudable Acts; and all Places 
 of publick Truft, Civil and Military, were immedi- * 
 ately fill'd with fuch, whofe Difaffe&ion to the" 
 Work of Reformation, carried on from the Year 
 1638, was abundantly notour; Malignants in Prin- 
 ciple, and fuch as were immoral in Practice, were 
 promoted ; a (ham Profeffion of Repemance was re- 
 quired at firft from fuch as had been active againft 
 the Worjc of Reformation, but even this was foort 
 laid afide; and when the Rcfolutioqs of the Com- 
 miffion were remonftrate againft by fome Presbyte- 
 ries and feveral Minifters, the Commiffion difchar- 
 gcd all Minifters or Probationers to fpeak or write 
 againft them : And what was done by the Commif- 
 fion, was approven by fomeenfuing Affemblies, who 
 alfo excluded all, both Minifters and Elders, who 
 remonftrated againft the publick Refoiuttons, from fit- 
 ting in General Affemblies; and appointed Presby- 
 teries to oblige both Intrants into the Miniftry 
 before they were admitted to Trials for Ordination, 
 and Elders before they were allowed to fit in Pres- 
 bytery, to give it under their Hand, that they 
 pafs'd from any Proteitation or Declinature againft 
 the faid Affemblies; and likewife fome eminent Mi- 
 nifters were iufpended and depofed, for teftifying 
 againft the foreiaid Refolutions. But the Conftitu- 
 tion and A&ings of thefe Affemblies having been 
 
( ** ) 
 
 protefled againft by a confiderable Body of Minifters 
 and Elders, who were grieved at the forefaid Refo- 
 lutions of the Commiffion, all fuch were defigned 
 protefters, as thefe on the other Side were called Pu- 
 tlick Kefolutioners. By the above Proceedings, the 
 Nation (with the Confent of the Church) delivered 
 up, not only the Maintenance $nd Prefervation of 
 their valuable Civil Liberties, but alfo of all the 
 Civil Securities and Ratifications given unto the 
 Work of Reformation from the Year 1638, into 
 the Hands of fuch who had appeared for the Sup- 
 port and Maintenance of arbitrary Power and Autho- 
 rity in the State, and who were notour Enemies of 
 a* Covenanted Reformation. ! As the forefaid Refo- 
 lutions, both of Church and State, were contrary to f 
 and condemned by the Word of God, '^.xod. 18. 21. 
 2 Chron. 19. 3. Pfal. 106. 35. Pfal. 139. xi. Hof 5. 
 13. fo their Sin and Guilt in this Matter was the more 
 hainous, and the more highly aggravated, in re- 
 gard it was what had been fo lately acknowledged, 
 and fo folemnly engaged againft, in the folemn Ac- 
 . knowledgeftient of Sins, and Engagement to Duties. 
 The Sinfulnefs of thefe Proceedings was witnefled 
 againft by a confiderable Number of eminent Mi- 
 nifters and godly Elders thro* the Land, who laid 
 open the dangerous Tendency of them: And what 
 they had too juft Gound to fear, came in a fliort 
 Timetopafs; Thefe Men, who were now admitted 
 into Places of publick Truft, had an a&ive Hand in 
 overthrowing the beautiful Conftitution of this 
 Church, and in bringing the Nation under the Yoke 
 of arbitrary Government. And it cannot well e- 
 fcape to be taVn notice of, that the moft Part of 
 thefe who were for the publick Refolutions, made De- 
 fection into Prelacy ; whereas all the Protefters, ex- 
 cept a few, flood firm againft it; when, in the Year 
 1662,, this curfed Jericho was rebuilt, and fome of 
 the former who were honeft in the Main, but car- 
 ried in to the Meafures of the Court, came with Re- 
 grete to fee their Error and Miftake, and to acknow- 
 ledge, 
 
( *7 ) 
 
 iedge, t That their Brethren the PROTESTERS 
 had their Eyes opened, when they were blind. 
 
 When this Church and Land was thus miferably 
 rent and broken (as a juft Punifhment of this Step 
 of Declining and Treachery in the Caufe and Cove- 
 nant of the Lord) the Nation was brought under 
 the Yoke of Oliver Cromwell the Ufurper, under which 
 it gson'd for the Space of ten Years. During this 
 Period, a moft finful Toleration of Sectarian Errors 
 and Delufions was granted by Cromwell and his Pri- 
 vy-council in Scotland: This was the firft of this 
 Kind known among us fince the Reformation ; and 
 thereby fuch Laxnefs in Principle and Pradice was 
 introduced, as pav'd a Way for the more general 
 Apoftafy and Defe&ion, which followed very fooa 
 thereafter. The aforefaid Toleration was faithfully 
 witneffed againft by fome Minifters in the Provinces 
 of Perth and life (in their Teftimony puhliflied 
 Anno 1659) as contrary to the Word of God, our 
 Confeffion of Faith and Larger C*atechifin, and as 
 contrary to, and inconfiftent with, the Solemn Oath 
 and Covenant of God fworn by the Nation; and 
 iikewiie, as producing many difmal and finful Ef- 
 fe&s, fuch as the Increafe and Growth of Errors 
 and Blafphemy, with Laxnefs and Profanenefs in 
 Pra&ice; and alfo as a Temptation to Men to break 
 the Lord's Bonds afunder, and to cait his Cords from 
 off them. 
 
 II. After the Death of Oliver Cromwell the Ufur~ 
 per, andv/hen the Power of the Seftarian Party, who 
 had ruled the Three Kingdoms for feveral Years t 
 began to decline, the Parliament of England reftored 
 King Charles II. to the Government, without any 
 Conditions or Limitations; whereby all the Tefti- 
 monies and Declarations they had given for a Cove- 
 nanted Reformation and Uniformity, were at once 
 given up: And immediately, abjured Prelacy, with 
 the Service-book and all the Ceremonies, were re* 
 jmpofedin England-, a difmal Prefage of what was 
 
 f ^oedWsHift, Vol 1, f. ii2. 
 
( =8 ) 
 
 how coming on Scotland, where, until a Meeting of 
 Parliament, the Government was lodged in the Hands 
 of a Committee of Eftates named by the laft Parlia- 
 ment Anno 165 r. This Committee, confiding of 
 fuch as wtre difaffe&ed to the Work of Reformation, 
 caufed fcize and imprifon a few eminent Minifters, 
 who met about an Addrefs to the King upon his Re- 
 turn, and with the Faithfulnefs that became their Of- 
 fice, putting him in Mind of his own, and the Na- 
 tions Solemn Covenant-Engagements to the Lord. 
 Upon which Occafion a Proclamation was immediate- 
 ly emitted, discharging all Meetings without the King's 
 Authority, and all the above and like Petitions and 
 Remonftrances whatfoever, under a Pretext of their 
 being feditious : This was a Prelude unto the difmal 
 Scene that was now opening. 
 
 III. When the Parliament met in Scotland Anno 
 1661, they immediately remove all the legal Secu- 
 rities given to our Church-Conftitution,and the whole 
 Work of Reformation, by refcinding all Acfts of 
 Parliament from the Year 1640 to 165 1 inclufive, 
 and declaring all the faid Parliaments null and void ; 
 They affert the Kings Supremacy in all Caufes, and 
 declare all Meetings, AlTemblies, Leagues and Co- 
 venants, without the King's Countenance and Autho- 
 rity, unlawful and unwarrantable; They diicharge 
 the renewing of the League and Covenant, or any 
 other publick Oath and Covenant concerning the 
 Government of the Church, without the King's 
 Warrant: And, having thus removed all the legal 
 Fences from our Church-Conftitution, they give 
 up the Government of the Church to be fettled 
 by the King, in the Way He judges moil agree- 
 able to the Word of God and Monarchical Govern- 
 ment. 
 
 IV. At the fecond Seflion of this Parliament, 
 'Anno i66z, it is declared, That the Ordering and 
 Difpofal of the external Government and Policy 
 of the Church doth properly belong to the King, as 
 *a inherent Right of the Crown, by virtue of his 
 
 Royal 
 
( 2 9 ) . 
 
 Royal Prerogative and Supremacy in Caufes Ecclefi- 
 aftick: All A<fts of Parliament or Council, which 
 might be interpreted to give any Church-power, Ju^ 
 rifdi<5Hon or Government to the Office-bearers of 
 the Church and their Meetings, than that which ac- 
 knowledged a Dependence upon, and Subordination 
 to the fovereign Power of the King as Supreme, are 
 refcinded, 'caffated and annulled; Diocefian'Bifhoys 
 are reftored to their Dignities, Privileges and Juris- 
 dictions; all Meetings of Presbyteries and Seflions, 
 not authoriied by the Bifhop, are difcharged. In their 
 fecond A<St, all that was done in Profecunon of a Co- 
 venanted Reformation, from 1638 to 1650, is declared 
 rebellious and treafonable; the National Covenant as 
 fworn in the Year 1638, and the Solemn League and 
 Covenant, are declared to be unlawful Oaths, and 
 impofed contrary to the Fundamental Laws of the 
 Kingdom : And likewife, in the faid Aft, a difpen* 
 fing Power is aflumed, declaring the Confidences of 
 all thefe who had taken the forefaid Oaths free from 
 the Obligation of them. It is alfo declared febellious 
 and treafonable in Subjects, upon Pretence of Refor- 
 mation, or any other Pretence whatever, to enter into 
 Leagues and Covenants, or to take up Arms againft 
 the King; whereby the finful and abfurd Do<ftrines 
 of Pajftve Obedience and Non-refiftence, condemned by 
 the memorable Revolution Anno 1688, were fcrewed 
 up to the higheft : As likewife, they annul all £0 
 clefiaftical A6ts and Conftitutions approving the Na- 
 tional Covenant, or the Solemn League and Cove- 
 nant; and particularly they declared, That the Af- 
 fembly that met at Glafaow Anno 1638; was in it- 
 felf an unlawful and feditious Meeting ; and that 
 their Adts, Deeds and Sentences were :n all Time 
 coming to be reputed unlawful, void and null. Af- 
 terwards, by an A<ft of Council at Glafgow, about 
 three hundred Minifters are, without any legal Pro- 
 cedure, thruft from their Charges, merely for Non- 
 conformity, and refufing Subjection to the Prelates; 
 and, in the Year 1663, the Parliament ordain and en- 
 
( 3o ) 
 
 tft, That all Non-conforming Minifters, that fiiall v 
 prefume to exercife their Miniftry, ihall be punifhed 
 as feditious Perfons : And alio, in Acknowledgment 
 of, and hearty Compliance with his Majefty's Govern- 
 ment Ecclefiaftick and Civil, all the Subje&s are re- 
 quired to give their Concurrence and Countenance to 
 thefe who are by publick Authority admitted to their 
 feveral Panfties (namely, Prelatick Incumbents) and 
 to attend theft Meetings for Worftiip under the Pe» 
 nalties mentioned in the A& of Parliament; and alfo f 
 for putting all thefe tyrannical Laws and others that 
 were ena&ed in this Period in Execution, an High 
 Commijfion Court was ere&ed, moft irregular and ar- 
 bitrary, both for its Conflitution and Manner of Pro- 
 cedure. During this Period of Apoftafy, viz. from 
 the Year 1660 to 1688, there is a continued Series 
 and Train of Acts of Parliament, fupporting the Pre- 
 lates and maintaining Prelacy, and obliging the whole 
 Land to Conformity, and to homologate the King's 
 Supremacy. Thus abjured Prelacy is reftored; and 
 not only is the Royal Prerogative fcrewed up to a 
 moft exorbitant Height in Matters merely Civil, but 
 an Authority is put into the Hands of the King, 
 like to that which is uiurped by the Roman Antichrift. 
 The Lofcd Jefus, on whofe Shoulders the Govern- 
 ment of his own Houfe is laid, and who alone is 
 able and worthy to bear this Wejght and Burden 
 (Pfalm 2. throughout. If a. 9. 6, 7. Eph. 1. 22, 23 J 
 is, as far as humah Laws could do it, diverted of his 
 Prerogative Royal, namely his incommunicable Head- 
 Jhip, Sovereignty and Authority over thej,Church, his 
 fpintual Kingdom ; and all this done by the Repres- 
 entatives of the Nation, in Oppofition and Contra- 
 di<£tion to the moft folemn Profeflions of Allegiance 
 unto the King of Zion, and the moft folemn Oaths 
 and Covenants that a People could come under to 
 the moft high God. Yea, to fuch an Heght of 
 Heaven-daring Impiety and Wickednefs did they 
 arrive, that, in the Year 1663, the National Cove- 
 pant as it was fworn in the Year 1638, and the So- 
 lemn 
 
( 3> ) 
 
 lemn League and Covenant, together with that re- 
 markable Paper, intituled, The Caufes of the Lord's 
 Wrath, were mod ignominioufly burnt at the Crofs 
 of Linlithgow by the Authority of the Magiftrates 
 there. And afterwards (January 14 1682J the Solemn 
 League and Covenant is condemned by the Duke of York 
 then Commiffioner, and the Privy-council, to be mod 
 contemptuoufly burnt at the Crofs of Edinburgh by 
 the Hands of the common Hangman ; which was accor- 
 dingly done, to the publick affronting and difhonou- 
 ring of the great God to whom thefe folemn Vows 
 were made. It was alfo declared by Aft of Par- 
 liament (May 6th 1685^ That the giving or taking of 
 the National Covenant as explained in the Year 1638, 
 or of the League and Covenant , or writing in Defence 
 thereof, or owning them as lawful or obligatory upon 
 themfelve* or others, (hall infer the Crime and Pains 
 of Treafon. Can a Parallel be given to fuch Perfidy 
 and Treachery, to fuch Apoftafy and Defedion? 
 What Nation once like Scotland for a zealous Profef- 
 fion of Obedience and Subjedion to the Prince of 
 the Kings of the Earth ! but now fcarce to be equalled 
 for Treachery and 'Apoftafy, Attended at the fame 
 Time with a Flood of Profanenefs and Immorality 
 overflowing the whole Land. 
 
 V. In this Hour and Power of Darknefs, an uni* 
 verfal filent Submiffton is given at firft to the above 
 wicked tyrannical Ads and Conftitutions ; no open, 
 judicial or joint Teftimony was lifted up againft them* 
 When the Storm was ready to break, Ten Minifters 
 *nd two Eiders met together (& fmall Number in 
 Comparifon of what might have been expe&ed in 
 fuch a Day of Perplexity and Diftrefs) in order to 
 prefent a Supplication to the King, for his employ- 
 ing his Royal Power and Authority in the Prefervati- 
 on and Maintenance of the true Proteftant Reformed 
 Religion in the Three Kingdoms, according to the 
 National Covenant, and the Solemn League and Co- 
 venant, both which he had folemnly fworn at his 
 Coronation in Scotland ; Biu they were, without all 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 Law and Juftice, immediately apprehended and incar- 
 cerate, for no other Reafon, but becaufe they were 
 framing fuch a Supplication ; and (as has been already 
 obferved) all fuch Meetings, Petitions and Remon- 
 strances of publick Grievances, were difcharged as fe- 
 ditious. This ftruck fuch a Terror on the moll Part, that 
 no joint Remonftrance or Teftimony was offered ; and 
 when fome Provincial Synods in the Year 1661, when 
 the Parliament had begun to raze the Work of Re- 
 formation, were confidering what was proper for 
 them to do in this Jun&ure, they were diflolved, in 
 the King's Name, by fuch Noblemen or Gentlemen 
 as the Commijftoner to the Parliament had appointed 
 toobferve their Proceedings. All of them immedi- 
 ately obeyed; fome of them difmifled even without 
 Prayer. The Synod of Galloway protefted againft 
 their Diffolution, but yet they rofe immediately. 
 The Synod of Glafgow, at their ordinary Meeting 
 in April, adjourned themfelves till May, then to con- 
 fider of a Supplication to the Parliament for the Secu- 
 rity of Religion; but, when they were about to con- 
 veen, they were difcharged in a Proclamation from 
 the Crofs by Order from the King's Commiffioner, 
 to which they gave Obedience ? And likewife, when, 
 in the Beginning of the Year 1662, all Synodical and 
 Presbyterial Meetings, until authorifed by the Bi- 
 (hops, were difcharged ; Presbyteries, as well as Sy- 
 nods, were immediately deferted. Such Fainting in 
 the Caufe of God, in this Day of Apoftafy aud Back- 
 fliding, was a Sign and Evidence of the Lord's In- 
 dignation and Wrath, and was far from that Cou- 
 rage and Refolution that fometimes appeared among 
 the Minifters of this Church, who witneffed againft 
 the like Incroachments upon the Liberties and Pri- 
 vileges of the Houfe of God, in Face of the greateft 
 Oppofition. In like manner, in Obedience to the 
 A&. of Council at Glafgow, the moft Part of thefe 
 that conformed not to Prelacy left their Flocks, 
 whereby thev became a Prey to the grievous Wolves 
 that were aftenvard thurft'm upon them; yea, the 
 
 greateft 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 greateft Part by far thro' the whole Land gave Obz* 
 dience to the above-mentioned Ad of Parliament, 
 requiring them to attend upon Worfhip performed 
 by the Bifljops Underlings, or fuch as conformed to 
 Prelacy, in Teftimony of their Acknowledgment of, 
 and hearty Compliance with* his Majdty's Govern- 
 ment Ecclefiaftick and Civil ; by which Means all 
 .Ranks of Perfons, from the higheft to the loweft, 
 were involved in the Apoftafy and Defedion, and 
 guilty of the grofleft Treachery in the Caufe and 
 Covenant of the Lord; And, for all the above-men- 
 tioned and the like Sins, awful Judgements are threate- 
 ned in the Word of God, Lev. 26. 16, 17,25. Deut. 
 25. 23, Z4, 25. PfaL 78. 9, 10. Ifa. 24. 5, 6. Jef % 
 II. 9, 10. Hof. 8. I. Rev. 2. 5. 
 
 VI. When the Minifters, who by the Proceedings 
 of the Parliament and Council Anno 1662 were caft 
 .out of their Churches, had recovered from the Con- 
 flernation and Damp which fuch a fudden Convul- 
 f;on in Church and State had brought upon them, 
 they began to be perfwaded* that it was their Duty, 
 notwithstanding of their tyrannical Ejedion, to preach 
 the Gofpel of Chrift: And the People being more 
 and more alienated from the Bijhopj Creatures, or 
 Curates, as they were called, many. of them being 
 not only ignorant and profane, but all of them being 
 guilty of Perjury and Defedion, in receiving aCom- 
 miiTion immediately from, and ading in Subordina- 
 tion unto, and by a Power derived from the abjured 
 Prelates, contrary to the Word of God and our 
 Reformation-principles, confirmed by folemn Oaths 
 and Covenants; and being alfo ienfible of the Obli- 
 gation ftill lying upon them to own their ejeded Mi- 
 nifters as faithful Servants of Chrift, and of their 
 Duty^te receive the Ordinances of Chrift as difperu 
 fed by them; Therefore not a few of the faict Mini- 
 fters, confidering the pxefent urgent Necefiity of the 
 People, and their cheerful Readinefs and Willingnefs 
 to hear the Word of God, law themfelves called of 
 the Lord to preach .the Gofpel, wherever Providence 
 £ ordeici 
 
t 34 ) c 
 
 ordered their Abode; they began at tuft to preach 
 in private Houfes : This inraged the Prelates, who 
 ceafed not to itir up the Rulers to all Extravagancies 
 of Cruelty, for furpreffing thefe peaceable and harm- 
 lefs Affemblies for the Worihip of God : Hence the 
 Parliament declared all fuch Meetings, or Conven- 
 ticles, as they were called, to be feditious and crimi- 
 nal, and difcharged them under the fevereft Penal- 
 ties, After this, Houfes were forced when ;People 
 were affembled for hearing the Word of God ; many 
 were haled to Prifon, and the Laws execute with 
 Rigour againft them. Thefe Severities conftrained 
 them at laft to keep their Meetings in the Fields; 
 whereupon the Rage and Fury of the Rulers, infti- 
 gate by the apoftate Prelates, did break forth into 
 a more extenfive and boundlefs Flame; feveral Afts 
 of Parliament and Council were emitted, and all 
 Ways of Cruelty imaginable taken, to fupprefs Meet- 
 ings in Houfes and in the Fields, Field-meetings be- 
 ing difcharged under Pain of Death to the Minifter, 
 and grievous Penalties upon fuch as did attend them : 
 Hence enfued a Train of the greateft Barbarities, 
 wherewith thefe two perfecuting Reigns were inde- 
 libly ftained, as the Effed of tyrannical Afis, and 
 the more tyrannical Execution of them. But, not- 
 withftanding of thefe Severities, the more the Lord's 
 People were affli&ed, the more they grew; when 
 the Gofpel was difpenfed at the Peril of their Lives 
 from the Sword in the Wildernefs, the Lord gave 
 Temarkable Countenance to his own Ordinance, 
 which were bleffed to the Converfion and Confirma- 
 tion of many. 
 
 VII. When the Rulers at this Time faw that they 
 could not by all the above Ads of Cruelty extirpate 
 the Affemblies of the Lord's People for Worfliip, ac- 
 cording to his own Institution, and which were the 
 only Monuments of his Covenanted Intereft in the 
 Land; but the more they laboured to fupprefs them, 
 the more frequent they grew : Then the cunning and 
 crafty Device of an Indulgence to fome of the outed 
 
 Minifters 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 Miniftcrs is fallen upon, whereby many, otherwife 
 eminent Lights, were enfnared and. taken. This i»- 
 dulgence was firft granted by the King, in his Letter 
 to the Privy Council, dated June 7th 1660, whereby 
 he authorifeth them to appoint fo many of the outect 
 Minifters, who had lived peaceably and orderly, to re- 
 turn to preach and exercife the Fun<ftions of the Mi- 
 niftry in the Parifh-Churches where they formerly 
 ferved, providing they be vacant ; and that Patrons 
 (hould prefent to other Churches fych others of 
 them as the Council (hall approve. The Minifters 
 allowed by this Letter to exercife their Miniftry, 
 were appointed to keep Presbyteries and Synods, 
 namely, fuch as depended upon, and were authori- 
 fed by the Biftiops; and, in cafe they did not, they 
 were to be confined within the Bounds of thePariflies 
 where they were allowed to preach. Alfo the Let- 
 ter requires, That they be ftriftly enjoined not to 
 admit any from neighbouring Parifties to the Com- 
 munion, nor to baptife their Children, nor to marry 
 any of them, without the Allowance of the Curate of 
 the Parifti; and that they fliould not give Counte- 
 nance to any who deferted their own Parifti-Churches, 
 and reforted to their Preachings; and that no fedi- 
 tious Difcourfe or Expreffion be uttered in the Pul* 
 pit, or elfwhere, by any of thefe Minifters. 
 
 InPurfuance of the above Letter, the Privy Council V 
 at different Times, appoint fevcral Minifters to 
 preach and exercife the other Functions of the Mini- 
 ftry, fome at the Churches out of which they had 
 been ejefied, others (their own Churches being plan- 
 ted with Intruders) were appointed, with Confent of 
 the Patron, to Churches that were vacant: And eve- 
 ry one of thefe Minifters were by the Council's Aft 
 (July 27th 1669) ftridlly enjoined to give due Obedi- 
 ence to all the Reftri&ions contained in the King's 
 Letter aforefaid. After the granting of this Ind$l~ 
 gence, the King's Supremacy, which was indeed the 
 Spiing thereof, and had been amply aflerted by for- 
 mer A&s Q f Parliament, is now .further explained 
 £ % ' and 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 and ex-tended by the Parliament that met Ottober 19th 
 that fame Year; for, by the firfc Aft of that Sefiion 
 of Parliament, It is enafted, aiYerted and declared, 
 M That the King and his SuccelTors have the fupreme 
 •* Authority and Supremacy over all Perfons, and in 
 " all Caufes Ecclefiaftick within this Kingdom ; and 
 u that, by virtue thereof, the ordering and difpoiing 
 " of the external Government and Policy of the 
 f< Church, doth properly belong to them as an ink 
 fc htrent Right to the Grown ; and that they may 
 u fettle, enaft and emit fuch Conftitutions, Ads and 
 w Orders concerning the Administration of the ex- 
 •« ternal Government of the Church, and the Perfons 
 11 employed in the fame, and concerning all Ecclcr 
 €i fiaftical Meetings and Matters to be propoied and 
 •' determined therein, as they in their Royal Wif- 
 " dom (hall think fit " After this, feveral Reiki- 
 £tions were laid upon the Indulged by the Privy 
 Council; particularly by their Aft, January 13th 
 1670, they difcharge them to leffure upon any Part 
 of Scripture before Sermon; with Certification, that, 
 if they continue to do fo, they (hall be difcharged 
 to exercife their Miniftry within the Kingdom. 
 Afterwards a fecond Indulgence is granted by the Pri- 
 vy Council, September 3d 1671; and three feveral 
 Afts were fram'd about it that fame Day : By the 
 firft, a great many of the outed Minifters, not formerly 
 1 indulged, areclafied and confined by two's and three's 
 5n different Parifhes, and* difcharged to pafs without 
 the Bounds of the fame ; and a Committee of Council 
 is impowered to remove any of the Minifters^pamed, 
 from one of the faid Pari(hes to which they are con- 
 fined, to another, as they (hall fee Caufe, within fix 
 Months after the above Date, of this Aft. By a 
 fecond Aft of the fame Date, there are feveral other 
 Limitations laid upon them as to the Exercife of 
 their Miniftry, befides thefe. mentioned in the. King's 
 Letter; fuch as, "That the Indulged,*'™ one and the 
 Si fame Diocefe, celebrate the Communion in one 
 *' and the fame Day; That they (hould not preach 
 
 " in 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 " in Church-yards, or any other Place, but in Kirks; 
 " under the Pain of being puni^ed as Keepers of 
 " Conventicles; and that they depart not forth irom 
 " the Parifh, without Licence from the Bifhop of 
 " the Diocefe only ; and that, in the Exercife of Dif- 
 " cipline, all Caufes, formerly referable to Presby- 
 <: teries, (hould ftill in the fame Manner be referred 
 " unto them, altho' they were now nothing elfe but 
 « Bifliops Courts." And, by a third Adl of the a- 
 bove Date, they difcharge all other Presbyterian 
 Minifters, except thefe who are indulged, to exercife 
 any Part of their Minifterial Work, unlefs they are 
 invited by the Minifters of the Parifnes where they 
 live; and appoint them under fevere Penalties to at- 
 tend Ordinances in the faid PariQies. Thus the In- 
 dulgence flood Anno 1672,, and fome Years after- 
 wards, when by a publick Proclamation (March ift 
 1676) the above Orders and Inftru<3ions were again 
 itricftly enjoined; they are in the faid Proclamation 
 exprefly called, the Terms upon which the indulged 
 Minifters were permitted to preach, and exercife the 
 other Functions of the Miniftry. And, by an A& 
 of Council of the fame Date with the faid Procla* 
 i mation, !f The indulged Minifters are discharged to 
 *' admit any of the Minifters not indulged to their 
 " Communions or Pulpits, under Pain of being de^ 
 " pofed by the feifliop of the Diocefe." 
 
 From all which it is evident, that the Indulgences 
 above-mentioned had their Rife, Conveyance and 
 Subfiftence from the blafphemous Supremacy iifufped 
 over the Houfe of God ; and the feveral Arts above- 
 mentioned were the adiual Exercife of the fame : As 
 will plainly appear, if it is confidered, that the Mi- 
 nifterial Power and Authority for the Government 
 of the Church, which the Lord Jefus Chrift, the 
 alone Head and Lawgiver thereof, has conveyed to 
 Church-officers as the properSubjeft and Receptacle 
 thereof (Mat, 16. 19. Chap. 18". 18, 20. z Cor. 10. 
 8, 11 J is, by the Atl of Supremacy, moft impioufly 
 and facrilegioufly transferred upon the King and his 
 
 Succeflbrs, 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 Succeffors, as an inherent Right to the Cfowrt ; withi 
 Power to him either to exercife the fame in his own 
 Perfon, or by others whom he (hall nominate and 
 appoint to execute his Orders, Accordingly, in Obe- 
 dience to the Commands, and by virtue of an Au- 
 thority derived from the King (whom the Parliament 
 had conftitute fapreme over all Perfons, and in all 
 Caufes Ecclefiaftick) the Privy Council affume the 
 aclual Exercife of Church-power, in judging of the 
 Gifts and Qualifications of Minifters for labouring in 
 fuch and fuch Parifhes, and planting and tranfplan- 
 ting them at their Pleafare, and in framing and pre- 
 ferring Ecclefiaftical Canons and Inftruftions for re-? 
 gulating the Exercife of the Minifterial Office; all 
 which are Afts competent only to Church-officers by virr 
 tue of ChrilVs Inftitution, and quite beyond the Sphere 
 of the Civil Magi fir ate. And, as a further Evidence 
 that the Indulgence flowed from the. Supremacy as the 
 Spring thereof, the Minifters, who bad the Benefit of 
 it, were appointed to fuch and fuch Pari(hes (with 
 Confent of the Patron) in virtue of the Kings fu- 
 freme Authority exerctfed by the Council, without any 
 Call from the People, or the Interpofure of any Ec- 
 clefiaftick Authority whatfoever: And thefe who 
 were reftored to their own Churches, were not ad- 
 mitted to them by virtue of any former ftanding Re* 
 lation, but merely by appointment of the Council, in 
 Purfuance of his Majefty' s Commands fignified to them"; 
 
 its is evident from the Tenor of the ieveral Ads re- 
 ative to this Affair. And, tho' all the Minifters of 
 Chrift have their Inftrudiions from Him alone, and 
 are exprefly enjoined to teach the Observance of all 
 Ihings whatfoever he has commanded them, jdat. 28. 
 18, 19,20. every one of the indulged Minifters were 
 rtflri&ed in the Exercife of their Miniftry by the a- 
 bove-mentioned Limitations ; and, as they were 
 flriflly difcharged to utter any feditious Expreffions 
 in the Pulpit, or elfewhere, fo it is plain, from the 
 KQs of Parliament and Council at this Time, that 
 faithful Minifterial freedom againft the Perfidy an4 
 
 Treachery 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 treachery of all Ranks of Perfons, in the prefent 
 horrid Violation of the Oath and Covenant of God, 
 and in rearing up* or fubmitting unto the abjured 
 Hierarchy and wicked Supremacy, was what was 
 then reckoned feditious. And, tho' it may be alledg- 
 cd that the Miniftry of fome of the Indulged was 
 attended with Succefs, and that the Inftruftions given 
 them were not pun<ftually*obTervcd by them all ; yet 
 -the Acceptance of the Indulgence in the above com- 
 plex Circumftances, and omitting to give a plain 
 and diftinft Teftimony, in that Cafe of Confeffion, 
 againft that wicked Supremacy ufurped over the 
 Houfe of God, was a Departing from a very material 
 Part of the Caufe and Teftimony of the Church of 
 Scotland. And it was no fmall Aggravation of the^ 
 Sinfulnefsof this Step, that fome Minifters, who were 
 in the Council's Nomination, never accepted of it, but 
 continued with others of 'their Brethren who were 
 not included in it (notwithftanding of cruel Edifts 
 againft them) to jeopard their Lives in the high Places 
 of the Field, teftifying and witneffing againft the 
 prefent Apoftafy and Defection from Scotland's Co- 
 venanted Reformation. 
 
 VIII. The whole Land was yet further involved 
 in dreadful and hainous Guilt, by the many finful 
 Oaths, Declarations and Bonds that were impoled 
 during this Period of Apoftafy and Defe&ion, be- 
 tween the Year 1660 and 1688; particularly, by 
 the nth Aft of the ift Seffion of Parliament Ann* 
 x66i, all Perfons in publick Truft were obliged to 
 fwear the Oath of allegiance, or rather Supremacy ; 
 whereby they were required to declare, That the 
 King is the only fupreme Governor over all Perfons and in- 
 all Caufes, and that they ftiould promote and fup- 
 port his forefaid Jurifdiclion againft all deadly. To- 
 gether with this Oath an lnftrument ajfertory of the 
 Royal Prerogative is appointed to be figned, where- 
 by the Subfcribers confented to the King's abfolute 
 Power, and owned the Unlawfulnefs of refifiing him 
 upon any Pretext whatfoever; and fo hot only gave 
 
 up 
 
. . ( 40 ) 
 
 up their Civil Liberties, but materially renounced the 
 Whole Work of Reformation, as it was begun at our 
 Secefion from Popery, and as it was carried on in the 
 Year 1638, tho' all was approven by King and Par- 
 liament, and, which is more, was fignally owh'd of 
 God. The Privy Council, or any having Authority 
 from them, were impowered to impofe the faid Oath 
 and afiertory Ad upon any whom they pleafed; 
 hence, in a fhort Time, thefe Oaths reached the 
 moil Part of the Subje&s, and became trying Badges 
 of Loyalty. If a Perfon was filled before the Coun- 
 cil or other Courts, if he fwore the Allegiance and 
 fign'd the affertory AA, he was difmifs'd; but, if 
 he refufed, there was no Mercy for him. Again, 
 by the Jth Aft of the id SelHon of that fame Par- 
 liament {Anno 1661) in order to put the Grave- 
 ftohe upon the Covenanted Reformation, a Declara- 
 tion is appointed to be figned by all Perfons in pu- 
 blick Truft, wherein they were required to affirm 
 and declare, " That it is unlawful, upon any Pre- 
 * c text whatfoever, to enter into Leagues and Cove- 
 " pants, or to take up Arms againft the King, or 
 *' thefe cofnmiffioned by him; That all the Convo- 
 M cations, Petitions and Proteftations, that were 
 " ufed in the Beginning, and for carrying on ttae 
 4< late Troubles" (/. e. all that was done for carry- 
 ing on the Work of Reformation from the Year 
 1638) " were unlawful and feditious; and that the 
 •« National Covenant, as explained in the Year 1638, 
 *' and *tbe Solemn League and Covenant, were in 
 " themfelves unlawful Oaths-, and that there lieth 
 "no Obligation upon any of the Subje&s, from the 
 "faid Oaths, to endeavour any Change or' Altera- 
 u tion in the Government, either in Church or State, 
 u from the prefent Eitablifliment by the Laws of 
 M the Kingdom." This Declaration became one of 
 the great Sins and Snares of this Time; Perjury is 
 now made a chief Qualification, and necefiary Con- 
 dition of all that were to be admitted to Places and 
 Offices in Church and State* Likewife, by an Ad 
 
 of 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 of Parliament Anno 1670, againft People's feparating 
 from * the publick Worfhip in their own Parities, 
 i. e. from the perjur'd Conformifts to Prelacy; Heri- 
 tors and LiferenterSj if they obftinately withdraw 
 from their Parifh-ChurChes for z certain Space of 
 Time, muft be fitted before the Council, and re- 
 quired to fign a Bond, obliging themfelves, That 
 they (hall not, upon any Pretext whatfoever, rife in 
 Arms againft the King, or any comfniflioned by 
 him; and that they fhall not affift or countenance 
 any who fliall rife in Arms; and the Refufers of this 
 Bond are appointed to be fecured or banifbed, and 
 their fingle or Liferent Efcheat to belong to the 
 King: This was a Snare unto many, and a Ground 
 of Suffering unto others. Befides thefe Oaths im- 
 
 f>oftd by Authority of Parliament, many other en- 
 haring Oaths and Bonds were alfo enforced by the 
 Privy Council, fuch as the Bond of Peace, appointed 
 to be fubfcribed dnno 1667; and the Bond for Re- 
 gularity, as it was called* appointed by Ad of Coun- 
 cil, Auguft 2d 1677 j to be fubfcribed by all the Heri- 
 tors, &t, whereby they bind and oblige themfelves, 
 dnd all under their Authority* That they fliall not; 
 withdraw from the publick Divine Worflhip in their 
 refpecftive Parifti Churches • that they thai] not have 
 their Children baptifed, nor be married* but by 
 fuch MJniftcrs as are lawfully authorifed ; and that . 
 they (hall not be prefent at Conventicles, either in 
 Houfes or in the Fields; and all this under heavy 
 and fevere Penalties. But that Oath, called theTefi, 
 deferves particular Confideratlon : It was a [elf con- 
 tradictory Oath, v and had not a Parallel among all the 
 Oaths ever impofed in any Proteftant Country; It. 
 was framed by the Parliament Auguft 31ft 1681 ; at 
 firit only Perfons in publick Truft were obliged to 
 take it, but atterwards it became a general Teft of 
 Loyalty, and was impofed upon all Ranks of Per 
 ions* and made a Handle even of perfecting niUo 
 Death great Numbers, fome of whom were o( a 
 Very confiderable Rank and Quality; and Mi 
 
 1 
 
. ( 4* > , 
 
 tudes, whocouid not comply with it, were grievouty 
 oppreffed. In xhefirjl Part of this Oath, the Pro- 
 teftant Religion contained in the firft Confejfion of 
 Faith is profeffed, and all Principles and DoSrines 
 contrary to, and inconfiftent with, the fame are re- 
 nounced; and yet, in direct Contradiction thereto, 
 the King's Supremacy in the utmoft Extent is again 
 and again afferted, together with the Unlawfulnefs 
 of Subjects their refitting the Sovereign upon any 
 Pretext whatfoever; the Obligation of the Cove- 
 nants, National and Solemn .League, is difowned, 
 and the Government of the Church then eftablifticd 
 by Law is approven. Thus the Reprefentatives of 
 the Nation, and together with them many of all Ranks 
 of Perfons thro' the Land, make themfelves more 
 and more vile by the blacked Perjury, the groffeft 
 Apoftafy and Defe&ion from the Lord, that a 
 People or a Nation could be guilty of. 
 
 IX. The Wickednefs of this Period did rife higher, 
 even to the greateft Tyranny and Cruelty exercifed 
 upon all fuch as endeavoured to keep their Garments 
 clean in this finning and defiling Day. The above- 
 mentioned A6ls of Parliament, with the Oaths and, 
 £08^; impofed by the Parliament and Privy Council, 
 laid a Foundation for near Twenty eight Years grie- 
 wus Perfection : A fimple Non-compliance with the 
 Prelatick Government then eftablifhed; declining to 
 attend Ordinances difpeafed by the Bifhop's Under- 
 lings; being prefent at Conventicles in Houfes or 
 Fields ; refufing the Oath of Supremacy, or the o- 
 ther Oaths and Bonds that were impofed , owning 
 the Obligation of our folcmn Covenants, and the 
 Lawfulneis of defenfive Arms, or of refilling a tyran- 
 nical Sovereign ; were reckoned Crimes of thehighefi 
 Nature, and iubje&ed Multitudes of all Ranks unto 
 unparalleled Severity. 
 
 During this Period, the Witneffes for Scotland's 
 Covenanted Reformation endured cruel Mockings zni 
 Scourgings ; they wandered about in Deferts and in 
 Mountains j in Caves and Dem of the Earth, deftitute, 
 
 fifflifcd, 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 afllicled, tormented. Multitudes were banifted their 
 native Country, others fuffered long Imprifonment, 
 /foiling of Goods, and grievous Tortures, that had not 
 a Parallel in any Proteftant Country ; many refifted 
 even unto Blood, ftriving againft Sin ; the moft publicfc 
 Cities of the Nation were defiled with innocent 
 Blood, fuch as Edinburgh, Glafgow, and other Cities 
 yea, to fuch an Height did Cruelty and Tyranny arrive,' 
 that many were killed in the open Fields without any 
 legal Procefs ; the mercilefs Soldiers were both their 
 Judges and Executioners. This Torrent of Blood was 
 opened in the Martyrdom of the noble Marquis of 
 jirgyle, May 27th, and of the worthy Mr. James 
 Guthry five Days thereafter in the Year 1661, when 
 the Parliament was razing Scotland's Covenanted Re- 
 formation, and planting their** of Prelacy and arbi- 
 trary Power. This cmrfed Tree behoved to be foak'd 
 with the noble Blood of an excellent Patriot, a flaunch 
 Presbyterian, a vigorous AJferter of Scotland's Liberties, 
 and with the Blood of an eminent and faithful Mi- 
 nifter of Jefus Chrift; and much bitter and bloody 
 Fruit did this Tree of Prelacy bear, in the Sufferings 
 unto Death of many excellent Perfons of all Ranks, 
 till the Beginning of the memorable Y^ar 1688, 
 when the Torrent ftopt in the Death of Mr. James 
 Renwick. The principal Articles of his Indictment, 
 and for which he fuffered, were his affirming, That 
 the Duke of York, then King James VII. was not 
 rightful nor lawful King of thefe Realms, and that 
 becaufe he was a Papifi, had never fworn the Corona*- 
 tion-Oathy and was overthrowing the fundamental 
 Laws of the Kingdom ; alfo his affirming and de- 
 fending the Lawfulnefs of defenfive Arms, both for 
 our Civil and Religious Liberties: Thefe Principles 
 were efpoufed by this Church ever fince our Refor- 
 mation from Popery, and were juflified by all the 
 three Nations at the Revolution. Thus, in eur Skirts 
 is found the Blood of the Saints who fuffered during 
 .this difmal Period ; and, if the ordinary Courfe of 
 Divine Procedure is obferved, all Ranks in Scotland 
 F 2; have 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 have Reafon to fear, that a Land, defiled with Perjury 
 And Blood, mult be punijhed by plood ; eipecially when 
 thefe heinous Abominations have never been duly 
 fior ferioully confjdered nor moyrned over, Lev. 16. 
 1$. z Kings 14. 3,4. 
 
 X. When Apoftafy and Defection had come to 
 fuch a prodigious Height, as is already mentioned, 
 the whole Proteftant Intereft in the three Nations was 
 brought into the greateft Danger, by the Acceffiori 
 Of the Duke of York unto the Throne, after the Death 
 of his Brother Charles IT. Anno 1685, He ppenly 
 profefs'd and declared himfelf a Papiji, -and the Re- 
 prefentatives of the Nation, without requiring the 
 Coronation-oath, being met in Parliament, make 3 
 Declaration and Offer of Duty unto this Popith Prince t 
 wherein they own his abiblute Power and Authority, 
 and promiie him Obedience without Referve. In 
 Coniequence whereof, tho' the Parliament, that met 
 the following Year, refufed to refcmd the penal Star 
 tutes againft Paputs, yet this Pop'tjh prince did moft 
 tyrannically abrogate and pull down thefe Hedges of 
 the Reformation, by virtue of his ufurped Supre- 
 macy and abfolute Power; fiift in his Letter to the 
 Privy Council, dated Auguft zift j686, wherein, by 
 his Power paramount to the Law, he declares his 
 Refolution to protect his Catholick Subjects, and al- 
 lows them the freeExercife of their Religion in their 
 Houfes,, and appoints the Royal Chapel at Holy-rood- 
 houfe tp be fitted up for Popifh Worfhip ; wherer 
 Tipon the Land was immediately filled with Swarms o( 
 Pop'tjh Priefts, and a Popijlj School is erefted at Holy* 
 roodrhoufe for corrupting the Youth: And then, by 
 his Proclamation, February 12th 1687, he docs, by his 
 Prerogative-royal, fovereign Authority and abiolute 
 Power, jufpend all penal Laws againft Papijls ; where? 
 in alfo. there is a Liberty granted to thefe whom he 
 calk moderate Presbyterians^ but it is under fuch fer 
 vere Reftricftions, and fo manifejlly in Conneftiop with 
 the Toleration of Popery (for which indeed it was 
 t'hiefly defl^tied^ that nor^e 9f the Presbyterians took 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 tie Benefit of it. When feverais began to be alar- 
 med at fuch an open and violent Attack upon the Re- 
 formation, wherein fuch large Favours were granted 
 to the Pafijls 9 \ not only as to the Exercife of their 
 Religion, but alfo capacitating them to enjoy Places 
 of Power and Truft, that this Toleration was too 
 bare-fac'd for Presbyterians to fall in with; therefore, 
 that the main Defign of introducing Popery might be 
 the better coloured, and the Reformation more efe- 
 finally (tho'/e/j fenfibly) unhinged, there comes down 
 a fecond Form of a Toleration, in a Proclamation 
 dated June 2.8 th that fame Year, conceived indeed 
 in more general Terms, but of the fame Nature 
 and Import with the former: Therein it is declared, 
 That the Arcbbifoops and Bifiops, and all Subje&s 
 of the Proteilant Religion, are to be defended in 
 the free Exercife of their Protectant Religion, as by 
 Law eftabli(hed; and likewife, by virtue of the Pre- 
 rogative and abfolute Power, all penal and fanguinary 
 Laws, made againft any for Non-conformity to the 
 Religion eftabliftied by Law, or the Exercife of 
 their refpe6tive Religions, Rites and Ceremonies, 
 are ftopt, fufpended and difabled; and a Liberty is 
 granted to all the Subjedts to meet and ferve God 
 in their own Way and Manner, in private Houfes, 
 Chaples, or Places hired or built for thePurpofe; 
 providing nothing be preached or taught that may 
 any ways tend to alienate the Hearts of the People 
 from the Government; and Field-meetings are ftill 
 difcharged under the fevereft Penalties. It is evi- 
 dent from the abrogating of the penal Statutes in this, 
 as well as in the former Proclamation, that this bound- 
 lefs Joleration was calculated chiefly in favours of the 
 Papijis, as well as the former, aftho' they be not ex- 
 preily named in it; and yet all the Presbyterian Mi- 
 nifters in the Kingdom (excepting a very few) not on- 
 ly accepted the Benefit of it, but alfo a confiderable 
 Body of them, met at Edinburgh, did fend an Ad- 
 drift #/ Thanks for the faid Toleration, dated July 
 *xft 1687, and fubferibed in their own Name, and 
 
 in 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 in the Name of the reft of the Brethren of their 
 Perfwafion, wherein they offer their humble and hearty 
 Thanks to that Popifh Prince, and blefs the great God, 
 who put it in his Heart to grant them the faid Liberty, 
 which they call a gracious and furprifing Favour; 
 withal promifing (in Obedience to the above Procla- 
 mation) an entire Loyalty in their Doclrine and Pra* 
 iiice confonani: to their known Principles contained 
 in the Confeffion of Faith) and alfo befeeching, that 
 thefe who promote any disloyal Principles or Practices 
 (as they difown r':?m) may be iookt upon as none of 
 theirs, whateve Nam* they may affume to themselves. 
 The above boundlefs and illimited Toleration was, 
 no doubt, contrary to the Principles of the Church 
 of Scotland, contained in her Confeffion of Faith and 
 Larger Catechifm. The Defigh of the Granter, and 
 the Tendency of the Liberty granted, was the Intro- 
 du<ftion of Popery and Slavery; its Conveyance was 
 from the Kings abfolute Power, which all were re- 
 quired to obey without Referve, fufpending and dis- 
 abling all the penal Statutes aga nft Papifts, where- 
 by all the legal Bulwarks of the Proteftant Religion 
 again$ Popery were undermined and overthrown: 
 Likewife the particnlar P-'ovifo above mentioned, 
 " That nothing fhould be preacH'd or taught, which 
 " might any way tend to alienate the Hearts of the 
 *' People from him, or his Government;" i.e. in 
 plain Terms, That no doftrinal Teftimony fhould 
 be emitted againft a Popifh Prince, and his arbitrary 
 Government, overturning the very Foundations of 
 our Civil as well as Religious Liberties; was a moft 
 ifnful aud unwarrantable, and, in the prefent Jun- 
 tfture, a moft dangerous Reftricftion and Limitation 
 upon Minifters in the Exercife of their Miniftry, 
 From all which it is plain, that the Acceptance of 
 this Toleration, conveyed after the above Manner, 
 with fetch an Addrefs of Thanks for it, and without 
 any publick joint Teftimony againft the Evils contain'd 
 in it (except that which was offered by Mr. Renwick, 
 and the few that adhered to him) was not only ftum^ 
 
 blirrg 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 bling to many, butbecam rteof our publick national 
 Sins. 
 
 The above-memioned Particulars are fome In- 
 ftances of the Beginning, Progrefs and Height of 
 the Back/lidingznd Dejeclion or nil Ranks of Peribns, 
 between the Years 1650 and 1688, from a glorious 
 Reformation formerly atrained Unto; whereby a re- 
 formed Land,, a Land of Light, and under the moil 
 folemn Engagements to the Lord, became a Land 
 of Perjury and Blood, and was filled with Sin 4- 
 gainfi the Holy One of Ifrael. Wherefore, 
 
 The Minifiers ajfociate together, being met in Pref- 
 bytery, judge it their Duty to teftifyzvA bear Witneft 
 againft all thefe hainous Sins and Abominations-, and 
 They did r and hereby do, condemn all the [ever al Sins , 
 Backflidings and Steps of Defection from our Covenanted 
 Reformation above-mentioned, for the particular Reafons 
 and Grounds above condefcended upon ; and all other 
 Acls and Deeds, in fo far as connected with, and f up- 
 porting, the above Steps of Defection, as contrary to the 
 Word of God, and inconfiftent with the Covenanted Prin* 
 ciples of this Church founded thereon. And they hereby 
 declare , That they were and are juft Caufes of the 
 Lord's righteous (Quarrel and Controverfy with our 
 Princes, our Nobles, Barons, Burgejfes, Minifiers and 
 Commons of all Sorts in the Land; and that, for the 
 above hainous Sins and Provocations , all Ranks of Per- 
 fons have Reafon to mourn before the Lord, left by their 
 continued and growing Impenitency and Obdurat'ion, a 
 righteous and holy God be provoked to come out of his holy 
 Habitation, and vifit the Iniquities of our Fathers upon 
 us in this Generation, who are many Ways ferving 
 iurfelves Heirs unto their Sins and B ackfli dings ; as 
 will appear from the- Inftances afterwards to be 
 given. 
 
 This Church and Land having gron'd under the 
 Yoke of arbitrary Government, and a hot Perfecution 
 for the Space of about 28 Years; the Lord was gra- 
 cioufly pleafed **o break the Yoke from off our 
 Necks, by a glorious^ and furtrfing ApPeartnct for 
 
 us 
 
D 
 
 ( 43 ) 
 
 us at the Revolution, in the latter End. of the Year 
 1(588, whereof the Prince of Orange was the happy 
 Inftrument, who was afterwards proclaimed King, to 
 the Joy and Satisfaction of all fuch as had a juft 
 Senfe of the Worth and Value of their liberties, 
 'Religious and Civil : Wherefore this Presbytery judge 
 it their Duty, to commemorate with Thdnkfulnefs the 
 t>ivine Power and Goodnefs manifeftedin this wonderful 
 Work, whereby all the Three Nations were rej cued from 
 Popery and Slavery. This Deliverance was feafonable 
 as to the Juncture, and furprifing as to the Manner 
 in which it was given : It was brought about at a 
 Time, when the Defigns were open and declared for 
 bringing this Land under Antichrifiian Idolatry and 
 Darknefs, when Papifts were advanced to the moft 
 considerable Pofts, when the penal Statutes againft 
 them were abrogate by a abfolute difpenfing Power* 
 aflum'd and ufurp'd by a Popiflj Tyrant, fupported 
 by a numerous Army, and at a Time when the 
 whole Land was couching under thefe grievous 
 Burdens : Neither was it our own Sword or our ozvn 
 $ow, but the Right-hand of the Lord and his holy 
 Arm, that wrought Salvation for us. It might have 
 been juftly expected, upon the Back of fuch a re- 
 , riiarkable and great Appearance of God, that former 
 Iniquities and Backflidings (hould have been parti- 
 eularly acknowledged, and the Houfe of God purged \ 
 and that Reformation-work (hbuld have been ad- 
 ranced and carried on* after the Example and Pra- 
 flice of former reforming Periods: But, inftead of 
 this, our Tranfgrejfions are multiplied, new Sins and 
 Backflidings are added to our former Trefpaffes and 
 Defe&ions; Forty Years and upwards have we in this 
 Generation grieved the Lord in the Wildernefs ; we 
 have finned with our Fathers, and have not underftdod 
 his Wonders, nor remembred the Multitude of his Mer- 
 cies, tho he faved us for his Name's Sake, thai he 
 might make his mighty Power to be known ; we have 
 forgot his Works, and have not waited for his Counfei ; 
 and, in following Counfels of Fteih and Blood, we 
 
 have 
 
C 49 ) ., 
 
 have declined gradually from him, until our Apo- 
 ftafy and Defection in the prefent Age is come to an 
 Height, in fome particular Inftances that were not 
 known in former Times. 
 
 I. When the Parliament of Scotland met immedi- 
 ately after the Revolution, in the fir ft Sejfion they abo- 
 lifljcd Prelacy, as a great and in/upportable Grievance 
 to this Nation, and contrary to the Inclination of the Ge- 
 nerality of the People ever fince the Reformation, they 
 having reformed from Popery by Presbyteries : And in 
 the fecond Sejfion of the Tame Parliament, Anno 1690, 
 Presbyterian Church Government and Difcipline is efta- 
 blifhed and ratified, according to the Civil Ratifica- 
 tion and Eftablifament given unto the Government of 
 this Church Anno 1591. Thus a retrograde Motionis 
 made near an hundred Years backward; and all the 
 legal Securities given to this Church, in that Cove- 
 nanting Period from 1638 to 1650, are overlooked and 
 pafsd by. Likewife all the Acts of the firft Sefiion 
 of the firft Parliament of King Charles II. toge- 
 ther with the infamous Atl Refcijfory (Anno 1661 ) 
 whereby a Covenanted Reformation was razed, and 
 the Acts and Deeds of that Covenanting Period were 
 declared feditious and treafonable, are left untouched 
 in this above-mention^ Settlemeyit. Prelacy is never 
 confidered as contrary to the Word of God, and abjured 
 by our Covenants', nor our Presbyterian Church Go- 
 vernment and Difcipline, as what the Land is bound 
 and obliged to maintain by the moft folemn Oaths 
 and Covenants : The Indignities done to the National 
 and Solemn League and Covenant, and confequently 
 to the moft high God, the great Party in them, arc 
 never regarded ; but thefe Solemn Oaths and Cove- 
 nants are left buried under an Atl Refcijfory, and o« 
 ther Acts and Deeds fubverfive of them. If this 
 Nation, when an Opportunity and Seafon was given 
 them, and when the Lord gave fuch a remarkable 
 and wonderful Deliverance unto them, did not refeni 
 the Indignities and Injuries done in the former Pe- 
 riod to Uae great God, whofe awful and holy Nj*;?s 
 
( 5° .) 
 
 ctfas interpofed in thefe folemn Oaths and Covenants, 
 it is a righteous, juft and holy Difpenfation of Pro- 
 vidence, that we ftio'M be nc more a Nation-, and 
 that our Noblemen, Barons and BurgeJ[es 9 who had 
 fuch a Golden Seafon and Opportunity put into their 
 Hands for honouring God, and doing Juftice to that 
 i great Name which was abufed and profaned in fuch 
 a dreadful and unparallelled Manner, fhould for ever 
 • be deprived of the Opportunity of acling by themfelves 
 in a Parliamentary Capacity. Likewife, by the fame 
 Parliament, the Oath of Allegiance to the Sovereign 
 is appointed to be fworn, "In Place of any other 
 u Oaths impofed by Laws and Acfts of preceeding 
 u Parliaments. 4 * Tho' it may befaid, that this has 
 a Refpeft to the Oaths impofed during the perfec- 
 ting Period, yet the Terms in which the A6t is con- 
 ceived appear plainly to exclude the Oath of the 
 Covenant, which contained a very folemn Teft of 
 Allegiance to the Sovereign ; efpecially when it is 
 confidered, that the above-mentioned Acl Refcijfory 
 was not repealed, and alfo that the Draught of an 
 Aft for excluding fuch as had a Share in the Op- 
 preffions of the former Period, from Places of pu- 
 blick Truft, was laid afide, after it was twiccreadin 
 Parliament : Hence fuch were admitted into Places 
 of publick Truft and Power, as were both in Prin- 
 ciple and Practice oppofite to a Covenanted Refor- 
 mation: Thus after our great Deliverance, we 
 mingled otirfelves again with theft, and learn'd of 
 them their Ways. 
 
 II. The firft General Affembly of this Church af- 
 ter the Revolution did fit down Anno 1690, under 
 the Shadow of the above Civil E ft abli foment, and ne- 
 ver reclaimed againft what was defective in the fame, 
 but kept Meafures with the State in their feveral 
 Acts and Deeds at that Jundure. It is not here in- 
 tended to detradt- from that Regard that is due to 
 the Memory of thefe worthy Minifters, and others, 
 *who came out of the Furnace of a hot PerfecutioR, 
 and 'did .bear a Part in our fiift General Affemblies 
 
 after 
 
I 
 
 ( 5« ) 
 
 after the Revolution; yet it is necefTary, both fo:' 
 the Sake of the prefent as well as fucceeding Genera- 
 tions, to mention fome confiderahle Qxn:j/icns, o£ 
 whkh Ministers. and many others. have comph:ned t 
 and which cannot be otherwife look'd upon, than as 
 fianding Grounds and Caufes of tht Lord's Di/piea/urs 
 and Controversy with us, and as one of the Springs ot 
 the many Evils which have fince that Time betallea 
 this Church and Land. It was the laudable Practice 
 in Reforming Times to condemn all Steps of Defe- 
 ction, and duly to cenfare fuchas were guilty of pu- 
 blick Backfliding: Accordingly, by.- the Aflembly 
 that met Anno 1638, all the Prelates, being Ring- 
 leaders in the Apoitafy, were depofed, and fome of 
 them excommunicate; alfo, in the faid Reforming 
 Period, they returned to the Lord, by a particular 
 Acknowledgment i and Confeffion of the Sins of the 
 Miniftry, and of the whole Land, and by renewing 
 their folemn Covenant-engagements. But the Gene* 
 rai Affembly that met in the ¥>ar 1690 made no par- 
 ticular Acknowledgment of the many hainous Back- 
 flidings of the former Period; but on the contrary, 
 when many -lamen. able Steps of Defection and Apo- 
 ftafy were complained of in a large Paper offered to 
 the forefaid Aflembly % 690, byMr. Alexander Shields 
 and other two Minifiers, the faid Aifembly was To 
 far from attempting theRcdrefsof thefe Grievances, 
 that they approve the Report of their Committee of 
 Overtures, calling them f " Unfeafonable and im- 
 " practicable Propofals, uncharitable and injurious 
 Ci Reik&ions, tending rather to kindle Contentions 
 V than to compofe Divifions." And tho' many ini- 
 quousand blafphemous Statutes were made in the twa 
 perfecuting Reigns for dethroning the glorious Redeemer , 
 and pulling the Crown which he fiiould alone wear 
 from his Royal Head; yet the Aifembly 1690 did 
 not affert the Divine Right of Presbytery, snd the 
 intrinfick Power of the Chur<rh, which are two fpe- 
 : dal Branches oi his glorious Headfhip in and ove, 
 
 Gi fh c 
 
 f m ;th 4jf. xtyo. 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 the fame: And that Power and Authority given by 
 the Lord Jefus to the Office-bearers of his Houfe, to 
 bold their Meetings in his Name, was not ftedfaftly 
 adhered^ unto, in regard, that tho' the King's Com- 
 tnijftoner diffolved the Affcmbly 1691, and tho* their 
 Meetings were adjourned from Time to Time by the 
 King s Proclamation till the Year 1694; yet there 
 Is not any (landing Teftiroony againft fuch finful In- 
 croachments upon the Rights and Liberties of drift's 
 Spiritual Kingdom. And neither the foresaid Affem- 
 bly 1690, nor any of the Affemblies of the Church 
 fincethat Time, did by any one formal AH or Sta- 
 tute explicitly and judicially condemn the facrile- 
 gious Ufurpation of his Royal Dignity, by that bla- 
 sphemous Supremacy arrogated during that bloody 
 Period; nor aflerted him to be, what he really is, 
 The alone fupreme Head and King over his Church, as 
 hit free and independent Kingdom. It is true indeed, 
 that the Afiembly 1690, in their Aft appointing a 
 National Fajt, own, * That the Supremacy wasad- 
 " ranced (viz. in the prececding Reigns) in fuch a 
 u Way, and to fuch a Height, as never any Chriftian 
 *' Church acknowledged." Yet they do not abfo- 
 lutely condemn that ufurped Supremacy, nor ex- 
 prefly affert the Headfnip and Sovereignty of Chrift, 
 in Opposition to the bold and daring Invafionmadeu- 
 ponitin the late Times of lamentable Defe&ionand 
 grievous Perfecution. Further, they did not ex- 
 prefly approve the Covenanted Reformation of this 
 Church attained unto from the Year 1638 to 1650; 
 Nor did they juftify the Wrefllings, Teltimonies and 
 Sufferings of the Lord's RemnaLtin the late perfecu-r 
 ting Times, for the fame; Nor has the obligation of 
 our Covenants, National and Solemn League, and their 
 binding Force upon Pofterity, ever been exprefly af- 
 ferted by any particular Kfy of Afiembly fince the 
 Revolution ; Nor has the Solemn League and Cove- 
 nant been exprefly named in any of the Grounds of 
 National Falling fince that Time; Tho' both thefe 
 might have been expe&ed, confidering how thefe 
 
 Covenants 
 
( *5 ) 
 
 Covenants were fo openly violate, and ignominioufly 
 burnt, in the former Period. Alfo the above-mentio- 
 ned fmful and Confcience-hardning Oaths, Bonds 
 and Declarations, whereby Chrift was facrilegioufly 
 robb'd of bis Royal Crown and Dignity, his Servants 
 opprefled, by fome of which the Nation gave up 
 with their valuable Civil Liberties as well as their 
 Religious Privileges, and by every one of which the 
 Land was involved in the dreadful Sin and Guilt of 
 Perjury; yet thefe Bonds and Oaths were never ex- 
 prefljrand particulaYlycondefnned and mourned o- 
 ver : Neither has the Subverfion of our Covenanted 
 Reformation, by thefe Parliamentary Deeds, which 
 laid a Foundation for the Tyranny and Bloodftied 
 which followed thereupon, been particularly ac- 
 knowledged in any of our Ads appointing National 
 Fafts fince the Revolution:' Neither have fuch as 
 made Defection been duly cenfured; but, on the con- 
 trary, the Index of the unprinted Afts of Affembly 
 1690 bears a publick Declaration by the Moderator ■» 
 V That the Affembly would depofe no Incumbents 
 " fimply for their Judgment anent the Government 
 " of the Church;" That is, they declare, That 
 the perfidious Prelates and their Underlings were 
 not to be depofed for their treacherous Defeftion 
 from the Covenanted Principles of this Church; 
 And, in a Confiftency with this Declaration, the Af- 
 fembly 1694 * enjoin their Commijfion (as feveral Af- 
 femblies afterwards did) " To receive into Minifte- 
 u rial Communion fuch of the late conform Mini- 
 u Iters, as, having qualified themfelves according to 
 " Law, fhnll fubferibe the formula," which was then 
 framed for them ; whereby they were not bound to 
 acknowledge that Presbyterian Government is foun- 
 ded on the Word of God, but only, " That the 
 " Church-government, as now fettled by Law, is 
 " the only Government of this Church." Nor are 
 , Elders required to lign any other Formula to this 
 Day. Upon the Signing of the above Formula, a 
 
 great 
 * A<ft u. § 6. 
 
( 54. ) 
 
 great many PrelaticalMnifters and Elders were ad- 
 mitted into the Bofom of the Church* and had Ac- 
 cefs to fit in Judicatories, . without requiring any E- 
 vidence of their Repentance, or Sorrow for their 
 hainous and fcandalous Defection; As will be evi- 
 dent from the Commifftons Addrefs to Queen Anne, 
 recorded Act ioth, Affembiy 1711, wherein they 
 havethefc Words; " We cannot but lay before your 
 " Majefty this pregnant Inftance of our Mode- 
 " ration, That firice our late happy Eftablifhment 
 " there have been taken in, and continued, Hun- 
 « dreds of differing. ( 1. €. Epifcopal) Minifters u- 
 " pon the eafieft Terms," When theie Things are 
 duly confidcred, and former. Reforming Periods and 
 this compared, what a vatt. Difference is there be- 
 tween the Houfe of God in Scotland in its former 
 Luftreand Glory, and the ,Fabrick and Building as. 
 it. was now reared up .by Ghucch and State at the Re- 
 volution! The above Practice, bcth of Church and 
 State, is contrary to Scripture Pattern and Example^ 
 and the. Praftice of Reforming Times recorded there,- 
 2 Chron. 34. 2.9. to the dole,/./-:**-*? 9 and 10 Chap. 
 Ne.h* 9 and 10 Chap, PJal 78 and Pfal 196. through- 
 out.-/ 
 
 III. Tho' the above Omtjfions were frequently re- 
 greted by Minifters and others ; yet *fc was ftill al- 
 ledged, that the Land was no way ripe to return 
 by folernn National .Covenanting, to the Lord,. and 
 that it was not a proper Time and Seafon to be too par-, 
 ticular in mentioning, publick National .Sins, and in 
 condemning the grofsPefedtions and hainous Back- 
 flidings of the former Period. Thus, when the 
 prefent. Seafon and Opportunity of neceffary. Duty was 
 neglected, it came to be altogether loft; particularly 
 when, by the Treaty of Union, we were brought under 
 the more immediate Influence of our Neighbours in 
 England, whole. •Principles as to Church Govern- 
 ment and Difciplinej and in ieveral Points that con- 
 cern the Worfbip of God, differ widely from ours. 
 Our Covenant-Union with England, Anno 1643, was 
 
 reckoned 
 
( 55 ) 
 
 reckoned the Honour and Glory of the Three Lands 
 at that Time; it was an Union for carrying on and 
 advancing a/Work of Reformation in England and 
 Ireland, according to the Word of God, and the 
 Example of the beft Reformed Churches : But, by 
 the forefaid 'treaty of Union, we were incorporate with 
 them upon Termsop pofite unto, and i r confiflent with 
 our Covenant-Union-; in regard the Maintenance and 
 Prefervation of the Do&ine, Worfhip, Govern- 
 ment and Difdpline of the Church of England is 
 made a fundamental and' effential Part of the Union 
 of the Two Kingdoms.' The Commijfion of the Ge- 
 neral A jfembly that were met at that Time, being 
 informed, That, in the Act of Ratification of the 
 Articles of the Treaty of Union, which the Par- 
 liament of Scotland were about to pafs, it was 
 declared, That the Parliament of England might 
 provide for the Security of the Church of England, 
 as they JJjould think expedient, to take Place within 
 the Bounds of the Kingdom of England; Therefore 
 the faid Commijfion, in their Reprefentaiion and Pe- 
 tition of the 16th of January 1707, given in to the 
 Parliament, remonfirate againft the forefaid Claufe 
 in the Aft of Ratification, not only as putting a 
 Blank in the Hands of the Parliament of England, 
 to enacft what they fliould think fit for fecuring the 
 Hierarchy and Ceremonies of their Church ; but alfo 
 as a Confent on the Part of Scotland, that it be an 
 Article and Fundamental of the Union, and as it is 
 contained in the Ratification, implying a manifeftHo- 
 mologation of the faid Hierarchy and Ceremonies : 
 Therefore they crave, " That there may be no fuch 
 " Stipulation or Confent for the Eftablifiiment of 
 " the Hierarchy and Ceremonies, as they would not 
 " involve themfelves and the Nation in Guilt, and 
 " as they would confult the Peace and Quiet of this 
 " Nation both in Church and Stat?." But as the 
 enfuing Genera! Afiembly only approved of the Pro- 
 ceedings of this Commiflion in common Form, with- 
 out an exprefs Approbation of their Conduct in this 
 
 Patii- 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 Particular, tho' Matters of lefs Moment have fome- 
 times been particularly noticed ; fo the Parliament 
 of Scotland nowife regarded the forefaid Reprefen- 
 tation and Petition, having in their Aft of Ratifica- 
 tion given their Confcnt, That the Maintenance of 
 the Hierarchy and Ceremonies in England fliould be a 
 fundamental and ejjential Article of the Union. And 
 tho' it was then alledged, That the faid Union was 
 the beft Mean to fecure our Religion and Liberties 
 againft the Attempts of a Popijh Pretender and his 
 . Adherents ; yet, as it was upon Terms contrary to 
 our Covenant-Union, fq we hereby declared our 
 Confidence in an Arm of Flefli, and not in the living 
 God 9 who had fo often and fo wonderfully faved us 
 from our Enemies. And, upon all thefe Grounds and 
 Reafons, the forefaid Union may be juftly look'd upon 
 as contrary to, and condemned by the Word of God, 
 Jcr. 2. 16, 17, 18, 36, 37. Ezek. 17. 15. Ifa. 30. 
 1, 2, 3. Chap. 31. 1, 2, 3. Whereupon the faid 
 Union i^ become one of our publick National Sins ; 
 and from this Time, inftead of making Progrefs in 
 Reformation-Work, we have been declining and 
 backfliding every Day, and have fallen under the 
 Weight of fuch Grievances as (hake the Foundation 
 of our Presbyterian Church Government and Difci- 
 pline. For, 
 
 TV. Among the more immediate bitter and finful 
 Fruits of the forefaid incorporating Union, the whole 
 Nation was made to grone under the Weight of 
 unneceffary, fuperfluous and finful Oaths ; and indeed, 
 becaufe of Swearing, to this very Day, the Land 
 moameth. How oft are the fame Oajhs repeated, even 
 upon one and the fame Day, to qualify Men to aft 
 in different Capacities? How often arc Dealers in 
 Candles and Leather obliged to fwear t How do many 
 of the trading Part of the Nation involve themfelves 
 in Perjury, by the ordinary Cuftom-houfe Oaths at the 
 Entry of Ships ? And how much Guilt do they bring 
 upon themfdves, and the whole Land, by running 
 of Goods, and fuch like fraudulent Piafticcs, which 
 
 arc 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 are frequently attended with a very grots Profanation 
 of the Lord's Day? How is the Name of God pro-' 
 faned, and the jufl Senfe and Impreffion of the Impor* 
 tance, Weight and Solemnity of an Oath, and alfo the 
 dreadful Guilt and Danger there is of rafh and falfe 
 Swearingj.worn off the Spirits of many, by a frequent 
 and unneceffary repetition of Oaths ? Like wife a fuper- 
 ;flitious Form of Swearing was foon introduced among 
 us from England, by laying the Hand upon, and kijftng 
 the Go/pels; a very corrupt Innovation in that folemn 
 ^Piece of Divine Worfhip, and contrary to Scripture* 
 Pattern, Which alone fhould regulate us, as in every 
 other Part, fo in this folemn Adl of Worfhip. Alfo 
 the Sacramental Tefi f and Conformity to the Liturgy 
 and Ceremonies of the Church of England, is re- 
 quired of the Members of this Church* while ferving 
 the Sovereign in England and Ireland* The Com- 
 mijfion of the General Affembly, in their Petition to 
 the Parliament of Scotland, November 8th 1706, re- 
 prefented, That this might prove of moft dangerous 
 Conferences to the Church ; yet, in the Treaty of 17- 
 \nion, there was no particular Provifion made againft it. 
 The fatal and dangerous Confequences of the fame 
 ate every Day more and more feen; Perfons of all 
 Ranks reforting to England, and conforming occa* 
 fionally to the Liturgy and Ceremonies there; That 
 Zeal and Concern manifefted by this Church in for- 
 mer Times, for the Purity of Divine Inftitutions, is 
 gradually decaying, it is daily languiftiing ; and a 
 naufeous Lukewarmnefs and deteftable Indifferency 
 doth prevail among us, about the Worfhip, Govern- 
 ment and Discipline of the Lord's Houfe.«- Alfo* 
 immediately after the Union, the Oath of Abjuration 
 wasimpofed upon all Perfons in publick Trull, both 
 Civil and Military : This Oath was fram'd at firft by 
 the Parliament of England, and calculated, for the 
 Maintenance of their Conliitution both in Church 
 *nd State; and as the Commijfion, in their laft-raen- 
 tioned Addrefs, obferve, " It bears a Reference to 
 forae Ails of the EngUJh Parliament, wherein arc 
 H " fo ' 
 
( s* ) 
 
 u fome Qualifications required in the Succeffor to 
 " the Crown," (viz. That he fhould be of the 
 Communion of the Church of England, and (hall 
 maintain the Church of England, as by Law efta- 
 bliflhed) " which are not fuitable to our Principles" 
 In all the above particular Inftances, the whole 
 Land is more and more involved in Sin, Amos 8. 14, 
 Jer. 4. 2. Chap. 13. 10. 
 
 V. In the Year 1712, an almoft boundlefs Toleration 
 h granted, by which the Government and Difci- 
 plineof this Church were exceedingly weakned, and 
 a wide Door was opened for Laxnefs in Principle, 
 which never fails to bring alongft with itLoofncfs in 
 Praftice. This Toleration , as the then Commiffion of 
 the General Aflembl^r obierved in their Addrefs to 
 Queen Anne, " Is fach as gives a large Licence al- 
 €< moft to all Error and Blafphemy, throws up all good 
 " Discipline, to the Difhonour of God, and the 
 u Scandal and Ruin of the Chriftian Religion/' 
 Tolerations of this Kind are contrary to the Word 
 of God, 2 Chron. 34. 33. Ezra 7. 25, 26. Zech. 
 13. 2, 3. Rom. 13. 3, 4. -Rev. 2. 2, 14, 15, 20. 
 Chap. 17. 12, 16, 17. and to the Principles of this 
 Church contain'dinConfeffion, Chap. 20. § 4. Chap. 
 13. § .3. and the Anfwer to the Queftion in the 
 Larger Catechifm, What are the Sins forbidden in the 
 fecond Commandment * And the prefent was mainly 
 intended and defigned for ftrengthning and fup-» 
 porting a malignant and difaffe&ed Party in 
 Scotland, who, ever fince the Revolution, have 
 openly efpoufed the Caufe and Intereft of a Popijh 
 Pretender, and whofe Meetings to this Day are not 
 only Nurferies of Superftition, but Seminaries of Dif- 
 affe&ion to our Sovereign King George, and the Prote- 
 Itant Succeflion in his illuftrious Family. As this 
 boundlefs Toleration is a Stroke and Judgment upon 
 this Church and Land, fo the Growth of Error and 
 Superftition, the genuine Fruits and Effe&s of the 
 fame, may be juftly reckoned among the Caufes of 
 the Lord's Wiath againft Jinful and backfliding 
 
 Scot- 
 
C 59 ) 
 
 'Scotland. It defervcs alfo to be noticed, that the En* 
 glijh Liturgy and Ceremonies were never received, e- 
 ven by thefe of the Epifcopal Denomination in Scot- 
 land, till after- the late incorporating Union, when a 
 Manner of Worfliip, never pra<ftifed in Scotland, was 
 fet up in all the Corneis of the Land. 
 
 Together with the fa:d Ad of Toleration, the above- 
 mentioned Oath of Abjuration, which was at firft re- 
 quired to be fworn (as is already obferved) by all 
 Perfons in Civil and Military Truft, was now im- 
 jofed upon the Minijlers of this Church, which, be- 
 iide the difmal Effects it produced in renting and break- 
 ing the Minifiry among them/elves, may be juftly rec- 
 koned one of oar public'* National Sins; in fo far as 
 the united Conftitution, direcftly op'pofite to our Cove- 
 nant-union, is thereby homologate and fworn unto; 
 and in regard the faid Oath, together with the Alle- 
 giance, is fubftitute in the Room of our Solemn Natio- 
 nal Covenants, which contain the ftrifteft Engage- 
 ments of Duty to the Sovereign, a moft folemn Re- 
 nunciation of Popery, and confequently of all Popifl* 
 Pretenders whatfoever. 
 
 VI. In the forefaid Year 1712, the Right of Pre- 
 station to vacant Congregations claimed by Patrons 
 was again reftored unto them: Againft this the 
 Church of Scotland has always teftified, as fubver- 
 iive of the Right of Eleclion belonging to Chriftiari 
 Congregations by the Word of God, as in the fecond 
 Book of pifcipline, Chap. 12. M The Liberty of the 
 " Eledion of Perfons called to the Ecclefiaftical 
 " Fundions, and obferved without Interruption fo 
 " long as the Kirk was not corrupted by Antichrifi t 
 " we defire to be reftored and retained within this 
 t g Realm ; fo that none be intruded upon any Con- 
 " gregation, either by the Prince or any in- 
 " ferior Perfon, without lawful Eledion, and the 
 " Affent of the People over whom the Perfon is 
 " placed; as the Pradice of the Apoftolical and 
 •" Primitive Kirk and good Order crave." As the 
 A& of Parliamem reftoring the Right of Prcfema- 
 H % tioa 
 
( *° ) 
 
 tion to Patrons, was a heavy Stroke upon this Church 5 
 fo the Countenance that has been given unto this 
 Antichriftian Ufurpation by the prefent Judicatories of 
 the Church, in the Settlement of Minifters upon Pre- 
 fentations from Patrons , over reclaiming and diffenting 
 Congregations, is one of the Sins and Corruptions of 
 the prefent Time, whereby the Lord Jefus, the only 
 Lord and Lawgiver to his Church, is dtfhonoured, 
 and his Heritage wounded, fcattered and broken, 
 as may be afterwards more particularly confidered. 
 
 VII. Befides the Toleration and Patronage A<fts, 
 Countenance is given by Authority of Parliament to 
 the Obfervatioh of Holy-days in Scotland, by the- 
 Vacation of our moft confiderable Courts of Juftice 
 in the latter End of December. This fuperftitious 
 Pra&ice was condemned by the A<fts and Conftitu- 
 tions of this Church, and declared by the General 
 Aflembly that met at Glafgow Anno 1638, to be ab- 
 jured by the National Covenant. 
 
 Thefe are iomelnftances of the gradual Beclinings 
 of this Church and Land from Reformation-purity, 
 that did take Place between that remarkable and 
 wonderful Appearance of Divine Providence in the 
 Year 1688, and the Acceffion of our late Sovereign 
 King George to the Throne. Therefore this Presby- 
 tery judge it their Duty to condemn, likeas they here- 
 by do condemn, all the forefaid Steps of Defection, 
 for the feveral Grounds and Reafons above conde- 
 scended upon, as contrary to the Word of God and 
 our folemn Covenant-engagements : And they hereby 
 declare, that they are National Sins, and every one 
 of them may be juftly reckoned among the Grounds 
 and Caufes of the Lord's Indignation and Controver- 
 sy with us, for which all Ranks of Perfons have 
 £eafon to be deeply humbled before the Lord. 
 
 Tho', inftead of making Progrefs in Reformation- 
 work, many valuable Pieces of Reformation, once 
 attained unto by this Church and Land, were not 
 only ncglefted, but upon the Matter given up at 
 
 the 
 
( tfl ) 
 
 the Revolution ; and tho', inftead of holding faft what 
 ' was then attained unto, the Church of Scotland did 
 lofe Ground, and was involv'd in new Steps of De- 
 clining and Backfliding; and at the fame Time, 
 tho' a malignant and difaffe&ed Party were un- l 
 wearied in their Plots and Projects to deftroy any 
 good Work the Lord had wrought for us by the Re-? 
 volution: Yet the Lord, whofe Name is Gracious^and 
 Merciful, Long-fuffering, and Slow to Anger, dealt not 
 with us according to theDefertof our Sins, but, un- 
 der many frowning and wrath-like Difpenfations of 
 Providence, remembred Mercy, and faved us from our 
 Enemies, and put them to Shame that hated us. There^ 
 fore, among the many remarkable Appearances of 
 God for his .Church and People in this Land, this 
 Presbytery judge it their Duty to commemorate and re- 
 cord with Thankfulnefs, the Deliverance from 
 threatned Ruin that was brought about by the Right- 
 hand of the Lord in the Years 1714 and 1715; 
 when in the latter End of Queen Anne's Reign 
 thick and dark Clouds covered us, and when it was 
 evident that Befigns were not only formed, but very 
 far advanced, for placing a Popijh Pretender upon the 
 Throne of thefe Realms; which, if they had ta- 
 ken Place, would have brought the Three Nations 
 back into the fame miferable Circumftances in which 
 they were immediately before the Revolution : But 
 the Lord was gracioufly pleafed to fcatter the Clouds, % 
 and to difappoint thefe Projefts, by the feafonable Ac- 
 ceffion of our late Sovereign King George to the Throne. 
 This was like another Revolution, brought about by his 
 immediate Hand, who cuts off the Spirit of Princes^ 
 and appears terrible to the Kings of the Earth. No 
 fooner was this Deliverance given us, than an unna- 
 tural Rebellion broke forth in our Bowels ; the Inte- 
 refts of a Popifl) Pretender were openly efpoufed, and 
 a Banner was difplayed againft the Revolution-inter eft t 
 our Sovereign King George, and the Proteftant Succef- 
 fion in his Royal Family, and that by a Set of Men 
 in this Land for whofe Sake the Toleration above-men- 
 tioned 
 
( tfa ) 
 
 tioned was granted, and who were always declared 
 Enemies to Scotland' % Covenanted Reformation ; But the 
 Lord was gracioufly pleafed to break their Meafures, 
 to pour Shame and Contempt upon our Enemies* 
 and ro turn War into Peace in all our Borders. 
 
 When the Hand of the Lord was fo remarkably 
 feen in working manifold Deliverances for us, it 
 might have been expected that fomething fhould 
 have been done for carrying on Reformation-work; 
 What could have been done more for his Vineyard in 
 Scotland, than what he has done ? and yet, when he 
 looked that we fliouXd have brought forth Grapes, we 
 have brought forth wild Grapes. Since this laft Deli- 
 verance, we have not only fallen afleep, as if we had 
 no Enemy to fear, but as if we had been delivered to 
 add Iniquity to our former Trefpaffes; Corruption in 
 Principle and Practice is come to a greater Height 
 in feveral Inftances in this prefent Age, than in any 
 Period fince our Reformation from Popery ; dam- 
 nable and pernicious Principles are propagate, which 
 have a Tendency to raze the Grounds and Founda- 
 tions of our Chriftian Faith : Arian Blafphemies and 
 jirminianErwrs have been vented in one of our moft 
 confiderable Seminaries of Learning, where the 
 Youth are trained up for the Holy Miniftry ; ferious 
 Godlinefs, and the fupernatural Work of the Spi- 
 rit of God upon the Souls of Men in their Effedual 
 Calling, have been treated, even from the Prefs, and 
 otherwife, in a very ludicrous Manner; and yet 
 the Standard of a faithful Teftimony, againft the 
 prevailing Errors of the Time, has not been lifted 
 up by the Judicatories of the Church. A Form of 
 Godlinefs, a Shadow of Religion, takes Place of 
 the Power and Life thereof thro ? the Land; The 
 Keys of Government and Dilcipline committed to the 
 Office-bearers of the Church by her glorious Head, 
 for the Edification of his Body, and preferving his 
 Inftitutions in their Purity, for purging the Houfe 
 of God of unfound Minifters and Members, for 
 removing of the Offences whereby the Flock of Chrift 
 * may 
 
( <*3 ) 
 
 inay be hurt of (tumbled, and for the Maintenance 
 of the Liberties wherewith Chrifthath made his Peo- 
 ple free, have been perverted to quite oppofite Ends ; 
 the Power of Religion is daily decaying among us, 
 and the very Form of it is cVfpifed by many, and 
 by others it is refled upon. But as it is necetfary to 
 give fome particular Initances of the Progrefs and 
 Height of tbe prefent Defe&ion and Backfliding, fo 
 this Presbytery judge it their Duty to condescend 
 Hpon the following; 
 
 I. A Scheme of pernicious and dangerous Princi- 
 ples has beea vented by Mr. John Simfon Profeffer 
 of Divinity in the Univerfity of Gldfgow ; as is evi- 
 dent from the feveral Procejfes that have been carried 
 on againft him. 
 
 [i.] When he was proceffed before the Judica- 
 tories of this Church, in the Years t7i4> 17 15 and 
 1616, the following dangerous Errors are owned and 
 defended by him, in his Anfwers to the Libel given 
 in to the Presbytery of Glafgow againft him, by the 
 Reverend Mr. James Webfter late Minuter of the 
 Gofpel at Edinburgh. ( 1. ) That by the Light of Na~ 
 ture, and the Works of Creation and Providence, inclu- 
 ding Tradition, God has given an obfeure objective Re* 
 lelation to all Men, of his being reconcileable to Sinne^g ; 
 and that the Heathen may know that there is a Re- 
 medy for Sin provided , which may be called an implicit e 
 and obfeure Revelation of the Gofpel ; and that it is pro* 
 babte none are excluded from the Benefit of the Re* 
 medy for Sin provided by God, and publifljed twice to 
 the whole World, except thefe who, by their actual Sin 
 exclude themfelves, and flight and rejeel the clearer 
 Light of the Gofpel revealed to the Church, or that ob- 
 feure Difcovery, and Offer of Grace made to all without 
 the Church {a) : And that, if the Heathen would in 
 Sincerity and Truth, and in the diligent life of Means 
 that Providence lays to their Hand, feek from God the 
 ' Knowledge of the Way of Reconciliation, necejfary for 
 
 their 
 
 {*) AjUVtrs to >Jj. Wdfiv\ Libel p, 77, 7*, 7h 1 C/. 
 
.( -*4 ) 
 
 their acceptable ferving of him , and being faved by bin*} 
 he would discover it to them, (b). Likewife he affirms. 
 That there are Means appointed of God for obtaining 
 faving Grace, which Means, when diligently ufed with 
 Serioufnefs, Sincerity and Faith of being heard, God has 
 fromifed to blefs with Succefs ; and the going about 
 thtfe Means in the forefaid Manner, is not above the 
 Reach of our natural Ability and Power (c). All 
 thefc Propofitions are dire&ly contrary to the Do- 
 ftrine held forth from the Word of God in our 
 Confcjfion of Faith ; particularly Chap. i.§ i. where, 
 according to the Scriptures cited, we are taught 
 that, " Altho' the Light of Nature, and the Works 
 '• of Creation and Providence* do fo far manifeftthe 
 " Goodnefs, Wifdom and Power of God, as to 
 " leave Men inexcufable ; yet they are not fufficient 
 "• to give that Knowledge of God, and of his Will* 
 " which is neceffary unto Salvation." Whereas, by 
 the above Propofitions, Mr. Simfon affirms, That the 
 End and Defign of Natural Religion is, not only to 
 leave Men inexcufable* but that thereby an obfeure 
 Offer of Grace is given them, and an implicite Re- 
 velation of the Gofpel made unto them ; and that 
 the Benefit of the Remedy provided for Sin extends 
 to all without the Church, who do not flight and re* 
 jedl^this obfeuf e Difcovcry and Offer of Grace: And 
 therefore this obfeure Revelation and Offer of Grace 
 is iuch as lays a Foundation for the Heathen, in the 
 diligent Ufe of the Means which Providence lays to 
 their Hands, their feeking in Sincerity and Truth 
 the Knowledge of the Way of Reconciliation ; 
 whereby fome kind of Sufficiency is given to Natu- 
 ral Religion, yea, fuch a Sufficiency, as lays a Foun- 
 dation and Ground for Hope and Confidence towards 
 God, for obtaining fome way or other Reconcilia- 
 tion to him, and confequentfy eternal Salvation; con- 
 trary to Eph. 2.12. where the whole Heathen World 
 are declared to be without God and without Hope, 
 And, whatever Advantages theHeathea may Hefup- 
 
 pofed 
 (typ. 80- (c) Ibid, p. 2\6, 
 
( «5 ) 
 
 pofed to have by Tradition, yet the Apoftle teftifieSs 
 That the World by Wifdom knew&ot God; and they 
 were fo far from feeking after the Knowledge of the 
 Way of Reconciliation, that when it was publifhed 
 unto them by the Gofpel, they rejected the fame as 
 Fooliflinefs, and not agreeable to their carnal Rea- 
 fonings, I Cor. i. 21, 25. if a. 65. 1. with Rom. 10. 
 20. Befides, by the above Propofitions, Mens i»- 
 tural Powers and Abilities, whether they be within 
 or without the Church, are exalted to the Diftionour 
 of God, to the Dilparagement of his fovereign and 
 efficacious Grace, and in diredt Contrariety to that 
 miferable State and Condition into which all Mankind 
 are brought by their Apoftafy from God in the firji 
 Adam, being dead in Treffajjes and Sins, under the 
 Power cf fpiritual Darknefs, and not only Enemies f 
 God y but by Nature Enmity againft him ; as is held 
 forth from the Scriptures in our Confeffion of Faith* 
 Chap. 9. § 3. " Man, by his Fall into a State of Sin, 
 « 4 hath wholly loft all Ability of Will to any fpiritual 
 " Good accompanying Salvation; fo as a natural 
 !• Man, being altogether averfe from that Good, and 
 " dead in Sin, is not able by his own Strength to 
 " convert himfelf, or to prepare himfelf thereto/" 
 The above Propoiitions, concerning Man's Powers 
 and Abilities in a natural State, are more dangerous, 
 when it is confidered, that Mr. Sim/on rejefts the or- 
 dinary Anfwer given by our orthodox Divines to a 
 Pelagian Objection, viz. That it is unjuft in God to 
 command what we have no Povjer to perform. All Re* 
 formed Divines make Anfwer, that we had fufficient 
 Power and Ability in Adam, but have loft it by om: 
 Fall; and tho' we have loft Power to obey, yet God 
 has a juft Right to command. This Anfwer Mr. £//?;<* 
 fon rejedls as no way fufficient, and fubftitutes what 
 is contained in the above Propofitions in the Room 
 I of it, Anjwers, p. 210, vc. whereby, inftead of re- 
 moving die Objedion, he gives up the Catife o£ 
 Truth to the Pelagians and Jrminians, to^the Difttf^ 
 flour of God, and hardning of thefc grofs Per ye:- 
 I " ts:^ 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 ters of the Truth, and to the fubverting and poifo- 
 ning of thofe vvitfe whom he was intruded to train 
 up for the holy Miniftry. (2.) The faid Mr. Sim- 
 fon maintains and defends, That there was no proper 
 Covenant made with Adam for him/elf, and his Pofte- 
 rity (d) : That Adam was not a federal Head to his 
 Pofterity (e) ; and that if Adam was made a federal 
 Head 9 it muft be by Divine Command, which is not 
 found in the Bible (f). The above Propofitions are 
 contrary to the Dodtrine hfcld forth from the Word 
 of God, in our Confejfton, Chap. 6. § 3. Chap. 7. 
 § 2. andj the Anfwer to the Queftion in the Larger 
 and Shorter Catechifms; Did all Mankind fall in j 
 Adanw fir (I Tranfgreffion ? The above grofs and er- 
 roneous Propofitions are the Foundation and Ground 
 of a Chain of Principles connected with them, where- 
 by the-Reformed Dodrine contained in our Confeffion 
 of Faith is undermined and overturned ;" for; by the 
 Denial of the federal Reprefentation, the proper Im- 
 putation of Adams firft Sin falls to the Ground : And 
 tho' the ProfeJJor pretends to maintain the Imputa- 
 tion of Adams firft Sin, from the Sanftion of the 
 Law, yet his Reafoning amounts to no more than 
 that his Poftcrity are punifced for the fame. When 
 Adams fcederal Reprefentation of his Pofterity is dif- 
 owned, his firft Sin can no more be called theirs, than j 
 the Sins of their immediate Parents. That this pro- 
 per Imputation of Adam's firft Sin is denied by him, 
 will further appear from the following grofs and dan- 
 gerous Propofitions which he maintains and defends. 
 For, (3.) He affirms, That it is inconfiftent with the J 
 Ifttftice and Goodnefs of God to create a Soul without 
 Original Right coufnefs, or any Difpofition to Good (g) \ 
 and that the Souls of Infants fence the Fall, as they 
 tome from the Hands of their Creator, are as pure and 
 holy, as the Souls of Infants would have been created , 
 fuppofing Man had not fallen ; and that they are created 
 as pure and holy as Adam'* was, except as to thefe 
 
 ~®uaii- 
 
 M Aafyw, f . l«ft W f< 17* (/) P« *7$* {&) P uh 
 
'( >7 . ) 
 
 Qualifications and Habits which he received, as being 
 created in an adult State (h). Thefe Proportions are 
 diredly contrary to the Dodrine held forth from 
 the Word of God in our Conjejfion, Chap. 6. § 2, j, 
 4. And the Anfwer to the €}ueftion in the Larger 
 and Shorter Catechifms; Wherein confifis the Sinful- 
 nefs of that Eftate whereinto Man fell f And the An- 
 fwer to the Queftion in the Larger Catechijm ; How 
 is Original Sin conveyed from our firfi Parents to their 
 Pofterity ? (4) Mr. Simfon alfo affirms and defends, 
 ■That 'tis probable, that, ef the whole Race of' Mankind \ 
 woe are elected and faved, than reprobated' and dam- 
 ned (i). He owns, that of the adult, or tKefe come 
 to Years, it is plain from Scripture, that the mofi 
 Part are neither elecled nor faved: But, that he may 
 account for the Number of the Eled and Saved, he 
 afferts, That it is more than probable that baptifed In- 
 fants, dying in Infancy, are all faved (k) ; and that it 
 is manifefi, if God jhould deny his faving Grace to all, 
 or any of the Children of Infidels, he would deal more 
 feverely with them than he did with the fallen An- 
 gels (I). By the above Propofitions, Mr. Simfon 
 judges it probable, that all Infants dying in Infancy 
 are included in the Decree of Eleftion ; which is ve- 
 ry agreeable to the Arminian Scheme, which teach- 
 eth, That the Decree of Eleftioa is influenced from 
 forefeen Conditions and Qualifications in the Crea- 
 ture; but contrary to the Doctrine held forth from 
 the Word of God in our Confeffion, Chap. 3. §5. 
 " Thofe of Mankind that are predeftinated unto 
 M Life, God, -before the Foundation of the World 
 " was laid, according to his eternal and immutable > 
 " Purpofe, and thefecret Counfel and good Plea- 
 " fure of his Will, hath chofen in Chrift.-unto ever- 
 ** lading Glory, out of his mere Grace and Love, 
 " without any Forefight of Faith or good W T orks, ox 
 *« Perfeverance in either of them, or any other 
 * Thing in the Creature, is Conditions or Cauies 
 I 2. *■ moving 
 
 ) p, 226, (i) p. iotf, (£)p. in, (J) Anfacrs, p. 113* 
 
( te ) 
 
 *• moving him thereto, and all to the Praife of his H 
 €i glorious Grace;" and confequently without any 
 Regard unto their Infant or adult State. It is plain 
 from the Scriptures, that God hath chofen fome of 
 Mankind to eternal Life, out of his mere good Plea- 
 fure allenarly, Rom. 9. 11. For the Children being not 
 yet born, neither having done Good or Evil, that the Pur- 
 fofe of God according to Eleclion might ftand, not of 
 Work;, but of him that calleth. V. 13. Js itiswrit* 
 ten, Jacob have I loved, andJLfau have I hated. Be- I 
 fides, by the above Propofitions, he maintains the Cer- 
 tainty of the Salvation of all Infants, when he challen- * 
 geth his Maker with exercifing greater Severity towards 
 them, in cafe he (hould deny his faving Grace to any of 
 them, than is exercifed towards the fallen Angels ; 
 cfpecially when this is compared with his other Pro- 
 portion, noticed above, That none are excluded from 
 the Benefit of the Remedy for Sin provided, but thefe who 
 by their aftual Sins exclude themfelves. All thefe Pro- 
 pofitions have an evident Tendency to lead Men to 
 low Thoughts of the Evil and Defertof Original Sin 
 imputed and inherent, if it is true that there is no 
 Ground to fear the Damnation of any upon the Ac- 
 count of this Sin, tho' it is the bitter Fountain and 
 Spring of all otir a<9ual Tranfgreffions, and makes ijs 
 Children of Wrath by Nature: According to^the 
 Doftrine held forth from the Word of God in our 
 Confeffion, Chap. 6. § 6. "Every Sin, both Original 
 " and Aftual, being a Trangieillon of the righte- 
 "■ ous Law of God, and contrary thereto, doth in 
 * s its own Nature bring Guilt upon the Sinner ; where- 
 <' by he is bound over to the Wrath of God, and 
 u Curfe of the Law, and fo madefubjed to Death, 
 4i with all Miferies Spiritual, Temporal and Eternal." 
 (5) Mr. Simfon likewife impungs the immediate pre- 
 vious Divin* Concourfe with all the A&ions of the 
 jeafopable Creature, and in Place thereof affirms, 
 That God may determine infallibly all the jiclions of 
 reafonable Creatures, that are not above their natural 
 Powers, and are not contrary to their natural Inclina- 
 tions and J)ifj>ojitions, by placing them in fuch Circum* 
 
 fiances 
 
fiances, by which they have a certain Series and Train 
 of Motives laid before them, by which they may infal- 
 libly, yet freely, produce fuch a Series of Adions, as 
 he has decreed; And this (fays he) may be fufficient 
 for afcertaining all the Events of finful Actions, and of, 
 the ordinary natural and civil Actions of Men (m). It 
 is true, the Providence of God is a great Depth, his 
 Ways are unfe arch able, and his Judgments pa ft finding 
 out : The Terms that have been ufed by Reformed £>/- 
 vines, inexplaiflingtheDo&rineof Providence, fome 
 of them are not in our Confeffion, being nowife adapt- 
 ed to vulgar Capacities ; yet the immediate Divine Con- 
 courfe with all the Adions of the reafonable Crea- 
 ture, has been affirmed and maintained by Reformed 
 Divines in Oppofition to Jefuites and Armimans 9 
 and is neceffary for maintaining and afferting the 
 abfolute Dominion of God over the free Adionsof 
 reafonable Creatures, and their immediate Depen- 
 dence upon him in Motion and Adion, as well as 
 in their Being, and Prefervation in the fame; where- 
 as the Way Whereby Mr. Simfon explains the Di- 
 vine Providence about all the Adlions of reafonable 
 Creatures, leaves the Creature independent \n Motion 
 and A&ion upon the adorable Creator. Tho* fome 
 of the ordinary Terms, that are ufed by Divines upon 
 this Subject, are not in our Confeffion of Faith; yet 
 the Dodtrine of the immediate previous Divine Con- 
 courfe with all the Actions of the reafonable Crea- 
 ture, as it is explained by our Reformed Divines, is 
 plainly held forth therein from the Word of God, 
 Chap. 5. § 4, " The almighty Power, unfearchable 
 " Wifdom, and infinite Goodnefs of God, fofarma- 
 " nifeft themfelves in his Providence, that it exten- 
 " deth itfelf even to the firft Fall, and all other Sins 
 •' of Angels and Men; and that not by abarePer- 
 M million, but fuch as hath joined with it a moft 
 " wife and powerful bounding, and atherwife ordering 
 €t and governing of them in a manifold Difpenfation 
 £.; to his own holy Ends; yet fo as the Sin£ilnef$ 
 
 (m) Arfwers, p. 124, 
 
( 7° ) 
 
 " proceedeth only from the Creature, and not from 
 u God, who, being moft holy and righteous, neither 
 " is, nor can be the Author or Approver of Sin." 
 And the Anfwer to the Quetfion in the Larger and 
 Shorter Chatechifm, What are God's Works of Pro- 
 vidence ? (6) Mr. Sim/on likewife affirms and main- 
 tains, That a Regard to our own Happinefs, and the 
 Profpeclof our eternal Felicity and Bleffednefs in the En- 
 joyment of God in Heaven, ought to be our chief Motive 
 in ferving the Lord upon Earth (n). He alfo affirms, in 
 Anfwer to the fir ft Queftion of the Catechifm, That 
 our glorifying God, being the Means, is fubordmate to 
 our Enjoyment of him for ever, which is our ultimate 
 End (o). And, That, were it not for the Profpeclof 
 Happinefs, we could not, and therefore would not ferve 
 God (p). As Mr. Simfon preverts the Dodtrine held 
 forth from the Scriptures cited upon the ^Anfwer to 
 the fir ft (^ueftion of our Larger and Shorter Cate- 
 chifm, fo as the Committee of the General AJfembly 
 1717 very juftly obferve (State of the Procefs, p, 
 277.) " What is jet forth in the above Articled con- 
 " trary tmhe Inftindt of that new Nature the Lord 
 " endueth all his People with in Regeneration, which 
 fl makes them, by the further Influence of Grace, 
 " defire to ferve God for himfelf and his fuperemi- 
 M nent Excellencies, and not merely or chiefly for 
 41 the Profpedt of their own Happinefs; whence it 
 " is their greateft Burden that they cannot more 
 " ferve him for himfelf. And confidering how much 
 " all Men are bound to make the Glory of God 
 " their chief End, tho' yet they are called herewith 
 " to purfue Happinefs; and likewife, that it is thro* 
 " a prevailing Refpecft to God's Honour and Glory, 
 " and not a mere or chief Refpeft to our ownHap- 
 " pinefs, that the Difference between Nature and 
 4t Grace is to be cleared to the doubtful Chriftian : 
 
 (t Therefore, it is no fmallDifhonourtoGod, 
 
 " to teach what is fet down in the above Articles, 
 
 " and 
 
 (n) Jnfwers, p. 13?, j;y. (0) fill p 14c, (p)iW.p. U9- 
 
( 7i ) 
 
 " and that the contrary was necefiary to be taught." 
 (7.) Mr. Simpfon alfo maintains and defends it as his 
 Opinion, That there will be no Sinning in Hell after 
 the lafl Judgment (<j)> This abfurd Opinion is con- 
 trary to'the Dodtrine held forth in our Confejfton and 
 Catechifms where, according to the Scriptures, we 
 are taught," That Sin is any Want of Conformity 
 " unto, or Tranfgreffion of, the Law of God." And 
 fince it is certain, that the Natures of the Damn'd 
 in Hell were never renewed, they ran have no Man- 
 ner of Conformity to the Law of God ; and from 
 their corrupt and unrenewed Natures rauft neceffa- 
 rily flow the higheft Enmity and Rage againft the 
 Juftice and Holinefs of God in punifhing of them, 
 which is expreffed in Scripture by Gnajhing of the 
 Teeth, Mat. 8. 12. 
 
 [2.] By another Procefs againft the faid Mr. Simfon 9 
 begun before the Presbytery of Glafgow Anno 1716, 
 and carried on before the Judicatories till the Af- 
 jembly 1729 when it was concluded, the faid Mr. 
 Simjon was found guilty of many other grofs and dan- 
 gerous Errors, in regard it was found clearly proven, 
 That, in teaching his Students, he had denied the Ne- 
 cejfary Exigence *>f our Lord JefusChrift ; and that he 
 had affirmed, That his necejfary Exigence is a Thing 
 we knew not ; and that the Term NecefTary Exiftence 
 was impertinent, and not to be ufed when talking of the 
 Trinity ; and that the Three Perfons of the Adorable 
 Trinity are not to be faid to be numerically One in Sub- 
 ftance or EJfence ; and that the Terms, Necejfary Ex- 
 igence, Supreme Deity, and the Title of the only true God, 
 may betaken, and are by fome Authors t+kenina Seme 
 that includes the perfonal Property of the Father, and 
 fo not belonging to the Son. By all which Proportion*, 
 the Supreme Deity of the Lord Jefus Chrifi the fe- 
 cond Per/on of the Adorable Trinity, as alfo the Su- 
 preme Deity of the Holy Ghoft our Comforter end 
 Sandifier, is blafphemoufly impugn'd and denied by 
 the faid Mr. Simfon, in "di^a Oppofitioa to the 
 
 fa) Hid, p. 233, 
 
' ( 7* ) 
 
 Scriptures of Truth, and the DocSrine held forth 
 from them in our Confeffion of Faith, Chap. 2. § 1,3. 
 Chap. 8. § 2. Anfwer to the Queftion in the Larger 
 and Shorter Catechifms, How many Perfons are there 
 in the Godhead ? And Larger Catechifm, Queftion 11. 
 It deferves alfoto beobferved, Thatfome Hypothecs 
 adopted by Mr. Simfon, and which tend to attribute 
 too much to natural Reafon, are the very Spring of 
 the above dangerous Errors vented and taught by 
 him. In his fecond Letter to Mr. Rowan, he a- 
 dopts the following Socinian Propofitions, That Rea* 
 fon, as it is taken for evident Propofitions naturally re- 
 sealed j is the Principle or Foundation of Theology ; and 
 that nothing is to be admitted in Religion, but what is 
 agreeable to Reajon, and determined by Reafon to be Jo. 
 Altho' Mr. Simfon pretends to difown thefe Propofiti- 
 ons as they are maintain'd and explained by the So- 
 cinians, yet it is obvious from the plain Meaning of 
 the Words, that the above Propofitions, adopted by 
 him, exalt Reafon above Divine Revelation; contrary 
 to the Dodrine held forth in our Confeffion of Faith , 
 Chap 1. § 10. M The Supreme Judge, by which 
 " all Controversies of Religion are to be determi- 
 " ned, and all Decrees of Councils, Opinions of 
 " ancient Writers, Doftnnes of Men and private 
 u Spirits are to be examined, andinwhofe Sentence 
 " we are to reft, can be no other but the Holy Spi- 
 " rit fpeaking in the Scripture." And contrary to 
 the Anfwer to the fecond ffjueft ion in the Larger and 
 Shorter Catechifm. Mr. Sim/on having once fet Rea- 
 fon in the Chair, and exalted it to be Judge in Prin- 
 ciples of Faith, it is no wonder that he rejedls the 
 Teftimony of God in his own Word concerning the 
 C$venant-hejidfi)ip and Reprefentation of the fir ft Adam, 
 and the nuny facred Truths that are connected with 
 that important Article, and that he has maintained 
 the other Errors charged againft him in the fir ft Pro- 
 ctfs. From the fame Source and Spring alfo, he was 
 at length led to impugn and deny the Supreme Deity 
 and Xtceffa'ry Exijience of hiui whofe Name is, Won- 
 der- 
 
C 73 ) 
 
 derful, Counfeller, The Mighty God, The Everlafting 
 lather , The Prince of Peace, Ifa. 9. 6. 
 
 This Presbytery confidering, That the Purity 
 of Dodtrine, maintained in this Church, is very much 
 endangered by the above grois and pernicious fer- 
 rors, and that many may be in Hazard of being tain- 
 ted with them in a Day wherein Atheifm and Infi- 
 delity do fo much abound : Therefore they did, and 
 hereby do, upon the weighty Grounds and Reafons above- 
 narrated, CONDEMN, as contrary to the Word 
 of G)d, our Confeffion of Faith and Qatechifns, the 
 fevefal Propofitions above-mentioned, maintained and 
 defended by Mr. Simfon, viz. Ratio, uf fumitur pro 
 propofitionibus naturaliter revelatis, efi Principium feu, 
 fundamentum Theolog'u; and that nothing is to be ad- 
 mitted in Religion, but what is agreeable to Re a fon, and 
 determined by Reafon to be fo ; That by the Light of Na- 
 ture, and Works of Creation and Providence, including 
 Tradition, G»d hath given an obfcure objective Revelati- 
 on to all Men, of his being reconcilable to Sinners ; and 
 that the Heathen may know there is a Remedy for Shi 
 provided, which may be called an implicite or obfcure 
 Revelation of the Gofpel : That it is probable none are 
 excluded from the Benefit of the Remedy for Sin, pro- 
 vided by God, and publifljed twice to the World, except 
 thefe who by their aclual Sins exclude themfelves, and 
 flight or rejeff either the clear Light of the Gofpel re- 
 vealed to the Church, or that obfcure Vifccvery and Of- 
 fer of Grace made to all without the Church : That if 
 the Heathen, in the Ufe of the Means they have, would 
 feek the Knowledge of the Way of Reconciliation, God 
 would difcover it to them : That there are Means ap- 
 pointed of God for obtaining favingGr ace ; which Means, 
 when diligently ufed with Serioufnefs, Sincerity and Faith 
 cf being heard, God hath promifed to blefs zvith Succefs ; 
 and the going about thefe Means in the fore f aid Man- 
 ner, is not above the Reach of our natural Ability and 
 Power : That there vjas not a proper Covenant made 
 : dnth Adapj for himfelf qnd Wis Pojrerity : That Adam 
 Was not a foederal Head to his Poflenpy, and that, if 
 K Adair. 
 
] 
 
 -( 74 ) . 
 
 Adam was made a f mitral Head, it muft be by aDU 
 vine Command, which is not found in the Bible : That it 
 is inconfiftent with the Juftice and Goodnefs of God, to 
 create a Soul without Original Righteoufnefs or Difpejiti* 
 ens to Good : That the Souls of Infants fince the Fall, 
 as they came from the Hands of their Creator, are as 
 •pure and holy, as the Souls of Infants would have been 
 created fuppofing Man had not fallen ; and that they arc 
 created as pure and holy as Adam'* was created, ex- 
 cept as to thofe Qualifications and Habits, which he re- 
 ceived, as being created in an adult State ; That it is 
 more than probable that all baptifed Infants, dying in 
 Infancy, are faved; and that it is manifeft, if God 
 jhould deny his Grace to alii or any of the Children of 
 Infidels, he would deal more fever ely with them than he 
 did with the fallen Angels: That there is no immediate 
 previous Divine Concourfe with all the Actions of the 
 reafonable Creature ; and, That a Regard to our own 
 Happinefs, and the Profpecl of our eternal Felicity and 
 Blejfednefs in the Enjoyment of God in Heaven, ought 
 to be our chief Motive in ferving the Lord upon Earth ; 
 and, That our glorifying God, being the Means, isfub- 
 erdinate to our Enjoyment of him for ever, which is our 
 ultimate End ; and, That, were it not for the Profpecl of 
 Happinefs, we could not, and therefore would not, ferve 
 God : That there will be no Sinning in Hell after the I aft 
 Judgment. And the Presbytery hereby declare all 
 thefe Propofitions, vented and taught by the faid Mr. 
 Simfon, to be dangerous and pernicious Errors, diflionou- 
 ring to a God of Truth, and having an evident Tenden- 
 cy to fubvert the Souls of Men. As alfo, this Presby- 
 tery did, and hereby do, CONDEMN the feveral 
 Propofitions found clearly proven againft the forefaid 
 Mr/Simfon, by the feveral General Ajfetnblies of this 
 Church, Annis 1717, 1728 and 1729; fuch as, That 
 our Lord Jefus Chrift is not necejjarily exiftent ; That the 
 NeceJJary Exiftence of our Lord Jefus Chrift, is a Thing 
 we knozvnot ; That the Term Neceffary Exiftence « /;»- 
 pertinent, and not to be ufed in talking of the Trinity ; 
 that the Three Pcrfm* of the Trinity are net to be faid 
 
 tet 
 
to be NVMER1CALLT One tn Subfiance or Ef- 
 fence; That the Terms Necejfary Exiftence, Supreme 
 Deity, and the Title of the Only True God, may be ta* 
 hen in a Senfe that includes the per final Property of the 
 lather, and fi not belonging to the Son. All which 
 Proportions they did, and hereby do, declare to be 
 damnable Herepes, denying the Lord that bought us 9 
 fubverting and overthrowing one of the principal | 
 Foundations of our Chriftian Faith ; and to be blaf- 
 f phemous Indignities done to the Perfon of the Eter- 
 nal Son of God our Redeemer, as alfo unto the Per- 
 fon of the Holy Ghoft our Sanclifier and Comforter, 
 whereby thefe adorable Perfons are robb'd of their 
 True and Supreme Deity, and reduced unto the Clafs 
 and Rank of dependent and inferior Beings. As al- 
 fo, they did, and hereby do, declare, That the faid 
 Mr. Simfin, in regard of the atrocious and hainous 
 Nature of the forefaid Errors, deferved not only 
 Sufpenfion from Teaching and Preaching, but to have 
 been depojed from the Office of the holy Miniftry, 
 and excommunicated from all Society, Communion and 
 Fellow&ip with the Church and People of God, 
 until he give fatisfying Evidences of his Repentance 
 and Sorrow for teaching and fpreading the forefaid 
 dangerous Errors and Blafphemies. 
 
 II. A Scheme of moft pernicious and dangerous 
 Principles has been vented by Mr. Archibald Camp- 
 bell Profeffor of Ecclefiaftical Hiltory in the Uni- 
 verfity of St. Andrews, as is evident from the Books 
 he has publifted, and from his Explications and De- 
 fences in the Procefs that has been laid againft him ; 
 In which the following grofs Errors are defended by 
 him. 
 
 jft, " That the fole aad univerfal Motive to vir- 
 
 " tuousAdions is Self-love, Intereft or Pleafure (*). 
 
 : That Self-Jove is the great Caufe or the firft Spring 
 
 " of all our feveral Motions apd Aftions, which 
 
 V Way foever they may happen to be directed (b). 
 
 K 2 " That 
 
 (a : EnfKr) \{4q ffo Qrl^J cf $#d JJrfy, P , 46^ {h) Emubv, 
 
( 7* ) 
 
 " That Self-love is univerfally the firft Spring in eve- 
 " ry rational Mind, that awakens her Powers, be- 
 " gins her Motions, and carries heron to Aftion(c). 
 " That Men may rcfufc to worftiip God, unleishe 
 " prefents himfelf favourably inclined to their In- 
 " tereft, and ftudious of their Happinefs (d). That 
 " we are to fettle it as our main Purpofe, to recom- . 
 u mend ourfelves to the Love, Efteem and Com- ' 
 " mendation of God, and of all Mankind, by our 
 " Moral Virtue (f). That Self-love, as it exerts itfelf 1 
 €C in thcDefireof univerfal unlimited Efteem, is the 1 
 " great commanding Motive that determines us to I 
 " the Purfuit of Virtue (/). And that, feeing God 
 " afts for his Self-intereft, we cannot aft from any 
 V higher Principle than our Self-intereft (j)." 
 
 All the above Propofitions are dire&ly contrary to 
 the Word of God, in which it is exprefly aflerted, 
 That all our religious Actions muft proceed from a 
 y.tw Nature, and from Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 and from a holy Regard and Love to God, and not. 
 from Self-love or Self-intereft as their firft Spring and 
 Principle, Ezek. 36. 26, 27. Acls 26.- 18. John ij. 
 
 4, 5. Mat. 22. 37, 39. And that our main Purpofe 
 or ultimate End ought not to be the Advancement of 
 our own Self-intereft, but the Glorifying of God, that 
 is, the Advancement of his declarative Glory, 2 Cor. 
 
 5. 15. Rom. 14, 7. Rom. 15. 1, 2, 3. John 5. 30. 
 John 7. i8 r 2 Tim. 3. 2 to 5. In which Places of 
 Scripture it is declared, That our Lprd and Saviour 
 Jefus Chrift, whole Example we are to imitate, plea- 
 fed not himfelf and fought not his own Will nor his 
 own Glory, but the Will -and Glory of his Father that 
 fent him; and that to be Lovers of our own felves* 
 that is, to love ourfelves inordinately, is one of the 
 blackeft of Crimes. And it muft needs be an inor- 
 dinate Self-love, when, according to Mr. Campbell, 
 our Self-intereft or Happinefs is made the chief and 
 leading Motive of our Love to God ; fince, accor- 
 ding 
 
 {c) Enquiry p. lor. (J) Enq. p. 460, (e) P, 273, (/) f. 
 3J7;2;8. (£)P. 432. 
 
C 77 ). 
 
 ding to this felfiflj Scheme, we love not God for him- 
 felf, or for his own Sake, but for ourfelves; whereby 
 we prefer ourfelves to our Maker, and love our- 
 felves more than the adorable Creator, which may 
 be juftly reckoned the greateft Impiety. It muft 
 alfo be obferved, that as the declarative Glory of 
 God, or the Manifeftation of his Being, and the 
 glorious Excellencies and Perfe&ions of his Nature, 
 is the chief End of God in all his Works, for the 
 Lord hath made all Things for himfelf, Prov. 1 6. 4. 
 
 fo it is very grofs and abfurd in Mr. C / to 
 
 affirm, that our Self-intereft muft be the great Caufe 
 and firft Spring of all our feveral Aftions ; and that 
 our Self-love is the great commanding Motive, that 
 determines us to the Purfuit of Virtue; and that be- 
 caufe ( as he thinks fit to exprefs himfelf ) " The 
 M Deity is ftudiousof the Good of his Creatures from 
 " Self-intereft (h)r Thus he wickedly argues, That 
 we, in afting from our own Self-intereft, imitate 
 God, and cannot aft from a higher and more per- 
 fect Principle : What is this elfe, but to ufurp the 
 Throne of God, and to exalt ourfelves, if not above 
 him, at leaft unto an Equality with him ? It is an am- 
 bitious afpiring to that very Thing, which, thro' the 
 Subtility of Satan, was the Inlet at the Beginning to 
 our finful and fhameful Apoftafy from our Maker, 
 Gen. 3. 5. And ye flmll be as Gods, But the whole 
 Scope and Defign of Divine Revelation is, to recover 
 us from thefe felfifh Principles into which all Man- 
 kind are plunged by the Fall, and to bring us back 
 to our primitive Love, Obedience and Subje&ion to 
 Jehovah ; and the whole Word of God proclaims 
 unto us, That as the Lord hath done all Things for 
 himfelf, that is, for the Manifeftation of his own in- 
 finite and glorious Excellencies; fo the moft noble 
 Imitation of God is, to love him chiefly for himfelf, 
 and to yield Subjection and Homage unto him, be- 
 caufe he is God, and that he may be glorified in our 
 bodies and Spirits which are his: This is the great 
 
 End 
 
 (h) Eiq:r.ry } p. 432* 
 
( 78 ) 
 
 End and Defign of the whole (Economy of Grace*; 
 and of the Dilpenfation of the Divine Spirit to Sin- 
 ners in effectual Calling and Regeneration, that they 
 may be animate and moved from this higher and 
 more excellent Spring and Principle in all the Duties 
 of their Obedience to God, and in every relative 
 Duty towards Men with whom they are aiTociate; as 
 is evident, not only from the above, but alfo from 
 the following Scriptures, i Cor. 10. 31, and 6. 20. 
 Mat. 5. 16. Rom. 11. 36. Pfal. 115. 1. Rev. 4. 8, 
 11. Rev. 5. 13. It is alfo evident from the Word, 
 that God's infinite Perfection, and his glorious Ex- 
 cellencies, are the main Ground and Reaion of our 
 loving, obeying and worfliipping him ; and not chiefly 
 his Benefits to us, and his promoting our Happinefs; 
 Therefore it is Blafphemy to fay, That we might re* 
 fufe to worfhip God, if it were not for the Profpeft of 
 promoting our own Happinefs ; for tho* God allows US 
 topurfue Happinefs, and tho' the Profpedt of it may 
 be a fecondary Motive to our Obedience, yet the? 
 Scriptures declare, That what God is in himfelf,.or 
 bis own infinite Perfection, is the primary Ground 
 and formal Reafon of the whole of our Obedience 
 and Worfhip, Exod. 20. 2. Lev. 19. 12. Pfal. 96. 
 4, 7, 8, 9, 10. />/"*/. 99. 3, 5. Pfal. 104.1,2. Pfal. 
 148. throughout. Rom. 1. 21. Rev. 4. 8, 11. Rev, 
 7. 10, 11. Jer. 10. 6, 7, 10. It mull likewife be 
 obferved, that, in our belt and moft virtuous A- 
 Aions, we can never recommend ourfelves to the 
 
 Love, Favour and Efteem of God, asMr.C / 
 
 affirms; in regard his Love and Favour to any 
 of his Creatures, and much more to fmful Men, is 
 'abfolutely free: As they cannot merit his Favour, fo 
 there is no Motive without himfdf, to move him to 
 love them, #0/14.4. J W 'U l &vt them freely. Deut. 
 7. 7,8. He hath loved you, hecaufe he loved you. Rom, 
 9.13. Jacob have I loved, but Elau have I hated. Com- 
 pared with Verfe nth, The Children not being yet 
 born, neither having done any Good or Evil, that the 
 Purpofe of God according to the Election might (land, 
 
 not 
 
( 79 ) 
 
 Pit of Works, hut of him that caileth : And whatever 
 we do, we rauft (till reckon ourfehes unprofitable Ser- 
 vants. 
 
 The above Propofitions are likewife contrary to 
 our Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, Con. Chap. 
 6th, Par. 7. wherein it is afferted from the Word of 
 God, " That Works done by unregefierate Men, 
 " altho', for the Matter of them, they may be 
 *' Things which God commands, and of good Ufc 
 " both to themfelves and others; yet, becaufe they 
 " proceed not from an Heart purified by Faith, nor 
 " are done to a right End, the Glory of God, they 
 u are therefore finful, and cannot pleafe God, or 
 " make a Man meet to receive Grace from God/' 
 And to Larg. Cat. Queft. 190, 196. and Leff. Cat, 
 Queft. ior, 107. and Larg. and Leff. Cat. Queft. ift, 
 wherein it is faid, " That Man's chief and higheft 
 *• End is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him for 
 ever; " And to Leff. Cat. Queft. 47. where, u The 
 " not worfhipping and glorifying the True God, as 
 " God^ is the great Sin forbidden in the firft Com- 
 mandment; and to Larg. Cat. Queft. 105. where 
 " Self-love, Self-feeking, and all other inordinate 
 u and immoderate fetting of our Mind, Will or 
 u Affedions upon other Things, and taking them 
 M off from God in whole or in Part," are affir. 
 med, from the Scriptures there cited, to be among 
 the Sins forbidden in the firft Commandment. 
 
 Mr. C 1 alfo affirms, " That Selt-Intereft 
 
 * or Pleafure is the only Standard by which we can 
 «* judge of the Virtue, i. e. the Value or Goodnefs, 
 •« of any Adtion whatfoever (i)\ That Virtue and 
 ■« Utility are two Words fignifying the fame 
 !? Thing (k). That the intrinfick Goodnefs or Re- 
 M dlitude of Moral Virtue lies dire&ly in the Fjt- 
 #< nefs of it to the Self-love and Happinefs of Man- 
 " kind ; and that Adions are virtuous only as they 
 *' promote Self-intereft (I). And that Moral Good- 
 «' nefs, as well as Natural, lies in Advantage and 
 
 " Plea- 
 
( 8° ) 
 
 " Pleafare (m). And that we like and approve all 
 t€ the Moral Qualities that are called virtuous, for 
 u no other Reafon but for their being good to us, 
 " i; e. for the Pleafure they give us, or for their 
 4i gratifying our Self-love (n). And that the Good- 
 " nefs of any Adtion, from which it is denominate 
 " Moral Virtue, immediately lies in the Conformi- 
 u ty it has to our .Self-love, while it concurs and 
 " co-operates with this Principle in approving our 
 " being happy, and to fecure and promote our 
 " Well-being. (o)." 
 
 Thefe Propofitions do dire&ly contradicfi the ho- 
 ly Scriptures, in which it is exprefly declared, That 
 the Law of God is the adequate and only Standard by 
 which the Goodnefs of Aclions is to be tried, and not our 
 own Self-Intereft and Pleafure. If a. 8. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 
 19. Pfal. 119. 9. Deut. 4. 2. Rev. 22. 18. Pfal. 
 119. 4, 5. Prov. 30. 6. Exod. 20. 12. Deut. 5.29. 
 Luke 1. 6. Gal. 3. 10. I Sam. 15. 22. John 14. 
 
 15, 21. John 15. 14. 1 John 3. 4. And, in re- 
 gard the Holinefs ot God is manifefted in his Law, 
 and his fovereign Authority is interpofed therein, the 
 Goodnefs of our Aftions doth immediately lyin their 
 Comformity to the holy Law of God % and in their 
 being done by Faith in Chrift, and from a Refpeft 
 to the Authority of God the Law-giver. And there 
 is nothing more contradictory to the whole Word of 
 God, than to afTert, That the Goodnefs of our Love 
 to God and his Son Jcfus Chrift, or of any Aift of 
 Obedience and Devotion, lies direcftly in its Fitnefs 
 to promote our perfonal Intereft, pfal. 47. 8. Heb. 
 10. 7- &»». *• **> *3» 14- H*b- IO. 38. Heb. II. 
 6. Gal. 2. 20. John 15. 4, 5. And the above Pro- 
 pofitions do likewife Contradid our Confellion of 
 Faith and Catechifms, ConfefT. Chap. i.Par. 2. Chap. 
 
 16. Par. 1, 2. Larg. Cat.Queft. 3. Leff. Cat. Queft.2. 
 where it is afferted, That " the Scriptures are given 
 
 44 by 
 
 (») JEnpwft p. ISM 3;;. (»} P. 3*7/ 3;». (•) P. V9> Z™< 
 
( «« ) 
 
 *■* by the Infpiration of God to be the Rule of Faith 
 " and Life ; and that they are the only Rule of Faith 
 u and Obedience." 
 
 Mr. c- — - — i alfo aflerts, " That Virtue depends 
 *' not on the arbitrary Will of any Being, but flows 
 " from the effential Properties and Nature of Things 
 *' (a);" and that " God's Intcrefts .ire not in all Re- 
 " fpedte independent on us : That our Happinefs is 
 " advantageous to God's Nature ; and that Self-love 
 " determines God to be ftudious of our Good; and 
 " that God cannot but reward the Virtuous from 
 " Self-love (*)." 
 
 Tbefe Propofitions arc contrary to the holy Scrip- 
 tures, in which it is afferted,That God himfe If, in the 
 wife Purpofe and Counfel of his own Will, laid 
 down the whole Plan of the Nature and Relation of 
 Things, which he freely brings forth in his Works 
 of Creation* Providence and Redemption : And 
 tho'the Precepts of the Moral Law are eternal and 
 immutable, in regard the Holinefs and Perfection of 
 God's Nature is fuch, that it cannot be his Will that 
 his Creatures (hould dootherwife; yet ^he Scriptures 
 alio affert^ That God is our Lawgiver, and affirm his 
 abfolute Sovereignty and Authority over us, and con™ 
 fequently* that nothing can be a Law to us but by 
 his Enacling; and that what he enacfls mufts be a 
 Law to us, whether it be a moral Precept, or a 
 Thing in its own Nature indifferent : As is evident 
 from the Pofttive Precept given to Adam at his Crea- 
 tion, and from other fofitive Commands, both under 
 the Old and New T-eihments; which, altho* they 
 were all wife and good, yet who can fay that God wac 
 neceffarily obliged j by his own Nature, to enadtthem* 
 and that he could not poffibly have done otherwife ? 
 It is therefore grofly erroneous to fet up the Nature, 
 and Relation of Things as a Law above God himfelf, 
 and to maintain that moral Good 2nd Evil flows from 
 the effential Properties and Nature of Things, and 
 aot from the Holinefs of God's Nature alUrwrlv. tog£- 
 L 
 
( 82 ) 
 
 ther with his fovereign Authority and Will manife- 
 sted in his Law ; as is evident from the following 
 Scriptures, Eph. i. 5, n. Rom. 9. 15, to 24. Rev. 
 4- ii- The above Propofitions are alfo contrary to 
 the Docftrine held forth from the Word of God, 
 Confeff. Chap. 8. Par. 1. Chap. 19. Par, 5. Larg. 
 Cat. Queft. 12. 
 
 From the Word of God and our Confeffion of 
 Faith we are alfo taught, that Creatures can merit no 
 Good from God; and that he is not obliged to reward 
 their Services; and that all the Rewards he has pro- 
 mifed to any of them are free and unmerited; and 
 that they can have no Fruition of God as their Blef- 
 fednefs and Reward, but by foroe voluntary Conde- 
 fcenfion on his Part, which he has been pleafed to ex- 
 prpfs byway of Covenant: As alfo, that he, whofe 
 Name is JEHOVAH, hath all Life, Glory, Bleffed- 
 nefs and Goodnefs in and of himfelf, and ftands not | 
 in need of any of his Creatures, nor derives any 
 Glory from them. Therefore it is grofly erroneous 
 
 in Mr. C / to affirm as above, "That God can* 
 
 V not but reward the Virtuous from Self-love." Yea 
 it is Blafphemy to him to affirm, "That our Hap- 
 ■' pinefs is advantageous to God's Nature; and that 
 *' God's Interefts are not altogether independent on 
 41 us." Luke 17. 10. and 12.. 32. Eph. 2. 5, 8. Rom. 
 6.23. Job 22.2, 3. and 35. 7, 8. jiclsi-j. 24,25. 
 Confeir Chap. x. Par. 1, 2. Chap. 7. Par. 1. Larg. 
 Cat. Queft. 7. 30. and from Queft. 67. to 75. in- 
 ciufive. 
 
 The General Aflembly 1736 having had Mr. 
 
 C- /'s Writings under their Confideration, in 
 
 which he has vented the above Propofitions, it is to 
 be obfcrved with Pvegrete, That " they find, with 
 " refpeft to the third Article concerning Self-love, 
 €i he had declared he meant no more, but that our 
 *' Delight in the Glory and Honour of God is the 
 *' chief Motive of all virtuous and religious Adions; 
 M and are of Opinion, that the examining and fta- 
 ig of the Matter, as has been done by theCom- 
 
 " mittee 
 
( S 3 ) 
 
 ;c mittee for Purity of Doctrine, is fufficient for cau- 
 * tioning againft the Errors that fome at firft fuppo- 
 
 ;< fed Mr. C / was guilty of; and do appoint 
 
 -' that the Matter reft here." From all which, com- 
 pared with the Report of the Committee, taken into 
 he Preamble of the Aft, it is very manifeft, that 
 :he Affembly have adopted this Propofition of Mr. 
 C »i's, as in their Opinion found and orthodox , viz. 
 
 That our Delight in the Glory and Honour of God is the 
 :hief Motive of all virtuous and religious Actions. And 
 that they have taken it up in the fame Senfe and 
 
 Meaning of the Terms in which Mr. C /,who 
 
 delivered it, appears to have underftood it, from his 
 Explications then under Confideratioc, is as certain, 
 as it is plain from the Act itfelf, that the Defign of 
 the Affembly and Committee, in hearing and confi- 
 
 dering this Declaration of Mr. C /'s, and the 
 
 other Explications he offered, was, To do fomething 
 that was fufficient for cautioning aguinft the Errors that 
 fome at firft fuppo fed he was guilty of 
 
 But the above Propofition, confidered in a Relation 
 to his Scheme of Principles, and his Explications 
 then under Confideration, is manifeftly grols and er- 
 roneous, and is very agreeable to the Scheme of felf~ 
 i(h Love he has laid down in h\s Enquiry ; as appears 
 from his Further Explications and his Remarks on the 
 Report of the Committee, which, together with this 
 \fliort Declaration of his Sentiments, were laid before 
 the Affembly, as his Defences in the Charge laid a- 
 gainft him. He concludes his Defences upon this 
 Head in his Further Explications j* as follows; " I 
 u hope the Reverend Committee will judge, that my 
 Opinion about the Supreme Motive is in no De- 
 gree an Exclufion of the Glory of God from be- 
 ing our chief End; and that true Philofophy ju r 
 {rifles my profefling as I have done in my (firft) 
 Explications, That the Glory of God, or God in his 
 glorious Perfections and Excellencies, is our chief 
 ff. and our ultimate End ; and our prevailing Defire 
 L i ;; after 
 
 f Further E,x?L 79, 7?, 
 
( 84 ) 
 
 < c after Happinefs in this Glory of God, or in Go4 
 * l an infinite Good, the great Fountain of all Life 
 V and of all Perfection, is the fupreme Motive that 
 ** excites us, and that animates our vigorous Endea- 
 " vours, to attain to Him." And in his Remarks on 
 the Committee $ Report , Page 47. he aiTerts, M That 
 " the Agent's Self-love, or a Man's own Happinefs, 
 " is the Motive whereby he is excited to the Purfuit 
 " of fuch fort of (good or virtuous) Actions." 
 
 The Matter ftands briefly thus: The Ailembly 
 have aJfoiUied Mr.C— - — : — / from the Charge of Er- 
 ror that lbme at firft fuppofed he was guilty of, inrer 
 fpedtthat, as to the 3d Article concerning Self-love, 
 he had declared he meant no more but that our De- 
 light in the Glory and Honour of. God ivas the chief Mo- 
 tive of all virtuous and religious Aclions. But, if the 
 Terms of this Proposition are confidered, and com- 
 pared with his Defences as above, it will be manifeft, 
 
 that, by the Honour and Glory of God, Mr. C I 
 
 does not underftand the Declarative Glory of God, 
 but God in his glorious Excellencies and Perfections, or 
 God an infinite Good; and, by our Delight in the Glo- 
 ry and Honour of God, he undcrftands our prevailing 
 Defire after Happinefs in this Glory of God, or in 
 God an infinite Good; And, when he affirms that 
 our Delight in the Honour and Glory of God is the 
 chief Motive to all virtuous Aclions, heunderftands, 
 that the Agent's Self-love, or a Man's own Happinefs 
 in this Glory of God, or in God an infinite Good, is 
 the chief Motive whereby he is excited to the Purfuit 
 of religious and virtuous Anions; which is the fame 
 Thing with the Error that fome at firft fuppofed he was 
 guilty of, viz. That Self-love is the chief Motive t9 all 
 fuch Aclions. 
 
 This might be further ill uibate from what he fays, 
 Page 70. and 78. of his Further Explications, and' p. 
 46. and 48. of his Remarks. But the Cafe is io plain 
 of itfelf, and from what has been obferved, that no- 
 thing is neceflary to be added,' except to- lament that 
 God has left this Church fo far as to adopt this Error • 
 
 and 
 
( 8 5 ) 
 
 and that he fo fardeferted fome worthy Men, as not 
 to notice it and teftify againft it, when it was done 
 in a Way of Proteftation for the Honour of Truth. 
 It fhall only cc further obferved on this Head, that 
 no. other Meaning can be impofed on the Propofition 
 
 contained in Mr. C i's Declaration than what 
 
 is above-reprefented ; becaufe, as he has not as yet 
 renounced one Propofition in all his Writings, but 
 defends every one of them, fo it is manifeft that he 
 pleads, That, in eying God as our lad End, we 
 inuft confider him merely as our chief Good, or the 
 Being who can fully fatisfy our Self-love, and gratify 
 all our Defires and Appetites. And he makes God's 
 Benefits to us, or his promoting our Happinefs, the 
 only Ground and Reafon of our loving and worfhip- 
 ping him. And he plainly afferts, That, " feeing 
 " God acts for his Self-intereft, we cannot aft from 
 * s a higher Principle than our Self-intereft." Yea, 
 he confidently affirms, M That his Expreffions on this 
 " Subject do not go higher than his Sentiments; and 
 " that his Sentiments do not go beyond the Nature 
 " of Things f." 
 
 Alike Injury has been done to Truth by the Com^ 
 mittees judging, " That the Expreffions objected a- 
 *' gainft, are only too high on the Side of Self-love ; 
 " particularly his afferting Self-love to be the fole 
 t* Principle, Standard and Motive of all religious Afti- 
 " ons:" And the Affembly's being of the Opinion, 
 <c That the Committee's thus Hating the Matter is a 
 " fufficient Caution againft Error,'* has thereby re- 
 duced his Sentiments concerning Self-love's being the 
 lode Principle, Standard and Motive of all virtuous 
 and religious Actions, to nothing elfe but to too high 
 Expreffions on the Side of. Self-love; and Error being, 
 in the Nature of the Thing, a falfe Propofition or Ex- 
 preffion ; and an high Expreffion, in common Lan- 
 guage, being nothing elfe but a Truth fet in a fircng 
 Light , hereby the important Truths of God, that re- 
 late 
 
 t See Eiiauiry t p, 4:^ IO i, W 4^4, 389, 432. Rep. 
 P- *&. 
 
( 8(5 ) 
 
 late to the Principle, Standard and Motive of our 
 Actions, are left wounded and bleeding in our 
 Streets. 
 
 zdly, Mr. C /, in his Difcourfe f roving that tht 
 
 ^poftles were no Enthuftafls, has done manifeft Indig- 
 nity to the Work of the Holy Spirit upon the Souls 
 of Men in their Regeneration and Converfion, in 
 regard heaffirms, " That many in the World look 
 " upon tnefe Manifestations which they think they 
 " have of the Nature and Excellencies of God, 
 " as fupcrnaturally communicated to their Minds; 
 " and take thefe inward Ravifhments they feel upon 
 " fuch pretended Revelations, to be all Divine Joys 
 " poured in upon them by the immediate Hand of 
 " God himfelf; and that it is evident beyond all 
 u reafonable Difpute, that all fuch Events may 
 *< poflibly have come about in a natural Courfe and 
 '■ Series of Things" (he makes no Exception of 
 any, but fuch as are of the miraculous and extraor- 
 dinary Kind) "without anymore immediate Inter- 
 " pofing of the Divinity, than there is when a Man 
 " opens his Eyes and beholds the Sun in its Glory at 
 " Noon-day (*)" He affirms, " That an extrava- 
 " gant Conceit of being peculiarly bleft with fuch 
 " fupernatural Communications ftom Heaven, makes 
 " up the very Life and Soul ot Enthufiafm (b)" 
 He defcribes the Enthufiait to be one, " who, in the 
 " Courfe of his Devotion, keeps not w;thin the 
 *' Compafs of Reafon (?)? Whereby he makes 
 Human Reafon y in its prefent Situation, our only Guide 
 in our Devotion. He alfo reprefents the Enthufiaft 
 to be one, " who, in the Courfe of his-Devotion, 
 " without attending to the Dictates of Reafon, imtr 
 " gines himfelf to be under the immediate Influences 
 *' of* Heaven ; and therefore concludes, that thefe 
 " Things which run ftrongly in his Mind, areimme- 
 M diately impreft upon him by the Divine Spirit (d):' 
 And, in a ludicrous Manner, reprefents it as a Part 
 of the Character of the Enthufiafts, " That they 
 
 " con. 
 
 (a) Difc. p. 3, (b) pifc. p, 4, (c) tint (J) ?. 26. 
 
( 8 7 ) 
 
 ** corifalt the Throne of Grace, lay their Matters 
 " before the Lord, and implore his Light and Dire- 
 " Aion." Thefe and the like (fays he) are Terms 
 of Art much ufed by them (e). 
 
 But the holy Scriptures exprefly affert the abfolute 
 Neceffity of zfuper natural Work of the Holy Spirit, for 
 the Renovation of our Natures, and for manifefting 
 unto us in a faving Manner the glorious Excellen- 
 cies of God in the Perfon of Jefus Chrift. This 
 Work of the Spirit is common to all that arc effe- 
 ctually called, and they are every one peculiarly 
 bleffed with it: 2 Cor. 4. 6. and 5. 17. Ephef. 1. 17, 
 18, 19. Pfal. 119. 18. 2 Cor. 3. f. 1 Cor. 2. 14., 
 Ezek. 36. 26. Rom. 8. 7. Afts 26. 18. Ephef. 4. 18. 
 Luke 6. 43. Alfo the Will of God revealed in his 
 Word, and not our own depraved Reafon, is that Rule, 
 within the Compafs of which we are to keep in our 
 Devotion: Heb. 11. i f 6. .2/4.8.20. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 
 1 Sam. 15. 21, 22, 23. Rom. 12. 2. Likewife the 
 Scriptures affirm, That an a&ual Influence of the 
 Holy Spirit is neceffary to enable us to walk with God 
 in all the Duties of holy Obedience, and to imprefs the 
 Truths of God upon our Minds : Rom. 8. 9, 14, 26, 
 27. Philip. 2. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 5. John 16. 7, 8, 9, 14. 
 2f^» IS- 5- And that it is our Duty, Not to lean to 
 our own llnderftandinr, or Reafon, but to confult the 
 Throne of Grace, and to lay all our Matters before the 
 Lord, and implore his Light and Direction : Prov. 3. 
 5, 6. James 1. 5. PfaL 37- 23. Heb. 4. 14, jr f 
 1 6. And in every Thing by Prayer and Supplication 
 we ought U make our Requefis Vnovon unto God, Philip. 
 4. 6. It is alfo the received Do&rine laid down in 
 our Confeffion of Faith and Caychifas, That a Su- 
 pernatural Work of the ftcly Spirit is abfolutely neceffary 
 for entightning eur Minds Jpirituaily andfavingly to un- 
 der ft and the Things of God, Confeff. Clup. ic. Par. % . 
 Larg. Cat. Q. 67. " And tho* nothing is at any 
 ** Time to be added to the Scriptures, whether by 
 ■\ % new Revelations of the Spirit, or Traditions of 
 
 " Mea 
 
. ( 88 ) 
 
 a Men; yet the inward Illumination, of the Spirit 
 ,c of God is neceffary for the faving Underftanding 
 " of fuch Things as are revealed in the Word," 
 Confeff. Chap. i. Par. 6. Alfo, it is the Doctrine 
 of our Cwfeffion, agreeable to the Word of God, 
 " That the Light of Nature is not fufficient to give 
 " that Knowledge of God and of his Will which 
 " is neceffary unto Salvation; which maketh the 
 " Word of God moft neceffary, being given by In- 
 " fpiration of God, to be the only Ruie of Faith and 
 " Life." And therefore our corrupt and depraved 
 Reafon is not the Rule and Standard of our Devo* 
 tion, Confeff. Chap. i. Par. i, 2. Chap. 16. Par. u 
 Larg. Cat. Q. 3. Leff. Cat. Q. i. And that good 
 Works only are fuch as God hath commanded in his 
 holy Word, and which proceed from a Heart pu- 
 rified by Faith, and are done in a right Manner ac- 
 cording to the Word, and to a right End the Glory 
 of God ; and that our Works (or Duties of Obe- 
 dience) as they are good, proceed from the Holy 
 Spirit. That our Ability to do them is not at all 
 of ourfelves, but wholly from the Spirit of Chrift ; 
 and that we may be enabled thereunto, beiides the 
 Graces that we have already received, there is re- 
 quired an actual Influence of the fame Holy Spirit, 
 to work in us to will and to do of his good Pleafore ; 
 and yet we are not hereupon to grow negligent, but 
 to be diligent in ftirring up the Grace of God that is 
 in us, Confeff. Chap. 16. Par, 3, 5, 7. Chap. 19. Pan 
 7. Chap. 21. Par. 3, 4. 
 
 The General Affembly having had Mr. Catfjpheli's 
 Writings under their Confideration, it is to be lamen- 
 ted that they have entirely overlookt the above, and 
 fuch other grofs Prd^ofitions in his Book concerning 
 Enthufiafm, whereby the fupernatural Work of the 
 Spirit of God upon the Souls of Men is reproached, 
 and the ferious Exercife of Codlinefs is ridiculed. 
 
 jdly f Mr. C I in his Writings has likewifc 
 
 affeited, That Men % without Revelation, cannot by their 
 
 Katu- 
 
( '8p ) 
 
 Natural Powers find out that that there is a God (h). 
 Which Proportion diredtly contradi As the holy Scrip- 
 tures, in which we are taught, That the invifible 
 Things of God, even his Eternal Power and Gddhead 9 
 are underftood and clearly feen from the Things that God 
 hath made; and that thefe who are without Law, 
 ie. Revelation, have the Work of the Law written in 
 their Hearts, and do by Nature the Things contained in . 
 the Law, their Confciences bearing Witnefs, and their 
 Thoughts dccufmg of excufing one another, Which 
 could not be, without Tome Knowledge and Perfwa- 
 (ion of the Being of a God, of which they had natural 
 Convidions and Impreffions, as is plain from the 
 Words of the Apoftte juft now mentioned. It islikc- 
 ivife evident from the Scriptures, that God by his 
 Works hadfo clearly tnanifefted his Being and Exi- 
 gence, his Wifdom, Power and Goodnefs, that the 
 Idolatry of the Heathen was thereby rendered a Sin 
 igainft the Light of Nature; and they were without 
 Excufe, becaufe .they did not fo imprqve that Light, 
 which they had a natural Power and Ability to do, 
 is to obtain more Knowledge and Veneration of 
 :heir Creator, and the Author of their Being, accor- 
 ding to the following Scriptures, Rom. i. 19, 2G. 
 Zom. 1. 31. with 2. t, 14, 15. PfaL 19. T4 2, 3. 
 Atts 17. 24, to 27. The above Proportions likewife 
 )verthrows the Docftrine laid down in our Confejfim 
 )f Faith and Caiechifms, which is as follows; "The 
 1 very Light of Nature in Man, and the Works 
 1 of God, declare plainly that there is a God; but 
 ' his Word and Spirit only do iufficiently and effe- 
 * dually reveal him unto Men for the* Salvation; 
 ' That the Light of Nature flieweth that there is a 
 ■ Godj who hath Lordfoip and Sovereignty over all, 
 4 is Good, and doth Good unto all; and is therefore 
 4 to be feared, loved, praifed, called upon, trufted 
 ' in, and ferved with all the Heart, and with all 
 '*. the Soul, and with all the Might; and, That the 
 M " Lighg 
 
 {b) Gratic, x>. 26. 2 f, 3 ,. 3:, ^. -. .,. r .-,: ?| p,^ f| ^ ^ 
 
( 9° ) 
 
 " Light of Nature, the Works of Creation and 
 " Providence, do fo far manifeft the Goodnefr, 
 " Wifdom and Power of God, as to leave Man in- 
 " excufable." Confeff. Chap. n. Par. I. Confeff. 
 Chap. i. Par. l. Larg. Cat. Gj^ i. 
 
 And feeing the Committee for Purity of Voclrine 
 were of Opinion, and that upon good Ground, 
 " That this Propofition is juftly exceptionable, as 
 " tending to darken and render doubtful the Truth 
 €i of Natural Religion, and as appearing not to 
 4i agree with thtfDo&rine of the Apoftle Paul, nor 
 " with the Docftrine of our Confeffion- of Faith ; 
 There appears no Manner of Rcafon for the Affem- 
 blys difmiffing it, as it were only a doubtful Expr ef- 
 fort or Propofition, which may be confirued in an er- 
 roneous Senfe, however found it may be in itfelf, or how- 
 ever well intended. By which Conduct of the Af- 
 fembly, the Caufe of Truth hath fuffered exceedingly, 
 in regard that, by the above Propofition, the fir ft 
 Principles of Natural Religion are attacked and fub- 
 verted. 
 
 4thly f Further, Mr. C - / in his Writings has 
 afferted, " That the Laws of Nature in themfelves 
 " are a certain and fufficient Rule to dired rational 
 -< Minds to Happinefs; and that our obferving of 
 «' thefe Laws is the great Mean and Inftrument of 
 * c our real and lafting Felicity (£).." Which Propo- 
 rtions do evidently contradict the holy Scriptures 
 in which we are taught, That the Word of God is thi 
 *nly Rule of faith and Obedience ; and that Men can- 
 not be accepted in God's Sight, nor be entitled to future 
 and lafting Felicity, by framing their Lives according 
 to the Law of Nature. And tho* Holinefs be abfolute- 
 ly neceflary to make us meet for Communion with 
 God, both in Grace here, and in Glory hereafter; 
 yet the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, or his Obedience anc 
 Satisfaction, imputed to us, and received and reftec 
 upon by Faith of the Operation of God,. is the greai 
 Mean of our Bleffednefs and Happinefs, begun ir 
 
 Time, 
 
 W Dfc f «fi P< h ft 
 
( 9i ) 
 
 Timei and confummate in Heaven, Gal. 3. 21, nl 
 and 6. 16. Rom. 8. 3. and 3.20,21. I/a. 42. 6. 
 #0jw. 10. 6, 9. G*/. 3. ri. -4fifr 4. 12. j^£/* 14. 6. 
 Eph. 2. 12. jf^» 17. 3. John 4. 22. 1 Cor. 16. 22. 
 <?*/. 1. 6, 7, 8. jMw 3. 36. -<tf#* 10. 43. and 16.31. 
 Horn. 3. 22, 23, to 28. and 5. 6, 7, 8. 2 Or. 5. 19, 
 21. Eph. 1. 7. />£////>. 3. 7, 8, 9. And the above Pro- 
 pofitions manifeftly fubvert the Doctrine laid down 
 in our Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms, viz. " That 
 M Man, by his Fall, having made himfelf incapable 
 u of Life by the Covenant of Works, the Lord was 
 " pleafed to make a fecond, commonly called the 
 u Covenant of Grace: That Men not profeffing the 
 " Chriftian Religion, cannot be faved in any other 
 " Way whatsoever, be they never fo diligent to 
 " frame their Lives according to the Light of Na- 
 " ture : And that thofe whom God effectually calleth, 
 " he freely juftifieth, not for any Thing wrought in 
 " them, or done by them, but by imputing the Obe- 
 M dience and Satisfaction of Chrift unto them, they 
 " receiving and retting on him and hisRighteouf- 
 " nefs by Faith, which Faith they have not of them- 
 " felves, it is the Gift of God, Con. Chap. 7th, Par. 
 u 3. Chap. 10th, Par. 4. Chap, nth, Par. 1. Larg, 
 f c Cat. Queft. 60, 73." 
 
 Avery confiderable Injury has been done to the 
 Truths of God, by the Committee's making the 
 above Propofitions no other but unguarded Expre/fions ; 
 and by the AJfembly's giving it as their Opinion, 
 " That the Committee had fo ftated the Matter, as 
 *' is fufficient for Cautioning againft the Errors that 
 
 fi< fome at firfi fuppofed Mr. C- / was guilty 
 
 " of;" And their difmijfing the faid Propofitions 
 which were under their Confideration, as is done in 
 the Clofe of their Ad, as if they were only doubtful 
 Expreffions or Propofitions, which may be conftrued 
 in an erroneous Senfe, however found they may be 
 in themfelves, or however well intended; And this, 
 notwithftanding it is moft manifeft from the Expref- 
 fions themielyes, and Connection of Purpofesin the 
 M 2 Pre 
 
preface to his Difcourfe, in which he delivers thefe 
 Proportions, and from the Relation they (land in to, 
 the Principles of the Deifts, which he there ptopofes 
 to refute, that he mull be underftood to fpeak of 
 Mankind in their prefent Situation; and that he there* 
 and in the very next Page to that, in which he lays 
 down the above-mentioned Proportions, expreily 
 pleads for the Neceffity or Fitnefs of. Revelation, 
 only to give a fufficient Information of the Laws of 
 Nature in their full Compafs and Latitude, and of 
 all Things neceffary to work upon the Pailions of 
 Men, to engage them to purfue and pbferve them ; 
 And that in his Enquiry, Page zzi. he aliens, that 
 ^' The Sentiments of all fair and honed Enquirers 
 " do certainly agree in all important Points of Re- 
 " ligion that are of common Concern, to which the 
 " common Parenrof Mankind has proportioned the 
 V common IJnderftanding of human Nature:" And 
 that he ha§not yet confeffed oneBlunderor Imperti- 
 nence, in the Way he has taken of managing the Ar- 
 guments againft the Deifts, or the Concefhons he has 
 made them; orretrafted anyone of his Propofitions 
 pr Expreflions, but defends them all moft keenly : 
 And that any Declarations he has made, from which 
 the Ajfembly and Committee would infer, that it is 
 not his Meaning that a fupernatural Revelation of a 
 Saviour, and Faith in him, are fuperfluous, and not 
 neceilary to the Happinefs of fallen Man (as to which 
 Hereticks have been abundantly liberal, and with 
 the greateft Cunning and Artifice, on Qccaiion of 
 warping in their own Errors, or fcreening them- 
 feives from Danger) rauft neceflarily be underftood 
 in an Agreeablenefs to, and Confiftency with, all thefe 
 other unfound Propofitions, to which he tenaciouily 
 adheres. From all which it is very manifeft, that 
 thefe Propofitions, as they are laid in his Writings, 
 and were under the Affembly's Coniideration, are 
 moft dangerous, unfound and erroneous; and that 
 the AiTembly ? by their Condud in this Matter, lr^ve 
 giyen a deep Wound to the Oufe of Truth, 
 
 which 
 
( "93 ) 
 
 jffjiich cannot enough be regreted and lamented. 
 
 5'Wy, Farther, Mr. Campbell in his Writings has 
 alTerted, " That the Apoftles do not feera to have 
 " had any Notion of our Saviours Divinity, at the 
 f* Time of his Crucifixion ; and that they did not ap- 
 •' prehend him under that Character, in which he 
 " is reprefented to us by the Apoftle John in the firft 
 " Chapter of his Gofpel, and by Paul in his E- 
 " pifiles," before they began their publick Mini- 
 ftry, (a). That the Apoftles, being *« violently pre- 
 " poifeffed in favour of a worldly Kingdom," look'd 
 upon the carrying it on as the only End of the Met 
 fiah's Cqming to the World; and •« expected this 
 " and this only from him (£)" And that the A- 
 poftles, in the Interval betwixt Chrift's Death and 
 Refurredlion," were greatly offended at him in 
 44 their Hearts, as being, in their Opinion, a down- 
 !' right Cheat and Deceiver, whp had once flatter 
 ft red them with mighty Hopes, but now had left 
 " them under air the Agonies of Shame and Difa- 
 V pointmen.t; and, That they all looked upon him as 
 " an Impoftor (Vj." 
 
 All the above Proportions do diredtly contradift 
 the holy Scriptures, in which it is exprefly affirmed, 
 That the Difciples and Followers of ChriR befceld him* 
 in|the Glory of his Divine Per/on ; they beheld his Glory , 
 the Glory as of the only Begotten of tfoe father full of 
 Grace and Truth ; and that even while he dwelt a- 
 Riong them, in the Days of his Humiliation, That 
 they looked upon him to be the Mejfiah, the Son of 
 the living God; a Difcovery which Flejh and Blood 
 (that is humap Reafon) had not made to them, but 
 the Father: That they expe&ed Heaven and eternal 
 Life from him : That Religious IVorfhip was claimed 
 by him, and paid to him, while he tabernacled among 
 tbem : That all the Difciples declared their Faith 
 of his Otnnifcience ; And that one of them, inPrefence 
 pf ail the reft, before they entred on their publick 
 
 Mini- 
 
 • , (a) Difc. p. Yi; S 3- ( h ) D*fi< P 3 h n • *** Prfice, p. 22. (c) 
 Preface to Dije. p. 2 1 ? 23 . 
 
( 94 ) 
 
 Miniftry, profefled his Faith in him as his Lord and 
 bis God: And therefore it is moft falfe and grofly 
 erroneous to fay, That the Apoftles had no Notion of 
 our Lord's Divinity, before they began their publick Mi- 
 niftry ; and that they expecled nothing from him but a 
 temporal Deliverance, John I. 14/ Mat. 16. 16, 17. 
 John 6. 68, 69. and 14. 1. Mat. 2. 2, it. John 9. 
 35, to 38. John 16. 30. and it. 17. and 20! 28, 
 And the Scriptures likewife affert, That our Lord 
 Jefus Ghrift had manifefted his Father's Name to his 
 Difciples, that is, all the Purpofes of his Grace, as 
 centring in himfelf the Mediator: That they had 
 received his Words, and knew thereby that he came out 
 from the Father, and believed that the Father had fen p 
 him, John 17. and that they confidered their Lord 
 as the Mefftxh of whom Mofes in the Law and the Pro- 
 phets, did write, John 1.41, 45. and that they looked 
 upon him in the very Interval Detwixthis Death and 
 Refurreftion, to be a Prophet mighty in Deed and 
 Word before God and all the People, Luke 24. 19. and 
 alfo, that the Faith of none of them, nonotof Peter* 
 did fail, Luke 22. 32. And therefore it is n oft 
 falfe and grofly erroneous to fay, that the Apo files, in 
 the Interval betwixt Chnfi's Dea:h and Rei ^cton, 
 looked upon their Lord and Mafter as a downright 
 Cheat and Impofior. 
 
 The above Proportions are likewife contrary to the 
 
 Doftrine laid down in our Confeffion of Faith and 
 
 Catechifms, viz. " That the Father, the Son and the 
 
 " Holy Ghoft, are the One only, Living, True and 
 
 " Eternal God, the fame in Subftance, equal in 
 
 "Power and Glory, Con. Chap 2. Par. 1, 3, Larg. 
 
 *'Cat.Que&. 9. Tlut Chrift the Mediator is very 
 
 "■'God, and very Man, of one Subftance and equal 
 
 €t with the Father; and that the Benefits of his Re- 
 
 g< demption were communicated unto the Elect, in 
 
 " all Ages from the Beginning of the World, in and 
 
 " by thefe Promifes, Types and Sacrifices wherein 
 
 M he was revealed, Con. Chap. 8. Par. 2. and Par. 6. 
 
 ** That thefe whom God hath effectually called, can 
 
 JJ nev££ 
 
( 95 ) 
 
 " never totally fell away from the State of Grace, 
 " but fhall certainly perfevcre therein to the End, 
 •■ Con. Chap. 17. Par. 1. And that, tho' the Ca- 
 " tholick Church hath been fometimes more, fome- 
 " times lefs vifiole, yet there (hall be always a Church 
 " on Earth to worfhip God according to his Will, 
 " Con. Chap. 24, § 4, 5. 
 
 The Caufe of Truth hath fuffered exceedingly, 
 and received a deep Wound from the Jjfemblys gi- 
 ving it as their Opinion, That the above Sentiments 
 
 vented by Mr. C / " contain only his conje- 
 
 M dural Opinion concerning the inward Sentiments 
 * of other Men ; and that our Confeffion and Cate- 
 " chifms teach nothing concerning thefe Matters." 
 As alfo, that his Defign was, " to give the greater 
 * c Strength to his Argument for vindicating the A- 
 " poftles from Enthufiafm." And their dijmijjing 
 thefe grofs and erroneous Propofitions as doubtful Ex- 
 prejfions only, which may be conftrued in an errone- 
 ous Senfe, however found they may be in themfelves, 
 and however well intended. 
 
 This their Conduft cannot be enough lamented, 
 if it is confidered, that the above Propofitions are 
 hereby purged of all Manner of Falfhood or Un- 
 foundnefs in themfelves, feeing what is falfe in itfelf 
 can give no Strength to an Argument ; nor can it be 
 the leaft Excufe for a Man's venting unfound Propo- 
 fitions, that he defigned by them to give Strength to 
 his Argument. That thefe Propofitions contradidt 
 the holy Scriptures, has been fliown in the above Paf- 
 fages that have been cited; and this is enough to de- 
 termine them to be unfound and erroneous : But, if the 
 Strain and general Defign of the Scriptures is confi- 
 dered, they may be faid to contradicl the whole Word 
 of God, as well as every Chapter of our Confeffion of 
 Faith; for it is a Thing moft certain, that if the 
 Apoftles of Chrift, who conftantly attended his Mi- 
 niftry, of whom the greateft Things are faid of ail 
 others, as to their Proficiency by their Inftrucftion, 
 John 17. 6,-7,%. and to whom he expounded all Things 
 
 pn. 
 
( 96 ) 
 
 privately, that he ftoke openly in Parables; If theji. 
 However had no Notion of his Divinity, and expeftca? 
 nothing but a temporal Deliverance from him, and, in the 
 Interval betwixt his D£ath and Refarredion, look d 
 upon him as a Cheat and Impeftor ; no better Opinion 
 can be juftly maintained of any then living. And it 
 
 may be given up to Mr. C /, That orie may be 
 
 a true Believer (for fuch were all his Difciples ex- 
 cept Judas) who doth not yet believe the Divinity of the 
 Son of God ; and confequently , that the Church may be 
 confiitute of a Company of Infidels Under a Chriftian 
 Name; which i$ very agreeable to the Socinian and 
 Deifiical Schemes. It may be likewife given up to 
 him, That one may have a true and faving Faith, as 
 the Difciples certainly had , arid yet fall totally away 
 from the farrie into the grojfeft Infidelity; for groffer 
 cannot be imagined, than that all the Difciples Jhould 
 look upon their Lord as a downright Cheat and Impoflor : 
 Both which are contrary to the above Pafiages of the 
 Confejfion, and the Scriptures thefe Articles are foun- 
 ded upon. And from Mr. C /'s above Princi- 
 ples it fallows, that John 1. 14. and all the other De- 
 clarations and Confeffions, that the Jpo >(lles in the Days 
 or his Humiliation made, concerning their Faith of 
 his True, Proper and fupreme Deity, are nothing to the 
 Purpofe; and that no Argument can be drawn for 
 the fame, from any fuch Declarations andConfeffions 
 that are recorded in the four Gofpels. 
 
 All the above-mentioned are fomc of the many 
 dangerous ExprefTions and Proportions that ly Matte- 
 red through Mr.C Vs Writings. And thisPreJ- 
 
 bytery taking into their feriousC on fi deration theDifho- 
 liour that is done to God, the Injury that is done to 
 his Truths by all the fofefaid Proportions; arid alfo 
 conftdering, that many may be in Danger of being 
 tainted with the fame in this Day of general Apo- 
 ftafy and Defection from the Truths of God : There- 
 fere, and for all the feveral Grounds and Reafons 
 above condefcended irpon, They did and hereby do, 
 CONDEMN all and every one of th* forefaid Pro- 
 
 pA- 
 
yjuiont maintained and defended by the [aid Mr.C — i 9 
 U contrary to the Word of God, our Confdfion of Pa^h 
 xnd Catechifms; particular!? his. affirming, That the 
 We and univerfal Motive to virtuoui Aclicm is Seif+love % 
 Intere/t or Pleafure . v That Self-love is the great Caufe, 
 *r the fir ft Spring of all our fever al Atiions 'and Motions,, 
 which Way fdever they may be d\fetled\ ail'd that it is 
 iniverfally the fir ft Spring in every rational Mind, that 
 \wakens her Powers, begins her Motions, and carries her 
 m to Atlbn; whereby the Vitals of pra^ical Reli- 
 gion arc attacked and undermined. Ahb; his alter- 
 ing, That Self-love is the only Standard, Meafun and 
 Kule of all Virtue and Religion, find of all our feve'rdl 
 Aftions and Motion:, which Way foever they may happen- 
 l o be directed; and, That Self-Interefi or Pleafure is the 
 mly Standard by which ivecan judge of the Virtue, i. ii 
 the Value and Goo dnefs , of any slcTton whaifofver : That 
 Moral Virtue flows from the ejfential Properties and 
 Nature of Things : That God's Inter efts are not in all 
 Refpefts independent en us : That our Happinefs is ad- 
 vantageous to God's Nature; and, That Self-love deter- 
 mines God to be ftudiotis of our Good; and, That he 
 cannot but reward the Virtuous, from Silf-lole. By all 
 which,* the Authority of God the Great Law* 
 river is difparaged; His Self-fufficiency is blaf- 
 )hemou(ly impunged, and he is made a Debitor 
 o his Creatures, being neceiTarily obliged to 
 ■eward their Service and Obedience. Likewife 
 lis reprefenting as Enthttfiaft:, all who pretend to 
 lave obtained fupernatural Manifeftntions of the Na*> 
 ure and Excellencies of God, thai are not of the 
 extraordinary and miraculous Rind, and who ima- 
 ine thcmlelves in the Courfe cf their Devotion to bi 
 nder the Influences of Heaven ; and that confuliing the 
 throne of Grace, laying all our Matters before the 
 iord, and imploring his Light and Direction y are Term § 
 f Art much ufed by Enthufiafts : By all which the 
 Work of the holy Spirit on the Souls of Men in Ef- 
 edtual Calling* and the Spiritual Exercile of aH ftrch 
 s arc cxercifcd k> Godlincfs, are revned, traduced 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 and reproached. Alio his affirming, That Men can- 
 not by their natural Powers, without the Aid of Reve- 
 lation, find out that there is a God : Whereby the firft 
 Principles of Natural Religion are wickedly attacked, 
 Likewife his affirming, That our observing of the 
 Laws of Nature is the great Mean or Inftrument of our 
 real and lafting Felicity ; and that the Laws of Na- 
 ture in them/elves are a certain and fufficient Rule t* 
 direel rational Minds to Happinefs, however Revelation 
 be. fit or necejfary to give fufficient Information of the 
 Laws of Nature in their full Compafs and Latitude, and 
 §f all Things necejfary to work upon the Paffionsof Men 
 to engage them to purfue and obferve them : Whcrebyl 
 the peculiar Truths of the Gofpel, concerning thej 
 Perfon and Mediation of Chrift, and the whole Work 
 of the Spirit, are wickedly fubverted ; and fuch 
 Sufficiency is afcribed to Natural Religion, as gives up 
 the Caufe of Truth to Dei/is and Socinians. And 
 likewife his affirming, That the Apoftles of our Lord 
 before his Refurre&ion, knew not his Divinity ; and 
 that they expecled nothing from the Meffiah but a worldly 
 Kingdom or a temporal Deliverance ; and that, in the 
 Interval betwixt his Death and Refurre&ion, they 
 looked upon him as a Cheat and Impoftor : Whereb 
 the Qo&rine of the Perfeverance of the Saints is fub- 
 tilly undermined, and the Arguments drawn for the 
 Deity of the Son of- God, from the Declarations and 
 Confeffions made by his Difciples in the Days of his 
 Humiliation, are wholly enervate. And the PRES- 
 BYTERY did, and hereby do, declare, That all 
 the above Propofitions, Tenets and Principles, main- 
 tained and defended by Mr. C /, are contrary, 
 
 as faid is, to the Word of God, and our Confeffion of 
 Taith and Catechifms; and that they are grofs, dan- 
 gerous and pernicious Errors. And, in regard that the 
 late General Ajfembly have neither cenfured the Broach- 
 cr and Venter of the above dangerous Errors, nor 
 condemned any one of them, but have difmijfed the 
 Procefs againft him, by declaring, " That the exa- 
 !I mining and Hating of the Matter, as was done by 
 ~ - " • " « the 
 
 1 
 
C 99 ) 
 
 the Committee for Purity of Doctrine, isfufficient 
 for cautioning againft the Errors that fomc at firft 
 
 fuppofed Mr. C -/ was guilty of;" without 
 
 giving any formal Judgment or Sentence upon the faid 
 Committee's Report : And, in regard the Committee 
 in their faid Report, and the Affembly in their Aft and 
 
 Sentence, declare that they are fatisfied, Mr. C I 
 
 has a found Meaning in the feveral Propofitions they 
 bad under their Confideration ; and particularly, 
 that they are fatisfied with the Explication he gave of 
 the A/tide concerning Self-love, namely, That he 
 meand no more but that our Delight in the Glory and 
 Honour of God was the chief Motive of all virtuous and 
 religious Aclions. And this Proportion, now adopted by 
 
 the Affembly, being the very fame with Mr. C i's 
 
 above condemned Principle, that Self-love is the greateft 
 Caufe or the firft Spring of all our feveral Motions and 
 Aclions, which Way foever they are directed ; Therefore 
 this Presbytery did, and hereby do, declare, for the 
 Grounds and Reafons above condefcended upon, 
 That thejorefaid Proportions, adopted by the Affembly 9 
 is a grofs and dangerous Error. And this Presbytery 
 likewife confidering, That it is the Duty o£ the Ju- 
 dicatories of the Church to proceed in a [regular 
 Courfe of Procefs, and in the due Exercife of Dif. 
 cipline, againft erroneous and heretical Seducers, ac- 
 cording to the Rule and Direction given by the A- 
 poftle, An Heretick after the firft and fecond Admoni- 
 tion rejecl; And, in regard the AJfemblies of this 
 Church have never put a Libel into the faid Mr. 
 
 C /'s Hands in order to reclaim him from the 
 
 grofs and dangerous Errors he has fallen into, or for 
 rejefting and cafting him out, if found obftinately ad- 
 hering to his dangerous Principles and Tenets ; There~ 
 fore they did and hereby do declare ,That the whole Con- 
 duct of the laft Affembly, in difmiffing this Affair 
 in the Manner above-narrated, is a deep Wound given 
 to Truth, and a lamentable Step of Defeftion, and 
 may be fuftly reckoned amongft the Signs, Grounds 
 N x and 
 
( I°° ) 
 
 juid Caiifes qt the Lord's Indignation agaipft this ! 
 whole Church and Land. 
 
 III. The Scripture Do&rine of this, and all the 
 Reformed Churches, is fubtilly undermin'd, and 
 wickedly fubverted. in a Print lately publilhed, un^ 
 ider the Title of The Ajjemblys Shorter Cqtechifm re- 
 t'ifed, and rendered fitter for .general life : In regard 
 the Revifer, by thefeveralOmifilons, Alterations and I 
 Additions he has thought fit to make in the Afttm- 
 hlys Catcchifm, not only (hakes the Pillars of our Re- I 
 formation from Popery, withrefpect to the Scriptures \ 
 as the only Rule of Faith and Practice, ar«4 the Do- 
 ctrines concerning J unification, the Sacrament of our < 
 Lord's Supper, and the jufiDefertof every Sin y but 
 alfo boldly {trjkes at the whole Scheme of Divine 
 Revelation contained in the laid Catechifw, by calling 
 the fame intofuch a Shape and Mould as is very a- 
 greeajjle to the Deijiical, Ar'ian, SocinUn > and 4rmin\-\ 
 an Schemes. Hence the Dotfrines taught in the -4/-l| 
 Jetnblys Catechifrn, concerning the holy Scriptures | 
 being the only Rule of Faith and Practice; concerning 1 
 the Holy Trinity, and the Decrees of God; concer-l 
 ring the Covenants of Works and Grace, together 
 with Original Sin and its Effects upon Mankind, and i 
 the Evil Nature and Defert of all Sin, as contrary to 
 the Authority' anil Holinefs of God: Alfo the Do- 
 brines concerning the Perfon of Chrift, his two di-i 
 Aindt Natures and their perfonal Union; concerning 
 the'Nature, End and Deiign of his Sufferings as a 1 
 real and proper Satisfaction to the Juftice of God; 
 Concerning fpecial Grace, and the peculiar and fuJ 
 _pernatural Energy of the Holy Spirit in the Appli- 
 ~ Ration of the purchased Redemption in our Conver- 
 fion and effectual Calling : Likewiie the Doctrines 
 concerning the Perfeverance of tjie Saints, and the 
 perpetual pbligation of the whole Moral Law ; efpe- 
 cially when the Obligation to Obedience is not deri- 
 ved by the Revifer from the Authority of God, as He 
 is JEHOVAH, whofe Perfections are infinite, and 
 Syhofe Dominion is over all, but only from the fpecial J 
 
 and ' 
 
 c3 | 
 
( '01 ) 
 
 and peculiar Benefits received from him; together 
 with the Dodtrine contain'd in the Cateckifm concer- 
 ning the Regard that Chriftians (hould pay to the 
 firft Day of the Week as ourChriftian Sabbath: All 
 thefe Scripture-do&rines concerning the above parti- 
 cular Heads, as they are plainly laid down in the 
 Catechifm, are fubtilly and wickedly fubverted by 
 the Revifer. This Presbytery would not have ta- 
 Jcen fuch particular Notice of the forefaid Catechifa 
 revifed, were it not that the Scheme of Doctrine deli- 
 vered in it is not only adapted, but very agreeable to 
 jhe corrupt and depraved Tafte of the preient Age. 
 And they cannot but obfexve it withRegrete, that re- 
 veal'd Religion is fo mifch defpifed by many, and 
 that the holy Scriptures are little regarded, and the 
 Laws of Nature cry'd up as Efficient to direft Men 
 to true Felicity and Blefledncfs ; arid the fupernatural 
 Operations of the Spirit, and his peculiar Energy in 
 the Converfion of Sinners, are bijrlefqu'd : And many 
 y/ho profefs fqrpe Regard to reveal'd Religion, ac- 
 cording tp the Revifers Scheme, defpife the Neceffity, 
 Truth and Excellency of the Satisfadtiori of Chriit, 
 and the NecefTity of the Imputation of his Righte- 
 qufnefs for our Juftification in the Sight of God, to- 
 gether with the abfolute Need there is of the Reno- 
 vation of our Natures by fupernatural Grace, andpf 
 I vital Union with Chrilt, in order to the bringing 
 forth the Fruits of HoJine$ in Heart, Life and Con- 
 version. Yea, thefe and the like Dodtrines appear 
 \o be naufeous to not a few, whofe Charader and 
 Profeffion obliges them to publiih and recommend 
 them ; when, inftead of the fpecial and peculiar Do- 
 drines of the Go.fpel, that concern t}ie Peribn, Qf- 
 fices and Mediation of Chriil," Salvation by the free 
 prace of God, and the fupernatural Energy of his 
 Spirit, Mens fracere Endeavours are, according to 
 the Revifers Scheme, cry'd" up/ either as concurring 
 with the Spirit of God in Regeneration and effectual 
 Catling, or as pre-exiftent Conditions unto the Ap-» 
 plication of thepurchafed Redemption: Stfidthe Ho- 
 ly 
 
( ro2 ) 
 
 ly Spirit of God is only regarded as an Affiftant and 
 Help unto us in thefe our fincere Endeavours : Faith, 
 Repentance, and what they call fincere Obedience, 
 are preached as the Ground of our Right and Title 
 to Life and Happinefs ; and, inftead of enforcing 
 Duties of Obedience to the Law from Gofpel Princi- 
 ples and Motives, a Scheme of Morality is taught, 
 which has Seif-intcreft for its Principle and leading 
 Motive, and that has little or no Refpedl to Chrift as 
 its Author and Ground of Acceptance, or to the Glory 
 of God as its End. 
 
 IV. Altho' the above dangerous and pernicious Er- 
 rors have been broached and are fpreading through 
 this Church and Land ; yet the Standard of a plain 
 and faithful Teftimony has not to this Day been lif- 
 ted up againft them, for the Honour of*Chrift, and 
 the Vindication of his injured Truth. This finful 
 Negligence and Omiffion of the Judicatories of this 
 Church, in a Matter of fuch Importance, wherein 
 the Honour of God, the Glory of the Redeemer, 
 the Maintenance and Prefervation of the Puniy of 
 Dodtrine, and confequently not only the Souls of the 
 prefent, but alfo of the rifmg Generation, are all' lo 
 deeply interefted and concerned, may be reckoned 
 ene of the moft grievous and weighty Grounds and 
 Caufes of the Lord* s Indignation and Wrath againft this 
 whole Church and Land-. As for Inftance, When Re- 
 ports were fpread at firft concerning Mr. John Sim- 
 fen his teaching and venting Error, the late Reverend 
 and Worthy Mr. James Webfter having taken No* 
 ticeof the fame in the Presbytery and Synod whereof 
 he was a Member, and they refufing to give their 
 Concurrence therein, he tabled the Affair before 
 the General jiflembly 17 14, defiring them to take 
 Trial thereof as their proper Province; But the faid 
 Jjfemkly were fo far from affiftinghim in this Matter, 
 that they appointed the faid Mr. James Webfter, or 
 any who will join with him in charging Mr. John 
 Simfon Profeflbr of Divinity at Glafgow with Error, 
 to table their Complaint before the Presbytery where 
 
 he 
 
( I0 3 ) 
 
 he lives, allowing any Perfon or Perfons, who are 
 willing, to give Mr. Webfter Affiftance in Point of 
 Form ; but declaring, that, if they engage with him 
 in that Caufe, they {hall be accounted Libellers (r). 
 Accordingly, Mr. Webfter having libelled Mr. Simfon 
 before the Presbytery of Glafgow, and the laid Mr. 
 Simfon having given in his fubfcribed Anfwers and 
 Defences, wherein are contained the above-mentio- 
 ned dangerous and erroneous Propofitions, the Pro- 
 cefs was brought before the AJfembiy 17 15, who ap- 
 pointed a Committee to take Trial of the Cafe, con- 
 tinuing the Load and Weight of the Profecution 
 upon Mr. Webfter as the Party purfuing and accufing. 
 In like Manner the A fernbly 1716 continued thePro- 
 cefs in the fame Channel, till it was concluded by the 
 AJfembiy 17 17, who inftead of condemning particu- 
 larly the grofs and dangerous Errors owned by Mr. 
 Simfon 9 and infli&ing due Cenfure upon him, did not 
 fo much as rebuke him for venting the fame; altho' 
 they were fo far convinced of the Truth of the Libel 
 againft him, that by their Aft they find, "That he 
 " had vented forae Opinions not ncceflary to be 
 M taught in Divinity, and that had given more Oc- 
 «« dfion to Strife than to the promoting of Edifica- 
 €t tion ; and that he had ufed fome Expreffions that 
 , " bear, and are ufed by Adverfaries in, an unlbund 
 ' " Senfe; and that he had adopted fome Hypotheses, 
 " different from what are commonly ufed among or- 
 " thodox Divines, that are not evidently founded on 
 w Scripture, and tend to attribute too much to aa- 
 " tural Reafon and the Power of corrupt Nature; 
 " which undue Advancement of Reafon and Nature 
 " is always to the Difparagement of Revelation and 
 " efficacious free Grace : Therefore they prohibite 
 " and difcharge the faid Mr. Simfon to ufe fuch Ex- 
 «« preffions, or to teach, preach, or otherwise vent 
 " fuch Opinions, Propofitions, or Hypothefes as 
 " aforefaid." This extenfive Lenity, or rather fin- 
 ful Remifnefs and Slacknefs, in not infli<fting due 
 
 Ccnfurc 
 
 (r) Sec LidtS of unprlmcd A&$ of AfiraWy 27 {4* 
 
.( i<>4 ) 
 
 Cenfure upon one who had given fuch evident Di£ 
 coveri'es of his corrupt and erroneous Principles, and 
 whom it was unfafe to truft any more with theEdu* 
 cation of Youth for the holy Miniftry, encouraged 
 him to go 6h in venting and teaching his pernicious 
 Errors, till at length, in a Way of righteous Judg- 
 ment from the Lord on this finful and lukewarm 
 Church, he is lb far left of God, as to attack and im- 
 pugn the Supreme Deity of the Great God our Saviour. 
 And tho' it was found clearly proven by the feveral 
 Affemblies, who had this Procefs under their Confi- 
 dential, That he had vented and taught the above- 
 mentioned Propofitions, whereby he attempted to di- 
 vefi the Son of God of his true and fupreme! Deity, and 
 thereby blafphem'd that Name which is abovt every 
 Name ; yet the Concern of this Church for \h\$Toun~ 
 dation-truth did rife no higher than a bare Sufpenjion 
 of the Blafpbemer from teaching and preaching, and 
 theExereife of any Ecclefiaftieal Power or Function, 
 leaving the Door open to another Affembly to relax 
 him from the faid Sentence. In like Manner, during 
 the Dependence of the'forefaid Procefs* the Com- 
 mittee of Affembly found it clearly proven, that he 
 had corrtraveen'd the Injun&ion of Affembly 1717$ 
 in venting the dangerous Errors which they had dii- 
 charged him to teach; yet the A ffembly 1729 con cl it* 
 ded the Procefs againft him, without taking any No- 
 tice of thefe grofs Errors. And tho' there is juft 
 Ground to fear that too many are tainted with them, 
 whereby the Purity of Dodtrine is in the greateft Dan- 
 ger ; yet no Regard is had to thefe Things, but all 
 is pafs'd over by our Affemblies fince that Time 
 with a profound Silence: Except what was done by 
 the Affembly I736, in their Acl concerning Preachings 
 wherein feveral weighty and important Truths are 
 afferted, and feveral neceffary and feafonable Dire* 
 #ions are given both to Mjnifters and Preachers; 
 yet the many grofs and dangerous Errors, vented 
 and taught by Mr. Simfon, are never particularly 
 eondemn'd, neither is there any plain and faithful 
 
 Warning 
 
( *°5 ) 
 
 Warning emitted againft them. Alfo the forefard 
 ftflembly, in difmiffing Mr. Campbell's Affair by an 
 After-adl in the Manner that is already obferved, 
 pave To far enervate and wcakned their own h& a- 
 bout Preaching, that the good Effefts thereof, which 
 )therwife might have been hop'dfor, cannot be now 
 >xpe<fied. 
 
 The above Omiffion of our General AJfemllies con- 
 cerning Dodtrine muft be reckoned the more culpable, 
 n regard they have been frequently addrefied by 
 cleprefentations and Inilruftions from Synods and 
 Presbyteries, and alfo from Minifters and Elders and 
 People through the Land, reprefenting the Neceflity 
 pf a particular Condemnation of the feveral dange- 
 rous Errors and Blafphemies vented by Mr. Simforti 
 ind that a folemh Warning might be emitted, disco- 
 vering the evil and dangerous Tendency of the fame ; 
 yet nothing of this Kind is done. And tho' it be a 
 pebt which one Generation .owes to another, to 
 cranfmit the Truths of God in their Purity to Pofte- 
 rity, and to deliver off their Hand to the rifing Gene- 
 ration, thefe Truths that are particularly afTaulted 
 and oppofed, with fome more peculiar and folemn 
 Teftimony unto them; yet injured Truth continues 
 to ly wounded and bleeding in our Streets, without 
 Juftice done her by the Chuich-reprefentative, to 
 whom it belongs in a fpecial Manner to publifli and 
 eclare, to uphold and defend all the Truths of God 
 elivered in his Word, againft open afid avowed E- 
 emies, or fecret Underminers of the fame: And 
 herefore the above finful Omiffion muft needs be 
 reckoned an Injury done to Truth, an Injufticedone . 
 to ourPofterity, and of a very dangerous Tendency 
 towards the hardning of fuch as may be tainted with 
 the above Errors, as well as opening a Door for the 
 fpreading of this corrupt Leaven among others. 
 
 Befides the above-mentioned pernicious Errors* 
 
 which like a Flood hate overfpread this Church, 
 
 particularly fince our Deliverance from the late un~ 
 
 natural and wicked Rtbeilion, and w'bickwcA never 
 
 O tec* 
 
I 
 
 in] - 
 
 ( -io6 ) 
 
 tiie Sin nor Trial of the Church of Scotland in anj 
 of our former Periods of Apoftafy and Defection; 
 our Declinings and Backflidings have increafed fine 
 that Time, by the feveral dangerous Thrufts am 
 Wounds, we have given with our own Hands to oy 
 Presbyterian Church Government and Difciplini 
 whereby our Ruin and Deftrudtion, if Mercy pr^ 
 vent not, is like to proceed from ourfelves; of whid 
 the following particular Inftances are offered : 
 
 i. No due Caution and Care has been taken in/ 
 tenfing young Men as Probationers for the holy Mini 
 ilry, nor a fuitable Regard had to the Qualification 
 required in the Scriptures and Adts of our Gcner 
 Affemblies, of fuch as are to be employed in preac 
 ing the Gofpel. Hence it is come to pafs, that man 
 have been licenfed, who, by their general and loo: 
 Harangues in the Pulpit, difcover their Ignoran 
 of Chrift and him crucified, and their Eftrangeme 
 from the Power of Godlinefs, while there is as littl] 
 of Chrift to be found in their Sermons as in the S 
 Hems of Heathen Morals. 
 
 z. The corrupt and undue Entry of many into the 1 
 holy Miniftry, is anothet of the publick Sins and e- 
 pidemick Evils of the prefent Time: The Acceptane\ 
 of Presentations has become fafnionable for lever; 
 Years bypaft; and, inftead of giving a Checque to th^ 
 corrupt Courfe and Praftice, the Judicatories of thi 
 Church have fo far encouraged the fame, that the Se 
 element of Prefentecs has been appointed, when al« 
 moft the whole Parifli was dijfenti'ng and reclaiming 
 Contrary to the Word of God, and the laudable Aft) 
 and Conftitutions of this Church founded thereon 
 yea, Settlements have been appointed in a very ap 
 bitrary Manner over diifenting Congregations, evei' 
 when there was no Prefentation in the Cafe : And! 
 when Presbyteries concerned have refufed to proceei 
 to fuch violent Settlements, Committees have beei 
 appointed by the Commijfion, and inverted with 
 Presbyterial Power to try and ordain Men to theb 
 Jy Miiyftry, And likewife many Congregations thro' 
 
 tin 
 
( i°7 ) 
 
 I the Land are ftill groning under the Weight of fucli 
 [arbitrary and violent Intrufions; and neither the In? 
 truded, nor fuch as have had an aftive Hand in the 
 Intrufion, give any Evidence to this Day of their 
 Repentance and Sorrow for the Violence they have 
 done to the Flock and Heritage of God, who are 
 thereby fcattered and broken. . 
 
 3. The Conducl of the General Ajfemblies of the 
 Church has not been equal and impartial in Matters 
 of Doftrine; as for Inftance, in the Cafe of Mr. 
 John Simfon: The Proceffes carried on againft him 
 were kept feveral Years in Dependence before the 
 Judicatories; and particularly the laft Procefs, which 
 concerned his impugning the Supreme Deity cf the 
 Son of God, was tranfmitted to the feveral Presbyte- 
 ries of this Church by the Affembly 1728, that their 
 Judgment might be reported to the enfuing Affem- 
 bly about the Cenfure that was due to the laid Mr. 
 Simfon, tho' the Evidence was fo clear, that the Dif- 
 cipline of the Church (hould have been fummarily 
 exercifed upon him. But the Genjpal Affembly 1720 
 condemned a Bundle of Propofitions containing impor- 
 tant Matters of T)o6lrine y when the Affair had been 
 under' the Consideration only of two different Meetings 
 of that Affembly, and a Committee of the whole 
 Houfe. This very fudden Step of the faid Affembly 
 bccaiioned a Reprefentation to be given in to the Af- 
 fembly 1721, by feveral Minifters of this Church, 
 bearing, That it appeared to them, that many Go- 
 fpel-truths were wounded by the torefaid condemna- 
 tory Aft and Sentence; and the Affembly 1722 faw 
 themfelves obliged to explain and declare their Minds 
 at length concerning thefe important Doctrines then 
 upon the Field, in the Terms and Expreflions uled 
 in our Confeffion of Faith and Catechifms : But ftill 
 a Wound was given to Truth by the Aft of the fore- 
 faid Affembly 1720 relating to Doftrine; particular- 
 ly by their condemning as erroneous the two following 
 Propofitions, That, as the Law is the Covenant of 
 Works, Believers are wholly and altogether Jet free from 
 O z it; 
 
( io8 ) 
 
 it ; atld, That Believers are fet free both from the comman- 
 ding and condemning Power of the Covenant of Works. 
 Tho' both theie Propofitions are evident from the 
 Word of God, and exprefly contained in our Confef- 
 fion of Faith, Chap. 7. § 19. and Larg. Cat. Queft. 
 ■91. yet the faid Affembly thought fit fummarily to 
 condemn them. As this fudden and precipitant Stroke 
 at that fpiritual Freedom aud Liberty, wherewith the 
 Son of God hath made his People free, could not but 
 be affecting to many Minifters and Chriftians thro* 
 the Land, as well as to the forefaid Minifters; fo 
 the Affembly i-jzz found themfelves obliged to de- 
 clare, " That it is a precious Gofpel-truth, That Be- 
 ** lievers are free from the Law as it is a Covenant 
 " of Works." Yet it is Matter of Regrete, that the 
 Credit of Acts of Affembly is fo much flood upon, 
 that the Affembly 17*1 did not repeal that A ft. and 
 Deed of the Affembly 1710, whereby what they 
 themfelves own'd to be a frecious Truth is in exprefs 
 k Terms condemned. 
 
 4. Several arbitrary 4tts and Decifions have been 
 framed and paffed^y the General Affemblies of this 
 Church, whereby the Government of the Houfe of 
 God has been undermined, and the Difcipline fin- 
 fully preverted; iuch as the A61 of Affembly 1732, 
 concerning the Planting of vacant Churches, which 
 lodges the decifive Power of electing Minifters in a 
 conjunct Meeting of Elders and Heritors, no other 
 Qualification being required of the faid Heritors, but 
 their being Proteftants, however much difaffe&ed to 
 the Government both in Church and State. Again, 
 fhe Affembly 1733 rebuked and admonifhed Mr. £r- 
 skine at their Bar, for impugning feveral Acts of Af- 
 femblies and Proceedings of Church-judicatories, 
 in his Sermon at the Opening of the Synod of Perth 
 and Stirling, that is, for teftifying againft the Act of 
 Affembly 1731, and other violent Proceedings of Ju- 
 dicatories at that Time. And when he, with other 
 three Minifors, trotejied againft the faid Sentence for 
 
 their 
 
( l°9 ) 
 
 their own juft and neceffary Exoneration, high Ccn- 
 iures were threatned, and adually inflicted upon 
 rhem, becaufe they had not Freedom to retract their 
 Proteftation, and profefs their Sorrow for the fame, 
 as required fry the faid Affembly ; whereby tuo fin- 
 ful and unwarrantable Terms of Minifterial Commu- 
 nion were impofed : Firft, That no Miniftcr of this 
 Church Jhould teftify from the Pulpit againfi Acts of Af- 
 fembly and Proceedings of Cburch-judicatBries, even tho % 
 they were fuch as had a direct Tendency to undermine 
 our Confiitution. Secondly, That no Minifier or Mem- 
 ber of this Church Jhould PROTEST for their own 
 Exoneration againfi Acts, Sentences or Vecifions of the 
 Supreme Judicatory , even tho they fticuld nearly affect 
 the publick Caufe of God, and refrain Minifterial Free- 
 dom and Faithfulnefs (as was the prefeht Cafe) in te- 
 jiify ing againfi the Sins and Defections of a back (tiding 
 Church. Further, the faid Aiiembly, by another Art 
 difcharging tne Minifters of the Presbytery of Dun. 
 fermline, under Pain of the higheft Cenfure, to ad- 
 mit any of the Parifh of Kinrofs to Sealing Ordinan- 
 ces without the Permiffion of the prefent Incumbent^ 
 who was intruded upon them, impofed another fin ful 
 Term of Minifterial Communion upon the Minifters 
 of this Church ; whereby they are bound up from difi- 
 penfing Sealing Ordinances, under Pain of the higheft 
 Cenfure, to fuch of the Lord's People as haye not Free- 
 dom to fubmit to the Minifiry of Intruders : And there- 
 by likewife impofed a new and unwarrantable Term 
 of Chrifiian Communion, when all fuch as cannot own 
 Intruders to be their lawful Paftors, zxq actually excom- 
 municated from Sealing Ordinances; which is a plaiu 
 homologating of a Piece of Tyranny which was ex- 
 ercifed in the former perfecting Period, this being 
 one of the Grounds of Peoples withdrawing from 
 Prelatick Incumbents, that they were intruded upon 
 them without their Call or Confent. 
 
 5. Tho' the Affembly 1734 did repeal the Aft of 
 Affembly 1731 anent the Settlement Jof Minifters, yet 
 the faid Aft was not condemned as contrary to the 
 
 Word 
 
( no ) 
 
 Word of God, and the Conftitutions of this Church, 
 contained in her Books of Difcipline, and A<fts of 
 former Affembiies; particularly Adt of Affembly at 
 Glafgow 1638, difcharging any Per f on to be intruded in 
 any Office of the Kirk, contrary to the Will of the Con- 
 gregation to which they are appointed. Andtho' fome 
 Stop was put by the forefaid Affembly to the violent 
 Meafuresand Proceedings of fome former Affemblies 
 and their Commiffions; yet the Aft of 'Affembly 1733, 
 reft raining Minifterial Freedom and F ait hfulnefs, and 
 cenfuring the Minifters and Members of this Church 
 for protefiing for their own Exoneration againft fuch 
 Decifeons of the General Affembly as are prejudicial 
 to the Caufe and Intereft of Chrift in this Land, ftands 
 to this Bay unrepealed', as alfo, the AH of the lame 
 Affembly with Reference to the Presbytery of Dun- 
 fermline, excommunicating both Minifters and Mem- 
 bers of this Church, in Cafe they do not either con- 
 cur with, or fubmit to the Miniftry of Intruders. Nor 
 is it an Apology for a finful Aft orDecifion, where- 
 by a Church is involved in the Guilt of tranfgreffirig 
 the Ordinances and Inftitutions of the Lord, that 
 there is a Connivance at the contrary Practice. 
 
 6. All the above-mentioned Steps of Defection and 
 Apoftafy are followed with many evident Signs and 
 Caufes of the Lord's Departure; fuch as abounding 
 Profanity, Impiety, and the vileft Immoralities of all 
 Sorts, wherewith the Land is greatly polluted: The 
 profane Diverfions of the St Age, together with Night 
 Affemblies and Balls, thefe finful Occafions of Wan- 
 tonnefs and Prodigality, are encouraged and coun- 
 tenanced in the moft confiderable Cities of the Na- 
 tion. Likewifean idolatrous Picture of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jefus Chrift was well received in fome re- 
 markable Places of the Land : And tho' Popim Er- 
 rors and Delufions abound more and more, and the 
 abominable Idolatry of the Mafs is openly frequented 
 in many Corners of this Land, yet no proper nor 
 effectual Remedies are applied againft this growing 
 Evil; and particularly, Church-difciplin e is not duly 
 
 exercifed 
 
exerciied againftlPapifts, according to former laudable 
 Acts and Conftitutions of this Church : And of late 
 the penal Statutes againft Witches have been repeal'd, 
 contrary to the exprefs Letter of the Law of God, 
 Exod. zz. 1 8. Thou (I) alt not fuffer a Witch to live, 
 Deut. 18. 10, II, 12.. There Jh ail not be found among 
 you any One that maketh his Son or his Daughter topajs 
 through the Fire, or that ufeth Divination, or an Obferver 
 of Times , or an Inchanter, or a Charmer, or a Conful- 
 ter with familiar Spirits, or a Wizard, or a Necroman- 
 cer. For all that do thefe are an Abomination to the 
 Lord : And becaufe of thefe Abominations, the Lord thy 
 God djoth drive them out from before thee. Alio the 
 common Impreffions of God are in a great Meafure 
 worn off the Spirits of Men; the Power of Religion 
 is daily decaying thro' the Land ; the very Form of 
 it is defpifed by many, and refted upon by others, 
 which is occafionejl by the general Contempt of the 
 Gofpel, and neglecting the great Salvation brought 
 near therein to Sinners of all Sorts: Upon which ac- 
 count the Lord is provoked to withdraw in a great 
 Meafure from his own Ordinances, and to reitrain 
 the gracious Influences of his Holy Spirit; whereby 
 Multitudes, under % the Means of Grace, are lying 
 fcattered like dry Bones about the Grave s Mouth. A 
 fad Evidence of the Departure of a Spirit of 
 Prayer and Mourning for our own Sins, and 
 the Abominations that are done in the Midft of us ; e- 
 fpecially when it is confidered, that a dreadful Spi- 
 rit of Security, Deadnefs and IndifTerency prevails 
 among all Ranks of Perfons, notwithftanding of 
 the many evident Symptoms of the Lord's Anger and 
 Diipleafure gone forth againft us. Our Nobility and 
 Barons, who have fometimes appeared with an He:o- 
 ick Zeal and Refolution for maintaining and advan- 
 cing a Work [of Reformation, have generally I 
 the Lord* s Bonds afunder and have cafi his Cords from 
 them, infomuch that the very Form of Fami 
 , ly-worfhip is either defpifed or negledted by the 
 moft Part of them, Out B#rg;tf<s and Qmr> . 
 
( «* ) 
 
 who have made a zealous Profeflion of the Truths 
 of the Gofpel, for the moft Part know not the 
 Way of the Lord, nor the Judgments of their God 9 
 The Minifiers in the Houfeof God, who have fome- 
 times fet the Trumpet to their Mouth, and jh own to 
 the Houfe of Jacob their Sin and their Tranfgreffion, 
 are under a more than ordinary Reftraint of the Spi- 
 rit of God; and he that fpeaks againft the Evils of 
 this degenerate Day, makes himfelf a Prey. Every 
 one of us in many, if not in all the above particular 
 Instances, are feme Way or other deeply involved 
 in the Provocation; the Sun is gone down upon us, 
 We do not behold our Signs , and there is not a Prophet; 
 nor any that know the Time how long. It may be men- 
 tioned with Regrete, that, in the two feveral Acls 
 for National Faffing, appointed by the late Com- 
 tniffions, there is no particular Searching into the 
 Grounds and Caufes of the Lord's Indignation and 
 Controverfy againft this Church and Land, in for- 
 mer and prefent Times; There is no Mention made 
 of the ruining Afts and Conftitutions above-named, 
 nor of the finful Silence of Judicatories, in omitting 
 a faithful Teftimony againft the growing and fprea- 
 ding Errors of the Times; nor of the Injuries done 
 to the Heritage and Flock of God, by the violent 
 Intrufions that have been made upon them, which 
 have raifed a Cry of Violence and Oppreffion from 
 all Corners of the Land; a Cry is gone up to Hea- 
 ven, even to his Ears who hath faid, For the Oppref- 
 fion of the Poor, for the Sighing of the Needy, now will 
 I arife, I will fet him in Safety from him that puffetk 
 at him. When the Sins of the prefent Times arc not 
 particularly mourned over, it cannot be expeded 
 that there will be any faithful Inquiry into, or 
 Acknowledgment of, theDefedionsand&ackflidings 
 of former Periods ; for which we have juft Ground to 
 apprehend, that the Lord may purfue a Quarrel 
 and Co-ntroverfy againft finful, GofpeUdefpifing and 
 Covenant-breaking Scotland : Yea, inftead of acknow- 
 ledging the Sins and Defections of the ptefent Times,- 
 
 thtfc 
 
( m ) 
 
 tftefe who li^ve had an active Hand in them, con* 
 tinue to juftify their Abominations, and, by the 
 whole of their Conduct and Behaviour, declare, 
 That they only want an Opportunity to re-adi the 
 fame Scene of Oppreflion and Tyranny, andtocom- 
 pleat what they had begun, and in a great Meafure 
 carried on, even the Ruin of any Remains of a Co- 
 venanted Reformation among us : Yea, fuch ot the 
 Miniftry as are weighted and grieved with the above 
 and the like Backflidings and Declinings, have not 
 that Courage and Refolution to appear in the prefent 
 Judicatories, which the Providences and Circum- 
 ftances of the Day and Time call for. Hence, not- 
 withstanding of the Stop that was put to former vio- 
 lent Proceedings by the Affembly 1734; yet, inftead 
 of carrying on Reformation, a vifible Fainting and 
 Declining feems to take Place in the prefent Judica- 
 tories of the Church, of which many Inftances might 
 be given ; fuch as their proceeding no further than 
 the Sentence of the Lejfer Excommunication againft 
 one Mr. Nimm 0, Student in Divinity, who, in March 
 1735, in a publick Difcourfe in the Divinity-Hall of 
 Edinburgh, made an infolent and blafphemous Attack 
 upon the whole of Divine Revelation, when nolefs 
 Cenfure than that of the Higher Excommunication* 
 fummarily pronounced, could have been jultly recko- 
 ned a fufficient Teftimony againft fuch bold and da- 
 ring Wickednefs, which, in all its Circumftances, 
 had never its Parallel in this Land. Likewife the 
 Affembly that met forefaid Year, appointed a Call 
 to be moderate for the Prefent ee to the Parifli of Car- 
 ridden, exclufive of any other. And the Synod of 
 Perth and Stirling, upon the Remit of the Affair 
 made by the fame Affembly unto them, concerning 
 the Inrolment of the Intruder into the Parifli of 
 Muckhart, inftead of cenfuring him forhisfcandalous 
 lntrufion, have taken him into their fioibm* and gi- 
 ven him the Right-hand of Fellow (hip, by inrollinr 
 him as one of their Number, tho' he was never inrolled 
 by the Preshttrv, who have .theiviore immediate In- 
 P 
 
1 
 
 ( iH ) 
 
 fpc&ion of that Parifti-: And, tho' they reclaimed 
 againftthe Inrolmsnt, and feverals of them diffented 
 from that Deed of the Synod ; and tho' the Aflem- 
 bly 1736 in their 14th A& declare, "That it is, 
 " and has been fince the Reformation, the Principle 
 " of this Church, that no Minifter fliall be intruded C P 
 " into any Parifh, contrary to the Will of the Con- 
 ** gregation : " Yet, in Contradicftion thereunto, 
 they themfelves appointed the Presbytery of Stirling 
 to proceed to the Settlement of a Prefentee to the 
 Parifh of Denny , tho* the whole Elders and the Body 
 of the People are diffenting and reclaiming; and 
 likewife they appointed the Synod and Presbytery 
 of Dumfries to inroll the Intruder into the Parifh of 
 Traquair," as a Member of the refpeftive Judica- 
 " tories, to fupport him in his Miniftry, and to en- 
 " deavour to bring the People of that Parifti to fub- 
 u mit to it/' Thefe are fad Evidences, that, in- 
 Head of being duly affefted with our Backfliding and 
 Defection, we fighandgo backward, yea, we refufe 
 to return. 
 
 The above-mentioned Particulars are fome Inftan-*! 
 ces of the gradual Declinings and Backflidings of 
 this Church and Land (befides the doftrinal Errors 
 already condemned) moil of which have taken Place 
 betwixt the late unnatural Rebellion and this prefent 
 Time, and which this Presbytery judge it their Du- 
 ty to teftify againft : Therefore, and tor all the Rea- 
 fons and Grounds above particularly condefcended 
 upon, they did, and hereby do, condemn, as contra- 
 ry to the Word of God and the Covenanted Prin- 
 ciples of this Church, all and every one of the Steps 
 ©f Defe&ion above-narrated, and they did, and 
 hereby do, declare, That they are amongft the Caufes 
 and Grounds of the Lord's righteous Quarrel and 
 Gontroverfy with this whole Church and Land, for 
 which all Ranks of Perfons have R«afon to humble 
 themfelves before a righteous and holy God. 
 
 But in regard it is neceffary for the Maintenance 
 
 and Vindication of Trutb ? not only to condemn the 
 
 " ~~ ~ paiti- 
 
( "5 ) 
 
 particular Steps of Declining and Backflidlng which 
 a Church and Land may be guilty of; but alfo to 
 publi/h, declare and affert the Truths which are con- 
 troverted, oppofed or aflaulted, whether they con- 
 cern the Doctrine, Worihip, Government or Dis- 
 cipline of theHoufe of God; and particularly, con- 
 fidering the bold Attempts that have been made upon 
 tfhe whole Doclrine of this Church, contained in the 
 tioly Scriptures and her Confeflion of Faith founded 
 thereupon, by the forefaid Mr. Sim/on and Mr. 
 Campbell, and by the forefaid Print, intituled, The 
 Affemblys Catechifm revifed : Therefore the Mini- 
 iters affociate in Presbytery do judge it a Duty ne- 
 ceffarily incumbent on them, in the Situation wherein 
 adorable Providence has placed them as a Judicatory, 
 and as now met in Presbytery, and conflitute in the 
 Name and Authority of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the 
 alone Head of his Church, judicially to acknowledge, 
 declare and affert the Doftrine, Worfhip, Govern- 
 ment and Discipline of this Church, in Opposition to 
 the fevcral Steps of Defection and Deviation there- 
 from. 
 
 Likeas, the Presbytery did, and hereby do, acknow- 
 ledge, declare and affert, That the Light of Nature 
 and the Works of Creation and Providence, with- 
 out the Aid of Tradition or Revelation, (hew that 
 there is a God, who hath LordCbip and Sovereignty 
 over all : As alfo, That thereby his Wifdom, Power 
 and Goodnefs are fo far manifefted, that all Men are 
 left inexcufable; according to the Dodhine held forth 
 from the Word of God in our Confeffion of Faith, 
 Chap. i. § i. Chap. 21. § 1. And they hereby rt- 
 jecl and condemn all contrary Principles and Tenets 
 that are maintained by Mr, Campbell, the Socinians 
 and others. 
 
 In like Manner, they acknowledge, declare and 
 affert, That the Word of God, contained in the 
 Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, is not 
 only z Sufficient Rule, or the principal Rule, but that 
 it is the vnly Rule to direct us, hgwtfe ought to glo- 
 
( u6 ) 
 
 rify God, and enjoy him; and that " The Authority 
 M of the holy Scripture, for which it ought to be j 
 " believed and obeyed, dependeth not upon the Te-: | 
 w ftimony of any Man or Church, but wholly upon ' 
 M God (who is Truth itfelf) the Author thereof; 
 * c and therefore it is to be received, becaufe it is the 
 " Word of God." And that " The fupieme 
 * c Judge, by which all Controverfies of Religion are 
 << to be determined, and all Decrees of Councils, 
 " Opinions of ancient Writers, Do&rlnes of Men, 
 " and private Spirits are to be examined, andinwhofe 
 " Sentence we are to reft, can be no other but the 
 " Holy Spirit fpeaking in the Scripture;" accor- 
 ding to Confejfion, Chap. i. § 4, 10. and the Anfwer 
 to the third Queftion in the Larger, and the fecond 
 Queftion in the Shorter Catechifm with the Scriptures 
 cited : And they hereby reject and condemn all Deifti- 
 cal, Sociman and Popirfi Errors, contrary to, or in? 
 confiftent herewith. 
 
 Likewife, they hereby acknowledge, declare and 
 affert, That the Lord Jefus Chrift, the eternal Son 
 of God by ineffable, incomprehensible and neceflary 
 .Generation, is JEHOVAH, the Mod high God, Self- 
 exiftent and Independent; and that he is neceflarily 
 exiftent; and that the Terms, Neceflary Exiftence, 
 Supreme Deity, and the Title of the Only true God, 
 cannot be taken in a Senfe that includes the perfonal 
 Property of the Father, but belong to the Son and 
 Holy Gboft equally with the lather ; and that the 
 Three Perfons of the adorable Trinity are numerically 
 One in Subftance or Effence, equal in Power and in 
 Glory ; according to the Doctrine held forth from 
 the Word of God in our Conf. Chap. 2.. § 3. and the 
 Anfwer to the Queftion in the Larger and Shorter 
 Catechifm, How many Perfons are there in the God- 
 head? and the Anfwer to the Queftion in the Lar- 
 ger Catechifm, How doth it appear that the Son and 
 the Holy Ghofi are God equal with the Father? And 
 they hereby reject and condemn all contrary Principles 
 vented by Mr. Simfon, and all other Arian, Socinian 
 
 and 
 
C »7 ) 
 
 and Sabellian Tenets contrary to the above DoSrine? 
 or inconfiftent therewith. 
 
 Alfo, they acknowledge, declare and affert, That 
 God has, from all Eternity, by tlv: moft wife and 
 holy Council of his own Will, freely and unchange- 
 ably decreed and ordained whatever comes to pafs 
 in Time; arid particularly, that he hath predeftinated 
 fome of Mankind unto eternal Life before the Foun- 
 dation of the World was laid, and according to his eter- 
 nal and immutable Purpofe, and the Council and good 
 Pleafure of his own Will allenarly ; and that they who 
 are thus predeftinated, are chofen unto everlafting Glo- 
 ry out of his mere free Grace and Love, without any 
 Forefight of Faith, good Works, or Perfeverance in 
 either of them, or any other Thing in them, as Con- 
 ditions, or Caufes moving him thereto, and all to 
 the Praife of his glorious Grace; according to the 
 Dodlrine held forth from the Scriptures, Confeff. 
 Chap. 3. § i , 5. And they hereby rejedt and con- 
 demn all contrary Principles contain'd in the Affem- 
 blys Catechifm revifed, and all other Pelagian and 
 Arminian Errors in confident herewith. 
 
 Likewife, they declare, acknowledge and affert, 
 That, when God created Man, heentredinto a Co- 
 venant with him, wherein Life was promifed upon 
 Condition of his perfect and perfonal Obedience; 
 and that in this Covenant (commonly called the Co- 
 venant of Works) xhefirft Adam ftood in the Capa- 
 city of a Publick Covenant-head and Reprefentative un- 
 to all his Pofterity; and that, by Reafon of his 
 Breach of this Covenant, all Mankind defcending 
 from him by Ordinary Generation, finned in him 
 their Head and Reprefentative, and fell with him 
 in his firft Tranfgreffion ; and this his Sin is truly and 
 juftly imputed to them every one ; and that, upon 
 account of this Sin imputed, all Infants defcending 
 from Adam by ordinary Generation, want that origi- 
 nal Righteoufnefs wherewith Adam was created, and 
 are by Nature Children of Wrath ^ according to Confejf. 
 Qh*p* 6. § 3, 4, 6. Chap. 7. § 2. and Larg. Cat. 
 
( iiS ) 
 
 ft. 20, 22, 2?, and 27. S^r/. Cat. <^. f2, 16. and 
 the Scriptures cited. And they hereby rejedl and con- 
 demn all contrary Tenets maintained by Mr. Simfon, 
 and the Revifer of the Affembly's Catechifm, and all 
 other Principles contrary to, or inconfiftent herewith. 
 
 Likewife, they acknowledge, declare and affert, 
 That Man, by his Fall into a State of Sin, is wholly 
 dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, and hath wholly loft all 
 Ability of Will to any fpiritual Good accompanying 
 Salvation ; and that Man in a natural State being Enmity 
 againftGod, andaverfe from all fpiritual Good, is not 
 able by his own Strength to convert himfelf, or prepare 
 himfelf thereto ; and confequently, that there is no 
 neceffary nor certain Connection, either in the Nature 
 of Things, or by any Divine Promife, between the 
 Morally ferious Endeavours of Man in a natural State, 
 and the obtaining fpecial or faving Grace ; according 
 to the Do&rine held forth from the Scriptures, 
 Confejf. Chap, 9. § 3. Chap. 10. § 2, 3. And they 
 hereby rejed: and condemn all oppofite Principles 
 maintained by Mr. Sim/on, and all Armenian Errors 
 inconfiftent herewith. Notwithftanding they ajjert. 
 That it is the Duty of all, and every one, to give 
 diligent Attendance upon the Ordinances of Divine 
 Inftitution and Appointment, particularly the Rea- 
 ding and Hearing of the Word and Prayer, thefe 
 being the ordinary Means by which converting and 
 quickning Grace is communicated to fuch as are dead 
 in Trefpaffes and Sins; according to Larg. Cat. g^ 
 153. 154. and Short. Cat. §L 85. and 88. 
 
 Alfo, they acknowledge, declare and affert, That 
 the Light of Nature is not fufficient to give that Know- 
 ledge of God and of his Will, which is neceffary to 
 Salvation; and therefore they who do not profefs 
 the Chriftian Religion cannot be faved, be they ne- 
 ver fo diligent to frame their Lives according to the 
 Light of Nature, and the Law of that Religion they 
 do profefs; according to Confejf. Chap. 1. § 1. and 
 Chap. 10. § 4. Larg. Cat. 6JL 60. And they con- 
 demn all Socinian or other Tenets inconfiftent there- 
 with nUhe foiefaid Catechifm rcvifed; and particu- 
 larly 
 
( up ) 
 
 Iarly Mr. Simfons erroneous Do&rine concerning ait 
 obfcure Revelation and Offer of Grace made to all 
 without the Church ; and Mr. Campbell's erroneous 
 Opinion, That the Laws of Nature are, in them- 
 felves, a certain and fufficient Rule to direct rational 
 Minds to Happinefs ; and that our obferving of thefe 
 Laws is the great Mean and Inftrument of our real 
 and lading Felicity. 
 
 Further, they acknowledge, declare and affert, 
 That the fecond Perfon of the adorable Trinity did, 
 in the Fulnefs of Time, afiume the Human Nature 
 into a perfonal Union with his Divine: That he 
 took to him a true Body and a reafonable Soul, be- 
 ing conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghoftinthe 
 Womb of the Virgin Mary, and born of her, yet 
 without Sin : and that he is very God and very Man % 
 in two Diftinft Natures and one Perfon for ever ; ac- 
 cording to ConfefJ. Chap. -8. § 2.. and the Scriptures 
 cited. And they hereby rejecft and condemn all 
 Nefiorian and Sabellian Principles and Tenets, con- 
 trary to, or inconfiftent herewith, whether vented 
 in the forefaid Catecbifm revifed, or other erroneous 
 Treatifes of that Kind. 
 
 Further, they acknowledge, declare and affert, 
 That the Eternal Son of God, who was made mani* 
 feft in the. Flefb, did in our Nature, as the fecond A- 
 dam, the publick Head and Reprefentative of Eleft 
 Sinners, and the undertaking Surety for them, yield a 
 perfed Obedience to the Law as a Covenant of 
 Works, in the Room and Stead of Eledt Sinners ; 
 and that, in their Room and Stead alone, he bore the 
 whole of that Punifliment threatned in the Law, 
 and incurred by the Breach of it; and that, in his 
 Sufferings unto Death, he fubftitute himfelf in the 
 Room of Sinners, and endured that Curfe, bore that 
 Wrath, and died that Death which is the Wages 
 and juft Defert of every Sin, and which the Sinner 
 himfelf fhould have undergone ; and that the Suffe- 
 rings of the Son of God in our Nature, were a true, 
 proper and expiatory Sacrifice, and a proper, real 
 
 and 
 
( «0 ) 
 
 and complete Satisfaction unto the Juftice of God foi 
 Sin; according to Cenfejf. Chap. 8. § r, 4, 5. and 
 Chap. n. §3. Larg. Cat. 6^. 71. and the Scriptures 
 cited.- And they thereby rejeft and condemn all 
 oppofite Principles held forth in the forefaid Cate- 
 chifm, and all other Arminiamni Baxterian Tenets, 
 contrary to, or inconfiftent herewith. 
 
 Alfo, they declare, acknowledge and afferr> That 
 the Obedience of Chrift in his Life, and his Suffe- 
 rings unto Death, commonly called his Aclive and 
 Pajfivo Obedience, is that perfedt and complete 
 Righteoufnefs, on the account of which alone a 
 Sinner is juftificd in the Sight of God; and that it is 
 upon the account of this Righteoufnefs imputed, that 
 Sin is pardoned, and that the Perfons of any are ac- 
 cepted as righteous in the Sight of God; and that 
 this Righteoufnefs imputed, is the only Foundation 
 and Ground of a Sinner's Right and Title unto eter- 
 nal Life: Andaltho' the Grace of Faith be the In- 
 ftrument whereby we receive and apply Chrift and 
 his Righteoufnefs; yet neither Faith, Gofoel-repen- 
 ance, nor our fincere Obedience, either all of them 
 together, or any of them feparately, are our juftifying 
 Righteoufnefs in the Sight of God, or the Ground 
 of our Acceptance, or of our Right and Title unto 
 eternal Life ; according to Confejf. Chap. 1 1. § 1. Larg. 1 
 Cat. 6^ 73. and the Scriptures cited. And they 
 hereby rejcdl and condemn all oppofite Principles 
 contained in the forefaid Catechifm, and all other 
 Popifli, Arminian or Baxterian Tenets, contrary to, 
 or inconfiftent herewith. 
 
 Alfo, they acknowledge, declare and affert, That 
 any Want of Conformity to the righteous and holy 
 Law of God, is a Sin, as well at all actual and vo- 
 luntary Tranfgreffions of the Law, Cvnfejf. Chap. 6. 
 $ 4, 6. Larg. Cat. §K 2,4. Short. Cat. (^ 14. And 
 that every Sin doth, in its own Nature, deferve the 
 Wrath and Curfeof God, both in this Life and that 
 which is to come, according to Confeff. Chap. 15 
 Se&.4,andJL</r£ Cat. .&152, And confequently, 
 
 that 
 
C t±t ) 
 
 that the original Corruption and Depravation of our 
 Nature is a damnable Sin, Confejf. €hap. 6. Seft. 6. 
 and that Sinning and Suffering will be the Mifery 
 of the Damn'd in Hell thro' Eternity. And they 
 hereby reject and condemn all contrary Principles, 
 contained either in the forefaid Catechifm, or main- 
 tained and defended by Mr. Simfon, and all other 
 contrary Pelagian and Arminian Tenets whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 Likewife, they acknowledge, declare and aflert, 
 That the fupreme and only Standard, Meafure and 
 Rule of all virtuous and religious Aftions, is the 
 righteous and holy Will and Law of God, and not 
 our own Self-intereft and Pleafure, according to the 
 Do&rine held forth from the Word, Confejf. Chap. 
 I. § 1. Larg. Cat. 6^ 3. Short. Cat. g£ 2. And 
 they hereby rejett and condemn all contrary Prin- 
 ciples and Tenets maintained by Mr. Campbell and 
 others. 
 
 Alfo, they hereby acknowledge, declare and aflert, 
 That altho' all that believe in Jefus are delivered 
 from the Moral Law as a Covenant of Works, fa 
 as thereby they arc neither juftified nor condemned j 
 yet they are under prtpetual and indiflblvable Obli- 
 gations to conform themfelves to the Moral Law as 
 a Rule 9f their Obedience, not only becaufe of 
 BleiSngs and Benefits which they have received, but 
 from the Authority of God as he is J e h o v a h, the 
 Great Lawgiver, whofe Perfedions are infinitely 
 Glorious and Excellent, and whofe Dominion is over 
 all; according to Confejf. Chap. 19. § 5, 6. And 
 they hereby rejeft and condemn all contrary Prin- 
 ciples held forth in the forefaid Catechifm t and all 
 other Annnomian Principles and Tenets inconiiftcnt 
 herewith. 
 
 Further, they acknowledge, declare and aflert. 
 That God hath all Life, Glory, Goodnefs and Blef- 
 fednefs in and of himfelf, and is alone in and unto 
 himfelf AU-fufficient, not ftanding in Need of Crea^ 
 turcs which he hath made, nor deriving any Glory) 
 Q frciri 
 
( 122 ) 
 from them, but only manifefting his owniGlory^.iJL 
 by, unto, and upon them : And that he hath moft 
 fovereign Dominion 'over them, to do by them, for 
 them, or upon them, whatfoever himfelf pleafeth: 
 And that any Rewards that he has proraifed to any 
 of his Creatures, are free and voluntary; and that, in 
 all their Obedience, WorfLip an4 Service, they can 
 neither profit him, nor be any Way advantageous un- 
 to him ; according to the Doctrine held forth frorrj 
 the Word of God, Confif Chap. 2. Sedt i< Chap. 7. 
 SecT:. 1. And they hereby rejedi and condemn all con- 
 trary Principles and Tenets maintained by Mr. Camp- 
 hell and others. 
 
 In like Manner, they hereby acknowledge, declare 
 and affert, That the Principle and leading Motive 
 and Spring of true Love to God, or of acceptable ' 
 Obedience and Service unto him, is not our own • 
 Self-inter tft, or our own Happinefs and Felicity, 
 tho' the fame is by Divine Condefcenfion infeparably 
 connected therewith ; but that the leading Motive of 
 all true Love to God, is the fupereminent and glo- 
 rious Perfections and Excellencies *of his Nature, as \ 
 they fliine forth and are manifefted in .the Perfon of 
 him who is IMMANUEL, God with us; and. that 
 all who truly love God, do love him chiefly for 
 himfelf: As alfo, That all acceptable Obedience and 
 Service unto him is primarily and chiefly influenced 
 from a Regard unto the Authority of God in Chrifl 
 expreffed in his holy Law, and proceeds from a 
 Principle of Faith in our Lord Jefus Chrift: And 
 that the principal and chief End of all fuch Obe- 
 dience is, that God may be honoured and glorified 
 5n our Bodies and Spirits which are his; and con- 
 * fequently, all that Obedience and Service to God, 
 that is principally influenced, and primarilv fprings 
 from Ones Self-intereft, Advantage or Applaufe, or 
 from Fear of Punifliment, or the Hope of a Reward, 
 is legal, mercenary, and Jervile, and moves in no 
 higher Sphere than wiiat Men in a natural State 
 Eiay attain unto ; according to the Doctrine held forth 
 
 from 
 
( I2 3 ) 
 
 from the Scriptures, Confejf. Chap. 16. Seft. 2, 7; 
 larg. and sWr. Cat. 6^ 1. And they hereby reject 
 and condemn all contrary Errors maintained by 
 Mr. Sim f on and Mr. Campbell, as having a diredfc 
 Tendency to make all our Afts of Obedience and 
 Worfhip fovile and mercenary, and fo to deftroy and 
 overturn the fpecifick Difference that is between 
 Common and Saving Grace, or betweeen the Obedience 
 of the Temporary and the Obedience of the found 
 Believer, and to eftablifh only a gradual Difference 
 between Common Grace in the one, and Saving Grace 
 in the other, which is a grofs Error of Mr. Baxter, 
 and of the Arminians and others. 
 
 In like Manner, they acknowledge, declare and 
 affert, That all fuch as have faving Faith, believe 
 in the Lord Jefus, as the Chrift, the Son of God; 
 and that the Ape files and Difciples of our Lord, in 
 the Days of his Humiliation, did acknowledge, be- 
 lieve in, and woifhip their Lord and Mailer as the 
 true promifed Mejfiah, the Son of the living God, the 
 enly Begotten of the Father, and expe&ed from him 
 fpiritual and eternal Life and Salvation; and that 
 all who truly believe in the Lord Jefus, can neither 
 totally nor finally fall away from a State of Grace; 
 and that the Faith of the Apoftles and Difciples of 
 pur Lord did not fail iri the Interval of Time be- 
 tween his Death and Refurre&ion ; and therefore, 
 whatever Clouds and Doubts they were under, they 
 were never lb far left as to conclude, that their Lord 
 and Matter was a a downright Deceiver and Impofior : 
 According to Confejf. Chap. 8. Se&. j. Chap. 14. 
 Se<a. 2. Chap. 17. Secft. 1, 3. Larg. Cat. <s£. 71. 
 Short. Cat. g^ 86. and Scriptures cited. And they 
 hereby reject and condemn all contrary Principles 
 and Tenets maintained by Mr. Campbell, or contain- 
 ed in the forefaid Catechifm revifed, and all other 
 Principles and Tenets inconfiftent herewith. 
 
 The Presbytery likewife taking to their feri- 
 
 ous Conilderation, That the Teftimony of the 
 
 Church of Chrift in this Land has, over fince our 
 
 Q 2* Refor- 
 
C I2 4 ) 
 
 Reformation from Popery, been fated in a fpeciai 
 Manner for the Prerogative Royal of the Prince of the 
 Kings of the Earth, as King, Head and Lord over his 
 own Houfe, and for the Government, Worftiip and 
 Difcipline which he has appointed and inftituted in 
 the ft me; tho', in this perilous Time wherein their 
 Lot is caft, the Doctrine is alfo undermined and fub- 
 verted, which (as has been obferved) was not the 
 Trial of this Church in former Periods: Therefore 
 they judge it their Duty to bear Teftimony for the 
 Sovereignty and Head/hip of the Lord Jefus over his 
 own Houfe, and to declare their Adherence to the 
 Contendings, Wreftlings and Teftimonies of this 
 Church, and her feveral Members, both Minifttrs 
 and Profeffors, for the fame. 
 
 Likeas, the Minifiers ajjociate for the Exercife of 
 Church Government and Difcipline in a Presbyterial 
 Capacity, being now met in Presbytery, did, and here- 
 by do acknowledge, declare and affert, That th* 
 kord Jefus Chrift, our great IMMANUEL, and 
 he alone, is King over Zion the Hill of his Holinefs; 
 and that he is the only Head, Lord and Lawgiver 
 over his own Houfe ; and that to him alone it apper- 
 tains, to give Officers, Laws and Ordinances to the 
 Church, which is his fpiritual, free and independent 
 Kingdom ; and that the Office-bearers in the Houfe 
 of God, in all their feveral Spiritual and Ecclefiafti- 
 cal Functions and Adminiftrations, as alfo all the 
 Courts and Judicatories appointed by the Lord Jefus 
 in the Church, his fpiritual Kingdom, are fubordi- 
 nate to him alone in their Ecclefiaftical Adminiftra- 
 tions ; and that the Office-bearers of the Church 
 have Power, Warrant and Authority from the Lord 
 Jefus, to hold General Ajfemblies, as well as other fub- 
 ordinate Ecclefiaftical Judicatories, for the Exercife 
 of Church Government and Pifcipline, either at 
 fated Times, or occaftonally, as the Circumftances 
 br Neceffity of the Church requires ; and todiifolve 
 themfelves, and appoint the Time of their next 
 Mating, according to the Word of God, Pfal. *. 
 
 through* 
 
( «5 ) 
 
 throughout, lfa.g. 6,7. Mat. 16.19. Chap. 28. 
 
 18, 19, 10. Eph. 1. 20, 23. the laudable Afts 
 
 and Conftitutions of this Church, particularly Aft 
 Seff. 26th, Affem. 1638. and Aft Affem. 1647, ap- 
 proving the Confeffnn of Faith, Seff. 23. it being al- 
 ways free to the Civil Magiftrate to call Synods and 
 Affemblies of Minifters and Elders, for confulting 
 and advifing with them, in Matters of Religion, upon 
 any neceffary Occafion, according to the forefaid 
 Afts. And they hereby rejeft and condemn the fol- 
 lowing Eraftian Principles and Tenets; (1.) That the 
 Civil Magiitrate is Supreme over all Peribns, and in 
 all Caufes, Ecdefiaftical as well as Civil. (2.) That 
 the Office-bearers of the Church, in their Spiritual 
 and Ecdefiaftical Funftions and Adminiftrations, arc 
 fubordinate unto the Civil Magiftrate. (3.) That 
 the external Government of the Church is precarious, 
 or depends upon the Will and Pleafure of the Civil 
 Magiftrate. (4.) That the Ordering and Difpofing 
 of the external Government and Policy of the 
 Church, doth properly belong to the Civil Magi- 
 ftrate, by vertue of his Prerogative and Supremacy 
 in Caufes Ecclefiaftick: And that the Civil Magi- 
 ftrate may emit fuch Conftitutions, Ath zndOrders, 
 concerning the Adminiftration of the external £0- 
 vernment of the Church, and concerning all Ecde- 
 fiaftical Meetings and Matters to be propofed and 
 determined therein, as he in his Wifdom (hall think 
 fit; as was enafted by Parliament, and praftifed in 
 the late perfecting Times. All which, and the like 
 Principles and Tenets, have a direft Tendency to 
 confound the Ecclefiaftick and Civil Jurifdiftions, 
 and have been witneiled againft by the faithful Mi- 
 nifters and Members of this Church, as difhonouring 
 to the Son of God, and diverting him of his Prero- 
 gative Royal as King over the Church, his own free, 
 Spiritual and independent Kingdom. 
 
 Likewife, they acknowledge, declare and affert, 
 That the Lord Jefus, the alone King and Head of 
 his Church, hath appointed a particular Form of Go- 
 vernment 
 
C ia6" ) 
 
 vernment to take Place therein, diftindifrom theCfr 
 vil Government, and not fubordinate to the Civil 
 Magiftrate; which Form of Government is t© con- 
 tinue to the End of the World unalterable : And 
 that Presbyterial Church Government, without any 
 Superiority of Office above a teaching Presbyter, in the 
 due Subordination of Kirk-Seffions to Presbyteries, 
 of Presbyteries to Provincial Synods, and of Pro- 
 vincial Synods to General AlferaMies, is that only 
 Form of Government laid down and appointed by 
 the Lord Chrift in his Word ; which Form of Go- 
 vernment has been received and owned by this Church, 
 as the only Government of Divine Inftitution and Ap- 
 pointment; as is evident from her publick Acfts and 
 Conftitutions, particularly from the fecond Book of 
 Difcipline, and the Propofit ions concerning Church-govern- 
 ment, with the Scripture Proofs and Arguments an- 
 nexed, as the faid Proportions were received and 
 approven by the Aflem. 1645, SeiT. 16. And they 
 hereby rejedt and condemn the following Principles 
 and Tenets, whether Eraftian, Prelatick or Secta- 
 rian; (1.) That the Lord Jefus hath not appointed 
 in. his Word any particular Form of Government in 
 his Church under the New Teftament; a Principle 
 highly reflecting upon the Head of the Church, as 
 if he had not been as faithful in his own Houfe as a> 
 Son, as Mofes wa.s as a Servant. (1.) That the Dio- 
 cefian Bifhop or Prelate i$ an Office fupprior to a 
 teaching Presbyter ; which Principle ftaftds condemn 
 ned by feveral A6ts and Conftitutions of this Church ? 
 as contrary to the Word of God, and as a grofs U- 
 furpation in the Houfe of God, and which brought 
 forth ANTICHRIST that Man of Sin. (3.) 
 That a particular Congregational Church is not fub- 
 ordinate nor accountable unto any fuperior Judica- 
 tory; which Principle and Tenet is alfo condemned 
 by the laudable Acts and Conftitutions of this Church, 
 as contrary to the Word of God, and as having a 
 native and diteft Tendency to introduce a licentious 
 
 Lasnefs 
 
(127) 
 
 Laxnefs in Principle, and an univerfal Diforder k 
 Practice, in the Houfe of God. 
 
 Alfo, they acknowledge, declare andaiTert, That 
 unto the Office-bearers of the Church* and to them 
 alone, the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are com- 
 .mitted; particularly the Key of Boclrine for expoun- 
 ding and preaching the Word, and determining Con- 
 troverfies of Faith according to the Scriptures ; the 
 Key of Government and Difcipline, for preferving the 
 Beauty and Purity of the Church, and for infli&ing 
 of Church Cenfures upon the Erroneous, the Scan- 
 dalous and Obftinare, that (he may be preferved, or 
 purged from fuch Errors in Principle, or fuch Scan- 
 dals in Practice, whereby (he may be in Danger of 
 being corrupted; as alfo the Key of Ordination and 
 Miffion, for the ordaining and feeding forth of Church- 
 Officers, for fpiritual Service and Miniftration in 
 the Houfe of God, according to Mat. 16. 19. John 
 20.23. Mat. 18. 18. jicls 15. Attsi6.a\. Mat. 28. 
 19, 20. Mark 16. 15. 2 Tim. 2. 2. the Books of 
 Discipline, Proportions concerning Church-govern- 
 ment and Ordination of Minifters, and other lau- 
 dable Acts and Conftitutions of this Church. And 
 concerning that Power and Authority which belongs 
 to the Office-bearers of the Church in their judica- 
 tive 4 Capacity. They further declare and affert, That 
 the fame is only a Stewardly and Minifierial Au- 
 thority, fubordinate unto the Authority and Laws 
 of the Head of the Church, declarer and publiflied 
 in his own Word; and, to exprefs it in the Words 
 of our Conf. Chap. 31. § 3. "It belongeth to Sy- 
 " nods and Councils, Minifterially to determine 
 " Controverfies of Faith, and Cafes of Confcience, 
 
 V to fet down Rules and Directions for better orde- 
 u ring of the publick Worfliip of God, and Go- 
 " vernment of his Church; to receive Complaints 
 
 V in Cafes of Mal-adminiilration, and authoritative- 
 " ly to determine the fame: Which Decrees and 
 
 . " Determinations, if confonant to the Word of God, 
 \\ are to be received with Reverence and Submiffion, 
 
 " not 
 
( "8 ) 
 
 u not only for their Agreement with the Word, btit 
 " alfo for the Power whereby they are made, as 
 " being an Ordinance of God appointed thereunto 
 " in his Word." And they hereby rejeft and con- 
 demn the following Sectarian Principles; That the 
 Keys of Government and Difcipline are given by 
 the Head of the Church to the whole Community 
 of the Faithful ; and that Ecclefiaftical Synods and 
 Councils have only a mere confultative Power and 
 Authority : Which Principles they condemn, as con- 
 trary to the Word of God, the laudable Afts and 
 Conftitutions of this Church founded thereupon, and 
 as having a native Tendency to introduce Anarchy 
 and Confufion into the Houfe of God. 
 
 Likewife, they acknowledge, aflert and declare, 
 That Mimftersy and other Office-bearers in the Church, 
 ought to be fet over Congregations, by the Call and 
 Confent of the Majority of fuck in thefe Congrega- 
 tions, who arc admitted to full Communion with the 
 Church in all her fealing Ordinances; and that there 
 ftould be no Preference of Voices in this Matter, u- 
 pon the Account of any fecular Confideration ; ac- 
 cording to Acls 1. 1 6. to the Clofe of the Chapter, 
 
 jtcls 6. 2, 6. Chap. 14. 23. John 10. 4, 5* 
 
 1 John 4. 1. James 2. 1, — 6. with many other 
 Scriptures ; and according to our Books of Difcipline 9 
 and Acls of Affembly, agreeable thereto. And they 
 rejeft and condemn all contrary Principles, Tenets 
 and Practices, whereby the Scripture Rule and Pat- 
 tern, in this important Matter, is denied and reje- 
 ded, and Minifters are impofed upon difienting and 
 reclaiming Congregations. 
 
 In like Manner, they do hereby own and affert 
 the perpetual Obligation of the National Covenant of 
 Scotland, frequently fubferibed by Perfons of all 
 Ranks in this Kingdom; and particularly as appro- 
 Ten of and explained by the General A (Tern bly 1638, 
 and fworn by all Ranks of Perfons Anno 1639, and 
 Tarified by Ad of Parliament 1640. As alfo, they 
 own and affert the perpetual Obligation of the So- 
 lemn 
 
( ™9 ) 
 
 limn League and Covenant, for maintaining and car- 
 rying on a Work of Reformation in the Three King* 
 doms, taken and fubfcribed by all Ranks in Scotland 
 and England Anno 1643, ratified by Act; of Parlia- 
 ment of Scotland Anno 1644; and particularly as re- 
 newed in Scotland, with an Acknowledgment of Sins 
 and Engagements to Duties by all Ranks Anno 1648: 
 Concerning which Oaths and Covenants, they declare 
 and aflert, Thatj as to the Matter of them! they 
 were lawful, being plainly contained in the Word of 
 God; and, as to their Ends, they were laudable and 
 'tieceffary: And therefore they did, and hereby do, 
 declare their Adherence to the fame. 
 
 Likewife* they hereby receive, acknowledge and 
 approve all the feveral Pieces of Reformation attain'd 
 unto by this Church in her feveral reforming Periods; 
 particularly the Confefion of Faith, compiled by the 
 AJfembly of Divines who met at Weftminficr, with 
 Commijfioners from the Church of Scotland : Which 
 Confeffion they receive and own as the Confejfion of 
 their Faith, as the fame was received and approver! 
 by Acl: of ArTembly 1647, SelT. 13. As alfo* they 
 receive and own the whole Doctrine contained in the 
 Larger and Shorter Catechifms, compil'd by the fore- 
 faid AJfembly at Weftminfter, and approven by Acts 
 of Afiembly 1648, Seffions io. and 19. as a Part of 
 Uniformity* in Catechifing, for the Three King- 
 doms; and ratified by Act of Parliament, February 
 7th 1649. As alfo the Form of Church-Government 
 and Ordination of Minifters, as the fame was received 
 and approven by Act of AlTembly 1645, SelT.- t6+ 
 and the Directory for public k Worflnf^ as the fame 
 Hands approven by Aifembly 1645, SeflT. io. toge- 
 ther with all the Afisof AJfembly from 1638 to 1650* 
 and fince that Time, in as far as they were pall foe 
 advancing and carrying on a Covenanted Reforfltoi- 
 tion, agreeable to the Word of God, and the recei* 
 ved Principles and Conftitutions of this Church. 
 
 Likewile, they hereby declare their Adherence to 
 
 the feveral Teftimwit*, Declarations and Warnings e- 
 
 R nuttc£ 
 
( 13° ) 
 
 mitted in Behalf of the Covenanted Reformation of 
 this Church, from the Year- 1650 to the Year 1688; 
 particularly to the Contendings and Wreftlings du- 
 ring that Period, whereby a great Cloud of Witriejfes 
 reft ft ed even unto Blood, in teftifying for the Supre- 
 macy and Headfhip of the Lord Jefus over his own 
 Houfe, and other Branches of our Covenanted Re- 
 formation, in Oppofition to abjured Prelacy, and that 
 blafphemous Supremacy, ufiirped by the Civil 
 Powers over the Houfe of God, under the forefaid 
 Period. And they hereby condemn all Ecclefiaftical 
 Cenfures whatfoever, pafs'd or infli&ed upon any, 
 whether Mrnifters, Elders or others, from the Year 
 1650 to this Time, for their Adherence unto, orwit- 
 neffingfor, any Branch of our Covenanted Reforma- 
 tion; 
 
 Alfo, they hereby declare their Adherence to the 
 feveral Teftimonies, whether given in by Reprefen- 
 tations and Petitions to the feveral Genetal Affemblies, 
 or otherwife emitted and publiflied, fince the Year 
 1688, againft the feveral finful Omijftons of the Ju- 
 dicatories of this Church above-mentioned, or the 
 feveral Steps of Declining and Backfliding in this 
 prefent Age from a Covenanted Reformation once 
 attain'd unto ; and particularly, to the feveral Repre- 
 sentations offered by the Mrnifters of this Presbytery to 
 the Commijfion of the General Affembly that met at 
 Edinburgh Auguft 1733; and to the Paper that was 
 afterwards emitted by them, intituled, A Teftimony 
 -to the Doctrine, Worftnp, Government and Difcipline of 
 the Church of Scotland; as alfo, to the Reafons, pu- 
 bliflied by them, Why they have not acceded to the Ju- 
 dicatories of the eftabliftjed Church. 
 
 Thus this Presbytery have endeavoured to difcharge 
 themfelves of what they apprehend to be their Duty 
 in their prefent Situation; 'and their Defign in the 
 ivhole is 9 to bear Teftimony to the Truths of God, op- 
 pofed oraffaultedin the prefent Age, and againft the 
 Defeftions and Backflidings, whether in the prefent or 
 farmer Tkuc?, for the Glory of God, aud the Ho- 
 nour 
 
( i3i ) 
 
 iiour of his Truth, and (if the Lord may be graf 
 cioufly pleafed to blefs this Mean) to excite the pre- 
 fent Generation to fearch and try their Ways, and to turn 
 again to the Lord, from whom we have every one 
 deeply revolted : As alio, to bearTeftimony to Scot- 
 land's Covenanted Reformation, for the Sake of the 
 Generations to come ; that they may confider the Pa* 
 laces of Zion, and mark her Bulwarks, and may 
 know what the Lord has done for Scotland; that they 
 may fet their Hope in God, and may neither forget 
 his Works, nor bras their fathers a (Inborn -and rebei- 
 Vitus Generation, that fet not their Heart aright, and 
 whofe Spirit was not ftedfafi with God. And they ob- 
 ted and intreat all Ranks of Perfons whatfoever^ into 
 whofe Hands this their Jcl, Declaration and Tefti- 
 mony may come, that laying afide all carnal and poli- 
 tick Intendments, every Thing may be weigh'd in the 
 Balance of the Saniiuary ; and that, in the Fear of 
 that great and dreadful Name,~T£e Lord ourGod, they 
 may confider both their own, and the Iniquities of 
 our Fathers, and may return unto the Lord, by 
 Faith in the Lord Jefus Chrift, and a particular Ac- 
 knowledgment of Sin, and unfeigned and thorow 
 Reformation : And in returning to the Lord, we may 
 hope and expect, that He that hath torn us will heal 
 f ts, and that He that hath fmitten, will bind us up. 
 But, if we go on obftinately in our Trefpaffes, we 
 have juft Ground to fear, that, as we are at prefent 
 fining away in our Sins, and confumed under our 
 manifold fpiritual Strokes and Judgments, fo a righ- 
 teous and holy God may be provoked to come out of 
 his Place, and punifh the Inhabitants of this Land 
 for their Iniquities, and that he may fend a Sword , 
 or fome defolating Calamity and Judgment, to avenge 
 the Quarrel of his Covenant. 
 
 May the Lord himfelf return ; May be look down 
 from Heaven, and behold, and'vipt this Vine, the Vine- 
 yard which bis own Right-hand hath planted, the Branch 
 which he hath made firong for himfelf \ it is burnt with 
 Fire, it is cut down ; they perift at the Rebuke of hit 
 R 2 Q*un- 
 
( m ) 
 
 Countenance : May his Hand be upon the Man of his 
 Right-hand, upon the Son of Man whom he hath made* 
 ftrong for himfelf x fo fhall we not go back from him: 
 May he quicken us, and we will call upon his Name. 
 Turn us again, O Lord God of tfofts, caufe thy Face 
 iojhine, and we Jl) all be faved. 
 Extracfted by 
 
 JA. FISHER Cls. Pres. 
 
 ACT concerning the ADMISSION 
 of the Reverend Mr. Ralph Erskine 
 and Mr. Thomas Malr as Members 
 of Presbytery, 
 
 I 
 
 AT the Kirk otOrwel, the Eighteenth Day of I 
 February One thoufand feven hundred and 
 thirty feven Years. Which Day and Place, I 
 the Minifters and Elders affociate together j 
 being met in Presbytery, there was prefented unto. \ 
 them, by the Reverend Mr. Thomas Mair Minifter 
 at Orwel, a Paper figned by him, and intituled, De- 
 claration of Secejfion jrom the prefent Judicatories of thi 
 Church of Scotland, vrc. And at prefeoting the faid 
 Paper, he reprcfented unto the Presbytery, That 
 it was a true and juft Trouble of his 'Declaration and 
 Proteftation given in to the Presbytery of Dunfermline, 
 at their Meeting on the Sixteenth current; and he 
 craved that the fame might be read and confidered 
 by this Presbytery, whereupon they agreed to read 
 the fame : The Tenor whereof follows ; 
 
 DECLA, 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 DECLARATION of Secession 
 from the prefent Judicatories of the 
 Church of Scotland, by Mr. Thomas 
 Mair Minifter at Orwel, given in to 
 the Reverend the Presbytery of 'Dun- 
 fermline, met at 'Dunfermline the Six- 
 teenth Day of February 1737 Years. 
 
 1 
 
 WHen I joined in the Repnfentation and TeJH- 
 mony therein, given into the.Commiffion in 
 Auguft laft by Mr. Ralph Erskine; tho' I 
 had a general View of feveral other Things among 
 usasjuft Ground of Humiliation, and what ought to 
 be teitified againft, which there was not then Oppor- 
 tunity to digeft into Order; yet I had not then any 
 form'd Intention of carrying the Matter further than 
 was done at that Time, or at moil than a tabling of 
 fome Rtprefentation and Teftimony of the fame Nature 
 before our Presbytery and Synod, partly for my own 
 Exoneration, and partly as a Mean proper to be ufed 
 in a Way of Communion with the Judicatories of the 
 Church, for exciting to what I think is the neceflary 
 Duty of this Church at this Day. Neither had I 
 any Thought of Hating all the Particulars contained 
 in that Reprefentation, as Grounds of Seceffion from the 
 Judicatories of the Church, far lefs as Grounds of 
 prefent Secejfion, or of looking on them all as Terms 
 Qi Chriftian or Minifierial Communion. 
 
 Yec being in Providence thus call'dout (tho* mod 
 unworthy) to effay Witneffing for the Lord in a Day 
 of his great Anger and contending with us in many 
 remarkable Inftances; as I think myfelf bound to ad- 
 here tQ every one of the Particulars already reprefen- 
 ted as Matter of Teftimony, fo th« Things contained 
 ; in that Reprtfentation, together with the Treatment 
 it has met with from the Commiffwn and otherwife, 
 have, in Occurrence with feveral other Confidera- 
 
 tions, 
 
, ('34 ) 
 
 tions, engaged me to a further and more clofs Enquiry 
 into the State of Matters with us in this Church, and ■ 
 the Judicatories thereof: And particularly to enquire 
 in what Refpecls, and how far the prefent Judicato- 
 ries of this Church have receded from the Law and 
 Tejiimony, and what I'm called to upon the whole. 
 And, 
 
 ifi, The Kecefftons of the Church from the Law 
 and Teftimony, are what appear very great and dif- 
 mal; whether we take a View of the particular Mi- 
 nifters, Preachers and Members in the diffufed 
 Church, or the Church as reprefented in her judi- 
 catories, in their own Actings, and the manifeft Ac- 
 ceffion to the Guilt of the particular Members there- 
 of. 
 
 (i.) The Law and Teftimcny requires, That the 
 Lord's People, the Multitude of the Difciples, have 
 Liberty to chufe their own Overfeers, Atts 1.23.— 
 6. 3.— 14. 23. But many Minifters in the Church 
 are not only privately, but even publickly, and in 
 open Court, denying and impugning this, and char- 
 ging the perfect Rule with an utter Want of any Rule 
 or Statute as to this important Matter, except the ge- 
 neral Rules of Edification and Order, which they 
 manifeftly abufe and mifapply to their ownPurpofes; 
 contrary to the evident Defign of thefe Golden Rules, 
 which make exceedingly againft their Principle and 
 Pradice in this Matter. And, as they are from 
 Time to Time openly declaring their Mind on this. 
 Head, without receiving any Check or Cenfure for 
 the fame; fo the Judicatories of the Church are in 
 their Practice going the lame Way, yea, as acting in 
 Contradiction to the Rule, by thrufringin Men into 
 the Paftoral Charge among even reclaiming Congre- 
 gations, who not only are willing to chufe an unex- 
 ceptional Perfon, but have adually made Choice 
 of one according to Rule. And tho' the A eft of Af- 
 fembiy 1731 anent Settlements be repealed or laid 
 aiide; yet, as there is no Acknowledgment in the 
 -Repeal of the Iniquity of that Act, as contrary to 
 
 the 
 
( 135 ) 
 
 the Word of God, fd the A<ft continues! to take 
 place in Practice, even as that Method of fettling 
 Congregations was much pra&ifed before the Law 
 was framed; yea, both before and fince the Repeal 
 of that iniquous Ad:, many Settlements have been 
 made in Congregations, even worfe than the faidAd 
 requires; By all which, many are now fettled in Con- 
 gregations wanting one fpecial Branch of a lawful 
 Calling to the Miniftry . And we cannot omit here 
 observing, That the Church of Scotland is in this 
 Point more corrupt than the Church of Rome was 
 even in the 7th Century, at leaft when, tho'come to 
 a great Height otherwife in Superftition and Idolatry, 
 they had not as yet given up with that Principle of 
 Chriftianity, That the Choice of the People was ne- 
 ceifary in the Election of aPaftorf; and that, where 
 this was wanting, the Election was null. Yea, as 
 fome obferve, it was the 11th Century before this 
 Right was taken from the People ; and they were 
 then robb'd of it by Pope John the 17th (or as o- 
 thers, the 19th) a Necromancer. And however long 
 and frequent Ufe, together with the fad Prevalence 
 and Generality of the Defection, may have much 
 extinguished the Impreffion of the Weight of this 
 Matter from the Minds of many; yet, as I cannot 
 but look upon it as mod nearly concerning the very 
 Foundations of a Chriftian Church ; fo it is very evi- 
 dent, that both the Primitive and Reforming Church 
 had this Matter very deeply at Heart, as a Principle 
 which ought by all Means to be maintained. The 
 Objection and Evafion fome here make Ufe of is weak 
 2nd frivolous, viz. " That by the People, to whom 
 u the Right belonged, may be understood the Heri- 
 " tors and Elders, or the like, as reprefenting the 
 « People : And that the Robbery committed by the 
 " Popifli Church, was their reftridHng the Choice to 
 " their Clergy." For, as is obferved by Calvin, after 
 •that the Clergy had robb'd |the People of their Right 
 •f chafing their Paftors, the Princes affumcd (and 
 
 tkus 
 
( i 3 6 ) 
 
 thus far took from the Clergy ) the Right of presen- 
 ting to Congregations, as reckon in-g they had as good 
 Right and Warrant for this as the Clergy. But ac- 
 cording to the original Conftitution- *, it was the 
 Plebs, the Multitude, the ALL, over whom the Pa- 
 llor was to have Charge, that were to chufe or give 
 Conferit to his being fet over them; And, as a fur- 
 ther Evidence of this, in the following SecSion we 
 find the People exprefiy diftinguifhed from Heritors 
 or thefe in Honour, and from Elders and Clergy ; 
 where, for the greater Order in the Election, and 
 preventing Tumult and Abufe, the different Part 
 each of thefe fhould Aft is exprefiy afligned. Tenea- 
 tur honoratorum Testimonium, fubjeriptio Clericorum 
 or dims confenfus ac Plebis* aliter fieri nulla ratio finit. 
 So, 
 
 (2.) The Law and Teftimony requires* That Ju- 
 dicatories be conftitute of fuch as are lawfully or- 
 dain'd Office-bearers in the Church ; as is plain from 
 the very Nature of Church-judicatories, and the pro- 
 feffed End of their Meeting. Thofe who profefs to 
 meet in the Name of Chrift, for managing the Affairs 
 of his Houfe, muft be cloathed with his Authority* 
 No Man taketh this Honour unto himfelf, but he that is 
 called of God, Heb. 5. 4. And fo even the great 
 High Pri'eft of our Profeffion, Jefus Chrift, came not 
 without a Commiffion from the Father: Yet now 
 there is fcarce any of our Judicatories but what have 
 fewer or moe that are obtruded upon Congregations 
 without a lawful Calling, and may therefore be too 
 juftly faid to have run unfent ; and therefore have 
 no juftPretenfion to Authority from our Lord to ma- 
 nage the Affairs of his Houfe, or judge in his Name.- 
 
 (3.) The Law and Teftimony requires, That Ju- 
 dicatories be careful and faithful to have fuch purged 
 out, as either by their Do&rine or Converfation aft 
 for. the Deftrudion of Souls, and the Perverting of 
 the Gofpelf. But tho' there are multiplied heavy 
 
 Complaints 
 
 • Calv. Inft. L. 4, C. 4. § II, 12. f 6rf, *• 7; *> *•— *• **• 
 
 Rev, 2. 14, ao« 
 
( 137 } 
 
 Complaints thro* the Land againft many who bear 
 the Name of Minifters, both as to their Doctrine, 
 their corrupting the Simplicity of the Gofpel, and 
 giving Poifon inftead of Food to Souls; and as to 
 their vain, carnal and unbecoming Gonverfation, 
 whereby they make the Sacrifice of the Lord to be 
 abhorred : Yet, fo far is there from a fuitable Zeal 
 and Concern fliown for profecuting the Ends of Dis- 
 cipline, in fearching out and cenfuring fuch, that, in 
 the Management of Judicatories, there are fuch 
 Methods taken for covering them from Cenfure, as 
 gives too fad Evidence there is nothing of due Faith- 
 fulnefs this Way to be expected; as appears evident 
 from the Management of both firft and fecori.d Pro- 
 cefTes againit ProLffor Simfon, and in the Conduft 
 with reference to Profeffor Campbell, who was dif- 
 miffed without the leait Cenfure; yea, without fo 
 much as any narrow Enquiry into his Scheme, either 
 by the Affembly, the Commiffion or their Commit- 
 tee. For whatever Length the Sub-Committee 
 brought that Enquiry, yet the Committee, who put 
 phat Work upon them, would not fo much as exa- 
 mine or judge of their Report, fo as either to adopt 
 or rejecft it; but wrapt all up in a few Generals, to 
 put an End to the Procefs, in fuch Manner as might 
 fcreen from Cenfure the Broacher of that very dan- 
 gerous Scheme. Yea, fuch was the Iffue it was 
 brought to, as while the Committee and AlTembly 
 endeavoured to cover Profeffor Campbell from the 
 Imputation of Error, and from Cenfure, for the 
 fame, they themfelves are entangled in the Snare Of 
 his pernicious Errers, while they make the Ground 
 of their affoilzieing him from the Charge of Error 
 to be his afferting, That our Delight in the Glory of 
 God is the Origin, chief Spring, fole Standard, arc4 
 of all virtuous and religious Adtions: And fo that 
 Self-intereft, or Pieafure and Delight, is itill the 
 fiigheit and chief Motive to Obedien:e; only that 
 fhis Delight (hould terminate on or extend to the 
 Glory of God : tfv which Profeffor Camthll means 
 
 (as 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 (at he elfewhere explains himfelf) our Enjoymriit of 
 an infinitely glorious God, who alone can fully fatis- 
 fy our Defires, or gratify our Self-love. Thefe are 
 Inftances of the Conduft of Judicatories as to Do- 
 ctrine. And the Charge feems no lefs verified againft 
 their Condufi with reference to Proceffes anent the 
 Converfation of Minifters* if we take a View of the 
 Iffue of the Procefs againft Mr. Greenlees at Ceres % 
 and that againft Mr. Xoung at Leflie (not to infift on 
 the Management with reference to feveral Candidates 
 for the Miniftry, who accepted Prefentations, and 
 had Accufations led againft their moral Chara&er, 
 and, in the Judgment of many, fo far at leaft inftru- 
 &ed, as rendred a Delay of their Settlement, in or- 
 der to further Enquiry, neceffary for Edification.) 
 - When fuch Inftances of Error and fcindalous Beha- 
 viour have been wrapt up in the Manner wherein 
 particularly thefe four fpecified were; What Ground 
 have any to hope for Redrefs in other Cafes ? Or 
 what Conclufion can they draw from the Procedure 
 in thefe, but that it is in vain to table any Com- 
 plaint of that Kind ? Seeing all that will be gained 
 will be much Trouble and Charge to the Purfuer, 
 without any Redrefs of the Grievance complaint of. 
 
 (4,) The Law and Teftimony requires the Lord's 
 People to flee from Strangers and Hirelings, and not 
 hear them, becaufe they are Thieves and Robbers; 
 to beware of falfe Prophets, who are known by their 
 Fruits; and declares, That they who run unfent, 
 (hall not profit the People : Yet our Judicatories will 
 have People to hear fuch, or be deprived of Ordi- 
 nances altogether, Adl Affem. 1733, anent the Pref- 
 iytery of Dunfermline. 
 
 (5.) Minifters, and fo Judicatories, are called to 
 be at Pains to gather the^ Flock of Chrift; and there 
 is a Wo pronounced againft the Shepherds that fcatter 
 the Flock, and gather them not : But Judicatories 
 are now at much Pains to fcatter the Flock, and de- 
 prive them of their fpiritual Food, by their Afts t 
 Intrufions, ere. 
 
 («0 Jm 
 
( *39 ) 
 
 (6.) judicatories arc called to lay out therofelves 
 for reforming what is amifs, and that by returning 
 to the Law and Teftimony: But now the Prafticc 
 of Judicatories feems too plainly to fpeak out a ftated 
 Defign (at leaft of thofe who are the fpecial Springs 
 of the Management) to have a Covenanted Work 
 of Reformation altogether overthrown, and the 
 Church modelled in a Conformity with England^ if 
 not worfe. And, tho' a good A£ was of late made 
 anent Gofpel-preaching, and a Recommendation anent 
 fettling Congregations, which fome valued as feeming 
 to be foiae Kind of Reviving of the old good Rules 
 of this Church on that Head ; yet it is evident, that 
 this Recommendation, fo far as it might be called a 
 Reviving of thefe old Rules, together with the 
 above Ad anent Doflrine, are in a fpecial Manner 
 tranfgreffed and broken through without Gontroul; yea, 
 tranfgreffed, as it were with the fame Breath by the 
 Affemblics by which they were made : Particularly 
 in the Affair of Profeffor Campbell, when the Altera- 
 bly, together with the Committee appointed to ripen 
 that Affair, did not only involve themfclves in the Guilt 
 of the Scandal given by his Scheme, by difmiffing that 
 Affair without due Enquiry into it, or infli&ing the 
 leaft Cenfure upon the faid Mr. Campbell ; but alfo, 
 they have materially adopted his Scheme, particular- 
 ly by their making his aflerting that which is the very 
 Subftance of it (viz. That our Delight in the Glory 
 of God, is the Origin of moral Virtue) to be the 
 Ground upon which they affoilzie him from the 
 Charge of Error. So that now, not only according 
 to Mr. Campbell's Opinion, but even according to the 
 Affembly's Decifion, our Delight, Pleafure or Sa- 
 tisfaction (all which, among other Terms, Mr. 
 Campbell makes fynonimous) terminating on the Glo- 
 ry of God (by which, as Mr. Campbell explains him- 
 felf, is meant the Enjoyment of an infinitely glorious 
 God, as He who can give us full Satisfa&ion, or fully 
 gratify our Self-love) is the firft Spring and chief 
 Motive of all virtuous and religious Anions, And 
 S i , t as 
 
( r4o ) 
 
 as to the Recommendation anent Settlement?, it was 
 ro lefs palpably broke through by the Affembly in the 
 Cafe of Traquair and Bonnie; And what then can be 
 expected of inferior Judicatories ? I'm far from in- 
 ftituting a Comparifon of Defigns, efpecially with 
 the worthy Members of Affembly who were active 
 and zealous for that Act ancnt Doctrine, and for the 
 Reviving of our old Rules anent Settlements: Yet 
 it is to be lamented, that the Event has too much of 
 a Parallel with that of King Charles's Proclamation 
 againit Profanity, which ufhered in a very Deluge 
 thereof; and the Exception made in the late Tole- 
 ration, of Popery, and thofe who deny any of the 
 Perfons of the Godhead; Both which Evils do in 
 a fpccial Manner prevail in the Land, without effe- 
 ftsal Check. 
 
 (7 J \yhile the Lord requires the Stewards of his 
 Houfeto be faithful, and particularly not to fpareto 
 fhew untp the Houfe ofjtacob their Tranfgreffions ; He 
 furely calls Judicatories to encourage andftrengthen 
 the Hands of fuch as are thus faithful in the Dis- 
 charge of their Work. But the Judicatories of the 
 Church have not only difcountenanced and cenfured 
 Faithfulnefs this Way, but have even thrult out four 
 of their Fellow-labourers from their Communion 
 upon account thereof. 
 
 (8.) They who bear the Office and Character of 
 Builders in Zion^ are called to build upon the Foun- 
 dations of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift 
 being the chief Corner-Stone. But the Judicatories 
 of the Church, and Office-bearers therein, are (may 
 we not fay) at leall in a great Meafure, gone off from 
 thefe Foundations; Many of them in their Doctrine, 
 as appears from their materially adopting Mr. Camp* 
 bell's Scheme, intirely waving Mr, Simfons Scheme 
 in his fijft Libel, and flightly cenfuring his Ariav 
 Errors. And as to Government, they are too pal- 
 pably building on the Foundations of worldty Po- 
 licy (fome of them even openly denying that there 
 is any Rule in Scripture directing how to fettle Con- 
 
( £# ) 
 
 gregations, or in Oppofition to Patronage) and fome 
 of them building upon Latitudinarian Principles, 
 .(giving Liberty to every Man to woifhip God in 
 their own Way, or according to their own Senti- 
 ments) and thus building on Principles oppofite to 
 the Dodrines taught by the Apoftles and Prophets, 
 which are the Foundations of the Building whereof 
 Jefus Chrift is the chief Corner-Stone. 
 
 (9.) The Law and Teftimony requires Minifters 
 and Judicatories to commit the Gofpel that is intru- 
 ded unto them, unto faithful Men who fhall be able 
 to teach others, 2 Tim. 2. But is it not for a La- 
 mentation, that while thofe that have moil Evidence 
 of their having obtained Grace to be faithful, are 
 difcouraged and difcountenanced, fuch are taken 
 by the Hand, and appointed Office-bearers in the 
 Church, not a few of whom give little Evidence, 
 cither by their Doftrine or Converfation, that they 
 are or will be faithful. 
 
 zdly, I come next to enquire, Whether I can war- 
 rantably, with Safety, and without manifold Hazard, 
 continue in Communion with the Judicatories of the 
 Church; or, if the Lord be calling to a prefent 
 Withdrawing and Coming out from them ? And, 
 
 (1.) It feems evidently unfafe and dangerous to 
 continue in Communion with the Judicatories of this 
 Church, if we confider the manifold Proofs She has 
 given of her hating to be reformed. This may ap- 
 pear partly from what is above-faid; and we may 
 further obferve, that the Lord has been ufing a 
 great Variety of Means with us for a long Time, 
 not only by a plentiful Difpenfation of his Word and 
 Ordinances, but alfo by manifold Difpenfations of 
 adorable Providence, both adverfe and profperous; 
 And, when he has, in more than ordinary remar- 
 kable Ways, been of late Years threatning us with 
 Sword, or Famine, or Peftilence, or all the three, 
 and punifliing us by many temporal and fpiritual 
 Judgments; yet, in midft of all, not only are all 
 Ranks finning ftill more and more; not only are 
 
 many 
 
( 14* ) 
 
 wany accounting thefc the beft Days f and the Gene^ 
 
 rality finking more and more deep in carnal Security, 
 yea, even the wife as well as foolifli Virgins flum- 
 bring and fleeping, and cannot be awakned by all 
 the Alarms we have hitherto met with; but even 
 the Judicatories of the Church, after all Endeavours 
 ufed for their Excitement to Reformation, do not 
 only negleft to fall in with thefe Means, but flight, 
 contemn, and treat with Difdain, fuch Endeavours 
 ufed ; and this after long Continuance of Light, and 
 fulleft Means of Convi&ion : And when, notwith- 
 ftanding of exceeding great Backflidings, and the 
 Lord's remarkably lifting up his Hand againft the 
 Church ; yet the Judicatories cannot be brought to 
 a free and unhampered Acknowledgment of the 
 Caufes of the Lord's Controverfy ; yea, isfometimes 
 even denying the need of folemn Fafting and Humi- 
 liation (as was the Cafe at laft Commiffions.) Have 
 we not Reafon to apprehend that the Lord is about 
 to plead with us, becaufe we fay we have not finned ? 
 and that he is about to take away the Hedge of his 
 Vineyard, and fuffcr it to betroden down? and that 
 continuing in the Judicatories infuch a Cafe (efpecial- 
 ly when Opportunity may be had of envying, in a ju- 
 dicative Capacity, that Work and Duty which they 
 will by no Means comply with) will involve in the 
 Guilt of that Negled and Refufal, and fo expofe 
 to the Judgments threatned for the fame ? 
 
 (2.) When the Judicatories of a Church are fo far 
 infatuated, as to thruft out from Church-communion 
 and Society, both faithful Watchmen becaufe of 
 their Faithfulnefs, and the purer Part of her Mem- 
 bers, who cannot go along with theCourfes of Defe- 
 ction, but defire to keep their Garments clean; and 
 when the Judicatories continue thus to treat Multi- 
 tudes of the Lord's People, who*, according to the 
 Rules of the Church, ftand debarred from Church- 
 communion for their Non-fubmiffion to Intruders, 
 crc As this may be compared to the Cafe of a City 
 or Nation thrufting out their Chariots andHorfemen 
 
 from 
 
( 143 ) 
 
 from among them, even at a Time when the Enemy 
 is not only-entred their Borders, but is wafting the 
 Country (which is the prcfent Cafe) and as this 
 fudden Ruin and Deftrudion is loudly threatned, 
 fo I reckon it both Duty and Intereft for me to ad- 
 here to, and imbark with, thofe who are in this Man- 
 ner thiuft out; efpecially when they are effaying, 
 under the Condud and Influence ot the Spirit of the 
 Lord, to lift up a Standard for the Lord's Canfe and 
 Truth, and againft the;Encmy that is come in like a 
 Flood. So, 
 
 (3.) I think it appears evident, that as the true 
 Church, the Tabernacle of David, is built on the 
 Foundations of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus 
 Chrift being the chief Corner-Stone; fo, at this Day, 
 the Tabernacle is, by a Chain of exfraordinary Pro* 
 vidences, removed without the Camp : There is now 
 a conftitute Church thruft out from the Society of the 
 Judicatories of this Church for their Faithfulnefe; 
 and thefc who are thruft out, are building upon the 
 true Foundations of the Church of Chrift, while the 
 Judicatories of this Church are many Ways over- 
 throwing thefe Foundations, both as to Do&rine and 
 Government, and building upon the Foundations of 
 human Rdafon and carnal Policy. And therefore it 
 is my Duty, as I would defire to beapprovenof the 
 great Builder of Zion, to bear Hand to thofe, who are 
 by Grace aiming at building on the true Foundation. 
 
 (4.) If the Flock of Chrift are called to flee from, 
 and not hear Strangers, Hirelings, and fuch as are 
 Wolves, Thieves and Robbers; then I cannot fee 
 either Duty or Safety in joining with thefe, efpecial- 
 ly in fuch a near and clofe Union, as that of one fa- 
 ced Society met in the Name of the Lord for the 
 Management of the Affairs of hisHoufe; or the Con - 
 fiftency of doing fo, with Minifterial Faithfulnefs in 
 warning People to flee from fuch: And as little is it 
 confident with the very End of fuch Meetings, which, 
 if at all valuable, is to take joint Counfcl and Mea- 
 sures in the Management of the Affairs of the Church, 
 
 to 
 
( :»44 ) 
 
 to the Glory of God and the Good of Souls. To pre- 
 tend to do this with declared Enemies of our Cove- 
 nanted Reformation, and who are imbracing every 
 Opportunity of pulling down the carved Work of 
 God, feems exceeding inconfiftent, and contrary to 
 Reafon and Religion. Sure it would be a moft incon- 
 gruous and unnatural Part, for a Company of Shep- 
 herds to refolve to affociate with a Herd of Foxes 
 and Wolves, toconfult for the Welfare of the Flock, 
 and fo to adhere to thefe ftrange Counfellors, as no- 
 thing of any Moment (hall be done without their 
 Knowledge and Confeat. But that this is and muft 
 be the Cafe of the Judicatories of this Church in 
 their prefent Situation and Conftitution, is moft evi- 
 dent: And therefore it is high Time for any who 
 defire the Good of the Flock, to withdraw from fuch 
 a Mixture. 
 
 (5.) The Duty of maintaining the Peace and Uni- 
 ty of the Church, the Body of Chrift, requires this 
 Withdrawing from the prefent Judicatories of this 
 Church, as they are conftitute and manage: For, 
 1. Chrift is the Cenrre of Union, from whom the 
 Judicatories have of a long Time been making deep 
 Defection ; and as there can be no fpiritual Union 
 but by meeting in the Head, fo fure it is vain to pre- 
 tend Union, or the maintaining of true Unity, in a 
 Way of departing from the Head. True it is, there 
 may be Differences in leffe'r Matter*, when yet, as to 
 the Main, there is a Centring in the Head: But that 
 this is not the Cafe now, is plain, feeing the very Foun- 
 dations of both the Do&rine and Government of 
 the Church of Chrift are overturned, both in -Word 
 and Practice, by the prefent Judicatories, and fuch 
 as are by them kept in Communion with this Church ; 
 as appears from what is above. So, 2. What 
 Peace, Concord or Unity in a Society, efpecially a 
 facred one, where the Principles of the conftituent 
 Members of it are oppofite to, and deftrudtive of 
 one another, and that in Matters of the greateit Mo- 
 ment to the very Being of a ficred Society ? whick 
 
( '45 ) 
 
 is the prefent Cafe with the Judicatories of this Churcn i 
 And therefore it is my Duty, efpecially when I fee 
 a Society of the Lord's Servants pointing toward the 
 Centre of Union, to withdraw from the prefent Judi- 
 catories, and adhere unto them in promoting the 
 Ends of a Gofpel-Miniftry. 
 
 (6.) The Judicatories of this Church have been do- 
 ing what in them lay to pull the Crown offfromChrift's 
 Head, and refufing to give him the Glory due to his 
 Name, to give him the Glory of his Supreme Deity* 
 by refenting fuitably the blafpheraous Denial of the 
 fame; and, inftead thereof, have even kept the Blaf- 
 phemer in full Communion with the Church* and re- 
 fufe all Calls to lay to Heart, or acknowledge their 
 Sin in this ; whereby they have fadly involved them- 
 felves in the Guilt of denying the Son of God * I John 
 2. 12, 2.3. which is one fpecial Mark of Antichrift : 
 They have refufed to give him the Glory of his So- 
 vereignty, as the fole King and Lawgiver of his 
 Houfe ; yea, have ufurped a legiflative Power over 
 the fame, and will not acknowledge any Sin therein : 
 They have refufed to give him the Glory of his Pro- 
 phetical Office* by vindicating his Truths ; and have 
 fuffered wounded Truth to ly bleeding on the Ground, 
 rather than inflidl Ccnfure upon the Subverters of the 
 Truth, and thofe who preach another Gofpel, and 
 bring another Dodrine than is taught in the Scrip- 
 tures of Truth: And therefore it is my Duty to 
 withdraw from them, and adhere to thofe who are 
 endeavouring to maintain the Crown on Chrift's Head* 
 and to lift up the Standard of a Testimony for his 
 injur'd Caufe and Truth. 
 
 (7.) It is Duty in the Lord's Sight to make a Se- 
 ceflion from thofe who combine to flay the Witneffes 
 of Jefus Chrift: Bur that this has been, and u the 
 Way of the Judicatories of this Church, is plain 
 from their fuppreifing Minifterial Freedom and Faith- 
 tulnefs, and thrufting out fevcral ot their Members 
 for their Faithfulness ; while at the fame Time, they 
 are embracing Infrpders, arfd fuch as may contribute 
 T more 
 
( I4<* ) 
 
 more and more to-a burying theTeftimony of Jefus: 
 And therefore I ought to withdraw from them. 
 
 (8.) The Lord requires all, and fo, in a ipecial 
 Manner, Minifters of theGofpel, to (hew a Concern 
 for his Glory and the Welfare of Zion, preferring 
 Zion to their chiefeft Joy; and that Minifters parti- 
 cularly teftify this, by endeavouring, by all Means, to 
 have the Knowledge of the Lord's Name propa- 
 gated in the Land, and to have the Generations to 
 come in Cafe to ptaife the Lord. But, as the native 
 Tendency of the prefent Pradice of the Judicatories 
 of this Church, particularly anent Settlements, is the 
 training up the rifing Generation in Ignorance and 
 Error; fo, according to the prefent Conftitution and 
 Ways of managing, there is little or nothing can be 
 dorffc, for preventing this Evil, in a Way of Com- 
 munion, while the young Generation are altogether 
 deftitute of a Gofpel-Miniftry, having Hirelings in- 
 truded upon them, who cannot preach, becaufe they 
 are not lent : And therefore I reckon it Duty to eflay 
 in a Way of Seceflion, what cannot be done in a Way 
 of Communion with the prefent Judicatories of the 
 Church, and which yet is neceffary to be done, for 
 the Advancement of theGofpe], and Good of Souls. 
 
 (9.) Thofe whom the Lord feems to be polifliing 
 for his Work, are neglefted as ufelefs, yea, ordina- 
 rily traduced as dangerous in the Church; and there 
 is no rational Profpedl, in the prefent Situation of 
 Matters in the Church, of their receiving Encou- 
 ragement. Severals are difcouraged from attempting 
 Preparation for publick Service in the Church, yea, 
 confidering the State of Matters as to the Fountains 
 of facred Learning, what Profped can jwe have of 
 a SucceiEon of Gofpel-Minitlers? And, while Mat- 
 ters are thus with us, I think it an evident Call to 
 eflay other Methods for maintaining the Lord's Tc- 
 ilimony in the Land. 
 
 (10.) There are many Evidences that the Sun is 
 gone down upon us; that the Night is come on us; 
 that the Lord is departed in his Anger, particularly 
 
 and 
 
C I47 > l \ , 
 
 and in an eminent Manner from the prefent Judica- 
 tories; while not only is there a general deep Sleep 
 as at Midnight, not or.ly further are the Beafts of 
 Prey come abroad (while Ariam, Infidels, Necro- 
 mancers, are treading down the Vineyard of the 
 Lord, yea infernal Spirits, as loofed by Law, co- 
 ming abroad in the Land) but in the Judicatories 
 Truth, and the Caufe of Chrift, receive new Wounds 
 from Time to Time; And even thofe who defire to 
 be faithful, are either fo blindfolded that they cannot 
 fee the Snares laid for them, and the Plots againft the 
 CaufeofGod; or their Mouths fo (hut, that they can- 
 not fpeak with Freedom and Bqldnefs in the Caufe, 
 even when the Meed is greater! ; So that, may we not 
 fay, Counfel is perifhed from the Wife, andtheNfanot 
 Might cannot find his Hands, while Counfel, Courage 
 and Strength is retained by the oppofite Party ? As this 
 is a fad Evidence of the Lord's forfaking the Judica- 
 tories of this Church; fo I think he is making the 
 Light to fliine upon his Servants that are encamped 
 in the Wildernefs, and countenancing them in their 
 ElTay of bearing Teftimony for him, his Truths and 
 Caufe, and in Opposition to the Defections of the 
 Judicatories of the Church; and thus giving fome 
 clear Evidence, that it is his Work and Caufe that 
 is in the Hands of his Servants: And therefore, as 
 I think it both Duty and Intereft to follow the Light, 
 fo the Warning is awful againft refuting to come 
 put to the Help of the Lord againft the Mighty. 
 
 Wherefore, and upon all the above-mentioned 
 Reafons, and others that might be added, 1 judge it 
 my Duty to declare and proteft; Likeas, 1 hereby 
 declare and proteft, That I find myfelf obliged to 
 make SeceiTion from the prefent Judicatories of this 
 Church, and that I can no longer join in Communion 
 with them in a judicative Capacity, until they fet 
 about the Reformation of the above-mentioned and 
 many other Evils complained of. And, notwithftan- 
 ding of this my prefent Seceiiion, I hereby declare 
 my Refolution, thro* Grace, conftantly to adhere to 
 T i ourr 
 
( »48 ) 
 
 fcur received Standards of Dodrine, Worfliip, Dif- 
 cipline and Government; particularly to our Con- 
 fejfion of Faith, as the fame was received and ap- 
 proven by Aft of Affembly 1647; which Confef- 
 fion I ftill own as the Confeffion of my Faith; and 
 to our Larger and Shorter Catechifms ; and alfo to 
 our Form of Church-government, Directory for Publick 
 Worfhip, and Ordination of Mini ft ers, as the fame were 
 received and approven by the ieveral Afts of Affem- 
 bly adopting the fame. In like Manner, I hereby 
 proteft, That it (hall be lawful and warrantable for 
 me to join with fuch of my Brethren as have been 
 thruft out from Minifterial Communion with the pre- 
 fent Judicatories, and who are affociate together in 
 a Presbyterial Capacity, and endeavouring to lift up 
 a Judicial Teftimony againft the prevailing Evils of 
 the prefent Drfy, and the Sins and Backflidings of 
 former Times; according to the Word of God, the 
 forefaid Standards of Dodlfine, vc and the Natio- 
 nal Covenant of Scotland, and the Solemn League and 
 Covenant of the Three Nations. And I further pro- 
 teft, That notwjthftanding of this my Seceflion, my 
 Faftoral Relation to the Congregation of Orwei fhall 
 ilill be held firm and valid; and that if, in Confe- 
 rence of this my prefent Seceflion, any Thing {hall 
 be done by the prefent Judicatories in Prejudice of 
 my Paftoral Relation to the faid Congregation, or in 
 Prejudice of my Minifterial Office and the Exercife 
 thereof, wc. the fame fhall be held and repute null and 
 Toid ; in regard I defire and hope, thro' Grace, ftill 
 to adhere to our Covenanted Uniformity, both in 
 Doftrine, Worfhip, Discipline and Government, 
 which is not only fullied, but fubverted by the pre- 
 fent Judicatories, not only in the Particulars I have 
 xeprefented, but in others that may be afterward more 
 fully laid open. 
 
 And, Finally 9 I proteft, That niy Minifterial Con- 
 dud apd Character, both now and hereafter, (hall 
 only be under the Trial and Cognifance of the fore- 
 said Minifters affociate together* And \ crave, that 
 
 this 
 
( *49 ) 
 
 this my Declaration and Proteftation be recorded in 
 the Presbytery Books, and I allowed an Extract 
 thereof. And upon the whole of the Premiffes I 
 take Inftruments. 
 
 THOMAS MAIR. 
 
 After reading the above Declaration, the Reve- 
 rend Mr. Ralph Erskine Minifter at Dunfermline 
 gave in to the Presbytery a fign'd Adherence to the 
 fame; and he alfo reprefented, that the faid Paper 
 was a juft Double of his Adherence given in to the 
 Presbytery of Dunfermline at their forefaid Meeting ; 
 And the fame was read, the Tenor whereof follows- 
 
 I Hereby adhere to the fame Proteftation as above, 
 with the Grounds thereof, as fufficient, complex- 
 ly confidered ; and to the fame SecefTion, but under 
 the Limitation, and in the Senfe following, which I 
 think fit to explain more fully than is above expref- 
 fed. I having been called forth in Providence to 
 lay before this Presbytery, as well as formerly before 
 the Commiffion of the General Affembly, the fore- 
 mentioned Reprefentation and Teflimony, not only 
 judge it my Duty to adhere thereunto, but alfo judge 
 it would be a fmful Omiflion in me, not to embrace 
 ! any Opportunity Providence (hall offer, in Conjun- 
 ction with others, for emitting to this, and tranfmit- 
 ting to the riling Generation, the fame Teftimony 
 more fully, which I have offered to the Judicatories 
 in (horter Hints, and fot doing it in as formal and 
 explicite a Way as can be; which 1 think, not only 
 the four Brethren above-mentioned, in their prefent 
 Situation, but alfo any other Part or Number of the 
 Minifters of this Church meeting together in the Name 
 of the Lord, may lawfijlly do; efpecially in a Day of 
 the Lord's Anger on account of the Sins, Errors and 
 Backflidings of the Church; in order to bear Wit- 
 ijefs for the Caufe of Chrift and his Truths, and 
 againft the Defeftions of the Church and Land 
 Wherein they live, And the four Brethren being 
 
 par- 
 
( ijo ) 
 
 particularly ftirred up to this Work by a rcrtfer- 
 kable Chain of Providences, I think myfelf obliged 
 ro join with them in this Matter; nqt as they are a 
 Presbytery or Judicatory feparate from the Church 
 of Scotland, but as they are a Part of that fame 
 Church, conftituting themfelves in the Lord's Name 
 as a Judicatory of Minifters affociate together, di- 
 ftincft from the prefent Judicatories of this Church, 
 and witnefiing againft their Corruptions and Defe- 
 <3ions; infomuch that, by withdrawing from thefe 
 Judicatories at prefent, and joining with the faid 
 Brethren, I intend and underftand no Withdrawing 
 from Minifterial Communion with any of the godly 
 Minifters of this National Church, that are groaning 
 under, or wreftling againft, the Defe&ions of the 
 Times, even tho' they have not the fame Light with 
 us in every Particular contained in the forefaid Te-r 
 ftimony. Nor do I hereby intend to preclude my- 
 felf from the Liberty of returning and joining 
 with the Judicatories of this Church, upon their re- 
 turning to their Duty, and fo far as my Joining with 
 the forefaid or any other Minifters in their lifting 
 up the faid Teftimony, and promoting the End and 
 Defign thereof, and the faid Return can confift to-r 
 gether; feeing, if the Judicatories, who at prefent 
 either injuftly refufe, s or unduly delay, to receive 
 that Teltimony, were afting a contrary Part, and 
 putting Hand to Reformation, the fame Reafons that 
 induce to this Withdrawing, would neceffarily in- 
 duce to a Returning, which I cordially wifh I may 
 quickly fee good Reafon for. 
 
 So that (as an eminent Light in this Church ex- 
 press it on another Occafion) ** Here is no Separa- 
 « c tion from the Church of Scotland, either in her 
 " Docfhme, Worfhip, Difcipline or Government; 
 but rather a Cleaving more cloily thereto, by "de- 
 " parting or going forth from her Backfhdings an<J 
 « c Defections, as we are commanded by the Lord," 
 and from fome Judicatories becaufe of thefe; " an<} 
 4< only a negative, paffive and conditional With- 
 
 " draw- 
 
( '5i ) 
 
 ." drawing ;" not importing any u Refolution never 
 M to join with them in any Circumftance, but a pre- 
 " fent refuting to follow the declining Part of the 
 41 Church, while carrying on thefe Defections, 
 " and a Choofmg rather to ftand ftill and cleave to 
 " that Part, tho* fmaller, that is endeavouring to 
 " retain and maintain a Covenanted Reformation." 
 Which Reformation, and the (landing Obligation 
 of our Covenants, National and Solemn League, 
 I was obliged judicially to own, both when licenied 
 and ordain'd in this Presbytery; infomuch that I 
 look upon this prefent Step I make, for afferting 
 and advancing thefe Covenanted Principles, and op- 
 pofing the Defections made therefrom, to be every 
 Way agreeable and confequential to thefe Solemn 
 Vows and Engagements. 
 
 And tho' I am fenfible what a bad Tendency Di- 
 vifion natively has, and defireto abhore and flaun all 
 divifive Principles and Practices, contrary to the 
 Doctrine, Worfliip, Government and Difcipline of 
 the Church cf Scotland, agreeable to and founded 
 upon the^ord of God; and judge it my Duty to 
 endeavour, thro* Grace, to follow after that Peace 
 that has Truth for the Ground and Ornament of it; 
 yet the fafeft Way for purfuing Peace, being to 
 cleave unto Jefus Chrift who is the Centre of all 
 true and holy Union, and to advance the Truth as it 
 is in him; I therefore think myfelf obliged, leaving 
 Events to the Lord, to take the prefent Opportunity 
 of joining with other Brethren, in what I reckon a 
 faithful Tcftimony for it, fuch as I have no Accefs 
 to promote in the fame Manner with the forefaid 
 Judicatories as prefently ftated. Adhering therefore 
 to the above Proteftation and Seceflion as here ex- 
 plained, I thereupon take Inftruments. 
 
 RALPH ERSKINE. 
 
 After reading the above Adherence, Mr. Mair de- 
 clared to the Presbytery, That he was of the fame 
 Mmd with his Brother Mi.Erskim: And both the 
 
 faid 
 
( *5* ) 
 
 faid Brethren further reprefented, That they had 
 read and coniidered the Acl and Tejiimony approvea 
 by this Presbytery the third Day of December M, aa<J 
 that they adhered tp the fame. And alfo they ,decla- 
 red, That they were willing to;<j/»themfeIvestothis 
 Presbytery as Members thereof. After reading of 
 botl^he above Papers, and hearing their Brethren 
 fully thereupon, the Presbytery proceeded to con- 
 fider the fame; and they found, That the Grounds 
 upon which their Reverend Brethren had declared a 
 Secejfton from the prefent Judicatories of the Church 
 Of Scotland, were the fame upon the Matter with 
 thefe upon which the Minifters of this Presbytery had 
 fometime ago declared their Secejfion from the faid 
 Judicatories. I And further, the faid Brethren having 
 declared their Adherence to the Aft and Tejiimony 
 concluded at Perth ; and their Willingnefs to join 
 themfelves to this Presbytery as Members thereof: 
 Therefore they unanimoufly agreed to receive thetiu 
 Likens, the Presbytery did and hereby do, cheerfully 
 receive and admit their Reverend Brethren, Mr. 
 Ralph Srskine Minifter of the Gofpel at Dunfermline, 
 and Mr. Thomas Mair Minifter of the Gofpel at. 
 Orwel, as Members of this Presbytery, and appoint 
 : their Names to be added to their Presbytery-ro//. 
 And this being intimated to them, they took their 
 Seats accordingly. 
 Extracted by 
 
 J A. FISHER Cls. PrL 
 
 i^V