Act 131, Parl. 8, K. James VI. and the s_The Auchensaugh Renovation of the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant With the Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, as They Were Renewed at Auchensaugh, Near Douglas, July 24, 1712. (Compared With the Editions of Paisley, 1820, and Belfast, 1835.) Also, The Renovation of These Public Federal Deeds Ordained at Philadelphia, October 8, 1880, by the Reformed Presbytery, with Accommodation of the Original Covenants, in Both Transactions, to Their Times and Positions Respectively

only to live and be governed by the King's laws, the common laws of this

realm allenarly, Act 48, Parl. 3, K. James I. Act 79, Parl. 6, K. James

IV. repeated in the Act 131, Parl. 8, K. James VI. Which, if they be

innovated or prejudged, the commission anent the union of the two

kingdoms of Scotland and England, which is the sole Act of the 17 Parl.

of K. James VI. declares such confusion would ensue, as this realm could

be no more a free monarchy, because by the fundamental laws, ancient

privileges, offices and liberties of this kingdom, not only the princely

authority of his Majesty's royal descent hath been these many ages

maintained, but also the people's security of their lands, livings,

rights, offices, liberties, and dignities preserved, and therefore for

the preservation of the said true religion, laws and liberties of this

kingdom, it is statute by the 8 Act, Parl. 1, repeated in the 99 Act,

Parl. 7, ratified in the 23 Act, Parl. 11, and 114 Act, Parl. 12, of K.

James VI. and 4 Act K. Charles I. That all kings and princes at their

coronation and reception of their princely authority, shall make their

faithful promise by their solemn oath in the presence of the eternal

God, that enduring the whole time of their lives; they shall serve the

same eternal God to the uttermost of their power, according as he hath

required in his most holy word, contained in the Old and New Testaments.

And according to the same word, shall maintain the true religion of

Christ Jesus, the preaching of his holy word, the due and right

ministration of the sacraments now received and preached within this

realm (according to the Confession of Faith) and shall abolish and

gainstand all false religion contrary to the same, and shall rule the

people committed to their charge, according to the will and command of

God, revealed in his foresaid word, and according to the laudable laws

and constitutions received in this realm, no ways repugnant to the said

will of the eternal God; and shall procure, to the uttermost of their

power, to the kirk of God and whole Christian people, true and perfect

peace in all time coming; and that they shall be careful to root out of

their empire all heretics, and enemies to the true worship of God, who

shall be convicted by the true kirk of God, for the foresaid crimes,

which was also observed by his Majesty[7] at his coronation in

Edinburgh, 1633, as may be seen in the order of the coronation.

In obedience to the commandment of God, conform to the practice of the

godly in former times, and according to the laudable example of our

worthy and religious progenitors,----which was warranted also by Act of

Council, commanding a general bond to be made and subscribed by his

Majesty's subjects of all ranks, for two causes: one was, for defending

the true religion as it was then reformed, and is expressed in the

Confession of faith above-mentioned, and a former large Confession

established by sundry acts of lawful General Assemblies, and of

Parliament, unto which it hath relation, set down in public Catechisms,

and which had been for many years (with a blessing from heaven) preached

and professed in this kirk and kingdom as God's undoubted truth,

grounded only upon his written Word. The other cause was, for

maintaining the King's Majesty, his person, and estate; the true worship

of God and the King's authority being so straitly joined as that they

had the same friends and common enemies and did stand and fall together;

and finally, being convinced in our minds, and confessing with our

mouths, that the present and succeeding generations in this land are

bound to keep the foresaid national oath and subscription inviolable.

We,------------under subscribing, considering divers times before, and

especially at this time, the danger of the true reformed religion

--------, and of the public peace of the kingdom; by the manifold

innovations and evils generally contained and particularly mentioned,

[in supplications, complaints, and protestations,[8]] do hereby

profess, and before God, his angels, and the world, solemnly declare,

that with our whole hearts we agree and resolve, all the days of our

life, constantly to adhere unto and defend the foresaid true religion;

and (forbearing the practice of all novations already introduced in the

matters of the worship of God, or approbation of the corruptions of the

public government of the kirk, or civil places and power of kirkmen,[9]

till they be tried and allowed in free assemblies and in Parliaments,)

to labor by all means lawful to recover the purity and liberty of the

gospel, as it was established and professed before the foresaid

novations; and because, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and

undoubtedly believe, that the evils contained in our [supplications,

complaints, and protestations,[10]] have no warrant of the Word of God;

are contrary to the articles of the foresaid Confessions, to the

intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of religion in this land,

to the above-written Acts of Parliament, and do sensibly tend to the

re-establishing of the Popish religion and tyranny, and to the

subversion and ruin of the true reformed religion, and of our liberties,

laws and estates. We also declare, that the foresaid confessions are to

be interpreted, and ought to be understood of the foresaid novations and

evils, no less than if every one of them had been expressed in the

foresaid Confessions, and that we are obliged to detest and abhor them,

amongst other particular heads of Papistry abjured therein; and,

therefore, from the knowledge and conscience of our duty to God, [to our

King and country,[11]] without any worldly respect or inducement, so far

as human infirmity will suffer, wishing a further measure of the grace

of God for this effect, we promise and swear by the _great name of the

Lord our God_, to continue in the profession and obedience of the

foresaid religion; that we shall defend the same, and resist all these

contrary errors and corruptions, according to our vocation, and to the

uttermost of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of

our life; and, in like manner, with the same heart, we declare before

God and men, that we have no intention nor desire to attempt any thing

that may turn to the dishonour of God, or to the diminution of [the

King's[12]] greatness and authority; but on the contrary, we promise and

swear, that we shall, to the uttermost of our power, with our means and

lives, and to the defence of [our dread sovereign, the King's Majesty,

his person and authority[13]] in the defence and preservation of the

foresaid true religion, liberties, and laws of the kingdom; as also, to

the mutual defence and assistance every one of us of another, in the

same cause of maintaining the true religion [his Majesty's[14]]

authority, with our best counsel, our bodies, means, and whole power,

against all sorts of persons whatsoever. So that whatsoever shall be

done to the least of us for that cause, shall be taken as done to us all

in general, and to every one of us in particular; that we shall, neither

directly nor indirectly, suffer ourselves to be divided or withdrawn, by

whatsoever suggestion, allurement, or terror, from this blessed and

loyal conjunction; nor shall cast in any let or impediment that may stay

or hinder any such resolution, as by common consent shall be found to

conduce for so good ends;--but, on the contrary, shall, by all lawful

means labour to further and promote the same, and if any such dangerous

and divisive motions be made to us by word or write, we, and every one

of us, shall either suppress it, or if need be, shall incontinent make

the same known that it may be timeously obviated; neither do we fear the

foul aspersions of rebellion, combination, or what else our adversaries

from their craft and malice would put upon us, seeing what we do is so

well warranted, and ariseth from an unfeigned desire to maintain the

true worship of God, the majesty of [[15] our King,] and peace of the

kingdom, for the common happiness of ourselves and the posterity.

And because we cannot look for a blessing from God upon our proceedings,

except with our profession and subscription, we join such a life and

conversation as beseemeth Christians who have renewed their covenant

with God: We, therefore, faithfully promise, for ourselves, our

followers, and all other under us, both in public, in our particular

families and personal carriage, to endeavor to keep ourselves within the

bounds of Christian liberty, and to be good examples to others of all

godliness, soberness and righteousness, and of every duty we owe to God

and man. And that this our union and conjunction may be observed without

violation, we call the living God, the searcher of our hearts, to

witness, who knoweth this to be our sincere desire and unfeigned

resolution, as we shall answer to Jesus Christ, in the great day, and

under the pain of God's everlasting wrath and of infamy, and loss of all

honour and respect in this world: Most humbly beseeching the Lord to

strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end, and to bless our desires

and proceedings with a happy success, that religion and righteousness

may nourish in the land, to the glory of God, the honour of [our

King[16]] and peace and comfort of us all. In witness whereof we have

subscribed with our hands all the premises, &c.

The article of this covenant, which was at first subscription

referred[17] to the determination of the General Assembly, being now

determined, and thereby the five articles of Perth, the government of

the Kirk by Bishops, the civil places and power of kirkmen upon the

reasons and grounds contained in the Acts of the General Assembly,

declared to be unlawful within this kirk, we subscribe according to the

determination foresaid.

* * * * *

_THE SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT, FOR REFORMATION AND DEFENCE OF

RELIGION, ETC_.

We, having before our eyes the glory of God, and the advancement of the

kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the honour and happiness

of [the[18] King's Majesty and his posterity] and the true public

liberty, safety, and peace of the kingdoms, wherein every one's private

condition is included; and calling to mind the treacherous and bloody

plots, conspiracies, attempts and practices of the enemies of God

against the true religion and professors thereof in all places,

especially in these three kingdoms, ever since the reformation of

religion; and how much their rage, power, and presumption are of late,

and at this time increased and exercised, whereof the deplorable estate

of the church and kingdom of Ireland, the distressed estate of the

church and kingdom of England, and the dangerous estate of the church

and kingdom of Scotland, are present and public testimonies. We have now

at last [[19] after other means of supplication, remonstrance,

protestation and suffering] for the preservation of ourselves and our

religion from utter ruin and destruction, according to the commendable

practice of these kingdoms in former times, and the example of God's

people in other nations, after mature deliberation, resolved and

determined to enter into a mutual and Solemn League and Covenant:

Wherein we all subscribe, and each one of us for himself, with our hands

lifted up to the Most High God, do swear--

1. That we shall sincerely, really, and constantly, through the grace of

God, endeavour in our several places and callings, the preservation of

the reformed religion in the church of Scotland, in doctrine, worship,

discipline, and government, against our common enemies; the reformation

of religion in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine,

worship, discipline and government, according to the Word of God, and

the example of the best reformed churches; and shall endeavour to bring

the churches of God in the three kingdoms, to the nearest conjunction

and uniformity in religion, Confession of Faith, Form of

Church-government, Directory for Worship and Catechizing; that we and

our posterity after us, may, as brethren, live in faith and love, and

the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us.

2. That we shall, in like manner, without respect of persons, endeavor

the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy (that is, church government by

arch-bishops, bishops, their chancellors and commissaries, deans, deans

and chapters, archdeacons, and all other ecclesiastical officers

depending on that hierarchy), superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness,

and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the

power of godliness; lest we partake in other men's sins, and thereby be

in danger to receive of their plagues; and that the Lord may be one,

and his name one in the three kingdoms.

3. We shall, with the same sincerity, reality and constancy, in our

several vocations, endeavor with our estates and lives mutually to

preserve the rights and privileges of the parliaments[20] and the

liberties of the kingdoms; and to preserve and defend [the King's[21]

Majesty's] person and authority, in the preservation and defence of the

true religion and liberties of the kingdoms; that the world may bear

witness with our consciences of our loyalty, and that we have no

thoughts or intentions to diminish [his[22] Majesty's] just power and

greatness.

4. We shall also with all faithfulness endeavor the discovery of all

such as have been, or shall be, incendiaries, malignants, or evil

instruments, by hindering the reformation of religion, dividing [the[23]

King] from his people, or one of the kingdoms from another, or making

any faction or parties amongst the people, contrary to this League and

Covenant, that they may be brought to public trial, and receive condign

punishment, as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve, or

the supreme judicatories of both kingdoms respectively, or others having

power from them for that effect, shall judge convenient.

5. And whereas the happiness of a blessed peace between these kingdoms,

denied in former times to our progenitors, was by the good providence of

God granted unto [[24]us] and--concluded, and settled by both

parliaments, We shall, each one of us, according to our place and

interest, endeavor that they may be and remain conjoined[25] in a firm

peace and union to all posterity, and that justice may be done upon the

wilful opposers thereof, in manner expressed in the precedent article.

6. We shall also according to our places and callings this common cause

of religion, liberty and peace of the kingdoms, assist and defend all

those that enter into this league and covenant, in the maintaining and

pursuing thereof; and shall not suffer ourselves, directly or

indirectly, by whatsoever combination, persuasion or terror, to be

divided and withdrawn from this blessed union and conjunction, whether

to make defection to the contrary part, or to give ourselves to a

detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much

concerneth the glory of God, the good of the kingdoms, and honor of

[the[26] King;] but shall all the days of our lives zealously and

constantly continue therein, against all opposition, and promote the

same according to our power, against all lets and impediments

whatsoever; and what we are not able ourselves to suppress or overcome,

we shall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or

removed; all of which we shall do as in the sight of God.

And because these kingdoms are guilty of many sins, and provocations

against God and his Son Jesus Christ, as is too manifest by our present

distresses and dangers, the fruits thereof; we profess and declare

before God and the world, our unfeigned desire to be humbled for our own

sins, and for the sins of these kingdoms, especially that we have not,

as we ought, valued the inestimable benefit of the gospel, that we have

not labored for the purity and power thereof, and that we have not

endeavored to receive Christ in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in

our lives, which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much

abounding amongst us; and our true and unfeigned purpose, desire and

endeavor for ourselves, and all others under our power and charge, both

in public and private, in all duties we owe to God and man, to amend our

lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real

reformation; that the Lord may turn away his wrath, and heavy

indignation, and establish these churches and kingdoms in truth and

peace. And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God, the

searcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the same, as we

shall answer at the great day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be

disclosed; most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy

Spirit for this end, and to bless our desires and proceedings with such

success as may be deliverance and safety to his people, and

encouragement to other Christian churches that may be groaning under, or

in danger of, the yoke of Antichristian tyranny, to join in the same,

or like association and Covenant to the glory of God, the enlargement of

the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and the peace and tranquility of Christian

kingdoms and commonwealths.

N.B.--These Covenants above-written, formerly nationally taken and

renewed, and still nationally binding, We, in our private station only,

swear and subscribe in their genuine sense, conform to the Explication

and Application thereof, in our present Acknowledgment of the public

Sins and Breaches of the same, and Engagement to the Duties contained

therein, which do in a special way relate to the present times, and are

proper for our capacities therein.

* * * * *

_A SOLEMN ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF PUBLIC SINS, AND BREACHES OF THE NATIONAL

COVENANT AND SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT_.

We all and every one of us--being _by the good hand of our God upon us_,

now, after a long and due deliberation, determined to testify to the

world, for the glory of God, and the exoneration of our consciences, in

the matter of our duty, our adherance to the whole of our attained

Reformation, by renewing these our vows and Covenant-engagements with

God, and knowing that it is a necessary preparative for the right

performance of that so great and solemn a duty, that we be duly sensible

of, and deeply humbled for the many heinous breaches thereof, which

these nations, and we ourselves in particular are guilty of; do

therefore, with that measure of sorrow and repentance which God of his

mercy shall be pleased to grant us, desire to acknowledge and confess

our own sins and violations of these vows, and the sins and

transgressions of our fathers; to which we have also an example left us

by the _Cloud of witnesses, which through faith and patience have

inherited the promises_, ever since the Lord had a visible national

church upon earth, and more especially by our progenitors in this

nation; as, for instance, in the year 1596, "Wherein the General

Assembly, and all the kirk judicatories, with the concurrence of many of

the nobility, gentry and burgesses, did with many tears acknowledge the

breach of the National Covenant, and engaged themselves into a

reformation, even as our predecessors, and theirs, had done in the

General Assembly and Convention of Estates in the year 1567." As also

the more recent practice of the godly renewing the National Covenant,

and acknowledging the breaches of it, both before they obtained the

concurrence of civil authority, in the year 1638, and again, by

authority, in the year 1639. And that noble precedent of that _National

Solemn acknowledgment of Public Sins and Breaches of the Solemn League

and Covenant, and Solemn Engagement to all the duties contained

therein_, (which we are here taking for our pattern, and enlarging the

same as the sad sins and transgressions since that time committed, and

the circumstances of time give occasion) condescended upon, "by the

Commission of the General Assembly, and approven by the Committee of

Estates, and publickly owned in all the churches, at the renewing of the

Solemn League, Anno 1648, and 1649, together with that solemn renovation

thereof accompanied with such confession of sins as did best suit that

time, by that small company of the Lord's people at Lanark, before their

discomfiture at Pentland hills. And perceiving by the foresaid

instances, that this duty, when gone about out of conscience, hath very

often been attended with a reviving out of troubles--or at least out of

deadness, security, and formality, under which we and the land are at

present sinking, and with a blessing and success from heaven;--'We do

humbly and sincerely, as in His sight who is the searcher of hearts,

acknowledge the many sins and great transgressions of the land; we have

done wickedly, our kings, our princes, our nobles, our judges, our

officers, our teachers, and our people. Albeit the Lord hath long and

clearly spoken unto us, we have not hearkened to his voice. Albeit he

hath followed us with tender mercies, we have not been allured to wait

upon him and walk in his way. And though he hath sticken us, yet we have

not grieved: nay, though he hath consumed us, we have refused to receive

correction. We have not remembered to render unto the Lord according to

his goodness, and according to our vows and promises; but have gone away

backward, by a perpetual backsliding, and have most sinfully and

shamefully broken the National Covenant, and all the articles of the

Solemn League and Covenant, which our fathers sware before God, angels

and men.'" Albeit there has been in the land, ever since the reformation

of religion, some of all ranks who have been for a testimony unto the

truth, and for a name of joy and praise unto the Lord, by living godly,

studying to keep their garments pure, and being steadfast in the

covenant and cause of God; and there yet continues to be some, though

reduced to a very small number, destitute of outward power and ability,

and other helps fit for the right managing of a testimony, wanting the

countenance of civil authority, and having few to feed or lead them; who

are, notwithstanding all these difficulties, labouring in the strength

of Christ to keep the good old way of these faithful witnesses who are

gone before, in bearing testimony to the truths of Christ. "Yet we have

reason to acknowledge, that most of us in this land have not endeavoured

with that reality, sincerity, and constancy that did become us, to

preserve the work of reformation in the Kirk of Scotland, as we are

obliged by the first article of the Solemn League, and by the National

Covenant; wherein we promise and swear by the great name of the Lord our

God, that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and

discipline of this kirk, and shall defend the same according to our

vocation and power all the days of our lives, under the pains contained

in the law, and danger both of body and soul in the day of God's fearful

judgment, and resist all contrary error and corruptions, according to

our vocations, and the utmost of that power God hath put in our hands

all the days of our life--according to these Scriptures."

Ezra ix. 10, 11, "And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for

we have forsaken thy commandments. Verse 11. Which thou hast commanded

by thy servants the prophets, &c." Isaiah xxiv. 5, "The earth also is

defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed

the laws, changed the ordinances, broken the everlasting covenant."

Jeremiah ix. 13, "And the Lord saith, because they have forsaken my law,

which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked

therein. Verse 15. Therefore, thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of

Israel, behold I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and

give them water of gall to drink." Daniel vii. 25, "And he shall speak

great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the

Most High, and think to change times and laws." Galatians v. 1, "Stand

fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be

not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." I Timothy iv. 16, "Take

heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine: continue in them: for in doing

this, thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." 2 Timothy

i. 13, "Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me,

in faith, and love, which is in Christ Jesus." Revelation in. 10, 11,

"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee

from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try

them that dwell upon the earth. Behold I come quickly; hold fast that

which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."

"But we have been so far from such endeavours, that there hath been a

stupid submission to our rulers and great ones, breaking down and

ruining the whole work of reformation, razing the bulwarks thereof,

rescinding the laws in favour of the same, and not only breaking but

burning the covenants for preserving it, enacting the breaches thereof,

and declaring the obligation thereof void and criminal to be, owned;

and, upon the ruins thereof, setting up abjured Diocesan Erastian

Prelacy, with its concomitant bondage of patronages--a blasphemous and

sacrilegious supremacy and arbitrary power in magistrate over church and

state. There was little conscience made of constant endeavours to

preserve the reformation, when there was not a seasonable testimony

exhibited against these audacious and heaven-daring attempts; when our

ministers were by a wicked edict ejected from their charges, both they

and the people too easily complied with it. Albeit, in the National

Covenant, the land is obliged to defend the reformation, and to labour

by all means lawful to recover the purity and liberty of the gospel, by

forbearing the practice of all novations introduced in the worship of

God, or approbation of the corruptions of the public government of the

kirk: yet was there given all the approbation required by law of the

novation and corruption of Prelacy by hearing the Prelatic curates. Both

ministers and people, in a great measure complied with, submitted unto,

and connived at the encroachments of the supremacy and absolute power,

both in accepting and countenancing the former indulgences and later

toleration; the generalty took and subscribed oaths and bonds imposed

during the reigns of these tyrants, Charles II. and James Duke of York,

pressing conformity with the then establishments of church and state,

most contrary to the reformation which the nation had sworn to preserve;

some of these oaths and bonds restraining the takers from all endeavours

to preserve it, as those that renounced the privilege of defensive arms;

some of them abjuring the covenants expressly, and condemning the

prosecution of the ends of them as rebellion, viz., the declaration and

test; the most part did, Issachar like, crouch beneath all the burthens

of maintaining and defending an arbitrary power and absolute tyranny,

wholly employed and applied for the destruction of reformation, and paid

such subsidies and supplies as were declaredly imposed for upholding the

tyrant's usurpations, and suppressing all endeavours to preserve the

reformation."

And after the Lord was pleased in mercy to break the rod of oppression,

and burst the bands of that horrid tyranny from off his people's necks,

and to allow us a time of peace and ease; yet have we not made

conscience of keeping this our oath; but instead of all lawful means to

preserve the discipline and government of this church, there have been

frequent invasions made thereupon by the civil powers, exercising an

Erastian supremacy over her assemblies, by indicting, prorogueing, and

dissolving them at their pleasure, and in their name and authority;

whereby Christ's supremacy and kingly dignity was highly injured. And as

the state for their part have, contrary to this article, made these

usurpations upon the government of the church, so have backslidden

ministers in their stations shamefully succumbed to, been silent at, and

pleaded in defence of these usurpations, and have not zealously and

faithfully asserted their Master's prerogatives, and the privileges of

his church, sacrilegiously encroached upon by the magistrate. And people

likewise have, in their stations, been unconcerned about these wrongs

and injuries done to Christ, and have not used all lawful endeavour with

their superiors (which they own as such,) whether of church or state, in

order to reformation thereof, nor made faithful protestations against

them, when they could not obtain redress--and as the government of the

church has not been duly preserved; so there has been a want of constant

endeavours to preserve pure the doctrine of this reformed church; and

that ever since that fatal distraction of _public resolution principles_

began to creep into the church, which corrupted people in that doctrine

of abstaining from association with malignants and enemies to truth and

godliness, and so far prevailed that the avowed enemies of religion were

brought into places of greatest trust and authority. And these

associations have not been made only with the haters of religion at

home, but are also entered into with the enemies to the Protestant

religion abroad; and many backsliding ministers in the late times of

tyranny were very faulty in this point of not labouring to preserve the

purity of doctrine, either by express condemning of some important

truths then persecuted, or at least in being silent and not asserting

them, nor applying their doctrine to the time's corruptions; whereby

many of the people were left to be overcome by snares--"And so laid open

to seek out other principles to justify their practices of compliance,

or extravagances on the right or left hand, not consistent with the

doctrine and rules of the Church of Scotland, others were not constant

in confessing those doctrines before men when called to suffer for, and

avouch them." Neither are there at this day, nor has there been all

along during these years of peace and quiet, suitable endeavours for

suppressing all sorts of unsound doctrine, or purging the land of the

leaven of erroneous principles. Although there have been many laws made

against Popery, yet how have they been put to execution, when Papists

are so rife and Popery prevalent?--the idolatrous mass being set up in

several places of the kingdom; the maintainers and promoters of

Quakerism, Bourignianism, Arminianism, &c, are not punished, but

protected by the state, and connived at by the church. And whereas, the

right endeavouring of maintaining sound doctrine, doth require

uprightness and sincerity in the profession and belief thereof, and a

suitable practice accompanying that belief; we have it to lament that

the most part of us in this land are but hypocritical in the professing

of the doctrines of the gospel, and want a suitable practice and

conversation becoming the gospel, cause, and cross of Christ. Many are

grossly ignorant of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, or study

the circumstantial and controverted more than the fundamental truths.

There has also been great short coming of _real, sincere and constant

endeavors to preserve the worship of God_, public and private. "In times

of hazard, many ministers left off preaching, and the people hearing. We

have been negligent and remiss in family worship; and, instead of

preserving, many have done much to discourage and hinder it: And in

secret we have been formal and careless: Many have satisfied themselves

with the purity of the ordinances, neglecting the power thereof, yea,

some have turned aside to crooked ways destructive to both." Neither

have we been careful to preserve the discipline, church censures being

laid aside, and not impartially exercised against scandals, personal and

public. Scandalous persons being admitted to hold up their children to

baptism, and to partake of the Lord's table and other privileges of the

church, without respect to the rules of Christ. The discipline of the

church hath also been circumscribed, limited, and bounded by Acts of

Parliament, and is now rendered ineffectual by the late Act of the

British Parliament, entitled, _Act for preventing the Disturbing of

those of the Episcopal Communion in that part of Great Britain called

Scotland_. So that ministers could not without transgressing these Acts

(which they too punctually observe) draw out the sword of discipline

against many covenant-breakers; perjured hireling-curates being allowed

to enjoy churches and benefices without censure or molestation, if

subject to the civil government, as is evident from the 27th Act of the

fifth Session of William's first Parliament, entitled, _Act concerning

the Church_. Ministers have neglected to draw out the sword of

discipline, duly and impartially against scandalous persons of every

rank and quality; so that many gross offenders have been passed over

without censure, as, namely, such as shed the blood of the Lord's

people, complied with the tyrants and usurpers in the times of

persecution, by testing, bonding, hearing of curates, paying of cess and

other taxations, intelligencers, and informers against the people of

God, accepters of indulgences and toleration, and such as preached under

the covert of remissions and indemnities bought by sums of money from

the council, such as had been lack and negligent in testifying against

the corruptions of the times, were not brought to an acknowledgment of

it; but, upon the contrary, encouraged as well-doers, and advanced to

office and public employment in the church without evident signs of

repentance. And many other scandalous persons are daily connived at and

superficially past, without sufficient discoveries of their repentance

and amendment: Many also have been overlooked because of their eminency

in the world, or past over for pecuniary mulcts. And, whereas, in the

same first Article of the Solemn League, we are bound "to endeavor the

promoting and propagating of the Reformation and uniformity of religion,

Confession of Faith, Form of Church-government (which as it was

primarily understood, so still we own to be only Presbyterial) Directory

for Worship and Catechising. According to the Scriptures."

Isa. xix. 18. "In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak

the language of Canaan, and swear to the Lord of Hosts." Jer. xxxii. 39.

"And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for

ever, for the good of them and of their children after them." Zech. xiv.

9. "And the Lord shall be King over all the earth: in that day there

shall be one Lord, and his name one." Acts ii. 46. "And they continuing

daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread, from house to

house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart." Acts

iv. 32. "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and

one soul." I Cor. vii. 17. "But as God hath distributed to every man, as

the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk; and so ordain I in all

churches." Gal. vi. 16. "And as many as walk according to this rule,

peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God." Phil. iii. 16.

"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained; let us walk by the same

rule; let us mind the same thing."

Yet as our fathers had reason to complain, "that the profane, loose, and

insolent carriage of many in their armies, who went to the assistance of

their brethren in England, and the tampering and unstraight dealings of

some commissioners and others of our nation, in London, the Isle of

Wight, and other places, had proved great lets to the work of

reformation and settling of kirk government there, whereby error and

schism in the land had been greatly increased, and sectaries hardened in

their way;" so much more during the time of the late persecution, the

offensive carriage of many who went to England is to be bewailed, who

proved very stumbling to the Sectarians there.

There hath been little zeal or endeavour for such a uniformity, little

praying for it, or mourning over the obstructions of it; but, upon the

contrary, a toleration was embraced, introductive of a sectarian

multiformity of religion without a testimony against the toleration even

of Popery itself, under the usurper James, Duke of York; and since the

Revolution the land hath done exceeding much to harden them. 1st, By

accepting such persons to the royal dignity over this realm as had sworn

to maintain the Antichristian hierarchy of Prelacy, with all the

superstitions and ceremonies of the Church of England, and who

countenance a multiformity in the worship of God and government of the

church, and do not suppress such as are unsound and heterodox in the

fundamental articles of the Christian faith. And, next, to put a full

stop to all endeavours of uniformity and union in the Lord's way, and to

bring the nation under an indespensible necessity of covenant breaking,

this nation hath entered into an _incorporating union_ with England in

such terms, and upon such conditions as formally and explicitly

established Prelacy as the Church-government there to all succeeding

generations; and that while, in the meantime, all manner of Sectarian

errors are there encouraged, maintained, and supported by means of a

toleration. By the concluding of which union, this land hath said upon

the matter that there is no obligation upon us to tender the advancement

of religion in that nation, or to study such means and methods as might

tend to bring them to a sense of their breach of covenant, or reduce

them to a performance of the duties whereunto they are engaged; and thus

this land hath hardened them in their sinful ways and courses, contrary

to this Solemn League, and given them ground to think that we look upon

the obligation thereof to be loosed. This land hath been wanting in

compassion to them as brethren, in not labouring to show them their sin

and danger, while persisting in a professed violation of their vows, and

refusing them help in their need, when supplication was made by some of

them to the first Assembly after the Revolution for ministers to preach

the gospel. And though this land hath sought out methods how to

entertain amity and friendship with them, yet have they not endeavoured

to have it such as that the Lord should, upon that account, delight to

dwell amongst us: nay, upon the contrary, unless these methods be

repented of and forsaken, it is impossible that reformation should ever

amount to that degree of perfection in these kingdoms, to which, through

the mercy of God, it once arrived; so that instead of _living together

in peace and love, we and our posterity after us_, are like to live in a

joint defection from our covenant engagements made to the Most High God.

In the second Article of the Solemn League and Covenant, we swear, "That

we shall, without respect of persons, endeavour the extirpation of

Popery, Prelacy, Superstition, Heresy, Schism, Profaneness, and

whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power

of godliness. And in the National Covenant to abhor and detest the

Antichristian wicked Hierarchy," &c. According to the Scriptures.

Exod. xxiii. 32, 33. "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with

their gods. They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin

against me: for if thou serve their gods, it surely will be a snare unto

thee." Exod. xxxiv. 12, 13. "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a

covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be

for a snare in the midst of thee: But ye shall destroy their altars,

break their images, and cut down their groves." Deut. xiii. chapter

throughout. Judges ii. 2. "And ye shall make no league with the

inhabitants of this land; you shall throw down their altars," &c. Zech.

xiii. 2, 3. "And it shall come to pass in that day saith the Lord of

Hosts, that I will cut off the names of idols out of the land, and also

I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirits to pass out of the

land. And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then

his father and his mother that begat him, shall say unto him, Thou shalt

not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the Lord: and his

father, and his mother, that begat him, shall thrust him through, when

he prophesieth." I Tim. iv. 1, 2, 3. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,

that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed

to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils: Speaking lies in hypocrisy,

having their conscience seared with a hot iron: Forbidding to marry, and

commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received

with thanksgiving of them which believe, and know the truth." Rev. xvii.

5. "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE

GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Verse 16.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the

whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh,

and burn her with fire." Compared with Rev. xviii. 4, 5, 6. "A I heard

another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye

be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues:

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her

iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her

double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to

her double."

Yet, alas! so far has the land been defective in this, that upon the

contrary, it hath been polluted with idolatrous masses; altars, and

other monuments of idolatry were suffered again to be erected; the penal

statutes were disabled, stopped, and suspended by an absolute arbitrary

power by means of a toleration in its own nature tending, and in its

design intending to introduce Popery and slavery, which yet was accepted

and addressed for by many backslidden ministers, who to this day have

made no public acknowledgement of the sin of so doing, notwithstanding

all the reformation which is bragged of, and was countenanced, complied,

and concurred with by many people without a testimony or endeavour to

withstand it. Yea, the administration of the government and the greatest

offices of power and trust were committed into, and permitted to abide

in the hands of Papists; and the head of them and great pillar and

promoter of Popery, James the VII, was owned as King, contrary to the

laws of God and man and covenant obligations, without respect of persons

to extirpate Popery and Papists; and few during that time evinced any

just zeal or indignation against, or fear of the manifest appearances of

the coming in of Popery and intended establishment of it in the land.

And not only then, but even to this day, there is too much conniving at

Papists; the laws are not put in execution against them in their full

extent and latitude: And albeit this land, yea, whole Britain and

Ireland, were purged of Popery, yet cannot we be said to have made

conscience of performing this part of the oath of God, while there is a

confederating with Papists abroad and fighting in their quarrel, and

that, whilst in the meantime they are persecuting, with the height of

rigour and severity, all such as profess any thing of the reformed

religion in their dominions. And as there hath been great failures in

respect of extirpating Popery, so especially in the performance of that

part of the covenant which binds us to the extirpation of

Prelacy--"_i.e._ Church government by arch-bishops, bishops, their

chancellors and commissaries, deans, deans and chapters, archdeacons,

and all other officers depending upon that hierarchy:" there hath been a

most wilful and palpable violation of the oath of God, though it be most

clearly our duty prescribed in his word.

Matt. xx. 25, 26. "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, ye know

that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they

that are great exercise authority upon them: But it shall not be so

among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your

minister." Luke xxii. 25, 26. "And he said unto them the Kings of the

Gentiles exercise lordship over them," &c. Acts xx: 17. "And from

Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church."

Compared with verse 28. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all

the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you observers (bishops)

to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

I Peter v. 3. "Neither as being lords over God's heritage: but being

ensamples to the flock." 3 John verse 9. "I wrote unto the church; but

Diotrepehes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth

us not."

And these breaches of it were not only made during the tunes of

persecution, when Charles the II. by an arbitrary power, granted him by

a parasitical Parliament, did overturn Presbyterian government, and

introduce Prelacy, to which change the greatest part of the ministry did

perfidiously yield, and became vassals to the bishops; such as were not

willing to conform, were pressed to it by confinement, banishment,

imprisonment, confiscation of goods, all manner of tortures, and,

finally, death itself.

During which hour and power of darkness, many complied with the enemy,

by taking oaths and bonds, indulgencies and toleration, and because so

remiss in this matter, that it was all one to them which government had

the ascendant, so they might enjoy their worldly accommodations. And

not only then, while Satan was let loose in his members and emissaries

to persecute and waste the Church of Christ, but since peace and

quietness are obtained, this duty continues to be greatly slighted; yea,

in place of extirpating Prelacy, have there not been courses taken

effectually to establish it? To instance a few--the accepting of William

and Mary, and after them the present possessor of the Crown, to be

supreme Magistrates, while they are knownly and professedly Prelatical

in their judgment, and engaged by oath at their coronation to maintain

the same; the swearing oaths of allegiance to them without security for

their preserving of the true reformed religion--yea, without any

limitation or qualification whatsoever; as also, the taking an oath of

adjuration, wherein, by consequence, the takers engaged to do to the

utmost of their power to procure that the Kings or Queens of these

kingdoms shall be of the communion of the Prelatical Church, and so that

they shall contribute to the support of Prelacy.

Again, the Episcopal clergy who subjected to it during the time of its

legal establishment, have not been therefore prosecuted by the

discipline of the church; but such as did, and yet do profess it as

their principle, are allowed equal encouragement with the Presbyterians,

only providing they evidence good affection to the civil government. And

now, since the late _incorporating union_ with England, we of this

nation have consented that Prelacy shall be established there to all

succeeding generations, (as was observed in the first article); and,

moreover, have given into the hands of the Prelatics in England, the

power of making laws which must become binding upon this land, they

being members of the British Parliament and council; which power has

been already improved, to establish a liberty and protection for the

whole rabble of the Episcopal Clergy in the free exercise of the Popish

ceremonies of the Church of England, without any provision against the

grossest heretical opinions that they please to broach, excepting only

the denying of the doctrine of the blessed Trinity. Where, then, are our

endeavours for the extirpation of the wicked hierarchy?--where is the

abhorrence and detestation of it, sworn and engaged to in these

Covenants?--Do not many who profess themselves to be Presbyterians show

themselves so indifferent in this point, that they can join with

either, as may suit their interest?--instance the Sacramental Testers.

Few mourn over and pray earnestly for the subversion of that hierarchy.

Few doctrinally discover the evils of such a government, and how

contrary it is to God's Word--or labour to bring their hearers into a

dislike and detestation of it, and the sad fruits which result from it.

Few study to convince others of the evil of such a principle, and

following such a course by the Apostle's rule, avoiding all unnecessary

company with them, that they may be ashamed; but, upon the contrary,

many Presbyterians too familiar and unnecessary converse with them,

encourage and harden them; and, particularly, ministers are to be blamed

herein, who preach one half of the Lord's day in the church, and allow

the curate the other half. Few impartially reprove and warn them of

their sin and danger; but, upon the other hand, many professed

Presbyterians, by their untender and unchristian walk and conversation,

or by their lukewarmness and indifferency in Christ's matters, now

called _moderation_, and by their walking contrary to covenant

engagements, do exceedingly harden them in their evil way, and

scandalize them at their duty. Instead of endeavours to extirpate

superstition and heresy, as we are bound by the same article of the

Solemn League, and by the "National Covenant to detest all superstition

and heresy, without or against the Word of God, and doctrine of this

reformed kirk, according to the Scripture."

Duet. xii. 30, 31, 32--"Take heed to thyself, that thou be not snared by

following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee, and that

thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve

their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the

Lord thy God; for every abomination to the Lord which he hateth, have

they done unto their gods: for even their sons and their daughters they

have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you,

observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto nor diminish from it." Acts

xvii. 22--"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mar's-hill, and said--Ye men

of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious." Gal.

iv. 10--"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years." Gal. v.

20--"Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife,

seditions, heresies." Col. ii. 20--"Wherefore, if ye be dead with Christ

from the rudiments of the world; why as though living in the world, are

ye subject to ordinances? verse 21, Touch not, taste not, handle not:

verse 23, Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and

humility, and neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the

satisfying of the flesh." Tit. iii. 10--"A man that is an heretic, after

the first and second admonition, reject."

Yet, in the darkness of the times of persecution, many dregs of Popish

superstition were observed, many omens and freets too much looked to;

Popish festival days--as Pasche, Yule, Fastings-even, &c, have been kept

by many; and Prelatical anniversary days, and festivities devised of

their own heart, appointed for commemorating the King's and Queen's

birthdays, (as May 29th, October 13th, February 6th,) who were born as a

scourge to this realm, were complied with by many. Yes, some have

superstitiously made use of the Scriptures as a fortune book, looking to

that which first cast up to them, or to impressions borne in upon their

minds from such and such places of Scripture as Divine responses,

without a due search of them as the Lord hath commanded. And many

wavering and unstable souls have been seduced unto damnable and

pernicious heresies, as Quakers, and delirious delusions, as those that

followed John Gib. All which have been breaches of Covenant, as well as

of Divine commands. Yea, even to this very day, the same superstitions

are observed and practised, as abstaining from labouring upon the

foresaid festivities, and observing presages of good or tad fortune (as

it is called,) upon them and other times; as likewise, many practisers

of enchantments and users of charms--yea, such as are in actual compact

with the devil, are not carefully sought out, nor accurately tried, in

order to be brought to punishment, but overlooked and protected.

There has been also since the revolution, as well as before, a great

deluge of errors through these covenanted lands, which, to this day,

continue and increase: that might be sufficient to convince us that

there have not been proper measures taken to suppress them, as this

article obliges us to do;--nay, instead thereof, they are tolerated,

maintained, and protected by authority, as appears both from the late

Act of Parliament, and from the liberty allowed to that pestilent

generation of Quakers, who keep their general meetings yearly in

Edinburgh, being guarded by a company of the town guards. And as the

state do not prosecute the promoters and abettors of these heresies with

civil pains, as is the duty of such as call themselves God's

vicegerents, and own themselves to be intrusted with keeping of both

tables of the law; so the church is nothing speedier or more active in

drawing out their ecclesiastical sword to cut off these luxurant

branches, and to take _the little foxes which spoil the wines_. Many

whose duty, by virtue of their office, is to give warning from Zion's

walls, as watchmen entrusted with the city of God, neglect to discover,

and from the scriptures to confute these errors, or to show their flocks

by doctrine or writing the danger of being tainted with them. And as

suitable endeavours have been wanting effectually to extirpate heresy

and error, so schism, its inseparable companion, and necessary

consequent, has exceedingly grown and increased, to the great damage of

the church of Christ in these kingdoms, and utter subversion of that

most pleasant fabric of uniformity in religion, which the League and

Covenant binds us to endeavour. The word of God makes schism a very

great sin, as is evident from Rom. xvi. 17; 1 Cor. xi. 18, xii. 25; Heb.

x. 25; Jude 19.

And all the nation are to be reputed guilty of it who depart from the

doctrine and laudable constitutions delivered by Christ and his

apostles, and adhered unto by the church of Scotland in her purest times

of Reformation. And if we consider schism under this notion, as we ought

to do, then will we find that the greatest part of the land is guilty of

it. Few are firmly and constantly adhering to the attained Reformation;

but many upon the left hand, have turned aside to compliance with

Prelacy and Erastianism, and so have by their defection broken the

church's _beauty_ and _bands_, order and union, in making a faction

repugnant to her established order, and, censurable by all her standing

acts, in bringing innovations in the government, and making a rent in

the bowels of the church; by causing divisions and offences contrary to

the doctrine of the church; whereby they have made themselves guilty of

schism; and some have fallen into delusions and dotages upon the right

hand, who, in seeking to be religious above what is commanded, have come

short of the truth of religion, and made a faction repugnant to this

covenant. Some, being private persons, have pretended an immediate

commission to preach the word, and administer the sacraments. Others,

being stumbled with the defection of the time, have turned aside to

independency. "Some upon slender and insufficient grounds, have and do

separate both from faithful ministers and Christian societies and

families, because of difference in judgment and incident debates,

wherein the testimony of Christ is not much concerned; or because of

personal offences easily removed, not observing the rules of Christ for

removing of them, not having respect to his great commands of charity,

forbearance, forgiving one another, or condescendency. And among divided

parties, which in our day have been long biting and devouring one

another, there hath been too much both of sinful union and confederacy

in terms prejudicial to truth; as our joinings in the _Angus regiment_,

at the _Revolution_, and our guarding and supplicating that corrupt

_Convention of Estates_, which consisted mostly of such as had been

directly or indirectly guilty of the murder of the Lord's people; and

upon the other hand, there hath been too much of sinful heats,

animosities, and jealousies, pride, passion, and prejudice, grieving the

Spirit of the Lord, and eating out the power and life, and much

hindering the holy practice and spiritual exercise of religion."

_We have been so far from endeavouring to extirpate profaneness, another

evil engaged against in the covenant, and condemned in the Word of God_.

Deut. xxix. 19; Job xxi. 14; Jer. xxiii. 15; Ezek. xxii. 26; Hos. iv.

1-3; Heb. vii. 15.

"That profanity hath been much winked at, and profane persons much

countenanced, and many times employed, till iniquity and ungodliness

have gone over the land as a flood; and profanity, beginning at the

court, hath spread itself through every rank and quality in the land: so

that immoralities and sins against every precept of both tables are

greatly abounding." As, namely, great contempt of God and godliness,

ignorance, atheism and irreligion, unsuitable walking to the knowledge

of him and his perfections which we have, and not labouring in the use

of means to attain more. Much neglect of pressing after peace and

reconciliation with him, through a Mediator, and of living up to the

profession which we make of him. Despising of his holy ordinances and

means of worship; deafness and stupidity under the calls of his Word.

Profanation of his holy sacraments, neglect of secret prayer (wherein

much of the life of religion lies), and of prayer in families, or a

negligent, careless and superficial performance thereof; many using a

formality of words and expressions learned by custom. Some using our

blessed Lord's prayer as a set form, which ought to be used as a rule of

direction in all our prayers, and not as a dead form of words: many

seeking more to be seen of men in this and all other duties, than to

approve themselves to God, and more careful to come by apposite words

and expressions, when praying with others, than to attain and entertain

the breathings and influences of the Spirit of God. Much neglect of

propagating Christian knowledge in congregations and families; ministers

and masters of families not making diligent search into the knowledge of

the flocks and families under their charge, and instructing them

suitably. Much swearing and profanation of God's name, by loose and vain

oaths in common discourse: yea, swearing by the creatures--as, soul,

faith, conscience, and the like, thereby sacrilegiously attributing to

them divine honour; as also, by imposing upon all persons in any public

trust the unlimited and unlawful oath of allegiance, together with the

bond of assurance, and the oath of abjuration, contrary to the oath of

the covenant, thereby debauching people's consciences, and involving

them in the guilt of perjury. Great profanation of the holy Sabbath, and

neglect or careless performance of the duties therein required; breaking

it by unnecessary feasting, walking, idle, vain and impertinent

discourse, and such like recreations; yea, by hunting, hawking, riding

and going of journeys, sounding trumpets before their lords of

Justiciary when going to church, reading of proclamations wholly

irrelative to religion, and making publications not necessary nor

expedient to be made upon that day. Much disobedience to parents, and

undue carriage of persons of all ranks and relations towards each other.

Great murder and bloodshed, so that the land is defiled with blood, and

that not only the blood of the Lord's people, who, in the times of

persecution, were led forth like sheep to the slaughter, because of

their adherence to their duty, and refusing conformity with wicked

courses and subjection to wicked laws, eversive of their covenant

engagements, not yet mourned over, nor purged away by the blood of those

that shed it; but likewise many through the land are murdered

frequently, and the murderers are not prosecuted with due severity: nay,

such are the methods that are now taken to embolden the wicked in that

and all other crimes, that whatever presumptions of guilt may be had, or

how ample confession soever be made, if it be extrajudicial, and the

very fact not proved by witnesses, the delinquent is passed over and

absolved as a well-doer, and many actually convicted of murder are

indemnified and let pass unpunished.

Much uncleanness and filthiness, adultery, fornication, incest,

bestiality, sodomy, lasciviousness, promiscuous dancing, stage plays,

excessive drinking, vanity in apparel, and the like abominable

unchastity and incentives to it. Much stealing, robbery and oppression,

grinding the faces of the poor by unjust taxations and heavy

impositions, and by hindering the poor from begging, for the support of

their lives in times of scarcity, by a wicked edict. Perverting of

justice in law suits; lawyers and advocates finding means, for their own

gain and worldly advantage, to obtain decisive sentences in favor of the

rich, contrary to justice and equity; much cheating and deceiving in

bargaining; forestalling of markets in times of scarcity; depriving the

poor of their habitations and livelihoods by building of parks and

in-closures; tenants taking leases over their neighbor's head, and the

like. It is, moreover, to be bewailed that many ministers, who should be

examples of charity and good works, are ringleaders in this sin of

oppression. Much lying and bearing of false witness, defaming one

another's good name, reproaching persons for their adherence to the

truths and cause of Christ, or for discovering any piece of zeal and

affection that way. Much covetousness and worldly-mindedness, repining,

murmuring and discontentment with God's dispensations; revenge, wrath,

malice, envy, bitterness and innumerable sins, both against the precepts

of the moral law, and the offers of Christ in the Gospel, which plainly

says that we have not used the endeavours which in this Article we

promise, for "Rooting up profaneness and whatsoever is found contrary to

sound doctrine and the power of godliness, lest we partake of other

men's sins, and so be in danger to receive of their plagues." Nay, hath

not much unsound doctrine been maintained in the arguments which have

been used for defending the lawfulness of the courses of compliance with

Prelacy and Erastianism? and these, amongst other unsound notions, have

been entertained amongst us--"That lesser and circumstantial truths are

not to be suffered for; that confession of these truths hath not been

called for in our day; that people are not in hazard of the sins of

others, especially of magistrates and ministers, if they do not directly

act the same sins themselves; that sins of bypast times (if they be not

presently practiced) are not to be confessed, nor the persons guilty to

be stood at a distance from, till they give evident documents of their

repentance;" contrary to express and plain Scripture.

2 Sam. xxi. 1; 2 Sam. xxiv. 17; 2 Kings xxi. 11, 12; Isa. xliii. 27, 28;

Jer. xiv. 15,16; Mic. iii. 11, 12.

Whence both ministers and people have been involved in the sins of

Prelacy, Indulgence, Toleration, Erastianism, subjecting the government

of the church to the secular and civil authority; while they thought

these only to be the sins of Prelates, or of wicked and usurping rulers;

they in the meantime yielding all the conformity with, submission unto,

and approbation of them, that was by wicked laws required. On the other

hand, many of us have rested too much in a non-compliance with these,

and "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof."

In the third Article, whereas we are bound, "in our several vocations,

mutually to preserve the rights and privileges of Parliaments, and

liberties of the kingdoms;" meaning the true, real and righteous

privileges and liberties--consonant to the Word of God.

Deut. i. 13; Deut. xvi. 18; Isa. i. 26.

Likeas, all lieges are bound by the laws of the land inserted in the

National Covenant, to "maintain the authority of Parliaments, without

which neither any laws nor lawful judicatories can be established." Yet

as our fathers had reason to complain "that neither had the privileges

of the Parliament nor liberties of the subject been duly tendered; but

some amongst them had laboured to put into the hands of the king an

arbitrary and unlimited power destructive to both; and many of them had

been accessory to those means and ways whereby the freedom and

privileges of Parliaments had been encroached upon, and the subjects

oppressed in their consciences, persons and estates;" so afterwards, all

alongst the tract of tyranny and persecution, they had rather the name

and show than the real power and privileges of lawfully constituted

Parliaments; having advanced the royal prerogative to such a boundless

pitch of arbitrariness, and being so corrupted, that faithful men and

honest and honourable patriots were excluded, and those admitted who by

the law of God and man should have been debarred; and so prelimited that

the members behoved to take such oaths (for instance, the declaration

and test, abjuring and condemning the Covenants) as engaged them to be

perjured and conjured enemies both to our religion and liberty, which

both the electors of Members of Parliament and the elected did sinfully

comply with; neither did the body of the land make conscience of

recovering these rights and privileges thus perverted and polluted; but

in stupid subjection did own those for representatives who betrayed

their liberties, and made laws to enslave the nation and entail slavery

upon, posterity. On the other hand, they that disowned them did not make

conscience of preserving those rights and privileges of supreme

judicatories, when inadvertently and unadvisedly they put in such

expressions and styles in some of their declarations as do not belong to

private persons, but only to such judicatories. And not only then, but

since the Revolution, have there been many ways taken for corrupting and

depriving the Members of Parliament; as that all members and electors of

members have been obliged to take the oath of allegiance, with the

assurance to such as did, and do, in their dominions, support Prelacy

and exercise an Erastian supremacy over the church of Christ.

And now, last of all, by the means of this fatal Union with England, in

terms and upon conditions inconsistent with our covenanted Union,

engaged to in the League and Covenant; the nation's sovereignty and

independency are given up, the rights of Parliament entirely lost, or

vanished into a shadow, little preferable to no Parliament; so few

being to represent this nation in the Parliament of Great Britain, as

can never be able to prevent, by their number of voices, any act which

it shall please the English to make, how destructive soever the same be

to our sacred or civil concerns. Which treaty of Union was concluded in

a Parliament as manifestly prelimited, as any which ever was seen in

Scotland; the members were corrupted with bribes and preferment, and so

engaged to act contrary to the will and mind of those whome they did

represent, and to comply with that stratagem hatched by the English, for

enslaving this poor nation, and denuded it of its privileges, as well

sacred as civil. And alas! how insignificant were the endeavours then

used to prevent that course, and preserve the privileges of the

Parliament and liberties of this kingdom? only some faint addresses, all

other attempts being laid aside at their Queen's command, by her

proclamation, as _treasonable convocation of the lieges_.

Again, the subject's liberties, both as men and as Christian, which the

scriptures allow, we should preserve,

I Sam. xiv. 25; Acts xxii. 25,28; xxv. 11,16,27; Gal. v. 1.

Have been miserably encroached upon by arbitrary government, whereby the

subjects have been oppressed in their consciences, persons and estates,

by all the oaths and bonds pressing conformity with the corruptions,

novations, and usurpations the government of church and state, and

persecutions for recusancy, and by impositions of the freedom of secret

thoughts, which no law of men can reach, which yet in the time of the

late persecution were extorted, by threatening of death and manifold

tortures; the church's liberties have also been invaded by the

ecclesiastical supremacy, declared by a blasphemous law inherent to the

crown, which law, though it be not now in force, is yet still kept up in

practice by the indiction, prorogation, and dissolution of Assemblies,

and prescribing diets and causes of fasting and thanksgiving in the

magistrate's name and authority, to which ecclesiastical supremacy,

usurped by the magistrate, this backslidden church hath always

subjected, and now to discover to the world that they are not ashamed of

this surrendering of our Lord's prerogative to his enemies they have, in

their Assembly, holden at Edinburgh, Anno 1710, most explicitly and

fully subscribed to this ecclesiastical supremacy, in their Act for

observation of fasts, wherein they affirm, "that it is much for the

honor of God that fasts whether appointed' by the church, or the civil

magistrate, be duly observed."

In that same third Article, we are likewise bound to defend "The supreme

magistrate's person and authority, in the preservation and defence of

the true religion and liberties of the kingdom:" as in the National

Covenant is expressed: likewise, "to defend his person and authority, in

the defence of Christ his evangel, liberties of our country,

ministration of justice, and punishment of iniquity; and to stand to his

defence, in the defence of the true religion, liberties and laws of the

kingdom;" as the duty is qualified in scripture.

II Sam. v. 3.; II Kings xi. 17; II Chron. xxvi. 16, 17, 18, 21; Rom.

xiii. 3, 4, 6; I Pet. ii. 13, 14.

As our fathers in their acknowledgments had reason to say, "Neither hath

it been our care to avoid these things which might harden the king in

his evil way; but, upon the contrary he hath not only been permitted,

but many of us have been instrumental to make him exercise his power in

many things tending to the prejudice of religion, and of the Covenant,

and of the peace and safety of these kingdoms; which is so far from the

right way of preserving his Majesty's person and authority that it

cannot but provoke the Lord against him unto the hazard of both. Nay,

under a pretence of relieving and doing for the king, whilst he refuses

to do what was necessary for the house of God, some have ranversed and

violated most of all the Articles of the Covenant."

So, during the unhappy days of the late tyranny, it was the land's sin

and shame, and ought to be our sorrow, that men were mounted upon a

throne of iniquity whose main design and practice was to subvert

religion and persecute it, to introduce Popery itself and slavery, to

destroy the nation's liberties, suppress the evangel, and oppress its

professors; who enacted and executed manifest injustice, stopped the

ministration of justice against idolaters, adulterers, murderers, and

other malefactors, and punished equity and duty, instead of iniquity;

arrogated and obtained a monstrous prerogative above all rights and

privileges of Parliaments, all laws, all liberties; a power to tyrannize

as they pleased without control. But, as it was their sin who

inaugurated Charles II. after such discoveries of his hypocritical

enmity to religion and liberty, upon his subscription to the Covenants,

so when he burned and buried that Covenant, and degenerated into

manifest tyranny, and had razed the very foundation upon which both his

right to govern, and the people's allegiance were founded, and remitted

the subjects' allegiance by annulling the bond of it: it was the land's

sin that they continued still to own his authority when opposite to, and

destructive of religion and liberty; and of those who appeared in arms

at Pentland and Bothwell Bridge, that they put in his interest (with

application of the words of the Covenant to him, though stated in

opposition to it) into _the state of the quarrel_, in their _declaration

of war_, for which (so far as the godly could discern) the Lord put them

to shame, and went not forth with their armies. It was likewise the sin

of the land, and a great breach of Covenant, when the Duke of York was

admitted to the exercise of the royal office against the laws of God and

man; being incapable of the Covenant qualifications of a magistrate, and

being a Papist, and so incapable of taking the "oath of coronation to

maintain the true Protestant religion, and gainstand and abolish

Popery;" which, for the preservation of the true religion, laws, and

liberties of this kingdom, is stated by the 8th Act of Parliament, I

King James VI, "That all kings, at the reception of their princely

authority, shall take and swear;" yet this authority, though

inconsistent with, and declaredly opposite to religion and liberty, was

owned and upheld, by paying cess and supplies, expressly exacted for

upholding tyranny in the destruction of religion and liberty; and though

the Lord did, for a long time, by the tyranny of Charles II. and James

VII., chastise these covenanted lands, yet there has not been a turning

to him that smiteth: but these lands have again transgressed the Lord's

commandments, and broken this part of the Covenant of the Lord, by

receiving, admitting, supporting and subjecting to such, for Kings and

Queens over these realms as want the qualifications required in God's

word, and enacted by the righteous and laudable laws of the land to be

in magistrates, superior and inferior: which were not brought under

Covenant ties and obligations, to be for God and religion in their own

persons and families, and to advance and preserve the same allenarly in

their dominions; but in place thereof have come under oath and

obligation to countenance, protect end advance the Romish superstitions

and innovations in the worship of God and government of the Church,

which the Covenant binds these kingdoms to suppress and extirpate, and

in consequence of, and in conformity to, these obligations, do maintain

and defend, or tolerate and allow Prelacy and Sectarian errors in their

dominions, contrary to the true religion and sound doctrine, contrary to

justice and equity; yea, contrary to that trust especially committed to

the hands of Christian Magistrates, who for that end have the sword

given them, _that they may be a terror to evil doers_, preserve and

defend the true religion and professors thereof, and punish and

extirpate false religion and heresies, and bring the wheel over the

broachers, maintainers and abettors thereof; which did, and do exercise

an Erastian supremacy over the church, in proroguing, and dissolving

General Assemblies, appointing diets and causes of fasts and

thanksgivings; and by their civil authority causing them to be kept and

observed; which do not impartially execute justice upon all offenders,

witness the frequent indemnities and remissions granted to murderers; as

particularly, the passing without punishment the persons which

perpetrated the inhuman, barbarous and lawless action of the massacre of

Glencoe. Which waste and destroy the kingdom, by levying men and raising

money for maintaining a long and expensive war, undertaken neither for

the advancement of the true religion, nor for the advantage and safety

of the nation; but in favour of the house of Austria, which hath been,

and yet continues to be, one of the strong pillars of Antichrist's

kingdom, and inplacable enemies to the true reformed religion, as

appears by the persecution of the Protestants in Silesia, Hungary, &c.

And yet notwithstanding of all this, many in the land of all ranks have

sworn to bear true and faithful allegiance to them, without any

conditional restriction or limitation; so that it is not possible for

them, in a consistency with their oath, to disown their authority, and

deny them subjection, or refuse to defend their persons and government,

albeit they should proceed to the greatest pitch of arbitrariness; which

is very far from the defence promised to Magistrates in the Covenant:

the whole land (almost) hath complied with them in all the

forementioned particulars so diametrically opposite to the Covenants,

and supported, strengthened and encouraged them in these evil courses,

by paying them cess and other subsidies; and ministers have minded so

much to be loyal to their government, that they have forgotten to be

faithful to their souls, in that they have not discovered to them the

sin and danger of patronising Prelacy, and exercising Erastianism over

the church; but in order to obtain their favor, have clapped their hands

in these sins, which certainly is most opposite to that loyalty which we

ought to maintain towards Princes, and tends rather to diminish their

just power and greatness, than to increase and preserve it; and, instead

of being a proper way of defending their persons and authority, is

rather a mean to bring the wrath of a just and jealous God upon them,

and those who defend or connive at them in these unlawful courses.

"Our own consciences within, and God's judgment upon us without, do

convince us of the manifold, wilful, renewed breaches of the fourth

Article, which concerneth the discovery of malignants, consonant to the

Scriptures."

2 Sam. xxiii. 6; Esther vii. 5. 6; Psalm xxvi. 5; Psalm ci. 8; Prov.

xxv. 5.

"For their crimes have not only been connived at, but dispensed with and

pardoned, and themselves received into intimate fellowship, intrusted

with counsels, admitted into parliaments, and put in places of power and

authority for managing the public affairs of the kingdom; whereby, in

God's justice, they got at last into their hands the whole power and

strength of the kingdom, both in judicatories and armies, and did employ

the same unto the enacting and prosecuting an unlawful engagement in war

against the kingdom of England, notwithstanding the dissent of many

considerable members of parliament, who had given constant proof of

their integrity in the cause from the beginning; of many faithful

testimonies and free warnings of the servants of God; of the

supplications of many synods, presbyteries, and shires; and the

declaration of the General Assembly and their Commissioners to the

contrary; which engagement, as it was the cause of much sin, so also of

much misery and calamity unto this land, and held forth the grievousness

of our sin, in complying with malignants in the greatness of our

judgment, that we may be taught never to split again upon the same rock,

upon which the Lord hath set so remarkable a beacon. And, after all that

is come to pass unto us, because of this our trespass, and after that

grace hath been showed unto _our fathers and us once and again_ from the

Lord our God, by breaking these men's yoke from off _their and our

necks, and sometimes_ delivering our fathers _so far from their

insultings_, that he put them in a capacity to act for the good of

religion, their own safety, and the peace and safety of the kingdoms,

should they and we again break the commandment and covenant of the Lord,

by joining once more with the people of these abominations, and taking

unto our bosom these serpents which had formerly stung us almost unto

death; this, as it would argue great madness and folly upon our part, so

no doubt, if it be not avoided, will provoke the Lord against us, to

consume us until there is no remnant nor escaping in the land? many

times have we been warned of the sin of complying with malignants, both

by faithful ministers, and fatherly corrections from the Lord;"--yet,

after all these punishments, we have again joined with the people of

these abominations; the Lord is righteous, for we remain yet escaped as

it is this day; behold, we are before him in our trespass, we cannot

stand before him because of this.

These incendiaries, malignants, and evil instruments, made many grievous

encroachments, and prevailed much in the days of our fathers--yet not

without dissent, testimonies, warnings, and declarations; but more

especially in the dismal days of persecution and tyranny, they were

suffered, yea, encouraged, without any significant joint testimony, not

only to hinder the reformation of religion, but to overturn the whole

work of reformation, to burn and bury the covenants for it, to

re-establish abjured Prelacy, erect a monstrous Christ-exauctorating and

church-enslaving supremacy, attempt the introduction of Popery and

slavery at the gate of an anti-Christian toleration, and to persecute

and destroy the godly, who durst not in conscience comply with them; and

not only to divide the _King from his people, or one of the kingdoms

from another_--but first, to divide the bulk and body of both kingdoms,

and make them pursue divided interests from the interest and cause of

Christ, and then to divide the remnant of such as adhered to it amongst

themselves, by indulgences and other bonds of contention, in order to

get them more easily destroyed; and at length to engage the King into

such a division from the people, as to make him, instead of their

protector, their declared destroyer; and not only to _make parties among

the people contrary to his league and covenant_, but to draw and divide

the whole people into a party with perjuries. The generality,

notwithstanding, did own allegiance to the head of these incendiaries

and malignants, yea, a Popish incendiary, because he wore a crown on his

head; and did pay the cess imposed for the maintenance and encouragement

of malignants; many did associate with them in expeditions of war,

drawing up with them in their musters and rendezvouses, thereby

countenancing a malignant cause, and listing themselves under a

malignant--yea, Popish banner; many subscribed and sware themselves

contrary to the covenant by taking tests, oaths, and bonds, obliging

them to surcease from covenanted duties, and to keep the peace and good

behaviour with them, whom they were obliged by covenant to seek to bring

to punishment; yea, some, and not a few, were inveigled in the snare of

the oath of delation, to delate the persecuted people of God to their

courts, and thereby made them (instead of discovering malignants

according to the covenant,) to discover their brethren to malignants.

And very many, almost the universality of the land, were involved in the

snare of the oath of abjuration, renouncing the principle of declaring

war against a malignant King, and of asserting the lawfulness of

bringing his murthering accomplices and incendiaries to condign

punishment; but, on the other hand, some of the suffering party did

sometimes exceed the bounds of moderation in this matter, in usurping

the sword without God's call, without respect to the rule, and against

the scope of their own declarations, to take vengeance on them at their

own hand; yea, even to that degree, of taking the lives of some of them

in an extravagant manner;[27] for which, they were sadly rebuked of God,

an occasion was given and taken to reproach and blaspheme the way of God

upon that account. But to descend to our own time, we have it to

bewail, that whatever alteration there is in the face of affairs since

the yoke of tyranny was taken off our neck, yet there is no alteration

in this matter to the better, but rather to the worse; malignants are so

far from being brought to condign punishment, that they are the whole

administrators of the affairs of the kingdom; whence it is come to pass,

that the supreme judicatories which should take trial of such and bring

them to punishment, and to whom they should be delated, are wholly, or

mostly composed of such; yea, none may now be reputed malignant unless

he be disaffected to the civil government; so that malignancy is not now

disaffection to the cause and work of God, but disaffection to the

present establishment, and so far are they that are truly disaffected to

Christ and his interest this day advanced and strengthened in their

designs, that they have (so far as in them lies) put a final stop to all

further progress in reformation in these covenanted kingdoms; so that

instead of discovering and bringing to punishment them who make parties

and factions against the League and Covenant, and reformation therein

concerted, the most part of Britain and Ireland are nought else but a

party and faction against it, who have cast it out of doors, and, for

what is apparent, are never minded to receive it again; and, upon the

contrary, such as are labouring to adhere most closely (though in

weakness) to these engagements, and prosecute the ends of these

covenants, are unjustly looked upon as a party and faction, and

prosecuted as offenders by such as, according to the genuine sense of

this Article, ought to be brought to condign punishment. It is likewise

promised in this Article, that such _shall be brought to trial as shall

divide the King from his people, or one of the kingdoms from another_,

which clause hath been broken, by using endeavours to have King and

people and the kingdoms all conjoined in a _union_ and conjunction

contrary to, and eversive of this Solemn League and Covenant; and these

that go under the character of ministers, from whom it might in all

reason be expected that they should interpose for having malignants duly

punished, are so far from doing so, that they make it their endeavour

to please them; and upon the contrary, they spare no pains to incense

the persons in the government against those whose design it is, in the

Lord's strength, to adhere to their covenant engagements, and keep

themselves unspotted from the abominations of the times. We acknowledge

also ourselves guilty of the breach of this Article, in so far as we

have not more frequently and fervently, from a real respect and zeal to

the glory of God, after we saw no means of getting such evil instruments

and opposers of reformation punished and suppressed by human

judicatories, applied by prayer and supplication to God, that he would

either of his infinite mercy convince them of, and reclaim them from, or

in justice reprove and punish them for their opposition to his cause and

interest. As also, that we have not duly searched into our own sins, and

especially the malignancy of our own hearts: by means whereof, the Lord

is highly provoked to permit such evil instruments not only to afflict

and oppress us, but also to retard the success of his own work; and that

we have not impartially or sincerely mourned over these sins in our own

hearts and lives, which hinder our own personal, and so have influence

to impede national reformation, and have not forsaken and abandoned

them.

In the fifth Article, we are bound, "according to our place and station,

to endeavor, that the kingdoms may remain conjoined in a most firm peace

and union to all posterity; and that justice may be done upon the wilful

opposers thereof;" according to Isa. ii. 2, 3, xiv. 23, 24; Jer. 1, 4,

5; Ezek. xxxvii. 16, 17; Zech. ii. 11. viii. 21, 22; Gal. v. 12.

"But through the peace and union of the kingdoms (while duly subordinate

to the interest of religion) was a great blessing of God unto both, and

a bond which we are bound to preserve inviolated, and to endeavor that

justice may be done upon the wilful opposers thereof; yet some in this

land, who have come under the bond of the Covenant, have made it their

great study how to dissolve this union, and few or no endeavors have

been used by any of us for punishing of such;" yea, very little, or none

at all, have the most of us been concerned about this Article; whether

there be peace with, or holiness and truth in, the other kingdoms; or

what sort of peace, or on what foundation it be settled: both kingdoms

are mutually guilty of dissolving this Covenant Union, in invading each

other, at several times, contrary to the Covenant, the English nation

in subjecting us to their conquest, and forcing us to a submission to

their Sectarian usurpations on church and state; and this nation, in

giving such provocations to them, by the unlawful engagement in the year

1648, by treating with, setting up and entertaining, the head of the

malignant party, their enemy and ours both, as our King in the year

1650, and invading them upon his quarrel, at the Worcester expedition,

Anno 1651; since which time, after that kingdom and this both united in

that unhappy course of restoring the King, without respect to the

Covenant, and re-establishing the Prelacy, which broke our Covenanted

Union and Conjunction, that nation hath sometimes sent aid to our

persecutors, for suppressing our attempts to recover our religion and

liberties; and this nation hath sent forces to help their destroyers,

and to suppress their endeavors for the recovery of their privileges.

And in the mean time, we have been very little solicitous for

correspondence to settle union with such of them as owned the Covenant,

or for giving to, or receiving from them, mutual informations of our

respective cases and conditions, under all our calamities and calumnies

cast upon us: nor have we studied to keep sympathy or communion of

saints, or mutual bearing of one another's burdens, as became covenanted

brethren.

On the other hand instead of union in truth and duty according to the

bond of the Covenant, a confederacy hath been studied in defection from

the Covenant, and an union and peace which wanted the foundation laid

down in the foregoing Articles of the Covenant, viz., "uniformity in

doctrine, worship, discipline and government, against Popery, Prelacy,

Schism, Sectarianism, for our religion, laws and liberties, and

discovering, suppressing and punishing the enemies of these interests."

Such an Union has not been studied nor sought, but on the contrary an

Union against the Reformation and Uniformity, for Prelacy and

Sectarianism multiformity, by maintaining tyranny and strengthening

malignancy. Yea, by the means of this incorporating Union now of late

established, Prelacy is not only strengthened and confirmed, but so

settled as to continue to all succeeding generations, and this nation's

slavery as well as their sin perpetuated. And persons of all ranks have

had a deep hand in this trespass: the nobility and gentry who

represented the nation, in surrendering their own and the nation's

rights and privileges; ministers in not warning them faithfully to

beware of that covenant-breaking course, which could not but provoke God

to anger against this poor island, but showing more concern in that

juncture for settling their own, then for securing and advancing

Christ's interest; and the body of the land, in that they did not bestir

themselves, for the defence of their own liberties in a lawful way.

In the sixth Article we are bound, "according to our places and

callings, in this common cause of religion, liberty and peace, to assist

and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant, in the

maintaining thereof. And in the National Covenant, in like manner, we

are bound to stand to the mutual defence and assistance, every one of us

of another, in the same cause, with our best counsel, our bodies, means,

and whole power, against all sorts of persons whatsoever; so that

whatsoever shall be done to the least of us for that cause, should be

taken as done to all of us in general, and to every one of us in

particular." A duty very clear in the scriptures; Judges v. 23; 1 Chron.

xii. 1, 18; Neh. iv. 14; Prov. xxiv. 11, 12.

The Auchensaugh Renovation of the National Covenant and Solemn League and Covenant With the Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, as They Were Renewed at Auchensaugh, Near Douglas, July 24, 1712. (Compared With the Editions of Paisley, 1820, and Belfast, 1835.) Also, The Renovation of These Public Federal Deeds Ordained at Philadelphia, October 8, 1880, by the Reformed Presbytery, with Accommodation of the Original Covenants, in Both Transactions, to Their Times and Positions Respectively · 第 3 / 4 章

Act 131, Parl. 8, K. James VI. and the subjects' liberties, who ought