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Confeffion it is exprefsly afferted, chap. 30. fect. 1, 2. "The Lord Jefus, as King and Head of his Church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church-officers, diftinct from the civil magiftrate. To thofe officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed," &c. And, chap. 26. fect. 6. " There is no Head of the Church but the Lord Jefus Chrift." And, chap. 23. fect. 3." The civil magiftrate may not asfume to himself the adminiftration of the word and facraments, or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven," &c. Likewife they refcinded the act for the king's fupremacy in church affairs. Our firft Affembly, by many acts, have approven our Confeffion with all aforefaid articles, and appointed all the members of this church to adhere thereto; alfo minifters, elders, and intrants to the miniftry, are bound to make folemn profeffion thereof, and fubfcribe the fame; and parents at baptifm are daily required to train up their children according to it.

Likewife the moderators of all our Affemblies, at the clofe of every Affembly, do publicly affert and declare before the king's high Commiffioner, that "as the Affembly meet in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, the only King and Head of his church, fo they part in the fame name ;" and alfo they name the diet of the next Affembly. And when the commiffioner diffolved the Affembly 1692 abruptly, without naming a diet for another, the moderator did, in his face, with consent of the whole Affembly, remonftrate against it, and declare, that the office-bearers in the house of God have a fpiritual intrinfic power from Jefus Chrift, the only Head of his Church, to meet in Affemblies about the affairs thereof;" and he named a diet for another Affembly. All this is recorded in the Affembly's books. In like manner did the Affembly remonftrate, when diffolved in the year 1703. And the very next Affembly 1704, in their anfwer to the queen's letter, do plainly tell her, that "they were now again met in a National Affembly in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift." Alfo, they approved the feveral fynod books through Scotland, which had Affertory Acts recorded

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in them, for Chrift's Headfhip, the Divine Right of Prefbytery, the Church's Intrinfic Power," &c. To prevent which approbation, was the reafon (as then generally believed) why the commiffioner diffolved the preceding Affembly. Again, the Affembly 1705, in their 7th act concerning Mr Hepburn, do affert in plain words, that the Lord Jefus Chrift is the alone King and Head of the Church." And Aff. 1707, at 11. declare, that our Lord Jefus Chrift hath inftituted a government, and governors ecclefiaitical in his house, with power to meet for the order and government thereof."

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And as for the Divine right of Prefbytery, the af fembly 1711 do exprefsly declare for it in their 10th act, when they appoint all entrants to the miniftry, both when licensed and ordained, to fubfcribe and declare, not only that our Confeffion of Faith and purity of worship are founded upon the word of God, but alfo that the Prefbyterian government and difcipline of this church are founded upon the word of God, and agreeable thereto;" and alfo folemnly to engage that they will firmly and conftantly adhere to the faid doctrine and worship, and to the utmost of their power, in their ftation, affert, maintain and defend the difcipline and Prefbyterian government of this church, by kirkfeffions prefbyteries, provincial fynods, and general af femblies, during all the days of their lives." Whereby all minifters and preachers do plainly renew our covenants. And that minifters in former years were of the fame mind, appears by the church's declaration by their commiffion in the year 1698, published in their Seafonable Admonition, p. 5. in which they fay, "We do believe and own that Jefus Chrift is the only Head and King of his church and that he hath instituted in his church, officers and ordinances, order and government, and not left it to the will of man, magiftrate or church, to alter at their pleafure. And we believe this government is neither prelatical nor congregational, but prefbyterian, which now, through the mercy of God, is eftablished amongst us; and believe we have a better foundation for this our church-government, than the VOL. IV. inclination

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inclination of the people, or laws of men," &c. And that commiffion's whole actings and conclufions were ratified and approven by Aff. 1699, act 12. Befides all which, our affemblies and commiffions have frequently owned the obligation of our covenants, by mentioning the breaches of men among our caufes of fafting. Aff. 1700, act 5. they lament" our continued unfaithfulness to God, notwithstanding of our folemn covenants and engagements to the contrary." Again, Aff. 1701, act 9. they fay, "Our fins are the more aggravated, that they are againft fo many folemn repeated vows and engagements, and covenants with our God, which have been openly violated and broken by perfons of all ranks, and treated with public contempt, indignities and affronts," &c. We blefs God, that has determined our church to own these truths fo openly, over the belly of all their difficulties and difcouragements; and we defire heartily to join with them in declaring for the "Headship of our Lord Jefus Chrift" over his church, in oppofition to the pope, magiftrate or any other; likewife for the "fpiritual intrinfic power of the church" to chufe her officers, meet in her judicatories, inflict cenfures, and govern the church, in oppofition to all Erastian opinions or practices promoted by any party or perfon whatfomever ; as alfo for the Divine right of Prefbyterian government in the church, in oppofition to Prelacy, independency, &c. and for the lafting obligation of our covenants, feeing they bind us to nothing but what we are antecedently bound to by the Scriptures of truth.

Thus the church of Scotland continued owning and adhering to her antient principles and doctrines, and ufing means to promote religion through the land for many years after the revolution, without any visible declension. But, alas! her degeneracy and defection hath of late years become too visible, and our Union with England in 1707 may be looked upon as the chief fource thereof, next to the corruption of our hearts. When this transaction came to be laid before the Scots parliament in 1706, the nation was most intent about it, not knowing the nature or articles, whether it was

a federal or incorporating union: but when it was feen to be the latter, and the majority of the house difpofed to agree to it, both the church and the body of the people were vaftly uneafy, great numbers of addreffes came up against it, and infurrections were much feared. The commiffion by appointment fat during the whole feffion, and was exceeding numerous; members attending by turns. They prefented three addreffes to the parliament, the firft was for " an unalterable fecurity of the eftablished religion, to the people of this land and all fucceeding generations, fo far as human laws can go."

To fatisfy them, the parliament enacted, That "the establishment of the doctrine, worthip, difcipline and Pefbyterian government of this church should be held as an unalterable, fundamental and effential condition of the Union of the two kingdoms," if concluded. This feemed to quiet many, reckoning the fecurity of the church not fo precarious and uncertain, when thus eftablished by the mutual agreement of both parliaments in a folemn treaty of Union, than when fettled by acts of the Scots parliament only; for the faith of the English in keeping trea ties was at this time much spoken of. But the moft part of the church continued ftill averfe to an incorporating union, and their coming under the jurifdiction of a British parliament, in which the English members, being prelatical, would be ten to one of Scots members : wherefore the commiffion prefented a fecond addrefs, declaring this averfion. They indeed met with great oppofition from noblemen and gentlemen, elders in the commiffion, who had views of temporal offices and advantages from court by being for the Union: yet they reprefented the grievancs the church and her members might fall under by the Union, fuch as daths, tefts and impofitions inconfiftent with their principles. And in their addrefs they plainly teftified againft" the subjec ing of this nation to a British parliament, in which twenty fix prelates would be conftituent members and legiflators; For (fay they) it is contrary to our known principles and covenants, that any churchman fhould bear civil offices, or have power in the commonwealth." To 3 B 2 this

this they got no answer, fave a claufe put in the act for fecuring the church, that "no oath, test or subscription, fhall ever be impofed within the bounds of this church and kingdom contrary to our Prefbyterian establishment." By which (it is to be regreted) the parliament neither fhewed regard to the principles of Scotfmen when out of the kingdom, nor to the obligation of our covenants: nay they proceeeded to worfe afterwards, by declaring that "the parliament of England might provide for the fecurity of the church of England within the bounds of that kingdom, as they should think expedient;" whereby they confented to the fecuring of the prelacy and ceremonies of that church as a fundamental of the union. This being both against the word of God and our folemn league, we have cause to mourn over it as a national breach of covenant, in fome refpect; though it is a mercy the church was helped to remonftrate against it; for the commiffion, when informed of it, presently prefented a third address (though greatly opposed) craving that "there might be no such stipulation or confent for the establishment of the hierarchy and ceremonies, as they would not involve themfelves. and the nation in guilt," &c. From all which it is evident, that this church did remonstrate against making an union with England upon terms not confiftent with our ancient covenant-union with that kingdom: for the enfuing affembly 1707 approved the commiffion in what they did.

But, notwithstanding of the church's remonstrance against this union and the forefaid finful tipulation, it was concluded and ratified by both parliaments; but it doth not appear that this memorable transaction has been followed with the fpecial bleffings of heaven, feeing it hath brought on very much fin, and many growing evils upon this poor land, to the difhonour of God, and decay of true Christianity among us. For after the Union, when our correfpondence and communication with the English was greatly increased, the Lord's day began to be profaned after their example, and other immoralities much to abound, and the societies for reformation of manners to dwindle away. Likewise our nobility and

gentry

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