ror.

though we are far from thinking that this church hath adopted or homologated any of their errors, yet many well-wishers of the church are of opinion they were not fufficiently animadverted upon, but too easily difmiffed, which may give encouragements to others to spread erAnd therefore we beg leave to plead, that the General Affembly would in the most proper manner testify their abhorrence of these errors whereof the forefaid perfons were accused, and these Popish errors which the Epifcopal clergy are introducing, and other errors which are propagated through the island; and give warnning to all the minifters and members of this church to guard against them, and study to prevent the infection of them: aud particularly thefe errors which ftrike a gainst the doctrine of the glorious Trinity, and the onenefs of the Godhead; or against the fupreme Deity of our bleffed Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift; or against the doctrines of free grace, in our juftification and falvation; and of the glory of God being the chief spring and motive of virtue and religion. And also, that the Affembly would declare, that it is not fufficient to affoilzie any man proceffed for error, that he profess his adherence to our Confeffion of Faith, or explain his words into a fenfe confiftent with it; but that he exprefsly renounce those errors which are charged upon him from his words, according to the plain and obvious fense of them.

II. We would alfo plead, that though the precious doctrines of the fupremacy and headship of our Lord Jefus Chrift over his church, and the church's intrinfic power derived from him, are well afferted in our Confeffion of Faith, Larger Catechifm, Form of Churchgovernment approven by Assembly 1645, Form of Procefs 1707, and other public deeds of this church, agreeably to the holy Scriptures; yet, in regard fome things have been done both of old and of late which appear not fo agreeable to these excellent principles, that the Affembly would declare their deteftation of every thing, whether in fentiment or practice, that is inconfiftent with Chrift's Headship, and the church's intrinsic power, afferted in our Confeffion of Faith, particularly chap. lasb

A

xxx. Sect. 1, 2. in thefer words; "The Lord Jefus Chrift, as King and Head of his church, hath therein appointed a government in the hand of church officers, diftinct from the civil magistrate. To thefe officers the keys of the kingdom of heaven are committed," &c.

III. We muft likewife plead with our Mother, to cleave closely to our reformation principles, and carry always towards the grievance of patronage as a finful ufurpation upon the church of God, as the church hath frequently declared both of old and of late. And although we know there have been laudable endeavours ufed by this church to be freed from this ufurpation, fuch as the commiffion's addrefs in the year 1712, approved by the next Affembly; the memorial of Affembly 1715; the commiffion's fending minifters to London in 1717 to feek relief from it; and alfo the commiffion 1734, and again the Affembly 1735, fending commiffioners with addreffes for repealing the patronage-act and when all these endeavours proved unfuccessful, the Affembly 1736 did, by their folemn and deliberate resolution, printed to the world, give it as their judgment that it was ftill most just and fit, upon the first favourable occafion, to apply for redress of this grievance; and did record their weighty grounds and reafons for it and alfo the faid Affembly 1736, act 14. did affert our principles against intrufions, and homologate our standards and former good acts of Affembly relative thereto : Yet we cannot but lament, that, notwithstanding all thefe deeds, there are many ministers and preachers who ftill encourage and strengthen the ufurpation of patronage, and chufe fettlements by prefentations rather than by gospel calls, for which the law ftill leaves an open door. And the judicatories connive at this their unaccountable practice, and even obtrude feverals of them upon reluctant congregations, capable and willing to make a right choice for them. felves; which has occafioned a difmal scattering of the flock of Chrift, and miserable animofities, disorders, and distractions in many places of the land, to the great hindrance of the gofpel. For remedying whereof, it is humbly propofed, 1. That the General Affembly would

declare,

declare, that Prefbyteries having free accefs to moderate in calls to vacant parishes, and congregations having freedom to chufe their minifters, is a part of the difci pline and government of this church, which by the For mula 1711 all minifters and preachers are bound to fupport and maintain, and to do nothing directly or indirectly to the prejudice thereof, as it is there wordedi 2. That the Affembly would discharge all ministers andi preachers to take meafures to obtrude: themselves or o thers upon congregations against their will, by prefen tations or any other way; and to declare if any, by his accepting of or adhering to a prefentation, fhall stand in the way of a Prefbytery's free moderation, or ast parifh's free election, he shall be looked upon asta, deferter of the principles of this church, and treated as guilty of contraveening his folemn engagements by the faid Formula and otherwife. 3. That the Affembly: would inforce the 14th act of Affembly 1736 against intrufions, and take care in all fettlements, and in alle acts which may be framed concerning them, to maintain our principles, and the juft rights of Chriftian con gregations; and exprefsly difcharge all inferior judica tories to plant any parish contrary to the mind of the eldership and Chriftian people, with certification; fee ing there is no ground to expect that the great ends of. a gospel-miniftry can be obtained in fuch forced fettlements. 4. That the Affembly would enjoin all judica tories and minifters to have a due regard to all the members of Christ's flock, and to all ferious praying Christians, and not to defpife thofe of them who are poor and mean in the world, but to esteem and put honour upon them, and feek an intereft in their pray. ers, and have a regard to their inclinations in planting parishes and in all decifions about fettlements and cafes wherein the glory of God and good of fouls are highly concerned, to guard against the fear of man, which ‹ brings a fnare. And to beware of all such dax managements, or untender fteps, as may drive good men from judicatories or the communion of the church 5. That the Affembly take care that all concerned in calling of: minifters have freedom to act, without any compulfion

or

or undue influence. 6. That the Affembly order, that congregations who have been aggrieved by the fettlement of minifters without their confent, fhall be treated with compaffion and lenity; and to fall upon methods tó remove fuch minifters from them, when parishes cannot be brought to fubmit to them 7. That the Affembly appoint, that all appeals from the fentences of fynods be only to the General Affembly; and, if there be any of them which the Affembly cannot overtake, that they be referred to the commiffion, to be judged by them at meeting immediately after the Af fembly, when their diets are numerous; it not being. agreeable to Prefbyterian principles and parity, that a great number of minifters fhould be fubjected to the authority and judgement of a leffer. 8. That prefbyteries be strictly injoined to be most careful and confci entious in licenfing men to preach the gospel, and in obferving the many good acts of Affembly thereanent; and that both prefbyteries and fynods fhall enquire, not only into their literature, but alfo into their fenfe and favour of true godliness, and into their acquaintance with the true gofpel-fcheme of juftification, and the way of making-ufe of Chrift, and living by faith upon him, and with the work of the Spirit upon their fouls, and experimental religion; and alfo enquire into their fentiments concerning patronage and other grievances of the church: And that prefbyteries recommend none to fynods or other prefbyteries to be entered upon trials, but fuch as they can fafely atteft in terms of thefe acts and rules. 9. That the Affembly declare, that as it is the duty of ministers, fo they are still at full freedom, to testify in a becoming manner, and upon proper grounds against the prevailing corruptions of the times, and even against what is wrong in the acts and proceedings of church judicatories. 10. That prefbyteries be injoined to be strictly confcientious in attesting ruling elders who are to fit in Affemblies or commiffions, and par ticularly that they be qualified in terms of the 9th act of Affembly 1722, as their atteftation is appointed to bear; and that every prefbytery thall caufe read the faid act every time before they either chufe or attest VOL. IV.

3&

any

any 'elder.

1. That the Affembly make more narrow enquiry into the right and warrant which colleges and royal burghs have to chufe minifters or elders to fit in the General Affembly.

IV. We humbly plead that national fasts and thankf givings may be more frequently appointed, when God in his providence calls unto them; and that no occa fron be given to any to fay that the church has refigned her power into the hands of the magiftrate. And feeing at this time there is a manifeft growth of infidelity, error and impiety; of defections, grofs fins and abominations; of contempt of God, perjuries, and unneceffary multiplying of oaths; of woful divifions, breaches, and want of brotherly love and Chriftian charity; befides grieving of the Holy Spirit, and manifold fpiritual plagues every where abounding; and alfo the terrible judgements of the fword and plague raging in other nations, which may very foon reach us; all which are vifible tokens of the Lord's anger and indignation gone out against us, and call us loudly to mourning and humiliation before the Lord Where fore we think it our duty to plead with humility, that the General Affembly would lay these things to heart, and appoint a folemn national fast to be religiously obferved because of them: and that they would be more particular than heretofore, in enumerating the grounds and caufes of the faid faft, namely, Our own and our forefathers fins and defections, by covenant breaking,` and treacherons dealing with God, and the fearful indignities done to our folemn covenants in the late times, taken notice of by the Affembly 1701; the blafphemous advancing the magiftrate's fupremacy over the houfe of God; the impofing and taking of finful oaths, efpecially the felf-contradictory Teft; the shedding the blood of God's fervants and people for not complying with the evil courfes of thefe times; the Eraftian encroachments made upon the Headship of Chrift, and the rights and privileges of his church; the encouragement which is given to all manner of errors; our backflidings from reformation principles, the intrusions made upon congregations, and the scattering

of