. "to keep a day with all the people for folemn prayer and fafting, bewailing former fins, renewing baptifmal engagements, and, with the greateft ferioufnefs, dedicating themselves and the land unto the Lord." The Affembly 1704 fet on foot that noble project of propagating Chriftian Knowledge in the Highlands, Iflands, and foreign parts of the world, by erecting charityfchools and otherwife, which they began by a voluntary fubfcription and contribution through the nation, inftructing their commiffioner to encourage and carry on the faid defign, which was done from time to time, until they obtained letters patent from the fovereign, anno 1700, for erecting the fubfcribers into a fociety and corporation for managing that affair; and many collections have our Affemblies appointed for that blessed defign, whereby, and by donations from pious perfons both at home and abroad to the fociety, their stock is greatly increased, and they are now enabled to maintain above 130 charity schools in our Highlands and Islands at home, befides feveral miffionary in America, for propagating Christianity among the Heathen. And we have certain information of the happy fuccess of these fchools at home; thousands of ignorant and barbarous people have been civilized and reformed, and many of them, we hope, have become truly religious. Like wife, the Affembly have been at great pains to get new impreflions of the Bible in Irish, and alfo to get the Palms, Confeffion of Faith, Larger and Shorter Catechifms, tranflated into Irifh, and difperfed through the Highlands; and by the help of pioufly difpofed perfons, both in this and our neighbour nation, they have got to the number of 80 libraries fettled in particular places through the Highlands and Islands. And what reafon have we and all Scotfmen to give thanks to God for directing, countenancing, and profpering this noble defign fo far in our land? They alfo eftablished an excellent form of procefs in church judicatories with relation to feandals and cenfures, by act 11. Aff. 17073 likewife an ufeful method for minifterial vifitation of families, by act 10. Aff. 1708. Thefe, Thefe, and many other good things, have our old fuffering minifters and our General Affembly been inftruments, under God, to fet on foot and promotę, fince the Revolution; for which we defire always to offer up our hearty thanksgiving and praises to Almighty God, for helping them fo far in advancing our holy religion. It has been indeed complained by fome, that after the Revolution they did not pafs diftinct reciflory acts, for Chrift's Headship after his Church, the Divine right of Prefbytery, the Church's Intrinfic Power, the Ob ligation of our Covenants, &c. No doubt it might be fome ftop to them, that the magiftrate entertained a jealous eye then upon the church, with refpect to thefe points, left they thould have carried matters to too great heights against thofe who differed from them; and therefore the king and Parliament, Parl. 1. feff. 2. refcinded all the old acts in favours of the church, which enjoined civil pains upon their fentences of excommunication. Yet, notwithstanding, we wish they had done more, if poffible, for afferting these principles which they held, than they did, immediately after the Revolution. Had they forefeen what a handle their not doing it would have given to fome to promote a feparation from this church, we perfuade ourselves they would have effayed to have done more. Thofe old fufferers indeed might reckon that the world was fufficiently apprised of their principles with refpect to forefaid points, and that no man would queftion them, feeing they had hazarded the lofs of all things for adhering to them; for it was upon that very account they were caft out of their houses and benefices, imprisoned, fined, banished, and hunted as partridges on the mountain. And although they paft not diftinct Affertory Acts with respect to these points, yet we have plain declarations of their mind about them in feveral public acts and deeds. It was upon their folicitation that the Parliament, June 7. 1690, past an act for eftablishing Prefbyterian govern nent among us, as being agreeable to the word of God; and at the fame time ratified our Confeffion of Faith, and inferted it verbatim in their public records, in which Confeflion 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 affume to himself the administration 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 first 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 Christ, 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 confent 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 Jefu Chrift." Alfo, they approved the feveral fynod books through Scotland, which had Affertory Ads recorded in in them, for Chrift's Headship, the Divine Right of : Prefbytery, the Church's Intrinfic Power," &c. To prevent which approbation, was the reafon (as then. generally believed) why the commiflioner diffolved the preceding Affembly. Again, the Aff mbly 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, a& 11. declare, that" our Lord Jefus Chrift hath inftituted a government, and governors ecclesiastical in his house, with power to meet for the order and government thereof." And as for the Divine right of Prefbytery, the affembly 1711 do exprefsly declare for it in their 10th act, when they appoint all entrants to the ministry, 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 also 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 doc. trine and worship, and to the utmoft of their power, in their station, affert, maintain and defend the difcipline and Prefbyterian government of this church, by kirkfeffions prefbyteries, provincial fynods, and general asfemblies, during all the days of their lives." Whereby all minifters and preachers do plainly renew our cove nants. 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 inftituted 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 3 B 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 persons 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 cur Lord Jesus 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 Eraftian 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 declention. But, alas! her degeneracy and defection hath of late years become too vifible; and out 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 moft intent about it, not knowing the nature or articles, whether it was a |