or undue influence. 6. That the Affembly order, that congregations who have been aggrieved by the fettlement of ministers without their confent, fhall be treated with compaffion and lenity; and to fall upon methods to 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 Affembly, 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 confcientious 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 godlinefs, and into their acquaintance with the true gofpel-fcheme of justification, and the way of making-use of Christ, 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 these acts and rules. 9. That the Affembly declare, that as it is the duty of minifters, 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 church ed t

tories

acts and proceedings of t prefbyteries be injoinn attefting ruling elders iffions, and parof the 9th act appointed to aufe read the hufe or atteft

any

any elder.

11. 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 fafts and thankfgivings may be more frequently appointed, when God in his providence calls unto them; and that no occafion be given to any to say that the church has refigned her power into the hands of the magistrate. And feeing at this time there is a manifest 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: Wherefore we think it our duty to plead with humility, that the General Affembly would lay these things to heart, and appoint a folemn national faft 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 fast, 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 fhedding the blood of God's fervants and people for not complying with the evil courfes of thefe times; the Erafian encroachments made upon the Headfhip 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 intrufions made upon congregations, and the fcattering

of

of the Lord's flock; the abounding of all manner of profanity and immorality, Atheism and blafphemy, efpecially in our armies and fleets, which, alas! are fo great and avowed in them, that, inftead of ferving as a hedge and defence to us, their fins may provoke the Lord to bring defolating ftrokes both on them and u3. Thefe, and many other fins, evils and defections, before mentioned and witneffed against in this Teftimony (to which we refer) may very fitly be brought in among the causes of a national faft, feeing they greatly abound in the land; and especially that fin which may be reckoned the fource of all the reft, namely, the "undervaluing of redeeming love, and flighting of the Lord Jefus Chrift" offered to us in the gofpel, and our woful mifimprovement of the means of grace, and walking unanfwerably to them.

V. As we think ourselves bound thus to plead with our Mother, to do away her fins and provocations, and put a stop to all her defections; fo we think it our duty to plead with her to deliberate upon, and take the most proper and effectual methods for reviving the power of godlinefs, and the practice of gofpel-holiness; and particulary that our General Affemblies, when they meet, would fet apart diets for these ends, and would also recommend it warmly to fynods, prefbyteries, kirk-feffions, and private Chriftians, to confult together for promoting religion and godlinefs in the bounds where they live, and to have their fet times of meeting for fpiritual conference, fafting, prayer and wrestling, for the downpouring of the Spirit upon the whole church and land, for awakening, convincing, converting and reforming a fecure and finful people; and at these meetings to quicken, excite and exhort one another to all religious duties and Chriftian offices, looking earneftly to the Lord for his Spirit's influence and fpecial bleffing upon all these means and endeavours, and continuing ftill in the ufe of means, waiting for a more plentiful effufion of the Spirit, until at length the whole land arrive at the happy frame and difpofi. tion of our forefathers, when they with one confent renewed covenant with God, and dedicated themelves

and their posterity unto the Lord. And that they recommend it especially to the minifters to be exemplary and actively infrumental in fuch religious projects and defigns among their people, and even to travail in birth till Chrift be formed in their fouls; and carefully to obferve the directions of the 7th act of Affembly 1736, concerning the preaching of Chrift and regeneration to them, and preffing morality in a gospel-strain; and in their miniftrations to make a difference betwixt the precious and the vile, between humble, praying circumfpect Chriftians, and formal profeffors; to honour them that fear the Lord, though they be poor; to speak well of them, fupport their characters against enemies and fcoffers, and carry with them greater familiarity to them than others.

O how pleasant and defirable a fight would it be, to fee minifters, elders and Chriftians, joining in fuch noble defigns and endeavours! What a promising token for good would it be, if all the minifters and members of this church were fetting about wrestling and prayer for the Lord's returning unto us by his Spirit, and endeavouring a perfonal and general reformation of all that is wrong among us, and in this way ftudying to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, with all lowlinefs, meeknefs and long suffering, forbearing one another in love! These things, if gone into, we hope would tend to the glory of God, the honour and welfare of this church, the credit of the holy ministry, the edification and comfort of the Lord's people, and the healing of our prefent miferable rents and breaches.

ADVERTISEMENT.

ADVERTISEMENT.

T is fit the Reader fhould know, that the preceding

the Affembly 1744; otherwife fome occurrences, which have made fome noise fince that time, had been noticed in it, fome of which I fhall mention in a Poftfcript after the Adherence and subscriptions fubjoined to this Teftimony.

Likewife it is proper to acquaint the Reader (left he be surprised with the paucity of the fubfcribers) that there were not very many who had opportunity to see and perufe the Testimony before it was published; and a great part of those who did fee it, though they agreed to the fcope and fubftance of it, in regard it contained their fentiments, yet they thought not proper to fubfcribe it upon fome prudential confiderations, which (with all fubmiffion) I cannot fay have the fame weight with me as with them. Yet at the fame time I am bound in juftice to own, that fundry of these are perfons whom I highly value, and reckon to be real friends of truth and reformation as well as others. Wherefore, when I found things turn out in this manner, and not as I expected, I defifted from afking more fubfcriptions to this Teflimony, which (as told in the Preface and in the Adherence) was not defigned to be the badge of a party, or a term of communion. But if any now, upon feeing and confidering this Teftimony when published, with the reasons for it, fhall incline to join with it, and fend their fubfcriptions to the Printer, with fuch form of Adherence, Exceptions or Amendments, as they think proper, they fhall be taken in, and juftice done them in a fecond Edition, if it be called for.

As for those who have willingly offered their fubfcriptions to this Effay I could not warrantably fupprefs them, though few, without their own confent. God may countenance the honeft mints of a small number when he thinks fit. Wherefore I shall annex them here, with the form of Adherence which they agreed unto.

ADHERENCE.