James VI. and as idolaters, Act 104. Parl. 7. King James VI. Bur alfo in particular, by and attour the Confeffion of Faith, do abolifle and condemn the Pope's authority and jurifdiction out of this land, and ordains the maintainers thereof to be punished, Act 2. Parl. 1. Act 51. Parl. 3. Act 106. Parl. 7. Act 114. Parl. 12. King James VI. do condemn the Pope's erroneous doctrine, or any other errone ous doctrine repugnant to any of the articles of the true and Chriftian religion, publicly preached, and by law established in this realm; and ordains the fpreaders and makers of books or libels, or letters or writs of that nature, to be punished, Act 46. Parl. 3. Act 106. Parl. 7. Act 24. Parl. 11. King James VI. do condemn all baptifna conform to the Pope's kirk, and the idolatry of the mafs; and ordains all fayers, wilful hearers and concealers of the mafs, the maintainers and refetters of the priests, Jefuits, trafficking Papifts, to be punished without any exception or reftriction, Act 5. Parl. 1. Act 120. Parl. 12. Act 164. Parl. 13. Act 193. Parl. 14. Act 1. Parl. 19. Act 5. Parl. 20. King James VI. do condemn all erroneous books and writs containing erroneous doctrine against the religi on presently profeffed, or containing fuperftitious rites and ceremonies papistical, whereby the people are greatly abufed; and ordains the home bringers of them to be punished, Act 25. Parl. 11. King James VI. do condemn the monuments and dregs of bygone idolatry, as going crofles, obferving the feftival days of faints, and fuch other fuperftitious and papistical rites to the dishonour of God, contempt of true religion, and fostering of great error among the people; and ordains the ufers of them to be punished for the fecond fault, as idolaters, Act 104. Parl. 7. King James VI.

Likeas, many Acts of Parliament are conceived for maintainance of God's true and Chriftian religion, and the purity thereof, in doctrine and facraments of the true Church of God, the liberty and freedom thereof, in her national, fynodal Affemblies, prefbyteries, feffions, policy, difcipline, and jurifdiction thereof; as that purity of religion, and liberty of the Church was ufed, profeffed, exercifed, preach ed and confeffed according to the reformation of religion in this realm. As for inftance, the 99th Act, Parl. 7. Act 25. Parl. 11. Act 114. Parl. 12. Act 160. Parl. 13. of King James VI. ratified by the 4th Act of King Charles. So that the 6th Act, Parl. 1. and 68th Act, Parl. 6. of King James VI. in the year of God 1579; declares the Minifters of the blefied evangel, whom God of his mercy had raised up, or hereafter should raife, agreeing with them that then lived, in doctrine and adminiftration of the facraments; and the people that profeffed Chrift, as he was then offered in the evangel, and doth communicate with the holy facraments (as in the reformed kirks of this realm they were prefently adminiftrate) according to the Confeffion of Faith; to be the true and holy kirk of Chrift Jefus within this realm. And decerns and declares all and fundry, who either gainfay the word of the evangel received and approved; as the heads of the Confeffion of Faith, profeffed in Parliament, in the year of God 1560, fpecified alfo in the firft Parliament of King James VI. and ratified in this prefent Parliament more particularly do ex

prefs;

prefs; or that refufe the adminiftration of the holy facraments, as they were then ministrated; to be no members of the faid kirk within this realm, and true religion presently profefled, fo long as they keep themselves fo divided from the fociety of Chrift's body. And the fubfequent Act 69. Parl. 6. of King James VI. declares, that there is no other face of kirk, nor other face of religion, than was prefently at that time, by the favour of God, eftablished within this realm: "Which therefore is ever ftiled God's true religion, Chrift's true re"gion, the true and Chriftian religion, and a perfect religion;" which by manifold acts of Parliament, all within this realm are bound to profefs, to fubfcribe the articles thereof, the Confeffion of Faith, to recant all doctrine and errors repugnant to any of the faid articles, Act 4. and 9. Parl. 1. Acts 45, 46, 47, Parl. 3. Act 71. Parl. 6. Act 106. Parl. 7. Act 24. Parl. 11. Acts 123 Parl. 12. Act 194, and 197. Parl. 14. of King James VI. And all Magiftrates, Sheriffs, &c. on the one part, are ordained to fearch, apprehend, and punish all contraveeners: For inftance, Act 5. Parl. 1. Act. 104. Parl. 7. Act 25. Parl. II. King James VI. and that notwithstanding of the King's Majefty's licences on the contrary, which are difcharged, and declared to be of no force, in fo far as they tend in any wife to the prejudice and hinder of the execution of the acts of Parliament against Papifts and adverfaries of true religion, Act 106. Parl. 7. King James VI. Cn the other part, in the 47th Act, Parl. 3. King James VI. it is declared and ordained, Seeing the caufe of God's true religion, and his Highnefs's authority are fo joined, as the hurt of the one is common to both; that none fhall be reputed as loyal and faithful fubjects to our fovering Lord, or his authority, but be punishable as rebellers and gainftanders of the fame, who fhall not give their confeffion, and make their profeffion of the faid true religion: And that they, who, after defection, fhall give the confefsion of their faith of new, they fhall promise to continue therein in time coming, to maintain our fovereign Lord's authority, and at the uttermoft of their power, to fortify, affift, and maintain the true preachers and profeffors of Chrift's religiou, against whatsoever enemies and gainftanders of the fame; and namely against all fuch, of whatfoever nation, eftate, or degree, they be of, that have joined and bound themselves, or have affisted, or affift, to fet forward and execute the cruel decrees of the council of Trent, contrary to the true preachers and profeflors of the word of God; which is repeated, word by word, in the articles of pacification at Perth, the 23d of February 1572, approved by parliament the last of April 1573, ratified in parliament 1587, and related Act 123. Parl. 12. of King James VI. with this addition, "That they "are bound to refift all treasonable uproars and hoftilities raised a"gainst the true religion, the King's Majefty, and the true profef"fors."

Likeas, all lieges are bound to maintain the King's Majefty's royal perfon and authority, the authority of parliaments, without the which, neither any laws or lawful judicatories can be established, Act 130. and 131. Parl. 8. king James VI. and the subjects liberties, who ought only to live and be governed by the King's laws, the com

mon

mon laws of this realm allenarly, Act 48. Parl. 3. King James I. Act 79. Parl. 6. King James IV. repeated in the Act 11. Parl. 8. King James VI. which if they be innovated and prejudged, "the "commiffion anent the union of the two kingdoms of Scotland "and England, which is the fole act of the 17th Parl. of King (6 James VI. declares," fuch confufion would enfue 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 Majefty's royal defcent hath been thefe many ages maintained, but alfo the peoples fecurity of their lands, livings, rights, offices, liberties, and dignities, preferved. And therefore, for the prefervation of the faid true religion, laws, and liberties of this kingdom, it is statute by the 8th Act, Parl. 1. repeated in the 99th Act, Parl. 7. ratified in the 23d Act, Parl. 11. and 114th Act, Parl. 12. of King James VI. and 4th Act, Parl. 1. of King Charles I. That all Kings and Princes at their coronation, and reception of their princely authority, fhall make their faithful promife by their folemn oath, in the prefence of the eternal God, that, enduring the whole time of their lives, they shall serve the fame eternal God, to the uttermoft of their power, according as he hath required in his most holy word, contained in the Old and New Testaments; and according to the fame word, shall maintain the true religion of Chrift Jefus, the preaching of his holy word, the due and right ministration of the facraments, now received and preached within this realm, (according to the Confeffion of Faith, immediately preceeding), and fhall abolish and gainftand all falfe religion contrary to the fame; and fhall rule the people committed to their charge, according to the will and command of God revealed in his forefaid word, and according to the laudable laws and conftitutions received in this realm, nowife repugnant to the faid will of the eternal God; and fhall procure, to the uttermost of their power, to the Kirk of God, and whole Chriftian 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 fhall be convicted by the true Kirk of God of the forefaid crimes: which was also obferved by his Majefty, 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, and of many yet living among us, which was warranted alfo by act of council, comanding a general band to be made and subscribed by his Majefty's fubjects of all ranks; for two caufes: one was, For defending the true religion, as it was then reformed, and is expreffed in the Confeffion of Faith above written, and a former large Confeffion established by fandry acts of lawful General Affemblies and of Parliaments, unto which it hath relation, fet down in public Catechifins; and which had been for many years, with a bleffing from Heaven, preached and profeffed in this kirk and kingdom, as God's undoubted truth, ground-ed only upon his written word. The other caufe was, For maintain3 M ing

ing the King's Majefty, his perfon and eftate, the true worship of God, and the King's authority, being fo ftraitly joined as that they had the fame friends and common enemies, and did stand and fall together. And finally, being convinced in our minds, and confeffing with our mouths, that the prefent and fucceeding generations in this land, are bound to keep the forefaid national oath and fubfcription inviolable.

We Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burgeffes, Minifters, and Commons under-fubfcribing, confidering divers times before, and efpeci ally at this time, the danger of the true reformed religion, of the King's honour, and of the public peace of the kingdom, by the manifold innovations and evils, generally contained, and particularly mentioned in our late fupplicacions, complaints, and proteftations, do hereby profefs, and before God, his angels, and the world, folemnly declare, That with our whole heart we agree, and refolve all the days of our life conftantly to adhere unto and to defend the forefaid 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, till they be tried and allowed in free Affemblies and in Parliaments) to labour, by all means lawful, to recover the purity and liberty of the Gofpel, as it was established and profeffed before the forefaid novations. And because, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and undoubtedly believe, that the innovations and evils contained in our fupplications, complaints, and proteftations, have no warrant of the word of God, are contrary to the articles of the forefaid Confeffion, to the intention and meaning of the bleffed reformers of religion in this land, to the above written acts of Parliament; and do fenfibly tend to the re-establishing of the Popish religion and tyranny, and to the fubverfion and ruin of the true reformed religion, and of our liberties, laws, and estates: We alfo declare, That the forefaid Confeffions are to be interpreted, and ought to be understood of the forefaid novations and evils, no les than if every one of them had been expreffed in the forefaid Confef fions; and that we are obliged to deteft and abhor them, amongst other particular heads of Papiftry abjured therein. And therefore, from the knowledge and confcience of our duty to God, to our King and country, without any worldly refpect or inducement, fo'far as human infirmity will fuffer, wishing a further measure of the grace of God for this effect: We promife and fwear by the GREAT NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD, to continue in the profeffion and obedience of the forefaid religion; and that we fhall defend the fame, and refift all these contrary errors and corrupti ons, according to our vocation, and to the uttermoft of that power that God hath put in our hands, all the days of our life.

And, in like manner, with the fame. heart, we declare before God and men, That we have no intention nor defire to attempt any thing that may turn to the difhonour of God, or to the diminution of the King's greatness and authority; but, on the contrary, we promife

and

and fwear, That we fhall, to the uttermoft of our power, with our means and lives, ftand to the defence of our dread Sovereign the King's Majesty his perfon and authority, in the defence and prefervation of the forefaid true religion, liberties, and laws of the kingdom: As alfo, to the mutual defence and affistance every one of us of another, in the fame cause of maintaining the true religion, and his Majesty's authority, with our beft counfel, our bodies, means, and whole power, against all forts of perfons whatfoever; fo that whatsoever shall be done to the leat of us for that cause, shall be taken as done to us all in general, and to every one of us in particular. And that we shall neither directly nor indirectly fuffer ourfelves to be divided or withdrawn, by whatfoever fuggeftion, combination, allurement, or terror, from this blefied and loyal conjunction: Nor fhall caft in any let or impediment that may stay or hinder any fuch refolution as by common confent fhall be found to conduce for fo good ends; but on the contrary fhall by all lawful means labour to further and promote the fame : And if any fuch dangerous and divifive motion be made to us by word or writ, we, and every one of us, fhall either fupprefs it, or, if need be, fhall incontinent make the fame known, that it may be timeously obviated. ther do we fear the foul afperfions of rebellion, combination, or what elfe our adverfaries, from their craft and malice, would put upon us ; feeing what we do is fo well warranted, and arifeth from an unfeigned defire to maintain the true worship of God, the Majefty of our King, and the peace of the kingdom, for the common happiness of ourfelves and our posterity.

Nei

And because we cannot look for a bleffing from God upon our proceedings, except with our profeffion and fubfcription we join fuch a life and converfation as befeemeth Chriftians who have renewed their covenant with God; we therefore faithfully promise for ourselves, our followers, and all other under us, both public, and in our particular families, and perfonal carriage, to endeavour to keep ourselves within the bounds of Chriftian liberty, and to be good examples to others of all godlinefs, fobernefs, and righteoufnefs, 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 witnefs, who knoweth this to be our fincere defire and unfeigned refolution, as we shall answer to JESUS CHRIST in the great day, and under the pain of God's everlasting wrath and of infamy and lofs of all honour and respect in this world: Moft humbly befeeching the LORD to ftrengthen us by his HOLY SPIRIT for this end, and to blefs our defires and proceedings with a happy fuccefs; that religion and righteoufiiefs may flourish in the land to the glory of GOD, the honour of our King, and peace and comfort of us all. In witness whereof we have fubfcribed with our hands all the premisles.

THE