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ACT, DECLARATION,

AND

TESTIMONY,

FOR THE

WHOLE OF OUR COVENANTED REFORMATION, AS ATTAINEDTO, AND ESTABLISHED IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND;PARTICULARLY BETWIXT THE YEARS 1638AND 1649, INCLUSIVE.

AS, ALSO,

AGAINST ALL THE STEPS OF DEFECTION FROM SAID REFORMATION, WHETHER INFORMER OR LATER TIMES, SINCE THE OVERTHROW OF THATGLORIOUS WORK, DOWN TO THIS PRESENT DAY:

BY THE REFORMED PRESBYTERY.

* * * * *

PSALM IX, 4.—Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee: that itmay be displayed because of the truth.

ISAIAH VIII, 16.—Bind up the testimony, seal the law among mydisciples.

JUDE, verse 3.—That ye should earnestly contend for the faith which wasonce delivered to the saints.

REVELATION III, 11.—Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thouhast, that no man take thy crown.

* * * * *

TO WHICH IS NOW ADDED,

A HISTORICAL AND DECLARATORY SUPPLEMENT.

1850.

INTRODUCTION.

The Presbytery, soon after their erection, being convinced of theexpediency and necessity of emitting a judicial testimony, to discoverto the world the principles upon which, as a judicatory of the LordJesus Christ, they stood, in opposition to the different, so called,judicatories in the land; together with the agreeableness of theseprinciples to the Word of God, the only rule of faith and practice, andto the covenanted constitution of the church of Scotland in her purestperiods; did therefore, after a proposal for said effect, agree inappointing one of their number to prepare a draft of this kind to belaid before them, who, after sundry delays, to their grief of mind, atonce cut off their hopes of all assistance from him, in that or anyother particular, by laying himself obnoxious to the censures of thechurch; which the presbytery, in duty both to him, to God, and to hispeople, were obliged to put in execution against him, while he, incontempt of that ordinance, and other means used for his conviction andrecovery, obstinately persists in his impenitency and defection. Andalthough the presbytery, few in number, were thus diminished, yet, beingstill resolved to prosecute their former design, they renewed theirappointment upon another brother, who, in consequence of hisundertaking, was allowed a cessation from his other public work, inorder to expedite the proposed draft: and now, when nothing was expectedthat should retard the finishing of such a necessary work, thelamentable fire of division, that had long been smothered, unhappilybroke forth into a violent flame, whereby the presbytery was rentasunder, and that brother, on whom the appointment was formerly laid,happening to be of the separating party, a second stop was not only putto the publication of this testimony, but the presbytery, from theabsence of a brother removed to a distant part of the world, togetherwith the paucity of their number, were almost wholly discouraged fromattempting again what they had been oftener than once disappointed in.

But notwithstanding of the above, with many other difficulties which weshall not at present take notice of, the presbytery, still considering,that, even in their present circumstances, when their number is few anddespicable, their adversaries many, and such as are in repute in theworld, whereby the opposition made

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