ur
worthy and religious progenitors,----which was warranted also by Act of
Council, commanding a general bond to be made and subscribed by his
Majesty's subjects of all ranks, for two causes: one was, for defending
the true religion as it was then reformed, and is expressed in the
Confession of faith above-mentioned, and a former large Confession
established by sundry acts of lawful General Assemblies, and of
Parliament, unto which it hath relation, set down in public Catechisms,
and which had been for many years (with a blessing from heaven) preached
and professed in this kirk and kingdom as God's undoubted truth,
grounded only upon his written Word. The other cause was, for
maintaining the King's Majesty, his person, and estate; the true worship
of God and the King's authority being so straitly joined as that they
had the same friends and common enemies and did stand and fall together;
and finally, being convinced in our minds, and confessing with our
mouths, that the present and succeeding generations in this land are
bound to keep the foresaid national oath and subscription inviolable.
We,------------under subscribing, considering divers times before, and
especially at this time, the danger of the true reformed religion
--------, and of the public peace of the kingdom; by the manifold
innovations and evils generally contained and particularly mentioned,
[in supplications, complaints, and protestations,[8]] do hereby
profess, and before God, his angels, and the world, solemnly declare,
that with our whole hearts we agree and resolve, all the days of our
life, constantly to adhere unto and defend the foresaid 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,[9]
till they be tried and allowed in free assemblies and in Parliaments,)
to labor by all means lawful to recover the purity and liberty of the
gospel, as it was established and professed before the foresaid
novations; and because, after due examination, we plainly perceive, and
undoubtedly believe, that the evils contained in our [supplications,
complaints, and protestations,[10]] have no warrant of the Word of God;
are contrary to the articles of the foresaid Confessions, to the
intention and meaning of the blessed reformers of religion in this land,
to the above-written Acts of Parliamen