rch of Scotland in her purest times
of Reformation. And if we consider schism under this notion, as we ought
to do, then will we find that the greatest part of the land is guilty of
it. Few are firmly and constantly adhering to the attained Reformation;
but many upon the left hand, have turned aside to compliance with
Prelacy and Erastianism, and so have by their defection broken the
church's _beauty_ and _bands_, order and union, in making a faction
repugnant to her established order, and, censurable by all her standing
acts, in bringing innovations in the government, and making a rent in
the bowels of the church; by causing divisions and offences contrary to
the doctrine of the church; whereby they have made themselves guilty of
schism; and some have fallen into delusions and dotages upon the right
hand, who, in seeking to be religious above what is commanded, have come
short of the truth of religion, and made a faction repugnant to this
covenant. Some, being private persons, have pretended an immediate
commission to preach the word, and administer the sacraments. Others,
being stumbled with the defection of the time, have turned aside to
independency. "Some upon slender and insufficient grounds, have and do
separate both from faithful ministers and Christian societies and
families, because of difference in judgment and incident debates,
wherein the testimony of Christ is not much concerned; or because of
personal offences easily removed, not observing the rules of Christ for
removing of them, not having respect to his great commands of charity,
forbearance, forgiving one another, or condescendency. And among divided
parties, which in our day have been long biting and devouring one
another, there hath been too much both of sinful union and confederacy
in terms prejudicial to truth; as our joinings in the _Angus regiment_,
at the _Revolution_, and our guarding and supplicating that corrupt
_Convention of Estates_, which consisted mostly of such as had been
directly or indirectly guilty of the murder of the Lord's people; and
upon the other hand, there hath been too much of sinful heats,
animosities, and jealousies, pride, passion, and prejudice, grieving the
Spirit of the Lord, and eating out the power and life, and much
hindering the holy practice and spiritual exercise of religion."

_We have been so far from endeavouring to extirpate profaneness, another
evil engaged against in the covenant, and condemned in the Word