t they are not ashamed of
this surrendering of our Lord's prerogative to his enemies they have, in
their Assembly, holden at Edinburgh, Anno 1710, most explicitly and
fully subscribed to this ecclesiastical supremacy, in their Act for
observation of fasts, wherein they affirm, "that it is much for the
honor of God that fasts whether appointed' by the church, or the civil
magistrate, be duly observed."

In that same third Article, we are likewise bound to defend "The supreme
magistrate's person and authority, in the preservation and defence of
the true religion and liberties of the kingdom:" as in the National
Covenant is expressed: likewise, "to defend his person and authority, in
the defence of Christ his evangel, liberties of our country,
ministration of justice, and punishment of iniquity; and to stand to his
defence, in the defence of the true religion, liberties and laws of the
kingdom;" as the duty is qualified in scripture.

II Sam. v. 3.; II Kings xi. 17; II Chron. xxvi. 16, 17, 18, 21; Rom.
xiii. 3, 4, 6; I Pet. ii. 13, 14.

As our fathers in their acknowledgments had reason to say, "Neither hath
it been our care to avoid these things which might harden the king in
his evil way; but, upon the contrary he hath not only been permitted,
but many of us have been instrumental to make him exercise his power in
many things tending to the prejudice of religion, and of the Covenant,
and of the peace and safety of these kingdoms; which is so far from the
right way of preserving his Majesty's person and authority that it
cannot but provoke the Lord against him unto the hazard of both. Nay,
under a pretence of relieving and doing for the king, whilst he refuses
to do what was necessary for the house of God, some have ranversed and
violated most of all the Articles of the Covenant."

So, during the unhappy days of the late tyranny, it was the land's sin
and shame, and ought to be our sorrow, that men were mounted upon a
throne of iniquity whose main design and practice was to subvert
religion and persecute it, to introduce Popery itself and slavery, to
destroy the nation's liberties, suppress the evangel, and oppress its
professors; who enacted and executed manifest injustice, stopped the
ministration of justice against idolaters, adulterers, murderers, and
other malefactors, and punished equity and duty, instead of iniquity;
arrogated and obtained a monstrous prerogative above all rights and
privileges of Parliaments,