laration offered him by the committee of estates, and the commission
of the General Assembly, concerning his former carriage, and resolution
for the future, in reference to the cause of God, and enemies and
friends thereof; doth therefore declare "That this kirk and kingdom do
not espouse any malignant party, quarrel, or interest, but that they
fight merely upon their former grounds and principles, and in the
defense of the cause of GOD, and of the kingdom, as they have done these
twelve years past: and therefore as they disclaim all the sin and guilt
of the king and of his house, so they will not own him nor his interest,
otherwise than with a subordination to GOD, and so far as he owns and
prosecutes the cause of GOD, and disclaims his, and his father's
opposition to the work of GOD and to the covenant," &c. The which
declaration being seen and considered by the committee of estates, was
the same day approven by them. Thus, both church and state exerted
themselves in the discharge of their duty, in order to obtain a
settlement, according to the word of God, and the covenants, which were
now become the _magna charta_ of the privileges and liberties of the
nations, both civil and religious; and therefore, were sworn to and
subscribed by Charles II, as was also the coronation oath, for the
security and preservation of the true religion, at his receipt of the
royal power.

2. The presbytery testify and declare their approbation of the conduct
of the faithful, before the restoration, who, adhering to the aforesaid
fundamental constitutions of the nations, both refused subjection unto,
and testified against, the usurpation of _Oliver Cromwell_ and his
accomplices, his invading the land, his anti-christian toleration of all
sectarian errors and heresies, threatening the ruin and destruction of
the true religion, as well as liberty. This was particularly testified
against by the synod of _Fife_, and others in conjunction with them, as
wicked and intolerable; as opposite unto, and condemned by, the
Scriptures of truth, _Job_ xxxiv, 17; _Deut._ xiii, 1-12; _Zech._ xiii,
3; contrary to acts of assembly and parliament, made against malignants,
their being received into places of power and trust, with whom these
sectarians were compliers, such as _Act_ 16th, of _Assemb._ 1646,
_Sess._ 13th; _Act_ 26th, _Sess._ 2d, parliament _Charles_ I, &c.

3. The presbytery do hereby heartily approve and homologate the
testimony borne unto the