speeches delivered on that occasion, for the encouragement
of the brethren to abide by their duty, by the moderator, Mr. Alexander
Henderson, and others, ministers and elders, exhorting them to show
themselves as zealous for CHRIST their LORD and Master, in his
interests, as he had shewed himself zealous for his master; they
unanimously agreed that they should continue and abide by their work
until they had concluded all things needful, and that on all hazards.
And so they proceeded to the examination of that complaint against the
bishops, who, on account of their, tyranny, superstition, and teaching
of Popish, Arminian, and Pelagian errors, were all laid under the
sentence of deposition; and many of them, for their personal
profaneness, wickedness and debauchery proven against them, together
with their contumacy, were also excommunicated with the greater
excommunication, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit might
be saved in the day of the LORD JESUS. They gave their approbation of
the National Covenant; and Prelacy, with the five articles of Perth,
were found and declared to be abjured by it, together with the civil
places and power of kirkmen, their sitting on the bench as justices of
the peace, sitting in council, and voting in parliament. Subscription of
the Confession of faith, or covenant, was also enjoined, presbyterian
church government justified and approven, and an act made for holding
yearly General Assemblies; with many other acts and constitutions
tending to the advancement of that begun reformation, and purging the
church of CHRIST of those sinful innovations, crept into it, which may
be seen more at large in the printed acts of that assembly. The lawful
and just freedom which the church now claimed and stood upon, so highly
incensed the court, because their Erastian encroachments were not
yielded to, that all warlike preparations were speedily made for having
them again reduced, by force of arms, to their former slavery. Yet, what
evil seemed intended against the church by the king, with his popish and
prelatical accomplices, was by her exalted King and Head happily
prevented, and they obliged, at least, to feign subjection, and yield to
a pacification. In which it was concluded, that an assembly be holden at
Edinburgh, _August 6th_, 1639, and the parliament the 20th of the same
month, that same year, for healing the wide breaches, and redressing the
grievances both of church and state; that w