; and for the land thou gavest unto
our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold we
are servants in it: and it yieldeth much increase unto the kings which
thou hast set over us, because of our sins; also they have dominion over
our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great
distress."

Likewise the Presbytery testify against all ministerial or church
communion with such, who, though they may occupy the place of
office-bearers in the church of Christ, yet are destitute of those
qualifications indispensably required by the church's Head, or enter not
into their office by the door he has appointed in his word, own another
head than Christ, or apostatize and fall from the truth and cause of
Christ, formerly espoused and sworn to by them in a church capacity;
against all active owning and countenancing of such, by attending upon
any of their corrupt official ministrations, or receiving any ordinances
from such, to whom the Lord has denied his blessing. Against all
voluntary contracting with prelates, curates, or such officers of human
invention in the church, for paying tithes or other dues unto them, as
unto lawful, scriptural parish ministers. For besides that there is
nothing due unto them, their office having no divine authority; so there
being under the New Testament a change of the priesthood, there is also
a change of the law, respecting tithes; according to 2 Cor. vi, 17; Rev.
ii, 20, &c.

By all which it appears, from what is above asserted and declared
concerning these two divine distinct ordinances, the ministry and
magistracy, that the principles maintained thereanent by the Presbytery,
are nothing else than an endeavor, as a judicatory of the Lord Jesus
Christ, constituted in his name, to hold fast the church of _Scotland's_
testimony, agreeable to the scriptures of truth, for confession and
covenants, fundamental acts and constitutions both of church and state
and this, according to the command of the church's sole King and Head;
Rev. ii, 25, and iii, 11. And what is testified against, is, in the
nature of it, an homologation of the church's faithful opposition to
backsliders, in their course of defection, from the national,
attainments in religion and reformation, resisting even unto blood,
striving against sin.

XVIII. OF OATHS AND VOWS.--The Presbytery further assert and declare,
that oaths and vows are a part of religious worship, warranted in the
word of