And that all Christians in the world who have heard of it doe acknowledge that no such Covenant came from Heaven but from Hell, from whence cometh all portion of schisme.—Pag. [161].
Secondlie,—Dishonourable to this Kirk:—
For although it hath beene the glorie of our Kirk among foraign nations, that with the veritie of doctrine received, the puritie of discipline according to the word of God, whereby all errour in doctrine, superstitione in worship, and tyrannie in government, and especiallie all Poperie, hath beine opposed and removed; and that, of late, we have laboured to recover that puritie by removing these offices and corruptions that have no warrant by the Word of God, and re-establishing these office-bearers that are warranted by the same; notwithstanding, to the great dishonour of this Kirk, [it] is affirmed in this Declaration that there is a great deformitie in our service—no forme of publict prayer, but preachers, readers, and ignorant schoollemasters, praying in the church, sometymes so ignorantlie as it was a shame to all religion to have the Majestie of God so barbarouslie spocken to; sometymes so seditiouslie, that their prayers were plaine lybellis goeing against soveraignitie and auctoritie, or hes bein stuffed with all the false reportes of the kingdome.—Pag. [16].
That we have taken such a course to undermynd and blow up the Reformed Religion, that if the conclave of Rome, the severall colledges perpetuallie sitting at Rome for contryving and effecting the meanes of reducing all kingdomes to the Romane obedience; nay, if with both these, all the Jesuites and their most especiallie combyned and sworne enemies to our profession, all assembled in ane place, and had all their witts and devices concentred in ane conclusion and resolution, they could hardlie have fallen upon for turning all men out of the pathes of religion reformed, or have settled upon such courses which can bespeake no uther event but the undoubted everthrow of it, at least in that kingdome, unles God from heaven (which we hope) have all their cobble webs, contextures, in derision; that our maximes are the same with the Jesuites; that our preachours sermons have beine delivered in the very phrase of Becanus, Scippeius, and Swarez; that the meanes which we have used to induce credite with our proselytes, are meirlie Jesuitical fables, false reportes, false prophets, pretended inspirations and divinations of the weaker sex, as if now Herod and Pylat were once againe reconceiled for the ruine of Christ and his true religion.—P. [3] and 4.
That out conclusions are quite contrarie to the Confessions of all Reformed Churches in particular, and of our Scottish Positive Confession, and that all the weapons wherewith we now fight against these Protestant Conclusions, are stolen or borrowed out of the most rigide Jesuit Magazens; to witt, that we are to be accompted not as friends to the Kings Majestie, but as foes; not as Protestants, but as the most rigide of Papists, Jesuits; and so being without in this poynt, not bring scandall upon the reformed religion, and those who are not with the same, especiallie considering we have gone about to wound the reformed religion through the Kings Majesties sydes—Pag. [4].
That Ruleing Elders were brought in, onlie out of a feare that rigide ministers designed for the Assemblie, might want a sufficient number of their fellow ministers for their elections in their severall Presbitries.—Page [189].
That Mr David Mitchell was processed and deposed, for doctrines uncontraverted and generallie receaved by all Protestant Churches in the world.—Pag. [206].
That the processe against the Bishops was pursued with such malice, injustice, falshood, and scandall, not only to the reformed religion in particular, but to the Christian religion in generall, as it cannot be paralelled by any precedent of injustice in precedent ages; and which, if it were knowen among Turkes, Pagans, or Infidells, would make them abhorre the Christian Religion, if they did thinke it would either countenance or could cousist with such abominable impietie and injustice.—Pag. [207].
That some used a notable trick of forgerie and Romish imposture, for advancing the worke of reformation, by working upon the weaknes of a young maid, and makeing choyse of her as a fitt instrument to abuse the people.—Pag. [226], [227].
That such was our blind obstinacie, that we scorned that any one should sitt in the Assemblie who ran not in our rebellious courses, as holding it a dis-reputation to abate any thing of our power or will, and we would be sure to clippe the winges of auctoritie.—Pag. [245].