of abjured, diocesan and erastian prelacy, and the several degrees of
compliance therewith; as ministers leaving their pastoral charge, at the
command of the magistrate, and laying aside the exercise of their
ministry, giving way unto, and not testifying against the intrusions of
prelatic curates: Particularly owning and submitting to their ministry,
and receiving ordinances dispensed by them, and by counsel and example,
encouraging others to do the like; which we cannot but plead and protest
against, as sinful and scandalous.

1. Because they were, and are manifest intruders, not entering in at the
door, in the way and order of Christ, and not having, yea despising and
renouncing a call from the people, and ordination by the presbytery and
having no other external call, authority, or right to officiate in this
church, as its proper pastors, but the collation of bishops, and
presentation of patrons, who are none of Christ's officers, and
forfeiting and foregoing any other right, that any of them formerly
could pretend to, by palpable defection to the enemies of this church.

2. Because both in principle and profession, and in the way of their
entry unto their pastoral charge, they were, and are erastians, deriving
their power from, and subjecting it in its exercise to another head than
Christ, the magistrate's supremacy, by which only they were authorised,
without Christ's warrant, or the church's consent.

3. Because they were and are schismatics, who caused divisions and
offences, contrary to the doctrine of this church, breaking her union
and order, going out themselves from the fellowship of this church, and
leading people away from her vowed reformation; yea, who violently
thrust out, and persecuted her faithful pastors and children, for
adhering to that reformation, which they designed to raze and ruin.

4. Because they were, and are perjured covenant breakers, avowedly
disowning our covenants, and stated in opposition to that reformation,
which is therein sworn to be maintained.

5. Because they were, and are in several points erroneous, in their
doctrine, many of them tainted with the leaven of popery, arminianism,
and socinianism, and all of them hetrodox, in the point of the
magistrate's power in church matters, in the matter of oaths, and in
condemning the work of our reformation, and covenants; seducing thereby
their hearers, and both positively by these doctrines, and privately by
with-holding other nec