a, quod Dei cultum corruptum vel
eversum restituerint, vel curam gesserint religionis, ut sub illis pura et
incolumis floreret_. The twenty-first Parliament of king James, holden at
Edinburgh 1612, in the ratification of the acts and conclusions of the
General Assembly, kept in Glasgow 1610, did innovate and change some words
of that oath of allegiance which the General Assembly, in reference to the
conference kept 1751, ordained to be given to the person provided to any
benefice with cure, in the time of his admission, by the ordinate. For the
form of the oath, set down by the Act of the Assembly, beginneth thus: "I,
A. B., now nominate and admitted to the kirk of D., utterly testify and
declare in my conscience, that the right excellent, right high, and mighty
prince, James VI., by the grace of God king of Scots, is the only lawful
supreme governor of this realm, as well in things temporal as in the
conservation and purgation of religion," &c. But the form of the oath set
down by the Act of Parliament beginneth thus: "I, A. B., now nominate and
admitted to the kirk of D., testify and declare in my conscience, that the
right excellent, &c., is the only lawful supreme governor of this realm,
as well in matters spiritual and ecclesiastical, as in things temporal,"
&c. Yet I demand, whether or not do the _matters spiritual and
ecclesiastical_, of which the Act of Parliament speaketh, or those _all
spiritual or ecclesiastical things or causes_, of which the English oath
of supremacy speaketh, comprehend any other thing than is comprehended
under _the conservation and purgation of religion_, whereof the Act of
Assembly speaketh? If it be answered affirmatively, it will follow that
princes have power to destruction, and not to edification only; for
whatsoever may edify or profit the church, pertaineth either to the
conservation or the purgation of religion. If negatively, then it cannot
be denied that the conservation and purgation of religion do comprehend
all the power which princes have in things ecclesiastical.

_Sect._ 32. Now to the assumption. And first, that the controverted
ceremonies pertain not to the conservation of religion, but contrariwise
to the hurt and prejudice of the same, experience hath, alas! made it too
manifest; for O what a doleful decay of religion have they drawn with them
in this land! Let them who have seen Scotland in her first glory tell how
it was then, and how it is now. Idle and idol-like bis