truths and royal prerogatives of Christ, as
King of Zion, by the witnesses and martyrs for the same, from the
restoration, _anno_ 1660, to the late revolution, by protestations,
declarations, confiscation of goods, bonds, imprisonment, banishment,
all kinds of cruelty and suffering, even unto the death (as noticed
above), by the impious revolters from the righteous laws of God, and
overturners of the just and equitable laws of men, both sacred and
civil; to the maintenance whereof, the greatest part of these
transgressors had bound themselves by the most sacred and inviolable
obligations, which made their wickedness the more daring and aggravated,
and the testimony of the saints against such as had made themselves so
vile in the sight of God and all good men, the more justifiable. _Psalm_
cxix, 139: "My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have
forgotten thy words." And as the doers of the law have the promise of
justification by the great Legislator, _Rom._ ii, 13, so they ought to
have the approbation of his people for doing his will.

And as the Spirit discovers the church's duty not to consist only in
bearing witness unto the truth, and justifying Christ's confessors and
martyrs, in their faithful adherence unto it, but also in testifying
against sin, and condemning the wicked for their wickedness; for which,
also, we have the precedent of the reformed and covenanted church of
_Scotland_, both before and during the defection and wickedness of the
forementioned period. Likeas, the presbytery did, and hereby do declare
and testify particularly:

1. Against that prime and leading step of defection, the public
resolutions, a scheme projected by that arch hypocrite and traitor to
God, Charles II, for the reintroduction of men of the same wicked and
malignant spirit with himself, into places of public trust in the
nation--men, the most of whom had been formerly excommunicated by the
church, and excluded from all office-bearing in the commonwealth, by the
states, in their act of classes, as being avowed and obstinate enemies
to God and to their country. Which scheme, approven of and put in
execution, with the consent of a corrupt part of the ministry of the
church, called afterward resolutioners, made way for that sad and bloody
catastrophe, which after befel the poor church of Christ in this land.

2. They declare and testify against the usurpation of _Oliver Cromwell_,
with those who subjected themselves unto,