ion constitution,
both civil and ecclesiastical, which they did not in their testimony
condemn as sinful; but, on the contrary, acknowledged the civil
constitution lawful, notwithstanding of their complaining of some
defects and omissions therein. Of which error in the foundation, it may
be said, in respect of all the mal-administrations since, it was _fons
et origo mali_. And seeing, in and by the revolution constitution, the
nation was involved in the guilt of apostasy and treachery, in
subverting and overturning the good and laudable laws for true religion
and right liberty, a faint declaring against some omissions cannot be
accounted sufficient; especially when what is thus partly complained of,
is at the same time complexly extolled, as a great and glorious
deliverance to the church and nation. Their testimony further appears to
be partial and unfaithful, considering that their secession was not from
the constitution of the Revolution Church, but in a partial and limited
way, from a prevailing corrupt party in the judicatories of the church:
upon which footing it was, that some of greatest note among them made
their accession after their first secession, expressly declaring so
much; whereby they have injured the true state of the testimony which
the Lord honored his covenanted Church of _Scotland_ to bear; which is
stated against all lukewarm and _Laodicean_ professors, as well as open
enemies, and against all Erastian usurpation, and sectarian invasion on
the cause of Christ. Moreover, their unfaithfulness in point of
testimony, convincingly appears from their bitter contentions, and
almost endless disputes among themselves, after their breach, upon the
religious clause of some burgess oaths, anent the true state of their
own testimony, whether lifted up against the revolution constitution of
the church, and settlement of religion, or not. Had necessary and real
faithfulness been studied, in stating their testimony clearly and
plainly, against all the defection, and apostasy of the day from a
covenanted reformation, there had been no occasion for such a dispute
among them. And now, when the one party have more openly avowed their
unfaithfulness, in receding from almost everything that had the least
appearance of faithfulness to the cause and covenant of God, in their
former testimony, and professedly adopted the revolution settlement, as
theirs, acknowledging the constitutions, both civil and ecclesiastical,
as law