It hath pleased the holy and wise God, to exercise the church of Scotland now of a long time, with wrestling and warfaring, under the yoke of cruel oppressors, who have made it their whole work to extirpate the true worship and worshippers of God out of the land, they make it highly criminal to own Christ as sole supreme over his own house, to mention any adherence to Scotland's reformation and covenants, and to take the written word of God to be the only rule of faith and manners, discerning any to forfeit right to estate, life, and liberty who are of Presbyterian principles, who will not make a full surrender of conscience unto them, to be carried about as they please, complying with all contradictions, and contradictory impositions which their diabolic spirits may invent, who are clearly seen to be void of all religion, reason, and humanity; so that they proceed against all recusants with the height of barbarity and hellish cruelty, refusing to hear them profess subjection to rulers only in the Lord, and according to his word, yea, cutting them off in the fields without giving them any time to deliberate upon death, yea oftentimes without so much as to commit their spirits unto the Lord, but butcherously slaying them, without taking notice what they are, or what (according to their own law) is to be led against them: Moreover, these arbitrarians have so raged, that they have now brought the land to that (Oh! poor miserable and lamentable slavery) that the freest subject and best gentleman in the kingdom, is by their acts, laws, and proceedings holden obliged to give an oath super inquirendis before any single soldier or dragoon meeting them upon the way. Lo all this and much more, we have met with, as just upon the Lord's part, though most unjust upon man's for our manifold sins and iniquities; and in a special manner for our not purging our judicatories and armies, when the power was in our hands, of men disaffected to the cause and interest of Christ; for our bringing in known malignants to places of power and trust among us; and for inordinate affection unto, and lusting after the deceast tyrant, Charles the Second, and advancing him to the regal throne, even while known by many palpable discoveries (as are to be seen in the causes of God's wrath with the church of Scotland) to retain his heart enmity at the covenanted work of reformation, which sins we desire to confess and mourn for, before God, angels and men; as also our sin in not timeously rejecting the foresaid Charles, when he brake covenant and all parts of his coronation oath: howbeit fearing the lying under such a sin any longer, when we were brought to a very small remnant, we did by open declarations, disclaim his pretended authority, upon many important grounds and reasons, as is to be seen elsewhere, particularly in our declaration published at Lanerk, January 12, 1682 years. All which declarations we do hereby ratify and approve.

So now, the Lord in his goodness and wisdom having removed the foresaid Charles from his tyranny by death: and a few wicked and unprincipled men of this kingdom, having by open proclamation proclaimed James duke of York, though a profest Papist and excommunicate person, and not yet received into the church again, to be king of Scotland, England, France, and Ireland: we the contending and suffering remnant of the true Presbyterians of the church of Scotland, calling to mind the many bonds and obligations that lie upon us from the Lord; and being desirous to be found faithful in this day of temptation, to avoid accession to the guilt in which many have involved themselves, to exoner our consciences as in his sight, to testify our resentment of the deed, and to make it appear unto the world that we are free thereof, whether by concurrence or connivance; do here deliberately, jointly, and unanimously protest against the foresaid proclamation of James duke of York, to be king, as said is, in regard that it is the choosing a murderer to be a governor, who hath shed the blood of the saints of God; in regard that it is the height of confederacy with an idolater, which is forbidden by the law of God: in regard that it is contrary to the declaration of the general assembly of the church of Scotland, of the date 27th July 1649 years; in regard that it is contrary to many wholesome and laudable acts of parliament, as act 8, parliament first, repeated in the 99th act, parliament 7, ratified in the 23d act, parliament 11. 114th act, parliament 12 of King James VI. For there is a continual obligation & stipulation between a king & people, as both of them are tied to God, so each of them are tied to other, for the performance of mutual & reciprocal Duties; And as contrare to 24th act, parliament 11, King James VI. where papists are discerned to be punished by manifold civil and ecclesiastic pains, as adversaries to God's true religion: yea, they are ordained to be punished as common enemies to all Christian government; act 8, parliament 16, King James VI. And in regard that it is inconsistent with the safety of the faith, conscience, and Christian liberty of Christian people, to choose a subject of Antichrist to be their (especially supreme) magistrate. And so it is, that we understand that part of the 4th sect. chap. 23, of our Confession of Faith, and in a general and abstract sense, where it is said (in opposition to sectarians, who assert that such are not lawful kings, who either know not Christ, or believe not in him) that infidelity or difference in religion, doth not make void the magistrate's just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him: We acknowledge it to be true indeed, that infidels and these of a different religion are not (chiefly because such) presently to be declared no magistrates, for magistratus non est magistratus qua Christianus, sed qua homo: so it is that the magistratical power considered generaliter, given for the good of human societies, may be in the person of an infidel, or one of a different religion, but considered specialter, given for the good of the church, it is only in the person of a professor of the true religion. Hence, in travelling or trafficking in foreign lands, be the persons in whom is the power, infidels or of a different religion, we cannot refuse subjection to their laws, so far as they are consistent with the written word of God, and our true Christian liberty. Howbeit, our covenants and acts of parliament have put a bar upon the admission of any person, if either infidels or of a different religion, while such, to govern in Scotland: and the practice of our church confirms it, in refusing the crown to the late deceast tyrant Charles II. until he subscribed such demands as were sent unto him; and especially upon the admission of a known enemy to the true religion, to govern: for it could not but be both highly sinful and irrational for us, to entrust an enemy to the work and people of God, with the interest of both.

Also conceiving that this pretended parliament is not a lawful parliament, in regard that the election of commissioners is limited and prejudged, in the due liberty thereof, by their acts and laws: in regard that the members are convicted of avowed perjury, which, according to the Scottish law, maketh a man incapable of being so much as a witness, in regard they are men of blood, the chief being convicted of avowed murder, whereby they are under the lash of the law; and in regard of their carrying on apostacy, and making way for the man of sin: we do in the like manner, upon these and many other important grounds and reasons, protest against the validity and constitution of this present parliament, as not being free and lawful against their assuming to themselves any authority, or exercising any power or jurisdiction, for making of acts or laws for judging of causes, determining of controversies, or proceeding in any parliamentary way. And in particular, we protest against their proceeding to any approbation or ratification of the foresaid proclamation of James duke of York, to be king, as said is: and that they may not go on further, to set the crown upon his head, they being incapable to give it, & he to receive it.

And further seeing, bloody Papists, the subjects of Antichrist, become so hopeful, bold, and confident, under the perfidy of the said James duke of York, and popery itself so eminent, and (oh lamentable!) like to be intruded again (if God's mercy and power meeting together in a wonderful way prevent it not) upon these covenanted lands, an open door being made thereunto, by its accursed and abjured harbinger Prelacy, which these three kingdoms are equally sworn against. We do in the like manner, protest against all kind of popery in general and particular heads, the jurisdiction of the pope, all the heretical and erroneous doctrine of the church of Rome, their tyrannous laws made against Christian liberty, their erroneous and bloody decrees, their vain ceremonies and superstitions, their allegories, rites, signs, and traditions, their laws, statues, acts, constitutions, canons, civil or municipal, with all other ordinances and practique penalties whatsoever, made in prejudice of the true religion and the professors thereof, or of the true church discipline, and jurisdiction or freedom thereof, and every other thing contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godliness, abjured most explicitly by our national covenant, abrogated, annulled, and rescinded by our acts of parliament, as act 3. Act 31, parl. 1. Act 23, parl. 11. Act 114. parl. 12. Act 5, parl. 20, King James VI. We say, we do protest against all kind of Popery whatsoever, against its entering against into this land, and against every thing that doth, or may directly or indirectly, make way for the same, disclaiming likewise all sectarianism, malignancy, and any confederacy therewith.

Moreover, taking to our serious consideration, the low, deplorable and obscured state of the churches of England and Ireland, and that we are all bound in one covenant and solemn league together, we (in the bowels of Christ) do in like manner hereby admonish you our brethren in these our neighbouring and covenanted lands, that ye remember how far ye have sadly failed in pursuing the ends of our covenants (as we ourselves also have done, which we desire to confess, imploring God's forgiveness to you and us both) how ye have suffered your Lord's enemies to rob you of all your privileges and pleasant things: how ye have given up yourselves to be seduced by complying lukewarm and court flattering brethren; and how ye have passed by, lightly looking upon our bleeding wounds, denying us help, though we have been like to give up the ghost; and what great accession ye have to the giving Popery such an open door to enter upon our land again. Remember these things, and consider what the Lord is now calling for at our hand: break off your sinful ways by repentance; and abandon all lukewarmness and indifferency in the Lord's matters, give up with your own things; be tender of God's declarative glory, which is lying at the stake: quit yourselves like Christians and men; and stretch your hands to the helping, strengthening, encouraging, and comforting a poor wasted, wronged, wounded, reproached, despised, and bleeding remnant (with whom you are in covenant) setting yourselves against all the injuries and affronts done to our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, against the man of sin, the kingdom of Antichrist, and all the limbs and parts thereof. And here, with all sincerity of mind, and unfeignedness of resolution, we promise to act unto you the part of covenanted brethren in the Lord, to the utmost of our power. Likewise, we do hereby in like manner, call unto you, all protestant reformed churches, kingdoms, and commonwealths, that you would take to your serious consideration the low and dangerous state of the gospel interest, and advert to the growth and increase of popery in all places, bestirring yourselves timeously against it, lest ye be too late, and lose what much blood and contending may not recover again; considering the distressed case, whereinto we are brought, as a share of the true protestant interest; and refreshing us with your help: and withal, as ye tender the advantage of Christ's cause, which to own is the Christian's glory, that ye engage not yourselves in any quarrel, or with any person whatsomever, till you know that the quarrel be rightly stated, and that the persons in the judgment of charity are seeking the advancement of the kingdom of Christ, lest that ye join yourselves to these who may lead you back to Egypt, and so you provoke the Lord to destroy you in the wilderness.

Finally, we being misrepresented to many, by the wicked malice of our avowed enemies, and the sinful prejudice of others, who misrepresenting our late declaration, affixed at several parish church doors (which we do hereby ratify and approve) perverting the true and obvious sense thereof. And through blind malice and prejudice mistaking our designs therein (else their consciences give their tongue the lie) hold us forth as persons of murdering and assassinating principles: all which principles and practices, we do hereby declare before God, angels and men, that we abhor, renounce, and detest, as also all manner of robbing of any, whether open enemies, or others, which we are most falsely aspersed with, either in their gold, their silver, their gear, or any household stuff. Their money perish with themselves; the Lord knows that our eyes are not after these things. And in like manner, we do hereby disclaim all unwarrantable practices committed by any few persons reputed to be of us, whereby the Lord hath been offended, his cause wronged, and we all made to endure the scourge of tongues; for which things we have desired to make conscience of mourning before the Lord, both in public and private. As the unwarrantable manner of killing that curate of Carspharin (though he was a man of death, both by the law of God and man, and the fact not materially murder) it being gone about contrary to our declaration, without deliberation, common or competent consent, (the conclusion and deed being known only to three or four person) in a rash, and not in a Christian manner. And also other offences being committed at the time, which miscarriages have proven a mean to stop and retard lawful, laudable, and warrantable proceedings, both as to matter and manner. But let not guilty persons think themselves indemnified. Howbeit, we require and hope, that all whosoever in this our land, our neighbour or foreign lands, who have not a wilful prejudice at the cause and way of God, will not give ear unto reports, which stated enemies, or prejudiced pretended friends give of us, that they will not impute the miscarriages of one or more persons, to us or all of us; who desire that nothing may be looked on hereafter, as our deed, which wanteth common consent or approbation, and that they will not receive a wrong impression of us and our proceedings: for we call the living God, the Searcher of hearts, to witness, that this only is our sincere desire, and unfeigned resolution, to continue in the profession and obedience of the true religion of Jesus Christ, according to his word, our covenants, national and solemn league, to defend the same, and to resist all contrary errors, corruptions, and innovations, according to our vocation, and the utmost of the power that God doth, or may put in our hands.

Now, we hope none who have not made a full surrender of conscience, and are not bent to welcome popery into the land, will be offended at what we have here done: For, in the Lord's sight, we durst do no less, whatever occasion of persecution our God's enemies may take from the same: For we could not see at the time any other way to discharge our duty before the Lord, to exoner our consciences, and to free ourselves of the connivance at popery, which we pray the Lord may stop, and not lay the guilt of its increase to the charge of us and our posterity.

Therefore, we appoint and ordain, that incontinently ye our emissaries pass upon the twenty-eighth day of May 1685 years, unto the market cross of Sanquhar; and there, by open proclamation, make intimation of this our declaration, leaving copies of the same affixed upon the foresaid market cross, and other patent places of the foresaid burgh.

Given at       upon the 28^th day of May 1685.

Let King Jesus reign, and all his enemies be scattered.