England, and Ireland was combined, and whatever may since have been its actual fate in any of these countries, its true and enlightened friends have never ceased to regard it as one common object of interest, and, so far as it was in their power to promote it, of endeavour and exertion. The steps taken to fulfil these sacred stipulations, the progress made in the work, and the causes of its being interrupted in England, endangered in Scotland, and at last perfidiously overthrown in the three kingdoms, are known to all who are not utter strangers to the most interesting and eventful period of the history of Britain.

The work of which we speak was properly onea reformation of religion; although we usually speak of it as ecclesiastical and civil, in respect of the two authorities engaged in carrying it on. The Ecclesiastical Reformation, in Scotland, consisted of what was done by the judicatories of the church, to whom it belonged directly and properly to set in order the house of God, and to correct what was amiss in religious profession or practice. This includes the condemning of the episcopal innovations and abuses, the reviving of the presbyterian worship and discipline, and in general the raising up of the ancient constitution of the church from the rubbish in which it had been buried for many years; all of which was preceded by the renewing of the National Covenant. It includes also the encouragement given by the General Assembly to the proposals of union with England and Ireland, their forming and promoting of the Solemn League and Covenant, sending of commissioners to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, receiving and approving of the formularies agreed on by that Assembly, and proceeding to act on them as subordinate standards of that religious unity and conjunction between the churches in the three kingdoms

which they had sworn to promote. The Civil Reformation consists in what was done by the civil authorities, within their sphere, and in co-operation with the ecclesiastical judicatories, for advancing the same cause. This includes what was done by the Parliament, or the Convention of Estates, in Scotland, (not to speak at present of the Parliament of England) in abolishing episcopacy, legalizing what the church had done in the revival of presbytery, entering into and prosecuting the ends of the League with England and Ireland, sanctioning the standards of uniformity, ratifying the liberties of the church and abolishing patronage, reforming places of power and trust, and settling the constitutional laws of the kingdom in such a way as to secure the reformation which had been attained.

When Seceders, in their Testimony and other pub. lic papers, speak of our Civil Reformation, they do not mean a reform objectively civil, or which embraced objects which were purely civil and political. They express an approbation of the struggles of our ancestors in behalf of civil liberty, which, indeed, was at that period closely and inseparably connected with religion. But they were aware that it was incompetent for them as a religious body to bear a testimony in favour of a particular form of civil government, or of certain laws as contributing most to the political welfare of a people. They can be understood only as referring to civil laws and managements, so far as they had religion for their object, or as they affected and were in one way or another connected with its interests, by contributing to its advancement or security. And in the same sense must we understand them, when they condemn the political settlement by which the reformation was overturned, or particular parts of

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the existing constitution and laws. Viewed in this light, an approbation of " our ancient Civil Reformation," and a disapprobation of" our present civil deformation," form a necessary and important branch of their testimony and profession*.

*Speaking of the Judicial Act and Testimony, the Associate Presbytery say, in their Answers to Mr Nairn; "According to the particular calls of providence hitherto, that Testimony,— -was especially in favours of our ancient ecclesiastical Reformation; and against those evils whereby the same hath been, in a great measure, departed from and overthrown: while a Testimony for our ancient civil reformation,-and against these evils whereby the same hath been, in a great measure, deviated from and destroyed; was lifted up, and all along carried forward.-But, at this time, the Presbytery have a particular call of providence, -to bear witness more especially unto our ancient civil reformation." Having laid down in general the principles on which such a reformation rests, they proceed to say: "Agreeably unto all this, the Deed of Civil Constitution was set upon a reformed footing; by Act VIII. Parl. 1. James VI. Though the above settlement was, for some time, followed by suitable administration; yet a course of lamentable defection and corruption therein did soon prevail: 'Till a reviving of the true religion and reformation in the Church took place, and was gloriously advanced betwixt the years 1638 and 1650. That work of God, which became then engaged unto throughout the three kingdoms by a solemn League and Covenant,—was also, in an agreeableness to this Covenant, accompanied with and supported by a civil reformation. In England (wherewith we have become more nearly concerned than formerly, by virtue of the Solemn League and Covenant), the civil administration was, in some valuable instances, subservient unto the said work of God. But more considerable advances were made in Scotland: While, beside many laudable acts in the civil administration, the deed of Civil Constitution was farther reformed than ever before; by Act XV. of the second session of Parliament, anno 1649. And according unto this settlement, was King Charles II. crowned at Scoon; January 1st. 1651.

“The Presbytery intend not to affirm, that there was nothing defective in the above managements; or that no imprudencies

By the good hand of God upon her, Scotland attained to greater purity in religion, and higher degrees of reformation, than any other protestant country. It is the duty of one generation to declare the works of God to another, and no people can depart from religious attainments without being deeply guilty. But this is not all. In no nation has the true religion been so solemnly avouched as in Scotland. Every important step taken in reformation was accompanied with confessions, protestations, vows, covenants, and oaths, which were made and subscribed by all ranks, voluntarily, cheerfully, joyfully, repeated on every new emergency and call, and ratified by every authority in the land. Hence, it has obtained the distinguishing name of the covenanted reformation; and under this view was it embraced by the associated body of Seceders, who, by renewing these engagements in an oath adapted to the time and to their circumstances as a church, served themselves heirs to the professions, vows, and contendings of their fathers, or rather to the cause of God transmitted to them by their fathers under all these sacred sanctions and solemnities.

It is of importance to distinguish between the re

or mistakes were to be found therein. It is evident, however, that, by the good hand of God, the Estates of England, but more especially of Scotland, were inspired with a noble and predominant zeal for the House of God, in all its valuable institutions; and attained to a considerable pitch of civil reformation, subservient unto the same: All which this Presbytery desires, with thankfulness, to commemorate and bear witness unto. Upon the whole, it is observable, that in Scotland, the reformation of the church hath always, in a beautiful order, preceded and introduced the reformation of the State." (Display of the Secession Testimony, vol. i. p. 278, 281-284.)

formation materially and formally considered. The Westminster standards were not the reformation, nor did they form any part of it farther than they were received and approved, and than religion was reformed and settled according to them. We may approve of the Confessions of the reformed church of France, or of Helvetia, or of Holland. In like manner per

sons may approve of the Westminster standards, as to doctrine, worship, and church-government, and a religious society may conduct its ecclesiastical affairs according to them; and yet they may not adopt or promote the covenanted reformation properly and formally considered. To adhere to these, since the reformation took place, is to adopt them as a system of religion which is still entitled, both by divine and by human right, to be professed and established in the three nations ;-to testify against all proceedings prejudicial to it, and all laws introducing or maintaining another system, as what no friend of reformation can bind himself actively to support and countenance; and to hold that it is the duty of all classes to endeavour, in their station and by all lawful means, to have the reformed and presbyterian religion publicly and legally settled,-and that from the consideration not only of the divine authority on which it rests and its intrinsic excellence, but also of the additional obligation arising from national oaths and leagues, and the former attainments and laws of church and state, which are still virtually pleadable and in a moral point of view retain their force. Thus formally was the covenanted reformation adopted and testified for by Seceders*. Hence the parti

"The profession, defence, and maintenance of the true religion, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and Presbyterial churchgovernment, agreeable unto and founded upon the word of God,