III. By which they are obliged to "profess, and to the utmost of their
power maintain, in all their dominions, the laws of God, the true
profession of the gospel, and the true reformed religion established by
law." But these things the presbytery leave to such whom it may more,
properly concern. Let it, however, be observed that the presbytery are
not here to be interpreted as approving of the abovesaid oath, as it
designedly obliges to the maintenance of the abjured English hierarchy
and popish ceremonies, which might better be called _a true reformed
lie_, than the true reformed religion. Nevertheless, this being the
British coronation oath, it clearly determines that all legal
establishments behoove to be Protestant, and that without a violation of
said oath, no other religion can be taken under protection of law but
what is called Protestant religion only.

The presbytery conclude the whole of this additional remark with
observing, That as in the former instances of the exercise of this
Erastian power above mentioned, the present church of Scotland never
gave evidence of her fidelity to Christ, so far as to testify against
them; so their assembly has, in a like supine, senseless manner,
conducted themselves with reference to this last and most alarming
instance. Notwithstanding all that has been remonstrated against it, and
in favor of the reformed religion, they have remained mute and silent,
which indeed evidences them not to be truly deserving of the character
of _venerable_ and _reverend_, which they assume to themselves, but
rather that of an association; or, in the words of the weeping prophet,
_an assembly of treacherous men_: Jer. ix, 2.]

[Footnote 3: See pages 68, 69, preceding.]

[Footnote 4: Mr. _Andrew Clarkson_ originally belonged to the community