whereby many of the people were left to be overcome by snares—­“And so laid open to seek out other principles to justify their practices of compliance, or extravagances on the right or left hand, not consistent with the doctrine and rules of the Church of Scotland, others were not constant in confessing those doctrines before men when called to suffer for, and avouch them.”  Neither are there at this day, nor has there been all along during these years of peace and quiet, suitable endeavours for suppressing all sorts of unsound doctrine, or purging the land of the leaven of erroneous principles.  Although there have been many laws made against Popery, yet how have they been put to execution, when Papists are so rife and Popery prevalent?—­the idolatrous mass being set up in several places of the kingdom; the maintainers and promoters of Quakerism, Bourignianism, Arminianism, &c, are not punished, but protected by the state, and connived at by the church.  And whereas, the right endeavouring of maintaining sound doctrine, doth require uprightness and sincerity in the profession and belief thereof, and a suitable practice accompanying that belief; we have it to lament that the most part of us in this land are but hypocritical in the professing of the doctrines of the gospel, and want a suitable practice and conversation becoming the gospel, cause, and cross of Christ.  Many are grossly ignorant of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, or study the circumstantial and controverted more than the fundamental truths.  There has also been great short coming of real, sincere and constant endeavors to preserve the worship of God, public and private.  “In times of hazard, many ministers left off preaching, and the people hearing.  We have been negligent and remiss in family worship; and, instead of preserving, many have done much to discourage and hinder it:  And in secret we have been formal and careless:  Many have satisfied themselves with the purity of the ordinances, neglecting the power thereof, yea, some have turned aside to crooked ways destructive to both.”  Neither have we been careful to preserve the discipline, church censures being laid aside, and not impartially exercised against scandals, personal and public.  Scandalous persons being admitted to hold up their children to baptism, and to partake of the Lord’s table and other privileges of the church, without respect to the rules of Christ.  The discipline of the church hath also been circumscribed, limited, and bounded by Acts of Parliament, and is now rendered ineffectual by the late Act of the British Parliament, entitled, Act for preventing the Disturbing of those of the Episcopal Communion in that part of Great Britain called Scotland.  So that ministers could not without transgressing these Acts (which they too punctually observe) draw out the sword of discipline against many covenant-breakers; perjured hireling-curates being allowed to enjoy churches and benefices without censure