If the wretched inhabitants, loving darkness
rather than the light, refused to be reclaimed, leave them to
themselves, but why should we have fellowship with them in their
unfruitful works of darkness. The Presbytery would not wish to be
understood as if they meant that Protestants ought to raise a crusade,
in order to exterminate Catholics in foreign lands, as Catholics have
attempted to do against Protestants, for the weapons of our warfare, in
propagating religion are not carnal. But it certainly is the incumbent
duty of all Protestant nations to abstain from anything, that has a
tendency to uphold and propagate their religion; and as no positive
countenance should be given to it, so it is highly proper that Catholics
should be kept in such a state of restraint, as they may not again have
it in their power to repeat those bloody scenes, which Popery had acted
upon us. With a view to deliver themselves from the guilt of
participating in the evil, the Presbytery do lift up a judicial
testimony against the present anti-christian courses of administration;
as, also, against those state fasts, proceeding from an Erastian
supremacy, which have been appointed to be observed by all persons, in
order to engage by prayer the Almighty to crown their measures with
success.
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