_Ecclesiis Dei, qua sunt in unitis Hollandiæ, Zelandiæ, aliisque fœderati_
Belgii _Provinciis._
_Ordinance concerning Bursars._
The Assembly understanding that the Overture for maintaining Bursars, in
the Assembly holden in the year 1641. upon the 7. of August, Sess. 15 is
never yet put in practice: Do therefore Ordain Presbyteries to put the
same in practice with all diligence, and to make account thereof to the
next Assembly.
_Ordinance for up lifting and imploying Penalties contained in Acts of
Parliament, upon pious uses._
The Assembly understanding that the executing of some laudable Acts of
Parliament, made against Non-Communicants and Excommunicate persons, and
of divers other Acts containing pecuniall pains for restraining of Vice,
and advancing Piety, is much neglected by the slownesse of Presbyteries
and Ministers, in seeking Execution thereof: Therefore ordains
Presbyteries and Ministers _respectivè_, to be diligent hereafter by all
means, in prosecuting full and exact Execution of all such Acts of
Parliament, for lifting the saids Penalties contained in the same, and for
faithfull imployment thereof, upon pious uses, and that every Presbyterie
report their diligence herein yearly to Generall Assemblies.
_An Overture concerning Promises of Marriage made by Minors, to those with
whom they have committed Fornication._
Forsameikle as it is found by experience, that some young men being put to
Colledges by their wel-affected Parents, that they may be instructed in
the knowledge of Arts and Sciences, to the intent they may bee more able
for publick Imployments in the Ecclesiastick and Civill state, that the
said Children hes committed Fornication. And the Woman and her friends hes
seduced the foresaid Schollers being Minors, to make promise of Marriage
to the party with whom they have committed Fornication; And thereupon
intends to get the benefite of Marriage with the said young men, not onely
without the consent of their Parents, but to their great grief, and to the
great appearance of the ruine and overthrow of their estate: Which may be
the case of Noblemen and Gentlemens children, as welas of these of other
estates and degrees within the Kingdom. Wherefore if the Assembly think it
expedient, it would be declared that all such promises be made null and of
none effect, especially where the maker of the promise is Minor, and not
willing to observe the samine; because his Parents will not consent, but
oppose and contradict, threatning to make him lose not onely his favour
but both blessing and birth-right. This Ordinance shal not onely be very
expedient for many good civill causes, but is very consonant and agreeable
to the Word of God, and will be very comfortable to many Godly Parents,
who otherwise may be disappointed of their pious intentions, and have the
comfort they expected, turned to an heavy and grievous crosse.
_The Generall Assembly thinks it convenient at this time to delay any
determination in the matter above-written untill the next assembly, That
in the meane time every Presbterie may take the same to their serious
consideration, and report their judgements to the Assembly._
_Act concerning dissenting voices in Presbyteries and Synods._
The Assembly thinks it necessar, if any Member of Presbyteries or Synods
shall finde in matters depending before them, that the Moderator shall
refuse to put any thing of importance to voices; Or if they finde any
thing carried by plurality of voices to any determination which they
conceive to be contrary to the Word of God, the Acts of Assembly, or to
the received order of this Kirk, That in either of these cases they urge
their dissent to be marked in the Register; And if that be refused, that
they protest as they would desire to be free of common censure with the
rest: And the Assembly declares the dissenters to be censurable, if their
dissent shall be found otherwise nor they conceived.
_Act concerning the Election of a Moderator in Provinciall Assemblies._
The General Assembly understanding that some Provincial Assemblies in
choosing their Moderator, tye themselves to these Persons who have been
before named and designed in particular Presbyteries, which is against the
libertie of the Provincial Assembly: Therefore discharges Presbyteries to
make any such nomination hereafter; And ordain Provincials in their first
meeting, to elect their Moderator, and to make their own List for that
effect without any such prælimitation.
_Act for keeping of the Fast by the Congregations in the Towne where the
Assembly holds._
The Assembly judge it most necessar and comely, seeing the first day of
the meeting of Generall Assemblies, is by the laudable practice of this
Kirk a day of Fasting and Humiliation, for craving the Lords blessing to
that Meeting; That not onely the Members of the Assembly, but that all the
Congregations also of the Town where the Assembly holds bee so exercised:
And that publick Worship bee in all the Kirks thereof that day for that
effect.
Meeting announcement.
_The Generall Assembly appoints the meeting of the next Assembly, to be
upon the last Thursday of May, in the Yeer 1645. at_ Edinburgh.
Letter.
_Right Honourable, Reverend, and beloved in the Lord,_
As we are not without the knowledge, so are we not without the feeling of
the distresses of our Native Countrey, and of the troubles of our dear
Brethren, specially that the hand of the Lord is stretched out against
you, not only by Invasion from without of the basest of the children of
men, but also by the unnatural treachery of some within; who have dealt
perfidiously in the Covenant and Cause of God: _They hisse and gnash the
teeth; they say, Wee have swallowed her up: certainly this is the day that
wee looked for: Wee have found, wee have seen it; the Lord hath caused
thine Enemy to rejoice over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine
Adversaries:_ Yet (saith the Lord, who is thy Maker and thy Husband, _the
Lord of hosts is his name, and thy Redeemer the holy One of Israel) for a
__ small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather
thee. In a little wrath I hide my face from thee, for a moment; but with
everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee: For this is as the waters
of Noah, the Covenant of my peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord
that hath mercy on thee._ When the foundation of the House of the Lord was
laid, the Priests and Levites sung together in praising and giving thanks
to the Lord; _Because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever,_ And we
hope at this time upon the coming of our reverend Brethren, and the sight
of that which they bring with them, the noise of the shout of joy; shall
be louder then the noise of the weeping of the People. This we may say,
that not many years ago many of us would have been content to have losed
our lives, that we might have obtained that which the Lord, if not in a
miraculous, yet in a marvellous and merciful providence, hath brought to
passe in this Iland, in these dayes, which many before us, have desired to
see, & have not seen. God forbid that it should seeme a small thing in
your eyes which is done here already, as it is expressed in a Paper from
the Parliament, and Letters from the Assembly. Ye are best acquainted with
the tentations and difficulties which ye meet with there, which are also
very sensible unto us; And when we consider how the Lord hath carried on
his work here at the first taking of the Covenant, and since, against much
learning and contradiction, against much Policie, power, and all sorts of
opposition (such as Reformation useth to encounter) we are ravished with
admiration of the right hand of the Almighty. For our part, we may
confidently avouch in the sight of GOD and before you, whom next unto GOD
we do respect and reverence, and to whom as your servants we are
accomptable, that in all our proceedings we had first of all the word of
GOD before our eyes for the Rule; and for our Patern the Church of
_Scotland_, so much as was possible; and no lesse (if not more) then if
all this time since we parted from you, we had been sitting in a National
Assembly there, and debating matters with our Brethren at home: Where we
were not able to get every thing framed to our minde, we have endeavoured
as much as we could, to preserve our own Reformation and practice, of
which our Brethren will give you accompt in the particulars, we hope, to
your satisfaction. That an Uniformitie in every thing is not obtained in
the beginning, let it not seem strange; The levelling of the high Mountain
of Prelacie, The laying aside of the Book of Common Prayer, The Directory
of Worship concluded in both Houses of Parliament, and the principall
Propositions of Church-government passed in the Assembly, all of them
according to the solemne League and Covenant, the greatest of all, are
three or foure witnesses to prove, that the Lord hath done great things
for us, whereof we are glad, and which make us _like them that dream_: And
we are sure, that not onely the Reformed Kirks, but the Papists will say,
The Lord hath done great things for them.
All that we desire, is: 1. That the Directory of Worship may be returned
by our Brethren with all possible expedition, that it may be published
here, and put in practise, as that which is extreamely longed for by the
good People, and will be a remedy of the many differences and divisions
about the Worship of God in this Kingdome, esspecially in this place: If
there be any thing in it that displeaseth, let it be remonstrate upon
irrefragable and convincing reason, otherwise ye will in your wisedome
give approbation to it. 2. If there be any particular differences among
some Brethren; which are not determined, but passed over in silence in the
Directory, and yet hinted at in the Letter from the Assembly, we hope that
in your wisedome ye will so consider of them, that they may be layde aside
in due time, and that in the mean while, till the Directory be concluded
and put in practice, there be no trouble about them, for that were as Snow
in Summer, and as Rain in Harvest. We know nothing of that kinde, that all
of us who love Unitie, Order, and Edification, may not perfectly agree in,
without scandall or disturbance: And we beseech the Lord to keep that Kirk
free of such Sects and Monsters of opinions, as are daily set on foot and
multiplied in this Kingdome, through the want of that Church-government by
Assemblies, which hath preserved us, and we hope, through the blessing of
God, shall cure them. 3. Because Nationall Assemblies cannot frequently
conveene, we humbly desire, that such a Commission may be settled as we
may at all occasions till the Work be finished, have our recourse unto,
for our direction and resolution: for we know both our own weaknesse: and
the greatnesse of the Work: wherein we can promise no more but to be
faithfull in obeying your commandments, as in the sight of God, whom with
our Souls we pray, to grant you his Spirit, to guide you into all truth,
And thus continue.
_Worcester house, Jan. 6. 1646._
_Your humble and faithfull Servants._
_Subscrib._
Alex. Henderson.
Jo. Maitland.
Sam. Rutherfurd.