As our Record is on high, and our conferences within us bear us witnesse,
so the many former Supplications and Remonstrances to your Majestie, from
this Kirk and Kingdome, our solemne Covenants, and the whole course of our
proceedings from time to time in the prosecution of this Cause; Do make
known to the World, and we trust also to your own consience, our loyaltie
and faithful subjection, and how far our intentions are from the
diminution of your Majesties just Power and Greatnesse; And although the
successe of many of our humble addresses to your Majesty, hath been such
as did frustrate our desires and hopes, yet this hath not blotted our of
our hearts our loyaltie, so often professed before God and the World; but
it is still our Souls desire, and our Prayer to God for you, that your
Self and your Posterity may prosperously reigne over this your antient and
Native Kingdome, and over your other Dominions. And now as we have
published a solemn and free Warning to the Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen,
Burrons, Ministers, and Commons of this Kingdome, concerning the present
affliction of this Nation, and their sins procuring the same; So when we
call to minde, that God accepteth not the persons of men, and that the
greatest are not to be winked at in their sins; We assure our selves, that
the best and most reall testimony which we can give at this present of the
tendernesse and uprightnesse of our affection to your Majesties true
Happinesse is this our humble and faithfull Representation of your
Majesties great and growing dangers, and the causes thereof. Of which, if
we should be silent, our consciences would condemne us, and _the stones
themselves would immediatly cry out_.
The troubles of our hearts are enlarged, & our fear increased in your
Majesties behalf, perceiving that your Peoples patience is above measure
tempted, & is like a cart prest down with sheaves, and ready to break,
while as beside many former designes and endeavours to bring desolation
and destruction upon us, (which were (and we trust all of that kinde shall
be) by the marvellous and mercifull providence of God discovered and
disappointed). Our Countrey is now infested, the blood of divers of our
Brethern spilt, and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty
exercised, by the cursed crew of the Irish Rebels and their Complices in
the Kingdome, under the conduct of such as have Commission and Warrant
from your Majestie. And unless we prove unfaithfull both to God and to
your Majestie, we cannot conceale another danger which is infinitely
greater than that of your Peoples displeasure: Therefore we the servants
of the most high GOD, and your Majesties most loyall Subjects in the
humility and grief of our hearts, fall down before your Throne, and in the
Name of our Lord and Master JESUS CHRIST, who shall judge the world in
righteousnesse, both great and small, and in the Name of this whole
Nationall Kirk, which we represent, We make bold to warn your Majesty
freely, that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your
Throne, is such, as (whatsoever flattering preachers, or unfaithfull
counsellours may say to the contrary) if not timely repented, cannot but
involve your Self and your Posterity under the wrath of the ever-living
GOD, For your being guiltie of the shedding of the blood of many thousands
of your Majesties best Subjects; For your permitting the Masse, and other
Idolatry, both in your own Family and in your Dominions; For your
authorizing by the Book of Sports the profanation of the Lords Day; For
your not punishing of publick scandals, and much profanenesse in, & about
your Court; For the shutting of your eare, from the humble and just
desires of your faithfull Subjects; For your complying too much with the
Popish party in many wayes, and namely, by concluding the Cessation of
Armes in _Ireland_, and your embracing the counsels of those who have not
set GOD nor your good before their eyes; For your resisting and opposing
this Cause, which so much concerneth the glory of GOD, your own honour and
happinesse, and the peace and safetie of your Kingdomes; and for what
other causes your Majesty is most conscious, and may best judge and search
your own conscience (nor would we have mentioned any particulars, if they
had not been publike and knowne.) For all which it is high time for your
Majesty to fall down at the footstool of the King of Glory, to acknowledge
your offence to repent timely, to make your peace with GOD through JESUS
CHRIST, (whose blood is able to wash away your great sinne) and to be no
longer unwilling that the Son of GOD reign over you and your Kingdoms in
his pure Ordinances of Church-government and Worship. These things if your
Majesty do, it shall be no grief of heart unto you afterward; a blessing
is reserved for you, and you shall finde favour with GOD, and with your
People, and with all the Churches of Christ; But if your Majesty refuse to
hearken to this wholsome counsell (which the Lord forbid) we have
discharged our own consciences, we take GOD and Men to witnesse That we
are blamelesse of the sad Consequences which may follow, and we shall wait
upon the Lord, who, _when he maketh inquisition for blood, will not forget
the cry of the humble_. In the mean while, beseeching your Majesty to take
notice That we are not staggering or fainting through diffidence of the
successe of this Cause and Covenant of the three Kingdoms, unto which, as
GOD hath already given manifold Testimonies of his favour and blessing; so
it is our stedfast and unshaken confidence, that this is the Work and
Cause of GOD, which shall gloriously prevail against all opposition, and
from which, with the assistance of the grace of GOD, we shall never suffer
our selves to be divided or withdrawn, but shall zealously and constantly
in our severall Vocations, endeavour with our Estates and Lives, the
pursuing and promoving thereof.
That which we have concluded concerning Uniformity in Religion between
both Kingdoms, is to be humbly offered to your Majestie from the
Commissioners of this Kingdom, for your Royall Consent and Ratification.
Although your Majestie was not pleased to vouchsafe us the presence of
your Commissioner, according to the supplication of the Commissioners or
the preceeding Generall Assembly, yet we have proceeded with as much
respect to your Majesties honour, and as much remembrance of our duty, as
if your Royall Person had been present in the mids of us: And we shall
still continue our Prayers for you, that GOD would graciously incline your
heart to the counsels of Truth and Peace, and grant unto your Majestie a
long and happy Raign, that we may live under you a peaceable and quiet
life, in all Godlinesse and Honestie.
_The Assemblies Answer to their Commissioners at_ London.
_Reverend and beloved Brethren,_
These sweet Fruits of your long continued Labours in the Work of the Lord
entrusted to you, brought to us at this time by these two of your number,
whom you were pleased to send, were received by us with no small joy and
rejoycing, as being, in great part, the satisfaction of our Souls desire,
in that so much longed for, so much prayed for happy Uniformity of these
Kirks and Kingdoms: And an evident Demonstration to us, that the Lord hath
not, even in this time of his seen and felt displeasure, so covered
himself with the cloud of his anger, that our Prayers should not passe
through.
The great and main difficulties through which the Lord hath carried this
Work, as we do acknowledge, ought mainly to be made use of, for the praise
and glory of his power, who is the great Worker of all our works for us;
So your overcoming of them is to us no small Demonstration of your zeal,
wisdom, and faithfulnesse, which without great Injurie both to the Lord
the prime Worker, and to you his instruments, we cannot but acknowledge,
hath been much manifested in the whole managing of this work in your
hands.
The full answer to all the particulars you write of in your Letters, we
leave to the Relation of those that come from you, and are now appointed
to return to you: And as with much thankfulnesse we acknowledge your
fidelity in what ye have done already; so we have again renewed your
Commission for the continuance of your Imployment there, for the
perfecting of the Work so happily begun: For the furthering whereof, as we
shall not be wanting in our prayers to GOD for his blessing upon your
labours, so for your help and assistance, we have appointed a commission
to sit at Edinburgh, to which at all occasions you may have your recourse,
as the exigence of the Work shall require.
How satisfactory that Directory of Worship presented to us by our Brethren
from you, was to us, we leave it rather to their relation at their return;
being ear and eye witnesses to the manifold expressions of our joy and
gladnesse, then offer to represent it to you in a Letter: The Act herewith
sent, and ordained to be prefixed unto the Directory, will sufficiently
declare our hearty approbation of it: Our judgement also concerning the
proportions of Government and Ordination, and our earnest desire to have
the Work of Uniformity promoved and perfected in that particular also,
will appear to you by the other Act which herewith you will receive: Our
zeal and desire to have that Work fully closed with so much harmonie as
becometh the work of GOD, will appear to you in our resolution and answer
to that particular in the point of Excommunication, concerning which you
write.
These particular differences hinted in the Assemblies Letter, for
uniformitie with that Kirk so much endeared to us, we have resolved to lay
aside, and have taken course for preserving harmonie amongst our selves,
whereof our Brethren will give you more particular account. Anent your
desire of _Mr Alexander Henderson_ his attending the Treatie, we are
confident ere this you have received our resolution.
Amidst the many difficulties wherewith it pleaseth the Lord to presse us,
as we thought it necessar to publish and send forth a Warning to all sorts
of Persons in this Kirk and Kingdom, concerning the present affliction of
this Nation, and their sins procuring the same; So we thought it incumbent
to us in duty, as the best Testimony which we can give at this present to
his Majesty, to remonstrate unto him faithfully The great and growing
dangers his Majesty is now under, and the causes thereof. This
Remonstrance we have sent to you, to be presented to his Majesty, by such
means, and at such time, as you who are there upon the place shall judge
fittest.
And now dear Brethren go on with cheerfulnesse in the Work of the Lord:
Let no discouragement or opposition make your heart to faint, or your
hands wax feeble: Perswade your self the Lords hand shall still be made
known toward his servants, and his indignation against his Enemies.
Remember the Work is his, who useth not to begin, but also to make and
end, and is abundantly able to supply all your need according to the
riches of his glory. Be confident therefore of this thing, that he who
hath begun this good Work by you, will also in due time accomplish it to
his own praise. To his gracious assistance we heartily recommend you.
Postscript.
_Edinburgh 13. Feb. 1645._
It is earnestly desired That the Directorie for Worship be sent to
Ireland, and that you recommend to the honourable Houses of the
Parliament, To think upon the best way for the establishment & practice of
it in that Kingdom. And that the like course may be taken with the
government, and other parts of the Uniformity, so soon as they shall be
agreed upon.
_Subscribed in name of the Generall Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland by
the Moderator of the Assembly._
The General Assembly Recommends to Presbyteries, To consider these matters
referred to their consideration by preceding Assemblies; and to report
their judgement therein to the next Assembly.
_The Generall Assembly Appoints the meeting of the next Assembly to be at
Edinburgh the first Wednesday of June, in the yeer 1646._