The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland Part 30

_The a.s.semblies 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 pa.s.se 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 G.o.d for his blessing upon your labours, so for your help and a.s.sistance, 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 Wors.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d, 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 a.s.semblies 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 inc.u.mbent 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 a.s.sistance we heartily recommend you.

Postscript.

_Edinburgh 13. Feb. 1645._

It is earnestly desired That the Directorie for Wors.h.i.+p 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 a.s.sembly of the Kirk of Scotland by the Moderator of the a.s.sembly._

The General a.s.sembly Recommends to Presbyteries, To consider these matters referred to their consideration by preceding a.s.semblies; and to report their judgement therein to the next a.s.sembly.

_The Generall a.s.sembly Appoints the meeting of the next a.s.sembly to be at Edinburgh the first Wednesday of June, in the yeer 1646._

THE GENERALL a.s.sEMBLY MET AT _EDINBURGH_ JUNII 3. 1646.

Edinb. 4. Junii 1646. Sess. 2.

_The Kings Letter to the a.s.sembly, presented by M._ Robert Douglas _Minister at Edinburgh._

CHARLES R.

Right trustly and welbeloved, We greet you well. Having lately written to Our Houses of Parliament at _Westminster_, and the Commissioners from Our Kingdom of _Scotland_ at _London_, and likewise to the Committees of Estates of that our Kingdom; Shewing Our great sense and grief for the sad effects have flowed from the unhappy differences betwixt Us and Our Subjects; with Our reall resolutions to comply with the desires of Our Parliaments of both Kingdoms, and those entrusted by them for settling of Trueth and Peace in all Our Dominions: And now being informed of your meeting, We have thought fit hereby (since We could not conveniently send a Commissioner) to give you the same a.s.surances; And withall, that it shall be Our constant endeavour to maintain Religion there, as it is established, in Doctrine, Wors.h.i.+p, and Church-government, and leave no good means una.s.sayed for setling an universall Peace in that our native and ancient Kingdom, with the Reformation and Religion, and settling Peace in _England_ and _Ireland_: And after the return of an answer to Our late Message to Our Houses of Parliament heer, We shall more particularly acquaint you, or your Commissioners, with Our further resolutions. In the mean time, We seriously recommend Our selves and distracted condition of Our Kingdoms, to your most earnest Prayers to G.o.d in our behalf, expecting from you faithfulnesse in your severall Charges and Callings, with that Loyaltie and obedience which becometh the Ministers of the Gospel. We bid you very heartily farewell, from _New-castle_, the 28, of May 1646,

DIRECT.

For Our right trustie and welbeloved, The Moderatour and other Members of the Generall a.s.sembly of the Kirk of Our Kingdom of _Scotland_.

_6. Junii 1646. Antemeridiem._ Sess. 4.

_Act concerning the Registers and Acts of Provinciall a.s.semblies._

The a.s.sembly recommends to Provinciall a.s.semblies, that hereafter they cause read all their Acts, before the dissolving of every a.s.sembly; And that their Registers be written formally, and in a good hand writing, with the severall Leafes or Pages thereof marked by ciphers according to their number.

11. _Junii 1646. Antemeridiem_ Sess. 7.

_Act concerning the publike satisfaction of Married persons, for Fornication committed before Marriage._

The Generall a.s.sembly understanding that in many places the publike scandals of Fornication committed before Marriage, are not taken notice of and removed by publike confession according to the order of this Kirk; Therefore for remedie thereof do Ordain, That all Married persons under publike scandall of Fornication, committed before their Marriage (although the scandall thereof hath not appeared before the Marriage) shall satisfie publikely for that sin committed before their Marriage, their being in the estate of Marriage notwithstanding, And that in the same manner as they should have done if they were not Maried.

_13. Junii 1646. Antemeridiem._ Sess. 10.

_Ordinance for Excommunication of the Earle of Seafort._

The Generall a.s.sembly having taken to their serious consideration, that perfidious Band made and contrived lately in the North, under the name of _An humble Remonstrance_, against our Nationall Covenant, and the League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms; Which tendeth to the making of division and fomenting of Jealousie within this and between both Kingdoms, to the prolonging of these unnaturall Warrs, to the impeding of the intended Uniformity in Religion, and to the subversion of all the happie ends of our covenants: And finding that _George_ Earle of Seafort hes not only most perfidiously himself subscribed the said wicked Band, contrary to his solemne Oaths in the Covenants aforesaid, and most arrogantly, owned the same under his owne hand writing in his letters to the Committee of Estates, and to the Commissioners of the preceding a.s.semblie; But also hes seduced and threatned others to subscribe that divisive Band, and to joyne with him in prosecution of his treacherous and wicked designes, therein masked with the pretences of Religion and libertie; boasting also the pursuance of that his Remonstrance against all deadly the opposers thereof, whether King or Parliament. And having also considered another wicked and treacherous Band of Union which the said Earle formerly entred into with that excommunicate Rebell _James Grahame_, after the sentence of forfalture and the dreadfull sentence of excommunication were p.r.o.nounced against him, Oblieging himself therein under solomne Oaths to joyne with that forfaulted Rebell against this Kirk and Kingdome, and to oppose all their publike resolutions for pursuance of the happie ends of our said Covenants. All which, with his vile reproachfull aspersions and most false calumnies against this Kirk and State, and their publike and lawfull endeavours and resolutions, with his other wicked and perfidious practises at length discovered in the Proclamation of the Committee of Estates, and the Declaration of the Commission of the a.s.sembly against the said perfidious Band and Remonstrance, being gravely pondered and considered; Together with his base treachery to the Estates, being intrusted by them with ample Comission, and encouraged and enabled for discharging thereof, with Mony Ammunition and Arms in a good measure; Notwithstanding whereof contrary to that great trust reposed in him. It is notour that not only he did not joyne with the Forces raised for the defence of this Kingdome, But rather on the contrary, actually joining himself and his Forces with that excommunicate Rebel _James Grahame_, and these unnatural b.l.o.o.d.y Rebels his followers, did beleager Invernesse, a Towne Garrisoned by the Estates for the Defence of that part of the Country. And the a.s.sembly, having also found that fair means have been used for reclaiming of the said Earle from that wicked and perfidious course, by publike Declarations and Proclamations, and particular Letters sent to himself from those that had power in that behalf, And that notwithstanding thereof and of Summonds direct against him to answer to the premisses, often called, he doth not appear, but still remains obstinate in his wicked courses. And after mature deliberation having found his frequent fearful and grosse perjuries, his perfidious and wicked conspiracies by Band and Oath, with the publike Enemies of this Kirk and Kingdom, and his other treacherous and wicked practises contemptuously and pertinaciously persisted into, To be heinous offences against G.o.d, and high contempt of all Ecclesiastical and Civil authority. Therefore the a.s.sembly moved with the Zeal of G.o.d, do without a contrary voice Decerne and Ordain the said _George_ Earle of Seafort to be summarly excommunicate, and declared to be one whom Christ commandeth to be holden by all and every one of the Faithful as an Ethnik and Publicane, and appoints the sentence of excommunication to be p.r.o.nounced by Matter _Robert Blair_ Moderator in the east Kirk of this Citie, upon the next Lords day, being the 14 of this Moneth; And that thereafter publike intimation be made thereof upon a Sabbath day before noone in all the Kirks of this Kingdom so soon as advertis.e.m.e.nt shall come unto them.

_Enormities and Corruptions observed to be in the Ministery, with the Remedies thereof._