Fourthly, we still hold to that Clause of our great National Confession, (chap. 20. art. 21.) that the General Councils, and consequently the National Kirk of Scotland, have no power to make any perpetual Law which God before hath not made.

Fifthly, by the adhering to the Discipline of the Reformed Kirk of Scotland, we mean not any immutability of that Presbyterial Government which was An. 1581. or of any other Humane Institution: but we do hereby understand that the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Discipline of the Kirk of Scotland doth not depend on the Pope of Rome, or any other Foreign Power; and hereby we do confess our constant Obedience to the Kirk of Scotland in all her lawful Constitutions.

Sixthly, we do not presume by this our personal Oath either to prejudge the liberty of the Kirk of Scotland, to change and reform this foresaid short Confession, in some ambiguities and obscure expressions thereof, whereupon some men have builded inconvenient Interpretations and Doctrines, or to exime our selves from Obedience to the Kirk in that case.

Seventhly, by this our personal Oath we do not take upon us to lay any further Bond upon our Posterity, than the Word of God doth, recommending onely our Example to them, so far as they shall find it agreeable to Gods Word.

In this sense as is said, and not otherwise, do we subscribe the said Confession, and the general Bond annexed thereto, at Aberdeen Octob. 5. 1638.

Signed,
Ad. Aberdonen.
John Forbes D. and P. of Div.
R. Barrone D. and P. of Div.
Al. Rosse D.D.
Ja. Sibbald D.D.
Al. Scrogie D.D.
Wil. Lesley D.D.

1638.—October 9.
80. Letter from the King to Hamilton.[105]

Hamilton,

I Confess this last Dispatch does more put me to seek how to judge of the Affairs of that Kingdom, than any that I have yet received; for I did not think that you would have met with so much opposition within your bounds, since (as I thought) you past well over a greater difficulty, to wit, the Peevishness of the Council. The cause of this I judge to be, that you did not make so much opposition against the Protestation as it deserved, though (I believe) as much as you could. But one thing I desire you to send me the reason of, which is, why you have mingled the Protesters with my good Subjects, as Commissioners in most of all the Shires, for the procuring of Subscriptions to my Bond: now it seems to me, that this will make the Covenanters oppose my Service with a shew of more Authority than otherwise they could, (and certainly you cannot but imagine, that they must oppose that that they have protested against;) for, by this the ignorant Multitude may be brought to believe, that my Council have either admitted, or, at least, do not gainsay, the protestation: yet whether I be right in this or not, I will suspend my Judgment, even of my own Opinion, until I hear from you. But one thing I will confidently affirm, that until most of the Council express themselves vigorously in detestation of this last damnable Protestation, never look for any Obedience there. In the latter end of your letter, you are very careful not to give them cause of Fears of my Preparations, or hindering theirs; yet in the middle persuade to hasten on Mine: now, besides that this seems to me a Contradiction I think that there is as much (if not more) danger now, that they should imagine I fear to displease them, than to make them scar at my Preparations, or for stopping of theirs; for now that the pretext of Religion is (I dare say) fully satisfied, fearful Proceeding now may hazard the loss of the little Party we have, by making them probably fear, that I either cannot or dare not maintain my own authority. But I doubt not your Dexterity and Diligence will help me to break through these difficulties; and so I rest