THAT where your Petitioners by the great blessing of the Lord, enjoyed for a little while a peaceable and fruitfull Ministerie of the Gospel, yet through our own abuse of so rich a mercy, and through the tyrannie of the Prelates, we have been a long time spoiled of our Ministers, (a yoke to many of us heavier then death) who being chased into Scotland, were not altogether un-usefull in the day of your need; And we having been since oppressed and scattered, as sheep who have no shepherd, now at last the wise and righteous hand of the Lord, by the sword of the Rebels, hath bereft us of our friends, and spoiled us of our goods, and left us but a few, and that a poor handfull of many, and hath chased from us the rest that were called our Ministers; the greatest part whereof we could scarce esteem such, as being rather Officers to put the Prelats Injunctions in execution, than feeders of our souls: So that now being visited with sword and sicknesse, and under some apprehension of famine, if withall we shall taste of the sorest of all plagues, to be altogether deprived of the Ministery of the Word, we shall become in so much a worse condition then any Pagans, as that once we enjoyed a better: Neither know we what hand to turn us to for help, but to the Land so far obliged by the Lords late rare mercies, and so far enriched to furnish help of that kinde; a Land whence many of us drew our blood and breath, and where (pardon the necessary boldnesse) some of our own Ministers now are, who were so violently plucked from us, so sore against both their own and our wills; yea, the Land that so tenderly in their bosoms received our poor out-casts, and that hath already sent us so rich a supply of able and prosperous Souldiers to revenge our wrong.
Therefore, although we know that your zeale and brotherly affection would urge you to take notice without our advertisement, yet give us leave in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, to intreat, if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels of mercy, that now in this nick of time, when the sword of the Enemie making way for a more profitable entertaining the Gospel, having also banished the Prelates and their followers, when our extremity of distresse, and the fair hopes of speedy settling of peace, hath opened so fair a doore to the Gospel, you would take the cause of your younger sister, that hath no brests, to your serious consideration, and pity poor Macedonians crying to you that ye would come over and help us, being the servants of the God of your Fathers, and claiming interest with you in a common Covenant, that according to the good hand of God upon us, ye may send us Ministers for the house of our God. We do not take upon us to prescribe to you the way or the number, but in the view of all, the finger of the Lord points at these, whom though persecution, of the Prelats drew from us, yet our interest in them could not be taken away, wherein we trust in regard of several of them, called home by death, your bounty will super-adde some able men of your own that may help to lay the foundation of Gods house, according to the Pattern. But for these so unjustly reft from us, not only our necessity, but equity pleads, that either you would send them all over, which were a Work to be parallelled to the glories of the Primitive times, or at least that ye would declare them transportable, that when Invitators shall be sent to any of them, wherein they may discerne a call from God, there may be no difficultie in their loosing from thence, but they may come back to perfect what they began, and may get praise and fame in the Land, where they were put to shame. Neither are you to question your power over us so to doe, or crave a president of your own practise in that kind, for our extraordinary need calling on you, furnisheth you with a power to make this a president for the like cases hereafter: herein if you shall lay aside the particular concernment of some few places, which you may easily out of your rich Nurseries plant again, and make use of your publike spirits, which are not spent, but increases by your so many noble designes; you shall leave upon us and our posteritie the stamp of an obligation that cannot be delete, or that cannot be expressed; you shall send to all the neighbouring Churches a pattern, and erect for after-ages a monument of self-denying tender zeale; you shall disburden the Land of the many out-casts, who will follow over their Ministers; and you shall make it appear, that the churlish bounty of the Prelats, which at first cast some of these men over to us, is not comparable with the cheerful liberalitie of a rightly constitute Generall Assembly, to whom we are perswaded, the Lord will give seed for the loane which you bestow on the Lord; yea, the day may come when a Generall Assembly in this Land may returne to you the first fruits of thanks, for the plants of your free gift. And although you were scant of furniture of this kinde your selves, or might apprehend more need then formerly, yet doubtlesse, your bowels of compassion would make your deep povertie even in a great tryal of affliction, abound to the riches of your liberalitie. But now seeing you abound in all things, and have formerly given so ample a proof of your large bestowing on Churches abroad in Germanie and France, knowing that you are not wearied in well-doing, we confidently promise to our selves in your name, that ye will abound in this grace also, following the example of our Lord and the Primitive Churches, who alwayes sent out disciples in paires. But if herein our hopes shall faile us, we shall not know whether to wish that we had died with our Brethren by the Enemies hand; for we shall be as if it were said unto us, Goe serve other Gods; yet looking for another kinde of Answer at your hands, for in this you are to us as an Angel of God, we have sent these bearers, M. John Gordoun and M. Hugh Campbell our Brethren, who may more particularly informe you of our case, and desire that at their returne, they may refresh the bowels of Your most instant and earnest Supplicants.
Commission to some Ministers to go to Ireland.
THE Assembly having received a Petition subscribed by a considerable number in the North of Ireland, intimating their deplorable condition, through want of the Ministerie of the Gospel, occasioned by the tyrannie of the Prelats, and the sword of the Rebels, and desiring some Ministers, especially such as had been chased from them, by the persecution of the Prelats, and some others to be added, either to be sent presently over to reside amongst them, or declared transportable, that upon invitation from them, they might goe and settle there; together with some particular Petitions, desiring the returne of some particular Ministers, who had laboured there before: All which the Assembly hath taken to their serious consideration, being most heartily willing to sympathize with every member of Christs Body, although never so remote; much more with that Plantation there, which for the most part was a Branch of the Lords Vine, planted in this Land. In which sollicitude, as they would be loath to usurpe without their own bounds, or stretch themselves beyond their own measure; so they dare not be wanting, to the enlargement of Christs Kingdome, where so loud a cry of so extreame necessitie, could not but stirre up the bowels of Christian compassion. And although they conceive that the present unsettled condition both of Church, and State, and Land, will not suffer them as yet to loose any to make constant abode there; yet they have resolved to send over some for the present exigent till the next Generall Assembly, by courses to stay there four moneths allanerly: And therefore doe hereby authorize and give Commission to the persons following, to wit, M. Robert Blair, Minister at S. Andrews, and M. James Hamilton, Minister at Dumfreis for the first four moneths: M. Robert Ramsay, Minister at Glasgow, and M. John Maclelland, Minister at Kirkudbright, for the next four moneths: and to M. Robert Baillie, professor of divinitie in the University of Glasgow, and M. John Levistoun, Minister of Stranraire for the last four moneths: To repair into the North of Ireland, And there to visit, comfort, instruct, and encourage the scattered flocks of Christ, to employ to their uttermost with all faithfulnesse and singlenesse of heart, in planting and watering, according to the direction of Jesus Christ, and according to the doctrine and discipline of this Church in all things, And if need be (with concurrence of such of the Ministers of the Army as are there) to try and ordain such as shall be found qualified for the Ministerie, Giving charge unto the persons foresaid in the sight of God, that in doctrine, in worship, in discipline, and in their dayly conversation, they studie to approve themselves as the Ministers of Jesus Christ, and that they be comptable to the Generall Assembly of this Kirk, in all things. And in case if any of the above-mentioned Ministers be impeded by sicknesse, or otherwise necessarily detained from this service, the Assembly ordaines the Commissioners residing at Edinburgh, for the publike affairs of the Church, to nominate in their place well qualified men, who hereby are authorized to undertake the foresaid imployment, as if they had been expressly nominate in the face of the Assembly. And this, although possibly it shall not fully satisfie the large expectation of the Brethren in Ireland, yet the Assembly is confident they will take in good part at this time, that which is judged most convenient for their present condition, even a lent mite out of their own not very great plenty, to supply the present necessity; requiring of them no other recompence, but that they in all cheerefulnesse may embrace and make use of the message of salvation, and promising to enlarge their indebted bounty at the next Assembly, as they shall finde the Worke of the Lord there to require. In the meane while, wishing that these who are sent, may come with the full blessing of the Gospel and peace, and recommending them, their labours, and these to whom they are sent, to the rich blessing of the Great Shepherd of the flock.
Sess. XIII. 6 Aug. 1642.
Act against Slandering of Ministers.
THE Generall Assembly considering the malice of divers persons in raising calumnies and scandalls against Ministers, which is not onely injurious to their persons, and discreditable to the holy calling of the Ministerie, but doth also prove often a great prejudice and hinderance to the promoving of the Gospel: Doe therefore ordain Presteries and Synods to proceed diligently in process against all persons, that shall reproach or scandall Ministers, with the censures of the Kirk, even to the highest, according as they shall finde the degree or quality of the scandal deserve.