Surely if ever a poor Nation were upon the edge of a most desperate precipice, if ever a poor Church were ready to be swallowed up by Satan and his Instruments, we are that Nation, we are that Church. And in both respects by so much the more miserable, by how much, we expected not a Preservation onely, but an augmentation also, of happinesse in the one, and glory in the other. We looked for Peace, but no good came, and for a time of healing, and behold trouble! Our GOD who in his former Judgements was a moth and rottenesse (and yet had of late begun to send us health and cure) is now turned into a Lion to us: and threatens to rend the very cawle of our hearts: from above he hath sent a fire into our bones, and it prevails against us; from our own bowels he hath called forth, and strengthened an adversarie against us, a generation of brutish hellish men, the rod of his anger, and the staff of his indignation, under whose cruelties we bleed, and if present mercy step not in, we die. Righteous art thou, O LORD, and just are all thy Judgements! But O the more then barbarous carriages of our enemies, where ever GOD gives any of his hidden ones up into their hands, we need not expresse it unto you, who knows the inveterate and deadly malice of the Antichristian faction against the members of our Lord Jesus. And it is well we need not expresse it unto you, for in truth we cannot. Your own thoughts may tell you better then any words of ours, what the mercie of Papists is, toward the Ministers and servants of our Lord Jesus Christ. But the Lord knows we are not troubled so much with their rage against us, or our own miseries and dangers; but that which breaks our hearts is, the danger we behold the Protestant Religion, and all the reformed Churches in at this time, through that too great and formidable strength the Popish faction is now arrived at. If our GOD will lay our bodies as the ground, and as the street under their foot, and poure out our blood as dust before their fury, the will of the Lord be done, might our bloud be a sacrifice to ransome the rest of the saints or Church of Christ from Antichristian fury, we would offer it up upon this service gladly. But we know their rage is insatiable, and will not be quenched with our blouds, immortall, and will not die with us, armed against us, not as men, but as Christians, but as Protestants, but as men desiring to reform our selves and to draw our selves and others yet nearer unto God. And if God gave us up to be devoured by this rage, it will take the more strength and courage (at least) to attempt the like against all the Protestant and reformed Churches. In a deeper sense of this extream danger, threatning us and you, and all the Churches then we can expresse, we have made this addresse unto you; in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, humbly imploring your most fervent Prayers to the GOD that hears Prayers; who (should we judge by providences) seems to be angry with our Prayers (though we trust he doth but seem so, and though he kill us, yet will we trust in him) Oh, give us the brotherly aide of your re-inforced tears and prayers, that the blessings of truth and peace which our prayers alone have not obtained, yours conjoyned, may. And give us reverend and much honoured in our Lord your advices, what remains for us further to doe, for the making of our own and the Kingdomes peace with GOD. We have lien in the dust before him; we have poured our hearts in humiliation to him, we have in sincerity, endeavoured to reform our selves, and no lesse sincerely desired, studied, laboured the publick Reformation; Neverthelesse the Lord hath not yet turned himself from the fiercenesse of his anger. And be pleased to advise us further, what may be the happiest course for the uniting of the Protestant partie more firmly? that we may all serve GOD with one consent, and stand up against Anti-christ as one man, that our GOD who now hides himself from his people may return unto us, delight in us, scatter and subdue his and our enemies, and cause his face to shine upon us. The Lord prosper you and preserve us so, that the great work of these latter ages may be finished to his honour, and our own and the Churches happinesse through Christ Jesus.
Subscribed by very many hands.
Sess. IX. August 11, 1643.
Act against Burialls and hinging of Honours, &c. in Kirks.
THE Generall Assembly considering the great abuse of burying within Kirks, wherein GODS publick worship is exercised, notwithstanding diverse Acts of this Kirk, prohibiting the same; And that through toleration thereof, other abuses in hinging of Pensils and Brods, affixing of Honours and Arms, and such like scandalous Monuments in the Kirk, hath crept in. Therefore for remedy hereof, do hereby ratifie and approve the former Acts and Constitutions made against burials in Kirks. And inhibites and discharges all persons of whatsoever qualitie, to bury any deceased person within the body of the Kirk, where the people meet for hearing of the Word, and administration of the Sacraments; And als inhibites them to hing Pensils or Brods, to affixe Honours or Arms, or to make any such like Monuments, to the honour or remembrance of any deceased person upon walls, or other places within the Kirk, where the publike worship of God is exercised, as said is.
Sess. X. August 12, 1643.
Act anent reposition of Ministers, deposed by Superiour Judicatories.
THE Generall Assembly, considering that sentences of Superiour Judicatories of the Kirk should stand effectuall, while they be taken away by themselves, and that they should not be made void and ineffectuall by Inferiour Judicatories: Therefore discharges all Provinciall Assemblies to repone any Minister deposed by the Generall Assembly; and all Presbyteries to repone any Ministers deposed either by Generall or Provincial Assemblies; And declares and ordains, that all such sentences of reposition by these Inferiour Judicatories respective shall be null in themselves; and that the sentences of deposition by the Superiour Judicatories respective shall stand valid and effectuall notwithstanding thereof.