Your most affectionate Brethren and servants
in the LORD, by the direction, and in the
Name of this whole Assembly,

William Twisse, Prolocutor.
Cornelius Burges, Assessor.
Henry Robrough, Scriba.
Adoniram Byfield, Scriba.

Westminster, May 17, 1644.

The Generall Assemblies Answer, to the right Reverend the Assembly of Divines in the Kirk of England.

Right Honourable, right Reverend, and most dearly beloved in our Lord,

WE do thankfully acknowledge your respectfull remembrance of us by your Letters at all occasions; and not a little rejoyce to see that happie correspondence and Christian communion so sweetly entertained amongst us, which is so acceptable in the sight of the Lord, so pleasant and profitable, especially when kept and entertained betwixt Kirks and Kingdomes about affairs of highest and most publick concernment and interest: We have nothing more in our desires than to entertain that harmonious correspondence, that Christian sympathie and compassion, that sounding and resounding of bowels, which well beseemeth Kirks and Nations, united by a solemn League and sacred Covenant, for mutuall endeavours, by all lawfull means, to a further unitie in that Faith once delivered to the Saints, and greater Uniformitie in Divine Worship, Discipline, and Government, according to the Paterne.

The case and condition of your bleeding Kingdome is no lesse sensible to us, than if our selves were in affliction with you; but we trust all is working to your best, and to our Lords glory: That some of you hes fallen, it is to try you, purge you, and make you white: If the Lord by those means be with that Reformation of his Ordinances, bringing also alongst that other Reformation of hearts and lives, should it not be welcomed with all joy, although it bee upon the expence of blood and lives? The Lord will turn the bygone rage of Man to his glory and your spiritual good, the remnant of rage will hee restraine. The Lord delivereth his owne by degrees; he is with them in trouble, and delivereth them, and honoureth them; He who hath been sensibly with you hitherto, and upholden you in your trouble, will, we trust, yet deliver you, and honour you: The more ye sow in teares, the greater shall be your harvest of peace and joy, when the Lord, according to the dayes wherein he hath afflicted you, and the years wherein ye have seen evill, shall make you glad, and his Work to appeare unto you, and his glory unto your children, and the beautie of the Lord your God to be upon you, and shall establish the work of your hands; yea, even establish the work of your hands.

We should prove both unthankfull to God, and unfaithfull to men, did we not hold out unto you the Lords gracious and powerfull dealing with us in the like condition, and comfort you with the consolations wherewith wee our selves have been comforted: We were involved in the like difficulties; we had the strong opposition of highest Authoritie set over two powerful Kingdoms, beside this of ours; and the unhappy providence of our wickedly-wise and wary Prelates, had done what in them lay, to make the Ministery of this Land sworn Enemies to the intended Reformation: So that we walked in a very wildernesse, in a labyrinth, and as upon deep waters, wherein not onely did our feet lose footing, but also our eyes all discovering or discerning of any ground; yea, wee were ready to lose our selves: Yet the Lord hath graciously rid us, and recovered us out of all these difficulties, and set our feet upon a rock, and ordered our goings. The experience wee have had in our own persons, affoordeth us confidence and hope concerning your affaires; and wee trust this hope shall not be disappointed; it is our duety to hope upon experience, and it is the Lords word and promise, that such an hope shall not be ashamed. It cannot choose but beget confidence in you, when yee shall consider, that ye have seen before your eyes your neighbouring Ship of this Kirk and Kingdome, having (as it were) loosed from your side, in the like or self-same storms, notwithstanding all tossing of windes and waves, yet (not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts) to have arrived safe and sound to the Port and Harberie; yea, and to have dared to put out again unto the storm, to contribute her weak endeavours for your help.

We acknowledge your impediments to be great and many; the sufferings of your Brethren, the People of GOD, cannot choose but both damp your spirits, and divide your thoughts: Your walking in an untrodden and unknown way, must put you (though never so willing to go on speedily, yet) to take time and leisure to ask for the right way; and you want not the opposition of some amongst your selves, to whom notwithstanding we trust the Lord will reveale his truth in his own time. Neverthelesse (much honoured and dear Brethren) go on couragiously against the stream of all opposition; every Mountain in the Way of Zerubbabel, the Lord shall make plain; and as many of you as are perfect, be thus minded, that forgetting the things that are behinde, and looking to the things that are before, you presse hard towards the mark, as having before you, not onely the prize of the high calling and recompence of reward, but also at the end of this race, these two precious Pearls and inestimable Jewels of Truth and Unity, and all the Reformed Churches beholding and looking on, not onely as witnesses, but also being ready to congratulate and embrace you.