Amongst the many sad tokens of the Lords indignation and wrath against this Church, the present unhappy differrences of His Servants of the Ministry is looked upon by Us, and We beleeve by all the Godly of the Land, as one of the greatest: And as We hold it a Duty lying upon Us to be deeply humbled before the Lord in the sence thereof, and in our Stations and Callings to endeavor, by all lawful and fair means, the remedy and removal of the same; so we acknowledge a free Gen. Assembly, lawfully called, and rightly constitute, and meeting together in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, and proceeding with Meekness and Love according to the Rule of His Word, and Constitutions of this Church, to be amongst the first and most effectual Remedies appointed of God, for attaining of these ends. Therefore considering that the Election of Commissioners for the Assembly hath been in many places limited and prejudiced in the due liberty and freedom thereof, by the Letter and Act of the Commission of the last Gen. Assembly, to Presbyteries appointing such as remain unsatisfied with, and bear testimony against the Publick Resolutions, to be cited to the General Assembly; which upon the matter, hath in many Presbyteries really obstructed the Electing of such, though otherwise men of approven abilities, and constant faithfulness and zeal for the Work of Reformation since the begining thereof: and that many Elections are questionable, some as containing persons not in a capacity to be chosen by the Acts of this Church, and some as not being made in a due order and right way; and that many Commissioners of Presbyteries and Burroughs are absent, some of them wanting free access, by reason of the English lying in the Country, and some upon other impediments and occasions; And remembring that such Reasons have formerly had weight in point of Discussion of the validity of some Assemblies, and may still be looked upon as important and weighty, by these who may happen not to be satisfied in their consciences with your proceedings. We did with all humble earnestness, and in the bowels of the Lord Jesus Christ, desire and beseech you for Truth and Peace sake; and that further mistakes and divisions may not be increased unto the prejudice of the Lords Work, and rejoycing of Enemies, and sadding the hearts of His People, That the Diet of the Gen. Assembly may, by the common consent and advice of the Brethren now met together, be adjourned for some competent time; and that by the same mutual advice and consent it may be declared, That the Letter and Act of the Commission ought not to be any prejudice to these who remain unsatisfied with the Publick Resolutions, why they may not be chosen Commissioners to the General Assembly; And that such Presbyteries as shall think fit, may make their Elections of new again, especially these Presbyteries whose Elections of Commissioners are questionable, to whom we desire it earnestly to be recomended, that they would in an unanimous way make choice of men of approven abilities and integrity, and against whom there can be no exception by the Acts and Constitutions of this Church. And in the last place, We do humbly represent and desire, that in the interval of time betwixt this and the Dyet, to which the Assembly shall be adjourned, there may be a Solemn Publick Humiliation throughout the Land, wherein God may be intreated to shew us why He contends with us, and to give light and clearing on all hands concerning the present differences of judgment, and distempers of spirit that are amongst us, that we may be of one mind, and one heart, for the carrying on of the Work of God amongst His People; And Your Wisdoms Answer.
Subscribed by sundry Ministers of the Gospel.
No. II.
Protestation against the Lawfulness of the Assembly.
St Andrews, July 18, 1651.
How gracious the Lord hath been to the Church of Scotland, in giving to her pure Ordinances, we trust shall be acknowledged by us whilest we live, with thankfulness to the Most High, of whom we desire mercy and grace to adhere unto the Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government established in this Land: Amongst the many sad tokens of the Lords Indignation against this Church, The present Differences of His Servants of the Ministry is looked upon by us as one of the greatest: And as we hold it a duty to be deeply humbled before the Lord in the sence thereof, and by all lawful and fair means within the compass of our power and station to endeavor the remedy thereof; so we do acknowledge a free General Assembly, lawfully called, and rightly constituted, and proceeding with meekness and love in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Rule of the Word, and the Acts and Constitutions of this Church, to be amongst the first and most effectual means appointed of God, for attaining this end, and for preserving the purity, and advancing the power of the Work of Reformation in this Age, and transmitting the same to our Posterity, and to the Ages and Generations that are to come. But as the faithful Servants of God in this Church in former times, did by His good Hand upon them in the right administration of free and lawful Assemblies, bring the Work of Reformation in Scotland unto a great perfection, and neer conformity with the first pattern: So, unfaithful men minding their own things more then the things of Christ, and usurping over their Brethren and over the Lords Inheritance, did deface the beauty thereof, first by encroaching upon the liberty and freedom of Assemblies; afterwards by taking away the Assembly themselves. Therfore, remembring the many bonds and obligations that lie upon us before the Lord, and being desirous to be found faithful in this day of temptation, and to exoner our consciences as in His sight, and to avoid accession to that guiltiness in which many have involved themselves, and conceiving that this present Meeting is not a free lawful Gen. Assembly of the Church of Scotland, in regard that the Election of Commissioners to the same hath been pre-limited and prejudiced in the due liberty and freedom thereof, by a Letter and Act of the Commissioners of the last Gen. Assembly sent to Presbyteries appointing such Brethren as, after conference, remain unsatisfied with and continue to oppose the Publick Resolutions, to be cited to the General Assembly; And in regard that Commissioners from many Burroughs and Presbytries are absent, as wanting free access, by reason of the motion of the——; and in regard that many of the Commissioners of the former Assembly, who have carried on a course of defection, contrary to the trust committed to them; and who in their Remonstrances and Papers have stirred up the Civil Magistrate against such who are unsatisfied in their consciences with their proceedings, and who have by their Letter and Act prelimited the Assembly, are admitted to sit and vote as Members of the Assembly, and their Moderator appointed to be Moderator of the Assembly, notwithstanding that timous exception was made against them, that they ought not to be admitted as Members of the Assembly, until their proceedings were first tried and approven by the Assembly; And in regard that his Majesty by his Letter, and his Majesties Commissioner by his Speech to the Assembly hath incited to hard courses against those who are unsatisfied in their consciences with the proceedings of the Commission, before these proceedings be tried and approven by the Assembly it self. We do upon these and many other important grounds and Reasons to be propounded and given in, in time and place convenient, protest in the name of the Church of Scotland, and in our own Names and in the Name of all Ministers, Ruling-Elders and Professors of this Church, who do or shall adhere to us against the validity and Constitution of this Assembly, as not being free and lawful, and that they may not arrogat nor assume to themselves any authority, nor exercise any power or jurisdiction for determining of Controversies, making of Acts, emitting of Declarations, judging of Protestations or Appeals, or proceedings of Synods or inferior Judicatures, or censuring of Persons or Papers, or issuing of Commissions of whatsoever sort, to any persons whatsoever; and particularly we protest, that they may not proceed unto the approving or ratifying of the proceedings of the former Commission, not only because of their want of just power and authority so to do, but also because these proceedings contain many things contrary to the trust committed to these Commissioners, especially the allowing and carrying on of a conjunction with the Malignant Party, and bringing them in to places of Power and Trust in the Army, and in the Judicatures, contrary to the Word of God, the Solemn League and Covenant, the Solemn Confession of Sins and Engagement to Duties, the constant tenour of the Declarations, Warnings, Remonstrances, Causes of Humiliations, Letters, Supplications, and Acts, and Constitutions of this Church, and the laying of a Foundation for the Civil Magistrate to meddle with Ministers in those things which concern their Doctrin and the exercise of Ministerial Duties before they be cited, tried, and censured by the Judicatories of the Church. And we protest that whatsoever Determinations, Acts, Ratifications, Declarations, Sentences, Censures, or Commissions that shall be made, or given out by them, may be void and null, and may be interpreted as not binding to the Church of Scotland, and that notwithstanding thereof it may be free for us, and such as adhere to us, to exercise our Ministerie, and enjoy the warrantable Christian liberty of our consciences according to the Word of God, the National Covenant, and Solemn League and Covenant, and Solemn Engagement to Duties, and all the Acts and Constitutions of this Church; and that there may be liberty to chuse Commissioners, and to conveen in a free lawful General Assembly, when there shall be need, and the Lord shall give opportunity, and to add what further Reasons shall have weight for shewing the nullity of this Assembly, and the unwarrantableness of the proceedings of the Commission of the former Assembly. And that these Presents may be put upon Record by the Clerk in the Regesters of the Assembly, to be extant ad futuram rei memoream, and that we may have subscribed Extracts thereof under the Clerks hand.
No. III.
Instances of the Influence that the Letter and Act of the Commission of the Gen. Assembly 1650 had upon several Presbyteries and Synods, and upon several persons therein, in the Election of Commissioners to the Assembly 1651, and in the Citing of these of their Number who were dis-satisfied with the Publick Resolutions as they are attested out of the Registers, or by Members of these Presbyteries and Synods, who were Witnesses to their Proceedings in these things.
1. Instance in the Presbytery of Jedburgh.
The Letter and Act of the Commission of the Gen. Assembly 1650, concerning the Citing of such of their Number as were Opposite to the Publick Resolutions, came to the Presbytery of Jedburgh, before the chusing of their Commissioners to the Assembly: At the time of the Election, the Presbitery after the reading therof, did in obedience thereto, make enquiry, who of their Number were not satisfied with the publick Resolutions; and finding that Mr John Livingston, Mr Ja. Ker, and Mr Jo. Scot, were dis-satisfied with these Resolutions, they did appoint Conference with these Brethren in order to their satisfaction, by reading of some publick Papers, refusing any other way of Conference unto them; after which, they went on to the Election of their Commissioners, passing by these dis-satisfied Brethren, and Citing them by vertue of the Act of the Commission, to Compear before the General Assembly to be holden at St Andrews the ______ day of July, 1651.
2. Instance in the Presbyterie of Dunkel.