Whereas we have not onely been patients and defenders in the differences that have lately arisen in this Church, but willing and ready to embrace all opportunities for removing them: And for that end upon an Overture made to us the last Winter, have since that time forborn to act authoritatively, and in the capacity of Commissioners from the Generall Assembly 1650, (which delegation we conceive to be still in force, untill the next lawfull free Generall Assembly.) And notwithstanding grounds were given to us when that Overture was made to expect the like from you, Yet ye did assume to your selves that authority, and acted accordingly, which hath very much heightened our differences. And forasmuch as at the late Meeting of our Brethren in Edinburgh upon the ________ day of July last; We did earnestly desire that they would forbear to constitute themselves into a Generall Assembly, (which had they been pleased to grant, might through the Lords blessing have proved an effectuall means of peace.) So now we being met together, and understanding that you are to meet upon the ________ of this instant: And we being still desirous of peace and of an union with our Brethren in the Lord, and to entertain with all due respect, the endeavours of some godly and reverend Brethren for this effect. We do earnestly beseech you by the love you bear to the peace of this Church, and by your desires to heal the breaches thereof, that you will presently declare, that you will forbear all acting as Commissioners of a Generall Assembly, so long as endeavors and conferences for Union shall continue (as upon your condescendence we hereby do declare the like concerning the Commission of the Gen. Assembly 1650.) And that you will presently interpose with others of your judgment in the respective Synods and Presbyteries, not onely that supposed censures may be looked on and accompted as no censures, But that they do not proceed to put in execution any of the Acts of the late Meetings at Dundee and Edinburgh, against Ministers, Elders, Professors, and Expectants; or to do any other thing not already determined by uncontraverted Assemblies; which we are confident shal be the practice of Synods and Presbyteries that are of our judgment. If the Lord shall convince and incline your hearts to this motion, whereby we may be in a fit capacity to confer together for removing our differences; In that case our opinion is, that by mutual consent, some time may be appointed for our seeking the Lords face, for the further knowledge of his controversie with us, and for our direction in the way of Union in him, that we may in love and sobernesse of spirit speak of these things which may conduce for the healing of our breach; then which, nothing is more sincerely and seriously desired by us. But if this motion may not be hearkened to, and there be a proceeding in these things which are so grievous to us, and burdensome to the consciences of many of the Lords People and Ministers, we cannot forbear to warn you, that we shall be constrained to vindicat our selves and others from such usurpation and persecution by the use of all lawful and possible means for our own defence, and for preservation of the truth and liberties of this Church.

Subscribed in the name of the Ministers, Elders,
and Professors met at Edinburgh the 11 of
Novem. 1652, By

Sic subscribitur,Samuel Rutherfurd.

No. VIII.
Edinburgh, 26 November, 1652. Post meridiem. Session 5.

The Commission of the Generall Assembly having received upon the 14 of this instant a Paper presented to them by my Lord Wariston, Mr Robert Trail, Mr John Sinclar and George Dundasso of Duddingstoun, and subscribed by Mr Samuel Rutherford, in the name of some Ministers, Elders, and Professors met at Edinburgh upon the 11 of November, and having taken the same into serious consideration, do return this Answer thereunto.

Although we being unwilling to enter upon any debate or inquiry who have been the Agents in raising, continuing, and heightening the late differences in this Church (being more desirous to have these differences and distractions that have followed thereupon removed, and the memory thereof buried) yet we may say that our Brethrens vigorous activity therein all along hath been conspicuous enough to all who have been looking upon the matter. And as we will not question the willingnesse and readinesse of our Brethren to embrace opportunities for removing these differences, nor whether for that end they did forbear the last year to Act Authoritatively, and in the capacity of Commissioners from the Generall Assembly 1650, (which power they had assumed to themselves, it being expired and extinct by the Meeting of the Assembly 1651, by vertue of the indiction of the Assembly 1650,) and that upon such an Overture made to them as they mention (which yet seemeth to us not to be wel consistent with their Answer given by them upon the ________ day of ________ 1651 to the Paper presented to them from the Provincial Assembly of Lothian) so we remember wel that the Commissioners of the Assembly 1651 though having no lawfull call and Authority, did notwithstanding from that time mentioned by our Brethren for preventing the heightning of differences, not onely forbear acting any thing in that capacity, but even abstain from so much as meeting to adjourn, untill the time of the Generall Assembly near approaching, they behoved to meet in that capacity, for determining the place of that Assembly ensuing, which had been left in the indiction under the uncertainty of an alternative, by reason of the times, which was the onely thing they acted, and could not in reason be accounted a cause of heightning the differences. Further as the Commissioners of Presbyteries met in Edinburgh in July last could not hearken to our Brethren, desiring them not to Constitute themselves into a Generall Assembly without unfaithfulnesse in the trust committed to them (they being Commissionated to that very purpose) and without apparent and inevitable danger of present loosing the liberty of the Publick Judicatories and Government of this Church, especially considering the posture of Civil affairs in the time: So we see not how the forbearing thereof could have been a means of a right peace; we still conceive, as hath been constantly held in this Church, that a lawfull Generall Assembly, such as that was, is the most Soveraign means under God to heal any ruptures and distractions that are in the Church; likeas we find that it was the endeavour of the said Assembly to the outmost of their power to compose the present differences, and unite the distracted Members of this Church, and accordingly did condescend upon such Overtures as they possibly could perceive to be most conducible to this end.

Albeit we cannot but signifie our just grief at the unjust reflexions and aspersions cast upon us and other preceding Publick Judicatories of the Church, partly indirectly, partly directly in the narrative of this Paper, and conceive it had been more sutable to the Profession of so earnest desires of Peace and Union expressed therein to have foreborn them, yet not doubting of the reality of the desires themselves, we do heartily entertain those with all due respects. And being for our part most desireous of Union with our Brethren in the Lord, we are willing to condescend so far as possibly we can in the trust committed to us, and with a good conscience by any means to attain that end: And therefore do declare, that we shal not at this Meeting, nor hereafter before the third Wednesday of February, Act any at all in prosecution of any Censure against our Brethren which are already pronounced, or which may be incurred by them by vertue of any acts of the two last Gen. Assemblies at Dundee and Edinburgh, relating to the late differences: And although as to the execution of the Act of the late Assembly for regulating the Admission of Elders to Vote in Presbyteries and Synods, and of Expectants to their trialls for the Ministery; we must leave these Judicatories to that discretion and prudence that the exigence of their severall conditions requires, yet we shal interpose with the respective Presbyteries and Synods that they may, during the space abovementioned, sist, and not proceed further in any of the foresaid censures: And that we are content and willing that betwixt and the day foresaid there be a Meeting at a time to be appointed, before our parting hence, between some of us and some of our dissenting Brethren in such a number and such a way as shall be most convenient, considering the case of the time, for holding forth to them so far as we can, and the Lord shall assist us, light in the matter of their differences from the Publick Judicatories, and for searching into further knowledge of the Lords controversie with us, and speaking in love and soberness of Spirit in such other things as may conduce for healing our breach. And it shal be matter of our earnest desires and Prayers to the God of Peace (as we doubt not but it will also be in our Brethren, if they embrace this way) that he may be graciously pleased so to blesse these endeavours, that the issue may be a clearing of His ways to us all, an healing of our wounds, and an uniting of us in himself, to serve him with one consent, in doing or suffering joyntly for His Cause and Honour, whatsoever shall be his holy will.

As for that Certification in the close of the Paper, as we conceive that it might been well spared, so we shall say no more to it but this, That we are confident that this Commission and the other late Publick Judicatories, having a calling and being constitute according to the order of God, and constitutions of this Kirk, are very far from usurpation; and that both the by past carriage of the respective Judicatories Publick and Private doth clear them, and our carriage shal clear us before God and the World from that grievous aspersion of persecution, the uncharitablenesse and injustice whereof we heartily pardon, and pray the Lord to pardon in our Brethren.

J. Makghie.