TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTIE.
As our Record is on high, and our conferences within us bear us witnesse, so the many former Supplications and Remonstrances to your Majestie, from this Kirk and Kingdome, our solemne Covenants, and the whole course of our proceedings from time to time in the prosecution of this Cause; Do make known to the World, and we trust [pg 294] also to your own consience, our loyaltie and faithful subjection, and how far our intentions are from the diminution of your Majesties just Power and Greatnesse; And although the successe of many of our humble addresses to your Majesty, hath been such as did frustrate our desires and hopes, yet this hath not blotted our of our hearts our loyaltie, so often professed before God and the World; but it is still our Souls desire, and our Prayer to God for you, that your Self and your Posterity may prosperously reigne over this your antient and Native Kingdome, and over your other Dominions. And now as we have published a solemn and free Warning to the Noblemen, Barons, Gentlemen, Burrons, Ministers, and Commons of this Kingdome, concerning the present affliction of this Nation, and their sins procuring the same; So when we call to minde, that God accepteth not the persons of men, and that the greatest are not to be winked at in their sins; We assure our selves, that the best and most reall testimony which we can give at this present of the tendernesse and uprightnesse of our affection to your Majesties true Happinesse is this our humble and faithfull Representation of your Majesties great and growing dangers, and the causes thereof. Of which, if we should be silent, our consciences would condemne us, and the stones themselves would immediatly cry out.
The troubles of our hearts are enlarged, & our fear increased in your Majesties behalf, perceiving that your Peoples patience is above measure tempted, & is like a cart prest down with sheaves, and ready to break, while as beside many former designes and endeavours to bring desolation and destruction upon us, (which were (and we trust all of that kinde shall be) by the marvellous and mercifull providence of God discovered and disappointed). Our Countrey is now infested, the blood of divers of our Brethern spilt, and other acts of most barbarous and horrid cruelty exercised, by the cursed crew of the Irish Rebels and their Complices in the Kingdome, under the conduct of such as have Commission and Warrant from your Majestie. And unless we prove unfaithfull both to God and to your Majestie, we cannot conceale another danger which is infinitely [pg 295] greater than that of your Peoples displeasure: Therefore we the servants of the most high GOD, and your Majesties most loyall Subjects in the humility and grief of our hearts, fall down before your Throne, and in the Name of our Lord and Master JESUS CHRIST, who shall judge the world in righteousnesse, both great and small, and in the Name of this whole Nationall Kirk, which we represent, We make bold to warn your Majesty freely, that the guilt which cleaveth fast to your Majesty and to your Throne, is such, as (whatsoever flattering preachers, or unfaithfull counsellours may say to the contrary) if not timely repented, cannot but involve your Self and your Posterity under the wrath of the ever-living GOD, For your being guiltie of the shedding of the blood of many thousands of your Majesties best Subjects; For your permitting the Masse, and other Idolatry, both in your own Family and in your Dominions; For your authorizing by the Book of Sports the profanation of the Lords Day; For your not punishing of publick scandals, and much profanenesse in, & about your Court; For the shutting of your eare, from the humble and just desires of your faithfull Subjects; For your complying too much with the Popish party in many wayes, and namely, by concluding the Cessation of Armes in Ireland, and your embracing the counsels of those who have not set GOD nor your good before their eyes; For your resisting and opposing this Cause, which so much concerneth the glory of GOD, your own honour and happinesse, and the peace and safetie of your Kingdomes; and for what other causes your Majesty is most conscious, and may best judge and search your own conscience (nor would we have mentioned any particulars, if they had not been publike and knowne.) For all which it is high time for your Majesty to fall down at the footstool of the King of Glory, to acknowledge your offence to repent timely, to make your peace with GOD through JESUS CHRIST, (whose blood is able to wash away your great sinne) and to be no longer unwilling that the Son of GOD reign over you and your Kingdoms in his pure Ordinances of Church-government and Worship. These [pg 296] things if your Majesty do, it shall be no grief of heart unto you afterward; a blessing is reserved for you, and you shall finde favour with GOD, and with your People, and with all the Churches of Christ; But if your Majesty refuse to hearken to this wholsome counsell (which the Lord forbid) we have discharged our own consciences, we take GOD and Men to witnesse That we are blamelesse of the sad Consequences which may follow, and we shall wait upon the Lord, who, when he maketh inquisition for blood, will not forget the cry of the humble. In the mean while, beseeching your Majesty to take notice That we are not staggering or fainting through diffidence of the successe of this Cause and Covenant of the three Kingdoms, unto which, as GOD hath already given manifold Testimonies of his favour and blessing; so it is our stedfast and unshaken confidence, that this is the Work and Cause of GOD, which shall gloriously prevail against all opposition, and from which, with the assistance of the grace of GOD, we shall never suffer our selves to be divided or withdrawn, but shall zealously and constantly in our severall Vocations, endeavour with our Estates and Lives, the pursuing and promoving thereof.
That which we have concluded concerning Uniformity in Religion between both Kingdoms, is to be humbly offered to your Majestie from the Commissioners of this Kingdom, for your Royall Consent and Ratification. Although your Majestie was not pleased to vouchsafe us the presence of your Commissioner, according to the supplication of the Commissioners or the preceeding Generall Assembly, yet we have proceeded with as much respect to your Majesties honour, and as much remembrance of our duty, as if your Royall Person had been present in the mids of us: And we shall still continue our Prayers for you, that GOD would graciously incline your heart to the counsels of Truth and Peace, and grant unto your Majestie a long and happy Raign, that we may live under you a peaceable and quiet life, in all Godlinesse and Honestie.
The Assemblies Answer to their Commissioners at London.
Reverend and beloved Brethren,
These sweet Fruits of your long continued Labours in the Work of the Lord entrusted to you, brought to us at this time by these two of your number, whom you were pleased to send, were received by us with no small joy and rejoycing, as being, in great part, the satisfaction of our Souls desire, in that so much longed for, so much prayed for happy Uniformity of these Kirks and Kingdoms: And an evident Demonstration to us, that the Lord hath not, even in this time of his seen and felt displeasure, so covered himself with the cloud of his anger, that our Prayers should not passe through.
The great and main difficulties through which the Lord hath carried this Work, as we do acknowledge, ought mainly to be made use of, for the praise and glory of his power, who is the great Worker of all our works for us; So your overcoming of them is to us no small Demonstration of your zeal, wisdom, and faithfulnesse, which without great Injurie both to the Lord the prime Worker, and to you his instruments, we cannot but acknowledge, hath been much manifested in the whole managing of this work in your hands.
The full answer to all the particulars you write of in your Letters, we leave to the Relation of those that come from you, and are now appointed to return to you: And as with much thankfulnesse we acknowledge your fidelity in what ye have done already; so we have again renewed your Commission for the continuance of your Imployment there, for the perfecting of the Work so happily begun: For the furthering whereof, as we shall not be wanting in our prayers to GOD for his blessing upon your labours, so for your help and assistance, we have appointed a commission to sit at Edinburgh, to which at all occasions you may have your recourse, as the exigence of the Work shall require.