The Assemblies Letter to the Right Honorable the Lord Major Aldermen, and Common-Councel of the City of London.
Your late and seasonable testimony given to the Truth of the Gospel, and your affection to the Peace of the Kingdoms, manifested in your humble Remonstrance and Petition to the Honorable Houses of Parliament, hath so revived the remembrance of your former Faith and Zeal, and proclaimed you the worthy seed of so noble ancestors in that famous City, As we cannot but acknowledge with all thankfulnesse the grace of God bestowed on you, and stirre you up to take notice, how since you were precious in the Lords sight, you have been ever Honurable, The Lord hath loved you, given men for you, and people for your life: What an honour was it in the dayes of old, when the fire of the Lord was in Zion, and his furnace in your Jerusalem (even in Queen Maries dayes) that there were found in [pg 323] you men that loved not their lives unto the death? What a glory in after time, when Satan had his Throne and Antichrist his Seat in the midst of you, that there were still found not a few that kept their Garments clean? But the greatest praise of the good hand of God upon you hath been in this, That amidst the many Mists of Errour and Heresie which have risen from the bottomlesse pit, to bespot the face and darken the glory of the Church, (while the Bride is a making ready for the Lamb) you have held the Trueth, and most piously endeavoured the setling of Christ upon his Throne. We need not remember how zealous you have been in the Cause of God, nor how you have laid out your selves and estates in the maintenance thereof, nor how many acknowledgements of the same you have had from the Honourable Houses, nor how precious a remembrance will be had of you in after ages for your selling of all to buy the Pearl of price: We only at this time do admire, and in the inward of our hearts do blesse the Lord for your right and deep apprehensions of the great and important matters of Christ in his Royall Crown; and of the Kingdoms in their Union, while the Lord maketh offers to bring our Ship (so much afflicted and tolled with tempest) to the safe Harbour of Trueth and Peace. Right memorable is your Zeal against Sects and Sectaries; your care of Reformation, according to the word of God, and the example of the best Reformed Churches; your earnest endeavours and noble adventures, for preserving of the rights and priviledges of Parliament, and Liberties of the Kingdomes, Together with his Majesties just power and greatnesse; and your high profession, that it is not in the power of any humane authority to discharge or absolve you from adhearing unto that our (so solemnly sworn) League and Covenant, or to enforce upon you any sense contrary to the letter of the same, Besides your other good services done unto the Lord and to us, in the strengthening of the hands of the reverend Assembly of Divines, and of our Commissioners in their asserting of the government of Christ, (which the more it be tried will be ever found the more precious Truth), and vindicating of the same from the usurpation of man, and [pg 324] contempt of the wicked. These all as they are so many testimonies of your Pietie, Loyaltie, and undaunted resolution to stand for Christ; So are they and shall ever be so many obligations upon us your Brethren, to esteem highly of you in the Lord, to bear you on our brests before him night and day, and to contribute our best endeavours, and to improve all opportunities for your encouragement. And now we beseech you in the Lord, Honorable and welbeloved, go on in this your strength, and in the power of his might who hath honoured you to be faithful, stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free; And in the pursuance of this truth, we are confident, as you have, so you will never cease to study the Peace and neerer conjunction of the Kingdoms, knowing that a threefold cord is not easily broken. Now the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God even our Father, which hath loved and honoured you, and given you everlasting consolation, & good help through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
Edinburgh 18 Iunii 1646.
Subscribed in name of the General Assembly by the Moderator.
The Assemblies Letter to the right Reverend the Assembly of Divines in the Kirk of England assembled at Westminster.
Much Honoured and right Reverend.
Amongst other fruits of this our precious liberty, after such dissipation by Sword and Pestilence, to meet again, we account it not the least, to have the opportunity of making a publike Declaration of our earnest affection to all our brethren of that Nation, and especially your selves of the Reverend Assembly at Westminster. When we were lately in a very low condition, we may say that our own sufferings [pg 325] and fears, although imbittered with the sense of the Lords displeasure against our luke warmneese and unfaithfulnesse; yet they did not so take up our heart, but that room was left to congratulate with the Lords people there in all their successes, and to condole with them in all their dangers; And if at any time any here seemed to be more jealous then godly jealousie would allow, we know not how it can be imputed to any thing else, but to the vehemencie of ardent affection, and impatient desire to have our brethren there and us joyned neerer to Christ, and neerer to one another in all his Ordinances; and especially is Presbyterial Government, so well warranted by the Word, and approven by experience of our own and other reformed Churches; Wherein your long and unwearied endeavours have been blessed with a large increase, which yet hath proved still a seed unto a further and more glorious expected harvest. There could not be wished by mortal men a fairer opportunity then is cast in your laps, being invited and charged by so high an authority, to give so free and publike a testimony to those truths, which formerly many of the Lords precious ones by tongue and pen, by tears and blood have more privately asserted; The smallest of Christs truths (if it be lawful to call any of them small) is of greater moment, then all the other businesses that ever have been debated since the beginning of the world to this day; But the highest of honours and heaviest of burdens is put upon you, to declare out of the sacred records of Divine Truth, what is the prerogitive of the Crown and extent of the Scepter of Jesus Christ, what bounds are to be set between Him ruling in his House, and powers established by God on Earth, how and by whom his House is to be governed, and by what wayes a restraint is to be put on those who would pervert his Truth, and subvert the faith of many. No doubt mountains of oppositions arise, and gulfs of difficulties open up themselves in this your way; But you have found it is God that girdeth you with strength and maketh your way perfect and plain before you, who hath delivered, and doth deliver, and will yet deliver. We need not put you in minde that as there lyeth at this time a strict eye on all, so [pg 326] in a special manner both you and we are ingaged to interpose our selves between God and these Kingdomes; between the two Nations, between the King and the People, for averting of deserved wrath, for continuing and increasing of a well grounded Union, for procuring as far as in us lyeth a right settling of Religion and Church-Government; That when we shall sleep with our fathers the Posterity here and abroad may be reaping the fruits of our labours.
We are fully assured of your constant and sedulous promoving of this blessed Work, and of the Lords assisting and carrying you on therein: And are confident that your late experience and present sense of the great danger and fearfull confusion flowing from the rife and grouth of Sects and Sectaries not suppressed, hath stirred up in your hearts most fervent desires, and careful endeavours for remedying the same, wherein we exhort you to continue and abound; knowing that your labours shall not be in vain in the Lord, to whose rich grace we commend you, and the work in your hands.
Edinburgh 18 Juny 1646.