The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

If their Lordships mean any politick interest in such undertakings, we claim no such thing, if the meaning be of a Spirituall interest and so far as concerneth the point of Conscience, there can be no doubt thereof made by such as do with David make the testimonies of the Lord their Counsellers, Psalm 119. 24. And consult with God as he used to do in undertaking War: It is also to be remembred that Joshua and all the Congregation of Israel were commanded to go out and in at the word of Eliazer the priest, who was to aske councell of the Lord for them, Numb. 27. 28. Hath not the Word of God prescribed to the Christian Magistrate the Rules of a Lawfull War, And doth it not belong, to particular Ministers, much more to the Assemblies of the Kirk, to declare the minde of God from Scripture, for all sorts of duties, and against all sorts of sins. And if the present War be a case of conscience, and alledged to be the most fit and necessary means for preservation of Religion, who seeth not that the Kirk hath an undoubted interest in resolving and determining such a case of Conscience from the word of God. This we shall onely adde, that whereas in the Parliaments Letter to the Presbyteries there instances were adduced by way of reflection upon the proceedings of the late Commission, as medling with Civill matters in which they had no Interest, The Commission did in their Printed Vindication so clear from Scripturall grounds their Interest in such things as their Lordships might have been easily satisfied in that point. We shall here onely mention one passage containing a good and safe rule for such Cases, The Duties of the second Table, as well as of the first, as namely, The Duties between King and Subject, Parents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Masters and Servants, and the like being contained in, and to be taught and cleared from the Word of God, are in that respect, and so far as concerneth the point of Conscience, a subject of Ministeriall Doctrine, and in difficult cases a subject of cognizance and Judgement, to the Assemblies of the Kirk.

Eodem die Postmeridiem, Sess. 23.

A Declaration and Exhortation of the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland, to their Brethren of England.

As the necessity of preserving a right understanding and mutuall confidence betwixt the Churches of Christ in both Kingdoms constrain us, so the good acceptance and the suitable affections that the Declaration of the last Generall Assembly met with in England from the Lovers of the Covenant and present Reformation, together with the many Testimonies that have of late been given unto the Truth in that Land, invites and incourages us to make known unto our Brethren there, our sense of the present condition of publick affairs, so far as concerns Religion and the point of Conscience.

The dispensation of God in ruling of the Nations, and in the revolutions of his Providence towards them, is full of wonder in all the earth; And we, who live in this Island, have cause to look upon it with speciall observation, in regard of that which concerns our selves. For many generations these two Kingdoms stood at odds and were the instruments of many sufferings and calamities one to another, untill at last the Lord having compassion upon both, did unite them under one King; which great and long desired Blessing hath received such increase from our being united together in one League and Covenant as doth adde much to the good and happinesse of both Nations: Therefore is it to be looked upon by all the Lovers of Truth and Peace in these Lands as a just ground of much thanksgiving & many praises unto GOD, even in the day of our greatest calamity and affliction what ever befall, as we know no cause why we should forget so a great a mercy or repent of so good a work.

But as the common Enemies of these Kingdoms studied by all means to keep them from entring into that Covenant, so hath all their power and Policy, now, for five years past, [pg 406] been imployed to bring it to nought. As soon as it had being the Popish, Prelaticall and Malignant Party did bend all their forces against it; and when by the mighty hand of GOD they were scattered and brought to confusion, in their stead stood up in England a generation who have perverted the Truth, and by turning aside into Errour have obstructed the work of Reformation; and by forsaking of the Covenant, and forgetting of the Oath of GOD, have brought a great reproach upon his Name, and made the Enemy to blaspheme; whose unthankfulnesse and unstedfastnesse, with the many provocations of these Lands, hath provoked the Lord again to raise out of the dust the horn of Malignants, and to arm them with such power as is terrible to his People, and threatenes his Work with ruine. And albeit, we acknowledge our selves bound and are still resolved to preserve and defend his Majesties Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms: Yet it is unto us matter of very great sorrow and grief that so many in our Land should so far joyn in Malignant Designes, and that there should be found amongst us who have undertaken and are now putting in execution an unlawfull War promoving their ends and opposing and making void (so far as in them lies) the Ends of the Covenant: Neverthelesse in this we cannot but rejoyce that they went not without a Witnesse and a Warning disswading them to go.

And we desire our Brethren of England to know, that as a very considerable number of the Members of the Parliament did dissent from and protest against the proceedings of the major part in reference to this Engagement so all the particular Synods and Presbyteries in this Kingdom, excepting some few, who by reason of their remotenesse and shortenesse of time had not the opportunity, have most harmoniously joyned with and seconded the Desires of the Commissioners of the General Assembly for preventing so unlawful a War: And now the Commissioners out of all the Provinces conveened in this National Assembly, as after an exact examination they have unanimously approved the proceedings of the Commissioners of the former Assembly [pg 407] against that Engagement; so have they emitted a Declaration to all the People of GOD in this Land, shewing it to be contrary to GODS Word and to the solemn League and Covenant. Neither have Ministers onely by their preaching, and Kirk Iudicatories by their Petitions and Declarations given testimony against it; but many others in this Land also by supplicating the High and Honourable Court of Parliament for satisfaction to their Conscience thereanent: And when it could not be obtained many have chosen rather to suffer the spoiling of their goods with joy, then to sin against GOD by complying with an evil course. And many of the Officers of our former Army, who are of special note for their good carriage and deserving in the Cause of GOD, have rather choosed to quit their charges then to joyn in it: Nay, the well-affected, both Ministers and People, as they do bear testimony against it before men, so groan under it before GOD. So that this character may justly be put upon it by all who shall speak of it now or in after Ages, That as it is a foul breach of the Covenant under a pretence and profession of being for the ends of the Covenant, so being carried on against the Consciences of the people, and contrary to the most harmonious and universal Testimonies of many Presbyteries and Synods that have been given against it, it is a sinning with many witnesses. A paralel will hardly be found in this or in any other Land wherein a publick sinful course hath been carried on with so high a hand against the Consciences of the People of GOD, and against so many Warnings of the Servants of GOD, and general opposition from the Judicatories of the Kirk; which yet is the less to be wondred at, because the greatest part of those who have been most active in contriving and carrying on of the fame, were either once open Enemies, or alwayes secret underminers, or indifferent and neutral in the Cause of GOD.

But whatsoever be the falling away of such, we shall desire and do expect that our Brethren in England, who continue faithful, may rest confident of the generality of all such of this Kingdom as were at first active in promoting [pg 408] the Covenant and Work of Reformation, that they are also still faithful in adhering thereunto, and walking after their former principles do resolve to abide stedfast and to hold fast the bands of Brotherhood and union between these Kingdoms: Neither are we lesse confident of the like Resolutions and Affections of our Brethren in England: The many Testimonies which the Truth and Cause of CHRIST, the Covenant and Presbyterial Government have lately received from that cloud of Witnesses of the Ministery in several Provinces and Countries of that Kingdom, after the example of the worthy Ministery of the City of London, against the Errours of Independency, Anabaptism, Antinomianisin, Arminianism, Socinianism, Faminism, Libertinism, Sceptism, Erastianism, and other new and dangerous Doctrines spred and received amongst many in that Nation; As they are unto us matter of great praise and hearty thanksgiving unto GOD, so also an evidence of the stedfastness of many in England, and a token for good, and a wide door of hope that the Lord will perfect his Work and bring forth the headstone of his House in that Land. It shall be the wisdom of each Nation to keep the golden path of truth and righteousnesse betwixt the crooked wayes of Malignants upon the one hand and Secteries upon the other, and for each of the Nations so to look upon another, as to distinguish betwixt the prevalent part and the better part, and betwixt friends and foes.