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A58624
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The humble petition of the Commissioners of the General Assembly to the Kings Majesty their declaration sent to the Parliament of England : their letter to some brethren of the ministry there, and their commission to their brother Master Alexander Henderson, January 1643.
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Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.
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1643
(1643)
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Wing S1244; ESTC R15448
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8,078
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17
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that Kingdome and their fears ere it be long unlesse the mercifull and mighty GOD prevent it by his gracious providence of the like calamities unto themselves Together with their earnest prayers for Englands deliverance and their own safety And do earnestly intreat that the Parliament may be pleased for their part and so much as in them lyeth speedily to apply the fore-named Remedies by disbanding Papists if any be in their Armies as is alledged in diverse Declarations by the ful manifestation and constant prosecution of their desires of unitie in Religion and Kirk-government by their instant and uncessant dealing with His Majestie for calling such an Assembly of Divines by their serious thoughts and endeavours about the Queen her conversion that the high provocation of Idolatrie may no more be tolerated in the land For which ends the Commissioners of the Assembly have sent up for the present with the Lord Chancellor and others from the Commissioners for conserving of peace one of their number a beloved and faithfull brother Mr Alexander Henderson faith fully fully to expresse their meaning in the particulars so far as the wisedome of the Parliament shall judge it convenient to require or demand and to make report to themselves and unto the General Assembly which is to be called upon the occasion of the present exigence and necessity through the danger of Religion of the principall letts and hinderances of Reformation and unity in Religion and where the work doth stay As they do above all other things desire that against all tentations and opposition whatsoever may promove or conduce for this blessed Reformation may from the zeal and by the wisedome of the Houses of Parliament be diligently gone about without waiting for a more settled condition of the State so do they nothing doubt but this being done wrath shall be turned away from the Realme the brightnesse of the presence of God accompanying the Reformation of Religion shal scatter all the clouds of differences betwixt His Majestie and them and His powerful providence shall both incline the Kings heart to the same Reformation and to the establishing of their Civill Liberties and Laws and move the Houses of Parliament after a speciall manner and in all cheerfulnesse to manifest their tender and dutifull care of His Majesties sacred Person and of His Royall Greatnesse and Authority as a principall mean of the Greatnesse and Prosperity of that and other His Majesties Kingdomes that all by-past miseries being buried in oblivion and the present distempers being perfectly cured the Iland of Britain may be an holy and happy Land wherein GOD may be served according to His Word the King obeyed according to His Laws and the people live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty to the Admiration of the World the envy of all wicked and Antichristian enemies and to the comfort of all that love the Lord Jesus Christ A. Ker Cler. Commiss Gen. Ass The Letter of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly direct to the right reverend their well-known and much approved Brethren of the Ministery of the Kirk of England Right reverend and dear Brethren OUr earnest uncessant desires of unity in Religion the present distresse of England Ireland the danger to Religion in all His M ties Dominions the fears we have of an universal combustion universally deserved by our not knowing the time of our visitation the things which belong unto our peace have constrained us with greater liberty then formerly to sollicit his M ty by our supplication the honorable houses of Parliament by our Declaration which we have sent by the hand of our reverend Brother and much approved Commissioner Master Alexander Henderson who will also make known to you our care and diligence to discover and remove such letts and hinderances of the Peace and Union of the two Kingdomes as by the subtiltie and malignance of some few bad Instruments have been cast in the way that this whole Kirk and Kingdome may be intirely kept in the prosecution of their desires of civill peace and religious unity wherein by the mercy of God we have the happinesse that the Lords of Privie Councel and the Commissioners for conserving the Peace betwixt the two Kingdomes have not denyed their honourable help and assistance Your present sufferings wherein wee your Brethren cannot but have our fellow-feeling and the late experience of somwhat the like among our selves may teach us both that Satan and his instruments in whom he now worketh are in a rage at the Reformation of Religion nor is it any new or strange thing that a time of Reformation be a time of trouble and difficultie But your comfort and ours is that the Arm of the Lord is not shortned and that he who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world We make no question of your vigilancie circumspection and faithfulnes that no present nor future opposition will prevail so far as to make you either more remisse in your intentions and desires of ordering all things in the House of the God of Heaven according to his own will commandment or so much as to lay aside so great necessary a Work in expectation of a fitter opportunity a more peaceable and convenient season We are very confident that ye wil be stedfast and unmoveable alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know your work is not in vain in the Lord. We for our part shall through the Lords assistance by our prayers with Fasting and Humiliation and by our best endeavours be helpers together for the wished end At the first Reformation of Religion in this Land a very small number of Ministers without the help and with the contradiction of the world through the mighty presenee and blessing of God upon their weak labours brought the Work at last to perfection And in the beginnings of our late Reformation when we were assembled at Glasgow against the Prelacie the Ceremonies and service-Service-book a great part of the Assembly intended no such alteration in the Form of Worship and Kirk-government as they were moved unanimously to consent unto in the end When the time of Reformation cometh the wisedome and spirit of God in his servants cannot be resisted by the wit and power of man What although ye should sowe and the Posteritie reap Hath not the Lord sent both you and us to reap that whereon neither of us bestowed any labour other men laboured and we are entred into their labours Wee of this Iland are set upon the stage at this time the eyes of all the Reformed Kirks are upon us we are after a speciall manner made a spectacle to the World to Angels to Men. Our cares must be so to acquite our selves that we make not our Friends the followers of Christ to mourn and our enemies the favourers of Antichrist to triumph and rejoyce Which that we may do is and shall be the prayer of Edinburgh Jan. 1643. Your most loving Brethren and fellow labourers in the Work of the Lord the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly M. Robert Douglas Moderator A. Ker Cler. Commiss Gen. Ass Commission to M. Alexander Henderson Edinburgh January 20. 1643. WE the Commissioners of the late Generall Assembly having power commission by all lawful Ecclesiastick waies to further this great Work of Union of this Iland in Religion and Kirk-government to continue our own peace at home the common peace betwixt the Nations to keep correspondence with the Kirk of England to concurre with the Councell Conservers of peace at home abroad in all Ecclesiastick wayes and to send some to present prosecute their desires humble advice to the Kings Majestie and the Parliament of England and Ministrie there for the furthering perfecting of so good great a work Considering the necessity at this time of sending some from this Kirk intrusted with commission to concur with the Commissioners now sent from the Lords others of the Commission of Parliament for conserving of peace to the Kings Majestie Parliament of England in all lawful Ecclesiastick waies to promove these good ends And having certain knowledge of the faithfulnesse and abilities of our reverend and loving brother Master Alexander Henderson Minister at Edinburgh Gives therefore unto him by thir presents full power and Commission our expresse mandate and charge to repaire to the Kingdome of England and there with concurrence of the saids Commissioners sent from the Conservaters of peace to present unto the Kings Majesty our humble Petition to obtain His Majesties gracious Answer thereunto and with concurrence foresaid to present unto the Parliament of England our humble Advice Declaration and also to deliver to our brethren of the Ministerie in that Kirk our Letter direct to them And to do all things with concurrence foresaid or by himself in all lawfull and Ecclesiastick wayes for prosecuting and promoving our desires to the Kings Majesty and Parliament and to our brethren of the Ministery there for that blessed union of this Iland in Religion and Kirk-government according to the Laws and Constitutions of this Kirk for continuing and establishing a firm peace at home and betwixt the nations and for a good correspondence betwixt the Kirks within the same conforme to the instructions given or to be given to him thereanent The said Master Alexander alwayes giving particular and timous intelligence to us of his travels and diligence herein till and of the progresse and successe thereof by every occasion and being comptable to us and the next Generall Assembly for all his proceedings in the matters generally and particularly hereby committed to his trust A. Ker Cler. Commiss Gen. Ass FINIS