of these Assemblies so long as the authority thereof was not urged against them which if they did not grant we could not but foresee the ruine of the Government of the Church We did also beside other particulars offer unto them that not only should Synods take their determinations into a second consideration concerning the irregular plantations of Churches by our brethren but should follow amicable ways of arbitration by judicious brethren of both judgements antecedently to the Synods recognition As also that we should concur with them in all effectual and orderly ways for purging out any insussicient or scandalous Ministers § 50 We hold it not necessary to discourse upon these our condescensions seeing we hope it will appear we did stand upon nothing which might consist with the safety of Presbyterial Government and with the simple not condemning of our own judgements in the matters of our publique differences which with more also we did allow to our brethren Nor shall we dive into the reasons which moved them to decline union upon so reasonable terms or whether some among them were but too active to keep off others who were moderate We might also clear how little they or at least some of them minded union all along in that not only in the very time of the conference they voiced and agreed upon the continuance of their pretended Commission 1650. and did resolve and conclude to Petition the Council here that power might be granted them to purge the Church but in that all they seemed to concede was qualified with this ambiguous Preface Of reserving the liberty of their judgement and practice in matters controverted as may consist with Truth and Peace upon which they would never give a clear Commentary though desired thereunto But leaving these we shall briefly declare what the particulars were upon which the union chiefly stuck § 51 1. Our Brethren would not condescend to any union unless the Acts concerning the publike Resolutions were rendered of no effect so far as they do import or may be alleadged as the difinitive judgement of this Church concerning the matters contained therein Which however they glosse the matter in conference was in effect that we should condemn these Resolutions in our judgements and should annul the authority of the Assembly which had determined them as the difinitive judgement of the Church This is no conjecture of our own but clearly held out in their last Paper at that conference wherein they complain of our not granting of this as supposing and inferring not onely the constitution and authority of these Assemblies but also in shew and appearance the justice and equity of these Resolutions Whence any man may gather that to grant their desire was not at all to suppose any Authority of these Assemblies but not to leave the least shew of the justice and equity of these Resolutions Which if it was to seek peace and union and not rather that we should betray and yield up our judgements and the truth as we believe let any judge § 52 2. They would not unite unlesse an extrajudicial Committee of equal members of both judgements were set up to manage the chief matters occuring in our Church Which unto us was a casting of the Government in a new Model wholly overturning it and enervating the Authority of Presbyteries and Synods and allowing to our Brethren at least a negative voice in all matters This we could not but look upon as a way of Government not warranted by the Word and more tyrannical than the yoke of Prelacy And though the whole number had been offered to be men of our judgement yet we could never hearken to a Proposition so destructive to the Government of the Church § 53 3. They declined also to engage themselves to that submission to the Government and to observe that subordination of persons and judicatories in matters of Discipline which we were willing should be mutual And albeit we required nothing but what is essential to Presbyterial Government and that which the Assembly 1647. in the Act concerning the CXI Propositions in the 7th head of Doctrine therein contained doth approve And albeit their former actings had given us just cause to require the same might be secured for the future yet they did wholly decline it which was in effect to make all union void for had we agreed in all things beside yet when they pleased they might have stept out again at that door and made the breach worse § 54 We have thus briefly declared our mind in these matters of our differences and given a true account of the consequences thereof and of our carriage thereupon Not the Lord knoweth to render the persons of our Brethren odious nor to be an impediment to Union but onely for our own vindication and to prevent any prejudice to the cause of God and Government of this Church through our silence now when they are so active in prosecuting some designes prejudicial thereunto As we have no greater ambition in the World then to have this Church united in the judicatories thereof in its former harmony and unity and as we drive no particular interest nor desire any thing but what tends to the common good of this whole Church our Brethrens as well as ours So our hearts and armes are yet open and ready to embrace them upon safe terms Providing they will not seek any thing irregular and destructive to or our of the channel of the Government We are perswaded in our consciences that the discipline and government of this Church is agreeable to the Word And we in this Nation are obliged by the Oath of God to the maintenance thereof and to continue therein all the daies of our life And therefore we cannot recede from it in the least but are resolved in the Lords strength to adhere thereunto And as our Brethren are engaged with us in this Bond which makes their course the more sad and grievous unto us So we cannot but expect to be encouraged and countenanced in this Resolution by the People of God in the two neighbouring Nations who are bound by the same Oath of God to maintain the Discipline and Government established in this Church But if our Brethren will still persist in their irregular designes and if it please the Lord for the further exercise of this poor Church to permit them to proceed in them and to overturn yet more the Government they are bound to maintain We must leave the matter upon the Lord and wait on him contenting our selves that we have delivered our souls and are not accessary nor consenting unto any such destructive innovations FINIS
spirit in our Brethren 3. That they should take upon them in these meetings to determine upon matters of greatest importance already determined both in State and Church as the first time these conclusions agreed upon by both mentioned in the matter of the Remonstrance were expresly condemned was in their first meeting of this sort for not only doth it reflect upon the established judicatories as not worthy to be trusted in these things but neither have they any power of themselves to determine in these things nor have the generality of the godly whom they pretend to represent power to authorize them for that effect unlesse they will joyn issue with fifth Monarchy-men in their opinions concerning the power of Saints 4. That by their determinations in those meetings so contrary to truth and the received principles of this Church and the results and practices that flow from them and all under the name of the generality of the godly they expose piety to hatred and contempt amongst us while as men see pretenders thereunto so absurd and irregular in their opinions and practices By this means we may say it with regrate impiety and irreligion have spread more within these few years than of a long time formerly § 35 Their next course for carrying on their work was the erecting of the pretended Commission from the generall Assembly 1650. as still in force because of the preâ—ended nullity of the Assemblies that have succeeded thereunto The setting up of this Commission was one of the results of their first extrajudicial meeting in October or November 1651. At which time what they had agreed upon in their meeting concerning the causes of wrath and the overturning of the setled resolutions of State and Church was published as the deed of that Commission hereby supposing to add authority thereunto but in effect branding this Church as infamous while as they who pretend to have supreme power therein for present and give out themselves to be the only men who have adhered to the principles of the Church of Scotland do make null and void all the publike Transactions concluded in the view of the world do maintain such inconsistent principles and do retract and condemn these things which were held out as the constant tenour of the Churches conclusions and declarations § 36 As this was the first Act of that pretended Commission so they have since from time to time adjourned and voted the continuance of that power as still in force to this day And albeit for any thing we know they have no authentick Copie of their Commission whereby they might know their power what is intrusted to them and the number which makes a Quorum yea albeit not only that Commission was legally expired at the day of the meeting of the next Assembly which convened in the year 1651. But albeit the generality of the Members thereof did give up their Commission and proceedings to be tried in that Assembly and were accordingly approved and a new Commission given as was also done at the Assembly thereafter 1652. yet our Brethren being but a small number of the members of that Commission upon a pretence of the nullity of these Assemblies did judge upon the validity of their own protestations against them and set themselves down as a Commission which for any thing we know may be a perpetual court seeing they alledge the continuance of their power till the next free and lawful general Assembly and none such can be had so long as they please to protest against it even albeit the Presbyteries and generality of the National Church should own it as they did at both these contraverted Assemblies We know not what can be if this be not an usurpation upon the liberties of the Church when some of these who are intrusted with a deligate power till the next Assembly do make themselves perpetual Prelates and usurp a negative voice over the Presbyteries and their Commissioners met in a general Assembly yea and over the major part of these intrusted with them and so do cast all who ought to call them to an account that they may still continue in power § 37 A third course taken by our Brethren to make and keep a party and faction is their way of celebrating Communions and observing of publique Fasts Albeit the general Assembly in the year 1645. did establish an Order for uniformity and preventing of confusion in the celebration of that Sacrament wherewith this whole Church then rested well satisfied Yet since our divisions our dissenting Brethren have taken up a new and irregular way To omit their way of admitting persons who come from other Congregations they do not now usually celebrate that Ordinance but they have a great many six or seaven and sometime double or more of Ministers gathered to it whose Congregations most part are left destitute of Preaching that day great confluences from all the Country and many Congregations about are gathered at them and on every day of their meeting which are Saturday the Lords day and Munday many of these Ministers do Preach successively one after another so that three or four and sometime more do preach at their preparation and as many on the Munday following and on the Lords day sometime three or four do Preach before they go to the action besides these who Preach to the multitudes of People that cannot be contained in the Church These practices as they are a clear violation of the Order unanimously established in this Church and do occasion great animosities and alienations in simple People against those Ministers who will not imitate these irregular courses so uninteressed observers do perceive a clear design in all this to set up themselves as the only pious and zealous people worthy to be trusted and followed in our publique differences Which if it be not an injury to that sacred Ordinance and an improving thereof which is a bond of unity and communion to be a wedge to drive on and fixe a rent let the judicious and sober judge § 38 The like may be said of their publique Fasts appointed by themselves and for causes which they emit without the concurrence of the judicatories We shall not insist to clear how untrue many of their causes are upon the matter as determining in our publique differences contrary to the judgement of this Church nor to assert their want of authority to appoint Fasts and determine the causes thereof except upon causes proper to the Congregation where the Fast is observed especially upon such causes as are otherwise determined by the Church judicatories But two things we cannot passe in this matter 1. That a studied schisme and Rent is carried on by these Fasts as will appear partly if we consider the timeing of them so as may make the division betwixt them and their Brethren conspicuous in these things Since our divisions the judicatories of the Church have been tender of a visible rupture in the matter of publique Fasting
they did begin a rent by departing from the received principles of this Church yea and from what themselves did formerly judge a sufficient security to the cause of God and a great mercy to obtain it and accordingly some of them were but a little before chiefly active in closing Treaties and Transactions upon these principles who afterward endeavoured to overturn them This may discover to the world what a spirit it is which leads our Brethren in their way seeing they can not only not acquiesce in the determin ations of the Supreme Authority of a Church or State concerning matters of greatest concernment to both nor content themselves with the exoneration of their own consciences if they be not satisfied but when themselves have agreed to these things and have been chief contrivers of them there can be no security given but they will retract their judgements and overturn them again Which principle and way is inconsistent with the safety or standing of any humane society whatsoever It is true in their Remonstrance and since in their emissions to the world in print they would lay the great stress of this alteration in their judgement and way upon after discoveries of crooked wayes in managing of Transactions in pursuance of these principles and of some particulars in these Transactions which were kept up from the judicatories upon the knowledge whereof they did see the evil and sin of these conclusions of Church and State But if it were to any purpose to trouble the world with stories of matters of fact we could easily demonstrate what a gaining trade they have made of misrepresentations of this kind and in particular that it is more then evident to all who are acquainted with these affairs that these resolutions were faithfully managed and full satisfaction obtained in all that was required previous to a conclusion and that no particular though in matters only upon the by and that whereof they make so much noise was only a person who was bred in the Church of England his taking the Communion once kneeling after he had entred on a Treaty was kept up from these who now complain of it nay or from the Assembly it self as will appear from the report given in to the Assembly and is now in publike record But waving all these it is clear from their Paper emitted to the world Entituled The Causes of the Lords wrath against Scotland that they do hold out the very resolutions and determinations of Church and State in these matters previous to any conclusion as the cause of the Lords controversie against the Land So that assert what they please to gloss the matter they have made a defection from the principles of this Church and prosecuted the same with a rupture and separation § 6 3. What ever may be said of Supreme judicatories and their power to recognosce and re-examine their own conclusions yet it would be considered that the contrivers presenters and prosecuters of that Remonstrance were but private men or did it in a private capacity They were some inferiour Officers Gentlemen and Ministers attending some Forces who took upon them to condemn acts and conclusions of Supreme judicatories unanimously concluded many of themselves as hath been said being present and not contradicting but positively consenting thereunto and that concerning matters of State and civil Government of greatest importance Which any unbyassed and sober spirit will perceive to be a matter above their reach and station especially to have condemned them by way of remonstrance publikely emitted to the world and presented to the State without so much respect had to these judicatories as once to desire them first to re-examine and take into consideration these acts and conclusions yea refusing to apply themselves to such a way as that when advised and earnestly pressed thereunto as more orderly by some to whom they did communicate their design And albeit the Commissioners of the general Assembly were then sitting to whom the management of publike affairs of the Church were committed and who ought to have been consulted with in all weighty matters especially when our Brethren did call in question the conclusions of the preceding Assembly yet it pleased them not to own them in this matter but of themselves did by positive determination contrary to the acts of the Assembly prevent their advice It is true indeed after thy had concluded the matter they who were entrusted by the rest did present the Remonstrance to the Commissioners of the general Assembly desiring their concurrence in presenting it to the State but withal it is to be remembred that when it was enquired if they had any power to change any thing in it They answered that though some expressions might be changed yet they had no power and were not to alter any thing of the matter of it which was in effect to obtrude their determinations upon the Church-judicatorie As these things did evidence their small respect to the government of this Church and their stretching themselves beyond their line by determining in their private capacity not only antecedently but contrary to the conclusions of the Supreme judicatories so divers of these who went a long with them in it at first perceiving shortly after how divisive and destructive to al order that course was did quickly withdraw from them repenting that ever they had engaged with them Sect. 7.4 What ever charity might have been allowed them in presenting their thoughts upon these Transactions or of other faults for a testimony and exoneration of their own consciences and desiring to have them redressed in an orderly way by the competent judicatories yet this can no wayes be justified that not only they second their Testimony with a separation but in the close of the Remonstrance they hold forth a Declaration and avowing of engagements upon their hearts these are the very words before God if he shall lengthen their dayes and take pleasure in them to make them any way instrumental in his work and for his peoples good and safety That they shall to the utmost of their power endeavour to get these things remedied according to their places and callings Which was a real and plain engaging and banding of themselves together to prosecute the matter of their Remonstrance by arms and force it being certain that the most part of the Remonstrators then were in a military place and calling And this several passages in their carriage before they were broken did clearly enough evidence to be their purpose and intention And the judgement of this Church of such divisive bandings of parties hath been so well known especially since the general Assembly 1642. That our Brethren cannot free themselves of walking contrary to the established order of this Church in that their practic § 8 5. Albeit our Brethren by this Remonstrance and the prosecution thereof had made a broach upon our sweet harmony and unity and laid the foundation of all our following breaches yet the Commission
against the judicatories and their proceedings From which it is clear that the Commission used more tendernesse in that case then was usual and approven formerly in this Church If our brethren as they do recurre to this that the proceedings of the Commission 1648. were right upon the matter as these in the 51. were not and so the cases are different We hope what hath been said of these resolutions will refute that imputation and clear there is a parity still And however we believe that matters of formality in constituting judicatories must be still the same in all matters and what ever may be concluded from the matter as to one act of the judicatorie yet it cannot be simply null if it proceed in form but according to former approven practices 3. It would be impartially considered what effect that Letter had as to prelimit the assembly in the election of its members wherein we hope the nullity of the allegeance will sufficiently appear For 1. It is known that Letter was sent but to a very few Presbyteries these most of them after their elections were past 2. It needed not to be sent to many for that end they mention viz. to prelimit them in their elections for many Presbyteries had none at all of their judgement among them and others very few and however they have emitted to the world an account of some in most of Presbyteries of their judgment yet when they reckon again they will find they have wronged some whom they name as theirs and yet to this day they continue opposite to their course and that they could not make such an account then of many as they may do now since divers taking advantage of the times and seeking their own interests have fallen to them 3. Whatever they say of the Commissions deed or their active prelimitations thereby yet if they shall assert there was any passive prelimitation either of Presbyteries in electing or the Assemblies admitting of such to be members in which case only it can plead the nullity of the Assembly we may boldly declare that they speak against clear truth for nowithstanding that letter the most part of the most active opposers were chosen by Presbyteries and admitted and acted in that assembly till it pleased themselves to protest and leave it Yea further to assert this passive prelimitation of Presbyteries will strike not only against the Commission but against all the Presbyteries of the Land as unfaithfull and betrayers of their trust which were too heavy a charge against a Nationall Church The truth is the carriage both of the Commission Presbyteries and Generall Assemblie doth make it clear there was no prelimitation intended nor practised in electing members to nor admitting them to sit in the Generall Assembly for they not onely might but were actually chosen and admitted in it Only as is said the Commission thought it fit they should be cited thither and that however they might act and vote in other things yet the Commission and they should be tried together in that debate which we believe any unbyassed Christian will judge to have been their duty and very far from prelimiting of the Assembly and an irrelevant ground on which they should have made a rent and such an inlet of confusion upon this Church as hath followed thereupon § 33 Having so briefly as might consist with perspicuity laid open the true State of the controversie betwixt our Brethren and us and the progresse of our publique differences till it came to a stated rupture by their Protestations we shall now in pursuance of the second head propounded give a brief account of some consequences and practices that have followed upon this rupture It may be and is the matter of our sad lamentation before the Lord and we might pour out abundance of complaints in the bosomes of sympathysing Christians who ever were sensible of the mercy of a Churches enjoying the sweet of harmony that by these divisions sad prejudices have redounded to the Kingdom of Christ among us that the work of the Gospel is exceedingly retarded thereby Atheism and irreligion increased true Religion and godliness exposed to hatred and reproach because of the carriage and way of many who professed it the authority of Church-judicatories enervate and rendred contemptible their meetings which some times were a reviving now turned into occasions of grief to the lovers and friends of Church-Government and order yea and the work of purging which our Brethren do so much call for exceedingly retarded and obstructed But leaving these before the Lord who alone can apply an effectual remedy thereunto we hold it our duty to give an account of some of our Brethrens irregular practices following upon their renting from the Judicatories whereby as by the effects it may appear what their spirit and way in these differences is and it may be discerned what accession they have to these sad distempers formerly mentioned § 34 Their first course taken for carrying on their design and strengthning their faction and which they set on foot shortly after their first protestation was the convening of great numbers of Ministers Elders Professours and Expectants from all parts of the Land in extrajudicial meetings Wherein after confession of sins and prayer performed indifferently by Ministers Elders or others in these great meetings they did and do proceed to determination of particulars tending to the strengthening of their cause and engaging of others in it and do give equall power to all present in voicing and determining in these matters of most publique concernment The Lord knoweth that we do from our hearts approve of the duties of private mutual edification as they are enjoined in the word and are recommended and bounded by the acts of our general Assemblies with the conseat and to the good liking then of all our Brethren and we do account it not sutable to the nature of these duties to make a noise of professing our own practise thereof accordingly But we do not see that our Brethrens way in these is at all agreeable to the Rule nor consistent with the peace of any constitute National Church And particularly we cannot but resent in their way 1. That they should make use of these religious exercises as a subservient mean for carrying on these courses which we hope by what is said will appear to be most unlawful in themselves 2. That by giving out themselves in these meetings as the generality of the godly throughout the Land or delegates in a sort from them they do cast an imputation upon the bulk of the National Church beside who are against their way and do not joyn with them in these courses as not only wrong in that matter but as not godly some very few excepted Which as we know to be a most false imputation not many of these of any rank who owned the cause from the beginning going along with them So it is an evidence of a strange divisive and separating