Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A33119
|
The remonstrance of the Commissioners of the General Assembly to the Convention of Estates at Edinburgh, June, 1643
|
Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.; Ker, A.
|
1643
(1643)
|
Wing C4253; ESTC R35585
|
5,658
|
12
|
THE REMONSTRANCE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY To the CONVENTION of ESTATES At Edinburgh June 1643. EDINBURGH Printed by Evan Tyler Printer to the Kings most excellent Majestie ANNO 1643. At Edinburgh the 27. of June 1643. THe Estates of this Kingdome presently conveened having read and considered the Remonstrance given in to them by the Commissioners from the Generall Assembly As they do returne heartie thanks to the Commissioners of the Assembly for their timous advertisement in matters of so great importance So to the effect the same may be the better made known to all the members of this Convention and they thereby more enabled to give their resolutions therein Ordains the same to be forthwith printed and that thir presents be Warrant for that effect Arch. Primerose Cler. Conven To the right Honourable the Noblemen the Commissioners of Shires and Burrowes assembled in the Convention of Estates at Edinburgh June 22. 1643. years The humble remonstrance and desires of the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly ACcording to the trust committed unto us by the Generall Assembly in this time of so many difficulties and so great danger to Religion and Peace which have exercised us this time past and doe still more and more presse us above measure We have given warning to the whole Ministrie how to acquit themselves against all sorts of Enemies to Religion and Peace We have also by petition made our humble addresse to the Kings most excellent Majestie for remedying the present evils and preventing the like in time coming Wherein we have had the happinesse to be countenanced and assisted by the Lords of His Majesties honourable privie Councell and the Commissioners for conserving the Peace But to our great grief have not found the successe answerable to Our Endeavours and Expectation which is also resented in a late Declaration by the Lords of His Majesties privie Councell and the Commissioners for conserving the Peace and is now universally known to this whole kirk and kingdome And therefore having the opportunitie of this Honourable Convention representing the whole body of the Kingdome wherein we humbly acknowledge the wise timous and mercifull providence of God we finde our selves bound both as the faithfull Ministers of Christ and watchmen unto the house of Israel and as Commissioners of the Assembly set after a speciall manner upon the watch-tower at this time to give warning from God of the present dangers and with all earnestnesse in the name of God to intreat your Lordships for a speedy remedie We need not make any Remonstrance to your Lordships of Romish Heresies Superstition Usurpation and Tyranny nor of the inestimable benefit of the Reformation of Religion which next unto the first planting of Christian Religion it self is the greatest mercy that ever God bestowed upon the world and is no lesse then a resurrection from the dead nor of the many violent and fraudulent wayes which Antichrist hath used in acquiring preserving and propagating his Kingdome and thereby hath declared himself to be Antichrist indeed The Kirks and Kingdomes of Britain France Germany and other places from the first time of Reformation to this day bear testimony of his fraud and violence We only represent what great and marvellous things the Lord hath done for this Kirk and Kingdome of old and of late such as he hath not been pleased to do this day to any Nation under Heaven which hath been many times matter of humble and thankfull acknowledgement to our selves of admiration to other reformed Kirks and of astonishment to the enemies of God who neverthelesse in the invincible malice and hardnesse of their Hearts have ever been since the first beginning of Reformation according to their own Principles by all their craft and might opposing and fighting against the work of God And although by the wisedome power and good providence of God they have been many times disappointed of their ends and their devices turned upon their own heads yet as enemies of all righteousnesse and full of all subtilty and mischief do they never cease to pervert and resist the right wayes of the Lord which hath been formerly and is at this day the cause of many and great dangers to our Religion and to the peace and happinesse both of King and Countrey When we look upon the records of former times As we perceive the Kirk of God in this Kingdome in most of her nationall Assemblies to have entred in a deep consideration of the dangers of the true Religion of the causes whence they did arise and of the best and most effectuall remedies whereby they might be removed So do we finde the principall dangers discovered by the generall Assemblies to be the same which at this time threaten our Religion and Peace One of them was from forrain invasion by Papists in Armes or preparing forces to come against this Iland Another was of intestine conspiracies and secret plots of Papists and their assistants within the Kingdome And the third was the ordinary resort of Papists to Court their familiar admittance to the Kings and Queens Majesties Presence and their preferment to places and imployments of Trust with the slighting and neglecting of such as were known to be zealous of the Truth and Cause of God against Popery and Corruption In all which they did wisely observe a threefold conjunction First That the safety of Religion and of the Kings person crown and posterity were inseparably joyned That the danger of the one was also the danger of the other That they did stand and fall together and had the same common friends and enemies which was acknowledged and professed by his Majestie that then was with resolution to assist by his power and royall Authority the endevours of the Kirk for preserving of Religion and his Estate against all forrain and intestine practices of Papists and Apostats Secondly The conjunction of the safety of the two kingdomes of Scotland and England because in one Iland although under divers Princes and that the danger from popish forces and conspiracies was common to both which was the ground of the generall band of this Kingdome the year 1588. and of the common band and union betwixt the two Kingdomes in the year 1585. in their joynt defence of Religion against the common Enemie Thirdly the conjunction betwixt the Kirks of Britain and all other Kirks professing the true protestant Religion with them which was the reason of the desire of a generall League and Christian Confederacie of all Princes and States sincerely professing the Evangel to be opponed to the ungodly conspiracies of the enemies of Gods Truth Concerning these three sorts of dangers we may truely say with the Preacher That which hath beene is now And that not so much by vicissitude and change as by continuance and succession of the same kindes of dangers to the true Religion which remaineth alwayes the same it being built upon the rock and therefore unalterable by the course of time Yet
the difference is so great that we ought thereby to be excited to the greater vigilancie For first The dangers are by time grown greater then they were before For now the Papists are in Armes within the Iland and that which was feared as a forrain invasion is now become intestine felt within the bowels of England and is at the distance but of a few dayes march from our selves And therefore in divers respects more dangerous to both Kingdomes then the Armado or any other forrain invasion The hatred of brethren being the strongest and the resistance being by division made the weaker Now the secret plots and inward combinations of Papists and Malignants which have been lately discovered and are more particularly known to your Lo. then to us are much aided and assisted By those of the Prelaticall Faction which answerably unto their practises make open profession to joyn rather with the Papists then with us By Malignants and Dis-covenanters who from no zeal to any Religion but that they may serve their own particular projects do joyn their counsels with the Papists and really serve their ends And by others who have suffered themselves to bee drawn away and divided from the straight way wherein they were wont comfortably to walk not upon designe but by the cunning of Malignants by enticements of Societie and by naturall Relations to cooperate with them who may wel participate withthem in their paines and if they return not quickly to their first love in their punishments also But if they consider the intention of their Authors and Leaders can have small hopes to have any part or share in their intended rewards Now Papists Prelats and Malignants are not onely about the Kings and Queens Majesties but also are reputed to be the best Subjects the chief supporters of the Crown and maintainers of Royall Dignity And such as oppose Papistrie and Prelacie are conceived to be either enemies or not so good Subjects Now the bands of the conjunction of the King and Reformed Religion are burst asunder and a contrary way of safety by Papists is provided and preferred And now contrary to the Proceedings of all our Assemblies to the resolution of the convention of estates in the year 1585. and to all the remonstrances and declarations of this Kirk and Kingdome which have been many since the beginning of our troubles no danger is apprehended to our Religion by prevailing of Papists of Papistry in England Against which as being contrary both to sense and reason the Remonstrance of the classes of Zeland to the Estates there speaketh thus We esteeme the destruction and weakning of the Reformed Churches in England to be the beginning of the ruine of all the Reformed Churches in whole Europe specially of Scotland which shall not possibly escape the same estate of Religion with England And their letters presently sent unto us speak to the same sense And there be three too pregnant and publick witnesses The invasion 1588. the Powder-treason Novem. 5. and the Service book 1637. all which were intended against the Kirks of both Kingdomes either immediatly or mediatly and by consequence And thus your Lordships may perceive in all these considerations the former dangers of our Religion to be at this time not onely continued but mightily encreased Secondly there is another difference that not only the old dangers are grown to a greater height but new dangers unknown in former times are multiplied against us Arms are taken up by Papists and the Popish party under pretext ofservice to the Kings Majesty The Queen still using all means with his Majesty with the Subjects and with Strangers to promove and settle her own profession against the Reformed Religion Our hopes expressed in our Supplication of disbanding of Popish forces in England of means to be used for the Queens conversion all frustrated Papists through their successe in Ireland their power in England and their expectation in this Kingdome daily growing to a greater strength number and insolencie No execution of the Laws against Papists although excommunicated and denounced Rebells Whence it is that they still reset Jesuits and Seminarie Priests They travell where they will armed with Carabins and Pistolls to the terrour and seducing of poore People and speak what they please of Religion and of the present troubles And if any of them happen to apprehend danger here they slie into England and finde not only shelter but advancement among the Papists there in arms And our Covenant which is in the own nature and was in effect in former times a fortresse and defence against Papistrie and against defection and division among our selves is to the great dishonour of God to the scandall danger and detriment of Religion many wayes violated neglected in some clauses quite forgotten as if it had never been sworne nor subscribed Resolutions have been taken by common consent of the Generall Assemblie of their Commissioners of the Lords of privie Councell and the Conservers of Peace with the approbation of all the Presbyteries of the Land for sending of Petitions to the Kings Majestie and Declarations to the Parliament for Unitie in Religion and Uniformitie of Church-government as a necessary meane for the preservation of our Religion and Peace Yet contrary to the Covenant some have suffered themselves to be divided and drawne away by suggestions or allurements from these common resolutions Have cast in Lets and Impediments to stay and hinder the same so farre have they been from suppressing or as need did require from making dangerous and divisive motions known that they might have been timously obviated Have wrested words of the Covenant by their sinister interpretations to their own ends quite contrary to the intention of the Covenant And whether in their meetings and combinations they have used any other meane directly contrary or indirectly prejudiciall to the oath of the Covenant their own hearts know and the Searcher of hearts will make known in his own time It were a wonder if Papists were not like themselves working according to their own grounds and wonted practices for the liberty of their profession at this time which seemeth to smile upon them and to flatter them with the promises of so many advantages But should it not seem al 's great a wonder that any amongst us should be so unlike to themselves and to that which they professed to be at the renewing of their Covenant that although it may be different in intentions they are wittingly become fellow-workers with Papists in hindring the desire of the Reformation in England and hazarding the settled Reformation here When we consider the wayes of GOD who often in his justice punisheth sin with sin we have reason to fear this to be a spirituall judgement for the neglect of the worship of GOD common blasphemies prophanation of the Lords day unrighteousnesse deceit malignitie adulteries incests all kindes of uncleannes and excesse of all sorts with the forgetting of the affliction of Gods people in other places which bring on other sins and threaten us more then all the former dangers we having of late so solemnely promised to live soberly righteously and godly GOD hath honoured your Lordships and this whole Kingdome represented by you to do great things for his Name when now we have endured the heat of the day let us not weary in the evening lest we lose our reward Your noble and worthy Predecessours had their own troubles and trialls in former ages the present are yours by divine providence Great things are expected from this Kingdome for the benefit of all the Reformed Kirks especially of the Kirk of England unto which we have the voice of the Classes of Zeland who in respect of our near relation are but strangers unto England at this very time inviting and exciting us And GOD hath given us from by-past experience great encouragements for afterward Faithfulnesse in the work unto which GOD calleth you at this time shall be honour to the Kingdome safety to the Kirk comfort in life and death and a Crown of glory in the world to come with which this world hath nothing of any weight or worth to compare All our desire at this time is that your Lordships in your wisedome would consider of the aforenamed dangers and after they are found to be not imaginarie or counterfeit but true and reall above any thing that we have exprest your Lordships would against all differences and divisions unite your selves heartily and strongly in the cause of God that it may once appear to his Majestie that our late Petition for Unitie in Religion and Uniformitie of Church government hath proceeded from the united affections of this whole Kingdome And that your Lordships may be pleased to think upon the best and most effectuall remedies for the preservation of our Religion which as is well known to your Lordships and hath been often expressed in our Petitions Remonstrances and Declarations cannot possibly be preserved unlesse the condition of Religion in his Majesties other Dominions be seriously taken to heart And herein as your Lordships shall be pleased to require of us we shall most willingly contribute what we our selves can conceive or have learned from the proceedings of the Generall Assemblies in the like cases Likeas we do now most earnestly beseech GOD to assist your Lordships by the good spirit of Counsell and Peace to cause the light of his glorious Gospel to shine in your hearts and to blesse your meeting with a peaceable and comfortable conclusion to the rejoycing of all the People of GOD. A. Ker Cl. Commiss Gen. Ass FINIS