Kings proceedings and were resolved to prosecute and maintain his present Majesties Interest before and without acknowledgment of the sins of his House and former wayes and satisfaction to Gods People in both Kingdoms The omitting of which Clauses doth so sar as I can discern either from the Assemblies own words or from the judgments and expressions of these who had chief hand therein or from comparing things with things indeed import an altering of the state of the question and brings it to that which was so much pleaded for by the opposers of Reformation from the very beginning of our differences with the Kings father especially by some of the Authors of the crosse Petition in 1643. and of the unlawfull Engagement in the year 1648. to wit that though the King did not disclaim his former opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the enemies thereof and own and prosecute the Cause of God yet we ought to owne his Kingly Interest by admitting him to the exercise of his Royall Power and obeying him in al things lawful which how far it reacheth as to the casting loose and condemning of the former proceedings of this Church and Kingdom with the King and his Father and making a new state of the question hath been often heretofore shewen by this Church and cannot but be obvious to every intelligent man Two Acts of the Assembly at Dundee and one Act of the Assembly at Edinburgh which relates unto censures DUNDEE Julii 31. 1651. antemer Sess 19. Act for censuring of those who do not acknowledge this present Assembly and do not acquiesce to the Acts thereof c. THe General Assembly considering that all persons who protest against and decline the authority of the General Assembly are censurable by the Acts and Constitutions of this Kirk with the highest censures thereof and that by the Act of the solemne General Assembly of Glasgow 20. Decemb. 1638. Sess 26. Presbyteries and Provincials are ordained to cite and censure all such as would not acknowledge the said Assembly And the Assembly being very sensible of the prejudice this Kirk may suffer in her Liberties and Priviledges by the beginnings of such practices if they be not timeously prevented and restrained Therefore according to the practice and example of the said Assembly They ordain Presbyteries and Provinciall Assemblies to call before them all persons that do not acknowledge this present Assembly and to censure them according to the degree of their contempt and obstinacie to the Acts of this Kirk And the Assembly having also considered that by the afore-mentioned Act of the Assembly of Glasgow and another Act of the said Assembly Decemb. 18. Sess 24. Presbyteries are ordained to proceed against these that do not acquiesce to the Acts of the said Assembly and that refuse themselves or draw others from the obedience of the Act of the General Assembly in manner mentioned in the said Act. Therefore do ratifie and approve the said Acts and declare that they are to be extended against Ministers censured by this Assembly and all those that oppose the Publick Resolutions thereof Ordaining also Presbyteries and Provincial Assemblies To call before them all persons that shall not acquiesce to the Acts and Constitutions of this present Assembly and to deal with them by conference for their satisfaction And if in their conference with them they shall still oppose the Acts and Conclusions of this Assembly That they censure them according to the degree of their offence and obstinacie to the Acts of this Assembly And where Presbyteries are negligent or wanting herein the Assembly appoints the Commission appointed for Publick Affairs to proceed against the said offenders respective and to censure them in manner abovespecified giving unto them full power for that effect Eodem die at Dundee Ses 19. antemerid Act against Expectants who oppose the Publick Resolutions THe General Assembly understanding the scandall and prejudice of practices and carriage of some Expectants and students attenders of families for performance of religious duties by their private or publick opposing Publick Resolutions For removing whereof they do extend the Act of the Assembly 1640. Sess 10. against expectants refusing to subscribe the Covenant and the censure therein specified against all expectants students in Divinity and attenders upon families for religious duties that shal not acknowledge the General Assemblies of this Kirk and this present General Assembly and that shal not acquiesce to the Acts and Constitutions thereof and do ordain them to be removed from Bursaries and to be discharged from publick preaching and catechising in Congregations and families and from all other priviledges and liberties allowed to expectants appointing Presbyteries and Provincials to proceed against them accordingly Edinburgh 3. Aug. 1652. antemer Sess 19. Act concerning admitting Expectants to their tryals and Ruling Elders to act in Presbyteries and Synods THe General Assembly having out of their earnest desire of the Peace and Vnity of this Kirk condescended upon an Overture of Peace and not onely propounded it to some Brethren who were here opposite to the Publick Judicatories of this Kirk But also in pursuance of that end Ordained the said Overture to be presented and offered by the several Presbyteries or Synods to all in their respective bounds who have Protested against and Declined or consented or adhered unto the Protestations and Declinatours made against this and the preceding General Assembly and the conditions therein contained to be required of them And considering the great prejudice like to arise to this Kirk by encreasing of our unhappy Differences and Distractions if young men shal be admitted into the Ministery which shal still blow the fire of contention and continue in avowed opposition to and contempt of the Publick Judicatories Therefore Ordains Presbyteries to take special care that upon the calling of any Expectant to a particular charge of the Ministery before they admit him to his trials they require him under his hand to passe from the Protestations and Declinatours against this and the preceding General Assembly if he hath been accessory to the same and to promise and give assurance that he shal abstain from holding up Debates and Controversies about matters of Differences in this Kirk since the Assembly 1650 in Preaching Writing or other wayes Vpon the performance whereof the Presbyterie shal proceed to his trials if not in that case the Presbyterie shal foebear to proceed until the next General Assembly leaving liberty to the Presbyterie and Congregation for planting of the place otherwise And the Assembly Ordains and requires that Presbyteries be not sudden to lay by such young men as at first refuses or scruples to perform these conditions mentioned but that pains be taken upon them to convince them of the reasonablenesse thereof and to perswade them to embrace them and to give them a competent time for that effect Likeas the Assembly considering the prejudice of Elders coming to Presbyteries for
Minister And that if any Elder be found negligent in the duties of his charge and continue so after admonition or scandalous in his life and conversation or to be a neglecter of the worship of GOD in his Family he be removed from and purged out of the Session 5. Ordains that Sessions and Presbyteries be carefull and make conscience by all means to censure impartially all persons of whatsoever rank or condition that are scandalous either in things of the first or in things of the second Table according to the Rules and Order which Christ hath prescribed in his Word and to proceed to the highest censures with such as are grossely and obstinately scandalous or are ignorant and contemn and continuedly neglect the means of knowledge as publick and private catechizing c. after they are made inexcusable by sufficient means used to reclaim and gain them 6. Ordains that Ministers and Sessions in Congregations be carefull as they will be answerable to Christ Jesus to debar from the Lords Table all such persons as are found not to walk sutably to the Gospel and being convinced and admonished thereof do not reform As also all such as have not knowledge to examine themselves and to discern the Lords Body And that for the more orderly performing of this the Minister in examination of the people have some of the Elders alwayes with him and represent unto the Session such as are found grossely ignorant that by order of the Session they may be debarred 7. That Presbyteries and Sessions make conscience that such persons are found scandalous and are under censure for that cause be not received nor absolved from their censure unlesse they give such satisfaction and evidences of their repentance as are expressed in the Acts of the Assemblies concerning the receiving of penitents J. MAKGHIE OBSERVATIONS This Act as is professed and given out by many was not only intended but if they may be trusted doth indeed and upon the matter give full and clear satisfaction to the Propositions which were offered by the Protesters unto their Brethren of the Assembly at their first down-sitting as the best means for satisfying of their consciences securing of the Work of Reformation purging the Church promoving the power of godlinesse removing of these sad differences and for attaining and preserving a good understanding and therefore these as they alleadge being satisfied the propounders of them not acquiescing therein must have some other thing before them Therefore for vindicating of these I shal mark a few things for shewing how unsatisfactory all that is contained in this Act is unto the desires contained in these Propositions untill there may be opportunity to make a more full discovery thereof 1. To passe the ambiguity of their Answer to the first part of the first Proposition wherein it is desired that they give evidence c. They omit the whole second Proposition to wit That it be seriously laid to heart c. which in order to the ends that are propounded in the Preface to these Propositions to wit the satisfaction of our Consciences is as to the present condition of affairs betwixt them and the Protesters the most important of these Propositions yea in their other Papers these things which the Protesters complain of as defection they commend as duty and professe their adherence thereunto and appoint censures to be inflicted upon all the opposers thereof 2. They also omit the whole third Proposition to wit That as we are ready in our station c. by which ommission they give just ground to suspect that there is in their apprehension no malignant party that needs to be discovered or from whom the Work of God stands in danger and though the Protesters do not in the first part of the Proposition take upon them to secure and guard the Cause and Work of God against errour heresie and schisme but onely by this Overture gave evidence of the sincerity of their intentions in order to that end that so they may satisfie their Brethren in the matter of their Jealousies thereanent yet as they do still apprehend a great danger to the Lords Work from a numerous party of malignants still in the Lord so are they much unsatisfied that the Assembly gave no expression of their sense of danger this way nor evidence of their willingnesse to concur in securing against the same nor hold forth any way for the discovering and knowing of these for the time to come 3. Whereas they seem to grant much in order to the trying admitting removing and deposing of Church-Officers censuting of scandalous persons dispensing of Ordinances and receiving of penitents they do really and in effect grant little or nothing yea they do expresly refuse the desire of the Propositions upon these things and establish the very contrary Because the desire of the Propositions is that the late Meeting at Dundee and the Acts thereof being taken out of the way and the Work and People of GOD secured from the harm and evill consequences which have already and may further ensue from the same as is expressed in the last Proposition which they wholly omit all these things may be done according to the Acts of former uncontroverted Assemblies of this Church concerning the Work of Reformation in the literall and genuine sense and meaning thereof but their grants and concessions do include for the rule according to which they are to be regulated viz. the Acts of General Assemblies and Constitutions of this Church indefinitely which in their sense doth clearly and undeniably include the Acts of the last Assembly at Dundee and Edinburgh which instead of purging of the Church from ignorant and disaffected and scandalous Ministers and Professors purge it from a very great part of the able well affected good Ministers Elders Expectants and Professors of the Land because of their not acknowledging the authority and acquiescing to the Constitutions of these Assemblies 4. Their actions which before the Lord and also with intelligent and discerning men are the most reall evidences of the reallity and sincerity of mens intentions since that time do demonstrate whether they have granted the desire of these Propositions Tell me how many ignorant disaffected scandalous Ministers or Elders are censured by the Authors of the Publick Resolutions since the last Assembly or how many lawfully deposed and unlawfully admitted are proceeded against c. They would fain find some shadow of an excuse for so grosse an oversight and cast the blame upon the Protesters who say they have so weakned the authority of the Church that her censures are rendered altogether ineffectuall But 1. To say nothing that spirituall censures are not alwayes to be foreborn because men refuse to obey yea in many cases they are the more vigorously to be prosecuted 2. With what colour of reason can it be alleadged that those who not onely acknowledge their authority but very zealously pleading for it as most of the scandalous and disaffected
whether they have given diligent heed to that word of exhortation that saith Let them come to thee but go not thou to them 2. That the Protesters have studied to take hold of every oportunity to declare and make known their approbation of and adherence unto the Work of Reformation and to bear testimony against all injuries done thereunto and encroachments made thereupon and have endeavoured to the utmost of their power to prevent and remedy the same 3. That the Authors and Abettors of the Publick Resolutions have now met several times in their Assemblies and Commissions yet to this day have we had no word of testimony from them against these adversaries of our Cause with the promoting of whose design they do so much charge the Protesters but their spirit and zeal hath been spent another way As to what they have done at their late Assembly with closed doors none being present but themselves that cannot be looked on as a testimony to the Cause of Christ and at the best it will amount to no higher then the profession of Nicodemus in private Why have they not made it a testimony indeed and appointed some of their number to present own and avow it before some of these against whom they testifie as the Protesters did seasonably and with the first oportunity Or why did they remove all others out of their meeting Were they afraid that some should have born witnesse and testified what they had done If they looked on themselves as an Assembly of this Kirk they cannot be ignorant that the transactions of Generall Assemblies ought and use to be publick and especially their testimonies Or why did they not communicate the same to Synods Presbyteries and Congregations but let it ly in the dark to this day If they desire to be accompted faithfull they would either give a more distinct and certain sound concerning these adversaries or else speak lesse against the Protesters lest they bewray more passion then piety and more of the zeal of themselves then of the true zeal of God 4. Where hath that spirit lodged which this last year past hath been most effectuall for carrying on the design of the adversaries whether among the Protesters or amongst the Authors and Abettors of the Publick Resolutions let themselves speak But because he is pleased from that Warning and Declaration of the Assembly at Dundee to mention seven steps of progresse whereby they labour to prove what they do assert in the former passage acted by him therefore seeing that Declaration which is fraughted with much ill-grounded charity to Malignants and with a great deal of causelesse prejudice and mistaken zeal against many of the precious and godly in the Land begins again to be digged up out of its grave wherein sad dispensations of Providence did once seem to bury it before it could be heard speak in many of the Congregations of the Land therefore though he do insist on the last Step. yet for truths sake and for clearing of these who are traduced without cause I shall speak shortly to all the seven The DECLARATION at Dundee THe first step is expressed thus The credulity of some believing the hypocriticall pretences of this now prevailing faction of Sectaries mixed apparently with the crafty designe of others would not so much as admit the suspition of this enemies purpose to invade us and thereupon did resist and retard the lifting of an Army for the defence of the Cause and Kingdom untill the Enemy was very near our Borders and had emitted a Declaration of their resolution to invade us so that all means of defence was like to be utterly marred DEFENCE TWo things are charged here upon the Protesters and their adherents as the principle of their actings credulity in some and designe in others As to the first it is indeed ordinary to gracious men to be credulous of these who have the shew of godlinesse until they see them deny the power thereof and I think this fault if it be a fault may be easily pardoned by these who allow so large charity to Malignants upon bare and naked Professions now and then when they come before the Judicatories of the Kirk notwithstanding of their many former breaches and relapses and known dissimulatio contrary cariages in the tenor of their speeches actings but what ever be these mens credulity yet seing they walked in the simplicity of their hearts the Lord hath to this day keeped them out of snares and given them as to the main of their carriage to keep the straight way declining extreams on both hands As to the second to wit a crafty designe in others it is alleadged to be apparently so but no evidence is brought of that neither can any evidence be brought of it it being a meer alleadgeance without all ground of truth such things have been spoken and written and preached by some now for a good while past it is now high time since it hath been so often called for for their own credits sake to bring some proof of what they say I beseech the Author if these words and of all such expressions as before the Lord and as they would not wrong themselves nor their brethren nor delude and do injury to others by filling their hearts with thoughts of jealousie and rancour against innocent men if they know any thing of this kind to bring it forth and if they know nothing to forbear such reproches which thogh for the present they be bitter to these whom they asperse yet in the end the shame wil return upon the heads of these who have broached and vented them It nay be remembred that reproaches of this kind were cast upon the most eminent and faithfull in the year 1648 by the Authors of the unlawfull Engagement because of their opposing thereof and bearing testimony against the same but passing these I come to that which is alleadged to be their work and that was that they did resist and retard the lifting of an Army for defence of the Cause and Kingdom for clearing and confuting of which it would be remembred that as in resolving and condescending upon the Instructions given to the Commissioners of this Kingdom for Treating with the King there were some who too much favouring the Malignant party would have had it put in Instruction that this Kingdom would engage in a War against England for restoring the King to his Throne upon condition of his giving satisfaction in the Demands propounded to him which when they could not obtain their next endeavour was that the transaction at Bredah might be so carried as that the King and his Party might have some probable assurance of this and therefore was the first invitation given to the King there contrived in such words expressions as seemed to import the same which being sent home to this Kingdom was censured corrected by the Parl. 〈◊〉 new Instructions sent back to Holland containing the express demands of this
that it was approved and accepted by the Lord as a necessary duty that gracious men who by the tentations of the time and the perswasions of some whose judgements they respected being drawn into a snare at Sterline to disclaim the Remonstrance they were within very few dayes after so challenged in conscience that they had no peace of mind till they acknowledged their fault and resolved to walk softly all their years in the bitternesse of soul The first thing that they challenge in the Remonstrance is That the owning of the Kings just Interest agreed unto by the Generall Assembly and the Parliament was expressely laid aside and his removall from the exercise of his Royall Power and Government advised to the Committee of Estates but in this they do not deal fairly not onely because they leave out the Reasons upon which this is offered to be considered by the Committee which are very weighty and important but also because they omit to tell that the Gentlemen Ministers and Forces of the West had no other meaning in the Remonstrance as to the Kings Interest then what was expressed in the Declaration at the West Kirk of the 12. August in the year 1650. In which the Committee of Estates the Commission of the Kirk and the Army did unanimously joyn in their severall stations and capacities in testimony whereof they were willing and did often offer accordingly to clear and explain the same if so be the Commission should forbear to give any sense upon it and let un-byassed men judge if it was unseasonable to remonstrate this upon the Kings deserting the Councels of State and Kirk and joyning with the Malignant Party contrary to the Covenant and Treaty The next thing challenged is That the authority of the Committee of Estates is thereby weakened but it is not told how belike it is meaned because of the freedom that is therein used in laying before them the sins and mis-carriages of sundry of these who were then in place and power but the discovering and taking with of sin doth not weaken but strengthen authority that which hath provoked the Lord to dash our Judicatories in pieces and to bring them to nothing is Because they have refused to take with their guiltinesse and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God If the freedome that was used in the Remonstrance in reference to Members of the Committee of Estates offend any these four things would be remembred 1. That what is therein represented is known and undeniable truth 2. That the Lord was calling thereto by his most dreadful stroaks 3. That many were hardning and habâ—tuating themselves in sin 4. That the men who spoke were about to lay down their lives and therefore took liberty to speak all their hearts that they might exoner themselves and leave it as their testimony with others The third is that a way of holding up a constant division from State and Kirk is therein moulded but nothing is said to make out this and though some of the Remonstrators be judged and called subtile and designing men yet as they did intend no such thing so do I doubt exceedâ—ngly if they be so quick-sighted as to see the strength of this inference that is made upon it for my part I see it not and am content to be â—gnorant of it untill it shall be discovered unto me DECLARATION THe fifth step is When notwithstanding of this perillous practice all means of union of Forces and healing of the breach was endeavoured by Church and State yet union could not be had except upon such conditions as the State and Church could neither in honour nor in conscience grant whereby and through the dissipation of these Forces which aahered to the Remonstrance at Hamilton the State and Church were necessitated either to render all up to the present rage of a perfidious and prevalent Enemy or to make use of such as had been formerly received to repentance for their sinfull courses and admit others to repentance from whom satisfaction might be gotten agreeable to the Rules of the Generall Assembly that all togother might be employed for the just and necessary defence of the Cause and Kingdom their naturall interest obligations and solemnâ— tyes by Covenant calling for the same DEFENCE LEt it be considered what these conditions were which the Church and State could neither in honour nor conscience grant As for the Kings exercising of his power the Remonstrators did declare that they had in humility propounded their judgment and the reasons thereof unto the Committee of Estates but it was in their power to hearken unto them and to do so yea or no as they thought fit and that if they should not be pleased still to debar the King from the exercise of his power as he had been formerly they would not refuse to live peaceably under him as the Magistrat of the Land only two things they did desire in order to their uniting with the Forces of the Kingdom 1. That the quarrell upon which they fought might be stated as in the Declaration of the 13. of Aug. 1650. 2. That there might be one to command the Forces qualified according to the solemn Engagement unto duties to wit of a blameless and Christian conversation and of known integrity and constant affection to the Cause of God both which conditions were refused Now I would fain know a reason why these things might not be condescended unto in honor and conscience Was it lesse honour or conscience to state the quarrel in November 1650. according to the foresaid Declaration then it-was to state it in August immediatly preceding Had any thing occurred in order to the King for altering the state of the quarrell and making it more favourable as to him or rather was there not something to the contrary to wit his deserting of the Judicatories giving of Commissions to the Malignants and joyning with them Or was it contrary to honour and conscience to satisfie them in the other Or did not both honour and conscience binde them to it As to the imploying of the Malignant Party there is so much said in a particular Treatise to demonstrate the sinfulness of it as also that there was no necessity for it that I shall not now insist upon it only I desire that to be taken notice of which they say of making use of such as had been formerly received to repentance for their sinfull courses and admitting others to repentance from whom satisfaction might be gotten agreeable to the Rules of the Generall Assembly that all together might be imployed Which words import that as they did require repentance in all these who were formerly excluded and were now to be imployed so also that care was taken to receive none but such as satisfied according to the Rules of the Generall Assembly both which are spoken gratis and without ground The first because in answer to the Quere and in the Warning penned for the strengthening of it
the approving thereof the reading of a part whereof to wit Sir Archibald Johnstoun of Waristoun their own Clerk his Letter was much pressed at severall Diets by many of their own number yet were not these things heard nor taken in consideration nor could the reading of that Letter be obtained notwithstanding that it was once publickly promised by the Moderator B. Would to God their wisdome and faithfulnesse in the discharge of their trust had been such as might justly deserve such a commendation but we fear that upon examination it shal be found not to have been so 1. Because they did not keep themselves within the bounds of their trust which was to treat and determine in the matters referred unto them as their Commission expressely bears but it was not referred unto them to determine Cases not formerly determined by any Assembly of this Church there is no such clause in their Commission yet did they determine a very grave Case to wit the imploying of these who were formerly excluded which by the chief Authors of that determination is acknowledged to have been indeterminati juris a fault that was the greater because it is provided by the Acts of the Generall Assembly 1641 That since it hath pleased God to vouchsafe us the liberty of yearly Generall Assemblies that no novation in Doctrine Worship or Government be brought in or practised in this Kirk unlesse it be first propounded examined and allowed in the Generall Assembly 2. Because they did not onely go beyond their trust but walk contrary unto their trust great part of their trust was to preserve the established Doctrine Discipline Worship and Government of this Kirk against all who should endeavor to bring in any contrary thereunto to censure Complyers and persons disaffected to the Covenant according to the Acts of the Assembly and to protest against all encroachments upon the Liberties of the Kirk in all which three they failed 1. In the matter of preserving the Doctrine not onely because they taught and allowed that Malignants being Subjects might be imployed and intrusted for defence of the Cause and Kingdom as appears at length in their Warning of the date January _____ 1651. and in their Answer to the Letter of the Presbyterie of Stirling at the same Diet notwithstanding that the contrary had been constantly taught and holden by this Kirk these years past but also were instrumentall unto the actuall imploying and intrusting of these men which as to man could not but prove destructive to the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of this Kirk 2. In the matter of censuring Complyers and Persons dis-affected to the Covenant according to the Acts of the Assembly because they did not onely allow persons who were not of constant integrity and affection to the Cause and of a blamelesse and Christian conversation to be imployed and intrusted which was contrary to our Solemne Engagement but also because they take off Censures which had been formerly inflicted upon many dis-affected persons who had not in their ordinary conversation given reall testimony of their dislike of the late unlawfull Engagement and of the courses and wayes of Malignants and of their sorrow for accession to the same and to live soberly righteously and godly notwithstanding that this was expressely provided by the Act of the Generall Assembly 1649. and did ordain Presbyteries to censure all such Ministers within their bounds as did oppose or bear testimony against these their proceedings 3. In the matter of protesting against encroachments upon the Liberties of the Kirk because when some Ministers were confined at Perth by the Civil Magistrate for their doctrine before they were cited or sentenced by any of the Judicatories for the same they were so far from protesting against this that as they were silent when these Ministers were first cited notwithstanding that the Letter of citation was communicated unto them by the Committee of Estates so by a Publick Paper given in to the Parliament they did condemne the Protestation of these Ministers against that citation and confinement which Paper is especially approven in this Act. C. It is not our purpose to fall upon the particulars which are said to be especially approven here but by the word especially and by the particulars which are here mentioned it is evident that the spirit which ruled in the Assembly at Dundee was zealous above measure for the Publick Resolutions most of all the Proceedings of the Commission that relate thereunto or to the opposers thereof or any Testimony given against the same being particularly mentioned and especially without leaving out much lesse excepting so much as their Act concerning the opposers of Publick Resolutions and Letter to Presbyteries thereupon by which all of them were appointed to be cited as persons guilty to the Assembly and so were excluded from having any hand to treat or vote therein in any thing concerning the Publick Resolutions which beside the injury done to the persons was to prae-limit the Assembly and to make it up of such onely as did approve of their Proceedings D. The generality of Malignant and dis-affected persons in the Land who have been enemies to Reformation and godlinesse do joyn in this high testimony and cry-up these proceedings and the Authors thereof as deserving high commendation but most of the godly of the Land refuse to put to their seal thereto and make these proceedings the matter of their mourning begging pardon and repentance unto the Authors thereof E. This is another evidence what spirit led that Assembly as every thing must be cried up that made for strengthning of the Publick resolutions so every thing must be cryed-down that made for weakning thereof yea that very Declaration which before Dumbar was unanimously condescended upon and approven both by the Commission of the Kirk and the Committee of Estates for holding forth the true state of the quarrell upon which the Kingdom then fought and for shutting out every Malignant party or quarrell or interest 1. By insinuating that it hath already been to some a ground of unwarrantable proceeding in these words of their Act To the end it may not hereafter be to any a ground of unwarrantable proceeding in reference to the Kings Majesty or any of his Successours 2. They take onely one clause of the whole Declaration to wit that the Kings Interest is not to be owned but in subordination to God leaving wholly out another materiall part thereof to wit and so far as he ownes and prosecutes the Cause of God and disclaims his and his fathers opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the enemies thereof which is again repeated thus in the close of that Declaration and that they will with convenient speed take in consideration the Papers lately sent unto them and vindicate themselves from all the falshoods contained therein especially in those things wherein the quarrell betwixt us and that party is mis-stated as if we owned the late