Uniformity in Government shall be brought about your Majesty's Conscience in performing so great a duty shall be a well-spring of Comfort to your self your Memory shall be a sweet savour and your Name renowned to all following Generations and if the unhappy Commotions and Divisions shall end in this Peace and Vnity then it shall appear in the Providence of God they were but the noise of many Waters and the voice of a great Thunder before the voice of Harpers harping with their Harps which shall fill the whole Island with Melody and Mirth and the Name of it shall be The Lord is there This is the exact transcript of that Assembly's Supplication to King Charles the I. only that for Brevity some Personal things relating to his then Majesty and the then Parliaments Declaration are omitted because they do not quadrat with the times In the second place the Scottish Covenanters keep the same correspondence with their Brethren here as was kept in the days of their Forefathers And accordingly as was done in the late times grant to this effect and in this manner A Commission for those that repair to the Kingdom of England Edinb Aug. 19. 1643. THE General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland finding it necessary to send some Godly and Learned of this Kirk to the Kingdom of England to the effect underwritten Therefore gives full Power and Commission to Mr. c. (a) For in this Consistory the Mis. John that is Minister hath the precedence to his Grace the Duke who is a Ruling Elder or but a Laick join'd in Council Ministers and to D. M. E. or L. Elders or any three of them whereof two shall be Ministers to repair to the Kingdom of England and there to deliver the Declaration sent unto the Parliament of England and the Letter sent unto the Assembly of Divines now sitting in that Kingdom And to propose consult treat and conclude with that Assembly or any Commissioners deputed by them or any Committees or Commissioners deputed by the Houses of Parliament in all Matters which may further the Vnion of this Island in one Form of Kirk-Government one (b) And tho' the Westminster Confess avows the K's Supremacy which they do not own yet they have chosen it in complaisance with England Confession of Faith one Catechism and one Directory for the Worship of God according to the Instructions which they have received from the Assembly or shall receive from time to time hereafter from the (c) The Commission of the Kirk is the great Committee of the General Assembly which does all affairs when the Assembly does not sit Commissioners of the Assembly deputed for that effect With power also to them to convey to His Majesty the humble answer sent from this Assembly to His Majesties Letter by such occasion as they shall think convenient and generally Authorizeth them to do all things which may further the so much desired Vnion and nearest Conjunction of the Churches of Scotland and England conform to their Instructions before-mentioned And if our Presbyterians here in England should entertain the correspondence so far as to Petition in any Letter the concurrence of their Covenanted Brethren in Scotland then in that case they probably will return such an answer as was return'd to our English Presbyterians by the Scottish in the year 1642. Dated at St. Andrews July 22. Right Reverend and Beloved in the Lord Jesus YOur Letters which came unto our Hands so seasonably was not only acceptable unto us but hath also encouraged us to renew both to the Kings Majesty and the Houses (a) (a) In their Declaration to the Houses of Parliament Who knows say they but the Lord hath now some controversie with England which will not be removed till first and before all the Worship of his Name and the Government of his House be settled according to his own Will meaning to have neither Bishop nor Common Prayer of Parliament the desires of the Commissioners of this Kingdom for Vnity in Religion We cannot be ignorant but the opposition from Satan and Worldly Men in Kirk and Policy will still be vehement as it hath been already but we are confident through our Lord Jesus Christ that the prayers and endeavours of the Godly of both Kingdoms will bring the Work to a wished and blessed issue This whole National Kirk is so much concern'd in that Reformation and Unity in Religion in both Kingdoms that without it we cannot hope for any long time to enjoy our Purity and Peace which hath cost us so dear and is now our chiefest Comfort and greatest Treasure which one cause beside the Honour of God and the Happiness of the People of God in that Kingdom more desired of us than our lives is more than sufficient to move us to contribute all that is in our power for bringing it to pass And since we have with so great liberty made our desires and hopes known both to King and Parliament it is a duty incumbent both to you and us who make mention of the Lord and are Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem never more to keep silence nor to hold our peace Day and Night till the Righteousness of Zion go forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth And if it shall please the Lord to move the heart of King and Parliament to hearken unto the motion for which end we have resolved to keep a Solemn Fast and Humiliation in all the Kirks of this Kingdom the mean by which we have prevailed in times past we wish that the Work may be begun with speed and prosecuted with diligence by the joynt Labours of some Divines in both Kingdoms who may prepare the same for the view and examination of a more frequent Ecclesiastical meeting of the best affected to this Reformation there and of the Commissioners of the General Assembly here that in the end it may have the Approbation of the General Assembly here and of all the Kirks there in the best way that may be we wish and hope at last in a National Assembly Our Commissioners at Edenburgh shall in our Name receive and return Answers for promoting so great a Work which we with our Heart and our Soul recommend to the blessing of God We continue Your Loving Brethren and Fellow Labourers And although the Oath of Supremacy be inconsistent with Scottish Presbytery and hath been taken by many in this Kingdom of England of all degrees and stations yet the Scottish Covenanters for curing that distemper of Malignancy may Institute a Fast of the same nature and for the same causes as made their Predecessors do it in the 6th of August 1642. Act for remembring in Publick Prayers the desires of the Assembly to the King and Parliament and induction of a Publick Fast THE General Assembly being desirous to promote the great Work of Vnity in Religion and Uniformity in Church Government in all these three Dominions
very next day after this warning was given 13 Feb. 1645. Holy Days and many other Ceremonies contained in it together with the Prelacy the Fountain of all these are abolished and taken away In this we rejoice and will rejoice that the Lord Jesus Christ is no loser but a Conquerour that his Ordinances take place that his Cause prevaileth and the Work of his Purging and Building the Temple goeth forward and not backward But besides the defection of many of this Nation under our Prelates from our first National Covenant a sin not forgotten by God if not repented of by Men as well as forsaken our later Vows and Covenants have been also foully violated by not contributing our uttermost assistance to this Cause with our Estates and Lives and by not endeavouring with all faithfulness the discovery tryal and deserved punishment of all Malignants The duties of Humiliation Repentance Faith Amendment though the principal yet are not all which are required at the hands of this Nation But let all sorts of people both high and low in this Kingdom call to mind the Solemn Covenants and pay their Vows unto the most high and namely that Article of our (d) By the first Covenant they mean that call'd the National Covenant and which was fram'd in K. James VI. Reign And by the second Covenant they mean their solemn League which was not contriv'd for that one Nation as the first was but for all the three United Kingdoms first Covenant which obligeth us not to impede nor hinder any such Resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for the ends of the Covenant In our last Covenant there is another Article which we wish may be well remember'd at this time namely That we shall assist and defend all that enter unto this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided or withdrawn from this blessed Vnion and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this Cause according to which Article Mens reality and integrity in the Covenant will be manifest and demonstrable as well by their Omissions as by their Commissions Whoever he be that will not adventure his Person or put out those who are under his power or pay Contributions for the maintenance of the Forces must be taken for a Malignant and Covenant-breaker and so involved both in the displeasure of God and Censures of the Kirk After this Solemn warning is given by the Covenanters of Scotland that it may have the better effect towards the overthrow of our Episcopacy and the abolishing of our Common Prayer in England they may after the example of the Men of Forty Eight get an Act for Censuring Ministers for their Silence and not speaking against the Corruptions of the Time THeir Act of this Title was made in the General Assembly of the year 1648 at Edenburgh 3 Aug. ante merediem Sess 26. And it particularly ordains That the main currrent of Applications in Sermons may run alone against the Evils that prevail at home and namely against the defection from the League and Covenant against the unlawful ingagement in War (a) And by their Act July 28. 1648. all Decrees even of Parliament are unjust if established without their consent when they concern the common Cant of the Covenant and unjust Decrees Established by Law and against the Plots and Practices of Malignants And in the conclusion of this Act they Ordain That in case any Minister for his freedom of Preaching shall be in the face of the Congregation or elsewhere upbraided railed at mocked or threatned the Presbytery of the Bounds shall immediately pursue the Offendor and whoever he be charge him to satisfie the Discipline of the Church by publick Repentance which if they do not or refuse to do that then the Presbytery proceed to Excommunication against him And when the Scottish Covenanters have proceeded thus out of Zeal for Uniformity of Presbytery in both Kingdoms in imitation of what was done by their Predecessors they can shew their Zeal in A Brotherly Exhortation from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to their Brethren in England THis Exhortation of their Predecessors was dated August 1649 Sess ult And passing over the Preface thereof which considereth the Troubles which then opprest these Kingdoms as Gods Judgments for the breach of their Covenant for Duke Hamilton's Engagement for his Royal Masters Service and for the (b) Which in their Declaration 20 Aug. 1647. they call A Liberty of Errour Scandal Schism Heresie dishonouring God opposing the Truth hindring Reformation and seducing others Liberty of Conscience to Protestant Dissenters And passing over that in all these Troubles the thing which griev'd them most to speak in their own Words was That there was Interruption in the building of the Lords House in England And passing over their Reproof to the Covenant-breakers and their high Commendation of those who kept it the Exhortation to them here in England is in the last Paragraph verbatim Thus As we shall ever God willing be mindful of our Duty to the faithful that adhere to the Covenant in England having them always in our Hearts before the Lord so we desire to be refreshed with their Sincerity and Boldness in the Cause of God according to their places This is the time of their Tryal and the hour of Temptation among them blessed shall they be who shall be found following the Lamb and shall not be ashamed of his Testimony We know in such dark Hours many are drawn away with the multitude when the Lord will again Purge and make White and we doubt not but many such are in England whom the bold and clear Preaching of Christ may reclaim much therefore lyeth upon the Watchmen at this time that their Trumpet may give a certain and distinct sound warning and exhorting every one as those that must give account and blessed shall those Servants be who shall be found faithful in their Lords House distributing to his Houshold what is meet for this Season and can say they are free from the Blood of all Men having shewn them the whole Counsel of God being in nothing terrified of the threats of their Adversaries and blessed and happy shall that People be that walk in the Light holden forth by them and stay upon the Lord in this dark time hearkning to the voice of his Servants and walking in the light of his Word and not in the sparks of their own which will end in sorrow How unexcusable will England be having so foully Revolted against so many fair Testimonies which the Lord Christ hath entred as Protestations to preserve his Right in these ends of the Earth long since given unto him for his possession and of late confirmed by Solemn Covenant Christs Right to these Kingdoms
for which the Assembly hath humbly supplicated the Kings Majesty and remonstrated their desires to the Parliament of England lest they should be wanting in any mean that may Advance so Glorious and so Good a Work do Ordain That not only the said Declaration to the Parliament and Supplication to the Kings Majesty shall be accompanied with the earnest Petitions and Prayers of the whole Brethren in private and publick for the Lords blessing thereunto according to the laudable custom of our Predecessors who in the year of God 1589 Ordains that the Brethren in their private and publick Prayers recommend unto God the estate of the afflicted state of England But having just cause of fear that the iniquities of the Land which so much abound may hinder this so great a Work do also Ordain a Solemn Fast to be kept on tht Second (a) For they can Fast on any day of the Week but on Friday yea tho' it were Good Friday in Passion Week they most then make their Christmas and Easter Dinner in one to avoid Superstition Lords Day of September for the Causes after specified Gross Ignorance and all sorts of Wickedness amongst the greater part Security meer Formality and Vnfruitfulness among the best and Vnthankfulness in all The Sword raging throughout all Christendom but most Barbarously in Ireland and daily more and more threatned in England That God may Graciously bless the Supplication of the Assembly to the Kings Majesty and their Proposals to the Parliament of England for Vnity in Religion and Uniformity in Church Government and (b) And some of those means were the Covenanted Army against K. Ch. I. all other means which may serve for the promoting of so great a Work and the advancement of the Kingdom of Christ every where That God may powerfully overturn all Wicked Plots and Designs of (c) For in the Divinity of these Saints every Bishop is a limb of Antichrist Antichrist and his Followers and all divisive Proposals against the course of Reformation And since the Scottish Test hath produced in the Minds of all their Nobility Gentry and the substantial part of their Commons out of the Five Western Shires mighty aversion to such a Fast yet the Scottish Covenanters for having the more unanimous Concurrence among themselves to introduce Presbytery among us again they may renew their Solemn League as it was for the same effect renewed by the Assembly at Edinburgh Sess 6. August 8. 1642. Acts for Subscribing the Covenant THE General Assembly considering the good and pious Advice of the Commissioners of the last Assembly upon the 22d of September This is their Covenant with the Lord which shall never be forgotten Gen. Assem Edenb Aug. 19. 1643. post meridiem recommending to Presbyteries to have Copies of the Covenant to be subscribed by every Minister at his Admission doth therefore ratifie and approve the same And further Ordains That the Covenant be Reprinted with the Ordinance prefixed thereto and that every Synod Presbytery and Parish have one of them bound in Quarto with some blank Paper whereupon every Person may be obliged to Subscribe And that the Covenants of the Synod and Presbytery be keeped by their Moderators Respective of Vniversities by their Principals of Parishes by their Ministers with all carefulness And that particular account of Obedience to this Act be required hereafter in all Visitations of Parishes Vniversities and Presbyteries in all Tryals of Presbyteries and Synods Book 's The General Assembly considering that the Act of Assembly at Edinburgh 1639. August 30. injoyning all Persons to Subscribe the Covenant under all Ecclesiastical Censure hath not been obeyed therefore ordains all Ministers to make intimation of the said Act in their Churches and thereafter to proceed with Censures of the Church against such as shall refuse to Subscribe the Covenant And that exact account be taken of every Ministers diligence herein by their Presbyteries and Synods as they will answer to their General Assembly And if after the renewing of the Covenant the Men of Honour and Conscience will yet avoid the taking it then in that case the Scottish Covenanters may as their Forefathers 1644. did before them get another Act past Against secret Disaffecters of the Covenant THE General Assembly understanding that divers Persons Judge from this Act betwixt the Popish and the Fanatick Inquisitions disaffected to the Solemn League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms do escape their Just Censure either by their private and unconstant abode in any one Congregation or by secret conveyance of their Malignant Speeches and Practices therefore Ordains all Ministers to take special notice when any such Person shall come within their Parishes and so soon as they shall know the same that without delay they cause warn them to appear before the Presbyteries within which their Parishes lyes or before the Commissioners of this Assembly appointed for publick affairs as they shall find most convenient which warning the Assembly declares shall be a sufficient Citation unto them And in like manner that all Ministers and Lay-elders inform the said Judicatories Respective against every such disaffected Person altho' without their own Parish so soon as they shall hear of them And the Assembly Ordains the said Commissioners not only to proceed to Tryal and Censure of such disaffected Persons but also to take a special account of the diligence of Ministers Ruling-elders and Presbyteries herein Respective After the Covenant is thus renewed and so rigorously enjoyn'd matters at length are ripe for the Uniformity betwixt both Kingdoms in Church Government and Worship and therefore according to the Example given to them 1645 the Scottish Covenanters may give out their Solemn and Seasonable Warning to the Noblemen Barons Gentlemen Burroughs Ministers and Commons of Scotland as also to their Armies without and within the Kingdom This Warning was dated 12 Feb. Post meridiem Sess 18. and because it takes up two Sheets and an half in the Book of the Acts of their General Assemblies and is therefore too long to be here inserted verbatim therefore in their own Words you may take its substance AS for our part our Forces sent unto that Kingdom meaning England in pursuance of the Covenant have been so (a) In defeating two Armies of K. Ch. the First one commanded by the M. of Newcastle the other by P. Rupert mercifully and manifestly assisted and blessed from Heaven that we have what to answer the Enemy that reproacheth us concerning that business and that which may make Iniquity her self to stop her mouth But which is more unto us than all Victories or whatever Temporal Blessing the Reformation of the Religion in (b) Here is plain Language and home to the purpose England and Vniformity therein betwixt both Kingdoms a principal end of the Covenant is so far advanced that the English Service-Book with the (c) Especially Christmas which they condemn'd as Superstitious by their Act of the