publique trust to make remonstrance of two things most materiall and of greatest consequence One is that through the long delay of the setling of the true Government of the Church Heresies and Sects are so multiplied and Schism hath so much prevailed that if there be not in time a powerful remedy provided this Church after so many miseries of a bloody and long lasting War will be in worse case then the former was from which it was taken for a great happinesse to be delivered And 〈◊〉 Church of Scotland after their many sufferings in this Kingdom and at home in greater danger then it was in from the Prelates here whose usurpation was the beginning of all our calamities and vexation The Honourable Houses may be pleased to call to minde that in the large Treaty of the date March 10. 1641 the Commissioners of Scotland from the sense of the troubles of that Church arising from the Prelates of the Church of England did by many Arguments presse Unity in Religion and Uniformity of Church-Government in the three Kingdoms Unto which from the King Parliament joyntly a comfortable and hopeful answer was returned for obtaining their desire Thereafter in the yeer 1642 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland seconded and assisted by the Lords of Secret Councel Did upon the same grounds renew the same desire And received from the Parliament of England not onely a Profession of their great contentment in the motion proposed with many thanks But also a large approbation of the motives upon which it was urged which were The more strict Union of both Kingdoms More safe easie and comfortable Government of his Majesty And both to himself and people more free communion in all holy exercise and duties of Worship More constant security of Religion against the bloody practices of Papists and deceitful Errors of other Sectaries More profitable use of the Ministry in drawing them from unpleasant and unprofitable Controversies to the pressing of Mortification and to Treatises of true Piety and Practical Divinity The making of way to the relief and deliverance of the poor afflicted Churches abroad c. All which are expressed in their Declaration and Resolution in answer to the Declaration of the General Assembly Together with a sad Complaint that the miserable Estate of this Church and Kingdom was not able to endure any longer delay And a desire that some godly and learned Divines might be sent from the Church of Scotland whereby the so-much-desired Unity and Uniformity might be obtained In the end the mutual and joynt desires of both Kingdoms were concluded and crowned with a Solemn League and Covenant now translated in other Tongues and known thorowout all Christendom which was taken as for other good ends so for endeavouring the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion and Church-Government and the extirpation of Heresie and Schism All which considered we may be bold to say without Preface or Apologie which about the like purpose the Houses of Parliament in that their Declaration judged unnecessary that it would be the sin and shame of the Church of England And the sorrow of all the Reformed Churches particularly of the Church of Scotland if after so many preparations and so Solemn League and Covenant is entred into for endeavouring the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion and Church-Goverhment and the extirpation of Heresie and Schism Not onely all sorts of Blasphemies Heresies and Sects which are now multiplied and Liberty of conscience which is pleaded for should have place But Unity and Uniformity in Religion which is so much preached and written against should be sleighted and the Covenant it self wrested and perverted to speak that which it never intended and which did not enter into any mans minde in the beginning Such a violence as the holy Scripture it self hath suffered from perverse and heretical spirits And this Church after so long a time further from Uniformity amongst themselves and with other Reformed Churches then they were at first when it was judged so necessary Against these so dangerous and destructive evils we earnestly desire the Honourable Houses to provide effectual remedy And we pray God so to blesse their endeavours that the ruine of Religion in both Kingdoms with the horrid consequences thereof which is the work of Satan and his instruments contrary to the Work of God and his Servants may while there is yet hope be wisely and speedily prevented The other material Point which we desire to offer is concerning the late Ordinance of Parliament 14 March 1645 with the Directions Aug. 19. 1645 which in discharge of their duty to God in pursuance of the Covenant and in thankfulnesse to God for his mercies They have after long consultation resolved upon And wherein there be divers evidences of the Piety and Wisedom of the Honorable Houses For which not onely the Church of England but the Church of Scotland and all the Reformed Churches have cause to blesse the Lord Yet it being acknowledged that there may be need of Supplements and Additions and haply also of alterations in some things And it being supposed that the advice of the Assembly of Divines wherein we have been assistant is had thereunto And we being entrusted by the Church of Scotland in matters that concern them so neerly upon their common Interest We have taken the freedom to present our thoughts concerning some particulars contained in the Ordinance First concerning the Subordination of the Assemblies of the Church to the Parliament We make no question but the Parliament is superiour to all the Assemblies of the Church in Place Dignity Honour and earthly power That Civil powers are the Vicegerents of God on earth And that Ministers are onely Servants and Ambassadours And that the Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae and may by his authority compel the Ministers and Assemblies of the Church to perform the duties which Christ requires of them Like as the Ministers are bound to render a reason and account of their proceedings to the Civil Powers with all humility and reverence We do onely desire that without diminution of or derogation unto the right and just power of the Parliament or Civil Magistrate the expression of Subordination may be altered Because it may suppose contrary to the meaning of the Parliament that the relation of one Church-assembly to another and of the Assemblies to the Parliament and of appeals of one to another are of the same kinde and in the same line as if the Civil power were not onely about matters of the Church and Religion But were formally Ecclesiastical and to be exercised Ecclesiastically Because some may interpret it to be such an Headship and Supremacy in the Church as sometimes was in the Pope and hath been retained in substance in this Kingdom As the fountain of the high-Commission and foundation of other corruptions contrary to the judgement of all such as have sought after further Reformation And because it is against
thereof to present in writing to the Houses receive their answers and give in replyes in like manner it must needs prove the losse of a great deal of pretious time may in this conjuncture of affairs be of very dangerous consequence to both Kingdoms and will retard the sending of the Propositions the dispatch whereof for many reasons would not be longer delayed especially since we have so often declared to the King that they are speedily to be sent and the granting of them will be an effectual means for giving satisfaction to both Kingdoms This we have judged necessary for us to offer as the most expeditious way for attaining those ends and that we might clear our selves before God and the world that we have neglected no mean in our power which may procure a speedy Peace desiring much rather to come to a speedy agreement by a friendly conference then with losse of time to reckon up our differences in writing although if the posture of affairs would have admitted of delay we should have accounted it our advantage first to have presented to the Houses in writing the reasons for the difference of our judgement in the Points controverted Concerning the Proposition for Religion When we were ready to have debated with the honourable Committee upon the particulars communicated unto us by direction of the Houses upon that Proposition their Lordships did acquaint us that they knew not whether it was the intention of the Houses to send to the King the Ordinances past both Houses or to send any other particulars and that the Houses themselves were to be consulted herein And therefore that the Proposition concerning Religion the setling whereof should be and is the chiefest of the desires of both Kingdoms and for which principally they entred in solemn League and Covenant may with as distinct knowledge and as full assurance of the particulars as is possible be in Name of both Kingdoms demanded of the King and with knowledge granted by His Majesty And that according to the joynt Declaration of both Kingdoms Truth and Peace may be established upon a sure foundation for the present and future Generations our earnest desire is that a Committee may be appointed with whom we may joyn for considering such Articles of Reformation and Uniformity of Church-government as are already agreed upon by both Houses that having joynt consent they may be fit matter for the Proposition of Religion to be sent to the Kings Majesty with such other matters of Church government as we conceive may be concluded in a day or two they being long since offered to the Houses and wherein there can be little difficulty and the one and the other may be formed up in a Method for a Model of Uniformity in Church-government Without this agreement in particulars of Church-government as well as in the Directory of Worship and Confession of Faith we are not answerable to our Covenant our ingagements and all our labours and sufferings are in vaine the very long consultations of the Divines of both Kingdoms are fruitlesse the great expectation not onely of the Church of England but of all the Reformed Churches is frustrated we shall not know what to answer to the Church and Kingdom of Scotland which will not be satisfied nor secured in their Religion with Generals nor can we finde any ground to satisfie our own reason for sending a general Proposition of Religion to the King And therefore we still desire the honourable Houses in their wisdom to expede us of this difficulty That the Propositions may be with all speed brought to a comfortable and harmonious conclusion April 6. 1646. FINIS
the Doctrine and Profession of the Reformed Churches which next unto the Word of God which is the Rule are proposed in the Covenant as the example of Reformation Secondly We desire the Provincial Commissioners for judging of Scandals may be taken to further consideration there being no warrant nor pretence for such a mixture in Church-Government from Jesus Christ Who hath appointed his own Spiritual Officers to whom he hath committed the keys of the Kingdom of heaven And to whom the Reformed Churches conceive the judging of offences and the qualification of Communicants doth as properly and incommunicably belong as the publike Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments Nor can it be supposed that some few Civil men having no calling from God can be more able to judge of matters of this nature then the Assemblies of the Church separated for the work of the Gospel of which this is no small part The same Churches and particularly the Church of Scotland which all this time have been in expectation of great purity and perfection of Reformation in the Church of England may have their own jealousies and fears that in the nature of the thing this may be the laying of a new foundation of an High Commission or Episcopacy upon which the superstructure afterward although contrary to the present publike intentions may be easie And for a new partition-wall to divide betwixt them and the Church of England and to make a present Schism and Separation for renting the bowels of this Church Thirdly Concerning the meeting of the National Assembly we acknowledge that the Supreme Magistrate who is Guardian of both Tables and a Nurce-Father of the Church may call a National Assembly when in his wisdom he shall judge it necessary and the Church is with all respect and humility to obey his call for the good of Religion or the Peace of the Kingdoms when by Religion disturbed But it is withall to be acknowledged that this power of the Magistrate is accumulative or positive but is not a privative or destructive power We therefore move That the liberty which the Church hath from Christ be not restrained in cases of such extraordinary necessity as Religion in all places hath been and may be subject unto the safety of the Church being here the Supreme Law and the honourable Houses of Parliament having their liberties inlarged will be willing to inlarge the liberties of Christ and his Servants And we desire that as they have in their wisdom appointed certain times for the meeting of the inferior Assemblies of the Church they may also be pleased to appoint fixed times for the meeting of the National Assembly otherwise what shall become of the mal-administration of Provincial Synods and of appeals from them to the National Assembly May not Provincial Synods within a short time run into contrary opinions and practices and presume upon a Provincial Independency to hold them without controle The Christian Churches in all ages have used this as an ordinary and necessary mean for the Uniform setling and preserving of Religion and Piety for censuring and purging out of heresies and errours and removing of scandals schism tyranny prophanenesse and such evils as by Divine Providence and prediction must be and would bring certain destruction and desolation upon Churches if by this powerful remedy they were not cured or prevented There be divers other particulars in the Directions and Ordinance of Parliament as the giving of the Sacrament to some persons against the conscience of the Ministry and Eldership concerning publick Repentance and such like which by conference or otherwise as shall seem good to the wisdom of the honourable Houses we would willingly and humbly offer to be examined and with small alteration may give great satisfaction being confident that our liberty in what we have expressed will be taken in good part Sith it is done by us in pursuance of the ends of the Covenant wherein as the Parliament Church of England are bound to endeavour the preservation of the Government and Discipline of the Church of Scotland So are we bound to endeavour the Reformation of the Discipline and Government in the Church of England and Ireland according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches And sith we have not for the present and we hope shall never have for the future whatsoever our adversity or prosperity may be any other intentions or desires then we had and proposed in the beginning when we so solemnly entred in Covenant March 26. 1646. The honourable Houses having after nine months deliberation framed and upon the last of February delivered unto us some of the Propositions of Peace Upon the 16th of March we returned our Answer in the close whereof we expressed our earnest desires and readinesse to give and receive all brotherly satisfaction concerning any differences and to concurre with the Houses in all such things as upon a friendly debate should be found conduceable for procuring and setling a happy Peace Upon consideration whereof the Houses appointed a Committee to meet with us upon the 27th of March but when we expected that upon debate their Lordships should have concurred with us in finding out expedients for removing of all differences and reporting of the result to both Houses that we might come to a speedy agreement they declared unto us that they had onely power to argue with us and were so strictly bound up by the Votes of the Houses punctually to adhere to every Proposition that they had no power to consider of the alteration of the least circumstance though onely as preparatory and in order to the further consideration of the Houses When we have seriously thought upon this way of proceeding the Propositions being the demands of both Kingdoms to be sent in the name of both as the best means for setling a well-grounded Peace and in regard of the joynt interest which both Nations have in the matter and end of the Propositions and according to the Treaty made between the Kingdoms both ought to have their judgement and advice in agreeing unto and framing of the Propositions we cannot but insist upon our former desire That the honourable Houses may be pleased to authorize their Committee to confer with us about the best way and means for removing of our differences to propose expedients and hear what shall be offered by us and report the results to the Houses that so we may come to a speedy agreement which if we shall meet with the like inclinations as we shall bring with us being resolved as in other things so especially in the matter of the Militia for the full security of this Kingdom as of our own to give all possible satisfaction so far as may consist with our Covenant and publick Declarations we hope may be by Gods assistance in a very short time effectuated Whereas otherwise if we shall spend time in drawing up all our differences with the reasons