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A43317 Reformation of church-government in Scotland cleared from some mistakes and prejudices by the commissioners of the Generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland, now at London / published by especiall command. Church of Scotland. General Assembly. Commission.; Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646. 1644 (1644) Wing H1437; ESTC R42074 13,323 24

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REFORMATION OF CHURCH-GOVERNMENT IN SCOTLAND Cleared from some mistakes and prejudices BY The COMMISSIONERS of the Generall Assembly of the Church of SCOTLAND now at London Published by especiall Command EDINBURGH Printed by Evan Tyler Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majestie 1644. Reformation of Church-Government in SCOTLAND cleered from some mistakes and prejudices WHile we the meanest of many our Brethren for a time separated from our particular callings and stations and sent forth into this Kingdome for a more publike imployment are in all humility and patience waiting what the Lord who is about some great Work in his Church for which are raised so great Commotions in these and other Kingdoms of the earth will be pleased to do for Reformation of Religion the great Work of the honourable houses of Parliament and the reverend Assembly of Divines and for Uniformity in Religion so much desired by all the godly in the three Kingdomes Unto whch an entrance is made by a solemne League and Covenant We finde our selves bound against the prejudices and mistakings of some who in the dark are afraid of that which they know not and suffer their affections of love and hatred to run before their understanding and against the mis-representations and indirect aspersions of others who do so commend their own way that the reformed Churches thereby suffer disparagement To give that testimony unto the order and government of the Reformed Churches and particularly of the Church of Scotland which they do well deserve and to honour them whom the Lord hath so highly honoured in advancing the Kingdom of his Son in the converting and saving of so many souls and in opposing and suppressing a world of corruptions Heresies and Schismes by his wonderfull blessing upon their order and Government In this our humble testimony and true relation unto which we are at this time thus necessitate we shall endeavour nothing but a simple and innocent manifestation and defence without desire or intention to give the smallest offence to any who fear God love the Truth desire to walk in truth and in love with their Brethren This our profession we are confident will finde credit with all that know us and have observed our wayes since our coming into this Kingdom which have been and so farre as the the truth will suffer us ever shall be to unite and not to divide to compose rather then to create differences which we conceive also to be one principall end of the calling of the Assembly of Divines and which all the members of the Assembly against all particular interests are after a speciall manner ingaged to aime at and endeavour The order and Government of the reformed Churches in the beauty and strength thereof as it is not hid in a corner wrapped up in a Mystery or covered under a cloud of darknesse but is known to the Nations and Kingdomes of the earth openly professed and practised in the eyes of the world and cleerly seen as a City that is set on a hill in the light of the Sunne at noone day So is it commended and already confirmed by a long tract of time and the experience of many yeers and hath been countenanced from Heaven and blessed from above with the preservation of the truth and unity of Religion against Heresies and errours in Doctrine Idolatry and corruptions in worship and all sorts of Sects and Schismes wherewith it hath been continually assaulted How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and thy Tabernacles O Israel c. It hath made the Church of Christ terrible as an Army with banners and like a strong and fenced City against which the Adversaries have despaired to prevaile but by making a breach in this wall and where they have gained ground or gotten any advantage either the wall hath not been built or being built hath been broken down or not vigilantly keeped by the Watch-men The Instruments which the Lord used in the blessed Work of Reformation of the Church of Scotland wee speak not of the reformers of other Churches were not onely learned and holy men but had somewhat in their calling gifts and zeal to the glory of God more then ordinary Their Adversaries were not able to resist the wisdome and Spirit by which they spake some of them had a propheticall Spirit manifested in divers particular and wonderfull predictions and some of them were honoured to be Martyrs and sealed the truth with their blood So that in them in the people of God converted by them and and in the Reformation brought about by the blessing of God upon their labours against all the Learning Pride Policie and abused power of the time there was to bee seen a representation of the Primitive and Apostolicke times and a new resurrection from the dead After them also did the Lord raise up in the Church of Scotland many burning and shining lights men of the same spirit mighty in converting of souls walking in the same way and who communicated their Counsels and keeped correspondence with Divines of other Nations and with the greatest and purest lights in the Church of England in the point of Reformation and setling of Church-government which at that time was the common study and endeavour of both and wherein they and their Successors continued till the times of defection which made an unhappy interruption of the work What men are like to do in after times we cannot foresee but we have not seen or heard of any to this day farrer from partiality and prejudice in the matters of God then their wayes witnesse them to have been and were they now living we beleeve there would be none in the reformed Churches so far swayed with partiality or prejudice that would deny them this testimony They had no other rule and paterne of Reformation but the word of God and the practice of the Apostolicke Churches in the Word All the books of God are perfect the book of life the book of nature the book of providence and especially the book of Scripture which was dy●ed by the Holy Ghost to be a perfect directory to all the Churches unto the second coming of Jesus Christ but so that it presupposeth the light and law of nature or the rules of common prudence to be our guide in circumstances or things locall temporall and personall which being Ecolesiastico Politica are common to the Church with civill societies and concerning which the Word giveth generall rules to be universally and constantly observed by all persons in all times and places Of things of this kind a godly and wise Divine giveth two rules One is that the Physician cannot by sending his letter to the Patient appoint the dyet and bath the pulse must bee toucht and as it is in the proverbiall speech gladiatorem oportet in arena capere consilium The other is that in things of this kind when the change is not to the better it is both without and against