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<DATE>05-09-07</DATE>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>THE
SCOTTS
Declaration,
In An&s;wer to the <HI>Declaration,</HI> &s;ent
unto them by their Commi&s;&s;ioners now at
LONDON, From the Honourable Hou&s;es
OF
PARLIAMENT
OF
ENGLAND:
Expre&s;&s;ing their Care to prevent
the effu&s;ion of Chri&s;tian B<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ood; And their
Affections to <HI>Reformation</HI> both to <HI>Kirk</HI> and <HI>State.</HI></P>
<P><TEXT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="license">
<P>Ordered by the Lords and Commons, That this be forth|with
printed and publi&s;hed,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>H. El&s;ynge, Cler. Parl. Dom: Com:</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT></P>
<P>Printed, for <HI>Edw. Husbands</HI> and <HI>John Francks,</HI> and are to be &s;old
at their &s;hops, in the middle Temple, and next door to the &s;ign
of the Kings-head in Fleet-&s;treet, <HI>Septem.</HI> 1. 1642.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="declaration">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="3" REF="2">
<HEAD>The Scots
DECLARATION.</HEAD>
<P>_THe Generall A&s;&s;embly of the
Kirk of <HI>Scotland</HI> having recei|ved
a Declaration &s;ent unto
them by the Commi&s;&s;ioners of
this Kingdom now at <HI>London,</HI>
from the Honourable Hou&s;es
of the Parliament of <HI>England,</HI>
expre&s;&s;ing their care to prevent the effu&s;ion of
Chri&s;tian Blood in that Kingdom, and their affe|ctions
to Reformation both in Kirk and State:
And having taken the &s;ame to &s;uch con&s;iderati|on,
as the Importance of &s;o weighty matters, and
the high e&s;timation they have of &s;o wi&s;e and ho|norable
a meeting as is the Parliament of <HI>Eng|land</HI>
did require, Have, with Univer&s;all Con&s;ent,
re&s;olved upon this following An&s;wer:</P>
<DIV2 N="1" TYPE="part">
<PB N="4" REF="3">
<HEAD>I.</HEAD>
<P>That from the recent &s;en&s;e of the goodne&s;&s;e of
God in their own la<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">e deliverance, and from their
earne&s;t de&s;ire of all happine&s;&s;e to our Native
King, and that Kingdom, They ble&s;&s;e the Lord for
pre&s;erving them in the mid&s;t of &s;o many unhap|py
Divi&s;ions and Troubles, from a bloody Inte|&s;tine
War, which is from God the greate&s;t judge|ment;
and to &s;uch a Nation, the Compend of all
Calamities. They al&s;o give God thanks for
their former and pre&s;ent De&s;ires of Reformation,
e&s;pecially of Religion, which is the glory and
&s;trength of a Kingdom, and bringeth with it all
Temporall ble&s;&s;ings of&punc; Pro&s;perity and Peace.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="2" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>II.</HEAD>
<P>That the hearts of all the Members of this A&s;|&s;embly,
and of all the well-affected within this
Kingdom are exceedingly grieved, and made hea|vy,
That in &s;o long a time, again&s;t the Profe&s;&s;i|ons
both of King and Parliament, and contrary to
the joynt de&s;ires and prayers of the godly in
both Kingdoms, to whom it is more dear and
precious then what is deare&s;t to them in the
world, The Reformation of Religion hath
moved &s;o &s;lowly, and &s;uffered &s;o great inter|ruption.
<PB N="5" REF="3">
They con&s;ider, That not onely Prelates,
formall profe&s;&s;ors, prophane and worldly men,
and all that are Popi&s;hly affected, are bad Coun|&s;ellors
and Workers, and do abu&s;e their power,
and bend all their &s;trength and policies again&s;t
the Work of God, but the god of this world al|&s;o,
with Principallities and Powers, the Rulers
of the darkne&s;&s;e of this world, and Spirituall
wickedne&s;&s;e in high places, are working with all
their force and fraud in the &s;ame oppo&s;ition, not
without hope of &s;ucce&s;&s;e; they having prevailed
&s;o far from the beginning, That in the times of
the be&s;t Kings of <HI>Iuda</HI> of old, and the mo&s;t part
of the Reformed Kirks of late, a thorow and
perfect Reformation of Religion hath been a
Work full of difficulties: Yet do they conceive,
That as it ought fir&s;t of all to be intended, &s;o
&s;hould it be above all other things, with confi|dence
in God, who is greater then the world, and
he who is in the world mo&s;t &s;eriou&s;ly endeavour|ed.
And that when the Supreme Providence gi|veth
opportunity of the accepted time and day
of Salvation, no other work can pro&s;per in the
hands of his &s;ervants, if it be not apprehended,
and with all reverence and faithfulne&s;&s;e impro|ved.
This Kirk and Nation when the Lord gave
them the calling, con&s;idered not their own dead|ne&s;&s;e,
nor &s;taggered at the promi&s;e through un|belief,
but gave glory to God. And who know|eth
(we &s;peak it in humility and love, and from
<PB N="6" REF="4">
no other minde, then from a de&s;ire of the ble&s;|&s;ing
of God upon our King and that Kingdom&punc;
but the Lord hath now &s;ome Controver&s;ie
with <HI>England,</HI> which will not be removed, till
fir&s;t, and before all, the Wor&s;hip of his Name,
and the Government of his Hou&s;e be &s;etled ac|cording
to his own will. When this de&s;ire &s;hall
come, it &s;hall be to <HI>England,</HI> after &s;o long deferred
hopes, a Tree of Life, which &s;hall not onely
yeeld temporall ble&s;&s;ings unto them&s;elves, but
al&s;o &s;hall &s;pread the branches &s;o far, that both
this Nation, and other Reformed Kirks &s;hall finde
the fruits thereof to their great &s;atisfaction.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="3" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>III.</HEAD>
<P>The Commi&s;&s;ioners of this Kingdom in the
late Treaty of Peace, con&s;idering that Religion
is not onely the Mean of the Service of God,
and &s;aving of &s;ouls, but is al&s;o the Ba&s;e and Foun|dation
of Kingdoms and E&s;tates, and the &s;trong|e&s;t
Band to tye &s;ubjects to their Prince in true
Loyalty, and to knit the hearts of one to another
in true Unity and Love, They did, with Preface
of all due Re&s;pect and Reverence, far from Ar|rogance
or Pre&s;umption, repre&s;ent, in name of
this Kingdom, their &s;erious Thoughts, and ear|ne&s;t
De&s;ires for Unity of Religion; That in all
His Maje&s;ties Dominions there might be one con|fe&s;&s;ion
of Faith, one Directory of Wor&s;hip,
<PB N="7" REF="4">
one publike Catechi&s;m, and one Form of Kirk-Government:
This they conceived to be accep|table
to God Almighty, who delighteth to &s;ee
his people walking in Truth and Unity; To be a
&s;peciall Means for con&s;erving of Peace betwixr
the Kingdoms, of ea&s;ing the Kings Maje&s;ty and
the publike Government of much trouble which
ari&s;eth from differences of Religion, very grie|vous
to Kings and E&s;tates; of great content to
the King Him&s;elf, to His Nobles, His Court,
and all His People, when&mdash;occa&s;ioned to be
abroad, without &s;cruple to them&s;elves, or &s;can|dall
to others, all may re&s;ort to the &s;ame publike
Wor&s;hip, as they were at their own dwellings:
Of &s;uppre&s;&s;ing the names of Here&s;ies and Sects,
Puritans, Conformi&s;ts, Separati&s;ts, Anabapti&s;ts,
&amp;c. which do rent a&s;under the Bowells both of
Kirk and Kingdom; Of de&s;pair of &s;ucce&s;&s;e to
Papi&s;ts and Recu&s;ants to have their Profe&s;&s;ion,
which is incon&s;i&s;tent with the true Prote&s;tant
Religion, and Authority of Princes, &s;et up again,
and of drawing the hearts and hands of Mini&s;ters
from unplea&s;ant and unprofitable Controver&s;ies,
to the pre&s;&s;ing of Mortification, and to Trea|ti&s;es
of true Piety, and Practicall Divinity. The
A&s;&s;embly doth now enter upon the labour of
the Commi&s;&s;ioners, unto which they are encoura|ged,
not onely by their faithfulne&s;&s;e in the
late Treaty, but al&s;o by the Zeal and Exam|ple
of the Generall A&s;&s;emblies of this Kirk in
<PB N="8" REF="5">
former times, as may appear by the A&s;&s;embly at Edin|burgh,
Decemb. 25. in the yeer 1566. which ordained
a Letter to be &s;ent to England again&s;t the Surplice,
Tippet, Cornercoap, &amp; &s;uch other Ceremonies as then
troubled that Kirk, that they might be removed. By
the A&s;&s;embly at Edinburgh, April 24. 1583. humbly
de&s;iring the Kings Maje&s;tie to command His Amba&s;|&s;adour
then going to England to deal with the Queen,
That there might be an union and band betwixt them
and other Chri&s;tian Princes and Realms profe&s;&s;ing
the true Religion, for defence and protection of the
Word of God, and profe&s;&s;ors thereof, again&s;t the per|&s;ecution
of Papi&s;ts and confederates, joyned and knit
together by the bloody league of Trent: As al&s;o, That
Her Maje&s;ty would disburthen their Brethren of Eng|land,
of the yoke of Ceremonies impo&s;ed upon them
again&s;t the liberty of the Word. And by the A&s;&s;em|bly
at Edinburgh, March 3. 1589. ordaining the Pre&s;|bytry
of Edinburgh to u&s;e all good and po&s;&s;ible means
for the relief and comfort of the Kirk of England, then
heavily troubled for maintaining the true Di&s;cipline
and Government of the Kirk; And that the Brethren
in their private and publike Prayers recommend the
e&s;tate of the afflicted Kirk of England to God. While
now by the mercie of God, The conjunction of the two
Kingdoms is many wayes increa&s;ed, The zeal of the
Generall A&s;&s;embly towards their happine&s;&s;e ought to
be no le&s;&s;e. But be&s;ides the&s;e, the A&s;&s;embly is much
encouraged unto this duty, both from the Kings Maje|&s;tie
and His Parliament joyntly, in their An&s;wer to the
Propo&s;ition made by the late Commi&s;&s;ioners of the
<PB N="9" REF="5">
Treaty, in the&s;e words, <HI>To their de&s;ire concerning</HI> Unity
<HI>of Religion, and</HI> Uniformity <HI>of Kirk-government, as a
&s;peciall means for con&s;erving of peace betwixt the two
Kingdoms, upon the grounds and rea&s;ons contained in the
paper of the 10 of March; and given in to the Treaty and
Parliament of England. It is an&s;wered upon the 15 of
June, That His Majestie, with advice of both Hou&s;es of
Parliament, doth approve of the affection of His Subjects
of Scotland, in their de&s;ire of having Conformity of Kirk-government
between the two Nations; And as the Parlia|ment
hath already taken into con&s;ideration the Reforma|tion
of Kirk-government, &s;o they will proceed therein in
due time, as &s;hall be&s;t conduce to the glory of God, the peace
of the Kirk, and of both Kingdoms.</HI> And al&s;o &s;e|verally;
for His Maje&s;ty knoweth that the cu&s;tody and
Vindication, the con&s;ervation and purgation of Reli|gion,
are a great part of the duty of Civil authority
and power. His Maje&s;ties late practi&s;e, while He was
here in per&s;on, in re&s;orting frequently to the exerci&s;es
of publike Wor&s;hip, His Royall actions in e&s;tabli&s;h|ing
the Wor&s;hip and Government of this Kirk in Par|liament.
And in giving order for a competent main|tenance
to the Mini&s;tery and Seminaries of the Kirk;
And His Maje&s;ties gracious Letter to the A&s;&s;embly
(&s;econded by the Speech of His Maje&s;ties Commi&s;|&s;ioner)
which containeth this Religious expre&s;&s;ion,
<HI>Where any thing is ami&s;&s;e, We will endeavour in a fair
and orderly way a Reformation, and where Reformation is
&s;etled, We re&s;olve with that authority wherewith God hath
ve&s;ted us, To maintain&punc; and defend it in peace and liberty,
again&s;t all trouble that can come from without, and again&s;t
<PB N="10" REF="6">
all here&s;ies, &s;ects, and &s;chi&s;mes which may ari&s;e from within.</HI>
All the&s;e do make us hopefull that His Maje&s;tie will
not oppo&s;e, but advance the worke of Reformation. In
like manner the Honourable Hou&s;es of Parliament, as
They have many times before witne&s;&s;ed their zeal, So
now al&s;o in their Declaration &s;ent to the A&s;&s;emblie,
which not only &s;heweth the con&s;tancie of their zeal,
but their great grief that the work hath been interrup|ted
by a Malignant party of Papi&s;ts and evill-affected
per&s;ons, e&s;pecially of the corrupt and di&s;&s;olute Cler|gy
by the incitement and in&s;tigation of Bi&s;hops and
others. Their hopes according to their earne&s;t de&s;ire
when they &s;hall return to a peaceable and Parliamen|tarie
proceeding by the ble&s;&s;ing of God, To &s;ettle &s;uch
a Reformation in the Church as &s;hall be agreeable to
Gods word; And that the re&s;ult &s;hall be a mo&s;t firm
and &s;table Union between the two Kingdoms of En|gland
and Scotland, &amp;c. The A&s;&s;emblie al&s;o is not
a little encouraged by a Letter &s;ent from many Reve|rend
Brethren of the Kirk of England, expre&s;&s;ing their
prayers and endeavours again&s;t every thing which &s;hall
be found prejudiciall to the e&s;tabli&s;hment of the King|dom
of Chri&s;t and the peace of their Soveraigne.
Upon the&s;e encouragements, and having &s;o potent a
doore of hope, The A&s;&s;emblie doth confidently expect,
That England will now be&s;tir them&s;elves in the be&s;t
way for a Reformation of Religion; And do mo&s;t wil|lingly
offer their prayers and uttermo&s;t endeavours for
furthering &s;o great a work, wherein Chri&s;t is &s;o much
concern'd in his glory, the King in His honour, the
Kirk and Kingdom of England in their happine&s;&s;e, and
<PB N="11" REF="6">
this Kirk and Kingdom in the puritie and peace of the
Go&s;pell.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="4" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>IV.</HEAD>
<P>That the A&s;&s;emblie al&s;o from &s;o many reall in|vitations
are heartned to renew the Propo&s;ition made
by the aforenamed Commi&s;&s;ioners of this Kingdom,
for beginning the work of Reformation, at the unifor|mitie
of Kirk-government: For what hope can there
be of unitie in Religion, of one confe&s;&s;ion of Faith, one
form of wor&s;hip, and one Catechi&s;me, till there be
fir&s;t one Form of Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall Government? Yea
what hope can the Kingdom and Kirk of Scotland
have of a firm and durable peace, till Prelacie which
hath been the main cau&s;e of their mi&s;eries and troubles
fir&s;t and la&s;t, be pluck't up root and branch, as a plant
which God hath not planted? and from which no bet|ter
fruits can be expected, then &s;uch &s;ower grapes, as
this day &s;et on edge the Kingdom of England.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="5" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>V.</HEAD>
<P>The Prelaticall Hierarchy being put out of the way,
The work will be ea&s;ie without forcing any con&s;ci|ence
to &s;ettle in England the government of the refor|med
Kirks by A&s;&s;emblies, for although the reformed
Kirks do hold without doubting their Kirk Officers,
and Kirk-government by A&s;&s;emblies higher and lower
in their &s;trong and beautifull &s;ubordination, to be <HI>jur<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter">
divino</HI> and perpetuall, yet Prelacie as it differeth from
the Office of a Pa&s;tor, is almo&s;t univer&s;ally acknow|ledged
by the Prelats them&s;elves and their adherents,
<PB N="12" REF="7">
to be but an humane ordinance introduced by humane
rea&s;on, and &s;ettled by humane Law and cu&s;tome for
&s;uppo&s;ed conveniency, Which therefore by humane
authority without wronging any mans con&s;cience may
be altered and aboli&s;hed, upon &s;o great a nece&s;&s;ity as
is a hearty conjunction with all the reform'd Kirks, a
firm and well-grounded peace between the two King|doms,
formerly divided in them&s;elves and betwixt
them&s;elves by this partition wall, and a perfect union
of the Kirks in the two Nations, which although
by the providence of God in one I&s;land, and under one
Monarch, yet ever &s;ince the Reformation, and for the
pre&s;ent al&s;o are at greater difference in the point of
Kirk-government which in all places hath a powerfull
influence upon all the parts of Religion then any other
reform'd Kirks, although in Nations at greate&s;t di|&s;tance
and under divers Princes.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 N="6" TYPE="part">
<HEAD>VI.</HEAD>
<P>What may be required of the Kirk of Scotland for
furthering the work of Uniformitie of Government,
or for agreeing upon a common confe&s;&s;ion of Faith,
Catechi&s;me and directorie for wor&s;hip &s;hall accor|ding
to the order given by this A&s;&s;embly, be mo&s;t wil|lingly
performed by us, who long extreamly for the
day when King and Parliament &s;hall joyne for bring|ing
to pa&s;&s;e &s;o great, &s;o good a worke: That all Wars
and commotions cea&s;ing, all Super&s;titition, Idolatry,
Here&s;ies, Sects and Schi&s;mes being removed; As the
Lord is one, &s;o his Name may be one among&s;t us, And
<PB N="13" REF="7">
Mercie and Truth, Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e&punc; and Peace meeting
together and ki&s;&s;ing one another, may dwell in this
I&s;land.</P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>St. <HI>Andrews,</HI> <DATE>Augu&s;t 3. 1642.</DATE></DATELINE>
<SIGNED><HI>JOHNSTON</HI>
Cler. Eccl.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="letter">
<HEAD>At EDINBVRGH, <DATE>the Eigh|teenth-day
of Augu&s;t, 1642.</DATE></HEAD>
<P>THe Lords of &s;ecret Councell
having read heard, and con&s;ider|ed
the Petition this day given in to
them, in the name of the late Gene|rall
A&s;&s;embly holden at Saint An|drews,
by their Commi&s;sioners ap|pointed
for that effect, de&s;iring the
Councell to concur with them in
their Remon&s;trance to the Parlia|ment
of England, toward the &s;etling
of Vnity in Religion, and Vnifor|mity
in Kirk-government in His
<PB N="14" REF="8">
Maje&s;ties three Kingdoms. And
having al&s;o heard the Petition di|rected
from the A&s;&s;embly to His
Maje&s;tie, with their An&s;wer to the
Parliament of England, the Scots
Commi&s;sioners of the Treaty at
London, and certain Mini&s;ters of
England concerning this matter.
And finding the rea&s;ons therein ex|pre&s;s'd
to be very pregnant, and the
particular de&s;ired much to conduce
for the glory of God, the advance|ment
of the true Chri&s;tian Faith,
His Maje&s;ties Honour, and the
peace and union of His Dominions.
The &s;aid Lords, out of their duty
to the furtherance of &s;o much wi&s;h|ed
and important a work, and affe|ction
to their Brethren of the
Kingdom of England, Do unani|mou&s;ly
<PB N="15" REF="8">
and heartily concur with
the &s;aid Nationall A&s;&s;embly, in
their earne&s;t de&s;ires to the Honora|ble
Hou&s;es of the Parliament of
England, to take to their &s;erious
con&s;ideration the particulars afore|&s;aid,
touching Vnity in Religion,
and Vniformity in Kirk-govern|ment
in the &s;aid three Kingdoms, as
a &s;ingular mean of His Maje&s;ties
Honour, the good of the true Chri|&s;tian
Faith, and happine&s;&s;e of His
Maje&s;ties Dominions; And to give
favourable hearing to &s;uch de&s;ires
and overtures as &s;halbe found mo&s;t
conducible for the promoting of &s;o
great and good a work.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Extractum de libris actorum &s;ecreti Con&s;ilii S. D. N.
Regis, per me
<HI>Arch. Primero&s;e, Cler. S. Con&s;.</HI></SIGNED>
<DATELINE>Edin. <DATE>26. Aug. 1642.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
