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<NAME>Pip Willcox</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>A DECLARATION OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY To the
whole Kirk and Kingdome of SCOTLAND, CONCERNING Pre&s;ent dangers and duties,
relating to the <HI>Covenant,</HI> and <HI>Religion.</HI></P>
<P>Printed at Edinburgh by <HI>Evan Tyler</HI> Printer to the Kings
mo&s;t Excellent MAJESTY, 1648.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="declaration">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>Edinb. 
<DATE><HI>1.</HI> Martii. <HI>1648.</HI>
Po&s;tmeridiem.</DATE></HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">A Declaration of the Commi&s;sioners of the Generall
A&s;&s;embly to the whole Kirk and Kingdom of <HI>Scotland,</HI> concerning
pre&s;ent dangers, and duties rela|ting to the Covenant and RELIGION.</HEAD>
<P>_IF in a time of &s;o great and imminent danger to Religion and
the cau&s;e of God, the Trumpet in Zion &s;hould give no cer|tain &s;ound, nor
the watch-mens Tower any &s;ea&s;onable warning, it might be ju&s;t|ly charged
upon us as a &s;infull neglect of duty, and the blood of many thou&s;and
&s;oules might be required at our hands. Therefore &s;o farre as we have
di&s;covered the dangerous plots and &s;nares of the malitious and crafty
adver&s;aries of this cau&s;e; We &s;hall freely and faith fully make the
&s;ame known; tru&s;ting that all who would not make &s;hipwrack of faith and a
good con&s;cience, will carefully avoyd as well hid as manife&s;t rocks, when
they are warned of them.</P>
<P>After the &s;olemn League and Covenant of the three 
<PB N="2" REF="3">Kingdomes had &s;o pro&s;pered again&s;t the enemies and
op|po&s;ers thereof, as made them de&s;paire of overthrowing it in any &s;uch
way of a direct oppo&s;ition; They begun with much wit and indu&s;try to
indeavour a dividing of the ends of the Covenant, and an altering of the
fir&s;t principle and &s;tate of the cau&s;e. Upon the one hand, the Sectaries
in England, (according as is formerly repre&s;ented by the late Generall
A&s;&s;embly in their Declaration to their Brethren of England, and by our
Remon&s;trance to the Committee of E&s;tates of the 13. of <HI>October</HI>
la&s;t) have by fraud and violence endeavoured the &s;ubver&s;ion of Religion;
who&s;e exorbitant in&s;olency being now in Armes is &s;o un&s;uppor|table,
that no man can doubt but all the Articles of the Covenant are in danger by
them; the vile errors, wicked here&s;ies, and intolerable bla&s;phemies dayly
growing a|mong&s;t them can hardly be reckoned up; all which are mightily
aggredged by the lawle&s;&s;e and godle&s;&s;e toleration thereof; and lea&s;t
Parliamentary authority &s;hould curb this mon&s;trous in&s;olency, they have
not onely refu&s;ed Orders for disbanding, but have forced Orders for their own
&s;tanding, and doe overrule Parliament, King, City, and Country to the
trampling under foot all government Civill and Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall, and to the
terrour, oppre&s;&s;ion, and apparent ruine of all the truly, godly, and
&s;ound lovers of the &s;olemn League and Covenant. On the other hand the
Prelaticall and Malignant party have catched at and &s;tu|died to make
advantage of &s;ome parts and clau&s;es of the Covenant, without keeping all
the links of that golden thain fa&s;t together.</P>
<P>This de&s;ign of receding from the former principles, and Rating
the publike cau&s;e otherwi&s;e then it was &s;tated by <PB N="3" REF="3">both
Kingdomes when they joyned in Covenant and Arms, may be abundantly di&s;overed
by two in&s;tances; Fir&s;t, the de&s;ign hath been &s;o fa&s;t and &s;o far
driven on, that although the fourth Article of the League and Covenant was
cleerly framed and intended again&s;t the malignant party; And although there
was one expre&s;&s;e Article in the Treaty between the Kingdomes for &s;wearing
and &s;ub&s;cri|bing the League and Covenant by both Kingdomes as a more near
tye and conjunction of both for their defence again&s;t the Popi&s;h
Prelaticall and Malignant party and their adlierents; And although in the
Declaration of both Kingdomes in the year 1643. It was declared that all &s;uch
as would not &s;peedily take the Covenant, and joyn with all their power in the
defence of this cau&s;e, are to be cen&s;ured and puni&s;hed as profe&s;&s;ed
<HI>Adver&s;aries</HI> and <HI>Malignants;</HI> Yet &s;ome are not a&s;hamed to
plead for the Malignant party, as if they were friends rather then enemies to
this cau&s;e, and as none were now to be looked upon as dangerous ene|mies to
the cau&s;e, but the Sectaries onely; whereas the word of God and the
experience of former times not only teacheth us to beware of dangers from the
fraud, as well as the force, from the plots as well as from the power of
enemies; but al&s;o &s;etteth before us &s;ad examples of great unexpected
mi&s;eries, and mi&s;chiefes brought upon the peo|ple of God, from enemies once
broken and qua&s;hed, when they got again the power of the &s;word, and
opportunity to act what&s;oever cruelties their inveterate malice and enra|ged
&s;pirits put them upon.</P>
<P>The other in&s;tance is, that although in the Covenant, the duty
of pre&s;erving and defending the Kings Maje&s;ties per&s;on and authority be
joyned with &amp; &s;ubordinate unto the duty <PB N="4" REF="4">of pre&s;erving
and defending the true Religion and Liberties of the kingdoms; and although
from the beginning of this cau&s;e, the good &s;afety and &s;ecurity of
Religion hath been principally &s;ought after and in&s;i&s;ted upon: yet
&s;ollicitati|ons, per&s;wa&s;ions, and endeavours have not been, nor are
wanting for his Maje&s;ties re&s;titution to the exerci&s;e of his royall
power, and for e&s;pou&s;ing his Maje&s;ties quarrell, not|with&s;tanding his
not granting of the publick de&s;ires con|cerning the Covenant, and Religion:
And this cour&s;e is clearly contrary to the declared re&s;olution of the
Parli|ament of this kingdome, after advice de&s;ired from us, upon the ca&s;e
concerning the King then propounded to us; And it is no le&s;&s;e contrary to
the principles and profe&s;&s;ions of the convention and of the Committee of
E&s;tates, before any &s;uch advice was de&s;ired or had from us: yea all along
and in the whole cour&s;e of the publick proceedings, the &s;etling and
&s;ecuring of Religion hath been &s;o much &s;tood upon, that Malignants who
intended a new &s;tate of the cau&s;e did well perceive how great difficulty,
and how &s;mall hopes there was of &s;atisfying this Kirk and Kingdome with any
thing el&s;e, while un&s;atisfied in the point of Reli|gion; and therefore all
po&s;&s;ible care hath been taken by them whereby to have &s;ome &s;pecious and
fair pretences of &s;atisfaction in the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e of Religion.</P>
<P>And here, as we do not di&s;approve, but highly commend the worthy
pains of &s;uch as did indeed endeavour to bring the Kings Maje&s;ty a greater
length, even to give full &s;atis|faction in point of Religion; &s;o we cannot
but take notice of that report which many did lately entertain and &s;pread in
this country, namely that his Maje&s;ty hath given &s;ati&s;|faction to the
de&s;ires of this Kirk and Kingdome in <PB N="5" REF="4">point of the Covenant
and Religion.</P>
<P>If his Maje&s;ty had indeed given &s;uch &s;atisfaction, we
&s;hould rejoyce at it as much as any, and however &s;hall not cea&s;e to pray
for his Maje&s;ty, that God would give him re|pentance &amp; remi&s;&s;ion of
&s;ins, &amp; incline his heart to the love of the true Religion and
Reformation, and that his Royall per&s;on may be pre&s;erved from all harm and
violence: And being now (as we formerly remon&s;trate on the 13. of
<HI>Octo|ber</HI>) very &s;en&s;ible of the pre&s;ent danger his Maje&s;ties
per&s;on and Monarchicall government is into by that prevalent party of
Sectaries; We &s;hall, &s;o far as concerneth the duty of our places and
callings, endeavour the pre&s;ervation of Monarchicall government in his
Maje&s;ty, and his po&s;terity according to the Covenant; not being ignorant
what confu&s;ions and calamities u&s;e to attend the change either of the
government it &s;elfe, or of the Royall line. Never|thele&s;&s;e the country
being &s;o generally po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with &s;o dangerous a mi&s;take, and
mi&s;under&s;tanding of &s;o great a bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; and his Maje&s;ty
him&s;elfe profe&s;&s;ing in his letter to us, dated at <HI>Carisbrook</HI>
Ca&s;tle the 27. of <HI>December</HI> la&s;t, that he hath re&s;olved &s;o
farre to agree to the de&s;ires of this Kirk and Kingdome concerning the
Covenant and &s;etling Religion, as he is confident &s;hall give us
&s;atisfaction; If now we &s;hould be &s;ilent, we might be under&s;tood as
tacite|ly con&s;enting and acquie&s;cing; We are therefore nece&s;sita|ted for
undeceiving the Nation, and for acquitting our &s;elves, to declare that a
narrative of the &s;tate of publick af|faires, having been made to us by
tho&s;e who were entru|&s;ted for that effect, and &s;ince delivered to us in
writing, We have more e&s;pecially taken to our &s;erious thoughts &s;o much of
that narrative as was from his Maje&s;ty made <PB N="6" REF="5">known unto us,
as his re&s;olutions for &s;atisfaction in point of Religion. The fir&s;t
Article whereof is as followeth.</P>
<P N="1">1. <HI>For the Covenant, his Majesty giving beleefe to the
pro|fe&s;sions of the&s;e who have entered into the League and Cove|nant, and
that their intentions are reall for pre&s;ervation of his Maje&s;ties per&s;on
according to their allegiance, and no wayes to dimini&s;h his ju&s;t power and
greatne&s;&s;e, is content &s;o &s;oon as be can with freedome, honour, and
&s;afety, be pre&s;ent in a free Par|liament to confirm the &s;aid League and
Covenant by Act of Parliament in both kingdomes, for &s;ecurity of all tho&s;e
who have taken or &s;hall take the &s;aid Govenant, provided that none who is
unwilling &s;hall be con&s;trained to take it.</HI></P>
<P>Which Article hath nothing in it of his Maje&s;ties affe|ction to,
or liking and approbation of the Covenant, but only what he is content to yeeld
in order to his own inte|re&s;t. Yea an Act of Parliament for &s;ecurity of
tho&s;e who have taken or &s;hall take the Covenant, doth or may &s;up|po&s;e
&s;ome &s;ault, or &s;omewhat ju&s;tly challengeable in the taking of the
Covenant, which needeth ane act of indem|nity. Next the offer is but
conditionall, and hath in the bo|&s;ome of it ane complication of &s;uch and
&s;o many condi|tions as might open a door to &s;ome eva&s;ion or other, by
multiplying exceptions, difficulties, and various notions, either concerning
the profe&s;sions of tho&s;e who have entred into the League and Covenant, or
concerning his Maje|&s;ties ju&s;t power and greatne&s;&s;e, or concerning his
freedom honour and &s;afety, or concerning a free Parliament. And although the
conce&s;sion were certain and ab&s;olute, it a|mounts to no more, but to a
leaving of the Covenant ar|bitrary; which is contrary to the Acts of the
Generall A&s;|&s;embly <PB N="7" REF="5">and Parliament in this Kingdome, to
the Declaration of both kingdomes before cited, and to one of the chiefe
Propo&s;itions of Religion once agreed upon by both kingdomes, for a &s;afe and
well grounded peace; <HI>viz.</HI> The Propo&s;ition con|cerning his
Maje&s;ties &s;wearing and &s;igning of the League and Covenant, and enjoyning
by Act of Parliament in both kingdomes the taking there of by all the
&s;ubjects in the three kingdomes, with &s;uch penalties as &s;hall bee agreed
upon by both king|domes: So that the fir&s;t Article of his Maje&s;ties offer
is a mo&s;t manife&s;t altering of the &s;tate of this cau&s;e; It is al&s;o a
&s;trengthening of the hearts and hands both of the Sectaries and of the
Malignant party, a partaking and conniving at the &s;inne of all tho&s;e in the
three Kingdoms who have refu&s;ed, or &s;hall refu&s;e to enter into the League
and Covenant, an introducing of a dete&s;table indifferency or neu|trality in
this cau&s;e which &s;o much concerneth the glory of God, the good of the
Kingdom and the honour of the King. And therefore we have judged this Article
not onely un&s;atisfactory, but de&s;tru|ctive to the Covenant. Neither are we
moved with that objection which is hinted, concerning the con|&s;training or
inforcing of mens con&s;ciences: They refu&s;e a nece&s;&s;ary duty who
refu&s;e to take the Co|venant; and the penalty or puni&s;hment of &s;uch
re|fu&s;all is no con&s;training of the con&s;cience, more then the penalty or
puni&s;hment of a Subject who refu&s;eth to take the Oath of Allegiance is a
con|&s;training of the con&s;cience to Loyalty or more then the puni&s;hment of
Idolaters, Bla&s;phemers, and Se|ducers, <PB N="8" REF="6">mentioned &s;o often
in Scripture, can be cal|led a con&s;training of the con&s;cience to the feare
of God.</P>
<P>The words of the &s;econd Article are the&s;e:</P>
<P><HI>His Maje&s;ty will likewi&s;e confirm by Act of Parlia|ment
in</HI> England, <HI>Presbyteriall Government, the Di|rectory for Wor&s;hip,
and A&s;&s;embly of Divines at</HI> We&s;t|min&s;ter <HI>for three years, &s;o
that his Maje&s;ty and his hou&s;hold bee not hindered from u&s;ing that form
of Di|vine Service he hath formerly practi&s;ed; and that a free debate and
con&s;ultation be had with the Divines at We&s;t|min&s;ter (twenty of his
Maje&s;ties nomination being added unto them) and with &s;uch as &s;hall be
&s;ent from the Church of</HI> Scotland, <HI>whereby it may be determined by
his Ma|je&s;tie and the two Hou&s;es how the Church Government af|ter the three
years &s;hall be fully e&s;tabli&s;hed according to the word of God.</HI></P>
<P>For ought we know the conditions couched in the fir&s;t Article
are al&s;o to be under&s;tood in this and the following Articles: However this
&s;econd Article as it is but the &s;ame in &s;ub&s;tance with &s;ome of his
Maje|&s;ties conce&s;&s;ions in former Me&s;&s;ages, &s;o that which is
propo&s;ed in it, is but a Toleration of Presbyteriall Government in
<HI>England,</HI> and that but for three years, and is a direct allowance, at
lea&s;t of the Book of Common Prayer in his Maje&s;ties Hou&s;ehold: And
moreover, by the &s;econd Article not only a door is le&s;t open for
ree&s;tabli&s;hing Prelacy and the Service Book, But the happy progre&s;&s;e
already made in the <PB N="9" REF="6">Reformation, and Uniformity of Religion
according to the Covenant in a confe&s;&s;ion of Faith, Directo|ry of
Wor&s;hip, Form of Church Government and Catechi&s;me is &s;et a&s;ide as &s;o
much lo&s;t labour, in order to a future &s;ettlement. Free debate with any of
the Prelaticall party nominated by his Maje&s;ty (when there was any &s;uch
occa&s;ion) hath not been declined: But we have great cau&s;e to be tender of
un|&s;etling and razing a good foundation already laid in the work of
Reformation. And whereas his Maje&s;ty will have it determined by him&s;elf,
and the two Hou|&s;es, how the Church Government after the &s;aid three years
&s;hall be e&s;tabli&s;hed according to the Word of God: This doth at once cut
off three of the mo&s;t materiall and mo&s;t nece&s;&s;ary Propo&s;itions
concern|ing Religion formerly agreed upon by both King|doms, and from both
tendred to his Maje&s;ty, (though &s;ome of them be now laid a&s;ide by the two
Hou&s;es of the Parliament of <HI>England</HI>) namely, The third
Propo&s;ition, for aboli&s;hing Archbi&s;hops, Bi&s;hops, &amp;c. The fifth
Propo&s;ition, That Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant be
&s;etled by Act of Parliament, in &s;uch manner as both Hou&s;es have agreed,
or &s;hall agree upon after con&s;ultation had with the A&s;&s;embly of
Divines; And the &s;ixth Pro|po&s;ition, That &s;uch unity and uniformity in
Religion according to the Covenant, as after con&s;ultation had with the
Divines of both Kingdome, a&s;&s;embled at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> is, or
&s;hall be joyntly agreed by both Hou&s;es of the Parliament of
<HI>England,</HI> and by the Church and Kingdom of <HI>Scotland</HI> be
confirmed by Acts of Parliament of both Kingdoms re&s;pectively. 
<PB N="10" REF="7">Of which three Popo&s;itions, there can be no hopes (as to
his Maje&s;ties con&s;ent or concurrance) if the offer now made concerning a
determination by his Maje&s;ty and the two Hou&s;es, be compared with his
Maje|&s;ties claiming of a negative voice, and with his Me&s;&s;age of
<HI>Nov.</HI> 16. in which he declared that both in rela|tion as he is a
Chri&s;tian and as a King, he cannot give his con&s;ent to the aboli&s;hing
Archbi&s;hops, Bi|&s;hops, &amp;c. Believing that this order was placed in the
Church by the Apo&s;tles them&s;elves, and that his Maje&s;ty is al&s;o bound
by his Coronation Oath to maintain it. And this me&s;&s;age of
<HI>November</HI> 16. His Maje&s;ty adhereth unto, in his An&s;wer to the Bills
and Propo&s;itions pre&s;ented to him at <HI>Carisbrook</HI> Ca|&s;tle; which
An&s;wer is dated <HI>December</HI> 28. and &s;o after his Maje&s;ties Letter
to us. Upon the&s;e and the like con&s;iderations we have found the &s;aid
&s;econd Article of his Maje&s;ties offers in point of Religion to be
de|&s;tructive to Presbyteriall Government, the Directo|ry of Wor&s;hip, and
the uniformity intended accord|ing to the Covenant.</P>
<P>For the third Article delivered to us in the&s;e words. <HI>And
for &s;uppre&s;sing of Schi&s;me and Here&s;ies, his Maje&s;ty is content and
mo&s;t willing that an effectuall cour&s;e be taken by Act of Parliament, and
all other wayes needfull and expedient for &s;uppre&s;sing the opinions and
pra|cti&s;es of Antitrinitarians, Arrians, Socinians, Anti&s;crip|turi&s;ts,
Antinomians, Anabapti&s;ts, Arminians, Fami|li&s;ts, Browni&s;ts,
Separati&s;ts, Independents, Libertines, and Seekers, and generally for
&s;uppre&s;sing all Bla&s;phemy, He|re&s;ie, Schi&s;me, and all &s;uch
&s;candalous doctrine or pra|cti&s;es <PB N="11" REF="7">as are contrary to the
light of nature, or to the known principles of Chri&s;tianity (whether
concerning faith, wor&s;hip or conver&s;ation) or to the power of
Godli|ne&s;&s;e, or which may be de&s;tructive to order or govern|ment, or to
the peace of Church or Kingdom.</HI></P>
<P>As we doe Approve of the Suppre&s;&s;ion of the par|ricular
Here&s;ies and Schi&s;mes ennumerate in his Ma|je&s;ties offer; So we &s;ee not
how it can be reconciled with his Maje&s;ties Me&s;&s;age of <HI>November</HI>
16. in which there was a conce&s;&s;ion to all &s;uch as differ from
Pres|biteriall Government: And doe further find the Ar|ticle dangerous and
defective in omitting Era&s;tiani&s;m, and other dangerous errours,
e&s;pecially Popery and Prelacy, which may prove de&s;tructive to the Co|venant
in mini&s;tring the occa&s;ion to Papi&s;ts and Pre|lats to plead for a
toleration, although the Covenant binde us to endeavour the extirpation both of
Popery and Prelacy.</P>
<P>Having now di&s;covered the &s;nares and dangers, We &s;hall in
the next place mo&s;t humbly and &s;eriou&s;ly propo&s;e and recommend &s;ome
whole&s;om &s;ea&s;onable and pious coun&s;ells to all the members of this
Church and Kingdome, e&s;pecially to the Honourable and High Court of
Parliament, and to the Brethren of the Mini&s;tery, which may al&s;o &s;erve to
expre&s;&s;e our &s;en&s;e concerning the whole matter contained in that
narrative, delivered to us in writing, &s;o far as is com|petent and fit for us
to give any Judgement thereupon.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t of all we exhort all and every one to make 
<PB N="12" REF="8">more con&s;cience of endeavouring a reall Reformation of
them&s;elves and their Families, and of the place, in which they live, then
ever yet they have done; to be more &s;erious in &s;earching their hearts,
con&s;idering their wayes, and purging them&s;elves from all filthi|ne&s;&s;e
of the fle&s;h and &s;pirit to perfect holines in the fear of God; to oppo&s;e
wickedne&s;&s;e and profanene&s;&s;e, pro|mote the power and practi&s;e of
Godline&s;&s;e, and to be deeply humbled before the Lord for neglecting the&s;e
things &s;o much and &s;o long; with all employing and improving Chri&s;ts
al&s;ufficiency, and &s;triving to ex|erci&s;e faith in him for the grace of
mortification and &s;anctification, as well as for remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes
and peace with God; that being implanted and rooted in him, we may grow up as
trees of Righteou&s;ne&s;&s;e, the planting of the Lord that he may be
glorified; for without amendment of life, and bringing forth of better fruit,
the fierce wrath of the Lord cannot turn away from us.</P>
<P>Secondly, as men de&s;ire they may not be led into temptation, but
may bee guided in &s;afe and right pathes, in the mid&s;t of &s;o great
difficulties; Let them avoid the company and coun&s;ell of the ungodly, whereby
even good men, have been oft times mo&s;t dangerou&s;ly en&s;nared; Let all
that fear God choo&s;e the Te&s;timonies of the Lord for their coun&s;ellours,
be much in prayer and &s;earching the minde of God in his word without leaning
to their own under&s;tand|ing, or con&s;ulting with &s;lo&s;h and blood in
ca&s;es of con&s;cience.</P>
<PB N="13" REF="8">
<P>Thirdly, &s;eeing 'tis no act of wi&s;dom but of folly, &s;o to
&s;hune one danger as to runne upon another as bad or wor&s;e; Let us therefore
avoid enemies and be|ware of dangers on all hands: We cannot &s;ee but the
cau&s;e of God, the true Religion, the Covenant, Pre&s;|byteriall Government,
this Church and Kingdom, and what&s;oever is deare&s;t to us will be in as
great danger, if the Prelaticall party prevail, as now they are into by the
power and prevalency of Sectaries in <HI>England,</HI> who have made the
Covenant and begun re|formation to be laid a&s;ide and hindered the promoting
thereof. So that there is a nece&s;&s;ity to be apprehen|&s;ive of dangers, and
attentive to remedies on both &s;ides, and to be ware of compliance with, and
conni|vance at Sectaries upon the one hand, and Malignants upon the other.</P>
<P>Fourthly, when we &s;peak of Malignants, we de&s;ire that the
di&s;tinction may be remembred, which was made in the &s;olemne Warning to the
Kingdom from the Generall A&s;&s;embly in <HI>February</HI> 1645. <HI>Viz.</HI>
That the cau&s;e is in very great danger from two &s;orts of Malignant Enemies:
Fir&s;t, from &s;uch as have open|ly di&s;played a Banner, or joyned in Armes
and pro|fe&s;&s;ed Ho&s;tility again&s;t the cau&s;e, and &s;uch as adhered
thereunto: Secondly, from &s;ecret Malignants, Di&s;|covenanters, and bo&s;ome
Enemies. This &s;econd &s;ort may be &s;till known by &s;ome Characters, given
both at that time and before that time, As by their &s;landering or cen&s;uring
the Covenant of the three Kingdomes and expedition into <HI>England,</HI> in
the year 1643, as not nece&s;&s;ary for the good of Religion, or &s;afety of
this <PB N="14" REF="9">Kingdom, or as tending to the diminution of the Kings
ju&s;t Power and greatne&s;&s;e, By their confounding of the Kings Power and
ju&s;t Authority, with the pre|tence and abu&s;e thereof by Commi&s;&s;ions,
Warrants or Letters procured from his Maje&s;tie by the Enemies of this cau&s;e
and Covenant As if none were Faithfull and Loyall to the King, who oppo&s;e
&s;uch men and their wayes; By their Spleen, Malice, and calum|nies again&s;t
&s;uch as God hath made eminently in&s;tru|mentall in this cau&s;e, and who
re&s;olve to be con&s;tant to the end in their fir&s;t Principles, as if &s;uch
men were the Kings Enemies who are mo&s;t zealous for the good and &s;afety of
Religion; By their commending, ju&s;tifying or excu&s;ing other known
Malignants, and by their conver&s;ing or intercommuning with excom|municate
delinquents. Unto which Characters time and experience give us occa&s;ion to
adde &s;ome others, as namely, Their un willingnes and declining to reckon
Malignants among the Enemies of this cau&s;e from whom danger is to be
apprehended; Their disjoyning and dividing the duty of endeavouring the Kings
Ma|je&s;ties pre&s;ervation and re&s;titution, from the duty of pre&s;erving,
defending, &s;etling and &s;ecuring Religion; As if we might and ought to
pur&s;ue the former with|out the latter while both are in danger; Their
malig|ning of, and uttering malicious words again&s;t faith|full and Zealous
Mini&s;ters, and again&s;t this meeting and Judicatory, appointed by the
Generall A&s;&s;embly: La&s;tly, their crying up or down of parties or
per&s;ons, and even of the Sectaries them&s;elves according as they have more
or le&s;&s;e hopes of advantage from them to their own de&s;ignes. For 'tis not
long &s;ince &s;uch men <PB N="15" REF="9">made light account of any dangers,
which were ap|prehended from the prevalent faction of the Sec|taries in
<HI>England;</HI> There being then &s;ome hopes of a compliance and combination
between them and the Malignants: Which is an infallible demon&s;tra|tion that
&s;uch mens pretended Zeal again&s;t tho&s;e Sec|taries now is not from the
right Principle. Where|fore let all &s;uch dangerous per&s;ons as we have here
deciphered and de&s;cibed be carefully ob&s;erved and avoided, as men would
keep them&s;elves pure, and free of &s;nares: And let Presbyteries be diligent
to di&s;cover, trie, and cen&s;ure any of this kinde in their bounds, that they
may be able herein to give a good account of their diligence; As al&s;o that
they be carefull to di&s;cover, try, and cen&s;ure any traf|ficking Sectaries,
and all &s;uch as favour their opinions and wayes.</P>
<P>Fiftly, Though we e&s;teem that prevalent Faction of Sectaries
with their abbetters and adherents, Pre|&s;umptious and malicious Enemies to
Religion, King, and Government: Yet we hold it is our duty to la|bour to remove
and prevent all occa&s;ions <HI>of jealou&s;ies and &s;u&s;pitions betwixt the
Kingdoms; and to doe or &s;ay nothing that may breed mi&s;-under&s;tandings,
break of cor|re&s;pondence, weaken the confidence or infringe the Union and
peace betwixt the two Kingdoms &s;o happily e&s;tabli&s;hed in his Maje&s;ties
pre&s;ence, and with his Royall con&s;ent in both Parliaments;</HI> A caution
as nece&s;&s;ary now as when it was given above five yeares agoe in a Warning
from the Commi&s;&s;ioners of the Generall A&s;&s;embly, met in this &s;ame
place, <HI>January</HI> the fourth 1643. And Ge|nerally <PB N="16" REF="10">we
defire that all the Articles and clau&s;es of the &s;olemn League and Covenant
may be kept in&s;eparably and inviolably linked together, and that there may be
great tenderne&s;&s;e and care to avoid every thing which may be interpreted as
a contradicting or abandoning of the former principles, proceedings, petitions,
prote|&s;tations, Remon&s;trances, and Declarations of this Kirk and Kingdome
in the pur&s;uance of this cau&s;e; and more e&s;pecially to take good heed
that <HI>Scotlands</HI> de|&s;ires, doe not mount higher for the King, and fall
low|er in the point of Religion, then they were at our fir&s;t undertaking and
ingagement in this cau&s;e.</P>
<P>Finally, we doe mo&s;t &s;eriou&s;ly obte&s;t all the people of
God in this Nation, and e&s;pecially the e&s;tates of Par|liament, by their
love to the cau&s;e of God, by their &s;o|lemn Vowes and Covenants, by their
fir&s;t principles and profe&s;&s;ions, by their former zeal and &s;incerity,
by the many ble&s;&s;ings of God, and his great works done for us when our zeal
and integrity was greate&s;t in this cau&s;e, and by all the cur&s;es and
judgements of God which his word denounceth again&s;t back-&s;liders and
Covenant-breakers, that they may all the dayes of their lives continue firme,
&s;tedfa&s;t, and faithfull in their Covenant with God, and one with another,
and make good their former profe&s;&s;ions in a time of tenta|tion and
difficulty, without wavering or falling off to the right hand, or to the left,
and as many as walk ac|cording to this rule peace be on them and mercy, and
upon the I&s;rael of God.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>A. KER.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="10">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
