The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland Part 18

ANSWER.

_The a.s.sembly ordaines the Provinciall a.s.sembly of_ Angus _to keep their first meeting upon the third Tuesday of_ April, _comforme to the Act of the said a.s.sembly of_ Glasgow.

_Overtures to be advised by Presbyteries against the next a.s.sembly._

How Appeals shall be brought into the Generall a.s.semblies, and by what sort of citation.

What shall be the prescription of scandalls, within what s.p.a.ce of time shall they be challenged, whether after three years, the Minister having been allowed and approved in life and doctrine by Synods, Presbyteries, and Visitations.

What order shall be taken for keeping general a.s.semblies, when Presbyteries send not the full number of Commissioners: Or when the Commissioners abide not until the conclusion and dissolving of the a.s.sembly.

Order to be advised for Testimonials.

_The a.s.sembly appoints the next Generall a.s.sembly to hold at_ Edinburgh, _the first Wednesday of August, 1643._

THE GENERALL a.s.sEMBLY AT _EDINBURGH_

Sess. 1. August 2. 1643.

The Kings Letter to the General a.s.sembly.

_Presented by his Majesties Commissioner Sir_ Thomas Hope _of Craighall Knight, His Majesties Advocate._

CHARLES R.

Trustie and welbeloved, We greet you well. The time now approaching for the holding of the Generall a.s.sembly of Our Kirk of Scotland, and We having appointed Sir _Thomas Hope_ Our Advocate to be Our Commissioner there; We thought good to present him there with these Our Letters, and to take this occasion to minde you of the duty which you owe to Us your Soveraigne, and to the peace of that Our Native Kingdome. How far We have lately extended Our grace and favour towards satisfaction of your humble desires, there is not any amongst you but may well remember: And therefore in this conjuncture of Our affairs, it is but reasonable that We expect from you such moderation in the dutifull proceedings of this a.s.sembly, as may concurre with our Princely inclinations and desires, to preserve that Kirk and that our Kingdome in peace; having wel observed that alterations in points of Religion, are often the inlets to civill dissentions, and the hazard, if not overthrow of both Kirk and Kingdomes. Therefore of Our great affection and speciall tendernesse to your peace (who of all Our Dominions are yet happie therein to the envy of others) We conjure and require you in the fear of G.o.d, and obedience of Us his Vicegerent, that your endeavours and consultations tend onely to preserve peace and quietnesse among you. And so We bid you farewell. Given at Our Court at Oxford the 22. day of July, 1643.

_To our right trusty and welbeloved Counsellour, Sir_ Thomas Hope _Knight, our Advocate general, and Our Commissioner at the generall a.s.sembly of the Kirk in Our Kingdome of Scotland, and to the rest of the said a.s.sembly now conveened._

Sess. 2. August 3. 1643.

_Overtures anent Bills, References, and Appeales._

I. That all Bills whatsoever of particular concernments whereunto all parties having interest are not cited, should be rejected.

II. That all Bills be first presented to the inferiour Judicatories of the Kirk, who may competently consider of them, and from them be orderly and _gradatim_ brought to the a.s.sembly, according to the order prescribed for Appellations in the a.s.sembly of Edinburgh, 1639. in the 24. Sess. August 30.

III. That the said Act of a.s.sembly 1639. anent Appelations, be also extended to References.

IV. In Appellations and References of particular concernment, if all parties having interest, have been present in the inferiour Judicatorie when the Appeal and Reference was made, then there is no necessitie of citation. But in case of their absence, citation of parties is so necessar, that if it be wanting, Appellations and References should not be received.

V. That conform to former Acts of a.s.semblies; Appellations _post sententiam_ be made within ten dayes after the sentence, and otherwise not to be respected.

_The a.s.sembly ordaines their Overtures to be given to the severall Committees for their direction._

Sess. 3. August 4. 1643.

_Act for election of Professours to be Commissioners to a.s.semblies by Presbyteries._

The a.s.sembly thinks, if Professours of Divinitie in Universities be Ministers, that they may be chosen Commissioners to the Generall a.s.sembly, either by the Presbyterie as Ministers or by the Universitie as Professours of Divinitie.

Sess. 4. Aug. 5. 1643.

The Pet.i.tion of the distressed Professours in Ireland for Ministers.

_To the reverend and honourable Moderatour and remanent Members of the General a.s.sembly of Scotland, conveened at Edinburgh, Aug._ 1643.

The humble Pet.i.tion of the distressed Christians in the North of Ireland.

_Humbly sheweth,_

That whereas you were pleased the last Year to take notice of our Pet.i.tion, and conceived so favourable an act in our behalf, from our hearts we blesse the Lord G.o.d of our Fathers, who put such a thing as this in your heart to begin in any sort to beautifie the House of the Lord amongst us: Doubtlesse you have brought upon your selves the blessing of them who consider the poor; the Lord will certainly deliver you in the time of trouble. We trust no distance of place, no length of time, no pressure of affiction, yea, nor smiling of prosperity, shall delete out of our thankfull memories the humble acknowledgement of your so motherly care: in drawing out your b.r.e.a.s.t.s, yea, your souls to satisfie the hungrie: although we have been beaten with the sword, bitten with famine, our own wickednes correcting us, our back-slidings reproving us, yet we have not so farre forgotten the Lords ancient love, but that our hearts were brought to a little reviving in the midst of our bondage, by the Ministery of these, who at your direction made a short visit amongst us.

We know you did not conceive it expedient at that time, to loose any for full settling here, till the waters of the bloudy inundation were somewhat abated, and prohability might be of some comfortable abode, which we through the Lords revenging hand, pursuing our enemies, and the vigilancie of your victorious Army, is in a great measure attained unto. Whatsoever might have detained some of these whom ye directed to us, whose stay made our expectation prove abortive, we shall ascribe it to our own abuse of such treasure, and want of spirituall hunger, occasioned justly through the want of food; And yet that same dis-appointment, together with your faithfull promise of inlarging your indebted bountie, which is put upon record in all our hearts, hath made us conceive the seed of a lively expectation, that you will now no more put your bountie, and the means of our life, into the hazard of such frustrations, but will once for all, bestow an ample and enduring blessing. And of this we are so much the more confident, because our former suit was not denyed but delayed: only we fear, if a new delay be procured, till all things be fully settled, that the observing of winde and clouds, shall hinder both sowing and reaping.

And in the mean time, the Prelates and their Faction may step in and invest themselves of their old tyrannie over our consciences, who if they once shall see us possessed of our own Inheritance, those _Canaanites_ dare not offer to thrust us out. By all appearance, if the Jesuites had any hope to finde welcome amongst us, they had provided us fully ere now with their poysoned plants, Our hearts abhorre the checking or suspecting of your proceedings, yet it is lawfull to learn sometime from our enemie: But in this you have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago, and thereby have ingaged your selves to perfect your own beginnings, and bring us out of our orphan condition. We are fallen in your lap, this ruine must be under your hand; you cannot pretend want of bread or cloathing, you must be healers: We have chosen you curators to your little young sister that wants b.r.e.a.s.t.s; there is none in earth to take her out of your hand, for we will not, nor cannot hide it from your Honours and Wisedome, that we want bread, and must not only, as before, have a bit for our present need, but also seed to sow the Land.

It is therefore our humble and earnest desire, that you would yet again look on our former Pet.i.tion, and your own obligatorie Act, and at least declare your consent, that a competent number of our own Ministers may be loosed to settle here, and break bread to the children that lye fainting at the head of all streets, which although it may be accounted but a restoring of what we lost, and you have found, yet we shall esteem it as the most precious gift that earth can affoord. When they are so loosed, if they finde not all things concurring to clear G.o.ds calling, it will be in their hand to forbear and you have testified your bountie. But oh for the Lords sake, do not kill our dying souls, by denying these our necessar desires. There are about twelve or fourteen waste congregations on this nearest coast: let us have at least a competent number that may erect Christs throne of discipline, and may help to bring in others, and then shall we sing, that the people who were left of the sword, have found grace in the wildernesse. We have sent these our brethren, Sir _Robert Adair_ of Kinhilt Knight, and _William Mackenna_ of Bel fast merchant, to attend an answer from you, who have attained that happinesse to be lenders and not borrowers, and to present the heartie longing affections of

_Your most obliged and more expecting brethren and servants._