The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Statement 1
UNTO THE MODERATOR & BRETHREN Aſſembled at St. Andrews. The humble Repreſentation and Deſire of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, under ſubſcribed.
AMongſt the many ſad tokens of the Lords indignation and wrath againſt this Church, the preſent unhappy differrences of His Servants of the Miniſtry is looked upon by Us, and We beleeve by all the Godly of the Land, as one of the greateſt: And as We hold it a Duty lying upon Us to be deeply humbled before the Lord in the ſence thereof, and in our Stations and Callings to endeavor by all lawful and fair means the remedy and removal of the ſame; ſo we acknowledge a free Gen. Aſſembly, lawfully called, and rightly conſtitute, and meeting together in the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and proceeding with Meekneſs and Love according to the Rule of His Word, and Conſtitutions of this Church, to be amongſt the firſt and moſt effectual Remedies appointed of God, for attaining of theſe ends. Therefore conſidering that the Election of Commiſſioners for the Aſſembly hath been in many places limited and prejudiced in the due liberty and freedom thereof, by the Letter and Act of the Commiſſion of the laſt Gen. Aſſembly, to Preſbyteries appointing ſuch as remain unſatisfied with, and bear teſtimony againſt the Publick Reſolutions, to be cited to the General Aſſembly; which upon the matter, hath in many Presbyteries really obſtructed the Electing of ſuch, though otherwiſe men of approven abilities, and conſtant faithfulneſs and zeal for the Work of Reformation ſince the begining thereof: and that many Elections are queſtionable, ſome as containing perſons not in a capacity to be choſen by the Acts of this Church, and ſome as not being made in a due order and right way; and that many Commiſſioners of Preſbyteries and Burroughs are abſent, ſome of them wanting free acceſs, by reaſon of the Engliſh lying in the Country, and ſome upon other impediments and occaſions; And remembring that ſuch Reaſons have formerly had weight in point of Diſcuſſion of the validity of ſome Aſſemblies, and may ſtill be looked upon as important and weighty, by theſe who may happen not to be ſatisfied in their conſciences with your proceedings. We did with all humble earneſtneſs, and in the bowels of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, deſire and beſeech you for Truth and Peace ſake; and that further miſtakes and diviſions may not be increaſed unto the prejudice of the Lords Work, and rejoycing of Enemies, and ſadding the hearts of His People, That the Diet of the Gen. Aſſembly may by the common conſent and advice of the Brethren now met together be adjourned for ſome competent time; and that by the ſame mutual advice and conſent it may be declared, That the Letter and Act of the Commiſſion ought not to be any prejudice to theſe who remain unſatisfied with the Publick Reſolutions, why they may not be choſen Commiſſioners to the General Aſſembly; And that ſuch Presbyteries as ſhall think fit, may make their Elections of new again, eſpecially theſe Presbyteries whoſe Elections or Commiſſioners are queſtionable, to whom we deſire it earneſtly to be recomended, that they would in an unanimous way make choice of men of approven abilities and integrity, and againſt whom there can be no exception by the Acts and Conſtitutions of this Church. And in the laſt place, We do humbly repreſent and deſire, that in the interval of time betwixt this and the Dyet, to which the Aſſembly ſhall be adjourned, there may be a Solemn Publick Humiliation throughout the Land, wherein God may be intreated to ſhew us why He contends with us, and to give light and clearing on all hands concerning the preſent differences of judgment, and diſtempers of ſpirit that are amongſt us, that we may be of one mind, and one heart, for the carrying on of the Work of God amongſt His People; And Your Wiſdoms Anſwer.
Subſcribed by ſundry Miniſters of the Goſpel.