The Nullity of the Pretended Assembly at St Andrews and Dundee, Papers
PAPERS betwixt the ASSEMBLY and COMMITTEE.
Offers and Deſires from the Committee of Eſtates, Preſented by the Earle of Glencarn, the Theſaurer, Depute, & Archibald Sydſerf, to the Gen. Aſſembly.
AS we cannot but with ſad hearts regrate that notwithſtanding of the many endeavors of, and great pains taken by the Parliament and Committee of Eſtates, for removing of Differences, and offering all juſt ſatisfaction to the Deſires of the Commiſſioners of the General Aſſembly concerning the neceſſity and lawfulneſs of this preſent Engagement; yet they have all hitherto proven ineffectual, and Diviſions betwixt us are rather increaſed, then leſſened; ſo we cannot but here promiſe to our ſelves better Succeſs from the wiſdom of this grave and venerable Aſſembly, eſpecially whilſt our conſciences bears us witneſs, that in all our undertakings we have nothing before our eyes but the glory of God in the firſt place; and in the ſecond, the good and preſervation of Religion; and next therunto, the ſafety of his Majeſties Perſon now in danger, and the purſuance of the ſame ends of our Covenant which hath been ſealed with the blood of ſo many of our friends and country men: And that our ſincerity and reallity in all theſe may be manifeſted to all the world, we are content now again at this time, not only to renew all theſe offers which were formerly made by the Parliament to the Commiſſioners of the Gen. Aſſembly, for the ſecurity of Religion; but hereby we offer to grant what further ſecurity the General Aſſembly ſhall be pleaſed to demand in reaſon of us for Religion: And although we cannot lay negatives and reſtrictions on the King, but muſt as obliged in conſcience and duty, endeavor his Reſcue, that he may come with honor, freedom, and ſafety to ſome of his Houſes, in, or about London; yet we are moſt willing to give what Aſſurance can be demanded for our ſelves and our Army, even by an ſolemn Oath, if ſo it ſhall be thought fit by the General Aſſembly, that we ſhall not be ſatisfied and lay down Arms, until Religion be ſecured in all his Majeſties Dominions, according to the Covenant: Therfore out of the deep ſenſe we have of the great danger that the further growth of theſe Diviſions may bring to Religion, the Kings Majeſty, and to theſe who doth ſincerly wiſh the ſettling of Presbiterial Government in all his Majeſties Dominions. We cannot but deſire you ſeriouſly to weigh the ſad Conſequences may enſue, if at this time there be not found amongſt you, ſome who will endeavor to heal, and not to make wider the Breaches betwixt Church and State, to remember that no ſuch effectual help can be yeilded at this time to that — as to have the hearts and conſciences of the people prepoſeſſed with prejudices againſt the Reſolutions of the Eſtates and their ſo pious and neceſſary Engagment. And for this cauſe, to the end theſe unhappy Differences may ſpread no further, we do intreat you would be pleaſed to appoint ſome of your Number, to meet with ſuch as ſhall be appointed by us, for Compoſing theſe miſ-underſtandings betwixt Church and State: And likewiſe for ſo cleering the Marches betwixt the Civil and Eccleſiaſtick Power in theſe Queſtions hath been Debated betwixt the Parliament and the Commiſſioners of the Gen. Aſſembly; as the Kirk may be freed of all ſcandals in medling with Civil Buſineſs, and the Eſtates from the ſcandals of Eraſtianiſm: And ſeeing our deſires herein are only to remove all jealouſies betwixt the Church and State, and to witneſs to the world our unfained intentions to do al that is in our powers for the moſt ſatisfaction of the Gen. Aſſembly, We do deſire that ye would be pleaſed to forbear the emitting of any Declaration either to this Kingdom, or the Kingdom of England, relating to our preſent Engagement and proceedings, conſidering how unſeaſonable it may prove whilſt our Army is in the Fields againſt the great obſtructions of any Enemies to our Reformation, to do any thing may encourage and ſtrengthen the hands and hearts of that — who doubtleſs will encourage themſelves in their own wayes, the more they have ours diſapproven by you: And as their unhappy differences and diviſions have already ſo wrought upon the hollow hearts of ſome of our Countrymen, as to move them to riſe in Arms againſt the Parliaments Forces, and of ſome to run and joyn themſelves with theſe — ſo much the more wil theſe — be ſtrengthned and encouraged againſt us by their hearing of our Diviſions: We do likewiſe deſire, That before the Gen. Aſſembly proceed to any approbation of the actions of the Commiſsioners of the Gen. Aſſembly, That in theſe things that may relate to the preſent Engagement and to theſe Queſtions hath been Debated betwixt the Parliament and them, we may be firſt hard. All theſe we deſire for no other end, but that theſe untimely Differences and Rents now grown to ſo great a height as that they threaten the ruin both of Church and State, may by the bleſsing of God in the ſpirit of Meekneſs be cu…ed and bound up, That neither Malignants on the one hand may have occaſion to laugh at our Diviſions, nor — on the other hand encouraged and ſtrengthned againſt us: But that we (as formerly) may go on in one way, being all engaged in one Cauſe for one and the ſelf-ſame Ends; And ſo may receive a bleſſing from the Lord of Peace and Order (which hates the inſtruments of Diviſion and Confuſion) upon all our endeavors, for advancing the bleſſed work of Reformation, and for bringing to an happy end all the Miſeries and Confuſions now, which theſe Lands hath been ſo long toiled and conſumed with.
Before the Aſſembly give any Anſwer to the Paper produced from the Honorable Committee of Eſtates, The Aſſembly thinks fit to enquire at the honorable Perſons who preſented the Papers, If the Committee of Eſtates have any new Objections againſt the Proceedings of the Commiſsion of the late Aſsembly, or only the ſame Objections made by the Parliament, or their Committees before. Sic ſubſcrib. A. Ker.
The Committee of Eſtates do make this Return to the Paper of the Gen. Aſſembly, That they have juſt and material Exceptions againſt the proceedings of the Commiſsioners of the Gen. Aſſembly, beſides any formerly made by Parliament or Committee of Eſtates.
The Aſsembly continues until the morn at ten hours that Examination of the Proceedings of the Commiſsion of the late Aſſembly, and do appoint that time for Hearing any New Exceptions the Committee of Eſtates hath to give in againſt the Proceedings of the ſaid Commiſsion.