THE PRINCIPALL ACTS OF THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY, CONVEENED AT EDINBURGH, MAY 29, 1644.

Die Jovis penult. Maii.—Sess. II. The Letter from the Presbyterie with the Army in England to the Generall Assembly.

Right Reverend,

HAVING the opportunity of the sitting of this Venerable Assembly, we thought our selves obliged to render some accompt of the estate of our Affairs. It hath pleased the Lord to exercise us since our out-coming, with many straits and difficulties, yet in the midst thereof he hath wonderfully upheld and carried us through. The depth of his wisedome hath suspended us for a time from any great action, to make us walk humbly before him, and to keep us in a continuall dependance upon himself: And yet he hath by his own power scattered before us the great Popish Army, and much diminished the number thereof, so that they do not now appeare against us in the Fields; that all may learne to trust in GOD, and not in Man. It was farre from our thoughts and intentions to have come this length at that instant when the course of Divine Providence pointed out our way unto us, which led us on by some long and speedie marches to joyne with my Lord Fairfax and his Sonne their Forces. The City of York, wherein a swarme of obstinate Papists have taken sanctuary, is blocked up; now and then God favoureth us with successe in some enterprises about it, and we look for more if the time be come which he hath appointed for the deliverance of this People.

Our Soules do abhorre the treacherous attempts of our disnatured Countrey-men, that have endeavoured to make their native Kingdome a seat of Warre, and our bowels within us are moved to think upon the maine mischiefs, if not tymeously prevented, that may follow upon the unnaturall Warres there; like unto these under which this Kingdome hath groaned for a long time. We have found none more malicious and cruell against us than these of our own Nation, and we measure those at home, by these here: Cursed be their rage, for it is fierce, and their anger for it is cruell. The present danger calls upon all to lay out of their hands what ever may hinder their haste, as one Man to come together for saving the Vine-yard that the wilde Boares would lay waste, and taking the Foxes that would destroy the Vines. You are, right Reverend, now set upon the highest Watch-tower, from whence you may discover the dangers that threaten on all coasts, and wee need not put you in minde to give warning to the Watch-men in their severall stations; to rouze up the People from their too great security; to call them to unfeigned Humiliation, and to stirre them up to wrestle with GOD by prayers that hee would preserve Truth and Peace at home against the machinations of Malignants; that hee would prepare the People here, and make them more fit to embrace the intended Reformation; and that hee would command these unnaturall and bloudy Warres to cease, that Religion and Righteousness may flourish through the three Dominions, Praying GOD to send upon you the Spirit of truth, who may lead you in all truth. We remaine

Your loving Brethren, the Presbyterie of the Scottish Army in England,

Master Robert Douglas, Moderator, in their name.

Middle-thorp, 20 Maii, 1644.

The Petition from the distressed Christians in the North of Ireland.

To the Reverend and Honourable Moderator and remanent Members of the Generall Assembly of Scotland, conveened at Edinburgh, in May, 1644. The humble Petition of the distressed Christians in the North of Ireland,

Humbly sheweth,

THAT whereas your former enlarged bounty, and our present overflowing straits would require a gratefull acknowledgement of the one, and a serious representation of the other: Our case is such, as neither can be expected at our hands, being stricken with astonishment, and full of the furie of the Lord. We are these indeed who have seen affliction by the rod of his wrath: So that it were more fit, we had a Cottage in the Wildernesse amongst the Owles to mourn out our imbittered Spirits, then that by word or writ we should compeere before any of his People: Although you cannot be wearied in wel-doing, yet we shall no way think it strange, if now you shall give over any more care of us; Seeing the Lord hath testified against us, and the Almighty hath afflicted us. Your judgement is with the Lord, and your reward is with God, not onely for your two years visiting and watering a barren vineyard, but also for your zeale and care to have your Reformation spred amongst other opprest and borne-down Churches, whereof you have given an ample and famous testimony in sending hither that blessed League and Covenant which wee much desired and longed for, as by our Petitions to the Church and State of our Native Kingdome is knowne unto you; which hath had a wished and gracious successe by the favour and blessing of God, accompanying the pains of these to whom the tendering thereof was intrusted by you. And we conceiving a chief part of our miserie to consist in our want of opportunitie to joyne our selves with the People of God in the foresaid League; Esteeming our selves rejected of God and unfit to be joyned in any comfortable fellowship in the Gospel with them, when the said League and Covenant was presented to the Regiments; Wee made bold to lay hold upon the opportunity (though afflicted abjects) and cheerfully and unanimously joined our selves thereunto: That if wee perish in our misery, wee may die a Covenanted People; and, if our miserable life be prolonged, we may finde shelter and refreshment under the shadow thereof in our fierie trials, confidently expecting from the Lord by our neerer conjunction with you than of before, an accomplishment of what is agreed into the Covenant, which ye bountifully expressed before we were one with you, to your never-dying-commendation. We are nothing shaken in our minds with the odious aspersions of sedition, combination against the King, and overthrow of Municipal Laws, &c. (wherewith our Covenant is branded) nor with the threats of these who should be comfortable to us in our troubles: But are the more encouraged to beleeve that God shall raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen, and repair the breaches thereof: For, since we Covenanted with God, and united our selves together, our dying Spirits have revived, and we sing like these who have come forth from their Graves, for God hath had mercy on Jacob: In testimony whereof he hath opened the bowels of the Churches of Holland, who were strangers to us, and yet dear Brethren, and tender Sympathizers with our afflictions and sorrows, who, when these who were left of the Sword were in danger to dye by famine, did plentifully relieve us in our straits, not onely by comfortable encouragements to walk humbly with God, and wait for him who hides his face from the house of Jacob for a season; but also by their rich supply in Victuals and others necessar for our relief and comfort, which we humbly desire our Lord to repay seven-fold in their bosome, and become your Supplicants to joyne with us in a gratefull acknowledgement of their singular favours: And upon the heels of these favours you have continued your unparalelled compassions in keeping your forces and enabling them, together with the other Forces, for avenging the cruell murders, and effusion of Christian blood in this Land, notwithstanding of your owne multiplied difficulties. The Lord hath begun to delight into us, and in a day of salvation hath helped us (So happy are the people who are in Covenant with God.) We are these (indeed) who may justly be burnt up for our unfruitfulnesse in the days of our plenty, and stubbornesse in the dayes of our affliction, which hath brought us so low, that where we once enjoyed a blessed plenty, we must now beg of the crumbs that fall from your Table: Wee cannot dissemble, but so farre as we can discern our owne hearts, we would preferre the joyfull sound of the Gospel to our much wished Peace and precious lives: But it may be discerned, your Consultations of before have been guided by the Spirit of the Lord; in that when wee twice in our forward hasting desires begged the present loosing and planting of some Ministers amongst us, you judged it more convenient to supply us by turnes, as foreseeing that our captivity was likely to endure: Our hopes are so far revived, that we trust to see the day when he shall take the Cup of trembling out of our hands, and put it in the hands of them that afflicted us.

And therefore, if you account us fellow-partners of the Purchased Inheritance, Yet again suffer our necessitie to plead with you, that as it hath been by the Committee of Bils already advised, that a competent number of Ministers may be gifted to us by your Commission when they shall see the Calling cleared, the same may be granted as a testimony of your confidence, and expectation of our delivery; And in the meane time some others may be sent by turnes to keep in the dying lives of above twenty foure desolate Congregations, who are in danger to perish for want of Vision: And although we do professe, we count not ourselves worthy of such favours, yet as we have resolved to dye with the cry of hope in our mouthes to the Lords Throne; So in obedience of the use of the means by him appointed, we stretch out our hearts and our hands to you for help, and have sent our Brother William Mackenna, Merchant at Belfast, to attend what answer it shall please the Lord by you to returne unto

Your distressed Brethren and Supplicants. Subscribed by very many hands.

3 Junii, 1644. Antemeridiem. Sess. V. Act for the present Entrie of the new erected Presbyterie at Biggar.

THE which day anent the Supplication subscribed and given in to the Generall Assembly by the Ministers and ruling Elders of the Kirks of Biggar, Skirling, Brochton, Glenquhome, Kelbocho, Culter, Lamyngtoun, Symontoun, Covingtoun, Quothquen, Welstoun, and Dolphingtoun, making mention, That the Generall Assembly at Edinburgh in August 1643 years, by their Act of the date of the twelfth day of the samine moneth and year, did upon good grounds, and after tryall and hearing of all Parties to the full, erect a Presbyterie seat at Biggar, to consist of the Kirks above-written; And granted to their Presbyterie full power of jurisdiction and exerceing Discipline, with all other Liberties and Priviledges belonging to any other Presbyterie; but suspended the entrie and possession of this new erected Presbyterie, during the pleasure of the Assembly: And therefore desiring the said Generall Assembly to ordaine and appoint the entrie and possession of the foresaid Presbyterie at Biggar, now presently; And to Declare, that it is their pleasure, that the entrie and possession thereof shall be no longer suspended, as the Supplication proports. Which Supplication being read in audience of the Generall Assembly, and thereafter the Commissioners from the Presbyteries of Lanerk and Peebles, and all others having entresse to oppose the desire foresaid being publickly called, and the saids Commissioners for Peebles and Lanerk personally present, being at length heard in what they could say or alledge therein: And the said Supplication and desire thereof, with the Alledgeances and Objections made against the samine, being taken to consideration by the Assembly, and they therewith being fully and ripely advised: The Assembly after removing of the Parties, and after consideration of the premisses and voycing of the foresaid desire, Ordaines the entrie and possession of the foresaid Presbyterie of Biggar, consisting of the particular Kirks above-mentioned, to begin now presently; And appoints and ordaines all the Ministers and Ruling Elders of the foresaids Kirks above specified, whereof the said Presbyterie consists, to meet and conveene as a Presbyterie, with all conveniencie, at the said Kirk of Biggar, which is the Place and Seat of the samine Presbyterie. And the Assembly refers to the Commissioners to be appointed by them for the publick affairs of the Kirk, to determine to what Synod this the said new erected Presbyterie shall be subordinate; As also to prescribe the order and solemnities that shall be necessar for entring and possessing the Ministers and Elders in the said Presbyterie.