Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from Princeton Theological Seminary Library http://www.archive.org/details/humblepetitionofOOchur THE HUMBLE PETITION OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY TO THE KINGS MAJESTY. Their Declaration lent to the Parlia- ment of England, Their Letter to fome Brethren of the Miniftery there. And their Commiffion to their Brother Matter Alexander Hendsrfon, January 1545. EDINBURGH, Printed by Evan Tyler , Printer to the Kings moft Excellent Majeftie. 1643. / ( 1 ) To the Kjpg$ rnojl excellent Majejly. The humble Petition of the Commifsioners of the Genera!! K^Ajfemblj of the Kirk of Scotland 5 from their meeting at Edinburgh 7 ?fdnuary %. 1643. Ur filence and ceafing to prefent before Your Maiefty our humble thoughts and defires at this time of common danger to Religion , to Your Majefties (acred Perfon, Your Grown; and Pofteritie,and to all Your Majefties DominionSjWere impiety againft God ? unthankfulnes and difloyalty againft YourMajefty , an indired approbation and hardningof the adverfaries of Truth and Peace in their wicked wayes* and a cruelty againft our Brethren 5 lying in fuch depths of affliction and anguifli of fpirit •, any one of which crimes were in us.above all others moft inexcufablei and would prove us moft unworthie of the truft committed unto us. The flame of this common combuftion hath aimoft de- voured Ireland,is now wafting the Kingdome ofEngland 5 & we cannot tell how foon it fhal enter upon our felves,& fet this Your Majefties moft ancient and native Kingdome on fire : If in this wofull cafe and lamentable condition of Your Majefties Dominions all others fhould he'filent, it becometh us to (peak •, and if our tongues and pens fhould ceafe, our confcienccs within us would cry out 3 and the ftones in the ftreets would anfwer us* O ur great grief and apprehenfion of danger, is not a little encreafed , partly by the infolencie and preemption ofPapifts and others dif-affe&ed to the Reformation of Religion,who although for their number and power,they be not confidcrabk amongft us 5 yet through cfae fuccefte A % of I 2 ) of the Popifh party in Ireland , and the hopes they con*, reive of the prevailing power of Popifh Armies , and the Prelaticall FadHon in England,they have of late taken ipi- rits, and begun to fpeak big words againft the Reformati- on of Religion, and the Work of God in this Land-, and partly and more prmcipally,that a chief praife of the Pro- teftant Religion,and thereby our not vain, but juft gloria- tion^ is by the publick Declaration of the Earle of New- caftle^Generall of Your Majefties Forces. in the Northern parts,and neareft unto us, transferred unto Papifts 5 who although they be fworn enemies unto Kings,and be as in- famous for their Treafons and Confpiracies againft Prin- ces and Rulers, as for their known Idolatrie and fpirituall Tyrannic $ yet are they openly declared to be, not good Subje&s, or better Subje<5fcs, but far better Subje&s then Proteftants-, which is a new and foul difparagement of the reformed Religion, a notable in jurie to Your Majefty in Your Honours fenftble refk&ion upon the whole Bo- dy of this Kingdome , which is impatient that any Sub- jects, but abhorreth, and extremely difdaineth that Pa- pifts, who refufe to take the Oath of Allegeance, fliould be compared with them in allegeance and fidelitie • and, which as a ftrange do&rine , fromthe mouth or pen of profeffed Proteftants,wilfuffer an hard conftru&ion from all the Reformed Kirks, We therefore Your Majefties moft humble and loving Subjeds,upon thefe and the like confiderations, do hum- bly intreat , That Your Majefty may be pleafed in Your Princely wifedome,Firft to conftder, That the intentions of Papifts, directed by the principles of their Profeffion,. are no other , then theyhave been from the beginning, even to build their Babel, and to fet up their execrable I- dobtry ? and Antichriftianjyrannie in all Your Majefties Domini- t 3 ) Dominions,to change the Face of Your two Kingdornes of Scotland and England, into the fimilitude of miferable Ireland, which is more bitter to the people of God, Your Majefties good Subjects , to think upon , tban death : And what foe ver their prefent pretences be for the de- fence of Your Majefties Perfon and Authoritie ,■ yet in the end by their arms and power, with a difplayed banner, to bring that to pafle againft Your Royall Perfon and Po- fterity ? which the fifth of November, never to be forgot- ten , was- not able by their fubtile and^ under-mining treafon to produce-, Or which will be their greateft mer- cy,to reduce Your Majefty, and Your Kingdornes, to the bafe and unnaturall flavery of their Monarch the Pops : And next, that Your Majefty upon this undeniable evi- dence , may timoufly and fpeedily apply Your Royall Authority for dif-banding their Forces, fuppreffing their Power , and difappointing their bloudy and mercilefle proje&s. And for this end we are with greater earneftnes than before , conftrained to fall down again before Your Majefty, and in all humility to renew the Supplication of the late Generall A(Iembly,and our own former Petition in their name, for unity of Religion, and for uniformity, of Church-government in all Your- Majefties. Domini- ons: And to this effed for a meeting of found Divines to be held in England,unto which according to the defire of Your Majefties Parliament,fome Commiffioners may be fent from this Kirk, that in all points to be proponed and. debated, there may be the greater confent and harmonie. - Wetaketheboldnestobethemoreinftant in this our humble defire,becaufe it concerneth the Lord JefusChrift ' fo much in his glory ,your Majefty in your honor,theKirk- of England which we ought to tender as our own bow- ds 3 & whofe reformation is more dear to us,than our. ii ves^ , A-3_> &■ ( 4) in her happinefle , and the Kirk of Scotland in her purity and peace: "Former experience, and daily fenfe teaching us,that without the Reformation of the Kirk of England, ' : there is no hope nor poflihilitie of the continuance of Re- formation here. The Lord of Heaven and Earth , whofe Vicegerent Your Majefty is>calleth for this great Work of Reforma- tion at Your handstand the pre fent commotions and trou- bles of Your Maieflies Dominions , are either preparati- ons in the mercy of God , for this bleffed Reformation and unity in Religion, which is the defire,prayer,and ex- pectation of all Your Majefties good Subjeds in this Kingdome^ Or,which they tremble to think upon , and earneftly deprecate, are in the juftice of God for the abufe of the Gofpel,the tolerating of Idolatry and Superftition againft [o clear a light,and not acknowledging the day of vifitation 5 The beginnings offuchadolefulldefolation, as no policie or power of man,fhalbe able to prevent,and as fhall make Your Majefties Kingdomes within a ihort time as miferable as now they may be happy by a Refor- mation of Religion. God forbid, that while the Houfes of Parliament do profeffe their defire of the Reformation of Religion in a peaceable and Parliamentarie way , and pafTe their Bills for that end in the particulars, That Your Majefty,the Nurie-father of the Kirk of Chrift,to whofe care the cuftody and vindication of Religion doth prin- cipally belong , fhould to the provoking of the anger of God , the (lopping of the influence of lo many bleflings from Heaven, & the grieving of the hearts of all the god- ly,fruftrate our expe<£tation,make our hopes a(hamed,and -. hazard the loil'e of- the hearts of ail Your good People, which next unto the truth and unity of Religion, and the fafety of Your Kingdomes , are willing to hazard their lives, v 5 ) lives, and fpend their bloud for Your Majefties honour andhappincfle. We are 'not ignorant that the Work is great, the diffi- culties and impediments be many, and that there be both Mountains and Lyons in the way. The ftrongeft lett,till it be taken out of the way,is the Mountain of PrelacierAnd no wonder,if Your Majeftie confider how many Papifts^ and Popifhly affected , have for a long time found peace and eafe under the fhadow thereof^How many of the Pre- laticall Fa&ion have thereby their life and beings How many profane & worldly men do fear the yoke of Chrift, and are unwilling to fubmit themfelves to the obedience of the Gofpel •. And how many there be , whofe eyes are dazelled with the externall pomp and glory of the Kirk 5 whofe mindes are mif-carried with a conceit of the go- verning the Kirk by the rules of humane Policy 5 &Whof e hearts are affrighted with the apprehenfion of the dange- rous confequences which may enfue upon alterations. But \vhen Your Majeftie in Your Princely and religious wifc- dome,fhall remember from the Records of former times, how againft the gates of hell,the force & fraud of worldly and wicked men,and all Panick fears of danger,the Chri- ftian Religion was firft planted , and the Chriftian Kirks thereafter reformed, & from the condition of the prefent times,, how many from the experience of the tyranny of Prelates, are afraid to difcover themfelves, fed they be re- venged upon them hereafter: Whereas Prelacie being re- moved^hey would openly p-rofeffe what they are^&joyn with others in the way of Reformation-, All obftacles and difficulties (hall be but matter of the manifeftation of the power of God,the principall worker.and the means of the greater glory to Your Majeftie the prime Inftrument. " The intermixture of the government of Prelates with L the \° ) the Civil! State,mentioned in Your Majefties Anfvverto our former Peticion,being taken away, and the right Go* vernment by Aflemblies , whichis to be feen in all the Reformed Kirks,and wherein the agreement will be eafie, being fettled •, The Kirk and Religion will be more pure and free of mixture , and the Civill Government more found and firme % That Government of the Kirk , muft fute bed with the Civill State , and be moft ufefull for Kings and Kingdomes , which is beft warranted by GO,D , by whom Kings do raigne,and Kingdomes are eftablifhed^ Nor can a Reformation be expeded in the Common and ordinary way ,expre(fed alfo in Your Maje- fties Anfwer.The wifeft and moft ReligiousPrinccs have found it impoffibIe,and implying a repugnancie, fince the perfons to be reformed, and the Reformers, muft be di- verfe,and the way of Reformation muft be different from the corrupt way , by which defe&ions of Kirk-men , and corruptions in do<5lrine,worfhip 7 & Government have en- tred into the Kirk. Suffer us therefore (Dread Soveraigne) to renew our Petitions for this unity of Religion , and u- niformity ofKirk-government,and for a meeting of found Divines of both Kingdomes , who may prepare matters for Your Majefties view, and for the examination and ap- probation of more full Affemblies. The Nationall Aflembly of this Kirk , from which we have our Commiffion , did promife in their thankf- giving for the many favours expreffed in Your Majefties Letter , their beft endeavours to keep the people under their charge , in unity and peace,and in loyalty and obe- dience to Your Majeftie and Your Laws , which we con- feffe is a duty well befeeming the preachers of the Gofpel: But we cannot conceale., how much both Paftorsand People are grkvedand dilquieted with the late reports of the v / ; the fucccfie 5 bolc!nes 5 and ftrength of Popifh forces in Ire- land and England,and how much danger from the power of fo malicious & bloudy Enemies, is apprehended to the Religion & peace of this 'Kirk & Kingdome,conceivedby them to be the fpring whence have iilued all their calami- ties and miferies : Which we humbly remonftrate to Your Majefty 5 as a neceffity requiring aGeneral Aiiembly,& do earneftly fnpplicate for the pre fence and affiftance of Your Majefties Cosnmiffioner at the day to be appointed, That by univerfall confent of the whole Kirk , the beft courie may be taken for the prefervation of Religion,and for the averting of the great wrath which they conceive to be imminent to this Kingdome. If it fhall pleafe the Lord ^in whole hand is the heart of the King , as the rivers of waters to turn it whitherfoever he will , to incline Your Majefties heart,to this through Reformation , no more to tolerate the Maffe , or any part of Romifti fuperftition or Tyrannie,and to command that all good means be ufed for the conversion of Your Princely confort the Queens Majefty , which is aifo the humble defireofthis whole Kirk and Kingdome , Your joynt comforts fhall be multiplied above the dayes of Your affii&ion , to Your incredible joy , Your glory fhall fhine in brightnefTe above allYour Royall Progenitors,to the Admiration of the World,and the terrour of Your E~ nemies $ And Your Kingdoraes fo far abound in Rightc- oufneffe, Peacc,and Profpcrity above all that hath been in former Generations^that they fhall fay 3 U u good for m that m have been ajfliiied. - A. Ketfler.CfmmiJf.Geti.AJf. B 1 L To TO THE HONOURABLE HOUSES of the Parliament of England. The Declaration of the Commissioners of the Gener all Affem- bly of the Kirk of S c o t l a n d , from their meeting at Edinburgh, fan. 4. 1643. •He weighty charge and truft put upon us by the tIH Generall Aflembly of this Kirk , hath given us Sqa the boldneffe,in this time of fo gn '*§£ the boldneffe,in this time of fo great danger to Religion,to His Majefties Perfon, Crown, and Pofteritie, & to all His Majeflies Dominions,through the infolencie and prevailing power of Papifts and the Prela- ticall partie ,. to reprefent unto His Majeftie by fupplicati- on ,. our humble thoughts and defires for a fpeedy reme- dy-, By disbanding all Papifts out of His Army-,by calling an Affemblie of godly and found Divines y unto which fomeofthe Commiffioners may be fent from the Kirk ofScotland 5 thatbythebleffingof GOD upon their la- bours,the fo much defired unity in Religion and Kirk-go- vernment^may be brought about and fettled in both King- domes-, and by the faithful ufing of all good means for the Converfion of the Queens Majeftie to the profeffion and pra&ice of the true reformed Religion,which we conceive a principall part of the remedie. This Kirk and Kingdome hath the fympathie and fears, buttheHoufes of Parliament, and the Kingdome of England have the fufferings and fenfe of thefe evils • We are in the danger, they in the diftreife .• The miferies are imminent to us , but incumbent upon them: And therefore the Commiffioners of the AfTembly do only reprefent their Brotherly and Chriftian fellow- feeling of the prefent condition ofthat Kingdome , and their fears ere it be long , unleffe the mercifull and mighty GOD prevent it by his gracious providence, of the like calami- ties (9) ties unto themfelves , Together with their earned: prayers for Englands deliverance and their own fafety : And do earneftly intreat , that the Parliament may be pleafed for their part,and fo much as in them lyeth, fpeedily to apply the fore-named Remedies- 7 by disbanding Papifts,if any be in their Armies 5 as is alledged in diverfe Declarations-, by the ful manifeftationand conftant profecution of their de- fires of unitie in Religion and Kirk-government s by their inftant and unceffant dealing with His Majeftie for calling fuch an AiTembly of Divines^& by their lerious thoughts and endeavours about the Queen her conversion 5 that the high provocation of Idolatrie may no more be tolerated in the land:For which ends the Commiffioners oftheAf- ftmbly have fern up for the prefent with the Lord Chan- cellor 5 and others from the Commiffioners for conferring of peace,one of their number, a beloved and faithful! bro- ther WL Z Alexander Henderfon. faithfully & fully to exprefle their meaning in the particulars 3 fo far as the wifedome of the Parliament {hall judge it convenient to require or de- manded to make report to themfelves 3 and unto the Ge- neral AfTemblyC which is to be called upon the occafion of the prefent exigence and neceflky through the danger of Religion)of the principal! letts and hinderances of Refor- mation and unity in Religion , and where the work doth ftay. As they do above all other things defirc ? that againffi all tentations and opposition , whatfoever may promove or conduce for this bleffed Reformation , may from the zeal and by the wifedomeof the Hoqfes of Parliament be diligently gone about, without waiting for a more fettled, condition of the State • fo do they nothing doubt but this being done,wrath (hall be turned away from the Realme 3 the brightnefle of the prefenceof God, accompanying the Reformation of Religion^fhal fcatter all the clouds of dif- B 2 ferences ( ro ) ferenees betwixt His Majeftie and them , and Hispow- erfull providence (hall both incline the Kings heart to the fame Reformation, and to the cftablifliing of their Civill Liberties and Laws, and move the Houfes of Parliament after a fpeciall manner and in all cheerfulnefife to manifeft their tender and dutifull care or His Majefties facred Per- son, and of His Royall Greatnefle and Authority , as a principall mean of the Greatneffe andProfperity of that, and other His Majefties Kingdomes , that all by-paft miferies being buried in oblivion, and the prefent diftem- pers being perfe&ly cured ,. the Hand of Britain may be an holy and happy Land.wherein GOD may be ferved according to His Word , the King obeyed accprding to His Laws,and the people live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineffe and honefty , to the Admiration of the World ? the envy of all wicked and Antichriftian enemies, and to the comfort of all that love the Lord Jefus Chrift* AeKer Cler.Commiff.Gw.Ajf. The Letter of the Commissioners of the Generall Aflembly, diredl to the right reverend their well-known and much approved Brethren of. ' the Miniftery of the Kirk of England. ; Right reverend and dear Brethren, |Ur earneft & unceflant defires of unity in RelU gion,the prefent diftreffe of England &Ireland, the danger to Religion in all His M cics Domini^ ons,&the fears we have of an univerfal combu- ftion,univcrfally deferved by our not knowing the time of our vifitation, & the things which belong unto our peace* have confirained us wkh greater liberty then formerly ,to follicit his.M ty by our fupplication,& the honorable houfes of Parliament by our Declaration, which we have fent by the in) the hand of our reverend Brother 5 and much approved' Commiffioner^Mafter Alexander Henderson , who will alfo make known to you our care and diligence to difcoyer and remove fuchtets and hinderances of the Peace aqd Union of the two Kingdomes^as by the fubtiltie and^na- lignancieoffomefewbadlnftruments have beencafiin the way , that, this whole Kirk and Kingdome may be intirely kept in the profecution of their defires of civil! peace and religious unity 5 wherein (by.the mercy of God) we have the happinefle that the Lords of Privie Councel 5 and the Commiflloners for conferving the Peace betwixt the two Kingdomes i 9 have not denyed their honourable help and affiftance. Your prefent fufferings, wherein wee your Brethren cannot but have, our fellow-feeling > and the late experience of fomwhat the like among our felves, may teach us both , that Satan and his inftruments , in whom he now^worketh, are in a rage at the Reformation of Religion-, nor is it any new or ftrange thing ; that a time of Reformation be a time of trouble and difficultie : But your comfort and ours is,that the Arm of the Lord is not lhortned 3 and that he who is in us 3 is ftronger than he who is in the world. We make no queftion of your vigilancie^ circumfpe&ion and faithfulnes, & that no prefent nor fu* turc oppofition will prevail fo far 3 as to make you either more remifle in your intentions and defires of ordering all things in the Houfe of the God of Heaven , according to his own will & commandmcnt,or fo much as to lay afide f© great & neceffary a Workin expedation of a fitter op- portunity^ a more peaceableand convenient feafon. We l- are very eonfident,that ye wil be ftedfaft and unmoveable, » alwaies abounding in the work of the Lord 5 for as much as ye know your work is not in vain in the Lord. We for our part fhalij through the Lords affiftance by our prayers, . &$ with .1 with R fting and Humiliation,and by our beft endeavours be helpers together tor the wiflied end. At the firft Refor- mation of Religion in this Land, a very fmall number of Minifters, without the help.and with thecontradi&ion of the world, through the mighty prcfence, andbleffingof God upon their weak labours , brought the Work at laft to perledion : And in the beginnings of our late Refor- mation, when we were afTembled at Glafgow againft the Prelacie , the Ceremonies and Service-book, a great part of the Ailembly intended no fuch alteration in the Form of Worfliip and Kirk-government , as they were .roved unanimously to confent unto in the end. When the time of Reformation cbmeth,the wifedome and fpirit of God in his fervants, cannot be refitted by the wit and power of man. What although ye ihould fowe, and the Pofleritie reap < Hath not the Lord fent both you and us to reap that whereon neither of us beftowed any labour? other men laboured,and we are entred into their labours. Wee of this Hand arefet upon the ftage, at this time,the eyes of all the Reformed Kirks arc upon us,we are after a fpeciall manner made a fpe&acle to the World, to Angels, to Men. Our cares mull: be fo to acquite our felves, that we make not our Friends, the followers of Chrift,to mourn 5 and our cnemies,the favourers of A ntichrift , totriumph and rejoyce : Which that we may do, is, and fhall be the prayer of Edinburgh^ Jan. 1 643 . Tour mofl loving Brethren and fel- low -labourers tn the Work of the Lord , the Commifsioncrs of the Geherall Ajjembly. M.Robert Douglas Moderator. A.Kcr Cler.CommijfGw.Jff. Coin- VF W^W^^WW^WWW.WW^FWWWWWW^ Commiision to M .Alexander Henderfm Edinburgh, January 20. 1643. jf Ethe Commiffioners of the late Genenll Aflem- bly,having power & commiffion by all lawful & f Ecclefiaftick waies, to further this great Work of Union ofthis Hand in Religion and Kirk- government ., to continue our own peace at home,&the common peace be- twixt the Nations, to keep correfpondence with the Kirk of Englandjto concurrewiththe Councell & Confervers of peace at home & abroad in all Ecclefiaftick wayes, and to fend fome to prefent & profecute their defires & hum- ble advice to the Kings Majeftie , and the Parliament of England and Miniftrie there , for the furthering & perfe- cting of fo good & great a work: Confidering the neceffi- ty at this time, of fending fome from this Kirk intruded with commiffion,to concur with theCommiflioners now fent from the Lords,& others of the Commiffion of Par- liament for conferving of peace ? to the Kings Majeftie & Parliament of England a in all lawful & Ecclefiaftick waies to promove thefe good ends , And having certain know- ledge of the taithfulneffe and abilities of our reverend and loving brother Mafter Alexander Henderfon Minifter at Edinburgh, Gives therefore unto him by thir prefents full power and Commiffion , our exprefle mandate and charge to repaire to the Kingdome of England, and there, witlt-concurrence of the faids Commiffioners fent from theConfervaters of peace,to prefent unto the Kings Maje- fty our humble Petition, & to obtain His Majefties graci- ous Anfwer thereunto : and with concurrence forefaid to prefent unto the Parliament of England our humble Ad- vice & Declaration; and alfo to deliver to our brethren of the she Minifterie in that Kirk,our Letter dire for that blefled union of this Hand in Religion and Ki:k-govcrn- ment according to the Laws and Conftitutions of this Kirk: for continuing and eftablilhing a firm peace at home and betwixt the nations > and for a good correfpondence betwixt the Kirks within the fame , conforme to the in- ftru&ions given, or to be given to himthere^ncnt. The .faid Matter Alexander alwayes giving particular and ti- mous intelligence to us of his travels , and diligence here- jntill,and of the ptogrefTe and fuccefle thereof by every occafion , and being comptable to us , and the next Gene- rail Affembly for all his proceedings in the matters gene- rally and particularly herebycommitted to histruft. A.Ker Cler.Cmmifl. Gen. ^/fjf. FINIS. s ■ / ■■ JH mm*