THe eminent danger of Reli­gion, King, and Kingdom, by the un­just Invasion of the blasphemous Sectarian Armie, The sad condition of our Countrey-men in the South parts of the kingdom, groaning under the grievous Oppression of Strangers, devouring their substance, and enslaving their per­sons, the sad silence in many Congregations, whose Teachers are driven into corners by the violence of the Enemies, contem­ners of GODS Ordinances, and mockers of His Messengers; The Adversaries roaring & making a strange noise in the midst of some Congregations, the Inevitable hazard of our dear bre­thren, to bee seduced into pernicious Heresies and Errours, by the deceatfull practises and speaches of Sectaries, that are cun­ning to deceave, & speak lies in hypocrisie; The Innocent blood of our brethren murthered by the Sword of a mercilesse ene­mie; the sighing of the Prisoners, Inhumanelie and cruelly used by these who keep them captive; The care of preserving our posterity from being sunk in the dark dungeon of Errours, and fast bound with the heavie chayns of basest Slaverie; Doe cry so lowd in the ears of all who have ears to hear, and a heart to un­derstand, to bee awake and quickened unto the necessarie Due­tie of the tyme, that it is a wonder that anie Jonah should bee found fast asleep in so great a Storm, wherein the Kirk and kingdom are lyke to bee over-whelmed: Yet the conscience of [Page 2]our Duetie, according to the trust committed to us, and the carriage of some who either opprest with a Lethargie, lye still, or seazed upon by a benumming coldnesse, move slowlie, or carried about with the wynde of Strange Doctrine, as children are tossed to and fro, and move contrarilie, Constrayn us to lift up our voyces, & from the Watch-tower, whereon wee are set, To give warning unto the Professours and Ministers of the GOSPELL throughout the Land, and to waken them up to their duetie, as they would avoyd the displeasure of the ALMIGHTIE, And escape the deserved punishments and censures which may bee inflicted by Iudicatories Civile and Ec­clesiastick respective, upon deficients in, & delinquents against duetie, according to the Degree of their offence.

Wee exhort all men unto Repentance, to return from the evill of their thoughts and wayes, and to mourn after the LORD, comming to Him through the MEDIATOR of the New Testament, by whom wee have an Attonement tho­row Fayth in His Blood, It is more then high tyme for all to bee humbled under the Mightie Hand of GOD, who hath cast us down, And is able to rayse us up agayn, who hath wounded, and is able to bynd up our wounds. To this effect wee have appoynted a Solemn Day of Fast and Humiliation, for the causes sent unto the severall Presbyteries.

It is the Duetie of the Members of this KIRK, and Sub­jects of this kingdom, at this tyme, most chearfullie unani­mouslie and speedilie to come out, and concurre in the com­mon defence of Religion, King, and kingdom, endangered by the unjust Invasion of Forraigners, according to the call and command of Authoritie: Let it bee seriouslie layd to heart, how much blood is spilt, how manie Townes and Shyres are spoyled, how miserablie our Brethren are distressed and op­pressed, how much the common Enemie is strengthened, while you are onlie preparing for Reliefe. What-so-ever is done to the least of them for this Cause, is to bee taken as done to vs all in generall, and to everie one of vs in particular, according to [Page 3]to the expresse wordes of the Nationall COVENANT. And in playne tearmes, wee are obliedged by the Solemne League and Covenant to assist (which necessarilie importeth con­currence) and defende all that enter the League and Covenant in the maintaining thereof, Wee obtest and exhort you for the Interest wee have in the common Adventure of these rich goods our Lyves, our Liberties, our King, our Religion, which are all embarked in one bottome, that yee abandone not the ship of the Common-wealth in this Tempest; For if the Ship perish, what can bee safe that is within?

If you tender true Religion, you see how the Sectaries show themselves playne enemies thereto, and maintaine that im­pious monster of Toleration; Though Religion were not in the Question, Let Loyaltie to your King, the onlie King in the world, Who is in a Religious Covenant with GOD and His People, animate you agaynst these who are his enemies, Because hee is a King, and because Covenanted; Cast not off the care you ought to have of your Countrey, which yee see many festlie and violentlie Ruined before your eyes. If these will not move you (wee speake the language of our worthie ‘Reformers in the lyke case of Invasion by forraigners) Re­member your Wyves, Children, and Posteritie; your Ancient Heritages and Houses; And bee assured these Strangers will not regard your Rights, when ever occasion shall serve; And if yee purpose, (As wee doubt not, but all these who have either wit or manhood will declare and prove indeed) to brooke your Ancient Rowmes and Heritages, defended va­liantly by your cowragious Progenitours agaynst all Strangers Invaders of the same (such as the Sectaries are this day) If you will not bee slaves to them, and have your Lyves, your Wyves, your Children, your Substance, and what-so-ever is deare unto you cast at their feete, to bee used and abused, at the pleasure of strange Souldiours: If yee will not have expe­rience some day in your owne persons (as wee suppose the least of you would not gladlie have, but would rather choose [Page 4]with Honour to die in defence of his own Native Rowme, then live and serve so shamefull a servitude) Then Brethren, joyne with the Forces of the Kingdom, and both with Wit & Man­hood oppose the common Enemie; Or else our Liberties shall bee here-after dearer bought. Let none bee so unhappie and mischievous, And so with-draw himselfe herefrom.’

Except men will blot out of their hearts the love of Reli­gion, cast off Loyaltie to Soveraigne Authoritie, and lay asyde all care of their Countrey, Lawes, Liberties, and Estates, yea, all naturall affection to the preservation of what-so-ever is dearest to them under the Sunne, (all being in a visible Dan­ger of Ruine and Destruction) They must now or never ap­peare activelie, each one stretching himselfe to the uttermost of his power. It is no tyme now to delay, nor goe about the businesse by halffes, nor bee almost, but all-together zealous. The Scripture pronounceth him cursed, that doeth the Work of the LORD negligentlie, that commeth not foorth to the helpe of the LORD agaynst the Mightie. If wee have been forward to assist our neyghbour kingdomes, shall wee neglect to defend our owne? Or shall the Enemie of GOD bee more active agaynst His Cause, then His Covenanted Peo­ple for it? GOD forbid. If the Work shall now miscarrie and fayle in our handes through our unfaynthfulnesse, our owne conscience shall condemne us, and Posteritie shall curse us. Who knoweth, but if wee stand stoutlie and steadfastlie to it, the LORD may yet command our Delyverance, and show us His Salvation.

Let all sortes both of High and Lowe Degree in this king­dome, call to mynde their Solemne Covenantes; and namelie, that Article of our Nationall Covenant, which obliedgeth us not to ‘stay nor hinder anie such resolution as by common con­sent shall bee found to conduce for the endes of the Covenant: But by all meanes to further and promove the same:’ Which lyeth as a bond upon peoples consciences readilie to obey such ordours, as by the publick resolution of the Parliament, and [Page 5]Commission of the Generall Assemblie, are found necessarie for the prosecution of the Warre; And that Article of the So­lemne League and Covenant which obliedgeth us. ‘Not to suffer our selves directlie nor indirectlie by what-some-ever Combination, Perswasion, or Terrour, to bee divyded and with-drawne, from this Blessed Union and Conjunction, or to make defection to the contrarie part, Or to give our selves over to a detestable indifferencie, and neutralitie in the Cause. According to which Article Mens realitie and integritie in the Covenant will bee manyfest and demonstrable;’ As well by their omissions as Commissions, by their not doing good, as by their doing evill. Hee that is not with us, is agaynst us; and hee that gathereth not with us, scattereth. Since everie mans not adventuring his person, not sending out these that are un­der his power, according to publik order & appoyntment; And not paying the Contributions imposed for Mayntenance of the Armie, have been formerlie esteemed a ground of judging men Enemies, Malignantes, and Covenant breakers; Wee wish it may bee the care of all to shunne the wayes that may bring them, under these foule Characters, and whereby they may runne themselves under the hazard of the displeasure of GOD and the censures of the KIRK, and no doubt of civile punishment also to bee inflicted by the State.

Let Ministers as the Messengers of the LORD, stirre up others both publickly, by free and faythfull Preaching, and privately, by admonishing everie one of his Duetie, as there shall bee occasion. ‘Considering that silence in the publick Cause; Especiallie in publick Fastes, not labouring to cure the disaffection of people, not urging them to constancie and patience, in bearing of publick burthens, nor to forwardnesse in the publick cause: That speaking ambiguously, inclyning to justifie the wicked cause, uttering wordes which savour of disaffection, complayning of the tymes in such a way as may steale the heartes of people from lyking good instrumentes in this Work, and consequentlie from GODS Cause;’ Yea, [Page 6]that some reade publick ordours, and speake agaynst them in private conference; Are reckoned up amongst the enormi­ties and corruptions of MINISTERS in their Callings, by the GENERALL ASSEMBLIE, 1646. Sess. 10.

And because the COMMISSION of the GENE­RALL ASSEMBLIE, In their REMONSTRANCE to the Convention of ESTATES, Iulie 6. 1643. teaching all true Patriots and Professours of the Reformed Religion, that they may learne to discern and know the Enemies of the KIRK, amongst other marks of Malignants, give this, Their ‘ offering to Presbyteries, In all the quarters of the Kingdome Papers contratie to the DECLARATIONS of the Com­missioners of the Generall Assemblie. The Generall Assem­blie 1645. In their Seasonable Warning, 12. Februarie, gave these Characters of secret Malignants and Discovenan­ters. Their slighting and censuring of the publick Resolu­tions of this KIRK and STATE; Their labouring to rayse Iealousies and Divisions, to retard or hinder the exe­cution of what is ordayned by the publik Iudicatories; Their Censuring and Slandering of these whom GOD hath used as His Chiefe Instrumentes in this Work; Their drawing of Parties and Factions for weakening of the Common Union, Their Endevours, Informations, and Sollicitations, tending to weaken the heartes and handes of others and to make them with-holde their assistance from this Worke: Enjoyning such to bee well marked, tymely discovered, and carefullie avoy­ded; lest they infuse their counselles into the myndes of others: Wherein they requyre Ministers to bee faythfull, and Pres­byteries to bee vigilant and impartiall, As they will answer the contrarie to GOD, and to the Generall Assemblie, or their Commissioners. The Generall Assemblie, 1646. Sess. 10. Ordayneth, That besydes all other Scandalles, Silence, and Ambiguous speaking in the publick, much more detracting & disaffected speaches bee seasonably censured. The Gene­rall Assemblie, 1647. SESS. 27. Doeth in the NAME [Page 7]of GOD, inhibit the spreading and dispersing of Erroneous Bookes, or Papers, Pamphlets, Lybelles, and Letters; Requyring all Ministers, to warne their Flockes agaynst such Bookes in generall, and particularlie, agaynst such as are most plausible insinuating and dangerous; And ordayneth Presbyteries and Synodes, to trye and processe such as shall transgresse, Recom­mending to Civile Magistrates, that they may bee pleased to bee assisting to Ministers and Presbyteries, in the execution of this Act;And to concurre with their Authoritie, for that effect.’

Therefore, for execution of the foresayds Acts of Assem­blie, and preventing the eminent danger of Religion, the peo­ple of GOD, and the kingdome, by practises leading to en­courage the heartes, and strengthen the handes of Enemies, in prosecuting their wicked purposes, to make faint the heartes, and enfeeble the handes of GODS People, and to seduce their myndes, with divisive and separating counselles and prin­ciples; According to the power and trust committed to us, And according to the practise of former Commissions of the Generall Assemblie, Wee do, in the Name of GOD, inhibit and discharge all Ministers to preach, and all Ministers and Professours, to detract, speake, or wryte agaynst the late Publick Resolutions and Papers of the Commission of the Ge­nerall Assemblie, In ordour to the calling foorth of the peo­ple, for the necessarie Defence of the Cause and kingdome; Agaynst the Unjust Invasion of these Enemies to the Kingdome of GOD, and to the Governement of this KIRK and King­dome; Or to spreade and disperse Letters, Informations, of anie other Papers, agaynst the same, or in anie other way to obstruct that service, Tending to the Preservation and Defence of Re­ligion, king, and kingdome; Requyring Ministers to warne their Flockes of these Papers in generall, And particularlie such as are most plausible, Insinuating and dangerous: And wee doe seriouslie recommend to Presbyteties, that with all vigilancie, they take speciall notice and tryall of such persons [Page 8]within their boūds, whether such as have their station there, or such as in this troublesom tyme, have their present residēce, Mi­nisters, or others, & impartially proceed against them, As they will be answerable. As also we do, in the Name of GOD, exhort al Ministers, faithfully to declare & witnes, at al occasions, their unfained hatred of malignācy, & malignāt courses, & in their whol deportment, to evidence their wonted zeale against all malignāt persons, disaffected to the Cause of GOD & Covenāt: & particu­larly, to take notice of al mockers of Piety & Godlinesse; & of al, who after the profession of their repētāce for their accession to malignāt courses, shal bee found, in private or publick, by word or deed, venting their affection therunto; & after tryal, condignly to censure them in their severall Presbyteries. And to report an accompt of their diligence in the premisses to this Cōmission from tyme to tyme.

Though our Difficulties bee manie and growing, yet when wee looke back upon the great thinges which GOD hath done for us, and for our Predecessoures, and our many fold Delyverances out of severall Dangers and Difficulties, which appeared insuperable, Experience breedeth Hope. Our Fa­thers trusted in GOD; they trusted in Him, and Hee did delyver them; they cryed unto Him, and were delyvered; they trusted in Him, and were not confounded. Let us wayte upon Him, who hydeth Himselfe from the house of IACOB. Let us crye unto the LORD OF HOSTES, who hath de­lyvered us, and doeth delyver us: And in Him let us trust, that Hee will yet delyver us: Though for a small moment Hee hath forsaken us, yet with great mercies Hee will gather us, Hee who hath showed us great and sore troubles, shall quicken us agayn; and shall bring us up agayne, from the Depthes of the Earth: Hee shall encreasse our Strength, and comfort us on everie syde, agaynst our Feares on everie syde: Onlie bee strong, bee of good cowrage, bee of one mynde, and ac­cord in the Worke of the LORD, and the GOD of Love and Peace, shall bee with you.