The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland

[Transcriber's Note: This 17th-century book was printed in the typographical conventions and spelling of that time; for instance, the printed book used the long f-shaped glyph for the letter s, it included old spellings such as Kingdome, civill, and publick, and old words such as hes, samine, and welas, and numbers generally are ended with a period. In this transcription, archaic printing is replaced with modern characters, so the letter s appears as s, with the effect that what in the original book would look like Minifters is here transcribed Ministers, but archaic spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and usage are transcribed as they appeared in the printed book.]

It were long, neither do we now intend, to represent, what in the beginning, by the Mercies of our God and Ministry of his faithful Servants, was the reformation of this Kirk: what purity of Doctrine and Worship, what Order, what Authority, and what Unity continued for many years, by the Prayers and Labours of Ministers and Professors, what Novations and Corruptions have been introduced upon us of late, in the time of our Division and Detection, by such as have ever been enemies to the Cross of Christ, and who have minded earthly things: How manifold and how comfortable experience we have at this time of the care and compassions of our Lord and Saviour preventing the utter ruine of Religion, and the horrible vastation of this Kirk, by looking upon the afflictions of his people, by hearing their groans, mocked by the World: And by moving the Heart [pg ii] of our gracious and dread Soveraign the Kings Majesty to conveen a free national Assembly for redressing the wrongs done to Religion, and what undeniable testimonies, and notable manifestations of the divine presence and assistance of Christ, have accompanied this meeting and whole work. Who so is wise and observeth these things will see the loving kindness of the Lord.

For the present it seemed necessary that such of the Acts and Constitutions of the Assembly as are of most general concernment should be published in print; the correct writing of so many Copies as were called for, not being possible to be exped in due time, and the Kirk having resolved upon this course in former times, which, had it been keeped, our defection through the almost invincible ignorance of the proceedings of the Kirk, had not proven so dangerous and deplorable.

In these Acts and Constitutions special regard was had to our National Confession of Faith, as it was at first and diverse times after professed and is now of late sworn and subscribed, that all mens minds, who delight not to cavil, might rest satisfied in the true meaning thereof, found out by the diligent search of the Ecclesiastick Registers. Our care was also rather at this time to revive and bring to light, former laudable Acts, than to make any new ones, reflecting as little as might [pg iii] be upon the reformation of other Kirks, and choosing to receive our directions from our own Reformation, approven by the ample testimony of so many Forreign Divines: according to the example of the venerable Assembly at Dort, where special caution was, that the 30. and 31. article of the Confession of the Belgick Kirks touching Ecclesiastick Order should not be examined by Strangers, there being a Difference touching that point amongst Reformed Kirks, So many as were present can bear witness that all the Members of the Assembly were many times called on, and required to propone their Doubts, and to give their Judgments of every Article, before it was Enacted, that every one might receive Satisfaction, and from the full perswasion of his mind might give his Voice: Wherin the Unanimity and Harmony was the more admirable, that many parting from their preconceived Opinions, which had possessed their Minds, did most willingly receive the Light, which did now unexpectedly appear from the Records of the Kirk.

That this Extract shall stop the Mouthes of the malicious, is more than we can promise, or should be expected, We know there be some Incendiaries who would with great joy and content of mind, seek their lost penny in the ashes of this poor Kirk [pg iv] and Kingdom: And we have already found, that our Laboures and the grounds whereupon we have proceeded, before they be seen, are misconstrued by so many as finds their hopes blasted, and are come short of their earthly projects: but our comfort is that we have walked in the truth of our hearts as in the sight of God, That the Adversaries of the Kirk have not transformed themselves into Angels of light, nor can say they are doing God service, but are seen in their colours, and do seek themselves, and that so many as have erred before, not knowing the order and constitutions of this Kirk, will as absent Children to their mother speaking plainly and powerfully of old and now after long silence opening her mouth again, and uttering her mind in a free Assembly, hear her voice, and with that reverence that beseemeth under the supreme Majesty of Christ, obey her directions, that being all of one mind, peace may be upon us, and upon the Kirk of God; and the God of peace, and love may be with us. 1639.

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