us confident that you will respect this serious desire and request as proceeding from the conscience of our dewtie to this Kirk and from the fond affection of Your verie loving Brethren in Christ, Edinburgh, 2 December 1654. Direct M. R. DOUGLAS M. D. DICKSON M. Jas: HAMILTON M. GEO: HUTCHESON. ffor our verie Reverend and loving Brother in Christ Mr. John livingstoun Minister at Ancrum. These Resolution of some Brethren mett at Edinburgh concerning mentioning the King in their Publick prayers Edinburgh, 5th October 1655. Dyverse of the Ministerie from several parts of the land frequently mett here at Edinburgh to consult about that question concerning the mentioning of the King in the publick prayers of the Kirk, after frequent and serious seeking counsell of God and many conferences amongst ourselves at sundrie tymes there about, having found that the continuance of that practise of mentioning the King in the publick prayers of the Kirk under this dispensation of Providence, wherewith the Lord is pleased in His righteousness and wisdome to exercise this land, and after the taking off, through the Lord's goodness and mercie, these restraints and penalties contained in the several prohibitions of that practise which did straitten our libertie in that matter, will bring unavoidable prejudices not to many godly Ministers only, but to the Ministerie itself, and to the free exercises of the Gospell in this land, therefore upon these and other consciencious grounds, and motives, wee have resolved for ourselves to forbear that practise above expressed, declaring in the simplicity of our hearts that, as it was not stubbornnesse of spirit nor any carnall respect, but religious motives, that engaged us to continue in that practise untill this tyme, so it is not out of levity, nor from anie fear of losse or personall suffering, nor from any worldly advantage or carnall motive whatsoever, that now we forbear it, but from clear conviction in our consciences that the forbearance thereof in the case before mentioned is lawfull, necessarie, and for the advantage of the precious Gospell of Christ in this distracted Kirk, which is and ever shall be through His grace dearer to us than our lives. Conference 1 Junij 1655 and 8 November 1655 (The names of these upon the Conference here omitted are sett down, page 75) There being a conference betwixt Brethren of both judgements accorded to be at Edinburgh upon the first of Junij 1655, for composing the present differences, the Brethren for the two late Assemblies sent to their dissenting Brethren their overtures for union, but received no answer at that tyme nor untill 8th of November, at which tyme there being another meeting for conference, the Brethren, then mett, conferred both by word and writting untill the 28th day of November, but dissolved without any aggreement, the papers interchanged betwixt them in the conference are here insert. Overtures for Union offered the Dissenting Brethren 1 Junij 1655. Although wee are mett here as privat men, and cannot take upon us any thing that concerns the Generall Assembly, but must leive the cure of all publick differences to their wisdome and authority, yet the sad consequences of these late divisions being so scandalous and hurtful to this Kirk, wee judge it necessarie that everie Presbytrie and Synod that are divyded, should unite for the better carreing on of the work of God among their people, and for that effect in the interim untill a Generall Assemblie. 1. That all the members of this Kirk, Ministers and people, shall submitt themselves to their Presbytries and Synods respectively; and if any be greeved with any determination of a Presbytrie, they may appeal to their Synod; and if any be greeved with the determination of the Synod, they may appeale to the Generall Assemblie. But in the mean tyme the sentences of the Presbyteries and Synods are to be acquesced unto, untill the determination of their respective superior judicatories therein. 2. Becaus there may be in this Kirk Ministers scandalous and insufficient, the Presbyteries shall have a care to purge out such; and if they be not able, then Synods shall doe it impartially without respect to persons by a legall and orderly procedure against them. 3. Where Ministers are putt in congregations, whose call and gifts are called in question, that Synods try and judge of their call and gifts according to the Books of Discipline, the order of this Kirk, and especiallie the Act Assemblie 1649 intituled the Directorie for election of Ministers. 4. Where there be two contrarie plantations to one Kirk, the Synod shall try the Call and gifts of both persons, and decern therein according to the order and rules mentioned in the precedent article. 5. That vaking Kirks be planted by Presbytries and Synods respectively according to the order and rules mentioned in the 4th Article. 6. To prevent and remove confusions at communions, that hereafter no communions be celebrat but according to the Act of Generall Assembly 1645, made for preventing such disorders. 7. To shun confusion and prevent a totall subversion of Presbyteriall Government, by the divisions and subdivisions of some few Ministers taking upon them the authoritie and jurisdiction of a whole Presbyterie, that none be esteemed or acknowledged a Presbyterie who are not owned as a Presbyterie and authorized with that jurisdiction by their superior judicatories. Overtures for Union, given by the Dissenters That reserving such libertie of our judgement and practice in matters contraverted, as may consist with trueth and peace, there may be an union upon the terms following 1. That the Acts of the Commission of the Generall Assembly 1650 concerning the publict resolutions and their declarations and warnings and acts resulting thereupon, and the declarations and acts of the two late contraverted Assemblies of Dundie and Edinburgh, and all uther declarations and acts in Presbyteries and Synods, that are the results of these, be rendered of none effect in order to censures past or to come, and also so farre as they do import or may be alledged as the publict definitive judgment of this Kirk or of any of the judicatories thereof anent the matters contained therein, and that they be not reacted in any tyme hereafter. 2. That it be declared that the two contraverted Assemblies at St. Andrews and Dundie and Edinburgh, shall be, as to their constitution in the things protested and excepted against, no precedent nor prejudice to the constitution of future Generall Assemblies. 3. That in matters concerning the doctrine, worship, government, and discipline of the Church, and the enemies of trueth and godlines, and the worke of Reformation, there may be mutuall obedience and assurance given for adhereing unto these articles of our Covenants, and the solemne publict confession of sinnes, and engagement to dueties and all the acts of uncontraverted Assemblies relateing thereunto in the literall and genuine sense and meaning thereof. 4. That for the same end there be assurance given by declaration or engagement or some other equivalent way by Presbyteries and Synods, that they shall faithfullie and cordiallie endeavour the purgeing of the House of God from all insufficient and scandalous and corrupt Ministers and Elders, and for that effect shall condescend unto the appointing of commissions and visitations for tryell and censure; and that the procedoure in the triall and censure shall be according to the Acts of uncontroverted Assemblies, and for the same causes and in the same maner as it was before these differences did arise. 5. That for making of this worke of purgeing effectuall, and in ordour for other publict affaires of the Church, the Commission and visitations appointed by the Assembly 1650 do sitt, if not by the authority deryved from that Assembly, yet by these persons by the mutuall condescendence and approbation of Presbyteries, and that, by the same mutuall condescendence and approbation, that commission or the persons nominated therein may have power to determine and compose the particular divisions that are now or shall be hereafter in particular Presbytries and congregations. Or, if this article doe not please, that there may be an particular visitation for tryell and censure of insufficient and scandalous Ministers and Elders appointed in the bounds of everie Synod, with authority for that effect from the Synod itself, and that this visitation shall consist of an equall number of persons of both judgements, of knowne integrity and approven godlines and zeal for the worke of Reformation, each halfe to be nominated by these of their owne judgement and to be approven by the Synod, and that these visitations thus nominated and appointed may also have the power of composeing the present or future divisions that are or shall be in the severall Presbytries and congregations within the bounds of the Synod. 6. That such Ministers, Expectants, and schoolmasters, who were deposed or silenced or removed from their charges by Generall Assemblies or Syncds or their commissioners, or by Presbytries, before these differences did arise, and have again intruded themselves or are reponed unto publict stations in the ministrie or schooles, or have their mouthes opened by Presbytries or Synods without confession and acknowledgement of and repentance for all the particulars contained in their sentence, or otherwise then is provyded in the Acts of uncontraverted |