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A48098 A letter from the protesters with an answer thereunto, from an asserter of the authority of the two late general assemblies, at Dundee and Edinburgh. Asserter of the authority of the late general assemblies of Dundee and Edinburgh. 1653 (1653) Wing L1538; ESTC R9563 23,439 32

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A LETTER FROM THE PROTESTERS WITH AN ANSWER Thereunto from an ASSERTER Of the AUTHORITY of the two late GENERAL ASSEMBLIES AT DVNDEE and EDINBVRGH Printed in the Year 1653. The PROTESTERS Letter Right Reverend THe gracious dispensations of the Lord our God toward his People in this Land have been many and great who can utter the Mighty Acts of the Lord or who can shew forth all his praise marvellous things did he in the sight of our Fathers and this generation hath also seen his wonderfull Works to the Children of Men. How beautifull was the Spouse of Christ in this Land as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem and terrible as an Army with Banners How great was the harmonie of the sons of Zion they took sweet counsell together and walked unto the House of God in company How good and how pleasant was it to see Brethren dwell together in Unitie It was as the dew of Hermon and as the dew that discended upon the Mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the blessing even life for evermore but now he hath cast off and greatly abhored Israel he hath commanded concerning Jacob that his adversaries should be round about him he hideth himself and his wrath burneth like fire the Lord hath covered the Daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger and cast down the beauty of Israel from Heaven unto Earth Zion spreadeth forth her hands and there is none to comfort her How shall we be silent when the Lord hath so great a Controversie with his People and pleadeth with Israel because he saith he is innocent and hath not sinned Nothwithstanding he hath gadded about to change his way and hath followed the way of Egypt and of Assyria And though the Lord hath rejected his confidences that he doth not prosper in them yet will they not return again unto the Lord their God We desire sadly to Regrate these things and that so many stumbling blocks are laid in the way of the Lords People It doth also much afflict us that groundlesse prejudices and needlesse jealousies are so readily received and intertained and so hardly removed and that many are so far from the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Jesus Christ as alienation of mind and affections hath in a great measure gotten place whereby it commeth to passe that clear and evident Truths concerning the Lords controversie with the Land are not received in simplicity of heart but are by many laid aside as unworthy to be taken into consideration It is our hearts desire that we may obtain mercy of the Lord so to speak unto and walk with our Brethren as may be unto edification and that we may do nothing which may either heighten or continue Differences in this Church but every lawful way studie to remove them We have in that measure of sinceritie which the Lord hath bestowed on us endeavoured to approve our selves before him in speaking our Judgement to others with whom we have to do And in the fear of God we are constrained in the bowels of love and compassion to speak our thoughts also unto you that so far as in us lyeth we may in the Lords strength yet further endeavour to prevent his departure from the Land and that sin and transgression may be acknowledged and mourned for that so the Lord may yet delight to dwell amongst us For this end we conceive it a good and ready way to look back where we were when these differences began and whence these matters which have overflowed the Land have broken in upon us and to repent and do our first works the time was not long since when all that feared the Lord in the Land were of one heart and one way against adversaries on either hand and O that it were his good will and pleasure to unite us again upon the same Principles and for the same ends in carrying on the Lords Work as heretofore How graciously did the Lord countenance the purging forth of corrupt men in the Ministery in some places of the Land and plentifully blest the Labours of these that were planted in their rowm He poured water upon him that was thirsty and flouds on the dry ground they sprang up as among the Grasse as Willows by the water courses and it might have been said who are these that flee as a cloud and as the Doves to their Windows But now alas How hath loosnesse and prophanity got up the head in the Land How is Piety mocked and shamed yea even trampled upon and endeavoured to be crushed so soon as it begins to break forth even in the the tender bud How doth the Work of Reformation ly behind and the mourners in Zion look on the dust and rubbish of the Lords House with weeping eyes and bleeding hearts How are the mountains of Zion laid wast how do the Foxes spoil the tender Grapes and How is the Lords Vineyard become like unto the Vineyard of the sluggard through the negligence of unworthy Labourers scandalous and insufficient Ministers and Elders who ought to have been long since cast forth How are the Sheep scattered and exposed to Wolves by Idol Shepheards which feed themselves and not their flocks and have seen vain and foolish things and have not discovered their iniquitie to turn away their captivity neither have we it only to lament that the work of purging the Lords House is obstructed but that too many Ministers in the Land repent of what hath been formerly done therein and condemn it as a sin which before was avowed and highly commended as a most necessarie dutie how great reason have we to tremble at the words of the Prophet Ezekiel She hath wearied her self with lies and her great scum went not forth out of her her scum shall be in the fire in thy filthinesse is lewdnesse because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged from thy filthinesse any more till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee I the Lord have spoken it it shall come to passe and I will do it I will not goe back neither will I spare neither will I repent according to thy wayes and according to thy doings shall they judge thee saith the Lord God In October 1651. after seeking the Lords Face and humbling our selves before him we did agree upon some courses of the Lords dreadfull wrath which hath gone forth against the Land and because of the grosse corruption and iniquitie abounding among Ministers In reference to which we fear that sad charge of the Prophet Malachi may be applyed But ye are departed out of the way ye have caused many to stumble at the Law ye have corrupted the Covenant of Levi saith the Lord of Hosts therefore have I also made you base and contemptible before all the people according as ye have not kept my ways but have been partiall in the Law we did therefore at the same time condescend upon some of the sins of the Ministry in both