Kingdom to the King and the form of the Invitation given him upon satisfaction in terminis to these demands which form of Invitation Declaration made therewith did exclude all engagement to make war upon England yet was there a Party in the Land and some in the Parliament whose designes and endeavors did still tend to engage us in a War against England On the other hand there was cause to fear an Invasion from England by reason of the preparations made the former year by those in power in that Nation upon the report of an Agreement betwixt the King and Commissioners sent from this Kingdome to Holland in the year 1649. The great difficulty was how to steer an even course in reference to both these extreams both to prevent a sinfull Invasion from this Land upon England and from England upon this Nation The Parliament having seriously pondered both the dangers took this course They sent to their Commissioners then in Holland renewed Instructions together with a Declaration wherein they made known their dissatisfaction with severall things in the Treaty in which the Commissioners had varied from their Instructions particularly they declared that nothing agreed on should import an obligation to make War against England and gave expresse direction that none of the Malignant Party should be permitted to come to Scotland and this Instruction was forthwith turned into a Law and published in Print by Proclamation at the Market Crosse of Edinburgh And the Earl of Calendar who had adventured to come from Holland to Scotland upon hopes of the approbation of that Treaty was presently commanded to go aboard a ship within twenty four hours and forthwith to depart the Kingdom under the pain of imprisonment and the fine of a hundred thousand merks These Instructions and the Declaration of the Parliament were delivered to the Commissioners in Holland before the King came away together also with Letters to the same purpose from the Commission of the Kirk to their Commissioners To prevent the danger of an Invasion from England the Parliament did without so much as the least question or objection made to the contrary by any Member thereof renew the Acts of Posture and Leavie which were made the year preceding for putting the Kingdom in readinesse in case of Invasion and upon the 22. of June 1650. they wrote Letters directed to Mr. Lenthall Speaker of the House of Commons the Lord Fairfax then Lord Generall Lieut. Generall Cromwell Major Generall Lambert and the Governour of New-Castle in which Lettes they shew that as in their Letter of the 6. March 1649. they did both acknowledge their obligation and did declare their resolution to observe the rule of remonstrating first the breaches of Peace of craving just reparation of using all fair means of giving a preceding Warning of three moneths before any engagement of these Kingdoms in War so they do again renew the same and do solemnly professe that they do it in the sincerity of their hearts not out of any policy to catch advantages for any other end or designe but meerly for their own defence which they do accompt abundantly sufficient to remove all grounds of jealousies and mis-reports of their intentions and to take away all pretence of necessity of the marching of Forces for defence of the Borders of England And being informed of a resolution in England to send an Army to invade this Kingdom they desired to know whether these who have the present power in England do acknowledge themselves obliged or by their answer will oblige themselves and declare their resolutions to observe the foresaid way and order upon their part to us and plainly and clearly to declare whether their Forces do march for defence or offence for keeping onely within the Borders of England or coming within ours which way of proceaor in clearing each other and dealing plainly is not onely agreeable to particular Treaties and to the many Bonds and Declarations past betwixt these Kingdoms but also to the Law of God and practice of his people in his Word and to the Common Law and practice even of Heathen Nations much more of Christian covenanted Kingdomes c. When the Forces appointed to be raised for defence of the Kingdom together with the old standing Forces that were before on foot were to be formed and drawn together in a Body there were some differences in Parliament one was Whether the Malignant Party and persons grossely scandalous should be excluded from the Army or not There were none in Parliament that had the countenance to plead for it directly our constant Principles being known to be so expresse against it and the Kirk having so often pressed upon the Parliament by many Petitions Remonstrances and Declarations the purging of their Forces but diverse would have had the Act for making up the Army to passe without appointing any Committee having power to remove such from the Army Another difference was Whether the Committee of Estates should have power to command the Army to invade England as was done in the year 1648 or if there should be a limitation of their power onely to stand for the defence of the Land within our Borders In this question likewise there were none that pleaded expressely for such a power in the Committee but they opposed the limitation Some time was spent in conference and debate about these but they were so few in Parliament that were either against the exclusion or limitation that when the sense of the Parliament came to be known their number was no wayes considerable so that what is here represented by the Authors of that Declaration against the Protesters as the first step of declining is in effect an evidence of their own declining from the former principles of State and Kirk for both were then unanimous for exclusion of the Malignant Party and grossely scandalous persons from the Army and against the invading of England which were the two questions in Parliament that did retard for some days the bringing forth the new levied Forces for so soon as these two questions were ended it was evidently seen there were none more forward in Parliament and Committees to hasten them to the fields then these who are unsatisfied with the late â—uolick Resolutions and there was together at Leith before the English Army marched into Scotland so considerable a number of Horse and Foot that they were double the number of the English Surely no other thing but the change of principles or groundlesse prejudice could lead men to quarrell thus for want of an Army to defend the Land the great number whereof made the stroâ—e at Dumbar the more unexpected doleful dreadful This is the truth concerning what is laid to the charge of that faithful Parliament which met at Edinburgh in the year 1650 and whose endeavours to prevent extreams were answered with disappointment on both hands which I trust doth sufficiently answer what is said anent the first step DECLARATION THe second
whether they have given diligent heed to that word of exhortation that saith Let them come to thee but go not thou to them 2. That the Protesters have studied to take hold of every oportunity to declare and make known their approbation of and adherence unto the Work of Reformation and to bear testimony against all injuries done thereunto and encroachments made thereupon and have endeavoured to the utmost of their power to prevent and remedy the same 3. That the Authors and Abettors of the Publick Resolutions have now met several times in their Assemblies and Commissions yet to this day have we had no word of testimony from them against these adversaries of our Cause with the promoting of whose design they do so much charge the Protesters but their spirit and zeal hath been spent another way As to what they have done at their late Assembly with closed doors none being present but themselves that cannot be looked on as a testimony to the Cause of Christ and at the best it will amount to no higher then the profession of Nicodemus in private Why have they not made it a testimony indeed and appointed some of their number to present own and avow it before some of these against whom they testifie as the Protesters did seasonably and with the first oportunity Or why did they remove all others out of their meeting Were they afraid that some should have born witnesse and testified what they had done If they looked on themselves as an Assembly of this Kirk they cannot be ignorant that the transactions of Generall Assemblies ought and use to be publick and especially their testimonies Or why did they not communicate the same to Synods Presbyteries and Congregations but let it ly in the dark to this day If they desire to be accompted faithfull they would either give a more distinct and certain sound concerning these adversaries or else speak lesse against the Protesters lest they bewray more passion then piety and more of the zeal of themselves then of the true zeal of God 4. Where hath that spirit lodged which this last year past hath been most effectuall for carrying on the design of the adversaries whether among the Protesters or amongst the Authors and Abettors of the Publick Resolutions let themselves speak But because he is pleased from that Warning and Declaration of the Assembly at Dundee to mention seven steps of progresse whereby they labour to prove what they do assert in the former passage acted by him therefore seeing that Declaration which is fraughted with much ill-grounded charity to Malignants and with a great deal of causelesse prejudice and mistaken zeal against many of the precious and godly in the Land begins again to be digged up out of its grave wherein sad dispensations of Providence did once seem to bury it before it could be heard speak in many of the Congregations of the Land therefore though he do insist on the last Step. yet for truths sake and for clearing of these who are traduced without cause I shall speak shortly to all the seven The DECLARATION at Dundee THe first step is expressed thus The credulity of some believing the hypocriticall pretences of this now prevailing faction of Sectaries mixed apparently with the crafty designe of others would not so much as admit the suspition of this enemies purpose to invade us and thereupon did resist and retard the lifting of an Army for the defence of the Cause and Kingdom untill the Enemy was very near our Borders and had emitted a Declaration of their resolution to invade us so that all means of defence was like to be utterly marred DEFENCE TWo things are charged here upon the Protesters and their adherents as the principle of their actings credulity in some and designe in others As to the first it is indeed ordinary to gracious men to be credulous of these who have the shew of godlinesse until they see them deny the power thereof and I think this fault if it be a fault may be easily pardoned by these who allow so large charity to Malignants upon bare and naked Professions now and then when they come before the Judicatories of the Kirk notwithstanding of their many former breaches and relapses and known dissimulatio contrary cariages in the tenor of their speeches actings but what ever be these mens credulity yet seing they walked in the simplicity of their hearts the Lord hath to this day keeped them out of snares and given them as to the main of their carriage to keep the straight way declining extreams on both hands As to the second to wit a crafty designe in others it is alleadged to be apparently so but no evidence is brought of that neither can any evidence be brought of it it being a meer alleadgeance without all ground of truth such things have been spoken and written and preached by some now for a good while past it is now high time since it hath been so often called for for their own credits sake to bring some proof of what they say I beseech the Author if these words and of all such expressions as before the Lord and as they would not wrong themselves nor their brethren nor delude and do injury to others by filling their hearts with thoughts of jealousie and rancour against innocent men if they know any thing of this kind to bring it forth and if they know nothing to forbear such reproches which thogh for the present they be bitter to these whom they asperse yet in the end the shame wil return upon the heads of these who have broached and vented them It nay be remembred that reproaches of this kind were cast upon the most eminent and faithfull in the year 1648 by the Authors of the unlawfull Engagement because of their opposing thereof and bearing testimony against the same but passing these I come to that which is alleadged to be their work and that was that they did resist and retard the lifting of an Army for defence of the Cause and Kingdom for clearing and confuting of which it would be remembred that as in resolving and condescending upon the Instructions given to the Commissioners of this Kingdom for Treating with the King there were some who too much favouring the Malignant party would have had it put in Instruction that this Kingdom would engage in a War against England for restoring the King to his Throne upon condition of his giving satisfaction in the Demands propounded to him which when they could not obtain their next endeavour was that the transaction at Bredah might be so carried as that the King and his Party might have some probable assurance of this and therefore was the first invitation given to the King there contrived in such words expressions as seemed to import the same which being sent home to this Kingdom was censured corrected by the Parl. 〈◊〉 new Instructions sent back to Holland containing the express demands of this
that it was approved and accepted by the Lord as a necessary duty that gracious men who by the tentations of the time and the perswasions of some whose judgements they respected being drawn into a snare at Sterline to disclaim the Remonstrance they were within very few dayes after so challenged in conscience that they had no peace of mind till they acknowledged their fault and resolved to walk softly all their years in the bitternesse of soul The first thing that they challenge in the Remonstrance is That the owning of the Kings just Interest agreed unto by the Generall Assembly and the Parliament was expressely laid aside and his removall from the exercise of his Royall Power and Government advised to the Committee of Estates but in this they do not deal fairly not onely because they leave out the Reasons upon which this is offered to be considered by the Committee which are very weighty and important but also because they omit to tell that the Gentlemen Ministers and Forces of the West had no other meaning in the Remonstrance as to the Kings Interest then what was expressed in the Declaration at the West Kirk of the 12. August in the year 1650. In which the Committee of Estates the Commission of the Kirk and the Army did unanimously joyn in their severall stations and capacities in testimony whereof they were willing and did often offer accordingly to clear and explain the same if so be the Commission should forbear to give any sense upon it and let un-byassed men judge if it was unseasonable to remonstrate this upon the Kings deserting the Councels of State and Kirk and joyning with the Malignant Party contrary to the Covenant and Treaty The next thing challenged is That the authority of the Committee of Estates is thereby weakened but it is not told how belike it is meaned because of the freedom that is therein used in laying before them the sins and mis-carriages of sundry of these who were then in place and power but the discovering and taking with of sin doth not weaken but strengthen authority that which hath provoked the Lord to dash our Judicatories in pieces and to bring them to nothing is Because they have refused to take with their guiltinesse and to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God If the freedome that was used in the Remonstrance in reference to Members of the Committee of Estates offend any these four things would be remembred 1. That what is therein represented is known and undeniable truth 2. That the Lord was calling thereto by his most dreadful stroaks 3. That many were hardning and habâ—tuating themselves in sin 4. That the men who spoke were about to lay down their lives and therefore took liberty to speak all their hearts that they might exoner themselves and leave it as their testimony with others The third is that a way of holding up a constant division from State and Kirk is therein moulded but nothing is said to make out this and though some of the Remonstrators be judged and called subtile and designing men yet as they did intend no such thing so do I doubt exceedâ—ngly if they be so quick-sighted as to see the strength of this inference that is made upon it for my part I see it not and am content to be â—gnorant of it untill it shall be discovered unto me DECLARATION THe fifth step is When notwithstanding of this perillous practice all means of union of Forces and healing of the breach was endeavoured by Church and State yet union could not be had except upon such conditions as the State and Church could neither in honour nor in conscience grant whereby and through the dissipation of these Forces which aahered to the Remonstrance at Hamilton the State and Church were necessitated either to render all up to the present rage of a perfidious and prevalent Enemy or to make use of such as had been formerly received to repentance for their sinfull courses and admit others to repentance from whom satisfaction might be gotten agreeable to the Rules of the Generall Assembly that all togother might be employed for the just and necessary defence of the Cause and Kingdom their naturall interest obligations and solemnâ— tyes by Covenant calling for the same DEFENCE LEt it be considered what these conditions were which the Church and State could neither in honour nor conscience grant As for the Kings exercising of his power the Remonstrators did declare that they had in humility propounded their judgment and the reasons thereof unto the Committee of Estates but it was in their power to hearken unto them and to do so yea or no as they thought fit and that if they should not be pleased still to debar the King from the exercise of his power as he had been formerly they would not refuse to live peaceably under him as the Magistrat of the Land only two things they did desire in order to their uniting with the Forces of the Kingdom 1. That the quarrell upon which they fought might be stated as in the Declaration of the 13. of Aug. 1650. 2. That there might be one to command the Forces qualified according to the solemn Engagement unto duties to wit of a blameless and Christian conversation and of known integrity and constant affection to the Cause of God both which conditions were refused Now I would fain know a reason why these things might not be condescended unto in honor and conscience Was it lesse honour or conscience to state the quarrel in November 1650. according to the foresaid Declaration then it-was to state it in August immediatly preceding Had any thing occurred in order to the King for altering the state of the quarrell and making it more favourable as to him or rather was there not something to the contrary to wit his deserting of the Judicatories giving of Commissions to the Malignants and joyning with them Or was it contrary to honour and conscience to satisfie them in the other Or did not both honour and conscience binde them to it As to the imploying of the Malignant Party there is so much said in a particular Treatise to demonstrate the sinfulness of it as also that there was no necessity for it that I shall not now insist upon it only I desire that to be taken notice of which they say of making use of such as had been formerly received to repentance for their sinfull courses and admitting others to repentance from whom satisfaction might be gotten agreeable to the Rules of the Generall Assembly that all together might be imployed Which words import that as they did require repentance in all these who were formerly excluded and were now to be imployed so also that care was taken to receive none but such as satisfied according to the Rules of the Generall Assembly both which are spoken gratis and without ground The first because in answer to the Quere and in the Warning penned for the strengthening of it
had carryed on a course of defection and it being offered to verifie the same and thereupon desired that these Commissioners might not be admitted to sit as Members in the Assembly till that matter were tryed it was refused and notwithstanding of the except on timeously propounded and offered to be instructed they were before the taking try all thereof allowed to sit which was in effect to reject the exception either as irrelevat in Law or as false in fact and so to approve them before try all yea they were admitted to â—iâ—â—s Judges in their own cause for the Protestation being particularly founded on the sinfulness and unwarrantableness of their proceedings yet they were allowed to sit as Judges and to condemne the Protestation as destructive to the Government and Liberties of this Kirk and censurable with the highest censure thereof Upon the 23 of July 1651. notwithstanding their proceedings were not approven till the day after which was the 24. That others of them did absolutely decline the authority of that Assembly and protest against it as null was a practice that hath many commendable and praise-worthy parallels in this Church and therefore they do speak more from their own spirit then from the spirit of truth who cry out that it hath no paraâ—el but that of the perfidious Prelats The Declinatours of the â—relats against the Assembly at Glasgow 1638. as any who pleaseth to read the same will find that it doth strike at the root of Presbyteriall Government and General Assemblies in regard of the essentials of their constitution but the Protestation doth acknowledge and plead for the Government and for the due liberty and freedom and right constitution of Assemblies according to the ruâ—e of the Word of God and Acts of this Kirk and doth only bear testimony against and decline that Assembly because of unwarrantable prelimiting of the Elections admitting of persons under scandall before trying oâ— them admitting of the same men to be both Judges and Parties want of frâ—â— accesse and recesse absence of many Commissioners want of freedom in voicing denying to hear what was offered for holding forth of light whereby â—t appears that there is little conscience and ingenuitie and lesse charity in making of that parallel But the History and Acts of our Church do furnish us many just and true parallels of this practice in the carriage of the faithfull witnesses of our Lord in our own and our fathers dayes who have stood to plead for the Doctrine Government Worship and Discipline of this Kirk I shall onely name a few The first is in the year 1597. at which time the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly having contrary to the trust committed to them in these intervalls betwixt Assemblies petitioned and obtained from the King and Estates of the Kingdom that Ministers should sit in Parliament as the third Estate which was the foundation of our Pâ—elaâ—iâ— their proceedings in that Petition and the thing relating thereto being approven in the Assembly by the prevalling influence of the King and these Commissioners notwithstanding of the reasons propounded against the same by sundry of the Ministeâ—ie M. John Davidson a most worthy and pious Minister of this Church indued with the spirit of Prophecie in many things and as anti-prelaticall and truly tender of Presbyteriall Government and of the authoritie of Assemblies as any this Church hath brought forth did solemnly protest against that Assembly as not free and lawfull to which Protestation Mr. David Calâ—erwood a â—tâ—eâ—uous maintainer of the Government of this Church and a constant adversary to Prelats an unsuspect witnes in this present controversie declareth in his Story his own adherence the adherence of many of the most sincere Pastors and Professors of this Kirk as seeing the beginning and fearing the grouth of that defection Likeas he did often from that experience expresse his fears and thereupon his opinion against putting too much power in the hands of a Commission and prognosticated a defection to ensue thereupon whensoever the King and the Court should have influence upon the leading men thereof concerning which he hath not been mistaken 2. Did not many worthie Pastors and Professors of this Church protest against the corrupt Assemblies annulled by the Assembly at Glasgow sundry of which Protestations are to be seen in the Book called The course of Conformity Let our Predecessours Supplications Reasons Admonitions Protestations presented to the Parliament 1617 and 1621 be considered wherein they assert the Assemblies then controverted to be unlawfully constituted and to be but pretended Assemblies though no authority had declared the same See also the Observations Printed 1635 with the grievances given in by the Ministers to the Parliament 1633 It is here well said that the safety of Religion dependeth not upon Assemblies of whatsomever kind but upon the liberty of free and right constitute Assemblies aâ— in the Commonweal he were not to be thought a faithful Patriot who would not stand as much for the liberty of a Parliament as his own possessions because the safetie of all other liberties standeth in the preservation of that main Liberty 3. did not these whose spirits the Lord stirred up to appear against the Prelates and to set on foot the Work of Reformation in the year 16â—7 expresly declare theiâ— adherence to all these Protestations made by their Fathers and Predecessors declaring the nullity of these corrupt Assemblies and thereby establishing the Declinatours against the same before the Assembly at Glasgow which practice was as strangely looked upon and as muâ—h spoken against then as the practice of the Protâ—sters in the year 1651. 4. Our Nationall Covenant doth both mention and allow these Protestations against that whole course of Defection whence it appears that that practice at Dâ—â—dee hath many both very worthy Precedents and Parallels and that to protest against corrupt Assemblies such as that was hath been so far from being looked upon by discerring faithfull and godly men in this Kirk as the throwing down of the hedge of Discipline and making way for every beast of the forrest to break in as this Reviewer alleadgeth that they have used it as one of the best means for preventing and remedying of these evils and so it is indeed because as it is well observed and truly Asserted in the great Act of the Assembly concerning the by gone evils of this Church and the Remedies thereof that the keeeping or authorizing of corrupt Generall Assemblies hath been one of the main causes of our evils by these it was that the Prelates and all the train of superstitious Ceremonies did enter and having had such worthy precedents in opposing of such and such doolful and dear bought experiences of the wrong they have done to this poor Church there is the greater reason to take heed to stand fast in the liberty wherewith CHRIST hath made us free and not to be again entangled with the yoke of bondage of corrupt Assemblies It
Kings proceedings and were resolved to prosecute and maintain his present Majesties Interest before and without acknowledgment of the sins of his House and former wayes and satisfaction to Gods People in both Kingdoms The omitting of which Clauses doth so sar as I can discern either from the Assemblies own words or from the judgments and expressions of these who had chief hand therein or from comparing things with things indeed import an altering of the state of the question and brings it to that which was so much pleaded for by the opposers of Reformation from the very beginning of our differences with the Kings father especially by some of the Authors of the crosse Petition in 1643. and of the unlawfull Engagement in the year 1648. to wit that though the King did not disclaim his former opposition to the Work of God and to the Covenant and likewise all the enemies thereof and own and prosecute the Cause of God yet we ought to owne his Kingly Interest by admitting him to the exercise of his Royall Power and obeying him in al things lawful which how far it reacheth as to the casting loose and condemning of the former proceedings of this Church and Kingdom with the King and his Father and making a new state of the question hath been often heretofore shewen by this Church and cannot but be obvious to every intelligent man Two Acts of the Assembly at Dundee and one Act of the Assembly at Edinburgh which relates unto censures DUNDEE Julii 31. 1651. antemer Sess 19. Act for censuring of those who do not acknowledge this present Assembly and do not acquiesce to the Acts thereof c. THe General Assembly considering that all persons who protest against and decline the authority of the General Assembly are censurable by the Acts and Constitutions of this Kirk with the highest censures thereof and that by the Act of the solemne General Assembly of Glasgow 20. Decemb. 1638. Sess 26. Presbyteries and Provincials are ordained to cite and censure all such as would not acknowledge the said Assembly And the Assembly being very sensible of the prejudice this Kirk may suffer in her Liberties and Priviledges by the beginnings of such practices if they be not timeously prevented and restrained Therefore according to the practice and example of the said Assembly They ordain Presbyteries and Provinciall Assemblies to call before them all persons that do not acknowledge this present Assembly and to censure them according to the degree of their contempt and obstinacie to the Acts of this Kirk And the Assembly having also considered that by the afore-mentioned Act of the Assembly of Glasgow and another Act of the said Assembly Decemb. 18. Sess 24. Presbyteries are ordained to proceed against these that do not acquiesce to the Acts of the said Assembly and that refuse themselves or draw others from the obedience of the Act of the General Assembly in manner mentioned in the said Act. Therefore do ratifie and approve the said Acts and declare that they are to be extended against Ministers censured by this Assembly and all those that oppose the Publick Resolutions thereof Ordaining also Presbyteries and Provincial Assemblies To call before them all persons that shall not acquiesce to the Acts and Constitutions of this present Assembly and to deal with them by conference for their satisfaction And if in their conference with them they shall still oppose the Acts and Conclusions of this Assembly That they censure them according to the degree of their offence and obstinacie to the Acts of this Assembly And where Presbyteries are negligent or wanting herein the Assembly appoints the Commission appointed for Publick Affairs to proceed against the said offenders respective and to censure them in manner abovespecified giving unto them full power for that effect Eodem die at Dundee Ses 19. antemerid Act against Expectants who oppose the Publick Resolutions THe General Assembly understanding the scandall and prejudice of practices and carriage of some Expectants and students attenders of families for performance of religious duties by their private or publick opposing Publick Resolutions For removing whereof they do extend the Act of the Assembly 1640. Sess 10. against expectants refusing to subscribe the Covenant and the censure therein specified against all expectants students in Divinity and attenders upon families for religious duties that shal not acknowledge the General Assemblies of this Kirk and this present General Assembly and that shal not acquiesce to the Acts and Constitutions thereof and do ordain them to be removed from Bursaries and to be discharged from publick preaching and catechising in Congregations and families and from all other priviledges and liberties allowed to expectants appointing Presbyteries and Provincials to proceed against them accordingly Edinburgh 3. Aug. 1652. antemer Sess 19. Act concerning admitting Expectants to their tryals and Ruling Elders to act in Presbyteries and Synods THe General Assembly having out of their earnest desire of the Peace and Vnity of this Kirk condescended upon an Overture of Peace and not onely propounded it to some Brethren who were here opposite to the Publick Judicatories of this Kirk But also in pursuance of that end Ordained the said Overture to be presented and offered by the several Presbyteries or Synods to all in their respective bounds who have Protested against and Declined or consented or adhered unto the Protestations and Declinatours made against this and the preceding General Assembly and the conditions therein contained to be required of them And considering the great prejudice like to arise to this Kirk by encreasing of our unhappy Differences and Distractions if young men shal be admitted into the Ministery which shal still blow the fire of contention and continue in avowed opposition to and contempt of the Publick Judicatories Therefore Ordains Presbyteries to take special care that upon the calling of any Expectant to a particular charge of the Ministery before they admit him to his trials they require him under his hand to passe from the Protestations and Declinatours against this and the preceding General Assembly if he hath been accessory to the same and to promise and give assurance that he shal abstain from holding up Debates and Controversies about matters of Differences in this Kirk since the Assembly 1650 in Preaching Writing or other wayes Vpon the performance whereof the Presbyterie shal proceed to his trials if not in that case the Presbyterie shal foebear to proceed until the next General Assembly leaving liberty to the Presbyterie and Congregation for planting of the place otherwise And the Assembly Ordains and requires that Presbyteries be not sudden to lay by such young men as at first refuses or scruples to perform these conditions mentioned but that pains be taken upon them to convince them of the reasonablenesse thereof and to perswade them to embrace them and to give them a competent time for that effect Likeas the Assembly considering the prejudice of Elders coming to Presbyteries for