1. To keepe silence in any thing that may serve for the good of the Kirk, whether it be in preaching, prayer, or in proposing and voyceing in a lawfull Assembly of the Kirke, is against the word of God. Esai. 62. 6. “Yee that are the Lords remembrancers, keepe not silence, and give him no rest till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” 1. King. 18. 21. “Like the halting of the people betweene two opinions, and their not answering a word, when the Lord called them to give a testimony.” Act. 20. 20. “I have keeped backe nothing that was profitable unto you:” and againe 1 Cor. 12. 7. Mat. 15. 18. Rom. 1. 18. Revel. 2. 14. 20. and 3. 15: and therefore to keepe silence, or not to meddle with corruptions, whether in doctrine, sacraments, worship or discipline, in a generall Assembly of the Kirk, conveened for that end, were the ready way to move the Lord to deny his Spirit unto us, and to provoke him to wrath against our proceedings, and might be imputed unto us for prejudice, for collusion, and for betraying our selves and the posterity. 2. This predetermination is against our supplications and protestations, wherein we have showne ourselves so earnest for a free generall Assembly, contrary to every limitation of this kind; so far prejudging the liberty thereof, is against the Confession of Faith registrated in the Parliament 1567, declaring that one cause of the Councels of the Kirk is for good policie and order to be observed in the Kirk, and for to change such things as men have devised when they rather foster superstition then edifie the Kirke, using the same; and is against our late Confession, wherein we have promised to forbeare all novations till they be tryed, which obligeth us to forbeare now, and to try them in an Assembly, and by all lawfull meanes to labour to recover the former purity and liberty of the Gospel, to which this limitation is directly repugnant, our liberty in a Generall Assembly being the principall of all lawfull meanes serving to that end. 3. This were directly contrary to the nature and ends of a generall assembly, which having authority from God, being conveened according to the lawes of the Kingdome, and receiving power from the whole collective body of the Kirke, for the good of Religion, and safety of the Kirke; whatsoever may conduce for these good ends in wisdome and modesty should be proponed, examined, and determined without Prelimitation, either of the matters to bee treated, or of the liberty of the members thereof. It being manifest, that as farre as the assembly is limited in the matters to bee treated, and in the members to be used, the necessary ends of the Assembly, and the supreme Law, which is the safety of the Kirke, are as far hindered, and pre-judged.