The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland. General Assembly
History
The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland. General Assembly
Ecclesiastical law -- Scotland; Scotland -- Church history -- 17th century
The conscience of our dutie to God obliging us to give a testimony to his
Truth, and to the Kingdom of his Sonne Jesus Christ, now so much resisted
and opposed by many, and so little owned by others: The laudable custome
and example of correspondency between Neighbouring Churches, exhorting,
encouraging, and (in case of publike scandal) admonishing in love one
another, as well as single Brethren ought to admonish one another in love,
in the case of private offence: Our neerer relation and more special
affection to our Brethren of _England_, making us to sympathize with them
in their danger and affliction as our own, both Kingdomes being united as
one entire Body in one Covenant, for pursuing the common cause and ends
therein expressed: Yea, common reason and experience it self teaching us
that we have no cause to conceive our Religion, the liberties of this
Church, or our selves to be in a condition of safety, when ever the
enemies of our Religion and Liberties are growing to a prevalency in the
Neighbour Kingdom. Any one of these considerations, much more all of them
together, cry aloud upon us to break our silence in this present Juncture
of Affaires; yet we hope to expresse our selves both concerning the
present Dangers and present Duties, as in a conscionable and Brotherly
freedome, so in, a fair and in offensive way; for we have no pleasure nor
purpose to provoke any Person or Party whatsoever, not to encrease, but to
endeavour the allaying and composing of the present unhappy differences.
If any shall offend at our discharging our conscience & doing our duty,
yet we shall rather chose to take our hazard of that, then of displeasing
God by neglect of duty. But we hope better things, then to be
mis-understood, or mis-interpreted by such as desire a candide
interpretation of their own actions or expressions.
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