THE COPY OF THE LETTER, Sent from the Commissioners of the G. A. to all the Presbyteries, showing what course is to be taken by them, and every Kirk-session and Family, for turning away the LORDS wrath from the Land.  
Reverend and beloved Brethren.  
BEing frequently convened here, by advice and desire of the honourable Estates of Parliament and being also by them excited to make an accurate search of the sins of the land, provoking the Lord to just indignation against us, we did exhibit to them a new and necessary warning, briefly containing the causes of our judgement, and the conceived remeedies thereof; Which for some reasons is thought fit not to be printed at this time: only we signify this unto you, that in the end thereof we exhorted the several Estates among themselves to make a straight inquisition of the sins most incident to themselves, that they might provoke one another to repentance, and zeal toward God, and his Cause; and so make better use of this, then of our former warnings, who accordingly did set apart a time for that effect, and went about it: and we who did exhort others, thought it incumbent to ourselves, seriously to search and humbly and sadly to acknowledge the faults of our persons and callings, such as were known to be too rise amongst us of the Ministry: which was in a solemn way performed by us in one of our meetings, one by one, as the LORD, touched every man's heart, and opened his mouth: out of which speeches the enclosed catalogue of sins, and remedies thereof was extracted, and the same we thought good to transmit unto you, that you making use thereof and reflecting your thoughts upon yourselves, may Presbeteriallie follow the same course, and give order that the 'samine be done in your several Sessions: Desiring withal, that in each Congregation, in a solemn humiliation, there may be a confession and bewailing of sin, and a pressing of each family privately to perform the same; That so all Scotland may lament after the Lord; that his fierce wrath may departed from us. So hoping you will not be deficient herein in so necessary a time, We commit you and your labours to the blessing of GOD, and rests,  
Your loving Brethren, the Commissioners of the General Assembly. M. WILLIAM BENNET MODERATOR. Perth, Aug. 5. 1645.  
This our letter, together with the enclosed Articles, we require to be registrate in your Presbytery Books, for our exoneration.   

Enormities and corruptions observed to be in the Ministry, with the remedies thereof, recommended to the several Presbyteries, by the Commissioners of the General Assembly, met at Perth, in the beginning of August, 1645.  
THE first and main sin, reaching both to our personal carriage and callings, we judge to be, Not studying how to keep Communion and Fellowship with God in Christ, but walking in a natural way, without employing of Christ, or drawing virtue from him, to enable us unto sanctification, and preaching in spirit and power.  

In our Lives.  
1. MUch fruitless conversing in company, and complying with the sins of all sorts, not behaving ourselves as becomes the men of God.  
2. Great worldliness is to be found amongst us, mynding and speaking most about things of this life, being busied about many things, but forgetting the main.  
3 Slighting of God's worship in their families, and therefore no cordial urging of it upon others: yea, altogether a wanting of it in some, if it be credible.  
4. Want of gravity in carriage and apparel, dissoluteness in hair, and shaking about the kne●s lightness in the apparel of their wives and children.  
5. Tippling and bearing company in untymous drinking in Taverns and Ail-houses, or any where else, whereby the Ministry is made vile and contemptible.  
6. Discountenancing of the godly; speaking ill of them, because of some that are unanswerable to their profession.  
7. The Sabbath not sanctified after Sermons, which maketh people think that the Sabbath is ended with the Sermons.  
8. There are also to be found amongst us, who use small and minched oaths.  
9 Some so great strangers to Scripture, that except in their public Ministry, though they read many things, yet they are little conversant in the Scripture, and in meditation thereof: A duty incumbent to all the people of God.   

In our Callings.  
1. COrrupt entry into the Ministry in former times, and following the course of defection, though forsaken, yet never seriously repent: as also present entering into the Ministry, as to a way of living in the world, and not as to a spiritual calling.  
2. Helping in, and holding in of insufficient and suspected men, who savour the things of this life, and keeping the door straiter on them whom God hath sealed, then upon these who have less evidence of the power of grace and holiness.  
3. Partiality in favouring, and speaking for the scandalous, whether Ministers or other persons, teaching them how to shift and delay censures.  
4. Silence in the public cause, not labouring to cure the dissaffection of people, nor urging them to constancy and patience, in bearing of public burdens, nor to forwardness in the public Cause; whereby Malignants are multiplied: yea some are so gross herein, that even in public Fasts little or nothing is to be heard from them, sounding this way.  
5. Some account it a point of wisdom to speak ambiguously: some incline to justify the wicked cause, uttering words which savour of dissaffection: and all their complaining of the times is in such a way, as may steal the hearts of people from liking of good Instruments in this work, and consequently from God's Cause: yea, some reading public Orders, are ready to speak against them in their private conference.  
6 Idleness either in seldom preaching, as once on the Lord's day, or in preparation for public duties, not being given to reading and meditation: others have but fits of pains, not like other Tradesmen continually at their work.  
7. Want of zeal, and love to the conversion of souls, not being weighted with the want of success, in reclaiming of sinners, nor searching in themselves the cause of not profiting, preaching ex officio not ex conscientia officii.  
8 Self-seeking in preaching, and a venting rather of their wit and skill then a showing forth of the wisdom and power of God.  
9 Lifelesnesse in preaching, not studying to be furnished by Christ with power: and so the ordinance of God reacheth not to the conscience; and hereto belongeth the not applying of the doctrine unto the auditory and times,  
10 The indiscreet curing of the indiscretion of pious people and Ministers, whereby godliness hath gotten a deep wound, and profanity hath lifted up the head, contrare to that wise and gracious order set forth in the General Assembly holden at Edinburgh, 1641.  
11. Little care to furnish our Army, either abroad or at home with Ministers, one of our grievous sins, and causes of our calamity.  
12. Last, it is to be feared that Ministers in secret are negligent to wrestle in prayer, for a blessing to be poured out upon their labours, contenting themselves with their public performances.   

Remedies.  
1. FIrst, That Presbyteries make great conscience to have all vacant places within their several bounds filled with godly and able m●n, wherever they be to be found: and that under pretence of being a helper, or second to another, none be taken in, but such as are able for the same charge.  
2. Whereas it is known, that private trial in Presbyteries are for the most part perfunctorious, the Brethren are hereby exhorted to be more serious, and faithful herein, as they will be answerable to Christ, the chief Shepherd: and in a way previous thereto, that Brethren be free, in loving admonition one of another secretly, from time to time; and that whosoever keeps not the Presbytery or Synod, after grave admonitions, may come under further censures.  
3. That accuracy be used at visitation of Kirks, and that the Elders one by one (the rest being removed) be called in, to depone about the Minister, and one of them about another.  
4. That course be taken to divide Congregations in parts, and by the help not only of Elders in their several parts, but of neighbours also, the evils, and neglects of persons and families, may be found out and remeedied.  
5. That every Minister be humbled for his former failings, and make his peace with God, that the more effectually he may preach repentance, and may stand in the gape, to turn away the Lords wrath: running between the Porch and the Altar, sighing and crying for all the abominations of the land.  
6. Special care would be had, that all Ministers have their conversation in heaven, mainly minding the things of God, and exercising faith, for drawing life out of Jesus Christ, the fountain of life, arming themselves thereby with power against the contagion and wickedness of the world.  
7. Care would be had of godly conference in Presbyteries, even in time of their refreshment, and the Moderator is to look to it, that good matter be furnished thereto.  
8. It is also very  for every Minister that would be fruitful in the work of the Lord, to bring home the word of the Lord to his own heart and conscience, by Prayer and Meditation, both before and after the public ordinance.  
9 Use would be made of the roll of the Parish, not only for examination, but also for considering the several conditions and dispositions of the people, that accordingly they may be admonished, and particularly prayed for in secret.  
10. It is very expedient that Ministers have more communion among themselves for their mutual stirring up, and strengthening of their hands in the Lords work, and rectifying of these who are not incorrigible.  
11. That Ministers in all sorts of company labour to be fruitful, as the Salt of the earth, seasoning them they meet with, not only forbearing to drink healths (Satan's snare, leading to excess) but reproving it in others.  
12. All Ministers would be careful to cherish the smoking flax of weak beginnings in the ways of God, and ought courageously to oppose all mockers and revylers of the godly.  
13. As at all times, so specially now when the Lord is calling us all to an account; it becomes the Ministers of Christ, with all diligence and faithfulness, to improve their Ministry to the outmost, to be instant in season and out of season; yea, even frugallie to employ their time in private, in reading of, and meditating on Scripture, that the word of God may dwell plentifully in them.  
14. That the providing the Armies with Ministers be preferred to any congregation, and these who are appointed to attend the same, and are deficient, be without delay severely censured; according to the Act of the General Assembly, and that all Ministers not only in public, pray for our Armies, specially these that are to encounter with the bloody enemy within the land, but also continually bear them up before the Lord, that their lives being reform, their heart and hands may be strengthened, and their undertaking at last blessed of GOD with success.  
15. That b●side all other scandals, silence or ambiguous speaking in the public cause, much more detracting and disaffected speeches be seasonably censured: and to this effect, all honest hearted Brethren would firmly unite themselves in the Lord, the younger honouring the elder, and the elder not despising the younger.  
16. And finally, both for the corruption of the Ministry and remeed thereof, we refer the brethren to the Act of the General Assembly at Edinburgh, 1596. revived in the late Assembly at Glasgow, 1638. to be found in the printed Act thereof.    

For George Anderson Printer in Glasgow,  
These are to warrant the Printing of the Letter above-written, with the Articles containing the enormities, and the remedies thereof.  
Mr. A. Ker.