PERTH, 20 March, 1651.  
A Short Exhortation and Warning, To the Ministers and Professors of this Kirk; From the Commission of the General Assembly.  
THe eminent danger of Religion, King, and Kingdom, by the unjust Invasion of the blasphemous Sectarian Army, The sad condition of our Countrymen in the South parts of the kingdom, groaning under the grievous Oppression of Strangers, devouring their substance, and enslaving their persons, the sad silence in many Congregations, whose Teachers are driven into corners by the violence of the Enemies, contemners of GOD'S Ordinances, and mockers of His Messengers; The Adversaries roaring & making a strange noise in the midst of some Congregations, the Inevitable hazard of our dear brethren, to be seduced into pernicious Heresies and Errors, by the deceitful practices and speeches of Sectaries, that are cunning to deceive, & speak lies in hypocrisy; The Innocent blood of our brethren murdered by the Sword of a merciless enemy; the sighing of the Prisoners, Inhumanelie and cruelly used by these who keep them captive; The care of preserving our posterity from being sunk in the dark dungeon of Errors, and fast bound with the heavy chains of basest Slavery; Do cry so loud in the ears of all who have ears to hear, and a heart to understand, to be awake and quickened unto the necessary Duty of the time, that it is a wonder that any Jonah should be found fast asleep in so great a Storm, wherein the Kirk and kingdom are like to be overwhelmed: Yet the conscience of our Duty, according to the trust committed to us, and the carriage of some who either oppressed with a Lethargy, lie still, or seized upon by a benumbing coldness, move slowly, or carried about with the wound of Strange Doctrine, as children are tossed to and fro, and move contrarily, Constrayn us to lift up our voices, & from the Watchtower, whereon we are set, To give warning unto the Professors and Ministers of the GOSPEL throughout the Land, and to waken them up to their duty, as they would avoid the displeasure of the ALMIGHTY, And escape the deserved punishments and censures which may be inflicted by judicatories  and Ecclesiastic respective, upon deficients in, & delinquents against duty, according to the Degree of their offence.  
We exhort all men unto Repentance, to return from the evil of their thoughts and ways, and to mourn after the LORD, coming to Him through the MEDIATOR of the New Testament, by whom we have an Atonement thorough Faith in His Blood, It is more than high time for all to be humbled under the Mighty Hand of GOD, who hath cast us down, And is able to raise us up again, who hath wounded, and is able to bind up our wounds. To this effect we have apppointed a Solemn Day of Fast and Humiliation, for the causes sent unto the several Presbyteries.  
It is the Duty of the Members of this KIRK, and Subjects of this kingdom, at this time, most cheerfully unanimously and speedily to come out, and concur in the common defence of Religion, King, and kingdom, endangered by the unjust Invasion of Foreigners, according to the call and command of Authority: Let it be seriously laid to heart, how much blood is spilt, how many Towns and Shires are spoilt, how miserable our Brethren are distressed and oppressed, how much the common Enemy is strengthened, while you are only preparing for Relief. Whatsoever is done to the least of them for this Cause, is to be taken as done to us all in general, and to every one of us in particular, according to to the express words of the Nationall COVENANT. And in plain terms, we are obliedged by the Solemn League and Covenant to assist (which necessarily importeth concurrence) and defend all that enter the League and Covenant in the maintaining thereof, We obtest and exhort you for the Interest we have in the common Adventure of these rich goods our Lyves, our Liberties, our King, our Religion, which are all embarked in one bottom, that ye abandon not the ship of the Commonwealth in this Tempest; For if the Ship perish, what can be safe that is within?  
If you tender true Religion, you see how the Sectaries show themselves plain enemies thereto, and maintain that impious monster of Toleration; Though Religion were not in the Question, Let Loyalty to your King, the only King in the world, Who is in a Religious Covenant with GOD and His People, animate you against these who are his enemies, Because he is a King, and because Covenanted; Cast not off the care you ought to have of your Country, which ye see many festlie and violently Ruined before your eyes. If these will not move you (we speak the language of our worthy Reformers in the like case of Invasion by foreigners) Remember your Wyves, Children, and Posterity; your Ancient Heritage's and House's; And be assured these Strangers will not regard your Rights, when ever occasion shall serve; And if ye purpose, (As we doubt not, but all these who have either wit or manhood will declare and prove indeed) to brook your Ancient Rooms and Heritage's, defended valiantly by your cowragious progenitors against all Strangers Invaders of the same (such as the Sectaries are this day) If you will not be slaves to them, and have your Lyves, your Wyves, your Children, your Substance, and whatsoever is dear unto you cast at their feet, to be used and abused, at the pleasure of strange Soldiers: If ye will not have experience some day in your own persons (as we suppose the least of you would not gladly have, but would rather choose with Honour to die in defence of his own Native Room, then live and serve so shameful a servitude) Than Brethren, join with the Forces of the Kingdom, and both with Wit & Manhood oppose the common Enemy; Or else our Liberties shall be hereafter dearer bought. Let none be so unhappy and mischievous, And so withdraw himself herefrom.  
Except men will blot out of their hearts the love of Religion, cast off Loyalty to Sovereign Authority, and lay aside all care of their Country, Laws, Liberties, and Estates, yea, all natural affection to the preservation of whatsoever is dearest to them under the Sun, (all being in a visible Danger of Ruin and Destruction) They must now or never appear activelie, each one stretching himself to the uttermost of his power. It is no time now to delay, nor go about the business by halffes, nor be almost, but altogether zealous. The Scripture pronounceth him cursed, that doth the Work of the LORD negligently, that cometh not forth to the help of the LORD against the Mighty. If we have been forward to assist our neighbour kingdoms, shall we neglect to defend our own? Or shall the Enemy of GOD be more active against His Cause, than His Covenanted People for it? GOD forbidden. If the Work shall now miscarry and fail in our hands through our unfaynthfulnesse, our own conscience shall condemn us, and Posterity shall curse us. Who knoweth, but if we stand stoutly and steadfastly to it, the LORD may yet command our Delyverance, and show us His Salvation.  
Let all sorts both of High and Low Degree in this kingdom, call to mind their Solemn Covenantes; and namely, that Article of our Nationall Covenant, which obliedgeth us not to stay nor hinder any such resolution as by common consent shall be found to conduce for the ends of the Covenant: But by all means to further and promove the same: Which lieth as a bond upon people's consciences readily to obey such ordours, as by the public resolution of the Parliament, and Commission of the General Assembly, are found necessary for the prosecution of the War; And that Article of the Solemn League and Covenant which obliedgeth us. Not to suffer ourselves directly nor indirectly by what-some-ever Combination, Persuasion, or Terror, to be divided and withdrawn, from this Blessed Union and Conjunction, or to make defection to the contrary part, Or to give ourselves over to a detestable indifferency, and neutrality in the Cause. According to which Article men's reality and integrity in the Covenant will be manifest and demonstrable; As well by their omissions as Commissions, by their not doing good, as by their doing evil. He that is not with us, is against us; and he that gathereth not with us, scattereth. Since every man's not adventuring his person, not sending out these that are under his power, according to public order & appointment; And not paying the Contributions imposed for Maintenance of the Army, have been formerly esteemed a ground of judging men Enemies, Malignantes, and Covenant breakers; We wish it may be the care of all to shun the ways that may bring them, under these foul Characters, and whereby they may run themselves under the hazard of the displeasure of GOD and the censures of the KIRK, and no doubt of  punishment also to be inflicted by the State.  
Let Ministers as the Messengers of the LORD, stir up others both publicly, by free and faithful Preaching, and privately, by admonishing every one of his Duty, as there shall be occasion. Considering that silence in the public Cause; Especially in public Fasts, not labouring to cure the disaffection of people, not urging them to constancy and patience, in bearing of public burdens, nor to forwardness in the public cause: That speaking ambiguously, inclining to justify the wicked cause, uttering words which savour of disaffection, complaining of the times in such a way as may steal the hearts of people from liking good instruments in this Work, and consequently from GOD'S Cause; Yea, that some read public ordours, and speak against them in private conference; Are reckoned up amongst the enormities and corruptions of MINISTERS in their Callings, by the GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 1646. Sess. 10.  
And because the COMMISSION of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY, In their REMONSTRANCE to the Convention of ESTATES, julie 6. 1643. teaching all true Patriots and Professors of the Reformed Religion, that they may learn to discern and know the Enemies of the KIRK, amongst other marks of Malignants, give this, Their offering to Presbyteries, In all the quarters of the Kingdom Papers contraty to the DECLARATIONS of the Commissioners of the General Assembly. The General Assembly 1645. In their Seasonable Warning, 12. February, gave these Characters of secret Malignants and Discovenanters. Their slighting and censuring of the public Resolutions of this KIRK and STATE; Their labouring to raise jealousies and Divisions, to retard or hinder the execution of what is ordained by the public judicatories; Their Censuring and Slandering of these whom GOD hath used as His Chief Instruments in this Work; Their drawing of Parties and Factions for weakening of the Common Union, Their Endeavours, Informations, and Solicitations, tending to weaken the hearts and hands of others and to make them withhold their assistance from this Work: Enjoining such to be well marked, timely discovered, and carefully avoided; lest they infuse their counsels into the minds of others: Wherein they require Ministers to be faithful, and Presbyteries to be vigilant and impartial, As they will answer the contrary to GOD, and to the General Assembly, or their Commissioners. The General Assembly, 1646. Sess. 10. Ordaineth, That besides all other scandals, Silence, and Ambiguous speaking in the public, much more detracting & disaffected speeches be seasonably censured. The General Assembly, 1647. SESS. 27. Doth in the NAME of GOD, inhibit the spreading and dispersing of Erroneous Books, or Papers, Pamphlets, libels, and Letters; requiring all Ministers, to warn their Flocks against such Books in general, and particularly, against such as are most plausible insinuating and dangerous; And ordaineth Presbyteries and Synods, to try and process such as shall transgress, Recommending to  Magistrates, that they may be pleased to be assisting to Ministers and Presbyteries, in the execution of this Act; And to concur with their Authority, for that effect.  
Therefore, for execution of the foresayds' Acts of Assembly, and preventing the eminent danger of Religion, the people of GOD, and the kingdom, by practices leading to encourage the hearts, and strengthen the hands of Enemies, in prosecuting their wicked purposes, to make faint the hearts, and enfeeble the hands of GOD'S People, and to seduce their minds, with divisive and separating counsels and principles; According to the power and trust committed to us, And according to the practice of former Commissions of the General Assembly, We do, in the Name of GOD, inhibit and discharge all Ministers to preach, and all Ministers and Professors, to detract, speak, or write against the late Public Resolutions and Papers of the Commission of the General Assembly, In order to the calling forth of the people, for the necessary Defence of the Cause and kingdom; Against the Unjust Invasion of these Enemies to the Kingdom of GOD, and to the Government of this KIRK and Kingdom; Or to spread and disperse Letters, Informations, of any other Papers, against the same, or in any other way to obstruct that service, Tending to the Preservation and Defence of Religion, king, and kingdom; requiring Ministers to warn their Flocks of these Papers in general, And particularly such as are most plausible, Insinuating and dangerous: And we do seriously recommend to Presbyteties, that with all vigilancy, they take special notice and trial of such persons within their bounds, whether such as have their station there, or such as in this troublesome time, have their present residence, Ministers, or others, & impartially proceed against them, As they will be answerable. As also we do, in the Name of GOD, exhort all Ministers, faithfully to declare & witness, at all occasions, their unfeigned hatred of malignancy, & malignant courses, & in their whole deportment, to evidence their wont zeal against all malignant persons, disaffected to the Cause of GOD & Covenant: & particularly, to take notice of all mockers of Piety & Godliness; & of all, who after the profession of their repentance for their accession to malignant courses, shall be found, in private or public, by word or deed, venting their affection thereunto; & after trial, condignly to censure them in their several Presbyteries. And to report an account of their diligence in the premises to this Commission from time to tyme.  
Though our Difficulties be many and growing, yet when we look back upon the great things which GOD hath done for us, and for our Predecessoures', and our many fold Delyverances out of several Dangers and Difficulties, which appeared insuperable, Experience breedeth Hope. Our Fathers trusted in GOD; they trusted in Him, and He did delyver them; they cried unto Him, and were delivered; they trusted in Him, and were not confounded. Let us wait upon Him, who hideth Himself from the house of JACOB. Let us cry unto the LORD OF HOSTS, who hath delivered us, and doth delyver us: And in Him let us trust, that He will yet delyver us: Though for a small moment He hath forsaken us, yet with great mercies He will gather us, He who hath showed us great and sore troubles, shall quicken us again; and shall bring us up again, from the Depths of the Earth: He shall increase our Strength, and comfort us on every side, against our Fears on every side: Only be strong, be of good courage, be of one mind, and accord in the Work of the LORD, and the GOD of Love and Peace, shall be with you.  
A. KER.