A SEASONABLE and Necessary WARNING Concerning present DANGERS and DUTIES, From the COMMISSIONERS Of the GENERAL ASSEMBLY, Unto all the MEMBERS Of this KIRK.  
EDINBURGH, Printed by EVAN TYLER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, 1650.   

25. junii, 1650. Postmeridiem. A seasonable and necessary Warning concerning present dangers and duties, from the Commissioners of the General Assembly, unto all the Members of this Kirk.  
IF the eminency of the danger and the necessity of our duty did not constrain us, we had rather choose to be silent then to emit any public warning to the land within so few days of the meeting of the General Assembly; but we should not only run the hazard of just blame from them, but also be conscious to guiltiness in ourselves, if we did not in a time of so great strait, give warning to the Lords people both of their danger, and of their duty.  
The Insolent and strange actings of that prevailing party of Sectaries in England these years past, in reference to Religion and Government, are so well known, and have been so often and fully laid open in the former Warnings, Remonstrances, and Declarations of this Kirk, that we need not now take up much time in representing the same. Albeit the Reformation of the Church of England, and the advancing of the work of Uniformity there, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government was the great duty that the Lord called that Land unto, and which all the people of God in these three Kingdoms did engage themselves in Covenant to endeavour to the utmost of their power; yet doth that work so much desired and longed for by all the lovers of Zion in these Nations, and all that concerns Religion, lie in the dust altogether forgotten and despised by those men, and in stead of the beauty and order that should be in the house of God, a vast toleration of many gross errors is allowed, whereby so many and so monstrous blasphemies and strange opinions in Religion have been broached and are vented in England, as the like hath not been heard of almost in any generation. And though Monarchy and the Power of Parliaments was the ancient and long continued Government of that Kingdom, yet have those men usurped above the Parliament whose servants they were, and by open violence driven away many, and imprisoned some of the Members thereof, and have not only taken away the house of Lords and destroyed the late King, but also subverted Monarchy itself, and turned the Foundations upside down, and labour to wreathe the voke of their oppression upon the necks of our brethren in England, not only in regard of that which concerns their bodies and estates, but also in regard of that which concerns their souls and consciences, whereof that Engagement that is now pressed in England is a present and public testimony, being a sore bondage under which many in that land now groan; whose case and sufferings for the work of God we desire, not only to remember daily before the Lord in our prayers and supplications, but in every thing to regard it as if it were our own, being confident that such as love the truth, & cleave to the Covenant in these Lands, shall obtain mercy of God to be faithful in the midst of temptations, and that the Lord will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able to bear, but will give unto them the issue with the temptation.  
This party after that they have acted such things in England, and also sore afflicted and oppressed our brethren in Ireland, now conceiveing that they cannot be established, and that they cannot eat the fruit of their own devices without contradiction, as long as the Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland stands in their way, threaten us with a war, by drawing their Forces Northward, and sending them in small parties towards the Border, that it may be the less discerned what they intent to do: And if the Lord in his righteous and wise dispensation shall suffer them to invade this Land, as it is to be seared, that the Gangrene of their errors may take hold upon men of ignorant and unstable minds, who have not received the love of the truth; So may we, if they prevail, look for confusion and desolation, and that the Pill ars both of Religion and Government shall be ruined and razed in this, as well as in our neighbour land. It doth therefore in the first place concern all the Inhabitants in this Nation to draw near to God, and to mourn for their own iniquities, and for all the ignorance and profanity and backsliding that is in the land, and to study to make peace with God in Jesus Christ: The continuance and increase of many of those sins, for which formerly we seemed to have been humbled, doth doubtless grieve the spirit of God, and may if they be not speedily and sincerely repent of, and forsaken, provoke him to give us over to the lust of our adversaries; Our King, our Princes, our Nobles, our Pastors, teachers, and people have sinned; Let us therefore search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord: Let us lift up our heats with our hands to God in the heavens, that he may spare and save his people, that they be not a prey to the enemy.  
In the next place, As the Parliament of this Kingdom have taken care for putting the land in a Posture of Defence, so we hope that none shall be so negligent of their duty, and so insensible of their danger, as not to give cheerful obedience to the lawful commands of their superiors in those things that concern the security of Religion, and peace of the Kingdom, and that are necessary for the defence of the cause and of their native country; but that every man in his station and calling will willingly and cheerfully acquit himself in the diligent and faithful performance of all the duties that relate unto those ends.  
It is far from our meaning that any who are tainted with malignancy and Disaffection to the work of God, should be allowed or permitted to associate or join themselves together by parties in Arms, much less do we mean that we should associate and join with them, or that they should be employed or made use of, or countenanced or permitted to be in our Armies. The Lord hath so far cleared his mind both by his word and works against these things, that they are very blind who are not convinced herein; and we have made so solemn public confession of this sin that relates unto Malignants, and so solemnly engaged ourselves against the same, that they among us, who should again hazard upon it, should seem to be desperately perverse: It were not only to give great ground of encouragement to the Sectaries, before whom Malignants have already so often fled and fallen, but to discourage the hearts, and weaken the hands of men of Integrity and godliness, who could hardly expect a blessing in the fellowship of such; nay, it were from the words of our own former Confession and Engagement unto duties, to proclaim a judgement against the land, till it were consusumed without remedy. We are therefore bold in the Lord's name to warn the Honourable Estates of Parliament, and all whom it concerns in the land, that they may be fare from such a thing, and that they may take care in their respective places and Stations, to purge Judicatories, and Committees of all scandalous and disaffected men, and speedily and effectually to go about the removing and purging out from the Army all men of a scandalous conversation, and of questionable integrity and affection in the cause of God, and that they employ none but such as are of a blameless conversation, and of approven Integrity in the Lords work: It shall be a shame for any in this land, to be so faithless and unbelieving, as because of the scarceness of men to make use of others, than such as are thus qualified. The Lord hath not only spoken it in his word, and verified it in his works in the days of old, but hath let us see it with our own eyes, that it is all one with him to save with few or with many, and that a few, whom God will countenance, are more worth than many against whom he hath a controversy.  
It needs not be matter of stumbling or terror unto any, that the army of Sectaries go masked under a vale of seeming holiness, and that their interprises and defignes have been so long and so often attended with success: These who know them well, will acknowledge that many of them are lose and dissolute in their way, and though some of them walk more circumspectly, yet how can they be accounted truly tender & Godly, who love to walk in the Imaginations of their own hearts, and in the light of their own fire, and in the sparks that they have kindled, corrupting the truth of God, approving errors in themselves, and tolerating them in others; and who having power in their hands, labour only to establish safety for themselves, altogether neglecting those things that concern the Honour of God, and the Kingdom of his Son jesus Christ: If any of them have any thing of the seed of God in them, it cannot but be much blasted with the wind of their own vain inventions, and choked and kept down with the cares of their corruptions: These who shall compare their proceed with the word of God, and the Solemn League and Covenant, or look to the effects that follows thereupon either to Religion or government, or to the bodies or souls of men, shall find that notwithstanding of any pretext, their way is much to be detested and abhorred. Neither doth the Lord spare to execute judgement against seducers and corrupters of the truth, because they seem not to be subject to personal out-breaking in their lives; Is it not the ground of the great threaten against Antichrist, that he makes many drunk with the cup of his abominations, which yet for most part are covered with a vail of external devotions? And can the many antichrists now in England eschew to partake of his plagues, who in so great a measure partake of his sins.  
The success of that party proves not the goodness of their cause, or that they shall prosper still; The Lord who is wonderful in council, and excellent in working hath been pleased to put the rod of his anger, and the staff of his indignation in their hand, for executing of his wrath against malignants, because of the enmity & opposition of that generation unto the cause and people of God: But if they shall invade this land, and exalt themselves against the Lord's inheritance, and the people that are in Covenant with him, For whose sake the Lord did cloth them with power for a time, for taking vengeance upon his enemies, Then shall they stumble and fall, and be broken in pieces: Though the host of Senachribe did prevail against Samaria, yet did they fall in Judah, and he did return with shame and was slain with the sword in his own land. That party hath as yet no cause to boast that God hath prospered them in arms against the Covenant, or against a praying people steadfast in the Lord's cause, following his way, and waiting upon him for help and success: All their encounter have hitherto been against Malignants; & now the Lord having performed so much of his work against that generation, who knows but the Sectaries day may also be coming, and that when the state of the question shall be changed, God may turn his hand upon them, & bring upon them the judgements of abroken Covenant, as he hath ever done to all that look that way.  
We desire that not only others, but the Sectaries themselves may consider, that when England was very low, and well nigh brought under the feet of the popish, prelatical and Malignant party, That this Nation was then much solicited for their assistance and relief, and even by some of these who have since that time been very active and instrumental for the party which now prevails in that land: The Kirk and Kingdom of Scotland were then so compassionate of their brethren's condition, that they were willing to join in a League and Covenant with them, which both Kingdoms even many of those who are now in the Army did solemnly swear and subscribe: In prosecution of the ends thereof, this Kingdom did send into England a considerable army, by whose assistance the power of the Malignant party was broken and brought low, and the Parliament & army of England put in such a condition, that they needed no more fear the strength of their enemies. This league and Covenant which was the foundation of England's and the Army's deliverance and safety, the army hath now forgotten and trodden under foot, and walk in all their proceed no less contrary thereto, then darkness is unto light: Neither doth it satisfy them to do so in their own land, but they threaten us also with war, for no other reason, but because we cleave to our duty in these things, to which England stands no less obliged unto by Covenant before the Lord than we do. We may confidently assert and profess before the world that the Lords people in this land are not conscious to themselves of any wrong done to that prevailing party in England: The engagement in the year. 1648. was not less abhorred, and testified against by the Kirk of Scotland, and by these that are now in place and power in the State, and by all the godly in the land, Than it was by that party themselves; Which did so fare convince the House of Commons That in their letter to the Generell Assembly of this Kirk in the same year, They profess that they are assured, that these Impions and unwarrantable actions cannot be done with the approbation and assent of the Religious and well affected people of the Kingdom of Scotland, and that they do understand, that there are very few amongst these who were in the engagement against them that first engaged with them in the Covenant and cause, but such as are professed enemies to them, how ever they were then content to proceed thereunto that they might be the better deceive the people of England, And that therefore they are unwilling to impute such evils to this Nation in General: It is known how many servant prayers and supplications were poured out in this Land before the Lord against that engagement, and we think we may without boasting say, that those prayers had as much influence upon the defeat thereof, as all the power of that army: And since that time that engagement hath been publicly disavowed, disclaimed and repealed by the Parliament of this Kingdom. Neither hath that party any thing to challenge us concerning Malignants, both Kirk and State having constantly followed, and being still about their duties against them, without conniving at, or complying with them in their courses. It is true that this Kingdom and Kirk have protested and testified against the proceed of Sectaries in reference to Religion and Government; Which we could not but do, unless we had forgotten our duty, and the Christian mutual ties that lie upon us, not only as sister Churches, but as Covenanted Churches, and so make ourselves partakers of their sins, and exposed ourselves to the hazard of their plagues. We in this Land being therefore conscious to ourselves of nothing but duty; If they shall invade us for following the same, Shall not GOD look upon it and avenge it?  
Whilst we incite men to their duty in the defence of the Kingdom against invasion, and encourage them in performance of the same, We desire not to be mistaken, or that any should so far misconstrue our meaning, as though we did thereby intent to stir up unto, or approve of an invasion of the Kingdom of England, or an engagement in war against the same. In relation to peace or war in these Nations, we cannot but very much commend and approve the resolutions of the Parliament of this Kingdom, expressed in their Letter of the 6th of March to the Speaker of the House of Commons, and Instructions sent therewith to their Commissioners 1649. and now again renewed in another Letter to the same Speaker of the House of Commons, wherein they acknowledge their obligations, and declare their resolutions to observe the rule of remonstrating first the breaches of peace, of craving just reparations, of using all fair means, of giving a preceding warning of three months before any engagement in these Kingdoms in war, And do hold forth this way of procedure in clearing each others, and dealing plainly, as agreeable, not only to particular Treaties, and to the many Ties, Bands, and Declarations passed betwixt the Kingdoms, but also to the Law of GOD, and practise of His people in his word, and to the common law & practice of heathen nations, much more Christian Covenanted Kingdoms; And plainly profess their confidence, that the Covenanted GOD of these Kingdoms, who did take order with these of this Nation, who did unlawfully engage against England, in the year 1648. doth still live and reign, and will being shame and ruin upon whatsoever party in either of these Nations, that without a necessary cause and clear calling, and without observance of the aforesaid rules and order shall offend, and invade the other Nation: In all which we do agree with them in our judgements and resolutions, and conceive that the whole Land is bound to tread the same steps, and to walk according to the same rules.  
Albeit we be diligently to take heed of the danger that threatens from Sectaries, and faithfully to bestir ourselves in our places and stations in the use of all lawful and necessary means for preventing of the same: Yet are we not to forget, but also with the same diligence and care to take heed of these dangers and snares that threaten the work and people of GOD from Malignants. malignancy though a very evil weed, yet is not plucked up, but still continues to be one of the raging sins of this Land, it being the snare, wherewith lose hearts, who cannot endure Christ's yoke are most readily taken. Hence it is that there be still many of that stamp in all the three kingdoms, who drawing encouragements to themselves, from the influence they have upon the King's Counsels, and hardening themselves in their way, by the proceed of Sectaries, do still follow their former designs, and wait for their day, and would rejoice in the ruin or halting of these, who adhere to the Covenant: And experience proves that many of these who have seemed to repent of, and abandon that way, yet do not really shake off that sin, that hangs so fast on, but upon new temptations fall again upon that same wickedness, and prove worse then of before; which may be a caution to us not suddenly to trust them. We make no doubt, but that Malignants will by all means endeavour that there may be room left for them to undermine the work and people of GOD, and engage the Kingdom in a new war, upon terms of their devising, destructive to Religion and the Covenant.  
In reference to dangers upon the right hand and upon the left, besides any duty already represented to us: We conceive it incumbent to us, seriously to recommend the following particulars to all the Land, especially to these that are in trust, either in Judicatories or Armies.  
1. First to watch and pray that in nothing they be deceived, or come short of the duty, whereunto the Lord calls them in a time of so many temptations and great difficulties.  
2. Every one would labour not only for the knowledge of the truth, but to have the power and love thereof engraven on their hearts, that they may from an inward principle of grace and spiritual life avoid erour, and all the snares which lead thereunto, and be encouraged to contend earnestly for the Faith, which GOD hath been pleased to deliver to his Kirk in this Land.  
3. Not only is open malignancy to be avoided, but men would watch that enmity against the work and people of GOD, which ordinarily is the birth of jealousy and discontent and of familiar conversing with such as are disaffected to or lukewarm in the cause of GOD, steal not into their hearts, and gain not upon their affections by degrees; Experience almost of all backsliding times and persons hath proven, that the fellowship of men of a disaffected or lukewarm temper, blunts the edge of tenderness and zeal, and steals away the heart, first from honest instruments, and then from the cause itself: There have been and are still some in the Land, who in a cunning way of insinuation foment jealousies, and act divisions, whilst they seem to be friends to the Cause, and by this means do more harm than others by open violence; These we would mark and avoid them, that we may neither endanger ourselves, nor give offence unto others, nor prejudice the Cause of GOD.  
4. We would take diligent heed, that in nothing we recede from the just and necessary desires of this Kirk and Kingdom, propounded to his Majesty for securing of Religion and settling the peace of the Kingdom; But that we cleave closely to our former resolutions in those things: If we remit and grow slack, and yield in any of them, as it shall increase the hopes and endeavours of carnal and disaffected men, so shall it provoke GOD against us to leave us to ourselves, till we be plunged in a pit of backsliding.  
5. It concerns us to take heed that we do not tread the steps of those, who carried on the late unlawful engagement against the Kingdom of England in any thing already condemned by this Kirk and Kingdom, especially to beware of changing the state of our Cause, or altering the matter of our qua rell, either by laying aside of GOD'S interest and taking up of man's, or by preferring or equalling man's interest unto GOD'S: This were to turn upside down the whole tenor of our Principles and procedors, and not only to spoil us of all the comfort we can look for from our Covenant, but also to bring upon ourselves the guilt and reproach of all the sin of those, who carried on that engagement, so much condemned and born testimony against in this Land.  
6. We would beware of losing the advantage of defenders, seeing our strength most consists in the equity and clearness of the Cause, and the holy and righteous way in pursuing of the same: It shall be better for us, rather to endure straits for a time, then by precipitating and making haste in the dark, to rush against the wall, and spoil ourselves of that peace and comfort, which we may have in waiting till GOD go before us.  
7. We desire that all the Land may be still pouring out their prayers and supplications before GOD, that the King's Majesty may really and wholly abandon all Malignant principles and Counsels, and join cordially in the Covenant and Cause of GOD.  
8. As all the people of GOD throughout the Land would be careful to discern of dangers and avoid snares from, and compliances with both Sectaries and Malignants, so would Ministers be diligent and faithful in pressing of these duties, and that in a  and convincing way, and labour to make it appear that they speak not against the one or the other from passion or interest, but upon the grounds of divine reason, and from the light and authority of GOD'S Word, that so they may make themselves manifest to the consciences of their hearers, and stop the mouths of gainsayers.  
Finally all the inhabitants of the Land would be ware of pride and carnal confidence, and in a humble way would wait upon the LORD, and tread the steps of holiness and righteousness, and he who hath done great things for us, shall yet save us.  
A. KER.  
FINIS.