A DECLARATION FROM THE General Assembly Of the Kingdom of SCOTLAND IN Answer to a DECLARATION sent by the Parliament of England, concerning the KING and KIGDOME.  
Wherein they declare, in the Name of the Kingdom of Scotland, their sense and resolution touching the King's Majesty, and the Kingdom of England, in relation to His Majesty's Honour, and the Kingdom's Happiness.  
With a brief Abstract of His Majesty's Letter to the General Assembly at Edinburgh, containing the full Resolution of the King's Majesty.  
Agreed upon by the General Assembly, convened at Edinburgh, and extracted forth of the Original, by me Sir Archibald Johnston of Warnston Knight Witnessing my sign and subscription manual.  
A. JOHNSTON, Cler.  
London, Printed for R. W. 1648.   

A Declaration from the General Assembly of the Kingdom of Scotland, in answer to the Declaration sent by the Parliament of England.  
THe General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland having received a Declaration sent unto them from the Parliament of England, and having taken the same into serious consideration, as the importance of soweighty matters did require, have with universal consent resolved upon this following Answer.  
1. That from the receint sense of the goodness of God in their own late deliverance, and from their earnest desire of all happiness to our native King and that Kingdom, they blesse●e Lord in preserving them in the midst of so many unhappy divisions and troubles. They also give God thanks, for their former and present desires of a Reformation, especially of Religion, which is the glory and strength of a Kingdom.  
2. That the hearts of all the Members of this Assembly, and of all the well-affected within this Kingdom, are exccedingly grieved, and made heavy, that in so long●n time against the professions both of King and Parliament, and contrary to the joint desires of the godly in both Kingdoms, to whom it is more dear and precious, than what is dearest to them in the world, the Reformation of Religion hath moved so slowly, and suffered so great interruption. The Kirke and Nation when the Lord gave them the calling, considered not their own deadness, nor staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but gave glory to God: And who knoweth (we speak it in humility and love, and from no other mind, then from a desire of the blessing of God upon our King & that Kingdom) but the Lord hath now some controversy with England, which will not be removed, till first and before all the worship of his Name and the Government of his House be settled according to his own wil When this desire shall come, it shallbe to England, after so long deferred hopes, a Tree of life, which shall not only yield temporal blessings unto themselves, but also shall spread the branches so far, that both this Nation, and other Reformed Kirkes', shall find the fruits thereof, to their great satisfaction.  
3. The Commissioners of this Kingdom, in the late treaty, considering that Religion i● not only the mean of the service of God, and saving of souls, but it is also the base and foundation of Kingdoms and States, and the strongest band of the subjects to their Prince in true loyalty, and to knit the hearts of one to another in true unity and love, they did with preface of all due respect add reverence, represent in name of this Kingdom, the serious thoughts and earnest desires for Unity of Religion, that in all his Majesty's Dominions there might be one Confession of Faith, and one form of Kirk-Government; this they conceived to be acceptable to God Almighty, who delighteth to see his people walking in truth and unity: to be a special means for conserving peace betwixt the Kingdoms, of easing the King's Majesty, and the public government of much trouble, which ariseth from differences of Religion, very grievous to Kings and Estates of great content to the King himself, to his Nobles, his Cor ' and all his People, when occasioned to be abroad, without scruple to themselves, or scandal to others, all may resort to the same public worship, as if they were at their own dwellings; of suppressing the names of Heresies, and Sects, Puritans, Conformists, Separatists, Anabaptists, etc. which do rend asunder the bowels both of Church and Kingdom. His Majesty's late practice while he was here in person in resorting frequently to the exercises of public Worship, his Royal actions in establishing the Worship and Government of this Kirk in Parliamen, and in giving order for a competent maintenance to the Ministry and Seminaries of the Kirk, and his Majesty's gracious Letter to the Assembly which contains his Religious expression.  

The chief Heads of His Majesty's Letter.  
Where any thing is amiss, we will endeavour a Reformation in a fair and orderly way; and when Reformation is settled, we resolved with that Authority wherewith God hath vested us, to defend and maintain it in peace and Liberty against all trouble that can come from without, and against all Heresies, Sects, and Schisms, which may arise from within.  
Upon these encouragements, and having so patent a door of hope, the Assembly doth confidently expect, that England will not bestir themselves in the best way for a Reformation of Religion, wherein Christ is so much concerned in his glory the KING in his honour, the Kirk and Kingdom of England in their happiness, and this Kirk and Kingdom in the purity and peace of the Gospel.  
4. What hope can the Kingdom and Kirk of Scotland have of a firm and durable peace, till the Opposers thereof be plucked up root and branch, as a Plant which God hath not planted, and from which no better fruits can be expected, than such sour Crapes, as this day set on edge the Kingdom of England.  
5. The Usurping Hierarchy being put out of the way, the work will be easy without forcing of any conscience, to settle in England the Government of the Reformed Kirkes' by Assemblies. For although the Reformed Kirkes' do hold without doubting their Kirk Officers, and Kirke Government by Assemblies higher and lower, in their strong and beautiful subordination, to be Jure Divino, and perpetual, yet as it differeth from the Office of a Pastor is almost universally acknowledged by the Prelates themselves and their Adherents, to be but an humane Ordinance, introduced by humane reason, and settled by humane Law and Custom for supposed conveiencies, which therefore by humane authority, without wronging any man's conscience, may be altered and abolished upon so great a necessity, as is a hearty conjunction with all the reformed Kirks, a firm and well grounded peace betwixt the two Kingdoms, formerly divided in themselves, and betwixt themselves by this partition wall.  
6. What may be required of the Kirk of Scotland for surthering the work of Uniformity of government, or for agreeing upon a common Confession of Faith, Catechism, and Directory for Worship, shall according to the Order given by this Assembly, be most wilingly performed by us, who long extremely for the day when King and Parliament shall join for bringing to pass, so great and so good a work.  
 
Extracted forth of the Book of the General Assembly, by me Sir Archibald Johnston Knight, Clericus.  
Witnessing my sign and subscription mannual. A. Johnston. Cler.   

The Copy of a Letter sent from the Assembly at Edinburgh, to the Ministers of the Church of England:  
Right Reverend and beloved in the Lord jesus,  
YOu may perceive, that your last Letter which came so seasonably into our hands, was not only acceptable unto us, but hath also encouraged us to renew, both to the King's Majesty, and his great Council, the desires of the Commissioners of this Kingdom, for unity in Religion in the four particulars remembered by you. We cannot be ignorant, but the opposition from Satan, and worldly men in Kirk, will still be vehement, as it hath been already.  
But we are confident, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that the prayers and endeavours of the godly in both Kingdoms will bring the work to a wished and blessed issue.  
This whole National Kirk is so much concerned in that Reformation and Unity of Religion in both Kingdoms, that without it, we cannot hope for any long time to enjoy our purity and peace, which hath cost us so dear, and is now our chiefest comfort and greatest treasure; which one cause, beside the honour of God, and the happiness of the people of God in that Kingdom) more desired of us then our lives, is more than sufficient to move us to contribute all that is in our power for bringing it to pass.  
And since we have with so great liberty made our desires and hopes known both to King and Parliament, it is a duty incumbent both to you and Us, who make mention of he Lord, and are Watchmen upon the Walls of Jerusalem: never more to keep silence, nor to hold your peace day nor night, till the righteousness of Zion go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth  
And if it shall please the Lord to move the hearts of King and Parliament to hearken unto the motion (for which end we have resolved to keep a Solemn Fast and Humiliation in all the Kirkes' of this Kingdom, the mean by which we have prevailed in times past) we wish that the Work may be begun with speed, and prosecuted with great diligence, by the joint labours of Divines in both Kingdoms, who may prepare the same for the view and examination of a more frequent and Ecclesiastic meeting of the best affected to Reformation there, and of the Commissioners of the General Assembly here, that in the end it may have the approbation of the General Assembly here, and of all the Kirks there, in the best way that may be, we wish and hope at last in a National Assembly.  
Our Commissioners at Edinburgh shall in our name receive and return answers for promoting so great a Work, which we with our heart and soul recommend to the blessing of God, and continue,  
Your loving Brethren, and Fellow-Labourers The Commissioners of the General Assembly; subscribing by our Moderator, and Clerk. 

Robert Douglasse, Moderator.  
Vera Copia, A. Johnston, Cler.     
FINIS.   

Imprimatur,  
G. M.