TO OUR REVEREND AND Wellbeloved Brethren THE Assembly of Divines at Westminster, THE Ministers of LONDON, and all other well-affected Brethren of the Ministry in ENGLAND.  
Presented to the Ministers of London this 13th. of December 1647.  

Decemb. 13. 1647.  
Imprimatur  
Ja. Cranford.   
LONDON, Printed for Ralph Smith; 1647.   

TO Our Reverend and well-beloved Brethren, The Assembly of Divines at Westminster.  
Right Reverend and dearly beloved Brethren:  
AS the General Assembly of this Church, and their Commissioners have upon many former occasions, expressed their great respects and special affection to our Brethren of England, and how much they valued and minded the Lords work there: Of which also their actions have been real Testimonies. So we have thought good in this present juncture, or rather dis-juncture of affairs to add this new Testimony and symbol of brotherly love: And so much the more, lest either the Commissioners of this Church, their return from London to their particular flocks, after four year's absence; or any informations spread by disaffected persons might make some of our Brethren in that Kingdom, grow somewhat less confident of the constancy of our affection to them, and to that common cause, which both they and we did undertake, and are obliged to prosecute with our best endeavours all the days of our lives. Wherefore we do at once both 〈◊〉 and trust that our Brethren will be as confident as ever Brethren were of Brethren, that by the grace and assistance of Jesus Christ come what may come, no alteration of affairs whatsoever shall ever remove us from those principles and intentions, which have been professed before God and all the world, in our solemn Covenant, and in our public Declarations from time to time. We should think it a greater sin in us then in others, and should certainly expect a dreadful curse and exemplary judgement from the righteous God, if ever there shall be cause to say that the Church of Scotland remembered not the brotherly Covenant. We own indeed all loyal subjection, and lawful obedenice to the King. Neither shall our prayers and best endeavours be wanting for the preservation and defence of his Royal person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdoms: but God forbidden that we should ever separate or connive at any who would separate what the Covenant linketh together, the glory of God and good of Religion, being always the principal, and God's interest more than Caesar's, although not exclusive of Caesar's.  
And now dear Brethren, although we are confident of you through the Lord, that you neither are, nor will be otherwise minded then to stand fast in the truth of Christ, and to be faithful to the death in the Covenant you have taken: yet give us leave to stir you up, by putting you in remembrance. That whereto you and we have already attained, there may be a walking by the same rule, and minding of the same thing.  
The Directory of worship being about two years ago agreed upon by the Assemblies, and Parliaments of both Kingdoms.  
The Doctrinal part of Church-Government agreed upon by the reverend & learned Assembly of Divines was at the same time with the Directory of worship approved by the general Assembly and ratified by the Parliament of this Kingdom, the Confession of Faith is also approved by the last general Assembly as sound and orthodox for the matter, and agreed unto on their part, that it be a part of the uniformity and a Confession of Faith for the Churches of Christ in the three Kingdoms.  
The other things communicated from thence unto this Church, namely a Directory of Church Government Cateisme, and new paraphrase of the Psalms in metre are printed and published here, to be considered and examined against the next general Assembly to be held in july 1648, we wish and hope that you all may stand fast and firm together in the same principles & rules, and that these results of so long and learned Syndiocall debates may generally find acceptance through tho Kingdom; It cannot be expected that such a Reformation as is according to the mind of Christ, and tendeth to the casting out of Satan's Kingdom, to the censuring of profaneness, and suppressing of errors and heresy, can be carried on without a mighty and strong opposition: But how strong soever the opposition be, it is but the strength of Satan and wicked men; the weapons of your war fare (if well handled) are more strong and mighty through God to the casting down of every thing that exalteth itself against the Kingdom of Christ: The eyes of God, Angels, and Man, are now in a more special manner upon you, observing how to acquit yourselves in this time of trial.  
Blessed shall they be whosoever shall not be offended at the covenant and cause of Christ, but shall be ready to speak, do or suffer for it, whatsoever God calleth them unto; and shall neither be ashamed of it when it is set aside and abandoned by many, nor afraid to own it, and to give a good and honest Testimony for it, even when it is opposed and persecuted.  
We know your temptations are many and great, yet such as God hath in his word forewarned you of, promising withal that with your temptation; he will make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it: Faithful is he who hath called you, who also will do it. When you are pressed out of measure and above strength, it is that you should not trust to yourselves but to God; So that when you are weak then are you strong, and when the adversaries of truth are strong, then are they weak. Be it therefore far from you, to be overcome with the tentations either on the right hand by compliance, and doing evil that good may come of it, or on the left, by a despendency of spirit, and casting away of your confidence, which as we trust you will not; so if any among you should, there will be cause to say to him as once it was said to Job, Behold thou hast instructed many, and strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees: But now it is come upon thee and thou faintest, it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. It is indeed the amazement of the Christian world, that after such a Solemn Covenant for extirpation of heresy and schism, these pernicious plants have been suffered to spread more than ever before.  
'tis also a stupendious judgement of God that a little horn should grow forth, and wax great, and have an host given it against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, yea, to cast down the truth to the ground, practiseing and prospering, and even by peace destroying many. Such things God hath permitted long ago, yet but for a time, having prelimited a certain period thereunto. Truth was at last victorious and so shall be. Mean while the greater and more horrid the present evils be, 'tis the more necessary for you, and you have the clearer call from God to give testimony against them and the greater were the sin and danger if you should not: But we are the more confident that you shall not fall under this sin and danger, because you have already by your Sermons and Writings so much witnessed for the truth, and against the errors of these times. This we must further say from our own experience, that faithful endeavours of these who were both few and weak, in the greatest extremities, and in the difficulties appeared most in-superable, have not wanted a blessing and comfortable success. God can as easily drive all the monstrous Errors and Heresies out of England, as once he took away all the locusts out of Egypt by a mighty strong west wind, so that there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. God can make the earth to open, her mouth and swallow up the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth: it is not in vain in the worst of times to be witnesses for Christ and for his truth, to do duty and trust God with events. As many as walk according to this rule, and will yet sincerely constantly and really endeavour that by their Covenant they are bound to do, shall find that their labour is not in vain in the Lord, the very glory of jesus Christ is highly concerned, and his name interest, and engaged to repudiat, disclaim and overthrow those ways of Error, Schism, Heresy, self interest, and carnal policy, falsely fathered by many upon Christ, under the names of tender Consciences, Saints, and the like,  
And for our part you are in our hearts to die and live with you, and we cease not to make mention of you in our prayers daily: believing also that God hath thoughts of peace towards you and not of evil, to give you an expected end; and that when he hath humbled his people under his mighty hand, and brought them to an acknowledgement of those offences which are the true causes of his controversy, he will awake for their help, and appear for their joy; And then they who are by a temporary success hardened in ways of error or malignancy, shall see it and be ashamed, and shall wonder and perish, but peace shall be upon Israel.  
Edinburgh 26 of Nove. 1647. Subscribed in name of the Commission of the general Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland by M. Robert Douglas Moderator.  
FINIS.