A DECLARATION And RESOLUTION Of the Lords and Commons assembled In PARLIAMENT, IN ANSWER to the Scots Declaration.  
Wherein is set forth the true Zeal and Affection betwixt both Kingdoms, for the Reformation of Church-Government.  

ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, That this Declaration be forthwith printed and published:  
Hen. Elsing, Cler. Parl. D. Com.   
London, Printed for Edward Husbands and John Frank, and are to be sold at their Shops, in the Middle Temple, and next door to the King's head in Fleetstreet.  
September 23. 1642.   

 Tudor rose  Scottish thistle  French fleur-de-lis  depiction of Irish harp  
A DECLARATION And RESOLUTION Of the Lords and Commons in PARLIAMENT, In Answer to the Scots Declaration.  
THe Lords and Commons in Parliament have with approbation and thanks, received from the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland, a clear Manifestation of the respect which the Lords of His Majesty's Secret Council for that Realm do bear to the welfare and peace of this Kingdom, in the expression of their Affections, wherein they were pleased to second the desires of the General Assembly of that Church for Unity in Religion, and Uniformity in Church Government in His Majesty's three Kingdoms: And having often had that matter in debate, and our most serious consideration; the Christian Advice of that Reverend Assembly, and the grave Council of that Honourable Table concurring with our own Judgement, and Experience of the manifold mischiefs and distractions which the Government of the Prelacy of this Kingdom hath in all Times and Ages produced in this Church and State, Have moved us to bring our Resolution to a more speedy maturity and conclusion; wherein, as we have satisfied our own Reason, so we hope we shall satisfy the loving and Christian desires of our Brethren of Scotland; Although we know that hereby we shall exceedingly irritate that opposite and malignant Party who will bend all their Invention and Force to interrupt this Work, and to ruin and destroy us in the undertaking of it.  
And we desire their Lordships to consider that the Party which hath now incensed and armed His Majesty against us and His other faithful Subjects in this Kingdom, is the very same which not long since upon the very same design of rooting out the Reformed Religion, did endeavour to begin that Tragedy in Scotland; which, whensoever it shall be perfected in either Nation, will easily be accomplished in the other; Religion being the Band and Foundation of the safety and happiness of both. And as we resolve, according to the Nationall Command betwixt the two Kingdoms, to be careful of the peace of Scotland as of our own, so we doubt not but their Lordships and the Nation of Scotland will be careful to express their Brotherly kindness to us, and prudent care of themselves, by restraining the evill-affected amongst them, that they may not foment our troubles; and by all clear ways, according to the Articles ratified in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms, to maintain the Peace and Amity betwixt the two Nations, and to restrain the mischievous attempts and practices of those who are enemies to both; that so, through God's blessing, we may mutually rejoice in one another's happiness, and yield his Majesty such a faithful subjection, as may be honourable to himself, comfortable to his People, advantageous to the Professors of the Reformed Religion in other parts beyond the Seas.   

WE the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled, having with much contentment perused the brotherly and Christian Answer, which the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland have made unto the Declaration formerly sent unto them from us; And finding therein great expressions of love to this Church and Kingdom, and of prudence and faithfulness in propounding those things which may conduce to a more close and firm union of the two Churches and Nations of England and Scotland, in preserving and maintaining the truth and purity of the Reformed Religion, not only against Popery, but against all other superstitious Sects and Innovations whatsoever; Have thereupon resumed into our consideration and care, the matters concerning the Reformation of Church government and discipline, which we have often had in consultation and debate since the beginning of this Parliament: And ever made it our chiefest aim, though we have been frequently interrupted, and powerfully opposed in the prosecution and accomplishment of it.  
And however we continue still in the storm and conflict, finding small abatement of difficulty, and much increase of malignity and perverseness in the opposition, wherewith this great and necessary work of Reformation is encountered; Yet we hearty thank God and rejoice with our Brethren of Scotland, for that Peace, Liberty, and preservation which God hath afforded them, taking it as a pledge and earnest of the like mercy intended to us in his good time, and hoping that he will not only free us from the most grievous and destructive miseries and calamities of a Civil War, but graciously perfect our designs and endeavours of a full Reformation in all matters appertaining to Religion, which as it is the greatest honour and service which God receives from his people; so we acknowledge with our brethren that it is the surest foundation of glory, strength, and happiness, which he bestows upon any Nation.  
The manifold obstructions and impediments which we have met with in seeking this great blessing, do give to us and all God's People, great cause of grief, and works in us an earnest longing for the removal of them: Yet knowing that all the wonderful works of God in this kind have been brought to perfection, through many oppositions and seeming impossibilities, that so the conclusion might be more glorious to His divine Majesty, & comfortable to his children, we cannot but in humility & submission expect the like issue of our wrestling, and striving with that fierce and peremptory opposition which hath been framed, and acted against us by the most subtle and busy engines of Satan, the most pestilent incendiaries among us the Jesuits from abroad, a virulent & discontented party at home, consisting of the Prelatical Clergy, Atheistical projectors against Religion, profane and sensual self-lovers, heightened and inflamed against us, with a spirit of malignity beyond the example of former times, wherein we have had manifold occasions to discern both our own weakness, and imperfections, and the Divine mercy and goodness, and to hope that God having upheld us so long beyond our own strength and merit, will bring us through at last to the full accomplishment of his own praise, and of the joy of this and other Churches.  
We acknowledge it an act of love to us, and of wisdom for the good of both Churches, for which we are thankful both to God and them, that our Brethren of Scotland have bestowed their serious thoughts, and earnest desires for Unity of Religion; That in all his Majesty's Dominions there might be one confession of Faith, one directory of worship, one public Catechism, and one form of Church-Governement. And although it will hardly be obtained punctually and exactly, unless some way might be found for a mutual Communication, and Conjunction of Council and debate in framing that one form: yet both intending the same end, proceeding by the same rule of God's Word, and guided by the same spirit, we hope by God's assistance to be so directed, that we may cast out whatsoever is offensive to God, or justly displeasing to any Neighbour Church, and so fare agree with our Brethren of Scotland, and other reformed Churches, in all substantial parts of Doctrine, Worship and Discipline, that both we and they may enjoy those advantages, and conveniences which are mentioned by them, in this their answer, in the more strict Union of both Kingdoms, more safe, easy and comfortable Government of His Majesty, and both to himself and people, more free Communion in all holy exercises and duties of worship, more constant security of Religion, against the bloody practices of Papists, and deceitful errors of other Sectaries, and more profitable use of the Ministry: for the compass and attaining whereof we intent to use the labour and advise of an assembly of godly learned Divines, for the convening of whom a Bill hath already past both Houses, which had taken effect long since, if we could have obtained His Majesty's Royal assent thereunto. All which considered, we acknowledge the faithful and affectionate expressions of our Brethren, in wishing and desiring this great advantage for us, doth fully deserve those thanks which we have formerly expressed, and no whit stand in need of that apology which they are pleased to make.  
The main cause which hitherto hath deprived us of these, and other great advantages, which we might have by a more close Union with the Church of Scotland, and other reformed Churches, is the government by Bishops, which to strengthen itself hath produced many other differences in Discipline and ceremonies betwixt them and us, and is apt to work in the minds of those who are the approvers and defenders of it, such a disesteem of, and opposition to those Churches, as makes us desperate of that most beneficial and desirable conjunction with them, until this great impediment be removed: whereupon we have entered into a serious consideration, what good we have received from this government by Bishops, which may countervail such a loss and inconvenience, And we are so far from apprehending any satisfaction herein, that we plainly perceive it a cause of many other calamities, dangers, and intolerable burdens, being a dishonour to God, by arrogating to themselves a pre-eminence and power which he hath not given them, by profaning the purity of his ordinances, with the mixture of their own injunctions, by withstanding the frequent and powerful Preaching of the Gospel, that so their usurped authority might receive more easy admittance into the ignorant, and misguided consciences of men, by corrupting the Ministry with Pride, Ambition, Covetousness, Idleness and Luxury, by suppressing the spiritual power and efficacy of Religion, and turning it into formality and Pomp, by inclining to popery, the principles thereof being suitable to this government, and contrary to those principles which were the first grounds of Reformation. We likewise find it most pernicious to the civil state and common wealth, in that the Bishops have ever been active to infuse into our Kings such Tenants and Positions, as are contrary to the fundamental laws of the Kingdom, and apt to introduce Tyranny, and an arbitrary power over the lives, liberties, and propriety of the subject, & that they have been forward to incite the King against his people, & by force of arms to constrain them to submit to such an arbitrary government. and by unlawful contribution ofmoney to assist his Majesty in making war upon his subjects whereof there are many evidences both in those preparations which not long since were made to invade Scotland, and in the war now raised against the Parliament, and kingdom of England, and yet they have showed themselves so ambitious of sovereignty, that they forbear not to maintain in Sermons and printed Books, that the King's Sceptre ought to submit to Aaron's rod, and the Mitre to be above the Sword; which argues in them an Antichristian spirit to exalt themselves above all that is called God, and a design (when they have brought the Kingdom to be disposed at his pleasure) to subject his Majesty to their own arbitrary censures that themselves may triumph in the bondage and slavery both of King and people. Upon all which & many other reasons we do declare, That this government by archbishops, Bishops their Chancellors, and Commissaries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacon's, & other ecclesiastical officers depending upon the Hierarchy, is evil and justly offensive and burdensome to the kingdom, a great impediment to Reformation and growth of Religion, very prejudicial to the state and government of this kingdom: And that we are resolved that the same shall be taken away. And according to our former Declaration of the seventh of February, Our purpose is to consult with godly and learned Divines that we may not only remove this but settle such a government, as may be most agreeable to God's holy Word most apt to procure and conserve the peace of the Church at home, and happy union with the Church of Scotland, and other reformed Churches abroad, and to establish the same by a law which we intent to frame for that purpose to be presented to his Majesty for his Royal assent. And in the mean time humbly to beseech his Majesty that a Bill for the Assembly may be passed in time convenient for the meeting to be by the fift of November next, the miserable estate of the Church and kingdom not being able to endure any longer delay.  
This being the resolution of both Houses of Parliament, we do desire our brethren of Scotland to concur with us in petitioning his Majesty, that his Royal authority may be applied to the conservation of a firm unity between the two kingdoms, and that they likewise will think good to send to the same Assembly some godly and learned Divines of that Church, whereby an uniformity in form of Church government may be obtained, and thereby a more easy passage made to the settling of one Confession of faith, One Liturgy or directory of the public worship, & one Catechism in all the three kingdoms. Which we hope through God's blessing will have such an effect in all his Majesty's dominions, as will much advance the honour and service of God, enlarge the greatness power and glory of the King, confirm the peace security & prosperity of all his good subjects, make way to the relief and deliverance of the poor afflicted Churches abroad, and to the total abolishing of the usurpation and Tyranny of Rome, being the prime cause and fountain of all the miseries and calamities, the bloody massacres, outrages, cruelties, and bitter persecution of God's people in all he Christian world for many Ages.   
FINIS.