The true CHARACTER Of such as are MALIGNANTS in the Kingdom of SCOTLAND.  
By way of Information and Direction to the Ministry of that Kingdom.  
ALSO The Indiction of a public FAST the third Sunday of February next, and the Thursday following.  
By the Commissioners of the general Assembly of the Church of SCOTLAND.  
Wherein is showed their zeal to the glory of God, and the fellow-feeling they have of their Brethren, the Members of Christ's Body.  
LASTLY, Lamenting the present Distraction of the Church, and Kingdom of ENGLAND.  
LONDON, Printed for HENRY OVERTON, and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head-Alley. 1643.   

Directions to Ministers anent Malignants: By the Commissioners of the general Assembly of the Kirke of SCOTLAND.  
COncerning a sort of Enemies, the Malignants, whether they be such as from the beginning oppose the work of Reformation of Religion in this Land, or such as show themselves upon whatsoever pretence, backward and disaffected to the Reformation of Religion of England, so much endeavoured by this Kirke from our zeal to the glory of Christ, our desire of the happiness of our Neighbour Kingdoms, our fears of apparent danger to the Religion here, if they be not made one with us in unity of Religion and uniformity of Church government: And our hopes by the blessing of God, to have a pattern from the Word set up in this Island, for the example of other Kirkes' abroad. Because Enemies of this kind may prove most dangerous if they be not discovered and avoided, it is at this time our duty to make such Malignants known to the people that they be not deceived and drawn away from their own steadfastness, and from the love of Christ and of their Brethren: But in doing this duty we have great need of wisdom, and the Spirit of discerning, that we neither take our friends to be our enemies, and by that mistake discourage the well affected and multiply enemies against ourselves, nor such as are indeed enemies to be our friends, and thereby wrong the cause of God and weaken ourselves in seeking after Reformation: and therefore they must not be taken for enemies who hope the best of the King's Majesty, and profess that they love his honour (which is the calumny of the Malignant, against the seekers of Reformation) nor such as in the beginning through want of persuasion were not so forward for Reformation, nor such as in debate of matters do possibly differ in their judgements from others, about some Circumstances, and midses which may lead to the desired end of unity in Religion, provided their conversation be such as beseemeth the Gospel of Christ; and for the substance and reality of their Speeches and actions in private and public, they be known to contribute their best endeavours for Reformation.  
Upon the other part, such as be enemies indeed may be known, first, by their malicious Censuring and calumniating of the civil and ecclesiastical meetings of this Kirke and Kingdom which are held for conserving of peace betwixt the Kingdoms, and for endeavouring by all good means the unity of Religion, as if they tended to the diminition of the King his greatness and Authority in England. 2. By their despising or misregarding of the public resolutions agreed upon for so good ends. 3. By their notable injuring the King's Majesty in his honour, in attributeing to his Majesty whatsoever is plotted by bad Counsellors, or acted by the Popish and Praelaticall party, as if there were not a difference betwixt the King and them, or betwixt the King and his Authority, and the pretence and abuse thereof. 4. By slandering and traducing all such as labours to promote the reformation, in England, not spareing them who are in places of Government, and whom God hath honoured to be worthy instruments in our own reformation, as if they were enemies to the King's honour, and were serving their own private ends, without respect to the public. 5. By their going about & endeavouring to make the hearts & hands of others to faint in the work of reformation, and if it were possible to make them as Malignant & disaffected as themselves. 6. By labouring to bring the Parliament of England in suspicion, as if they intended to … st the yoke of royal Authority, or intended not the reformation of religion, and unity with this Kirke. 7. By their insolency an● boasting when they hear of the success of the Popish and Pragmatical party, and their readiness to assist them according to their power, whereby they bewray their fear of reformation of religion, and their hope to see the day when they shall be avenged upon such as they malign at home.  
When they are known by these and the like practices, we sought to warn the people to beware of their Company, Counsels and seducements; and because such Malignants shroud under the false pretence of Loyalty to the King's Majesty, without respect to religion or the good of religion, we ought in all our Speeches and Prayers to testify our faithfulness and high respects to the King's Majesty, and also to press and pray for the unity of religion, and for the prospering all the good ways that may conduce for so blessed a work, as serving for the honour of God, and for the King his greatness, and the true peace of his Kingdoms, declaring all such as oppose the unity of Religion to be enemies to God, to the King, and to the peace and prosperity of the Kingdoms.  
Now since it is incumbent to us by our calling, and committed to us by the general Assembly according to our calling, to use all lawful and Ecclesiastic ways for furtherance of reformation and unity of Religion, for continuance of our own peace at home, and of the common peace betwixt the Kingdoms, a necessity is laid upon us.  
First, to give warning to the people of the danger of the Protestant religion, through the Popish Armies in England and Jreland, pretending that they are better and more dutiful Subjects than the Protestants, but intending no less than the ruin of the reformed Religion, and the planting of their Heresy, Idolatry, and Tyranny in a more compendious way than could have been, done by the late Service-booke, and Book of Cannons in which course if they shall by their power prevail, it shall be impossible for the King's Majesty to suppress Popery, and maintain the true religion, conform to the many promises contained in his Majesty's Declarations; They will soon cast off their professed Allegiance and subjection, and it will be no easy matter for this Church and Kingdom, whence they conceive all their troubles and disappointments to have issued to resist that violence, especially considering what a disaffected and discontented party we have at home in our own bosom.  
Secondly, since unity in the truth hath been our strength since the beginning, we ought by all good means in public and private, to prevent and remove all divisive motions which by malicious and crafty sichophants are endeavoured by spreading of Calumnies and Islanders against the present Government, and putting aspersions on such, whether of the Nobility & Gentry, Burroughs and Ministry; as the Lord hath honoured to be faithful and happy Instruments in his work, from the beginning having endured the heat of the day, and resolved to be constant unto the end.  
Thirdly, that since by the providence of God the two Kingdoms are so strongly united, and there be hopes of a more strong union by unity of religion. It is our duty to labour to remove and prevent all occasions of jealousies and suspicions betwixt the two Kingdoms, and to do or say nothing that may breed misunderstandings, break off correspondence, weaken the confidence or infringe the Union and Peace betwixt the two Kingdoms, so happily established in his Majesty's presence and with his royal consent in both Parliaments.  
Fourthly, because when we speak for the King's honour and for obedience to civil Authority in all things lawful, our speeches are wrested by perverse men to their corrupt ends, as if we loved not the reformation of religion in England and Ireland; and when we speak of reformation, we are traduced as enemies to the King and to royal Authority, which may make a great mistaking and work dangerous effects amongst the people, who love both reformation of religion and the King's honour: Therefore in this difficulty we ought to show in our Doctrine, that there is no repugnancy, betwixt the King's Authority, and the reformation of religion, that nothing can serve so much for his Majesty's glory and the greatness of his Kingdoms, as doth the reformation of religion in all his dominions, and that such as are opposite to the reformation, are greatest enemies to the King's honour, whatsoever they profess or swear to the contrary, and also to explain the difference betwixt the King's power and just authority, and the pretending and abusing thereof by such men for their own private ends; and to show that oppoisiition to such men and their ways, is a true testimony of faithfulness and loyalty to the King.  
That the Presbiteries be careful to discern and try these Malignants and to reclaim or censure them according to the Acts of the Assembly, and to make report of their diligence to the next Assembly.  
In end, because much every way doth depend upon us of the Ministry, we have need to stir up ourselves and the people in truth and unity, which by the blessing of God will be a powerful mean to preserve our Religion, and to propagate the fame to other Churches groaning under their several burdens and panting for such a reformation as the Lord in mercy hath granted unto us.   

Indiction of a Public FAST, by the Commissioners of the General Assembly of the Kirke of SCOTLAND.  
WHereas by the late general assembly, power is committed unto us, to consider and perform what we find necessary by all lawful and Ecclesiastic ways, for furtherance of the union in Religion and unity in Kirke government, for continuance of our own peace at home, and of the common peace in, and betwixt the two Kingdoms. We find it necessary that there shall be a solemn fast and humiliation kept in all the Kirkes' of this Kingdom upon the third Sunday of February next, and the Thursday following, for the causes add motives following.  
1. Although within these few Years we renewed the Covenant and Vowed solemnly to stand to the former reformation of Religion, and to reform ourselves and our Families We have notwitstanding fallen from the zeal and fervency of our affection at that time, many persons of all ranks and callings are grown lukewarm and are content with a mere formality and show of godliness, without inward power yea sins and vices abound as in the time of corruption, Family worship, mutual edification & stirring up on of another by information admonition, consolation rebuke much neglected & Ministers negligent in urging the same all which are so much the more heinous because of our unthankefullnes after so great mercies & breach of Covenant.  
2. The danger of this Church and Kingdom arising partly from within; by the insolency of Papists in these troublesome times, and divisive motions of the Malignant Party, and creeping in if errors; and partly without, from the Popish Armies and Praelaticall party in England and Ireland, which aim undoubtedly at the disturbance of our peace, and overthrow of the wish of Reformation: The consideration whereof should move us to pray to God to dir ct us in all lawful means which may serve for unity amongst ourselves, that we may be the more strengthened against the common enemy.  
3. In respect of the fellow feeling which we ought to have with the Members of Christ's body fare and near, we have cause to lament the long casting troubles of the Churches abroad in Germany, and else where, and especially the combustions in England, and almost utter desolation in Irela●d.  
4. That the Lord may bless all lawful means to be used for preserving the union and peace betwixt the two Kingdoms, and procuring the unity of Religion, and uniformity of worship and Church Government within his Majesty's Dominions especially that God would grant a good success to the Treaty and travels of the Commissioners both of the Parliament and general assembly.  
5. Because the unhappy division; betwixt the King and Parliament of England is a great impediment to the wish of Reformation, and the settling of a firm peace in his Majesty's Dominions: It is our duty to recommend earnestly to the Lord, that the differences may be composed in such a way as may most conduce to the glory of God, and advance the so much wished for unity of Religion and uniformity of Church Government.  
6. Finally, that the Lord would discover and disappoint all the conspiracies plots and machinations, which tend to the execution of the bloody decrees of the council of Trent; the fountain from whence hath issued all the troubles and persecutions to the reformed Churches; and quickly destroy that Man of sin. Amen.   
FINIS.