pone, consult, treat, and conclude with that Assembly, or any Commissioners deputed by them, or any Committees or Commissioners deputed by the Houses of Parliament, in all matters which may further the union of this Island in one Form of Kirk-Government, one Confession of Faith, one Catechism, one Directory for the worship of God, according to the instructions which they have received from the Assembly, or shall receive from time to time hereafter from the Commissioners of the Assembly deputed for that effect: with power also to them to convey to His Majesty the humble answer sent from this Assembly to His Majesty's letter, by such occasion as they shall think convenient; and, sicklike, to deliver the Assembly's answer to the letter sent from some well-affected brethren of the ministry there; and generally authorises them to do all things which may further the so much desired union, and nearest conjunction of the two Churches of Scotland and England, conform to their instructions aforesaid.

Many of the persons who were called by the foresaid Ordinance of the Lords and Commons (in that broken state of the Church) to attend the Assembly appeared not; whereupon the whole work lay on the hands of the persons hereafter mentioned.

The Promise and Vow taken by every Member admitted to sit in the Assembly.

I

A. B. do seriously promise and vow, in the presence of

member, I will maintain nothing in point of doctrine, but what I believe to be most agreeable to the word of God; nor in point of discipline, but what may make most for God's glory, and the peace and good of this Church.

* A LIST OF THE DIVINES,

Who met in the Assembly at Westminster.

DR. William Twisse of Newbury,

Prolocutor.

Dr. Cornelius Burges of Waterford,
John White of Dorchester, Assessors.
Dr. William Gouge of Blackfriars,
London,

Robert Harris of Hanwell, B. D.
Thomas Gattaker of Rotherhithe,
Oliver Bowles of Sutton, B. D.
Edward Reynolds of Bramston,
Jeremiah Whitaker of Streton,
Dr. Anthony Tuckney of Boston,

Thomas Baillie of Mildenhall, B. D. Peter Sterry of London,

Commissioners from the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

ALEXANDER HENDERSON of Edin- John Lord Maitland, afterwards Duke

Assembly at EDINBURGH, August 27, 1647. Sess. 23.

Act approving the Confession of Faith.

A CONFESSION of Faith for the Kirks of God, in

the three kingdoms, being the chiefest part of that uniformity in religion, which, by the Solemn League and Covenant, we are bound to endeavour: And there being accordingly a Confession of Faith agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminster, with the assistance of Commissioners from the Kirk of Scotland; which Confession was sent from our Commissioners at London to the Commissioners of the Kirk met at Edinburgh in January last, and hath been in this Assembly twice publickly read over, examined, and considered; copies thereof being also printed, that it might be particularly perused by all the members of this Assembly, unto whom frequent intimation was publickly made, to put in their doubts and objections, if they had any: And the said Confession being, upon due examination thereof, found by the Assembly to be most agreeable to the word of God, and in nothing contrary to the received doctrine, worship, discipline, and government of this Kirk. And, lastly, It being so necessary, and so much longed for, that the said Confession be, with all possible diligence and expedition, approved and established in both kingdoms, as a principal part of the intended uniformity in religion, and as a special means for the more effectual suppressing of the many dangerous errors and heresies of these times; the General Assembly doth therefore, after mature deliberation, agree unto, and approve the said Confession, as to the truth of the matter; (judging it to be most orthodox, and grounded upon the word of God ;) and also, as to the point of uniformity, agreeing for our part, that a common Confession of Faith for the three kingdoms. Assembly doth also bless the Lord, and thankfully ack ledge his great mercy, in that so excellent a Confessio Faith is prepared, and thus far agreed upon in both k doms; which we look upon as a great strengthening of true reformed religion against the common enemies ther But, lest our intention and meaning be in some particu misunderstood, it is hereby expressly declared and provi That the not mentioning in this Confession the several s of ecclesiastical officers and assemblies shall be no preju to the truth of Christ in these particulars, to be expres fully in the Directory of Government. It is further clared, That the Assembly understandeth some parts of second article of the thirty-one chapter only of kirks settled, or constituted in point of government: And t

✓ although, in such kirks, a synod of Ministers, and other persons, may be called by the Magistrate's authority a nomination, without any other call, to consult and adv with about matters of religion; and although, likewise, t Ministers of Christ, without delegation from their church may of themselves, and by virtue of their office, meet gether synodically in such kirks not yet constituted, y neither of these ought to be done in kirks constituted an settled; it being always free to the Magistrate to advi with synods of ministers and ruling elders, meeting upo delegation from their churches, either ordinarily, or, beir indicted by his authority, occasionally, and pro re nata it being also free to assemble together snynodically, as we pro re nata as at the ordinary times, upon delegation from the churches, by the intrinsical power received from Chris as often as it is necessary for the good of the Church so t assemble, in case the magistrate, to the detriment of th Church, withhold or deny his consent; the necessity o occasional assemblies being first remonstrate unto him by humble supplication.

A. KER.

1

CHARLES I. Parl. 2. Sess. 2. Act 16.

Act anent the Catechisms, Confession of Faith, and ratification thereof.

T

At EDINBURGH, February 7, 1649.

HE Estates of Parliament, now presently convened in this second Session of the second triennial Parliament, by virtue of an Act of the Committee of Estates, who had power and authority from the last Parliament for convening the Parliament, having seriously considered the Catechisms, viz. the Larger and Shorter ones, with the Confession of Faith, with three Acts of Approbation thereof by the Commissioners of the General Assembly, presented unto them by the Commissioners of the said General Assembly; do ratify and approve the said Catechisms, Confession of Faith, and Acts of Approbation of the same, produced as it is; and ordains them to be recorded, published, and practised.