THE various Dispensations wherewith the righteous and wise Lord of Heaven and Earth hath been exercising us these many years bygone, cries loud to all the Sub­jects in Scotland, who have not laid aside all sense of sinne & duty, to reflect seriously upon the publick Transactions of this Church & Nation; especially upon the deportment thereof to the KING and the Royal Authority: And while the Lord is pleased to fix such Thoughts upon our Spirits, we cannot, unless we would blindfold our own Consciences, stop the mouth thereof, hide our sinne in our bosome with Adam, & keep fast Deceit under our Tongue, but give glory to God in an ane humble and inge­nuous Confession, as of the National guiltiness of Scotland, so of our own iniquity, in so farre as we have been any way accesso­ry to these sinfull and rebellous affronts and wrongs which have been put upon Royal Authority, whether during the Reign of our late most Gracious Soveraign, that blessed Martyr CHARLES the I, or since his horrid Murder, to our Gracious King, who now in the Lords most wonderful and gracious Providence, reigns over us; and particularly we acknowledge these sad & grievous sinnes, to be lying on the Land, and upon us, according to the se­veral Degrees and Measures of our accession, whether driven thereto by force and violence of a prevailing party, through humane weakness in that hour of Temptation, or by sinfull silence and want of Courage to have plead it against such Courses, viz. the rising in Armes against the King, the preaching up the lawfulness of defensive Armes by Subjects a­gainst the Supreme Magistrate, which is contrary to Scripture, to all sound Antiquity, to the constant practice of the ancient primitive Church, to the Judgement of all sound Orthodox Di­vines, contrary to our National Confession of Faith, and to the Oath of Alleageance, popular Reformation without, much more against, the Kings special Consent and Authority; The assisting the Kings Enemies by joyning our Forces with them, while as they were in Rebellion against their So­veraign [Page]lord and Master the preaching down the Kings Cause & Interest, and preaching up the Interest of his Enemies; the giving out a Paper, called A seasonable warning for delivering up the King at Newcastle, and that without any Assurances either by Writ or Pledges for his Majesties Security, safety, honour and free­dome, although there was no sufficient Hostage in that Land to have been given for his sacred Person; The preaching against the intend it Relief of his Majesty of precious Memory, when he was a suffering Prisoner in the Isle of Wight, anno 1648, where he was detained till at last these Usurpers brought him to that fatal Block; The putting unjust Limitations and Restrictions upon out gracious King, who now reigns over us by Gods bles­sing (in despight of all open and vailled Enemies, who of late have put on the Robe of Loyalty) before he was admitted to the Exercise of his Royal power; The indignities which were put upon his sacred Majesty, by a factious and treacherous par­ty in that infamous and treasonable Remonstrance; The oppo­sing of the publick Resolutions, both of King, Church and State by that party for the just & necessary defence of King, Religion, Honour, Country & all which was dear to Men or Christians, the Land being invaded, & one half thereof being possess'd by an Ar­my of Sectaries, who by force & fraud had inslaved their own na­tive Countrey, that ancient and famous Kingdom of England: And although these sinnes of the Remonstrance, opposing of, and protesting against the publict Resolutions, be not a National guiltiness, both the one and the other being testifyed against and Condemned by the generality of the State, Church and Country: yet these being the guiltiness of a party in the Nation, we could not omit them as matters of just provocation against God Almigh­ty: The excluding of the Kings interest out of the state of the quarrel betwix his Majesties own Army, and that Usurper and Tyrant, Oliver Cromwell, by that infamous Act of the west-Kirk: The forcing of the Kings Majesty, being then in their power rather as a noble prisoner than a free King, sore against his Royal will to subscribe Declarations against himself and his Royal Family: The little sympathy with his Majesty in his suf­ferings abroad: The sinfull neglect of Duty for fear of men in not praying for him in publict, sinfull silence in nor preaching abso­lutly against the Usurpers, too much at least passive complyance with them, sitting down like Issachar under the burden, and being [Page]like Ephraim a silly dove without a heart. For those, and sinnes of the like Nature done against the Royal authority, God in his Justice and Wisdome, brought and keeped us long under a sad Captivity and bondage. And have not all the Land and we ac­cording unto the measure of our accession more nor reason to confess guiltiness before God, Men and Angels, and to intreat earnestly for mercy therefore at the throne of Grace? And now since is hath pleased the Eternal God, by whom Kings Reign, to bring back our native King, and to settle him upon his Royal An­cestors throne, for which we shall desire to bless the Lord while we live. We conceive that upon this signal Mercie God calls us to engage, likeas hereby we do in the strength of God, engage our selves never to be accessory to any disloyal principle or practise, but declare our utter abhorrence thereof, and of every thing that may have any tendency that way, oblieging not only our selves to subjection, obedience and submission to the Royal Authority and Commands, but also to preach Loyalty, subjection, obedience and submission, and to press the samen from the word of God and according thereto upon all his Majesties subjects under our Mi­nistry. And that it is sinfull and ungodly for subjects to resist the Kings Authority but in case of dissatisfaction in any thing com­manded by his Majesty, it is their duty to suffer: And because it hath pleased the Kings Majesty and his high Court of Parliament for the over reaching of several ministers in Scotland, their out­streatching of Presbyterial Government by making it run in an ex­centick line in medling with civil concernments and [...]o [...]ng [...]i [...]h the supreme Authority, and upon other grave Considerations, known to themselves, which becomes us not to search unto, to take away and rescind the Laws and Acts of Parliament where­by the Government of this Church had any Civil Authority. That it would please the Kings Commissioner's Grace, and the High Court of Parliament, to Join with us in this our earnest Pe­tition, and to transmit the samen to his sacred Majesty. That he will allow us to be still under his Majesties protection; and that he may be pleased in his Wisdom and Goodness, to settle the Go­vernment of this rent Church, according to the Word of God, the practise of the ancient primitive Church in such way as may be most consistent with Royal Authority, may conduce most for godliness, for unity, peace and order, for a learned, godly, peace­able, loyal Ministerie, and most apt to preserve the peace of [Page]the three Nations: For doing whereof, we shall be earnest to supplieat God in his Majesties behalf for Wisdome, Counsel and Direction. We have conceived this Emission to be a duty lying upon us, in reference to God, to the King, to this Church and Land, and for the exoneration of our own Consciences before the World. And although this has been our principal motives, yet it hath been no small encouragement to this Synode, that we have been put in remembrance by that Noble and worthy Lord the Earl of Marshell in his Letter to the Assembly to this effect And for which the Synod renders his Lordship hearty thanks, considering that he, having so great influence in this Corner of the Land, may be very instrumental for advancing Religion, Justice and Loyalty here. And this Paper we have ordained to be registred in our Synod Books ad futuram rei memoriam: And in testimony of our unanimitie therein, We have all sub­scribed it with our Hands. At the Kings Colledge at Aberdeen the 18. of April 1661. years.

• Mr. Alex: Ross Minister of Monimusk and Moderator.
• Mr. Jo. Patersone Minister at Aberdeen
• Mr. John Menzies, Professor of Divinity and Minister at Aberdeen
• Mr. Geo: Meldrum, Minist: at Aberdeen:
• Mr: Wil:Douglas, Professor of Divinity in the Kings Colledge of old Aberdeen.
• Mr. Andr. Straughan Minister at Kintore
• Mr: Will. Cheyne Minister at Byce.
• Mr. Geo. Melvil Min. at Upper-Macher:
• Mr: Will:Chalmer, Min. at Skeene.
• Mr. Dav.Lyell, Min:at Banchorie-Devnie
• Mr: Dav: Lindsay. Min: at Drum-maag.
• Mr. Alex: Garioch, Min. at Peter-Coulter
• Mr. Jo. Seaton, Minister at Foverane.
• Mr Jo. Paterson, Minister at Eiloun:
• Mr: Gilb:Anderson, Minister at Crudan:
• Mr: Wil Mushatt, Minister at Slaines:
• Mr: Wil:Seatone, Min. at Logiebuthan:
• Mr Rob: Ogilvie, Minister at Methluck:
• Mr. Wil Keith Minister at Udny:
• Mr. Jo:Ross, Minister at Birss:
• Mr Geo. Burnett, Min, at Kineardin,
• Mr Wil. Seatone, Min. at Lumphanan,
• Mr. Tho. Ross, Minister at Aboyne.
• Mr: Lod Dunl [...], Minist: at Tarlan.
• Mr Arth. R [...]ss, Min. at Kinarnie.
• Mr. An [...]. Skeene Min:at Clunnie.
• Mr Jo: Fergussone, Min:at Glenmuick
• Mr Rob: Forbes, minist: at Coldstone,
• Mr. Wil: Douglas, minist:at Middm [...]rr
• Mr Adam Barclay, minister at Towie,
• Mr Wil.Duncan, minister at Kildrimmie
• Mr Ja, Gordon, minister at Touch
• Mr Wil. Glass, minister at Cushnie,
• Me Geo.Garden, minister at Clatt.
• Mr Tho. Thores, minister at Daviot.
• Mr Wil. Forbes minist: at Moeturie
• Mr Jo. Gellie, minister at Kinkell
• Mr Alex: Middletone, min, at Raine
• Mr Ja. Willocks, minister at Kemnay
• Mr Geo:Milne, minister at Premnay, and Clerk to the Assembly.
• Mr Arth;Ore, minist. at Colsalmond
• Mr Wil: Burnett minister at In [...]h
• Mr Jo.Strang, minister at Oyne
• Mr Wil; Chalmer, minister at Boynlie
• Mr James Chalmer, minister at Culian
• Mr Wil.Stevintone, minister at Fordyre
• Mr Jo, Watsone, minister at Ordefall
• Mr Andr:Hendersone. min: at Deskford
• Mr. Wil, Jaffray, min:at King Edward
• Mr Alex; Garden, minister at Forgue
• Mr Wil; Gray, minister at Aucterlesse
• Mr Ja; Moore minister at Rathen
• Mr. Jo; Robertson, min. at Langfergus.