A Declaration of the Officers of the Army in Scotland to the Churches of Chriſt in the three Nations.

ALL the great works the Lord Jeſus hath been doing in theſe three poor Nations, hath been to make his Churches in them a glory, that he might eſtabliſh Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth, and we are confident his heart will never be at reſt, nor his providences ſhortned till upon this Glory he cre­ates a defence, and that ſo ſtrong that the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it: The eſtabliſhing of his Churches we conceive to ſtand upon a double foundation, Truth, and Peace, the Defence he will create upon it, is his own preſence with them in Chriſt, and the Inſtruments in his hand which he has raiſed to be a ſhelter to them in the worſt of times.

Of this latter we may ſpeake it to the praiſe of free-grace, that no perſons in their capacity have been more Inſtrumental in the hand of God then the Army, through whoſe faithful endeavours for Chriſt and his Ordinances, and the Liberties of his people, God has been pleaſed to redeem the preci­ous2 priviledges of his Saints, (upon whoſe account all other Rights are onely valuable,) from mixture in their Ordinances, from un juſt and Antiſcriptural u­ſurpation upon their conſciences, to a State of Free­dome, to profeſſe and practice any thing that is war­ranted by the word, though diverſly interpreted according to that meaſure of the ſpirit, which Jeſus Chriſt the head is pleaſed to diſpenſe.

The proſecution of which, while God gives us an opportunity to ſerve our Generation, we muſt ſtill hold forth to be the principle and practiſe of the Army, however different they may ſeem in the ways they pitch upon to promote it.

The bleſſing alſo that has followed it, though it is not the alone motive to make us at this time declare it to you, becauſe we know Chriſts work is wages (let it be ſuceſſ'd how he pleaſes, by ſowing in teares or reaping in joy) Yet is it enough to encourage us as to the iſſue let it be what it will, the work carrying in it acceptance with him whom we would onely pleaſe, and engagements of your ſelves, as to your prayers coincident with the end of all his glory, which the Churches are to hold forth in all ages.

In order to this we do (as in the omniſcient eye of our dear Lord Jeſus who walkes in the midſt of you) declare.

Firſt, That we own & aſſert the Authority of this preſent Parliament which is now through ſad miſtakes and miſapprehenſions interru­pted; and principally, becauſe We do judge that a well regulated Commonwealth is the3 ſafeſt Government to ſecure the juſt Liberties of all the Churches of Chriſt though in diffe­ring forms, and to ball ance the Lamented and circumſtantial differences (whoſe wounds are yet bleeding) in the great ſcale of Chriſtian and ſpiritual Love, and as far as we know our own hearts, the ſecurity it may give to our civil rights as men, are dear to us onely as they relate to this moſt deſired and promiſed unity amongſt Gods people though very divers in their judgements.

Secondly, That to this end, if the Lord again pleaſe out of reſerved mercy to his poor Chur­ches, to unite the Parliament and Army toge­ther, We do declare, that we ſhall aſſert it as the undoubted right of the Churches, and hum­bly repreſent it to the Parliament as our great requeſt, that an impartial and juſt countenance according to the Word, and the nature of their Priviledges, may be afforded to all that may encourage the Miniſtry of the Churches, and that may hedge about the flock of Chriſt, that they may feed quietly in all godlineſſe, and this with the largeſt allowance that Gods Word will admit of both to Paſtors4 and people in what way ſoever conſtituted and congregated.

Thirdly, As further conducing to this end, We do profeſſe our ſelves to be perſons that would follow Truth in Love, and therefore can readily and heartily allow that in affe­ction to all who profeſs Chriſt, and walk in him as they have received him, which we may not poſſibly in Judgment; for as far as we have attained we would walk up, and where we think not the ſame things, we ſhal til God re­veal further, pray for a Spirit to practice that which is unqueſtionably revealed, that we love one another even as Chriſt hath loved us.

Fourthly, We do further Declare, however the preſent exigent may enforce us to the re­ſtraint of ſome of our Brethren and Friends, whoſe miſtakes about their way to this end, ap­pear to our Conſciences to be ſuch as we can­not reconcile either by the Word or their pro­miſes and proteſtations to ſuch a purpoſe as we Declare for, That it is not upon the leaſt account out of diſreliſh of their Judgements as to any profeſſion of Chriſt, which they hold forth, but onely to preſerve the civil peace5 and unity of the Army, that there may be a due time left to the Parliament the ſupreme Authority of the Nation, to put in Ex­ecution the forementioned Ends which they have promiſed and obliged themſelves to, to ſettle this birthright, which we have aſſerted in the poſſeſſion of the Churches, as a fundamental we prize and value as part of the Teſtament in the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, and we ſhould account it a greater mer­cy to have it as free born ſons of Chriſts viſi­ble Kingdome, then whatſoever we as meer Subjects of this Commonwealth may challenge were our Outward Liberties never ſo much advantaged.

Of which, that we may ſee the Topſtone as well as the foundation. We would deſire all the Lords Remembrancers to give him no reſt till he makes Sion a praiſe in the Earth, and ſhall account it no ſmall encouragement to our endeavours, let what difficulty ſoever attend them, to have your prayers as our ſtrength in the Lord, whoſe cauſe and work we hope we own: however we can truely ſay we really intend it, and ſhall believe God will pardon the upright in heart, and if we be miſtaken ſo ought you: forgiving one another even as God for Chriſts ſake hath forgiven you.

Edinb. Octob. 20. 1659.