Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

42 THE REGISTER OF CONSULTATIONS
that the Lord’s indulgeance unto such who many dayes
agoe did separate from the Church of England by the power
of many tentations through persecution and errours in
the worship and ordinances of God cannot build any such
hope of the like indulgeances to such of our Brethren who
would forsake a church so constituted and reformed in all
the ordinances of Christ as the Church of Scotland now is,
and in them selves receaved not onlie life but comfortable
encrease thereof day by day. There be endeavours in
another way for clearing this and other truthes that are
called unto question in these unstable times which the Lord
wee trust shall in His owne good time bring foorth, Only
for this season wee being together, and our hearts made
sadd with the fear of the snaires which compasse and
besett many which doe not watchfullie and in fear seeke
to be guarded against these things, we could not forbeare
before our parting ane from another at this place, to
expresse our humble and earnest requeist, and in the fear
of the Lord to warne all, that they would not hasten unto
these things which the Lord hath so often reproved, and
Who we trust shall suddenly come unto His temple in
these Nations, and visit us with His salvation. The good
hand of our God hath so farre appeared with them who
have essayed some what of that longed for worke (the
apprehended impossibilitie whereof hath been the snaire
of many), that wee must gather and conclude the thoughts
of His he^irt to be gracious to this poore distressed and
despised Church, and that shee hath not as yet been for¬
saken. So wee trust, through the grace whereby He loved
us and choised us to make us His people, shee shall not be
forsaken of Him when shee is afflicted and tossed with
tempest, and not contorted, but as it were in the dust,
and her friends standing aloofe from her, and her children
disowning her, whose greefe ere long it may be that they
have so gone from us before they have well considered
their owne spirits, or tryed the spirits of others, or con¬
sidered or searched the scriptures either in reference to
what they have professed and covenanted or what they
have contrarie thereto rashlie embraced. Amongst many