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

FIRST REGISTER: OVERTURES
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Presbyteries ought to be esteemed of. To the 3d, Wee
judge the Synod will not so determine, except the plurality
sail refuise to joyne with the rest, or to suffer the rest to
joyne with them, in which case our meaning is that both
are to joyne together and acknowledge both parties so
joyned to be the Presbyterie. To the 4th we answere,
Presbytries authorized by these Assemblies which did
precede our differences, need not to be authorized of new,
and cannot be disowned and disauthorized by a Synod.
To the 5 th, Wee meane by this article that both parts of
Presbytries shall joyne together, and be allowed as the
standing Presbytrie, and that the partie who refuseth to
joyne shall be disowned.
Overtures by the Brethren for the Assemblies to their
dissenting Brethren
November 16, 1655.
Having received our Brethren’s answers to the querees
which we proponed for getting cleering in some things
of their overture that were dark and dubious to our
apprehension, conceiving it to be verie seasonable and
conducible for furthering and facilitateing the worke
we are about towards the obtaining of the desireable
union, first of all to have a right understanding of our
Brethren’s meaning, and intention in their overtures,
and all occasions of mistake thereanent removed, albeit
all and everie particular in the querees be not sufficiently
cleered by the answers given thereunto, yet being alto¬
gether unwilling that there should be any delay in the
main busines, without propounding of any new querees
for answer to the matter of their overture and for repre¬
senting some other things which we conceive necessarie
for an happy union, we declare our mynd as follows—
1. As to censures already infficted or pronounced upon
anie of our Brethren who declined and protested against
the Generali Assembhes of S1 Andrews and Dundie, albeit
these censures were upon mature deliberation and just