648. Post Meridian Sep. xxi. _A Declaration of the
General Assembly concerning the present dangers of Religion and
especially the unlawful engagement in War, against the kingdom of
England_. Together with many necessary exhortations and directions
to all the Members of the Kirk of Scotland." Records of the Kirk of
Scotland, pp. 498-505. Edited by A. Peterkin.--_Ed._]

350 [At a meeting of the Committee of Estates, on the 6th of January,
1651,--"Rege Presente. The letter from the Presbytery of Stirling to
the Commission of the Generall Assembly, still disclaiming the kings
intereste, and the unity of all the subjects of the land to assist
their countrey against the comon enimey, redd, with the Commission
of the Generall Assemblies ansuer therto, redd lykwayes approvin and
ordained to be published and printed." (Balfour's Annales, vol. iv.
p. 235). The Commission of the Assembly complained, that the letter
of the Ministers of the Presbytery of Stirling, which was printed at
Edinburgh 165l, had prefixed to it "the false and odious title of _A
Remonstrance of the Presbtytery of Stirling against the present
conjunction with the malignant partie_." ("Answer of the
Commission," &c. dated Perth, 6 Jan. 1651 p. 19. Printed at
Aberdeen, 1651). What Binning now advances is in vindication of the
Letter of the Presbytery of Stirling and in reply to the Answer of
the Commission. Mr. James Guthrie, and Mr. David Bennet, Ministers
at Stirling, were charged by the committee of Estates with training
this Letter, and summoned to appear before them, at Perth, on the
19th of February, 1651, to answer for their conduct.--"Acts of Parl.,
vol. vi. p. 578."--_Ed._]

351 ["And first, we shall desyre every one seriously to consider the
case and condition wherein the kingdome is engaged and standeth at
this tyme, that now we are not upon an engagement of invasive warre
but upon necessary defence against a forraign enemy, who hath not
only injustly invaded us, but also (through the holy permissive
providence of God) slaine many of our brethren with the sword,
subdued a great part of the land, is oppressing the people of God
therein, and following his injust designes and intentions against
the rest of the kingdome, that in this case, in the ordinary way of