ord. Out of all which, there will also most
undoubtedly result a most firme & stable Union between the two Kingdomes
of _England_ and _Scotland_, which according to our Protestation, we shall
by all good wayes and meanes, upon all occasions, labour to preserve and
maintain.

_Subscribitur_
John Brown, _Cler. Parl._

_The Assemblies answer to the Declaration of the Parliament of_ England.

The Generall Assembly of the Kirk of _Scotland_ having received a
Declaration sent unto them by the Commissioners of this Kingdome, now at
_London_, from the Honourable Houses of the Parliament of _England_
expressing their care to prevent the effusion of Christian bloud in that
Kingdome, and their affections to Reformation both in Kirk and State, and
having taken the same to such consideration as the importance of so
weighty matters, and the high estimation they have of so wise and
honourable a meeting as is the Parliament of _England_, did require; have
with universall consent resolved upon this following Answer.

I. That from the recent sense of the goodnesse of God, in their own late
deliverance, and from their earnest desire of all happinesse to our native
King and that Kingdome, they blesse the Lord for preserving them in the
midst of so many unhappy divisions and troubles from a bloudy Intestine
War, which is from God the greatest Judgement, and to such a nation the
compend of all calamities. They also give God thanks for their former and
present desires of a Reformation, especially of Religion, which is the
glory and strength of a Kingdome, and bringeth with it all temporall
blessings of prosperity and peace.

II. That the hearts of all the Members of this Assembly, and of all the
wel-affected within this Kingdome, are exceedingly grieved and made heavy,
that in so long a time, against the professions both of King and
Parliament, and contrary to the joynt desires and prayers of the godly in
both Kingdomes, to whom it is more deare and precious then what is dearest
to them in the world, the Reformation of Religion hath moved so slowly,
and suffered so great interruption. They consider that not only Prelates,
formall Professours, profane and worldly men, and all that are Popishly
affected, are bad councellours and workers, and do abuse their power, and
bend all their strength and policies against the Work of God; but the God
of this world also, with Principalities and powers, the rulers of the
darknesse of this world,