atechisme in hand; yet are they not
throughly examined by the Committee, nor at all by the Assembly or
Parliament, which we cannot impute to any neglect or unwillingnesse, but
to the multiplicity and weight of their affairs, by which they are sore
pressed, and above their power.

The Directory for Ordination of Ministers (which upon the extreme exigence
of this Kirk was much pressed by the Parliament) is agreed upon by the
Committee and Assembly, and some dayes past is presented to both Houses,
but hath not yet passed their Vote. The Assembly hath been long in debate
about the Officers and Government of the Kirk (concerning which, we
offered the two Papers which wee drew up, according to the practice of our
own, and other Reformed Kirks, and so neere as we could conceive, to the
minde of the General Assembly, and did send to the Commissioners of the
General Assembly) and hath passed many votes about the one and the other,
but hath turned their thoughts to such ripenesse and perfection, that they
could think upon the publishing of them, or presenting them to your sight,
nor is it in their power to do so, without warrant of Parliament. Your
wisedome will consider that they are not a General Assembly, but some
select Persons, called by Authority to give their advice in matters of
Religion, that they walk in a way which hath not been troden by this
Nation before this time, that many things seeme new unto them, and cannot
obtain their assent, till they see them clearly warranted by the Word of
GOD; That matters of the Government of the Kirk have been much
controverted here, and the prejudices against Presbyteriall Government are
many and great; That the two extremes of Prelacie and Independencie, which
latter is the general claime of all Sects and Sectaries, have prevailed
most in this Kirk, and no other thing known by the multitude but the one
or the other; That such as look toward the Government of the Reformed
Kirks, finde a mighty party within and without opposing them; And that
Reformation and Uniformitie must therefore be a work to full of
difficulty, that the hand of the most high GOD, which is now begun to be
streched out in this Land, must bring it to passe.

There was also presented to the Assembly, a new Paraphrase of the Psalmes
in English Meeter, which was well liked of, and commended by some of the
Members of the Assembly; But because we conceived that one Psalme Book in
all the three Kingdomes was a point of U