IT is not unknown to most of the Kingdom, that the Ministers of the Diocess of Aberdeen, gave full and sufficient Evidence of their firm Adherence to the Protestant Religion, and that in the most dangerous times. After it pleased God to bring about this Revolution, and to Establish His Majesty upon the Throne, they did submit unto, and own His Maje­sties Government, and sent several Addresses humbly supplicating for Protection, and had repeated Assurances thereof given them under His Majesties Hand, thorow the benign In­fluences whereof, they lived in their Charges peaceably and Christianly setting about the Office of their Ministry.

It having pleased the Honourable Members of this current Parliament, to abolish Episcopa­cy, thereafter to Establish Presbeterian Government, and having lodged the power in the persons of the then surviving Presbeterian Ministers, and such as they had admitted, or should admit; there was a Meeting of a General Assembly indicted, which accordingly met, but there being none admitted, or present to represent the Nother [...] Diocces, the said Ministers did humbly Address themselves to His Majestie, who thereupon at the next General Assem­bly recomended to the Members thereof, to admit of their Brethren who conformed to Epis­copacy, in the Terms of a formula, which His Majestie was graciously pleased to concert for them.

Conform, and in Obedience to His Majesties Letter, the Ministers foresaid sent their Com­missioners to the General Assembly, who in the terms of the said Formula, offered to unite with their Presbeterian Brethren, that so any further Divisions in this Church might be pre­vented, and the Whole Ministry of the Nation might be duely represented in a General Assem­bly, but this their Address being rejected, they returned re infecta.

Thereafter the General Assembly having appointed Committees, to go thorow the North, for Planting Vacancies, and doing some other things for which they had given them particular Instructions, and accordingly these Committees having cited some of the Episcopal Ministers before them, they with some others of their Brethren did meet, and having drawn up some four or five Queries, relating to their Eclesiastical Jurisdiction, to be presented unto the said Committee, where to they desired Resolution 'er they could be clear to submit themselves unto them; to which when they got no Satisfactorie Answer, the Ministers foresaid did with all Submission to the Civil Government, enter their Protestation and appealed to His Ma­jestie for Protection.

The Committee judging that thereby their power is incroached upon, did Address His Ma­jesties high Commissioner and Estates of Parliament, for redressing Grievances: and those that more immediatly concern these Protesters are.

Primo, That they meet in their pretended Presbyteries and Synods, and Act as if they were Legal Judicatories. 2. That diverse of them have intruded into vacant Churches, with­out any legal Call, Allowance of, or Application to any Church Judicatory for that Effect. 3 That the Committee when in the North, met with several Protestations from the Episcopal Ministers, which were Declinatures of the Authority of the Church Judicatures, tending to perpetuat Schism, and a manifest contempt of the Law.

This Address being read in Parliament, it was recommended to the Honourable Committee appointed for Security of the Nation, to consider it, and to call before them the Ministers concerned in these Protestations: and accordingly they being Cited and Compearing, it plea­sed the Praeses and other Members of that Honourable Meeting, to Ordain them to give in Answers to thir several Points underwritten, viz. Primo, By what Authority they kept Meet­ings. 2. How they came to present the Queries to the late Committee of the General Assem­bly. And 3. How they vindicat their Protestation from clashing with the Civil Power. In the Terms of which Ordinance, they having the next day Compeared, gave in their following Answers, viz.

As to the first, viz. By what Authority they keep Meetings, &c. They declared, they did not keep any authoritative Meetings, as Church Judicatories, but only for Consultation and Deliberation, how to demain themselves in their several Charges, for suppressing Sin and Vice, and advancing the Interests of the Gospel: And they being under no Censure from any Judi­catorie, whether Civil or Ecclesiastick, they thought they might continue in such Meetings from time to time, being all along under His, Majesties Protection. As to the Second, viz. How they came to present the Queries to the Committee of the late General Assembly? Its an­swered, that they were encouraged thereunto by the eight Article of Instructions, given by the Assembly, to the Committee foresaid, wherein its seriously recommended to them, and they peremptorly required to take all pains to Inform, Convince and Satisfie all such persons of their Mistakes, who think that they had receeded from their known Principles, and having had no previous Opportunity of Conference, for removing their Scrouples, they humbly conceived that they were obliged to lay hold upon that Occasion. And had there been any Christian and Mi­nisterial Conference afterward allowed them, it is like, before this time their Debaits and Doubts might have been buried, and these things removed out of the way, which are the Occasion of their sad and woful Divisions.

As to the Third, that their Protestation doth clash with the Civil Power, It was Answered, That as hitherto they have owned his Majesties Authority, by praying for his Majesty, keeping the Fasts and Thanksgivings appointed by the Government, and are resolved to continue in so doing. So it was never their Design or Intention to do any thing which might seem to contradict their constant Profession and Practice, neither will they own or adhere to any thing which may appear to be inconsistent therewith: And finally, had they ever thought that this their Ap­peal and Protestation, would have given any offence to the Civil Power, they would never have entered or presented the same.

By all which it may appear, that as hitherto they have indeavoured to live unblemable in their Lives and Doctrine, so they have been so far from designing to do any thing that might be offensive to the Civil Government, that they have hitherto intirely depended upon his Majesties gracious Favour and Protection; and therefore they in all humility expect, that his Majesties high Commissioner, and honourable Estates of Parliament will be convinced of this their sincere Vindication, and allow them the same Protection they have had from His Majesty, they behaving themselves as good Christians and Loyal Subjects in their several Stations.