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pofition, and promote the fame, according to our power, against all lets and impediments whatsoever; and, what we are not able ourselves to fupprefs or overcome, we shall reveal and make known, that it may be timely prevented or removed: all which we shall do as in the fight of God.

And, because these kingdoms are guilty of many fins, and provocations against God, and his Son Jefus Chrift, as is too manifeft by our present diftreffes and dangers, the fruits thereof; We profefs and declare, before God and the world, our unfeigned defire to be humbled for our own fins, and for the fins of these kingdoms: especially that we have not as we ought, valued the inestimable benefit of the gofpel, that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof, and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in our lives: which are the causes of other fins and tranfgreffions fo much abounding amongst us: and our true and unfeigned purpose, defire and endeavour for ourfelves, and all others under our power and charge, both in publick and in private, in all duties we owe to God and man, to amend our lives, and each one to go before another in the example of a real reformation; that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation, and establish these churches and kingdoms in truth and peace. And this covenant we make in the prefence of ALMIGHTY GOD, the fearcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the fame, as we fhall anfwer at that great day, when the fecrets of all hearts fhall be disclosed; most humbly befeeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end; and to blefs our defires and proceedings with fuch fuccefs, as may be deliverance and fafety to his people, and encouragement to other Chriftian churches, groning under, or in danger of the yoke of antichriftian tyranny, to join in the fame, or like affociation and covenant, to the glory of God, the enlargement of the kingdom of Jefus Chrift, and the peace and tranquility of Christian kingdoms and common-wealths,

FINI S.

SOLEMN ACKNOWLEDGMENT

OF

PUBLICK SINS

AND

BREACHES. OF THE COVENANT;

AND A

SOLEMN ENGAGEMENT

TO ALL

THE DUTIES

CONTAINED THEREIN,

NAMELY,

Those which do in a more fpecial Way relate unto the DAN GERS of thefe Times.

TOGETHER WITH

The Aft of the Commiffion of the General Affembly 1648, and Aft of Parliament 1649, for Renewing the League and Covenant,

I i

The Act of the Commiffion of the General Affembly, for renewing the SOLEMN LEAGUE and COVENANT.

Edinburgh, October 6, 1648.

HE commiffion of the general affembly confidering, that a great THE Tart of this land have part of this land have involved themfelves in many and grofs breaches of the Solemn League and Covenant; and that the hands of many are grown flack in following and purfuing the duties contained therein; and that many, who not being come to fufficient age when it was first fworn and fubfcribed, have not hitherto been received into the fame: Do, upon there, and other grave and important confiderations, appoint and ordain the Solemn League and Covenant, to be renewed throughout all the congregations of this kingdom. And, because it is a duty of great weight and confequence, minifters, after the fight hereof, would be careful to take pains, in their doctrine and otherwise, that their people may be made fenfible of these things wherein they have broken the Covenant, and be prepared for the renewing thereof with fuitable affections and difpofitions: and, that these things may be the better performed, we have thought it neceffary to condefcend upon a Solemn Acknowledgment of publick fins and breaches of the Covenant, and a Solemn Engagement to all the duties contained therein, namely, thofe which do in a more special way relate unto the dangers of these times; and this Solemn Acknowledgment and Engagement, fent herewith, fhall be made ufe of, and the League and Covenant fhall be renewed in fuch manner as follows. First, There fhall be intimation of a folemn publick humiliation and faft the fecond fabbath of December, to be kept upon the next Thurfday, and the Lord's day thereafter; at which intimation, the League and Covenant, and the publick Acknowledgment of fins, and Engagement unto duties, are to be publickly read by the minister, in the audience of all the people; and they are to be exhorted to get copies thereof, that they may be made acquainted therewith; and the humiliation and fast is to be kept the next Thurfday thereafter, in reference to the breaches of the covenant, contained in the folemn publick acknowledgment, as the caufes thereof; and the next Lord's day thereafter which is alfo to be spent in publick humiliation and fafting, immediately after the fermon, which is to be applied to the bufinefs of that day, the publick Acknowledgments and Engagement is again to be publickly read; and thereafter prayer is to be made, containing the confeffion of the breaches mentioned therein, and begging mercy for thefe fins, and strength of God for renewing the Covenant in fincerity and truth; after which prayer, the Solemn League and Covenant is to be read by the minister, and then to be fworn by him and all the people, who are to engage themfelves for performance of all the duties contained therein; namely, these which are mentioned in the publick acknowledgment and engagement, and are oppofite unto the fins therein confeffed: and the action is to be closed with prayer to God, that his people may be enabled, in the power of his

strength,

ftrength, to do their duty, according to their oath, now renewed in fo folemn a way. It is alfo hereby provided, That all those who renew the League and Covenant, fhall again fubfcribe the fame; and that none be admitted to the renewing or fubfcribing thereof, who are excluded by the ⚫ther a&t and direction fent herewith.

A. KER.

The Act of the Committee of Estates of Parliament, for Renewing the SOLEMN LEAGUE and COVENANT.

Edinburgh, October 14. 1648.

HE Committee of Eftates, being very fenfible of the grievous back

League and Covenant, made and fworn to the most high God; do there. fore unanimoufly and heartily approve the seasonable and pious Refolution of the Commiffion of the General Affembly, for a folemn Acknowledgment of Publick Sins and Provocations, especially the Breaches of the Covenant, and a folemn Engagement to a more confcionable performance of the Duties therein contained, and for renewing the Solemn League and Covenant; and do require and ordain, That the Directions of the faid Commiffion of Affembly, in their Act of the Sixth of this Month, for a publick Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement to Duties, be carefully followed; that the Faft and Humiliation, appointed by them, be religiously obferved; and that the Solemn League and Covenant be fincere. ly and cordially renewed and fubfcribed, in the Manner they have pre fcribed in their faid A&t.

Extra&um.

Mr. THO. HENDERSON,

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'A

Solemn ACKOWLEDGMENT of Publick Sins, and Breaches of the COVENANT;

AND A

Solemn ENGAGEMENT to all the DUTIES contained therein, namely those which do in a more special Way relate unto the Dangers of these Times.

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E noblemen, barons, gentlemen, burgeffes, minifters of the gofpel, and commons of all forts within this kingdom, by the good hand of God upon us, taking into serious confideration the many fad afflictions and deep diftreffes wherewith we have been exercised for a long time past; and that the land, after it hath been fore wafted with the sword and the peftilence, and threatned with famine; and that fhame and contempt hath been poured out from the Lord against many thousands of our nation, who did in a finful way make war upon the kingdom of England, contrary to the testimony of his fervants, and defires of his people; and that the remnants of that army, returning to this land, have spoiled and oppreffed many of our brethren; and that the malignant party is still numerous, and, retaining their former principles, wait for an opportunity to raise a new and dangerous war, not only unto the rending of the bowels of this kingdom, but unto the dividing us from England, and overturning of the work of God in all the three kingdoms: and confidering alfo, that a cloud of calamities doth still hang over our heads, and threaten us with fad things to come, we cannot but look upon these things as from the Lord, who is righteous in all his ways,

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