THE Generall Assembly considering what great offence against God, and Scandal to his People at home and a­broad, hath arisen from the late unlaw­full Engagement in War against Eng­land, whereby contrary to the Law of God and of Nations, contrary to the Solemn League and Covenant, contrary to the Petiti­ons of almost the whole Kingdom, contrary to the De­clarations of the Judicatories of this Kirk, contrary to the Protestations of a considerable part of the Parlia­ment, contrary to the frequent and clear Warnings of the Servants of God in his name, not onely an Associ­ation in Counsels and Armes was made with Malignant persons, who had formerly shewn their dis-affection to the Covenant and Cause, but an invasion of the Neigh­bour Nation was prosecuted; from whence flowed the oppression of the persons, estates and consciences of many of the People of God in this Land, the shedding of the blood of some, the loss and dishonour of this Nation, and severall other inconveniences: And con­sidering [Page 2] that the Commissioners of the last Generall Assembly have acquit themselves faithfully, in ordaining to be suspended from the renewing of the Covenant and from the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, such as are designed in their Acts of date the 6. of October and 4. of December last, referring the further consideration and censure of the persons foresaid to this present Gene­rall Assembly: Therefore the Generall Assembly for re­moving of such offences, and for prevention of the like in time coming, and for restoring of such as are truly humbled, do Declare and Appoint,

I. That all those who have been guilty and censured as aforesaid, and withal, do not by their addresses to Kirk Judicatories testifie their dislike thereof, and give evi­dences of their Repentance therefore, That these be pro­cessed, and continuing obstinate, be excommunicated; But if with all they go on in promoving Malignant De­signes, that they be forthwith Excommunicated: As also that all such persons guilty as aforesaid, who after Pro­fession of their Repentance shall yet again hereafter re­lapse to the promoting any Malignant Designe, that these be likewise-forthwith excommunicated.

II. That all these who have been guilty and censured as aforesaid, and desire to testifie their Repentance and to be admitted to the Covenant and Communion, shall besides any Confession in publick before the Congrega­tion subscribe the Declaration, hereto subjoyned, of their unfained detestation and renunciation of that Engagement, and all other Malignant courses con­ses contrary to the Covenant and Cause, Promising to keep themselves from such ways in time coming, and ac­knowledging that if they shall again fall into such de­fection thereafter, they may justly be accompted perfi­dious backsliders, and breakers of the Covenant and [Page 3] Oath of God, and proceeded against with the highest Censures of the Kirk.

III. That of these who have been guilty and censured as aforesaid, and desire now to testifie their Repentance, Whosoever were formerly joyned in Armes or Coun­sell with James Graham in his Rebellion, or who were Generall persons or Colonels in the late unlawful En­gagement, Or who went to Ireland to bring over Forces for that effect, Or who have been eminently active in contriving of, or seducing unto the said Engagement, Or whosoever above the degree of a Lieutenant Com­manded these parties, that in promoving of the ends of the said Engagement shed blood within the Kingdom, either before that Armie of Engagers went to England, or after their returne, Or who above the degree fore­said Commanded in the late Rebellion in the North; That none of these be admitted or received to give satis­faction, but by the Generall Assembly or their Com­missioners.

IV. That all the rest of these who have been guilty, or censured as aforesaid, may be received by the Presby­teries where they reside.

V. That all who have been guilty as aforesaid, be­fore their receiving to the Covenant, shall make a So­lemn publick Acknowledgement in such manner, and before such Congregations as the Commission of the Generall Assembly or Presbyteries respective shall pre­scribe, according to the degree of their offence and scan­dall given.

VI. That none of the foresaid Persons be admitted, or received as Elders in any Judicatories of the Kirk, but according to the Act of the General Assembly of the [Page 4] last of August 1647. against complyers of the first Classe.

And because many have heretofore made shew and profession of their Repentance, who were not indeed convinced of their guiltinesse, nor humbled for the same, but did thereafter return with the dog to the vo­mit, and with the sow to the puddle, unto the mocking of God, and the exceeding great reproach and detri­ment of his Cause: Therefore, for the better determi­ning the Truth and sincerity of the Repentance of those who desire to be admitted to the Covenant and Com­munion: It is appointed and Ordained that none of those persons who are debarred from the Covenant and Communion shall be admitted and received thereto, but such as after exact tryal, shall be found for some compe­tent time before or after the offer of their Repentance, according to the discretion of the respective Judicato­ries, to have in their ordinary conversations given real Te­stimonie of their dislike of the late unlawfull Engage­ment, and of the courses and wayes of Malignants, and of their sorrow for their accession to the same, and to live soberly, righteously and godly; And if any shall be found, who after the defeating of the Engagers have uttered any Malignant speeches, tending to the appro­bation of the late unlawfull Engagement, or the blood­shed within the Kingdom for promoving of the ends of the said Engagement, or any other projects or practises within or without the Kingdom, prejudiciall to Religion and the Covenant, or tending to the reproach of the Mi­nistry, or the civil Government of the Kingdom; Or who have unnecessarily or ordinarily conversed with Malig­nants and disaffected persons, Or who have had hand in, or accession to, or compliance with, or have any wayes [Page 5] countenanced or promoved any Malignant Design, prejudicial to Religion and the Covenant, That these, notwithstanding their profession of Repentance be not suddenly received, but a competent time, according to the discretion of the Ju­dicatory, be assigned to them for tryall of the evidence of their Repentance, according to the qualifications above­mentioned. And the Generall Assembly Ordains Presbyte­ries to make intimation of this Act in the severall Kirks of their bounds so soon as they can, after the rising of the Ge­nerall Assembly, that none pretend ignorance; And that Presbyteries make accompt of their diligence in prosecuting of this Act to the Quarterly meetings of the Commission of this Assembly.

I [...] after due consideration of the late Engagement in War against the Kingdom of Eng­land; And having also considered the course pursued and pro­moted by the Earl of Lanerk, George Monro and their Adhe­rents in and about Stirling, and by others in the late Rebellion in the North, against all which not only eminent Testimonies of Gods Wrath have been given in defeating of them, but they were in themselves sinfull breaches of Covenant, and preferring the interest of man unto God; I do herefore in Gods sight profess, that I am convinced of the unlawfulness of all these ways, as contrary to the Word of God, and to the Solemn League and Covenant, not only in regard of the mis­carriages of these that were imployed therein, but also in re­spect of the nature of these courses themselves; And there­fore professing my unfained sorrow for my guiltiness by my accession to the same, do renounce and disclaim the foresaid Engagement and all the courses that were used for carrying on the same, either before or after the defeat of the Engagers, as contrary to the Word of GOD and Solemne League and Covenant, and destructive to Religion and the work of Reformation; And I do promise in the po­wer of the Lords strength, never again to own any of these or the like courses: And if hereafter at any time, I shall be found to promote any Malignant Designe or course, that I shall justly be accompted a perfidious Covenant-breaker and despiser of the Oath of God, and be proceeded against with the highest Censures of the Kirk: Likeas, I do hereby promise to adhere to the National Covenant of this Kingdom, and to the Solemn League and Covenant betwixt the Kingdoms, and to be honest & zealous for promoving all the ends there­of, as I shall be called thereunto of God, and to flee all occa­sions and temptations that may lead me into any the like snares against the same. Subscribed [...] at [...] the [...] day of [...]