further considered, Appoints a publike Fast and
Humiliation for the Lords blessing to the meeting of the next Assembly, to
be universally observed in all the congregations of this Kirk upon the
Sabbath next except one preceeding the said next Assembly; The exercises
for the members of the Assembly at their first meeting, being still
observed according to the ancient and laudable practise of this Kirk, This
appointment not withstanding.

_The Assembly appoints the meeting of the next General Assembly to be at
Edinburgh upon the first Wednesday of August 1647._

THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY, AT _EDINBURGH_ 4. AUGUST. 1647.

August. 16. 1647 Postmeridiem. Sess. 2.

_Act allowing the half of the Ministers in the Presbyterie of_ Zetland
_only, with their Ruling Elders, to keep the Provincial Assembly._

The General Assembly, Understanding that the whole Members of the
Presbyterie of _Zetland_, joyned to the Provincial of _Caithnes_ and
_Sutherland_ upon weighty considerations by the preceeding Assembly,
cannot be by present at the meetings of that Provincial, without great
prejudice to the particular Congregations within that Presbyterie, and
many other inconveniences; That Isle being of great distance from Land,
and the passage from and to the same being uncertain and dangerous: Doe
therefore Declare and Ordaine, That the whole Ministers and Elders of the
Presbyterie of _Zetland_ shall not be tyed hereafter to come to meetings
of their said Provincial; But that the half of the number of the Ministers
with their Ruling Elders, shall be onely oblieged to keep the meetings of
the said Provincial Assembly in time coming.

_20. August 1647. Antemeridiem._ Sess. 15.

_A Declaration, and Brotherly Exhortation of the General Assembly of the
Church of_ Scotland, _to their Brethren of_ England.

The conscience of our dutie to God obliging us to give a testimony to his
Truth, and to the Kingdom of his Sonne Jesus Christ, now so much resisted
and opposed by many, and so little owned by others: The laudable custome
and example of correspondency between Neighbouring Churches, exhorting,
encouraging, and (in case of publike scandal) admonishing in love one
another, as well as single Brethren ought to admonish one another in love,
in the case of private offence: Our neerer relation and more special
affection to our Brethren of _England_, making us to sympathize with them
in their danger and affliction a