1 mers fhall have Power to conflitute and appoint Mr. Oliver St. Johns, and fuch others as they judge fit for their faid Service, to be of Standing-council with the faid Grand Commiffioners and Farmers: And the faid Mr. Oliver St. Johns, being fo conftituted and appointed under the publick Seal of the faid Office, fhall, and may be exempted and difcharged from being in any publick Office, or Place of Truft or Profit, for the faid Term of feven Years, any thing to the contrary notwithstanding. That if any Perfon or Perfons shall happen to be proceeded againft, in any of the Ecclefiaftical Courts of the Bifhops of this Kingdom, for Contumacy, for Non-Conformity, for Non-Payment of Tythes,and other Church Duties, for publick Railing against the Bishops, the Common-Prayer, or the Government of the Church of England, or shall fpeak Opprobrionfly or Scandalously a gainst the Doctrine or Difcipline thereof, as Antichriftian, or hall maintain any Pofitions or Doctrines contrary thereunto; every fuch Perfon producing a Certificate from the faid grand Commiffioners and Farmers E under under the publick Seal of the faid Office, that fuch Perfon or Perfons are under Compofition for Liberty of Cenfcience, fhall actually be discharged, and all farther Proceedings ftayed; any thing to the contrary notwithftanding. That if any Perfons fhall happen to be indicted, or criminally proceeded againft, in any of His Majefty's Courts at Westminster, or elsewhere, within the Kingdom of England, either for Treafonable Speeches, or Practices, for publick railing at the Government, or for Scandalous Words against either or both Houses of Parliament, or for tranfgreffing any of the penal Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom, every fuch Perfon or Perfons, producing a Certificate from the said Grand Commiffioners and Farmers,under the publick Seal of the faid Office, that fuch Perfon or Perfons are under Compofition for Liberty of Confcience; and that fuch Words or Practices were not fpoken or acted malitiofè, but were only the natural and proper Effects and Product of Liberty of Confcience, fhall be difcharged, and all further Pro ceedings ceedings ftayed; any thing to the contrary notwithstanding. That the faid Grand Commiffioners and Farmers of Liberty of Confcience, may have Power from time to tine, to ordain Paftors, Elders, and Deacons, or any other Officers, under any Adminiftration whatsoever, by the laying on of the publick Seal of the Office: Which faid Impofition of the faid publick Seal being received with a Certificate, fhall be as lawful an Ordination, as if every fuch Perfon had received Impofition from the Hands of the Presbytery, any late Ufage or Cuftom to the contrary notwithstanding, That the faid Grand Commiflioners and Farmers may have Power, from time to time, to fet apart Days of publick Fafting, and Humiliation, and Thanksgiving; on which Days it may be lawful for any Perfon or Perfons appointed, to officiate before the faid Grand Commiffioners and Farmers, to ftir up the People to a Holy Indignation against themfelves, for having, by their Want of Zeal and Brotherly Kindness one towards another, loft many precious Enjoyments; and above É 2 all all, the never-to-be-forgotten Lofs of the late Power and Dominion, which with the Expence of fo much Blood and Rapine, was put into the Hands of the Saints. And to take up for a Lamentation, and great Thoughts of Heart, the Divifions of Reuben, that having our Sacks full, fuch an Evil Spirit fhould be found in the midst of us, as to fall out by the way; might it have been with those that abode by the Stuff, as with thofe that went out to the Battle, it had not been with us as at this Day. Some ftarting aside, like a broken Bow, in the Year 48, others continue to bear the Burden and Heat of the Day until 60, being harness'd, did then turn their Backs in the Day of Battle: As was moft fweetly handled at the Faft kept Yesterday, at Mr. Beal's, by Mr. Calamy, Mr. Baxter, and others. That the twentieth Day of April next, commonly call'd Eafter Monday, be kept as a Day of folemn Fafting and Humiliation, for a Bleffing upon thefe Gospel-Undertakings; and that Mr. Edmund Calamy, Mr. Peter Sterry, Dr. Lazarus Seaman, and Mr. Feake, be defired to carry on the Work of the Day Day in Prayer and Preaching, before the faid Grand Farmers; and that the Particulars following be recommended to their Confideration in the Work of the Day. r.To Bewail, 1. All our Court Sins: 1. Westminster - Hall Judgments. 2. Our Old -- Baily Fudgments. 2 To Divert, 3. Our Tower - Hill Fudgments. 4. Our Charing Cross Fudgments. 5. Our Tyburn Fudg ments. Lafly, For Deliverance from the Hand of Dun, that uncircumcifed Philistine. That the faid Grand Commiffioners and Farmers of Liberty of Confcience, may have Power to build Churches and Chappels in any Place or Places, exE 3 cept |