Records of the Kirk of Scotland / containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

1. That every Presbyterie have a copie of the Act made at Dundie the seventh of March 1597. concerning the number of Commissioners; the tenour whereof followeth:—

Because there hath beene no order hitherto anent the number of Commissioners to be directed from everie Presbyterie to the Generall Assemblie, therefore it is statuted and ordained, that in all time comming three of the wisest and gravest of the Brethren shall be directed from everie Presbyterie at the most, as Commissioners to everie Assemblie and that none presume to come without Commission: And likewise, that one bee directed from everie Presbyterie in name of the Barons, and one out of everie Burgh, except Edinburgh, which shall have power to direct two Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie.

2. That everie Presbyterie have a copie of the Commission, to be given to the Commissioners; the tenour thereof followes.

T. T. ____ the ____ day of ____ The which day after calling upon the name of God, We the members of the Presbyterie of ____ having diligently considered the manifold corruptions, innovations, and disorders, disturbing our peace, and tending to the overthrow of our Religion, and Liberties of the reformed Church within this Realme; which hath come to passe, especially through the want of the necessarie remedie of Generall Assemblies, as well ordinarie as pro re nata, injoyned by this Church for many yeares, and ratified by Act of Parliament, And now expecting shortly by the mercie of God the benefit of a free Generall Assemblie, do by these presents nominate and appoint ____ Minister of ____ as also ____ in name of the Burrowes, conjunctly and severally our lawfull Commissioners, giving and granting unto them our full power, Commission, and expresse charge, to repaire to the said Assemblie at the day and place, when and where it shall happen to sit, in any safe and commodious place within this Kingdome, and there with the rest who shall be authorised with lawfull Commission, in our name to propone, treat, reason, vote, and conclude, according to the word of God, and confession of faith approved by sundrie Generall Assemblies, and received throughout the whole Kingdome in all Ecclesiasticall matters, competent to a free Generall Assemblie, and tending to the advancement of the Kingdome of Christ, and the good of Religion, as they will answer to God, and his Church thereupon, and to report to us their diligence therein. In testification of this our Commission and charge, we have subscribed these presents with our hands, and which they have accepted with the lifting up of their hands.

3. That everie Church Session send one of the most qualified Elders unto the Presbyterie the day of chusing Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie: That by common consent of the Ministers and those Elders present in the Presbyterie, there may bee chosen both the Commissioners for the Ministers, and also some well affected and qualified Nobleman, or speciall Gentleman, being an Elder of some particular Church Session within that Presbyterie, in name of the Barons: For this is the constitution of the Presbyteries, (otherwise called Elderships) appointed by the Church in the books of discipline, Acts of the Generall Assemblie, practised for many yeares after the reformation, and ratified in the Parliament, the twelfth of King James the 6. and never since altered nor rescinded; neither can be with reason altered, seeing that same is the constitution of the supreme and Generall Assemblies, and of the inferiour and Church Sessions, as is at more length cleared by some reasons.

4. That such as are erroneous in doctrine, or scandalous in life, be presently processed, that they be not chosen Commissioners; and if they shall happen to be chosen by the greater part, that all the best affected, both Ministers and Elders, protest and come to the Assemblie to testifie the same.

5. To send to everie Presbyterie a copie of the printed reasons for an Assemblie.

6. That Moderators by vertue of their office bee not Commissioners to the Assemblie, except they be chosen.

7. That the Presbyteries in one of the ordinarie meetings, appoint to conveene solemnely after the twentieth of September, either upon the 21. 22. 23. 24. or 25. for chusing of their Commissioners to the Assemblie, and for to send them hither to Edinburgh before the first of October, or so soone as they can, that with common consent, they may receive the Kings last answer, and advise upon the next lawfull remedies, in their extreme necessities of Church and State.

That in the Fast to be observed on the sixteenth day of September, the second day preceding their election, they may crave God’s direction therein.