The Assembly approves this Overture, and recommends this purpose to further consideration, that more Overtures may be prepared thereanent against the next Assembly.
V. That for keeping the Universities pure, and provoking the Professors of Divinitie to greater diligence, each Professor in the Universities of this Church and Kingdom, bring with him or send with the Commissioner who comes to the General Assembly, ane perfit and well written copie of his Dictates, to be revised by the Generall Assembly, or such as they shall appoint for that work ilk year.
The Assembly continues the determination of a constant and perpetuall order herein untill the next Assembly, but in the mean time desires the professors of Divinity to present to the next Assembly their Dictates of Divinity, wherof the professors present are to give intimation to the professors absent.
VI. The great burdens Intrants undergoes when they enter the Ministery, which holds many of them long at under, would crave the Assemblies judgement and authority, that Ministers Manses and Stipends may be all made free to the Intrant.
The Assembly refers and recommends to the Commissioners for publike affairs to seek redresse in this matter from the Honorable Estates of Parliament, and to consider of some fitting Overtures to be presented to their Honours for that effect.
Renovation of the Commission for the publike affairs of the Kirk.
THE Generall Assembly taking to their consideration that in respect the great work of Uniformity in Religion in all his Majesties Dominions is not yet perfited, (though by the Lords blessing there is a good progresse made in the same) there is a necessity of renewing the Commissions granted formerly for prosecuting and perfiting that great work; Doe therefore renew the power and Commission granted for the publike affairs of the Kirk by the Generall Assemblies held in S. Andrews in the year 1642, and in Edinburgh 1643, 1644, and 1645, unto the persons following, viz. Masters Alexander Henderson, Robert Douglas, William Colvil, William Bennet, George Gillespie, John Oswald, John Adamson, William Dalgleish, David Calderwood, James Fleeming, Robert Ker, John Dalyell, James Wright, John Knox, Adam Penman, Robert Lichtoun, Alexander Dickeson, Patrick Fleeming, John Hay, Richard Dickeson, Thomas Vasse, David Drummond, Alexander Somervill, Robert Eliot, Robert Blair, James Bruce, Robert Traile, Samuel Rutherfurd, Alexander Colvill, Walter Greg, Alexander Balfour, George Thomson, John Moncreiff, John Smith, Patrick Gillespie, John Duncan, James Sibbald, Alexander Casse, John Hume, Alexander Kinneir, Walter Swintoun, Robert Knox, William Penman, James Guthrie, Thomas Donaldson, William Jameson, Thomas Wilkie, John Knox, Robert Murray, John Freebairn, Robert Wright, David Auchterlonie, William Maior, Samuel Austein, John Leirmont, Andrew Lauder, James Irving, Alexander Turnbull, James Bonar, William Adair, John Neve, Patrick Colvil, Matthew Birsbane, John Hamiltoun, Allan Ferguson, Robert Ramsay, Geo. Young, David Dickson, Robert Bailie, James Nasmith, John Lindsay, John Weir, Evan Cameron, James Affleck, John Robison, Andrew Eliot, Silvester Lambie, Laurence Skinner, William Rate, David Campbel, Andrew Cant, William Douglas, David Lindsay, Gilbert Anderson, Alexander Garrioch, William Jaffray, Thomas Law, William Campbell, Walter Stewart, Ministers; And Archibald Marquesse of Argyle, John Earle of Crawfurd-Lindsay, William Earle Marshall, William Earl of Glencairn, John Earle of Cassils, Charles Earle of Dumfermling, James Earle of Tullibardine, Francis Earle of Bacleugh, John Earle of Lauderdale, William Earle of Lothian, William Earle of Lanerk, Archibald Lord Angus, John Lord Balmerino, Robert Lord Burleigh, John Master of Yester, Sir Patrick Hepburn of Waughtoun, Sir John Hope of Craighall, Sir Archibald Johnston of Wariston, Sir David Hume of Wedderburn, Sir Robert Jnnes of that ilk, Sir William Baily of Lamington, Sir John Muncreiffe of that ilk, James Macdougal of Garthland, Patrick Cockburn of Clarkington, Sir Hugh Campbel of Cesnock, Sir William Cunningham of Cunningham-head, John Hume of Blackader, Sir James Dundas of Arniston, Alex. Forbes Tutor of Pitsligo, M. Geo. Winrham of Libberton, David Weemes of Fingask, M. Francis Hay of Balhousie, Alex. Brodie of that ilk, M. Alex. Colvil of Blair, Geo. Dundas of Dudiston, William Moor of Glanderston, Sir James Nicolson of Colbrandspaith, John Edgar of Wedderlie, William Hume of Lenthill, James Ruchhead, Laurence Henderson, and James Stuart, Bailies of Edinburgh, George Porterfield Provest of Glasgow, Wil. Hume there, Ro. Arnot Provest of Perth, John Semple Provest of Dumbarton, John Kennedie Provest of Air, M. David Weemes, Geo. Gardine, John Johnstoun, Tho. Paterson, Tho. White, John Sleigh, Elders. Giving unto them full power and Commission To do all and every thing for prosecuting, advancing, perfecting, and bringing the said work of Uniformity in Religion in all His Majesties Dominions to a happy conclusion, conform to the former Commissions granted by preceding Assemblies thereanent. And to that effect appoints them, or any seventeen of them, whereof thirteen shall be Ministers, To meet at Edinburgh the 19 of this Moneth, and thereafter upon the second Wednesdaies of August, November, Februar, and May next to come, and upon any other day, and in any other place they shall think meet. And further, renews to the persons before named, the power contained in the Act of the said Assembly 1643, Intituled, A reference to the Commission anent the persons designed to repair to the Kingdom of England; As also the power contained in two severall Acts of the said Assembly 1644, Sess. 6. made against secret disaffecters of the Covenant and for sending Ministers to the Armie, with full power to them to treat and determine in the matters aforesaid, and in all other matters referred unto them by this Assembly, as fully and freely as if the same were here particularly expressed, and with as ample power as any Commission of former Generall Assemblies hath had, or been in use of before; They being alwayes for their whole proceedings comptable to, and censurable by the next Generall Assembly.