The Assembly fell on the controverted Commissions. The first was concerning Blaketer, the ruling Elder of Churnside, quhich bred much debate; some alledging him to be included under the Act of Assembly because of his accession to the Engagement—others saying the contrary: soe in regard of the unclearness of the bussiness it was referred to a Comitty.
Then came in the contraverted election from Glasgow. The Election of the Commissioners was Mr Pat. Gillespy, Mr Heugh Binning, Mr Carstairs, Geo. Porterfeild: The 2ᵈ Election of Commissioners was Mr Ro. Ramsey and Mr Geo. Young, and these opposed the election of the former before the Assembly, shewing they had given in 2 protestations against the first election: one against the formality of the election, because it was on a suddain without premonition; a 2ᵈ protestation against the persons—one excepted, viz. Mr Carstaires. The accusation against the persons did run upon their opposition to the Publick Resolutions of the Kirk and State, and about the Remonstrance, branched out in very many reasons; and after much debate whether they should fall upon the relevancy or not relevancy of these reasons given in against Mr P. G., 0. M., H. B., it was concluded that discussing these reasons should be delayed untill the Assembly should have examined the proceedings of the Commission of the Kirk; and quhen all the Commissioners of the several elections wer called in, Mr P. G. said that these reasons could not be heard by the Assembly—1. Because the most of them wer emergents since their election; 2ˡʸ Because the reasons wer materially a libell, quhilk first should have been presented and prosecute before the Presbitry, before they had come to the Assembly. But all was deferred till the Books of the Commission should be examined.
Sess. 5ᵗʰ.
This Sess. was spent all upon particular Bills.
Seas. 6ᵗʰ.
This Sess. did hold at 12 hours at night, the Lord’s day, upon the alarme of the routing of our party in Fyfe; and then the Assembly was adjourned to Dundie; and there to sit down on Teusday at two afternoon.
At this Session, Mr Rutherford gave in a protestation against the lawfulness of the Assembly, conteaning the reasons thereof in name of the Kirk of Scotland, subscribed with 22 hands, and desired it might be read; but it was delayed to be read, and all that subscribed the remonstrance, with some others, went away.