The Generall Assembly Taking to their serious consideration the growth of the sins of Witchcraft, Charming and Consulting, notwithstanding the frequent Recommendations for restraining thereof; And remembring that the Generall Assembly 1647. did propose a good way for the tryal and punishment of these sinnes, by appointing conferences with some Ministers, Lawyers and Physitians in that matter which hath never yet taken effect; Therefore the Assembly doth appoint Masters, Robert Dowglas, Robert Blair, Mungo Law, James Hammilton, John Smith, Robert Traill, George Leslie, John Hamilton, Iohn Duncan, Samuel Rutherfoord, James Wood, Iohn Leviston, Iames Guthrie, Andro Cant, David Calderwood, Iohn Moncreiff, Frederick Carmichael, Iames Durhame, Patrick Gillespie, Robert Ker, Ephraim Melvil, Ministers, To consider seriously of that matter, and to consult and advise therein amongst themselves, As also with Sir Archibald Iohnston of Wariston, Clerk Register, Mr Thomas Nicolson his Majesties Advocate, Mr Alexander Peirson, one of the ordinary Lords of Session, Sir Lewes Stewart, Mr Alexander Colvil, and Mr Iames Robertson Iustice Deputes, Masters Rodger Mowit, John Gilmoir, and Iohn Nisbet, Laweers; and with Doctors Sibbald, Cunninghame, and Purves, Physitians severally or together as occasion shall offer; And the Assembly earnestly requests & confidently expects from their learned and Iudicious Lawyres and Physitians beforenamed, their best endeavours and concurrence with their brethren of the Ministrie for advise and counsell herein, and for conference in the said matter; And Ordaine the said brethren to make report of the result of their consultations and conferences from time to time as they make any considerable progresse to the Commission for publick affaires, And the said Commission shall make report to the next Generall Assembly.
Recommendation for maintenance for Schoolmasters and Precenters.
The Generall Assembly do humbly Recommend to the Parliament or Committee for plantation of Churches, that whatever either in Paroches of Burghs or Landwart, was formerly given to the maintenance of these who were readers precentors in Congregations, and teachers of Schooles before the establishing of the Directory for publick Worship, may not be in whole or in part alienat or taken away, but reserved for the maintenance of sufficient schoolmasters and precentors who are to be approven by the Presbyterie; And Presbyteries are hereby required to see that none of that maintenance given to the foresaid uses or in use to be payed thereunto before the establishing of the Directory of Worship, to be drawn away from the Church.
Acts concerning Persons to be admitted Bursars.
The Assembly doe hereby Ordaine That none be sent to Universities from Presbyteries, nor be admitted as Bursers of divinitie, but pious youths, and such as are known to be of Good expectation and approven abilities.
Reference to the Commission for publick affaires for re-examining the Paraphrase, of the Psalmes and the emitting the same for publicke use.
The General Assembly having taken some view of the new Paraphrase of the Psalmes in meeter with the corrections and animadversions thereupon sent from several Persons and Presbyteries, and finding that they cannot overtake the review and examination of the whole in this [pg 480] Assembly; Therefore now after so much time and so great paines about the correcting, and examining thereof from time to time some yeares bygone, that the worke may come now to some conclusion, They do ordain the Brethren appointed for perusing the same during the meeting of this Assembly, viz. Masters James Hammilton, Iohn Smith, Hew Mackall, Robert Traill, George Hutcheson, and Robert Lawrie, after the dissolving of this Assembly to goe on in that worke carefully, And to report their travels to the Commission of the Generall Assembly for publick affaires at ther meeting at Edinburgh in November; And the said Commission after perusall and re-examination thereof, is hereby authorised with full power to conclude and establish the Paraphrase, and to publish and emit the same for publick use.