The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

II. Every Presbyterie would conveen at their first meeting, all known Papists in their bounds, and require them to put out of their company, all friends and servants who are Popish within one moneth: Also within that same space, to give their children, sons and daughters, who are above seven yeers old, to be educate at their charges, by such of their Protestant friends, as the Presbyterie shall approve, and finde sufficient caution for bringing home within three moneths such of their children who are without the Kingdom, to be educate in Schooles and Colledges at the Presbyteries sight; to finde caution likewise of their abstinence from Masse, and the company of all Jesuits and Priests.

III. That all, of whatsoever rank or degree, who refuse to give satisfaction in every one of the foresaid Articles, shall be processed without any delay; but those who give satisfaction shall be dealt with in all meeknesse, after this manner: The Presbyteries shall appoint such of their number as they shall find fittest to confer with them so frequently as the Brethren are able to attend, until the midst of October next, against which time, if they be not willing to go to Church, they shall give assurance to go and dwell in the [pg 120] next adjacent University Town, whether Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews, or Aberdene, from November 1. to the last of March, where they shall attend all the diets of conference which the Professor and Ministers of the bounds shall appoint to them: By which, if they be not converted, their obstinacy shall be declared in the Provincial Synods of April, and from thence their Processe shall go on to the very closure without any farther delay.

IV. That every Presbyterie, as they will be answerable to the next General Assembly, be careful to do their dutie in all the premisses.

V. That there be given presently by the Members of this present Assembly unto the Commissioners of the Presbyterie of Edinburgh, a List of all excommunicate Papists they know, and of all Papists who have children educate abroad, that they may be presented, together with our Supplication to the Councel, at their first sitting.

VI. That the Councel may be supplicate for an Act, that in no Regiment which goes out of the Kingdom, any Papists bear office, and that the Colonel be required to finde caution for this effect, before he receive the Councels warrant for levying any Souldiers: Also that he finde caution for the maintaining of a Minister, and keeping of a Session in his Regiment.

Item, The Assembly would enjoyn every Presbyterie to proceed against Non-communicants, whether Papists or others, according to the Act of Parliament made thereanent. And suchlike, that Acts of Parliament against prophaners of the Sabbath be put to execution.

The Assembly approves the Overtures foresaid, and ordains Presbyteries to put the samine to execution with all diligence: And that the Commissioners of every Presbyterie give in a List of the excommunicate Papists within their bounds, and of Papists children out of the countrey to the Clerk, that the same may be presented to the Councel by the Commissioners of this Assembly.

Act anent the joyning of the Presbyterie of Sky to the Synode of Argyle.

The General Assembly having considered the whole proceedings of the Commissioners of the late General Assembly holden at Edinburgh, anent the reference made to them concerning the Presbyterie of Sky, together with the whole reasons pro & contra in the said matter, after mature deliberation have ratified and approved, and by these presents ratifie and approve the Sentence of the saids Commissioners thereintil. And further ordains the said Presbytery of Sky, and all the Ministers and Elders thereof, to keep the meetings of the Provincial Assembly of Argyle, where they shall happen to be appointed in all time coming, suchlike as any other Presbyterie within the bounds of the said Province of Argyle uses to do: And that the samine Presbyterie be in all time hereafter within the Jurisdiction of the said Provincial Assembly, without any further question to be made thereanent.