Commission for publike affairs of this Kirk, and for prosecuting the desires of this Assembly to His Majestie, and the Parliament of England.
The General Assembly considering the laudable custome of this Kirk for to appoint some Commissioners in the interim betwixt Assemblies, for presenting of Overtures and prosecuting the other desires of the Kirk to His Majestie, the Lords of His Councell, and the Estates of Parliament; And taking to their consideration the present condition of the Kirk of England, with the Declaration thereof sent down from the Parliament, and some Reverend Brethren of the Ministery there, with their own Answer to the Parliament and Ministery, and their humble Supplication to His Majestie for Unity of Religion and Uniformity of Kirk-government. And withall remembring their desires to the Honourable Lords of His Majesties secret Councell, and to the Commissioners appointed by the King and Parliament, for conservation of the common Peace, That they would joyn their concourse in their desires to His Majestie and Parliament, and directions to the Commissioners of this Kingdom at London for the time. And likewise considering their good hopes from Gods gracious favour to this Island, that by his good providence he will in his own way and time settle this great Work through this whole Ile; And that it [pg 146] is both our earnest desire and Christian duty to use all lawfull means and Ecclesiastick wayes for furtherance of so great a Work, continuance of the common peace betwixt these nations, and keeping a brotherly correspondence betwixt these Kirks. Therfore the Assembly thinks it necessary before their dissolving, to appoint, and by these Presents do nominate and appoint, Masters Andrew Ramsay, Alex Henderson, Robert Dowglas, William Colvill, William Bennet Ministers at Edinburgh. Mr. William Arthur Minister at St. Cuthbert, Mr. James Robertson, John Logan, Robert Lighton, Commissioners from Dalkeith Assembly: Masters, Andrew Blackhall, James Fleeming, Robert Ker, Commissioners from Hadingtoun to the Assembly. Masters, George Hamilton, Robert Clair, Arthur Mortoun, David Dalgleish, Andrew Bennet, Walter Greg, John Moncreff, John Smith, George Gillespie, John Row, John Duncan, Walter Bruce, Commissioners for the Presbyteries within the Province of Fyffe: Mr. David Calderwood Minister at Pencait and Mr. John Adamson Principall of the Colledge of Edinburgh, Mr. John Strang Principall of the Colledge of Glasgow. Mr. David Dikson, Mr. James Bonar, Mr. Robert Bailie, Mr. John Bell, Mr Robert Ramsay, Mr. George Young, Mr Henry Guthrie, Mr. Samuel Oustein, Mr. John Robertson Minister at St. Johnstoun, Mr. John Robertson Minister at Dundie, Mr. John Hume Minister at Heckills, Mr. Andrew Cant, Mr William Guild, Mr. Samuel Rutherfurd, Mr. James Martin, Mr. Alexander Monroe, Mr. Robert Murray, Mr. John Maclellan, Mr. Andrew Doncanson, Mr. Silvester Lambie, Mr. Gilbert Ross, Ministers: Marquesse of Argile, Earles of Lauderdaile, Glencarne, Kingborne, Eglintoun, Weemes, Cassils: Lords Gordoun, Maitland, Balcarras, Sir Patrick Hepburne of Wauchtoun, Sir David Hum of Wedderburne, Sir David Creightoun of Lugtoun, Sir David Barclay of Cullearnie, John Henderson of Fordell, Mr. George Winrame of Libertoun, Sir Robert Drummond, Sir William Carmichaell, John Binnie, Thomas Paterson, John Sempill, John Kennedy of Air, John Leslie from Aberdene, William Glendinning Provest of Kirkubrigh, John Colzear, Ruling Elders with the concurse of the Procurator of the Kirk: and grants to them full Power and Commission in this [pg 147] interim, betwixt and the next Assembly, for to meet and conveen at Edinburgh upon the 17. day of this moneth of August, and upon any other day, or in any other place, as they shall think convenient: And being met and conveened, or any fifteen of them, there being alwayes twelve Ministers present: With full power for to consider and performe what they finde necessary for the Ministerie, by preaching, supplicating, prepairing of draughts of one Confession, one Cathechisme, one directory of publike Worship (which are alwayes to be revised by the next Generall Assembly) and by all other lawfull & Ecclesiastick wayes, for furtherance of this great Work in the Union of this Iland in Religion and Kirk-government, and for continuance of our own peace at home, and of the common peace betwixt the Nations, and keeping of good correspondence betwixt the Kirks of this Iland. Like as if it shall please God to blesse the prayers and endeavours of his Saints for this blessed Union, and that if either the Lords of Councell, or Commissioners for the Peace shall require their concurse at home or abroad, by sending Commissioners with theirs to His Majesty and Parliament for that effect, or that they themselves shall finde it necessary; The Assembly grants full power to them, not only to concurre by all lawfull and Ecclesiastick wayes, with the Councell and Conservators of the Peace at home, but also to send some to present and prosecute their desires and humble advice to His Majesty and the Parliament, and the Ministerie there, for the furthering and perfecting of so good and great a Worke. Like as, with power to them to promove their other desires, overtures and recommendations of this Assembly, to the Kings Majestie, Lords of Councell, Session, Exchequer, and Commissioners of Parliament, for plantation of Kirks, for common burdens, or conservation of the common peace, and to the Parliament of this Kingdom, in case it fall out pro re nata before the next Assembly. And such like, with as full power to them to proceed, treat and determine in any other matters to be committed to them by this Assembly, as if the samine were herein particularly insert, and with as ample power to [pg 148] proceede in the matters particularly or generally above-mentioned, as any Commissioners of Generall Assemblies have had, and have been in use of before: They being alwayes comptable to, and censurable by the next Generall Assembly, for their proceedings thereanent.
Sess. 13. Aug. 6. 1642.
A Petition from some distressed Professors in Ireland.
To the reverend and right Honourable the Moderator and remanent members of the Generall Assembly of Scotland, conveened at S. Andrews, July 1642.
The humble Petition of the most part of the Scottish Nation in the North of Ireland, in their own names, and in name of the rest of the Protestants there.
Humbly sheweth,