THE PRINCIPAL ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CHURCH OF _SCOTLAND_
HOLDEN AT _EDINBURGH_ THE 16TH DAY OF _OCTOBER_ 1690.
Edinburgh _16 of October 1690. Post Meridiem._ Sess. 1.
I. _The Meeting of the_ General Assembly, _and the Recording of Their
Majesties_ Commission, _to_ John _Lord_ Carmichael, _for Representing
Their Majesties therein._
This day, being a day of Solemn Fasting and Humiliation, the General
Assembly of the Ministers and Elders of this Church; did after Sermons (in
the Forenoon by Mr. _Gabriel Cunningham_ Moderator of the last General
Meeting, and in the Afternoon by Mr. _Patrick Sympson_ Moderator of the
preceding General Meeting) Conveen in the Assembly-House at _Edinburgh_,
according to the Indiction of an Act of the current Parliament, dated the
7 day of _June_ last, and Directions given by the late General Meeting of
the Ministers and Elders of this Church: And after Prayer, there was
produced to them, by an Noble Lord _John_ Lord _Carmichael_, Their
Majesties Commission, for his being Their Majesties High Commissioner and
Representative to this General Assembly, Dated at _Kensingtoun_ the 10 day
of _October_ 1690. Which was with all due Respect publickly read: And Mr.
_Gabriel Cuningham_, Moderator for the time, did in the Assemblies Name,
Represent to his Grace, how Great a Mercy it was, to this Church and
Kingdom, that Their Majesties had Countenanced this Assembly, with Their
Authority, and Honoured it with a Representative of Their Royal Persons:
And the Assemblies great Satisfaction, with Their Majesties choice of a
person so well Qualified, and so Acceptable to this Assembly, to Represent
Their Majesties therein. To whom His Grace was pleased to give this
return, That it was his firm Resolution, in the Capacity, wherein Their
Majesties had now put him, to lay out himself for their Majesties Service,
and the good of the Church. The Assembly appointed the said Commission to
be Recorded in Their Books, _Ad futuram res Memoriam_: The Tenour whereof
follows.
_GULIELMUS & MARIA_, Dei Gratia, Magnæ _Britannia, Francia & Hibernia_,
Rex & Regina, Fideique Defensores, Omnibus probis Hominibus, ad quos
præsentes Literæ; Nostræ pervenerint, _Salutem_. Quandoquidem per actum,
in secundâ Sessione Currentis hujus nostri Parliamenti, Expeditum, De
stabiliendo Ecclesiæ Regimine, in antiquiori hoc nostro Scotiæ Regno;
Primum Ecclesiæíllius Generalem Conventum, _Edinburghi_, Tertio die Jovis,
Mensis _Octobris_ Instantis, teneri Ordinavimus: Nosautem (Rebus magni
Momenti alio vocantíbus) In dicto Conventu interesse nequimus: Abunde vero
Cupidi, ut Idem Generalis Conventus, ad Religionem veram Reformatam melius
firmandam, Pietatem & Sanctitatem Propagandam, Pacem itaque & Unitatem, in
dictâ Ecclesiâ, & hoc nostro antiquiore Regno acquirendam; methodo debitâ
& Regulari, Observetur: Cumque Testimoniis perplurimis & probatis, nobis
abunde satisfactum sit, de Præclaris animi dotibus, & fide eximiâ,
fidelisslimi & dilectissimi nostri Consiliarii. _Joannis_ Domini
_Carmichael_, quibus ad summæ fiduciæ Munus infra expressum, debite &
exacte obeundum & excercendum, usque quaque est adaptatus: Noverítis
igítur nos Nominasse & Constituisse, sicuti per hasce nostras Patentes
Literas, Nominamus & Constituimus Eundem _Joannem_ Dominum _Carmichael_,
Supremum nostrum Commissionarium, quoad effectum intra expressum: Damus
pariter & concedimus illi, sacram Nostram Personam & Authoritatem Regiam
Repræsentandi, ac pro nobis præsentiam faciendi, locumque nostrum in
subsequenti Generali Conventu, Tanquam Commissionario nostro, in hunc
effectum specialiter Constitute, tenendi: Omniaque alia ad Imperium &
Munus Commissionarii, pro Generali Ecclesiæ conventu peragendi, tam plene,
adeoque libere, in quovis Respectu, quam Quilibet alius ejusdem Muneris &
Characteris, fecerat, seu quovis tempore retroacto facere potuerat, atque
adeo sicuti Nosmet ipsi personaliter præsentes Possemus. Plenissimam &
amplissimam Nostram Potestatem & Commissionem. Quæquidem omnia & singula,
a dicto _Joanne_ Domino _Carmichael_, In hac nostra Commissione
prolequendâ, legitime facienda, Nos firmiter approbamus, Rata habemus, &
habituri sùmus. Omnibus & singulis insuper antedicti Conventus, & Ecclesiæ
Pastoribus & Presbyteris, ac Cæterii quibuscumque hujus Nostri Regni
Subditis, cujuscunque ordinis seu conditionis, ut eundem _Joannem_ Dominum
_Carmichael_, tanquam Supremum Nostrum Commissionarium, quoad effectum &
modum supra mentionatum, agnoscant, Colant, & dicto ipsius audientes se
præbeant, stricte Mandamus & Imperamus. Et denique hanc Nostram
Commissionem, a die quo Magnum hujus Regni Nostri Sigillum, Presentibus
est appensum, ac durante Primâ dicti Generalis Conventus Sessione, aut
usque donec hæc Nostra Commissio per nos Revocetur, Continuare
Declaravimus, ac per Præsentes Declaramus. In cujus rei Testimonium,
Præsentibus Magnum Sigillum Nostrum appendi Mandavimus, Apud aulam Nostram
de _Kensingtoun_, decimo die mensis _Octobris_, Anno Domini 1690. Regnique
nostri, Anno secundo.
Per signaturam manu S.D.N. Regis supra Signatam.
(locus figilli appensi)