Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

188 THE REGISTER OF CONSULTATIONS
2. The farr greater part of the members of the Commis¬
sion for publict affaires (which was the only Commission
had sitten in that intervall), with the Moderator and
Clerk of their meeting, did give up their Commission and
the records of their proceedings unto the Assembly 1651,
to be by them considered and examined, which after due
triall were approven, and they exonered of that trust.
And they who pretend unto and petition for liberty to
exercise that expired power are the farr lesse number,
scarce one of three. Is it allowable in the meaning of
publick affairs that these who are the fewer by farr in a
Committee shall continue to act by the power committed
to them after that the time limitted in their Commission
is past, and the farr greater part of the Committee have
given an account of their trust, and all are obliged by the
expresse words of their Commission not to exercise any
power after their time is expired, which the Committers
have appointed ?
3. The Assembly at S* Andrews and Dundie 1651, and
the Assemblie at Edinburgh 1652, did appoint new Com¬
missions for the affaires of the Kirk, which evidently
evinceth that they did account the former Commissions
to be, as they were indeed, expired and exauctorated.
When a civill power that hath appointed Committees
with power in particulars committed to them unto such a
terme, doeth at that terme appoint new Committees,
would it be well taken that old Committees out of date
should take upon them to act after that new Committees
have been appointed once and againe ?
4. Though the Assemblie 1652 appointed a Commission
about ecclesiastick affaires that concerned this Kirk in
common, yet the members thereof cannot, nether dare
they (being convinced in their conscience it were an
usurpation upon their part over the House of God) cloth
themselves with the power of that Commission which
lasted only to the meeting of the next Assemblie at Edin¬
burgh 1653, because the Commissioners to the said As¬
semblie mett at the time and place appointed, though
they were not permitted to sitt for examining the Commis-