The General Assembly was convened at Edinburgh the se cond of May, 1717, John, earl of Rothes, commissioner, Mr. William Mitchell, moderator. After exchanging the usual compliments with his majesty, which was done in the usual form, Capons, 26 at 8d. each.-Hens, 195, at 6d. each, Carriages, 113, at 1s. 8d. per carriage, 142 1 1 5 11 10 L.317 6 6 19 7 4 40 4 10 2 13 4 3 19 3 4 10 10 024 8 13 2 L.1,184 9 5 of Invernitie. 12.-Estate of John Stewart, late 13.-Estate of Major-General Gordon, late of Auchintowl. Money, Rent payable in money, ... L.147 18 6 7 Barley 25 bolis, at 6s. 11d. per boll, Oatmeal, 501 bolls, 1 firlot, 3 pecks, at do. Wethers, 24, at 3s. 4d per wether, Lambs, 15, at 1s. 1d. per lamb, Capons, 132, at 4d. each.-Hens, 282, at 3d. each, Chickens, 120, at 1d. each, Butter, 10 stone, at 4s. 5d. per stone.Sow, 1, at 11s. 4d. L.281 17 per boll, 41 4 2 ... 10 10 0 Oats, 27 bolls, 3 firlots, at do. per boll, Oatmeal, 91 bolls, 2 firlots, at do. per boll, Straw, 109 thraves, at 5d. per thrave, Hens, 298, at 5d. each.-Capons, 239, at 8d. each, 14 11 3 ... 48 0 8 2 5 5 14 3 6 L.412 12 7 Peats, 13 0 5 14.-Estate of Robert Rollo, late of Powhouse. 5 5 0 Pease and Beans, 39 bolls, at do. per boll, L.137 9 10 each, L.70 8 6 95 16 8 172 7 11 20 6 3 109 only they were not leavened, on the part of the assembly, with the mention of any grievances as they were last year, the assembly passed a variety of acts, most of them repetitions of former ones. One of them, however, entitled "An act for pre serving the purity of the doctrine of this church," determined the long depending process against professor Simpson, which, as it forms an era in the history of the Scotish church, and has been so often appealed to as a flagrant proof of her declension from the purity of gospel doctrine, we shall give, in its most important parts, without abridgement:-" The General Assembly considering, that although professor Simpson does declare his adherence to our Confession of Faith, and doctrines therein contained, as his judgment, and his disowning the errors opposite thereto, wherewith he was charged; yet, considering that by his printed answers, and the letters written by him to the now deceast Mr. Robert Rowan, sometime minister at Penninghame, and his letter to the foresaid committee, for purity of doctrine, dated the fourteenth of April, 1716 years, he hath given offence, and that it is judged that therein he hath vented some opinions not necessary to be taught in divinity, and that 35.-Estate of William Graham, late of Duntroon, | Horse Corn, 1 boll, 2 firlots, at L.1 86. 8d. Money, Rent payable in money, Capons, 12, at 6d. each.-Hens, 12, at 0 10 0 L.54 6 4 250 0 16 3 8 39 014 0 L.865 2 0 Sum of the foregoing Articles. 88 5 4 17 8 168 18 1 4 17 0 5 60 045 L.1,494 11 2 In the foregoing abstract, there are evidently several inaccuracies, which, having met only with one copy, it has not been in the author's power to rectify. Upon the whole, however, he believes it to come near the truth. In 1723, it was determined by the house of lords, that only the life rent of Nithsdale's estate was forfeited. Nairn's was forfeited only during the life of John, lord Nairn and an act of parliament was passed, 1717, to enable his majesty to make provision for the wife and children of James, earl of Southesk, out of his estate. From the Lockhart Papers, vol. ii. p. 88, we learn also, that through the management of the lord advocate, Dundas of Arniston, the estate of Baldoon was saved from forfeiture, along with several others which he has not specified. have given more occasion to strife, than to the promoting of edification, that he hath used some expressions that bear, and are used by adversaries in a bad and unsound sense, and for answering more satisfactorily (as he supposeth) the cavils and objections of adversaries, he hath adopted some hypotheses different from what are commonly used among orthodox divines, that are not evidently founded on scripture, and tend to attribute too much to natural reason, and the power of corrupt nature, which undue advancement of reason and nature is always to the disparagement of revelation and efficacious free grace. The General Assembly, for the reasons above mentioned, prohibits and discharges the said Mr. John Simpson to use such expressions, or to teach, preach, or otherwise vent such opinions, propositions, or hypotheses, as aforesaid. And, as concerning the parties in this process, whatever complaints have been made as to the manner of raising or managing this process on either hand, the General Assembly for peace's sake, do overlook and pass those, without further insisting thereon, and do discharge any prosecution on either side on these accounts," &c. &c.* 66 This was surely a very gentle censure," but "there were so many members in the assembly, who either had been his scholars, or were his relations, comrades, or acquaintances, who stood up for saving him,"+ that any other could not be obtained. This assembly the same day that they so easily passed over the errors of professor Simpson, condemned the following propositions laid down by the presbytery of Auchterarder :-" That it is not sound and orthodox to teach that we must forsake sin in order to our coming to Christ, and instating us in covenant with God," declaring "their abhorrence" of it "as unsound and most detestable," and it was "agreed that the presbytery should be called to account upon this head,” a lamentable proot of what is stated above, by the authors of a Fair and Impartial Testimony, &c. that there were too many of professor Simpson's scholars in the assembly. An apology has been often made, Printed Acts of Assembly, 1717. +Fair and Impartial Testimony, &c. pp. 42, 43. |