The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland Part 5

"_That the a.s.sembly command all their members, that none of them await on the court and afairs thereof without the advice and allowance of their Presbyterie. Item, that they intend no action civill without the said advice; except in small maters: and for remeding of the necessitie, that some Ministers hath to enter in plea of law, that remedie bee craved, that short processe bee devised, to bee used in Ministers actions._

"_That Ministers take speciall care in using G.o.dly excercises in their families, in teaching of their wives, children, and servants, in using ordinarie prayers and reading of Scriptures, in removing of offensive persons out of their families, and such like other points of G.o.dly conversation, and good example, & that they at the visitation of their Kirks, try the Ministers families in these points foresaid, and such as are found negligent in these points, foresaid after due admonition, shall be adjudged unmeet to govern the house of G.o.d, according to the rule of the Apostle._

"_That Ministers in all companies strive to bee spirituall and profitable, and to talke of things pertaining to G.o.dlinesse, as namely of such as may strengthen us in Christ, instruct us in our calling, of the means how to have Christs Kingdome better established in our Congregations, and to know how the Gospel flourisheth in our flocks, and such like others the hinderances, and the remeeds that we finde, &c. wherein there is manifold corruptions, both in our companying with our selves, and with others: and that the contraveeners thereof be tryed, and sharply be rebuked._

"_That no Minister be found to contenance, procure, or a.s.sist a publick offender challenged by his own Ministers, for his publick offence, or to bear with him, as though his Minister, were too severe upon him, under pain of admonition and rebuking._"

Anent generall a.s.semblies.

"_To urge the keeping of the Acts anent the keeping of the a.s.sembly, that it may have the own reverence and majestie-_"

_The a.s.sembly having heard the whole act read, most unanimously alloweth and approveth this article._

X. Anent the defraying of the expenses of the Commissioners to the generall a.s.sembly, referreth and recommendeth the same unto the particular Presbyterie, and especially to the ruling Elders therein, that they may take such courses whereby, according to reason and former acts of a.s.semblies, the Commissioners expenses to this a.s.sembly, and to the subsequent, may be born by the particular parochins of every Presbyterie, who sendeth them in their name, and to their behalf, and for that effect, that all sort of persons able in land or moneys proportionally, may bear a part of the burthen, as they reap the benefit of their paines.

_The a.s.sembly referreth this unto the care of the particular Presbyteries._

XI. Anent the _repressing of poperie and superst.i.tion_; It seemeth expedient that the number and names of all the _Papists_ in this Kingdome be taken up at this a.s.sembly, if it may be conveniently done, and if not, that it be remitted to the next provincial a.s.semblies, that it may appear what grouth poperie hath had, and now hath through this Kingdome, what _popish priests_, and _Jesuit_ there be in the land; and that all persons of whatsoever state and condition, be obliged to swear and subscribe the confession of Faith, as it is now condescended upon by this general a.s.sembly, that they frequent the word and Sacraments in the ordinar dyets and places, otherwise to proceed against them with the censures of the Kirk, and that children be not sent out of the countrey without license of the Presbyteries or provinciall Synods of the bounds where they dwell.

_The a.s.sembly referreth this article to the severall Presbyteries._

XII. Anent order to be taken that the _Lords Supper be more frequently administrat_ both in burgh and landward, then it hath been in the year by gone: It were expedient that the act at _Edinburgh_ _December 25. 1562._ Sess. 5. bee renewed, and some course bee taken for furnishing of the elements, where the Minister of the Parish hath allowance only for once in the year.

_The a.s.sembly referreth this to the consideration of Presbyteries, and declareth that the charges be rather payed out of that dayes collection, then that the Congregation want the more frequent use of the sacrament._

XIII. Anent the entrie of Ministers to the ministrie: The a.s.sembly thinks expedient that the act holden at St. _Andrews_, _April 24. 1582._ Sess. 7.

Touching the age of _twenty five years_ be renewed, and none to be admitted before that time, except such as for rare and singular qualities shall be judged by the general or provincial a.s.sembly to be meet and worthie thereof.

_The a.s.sembly approveth this article._

XIV. Anent _mercats on Monday and Sat.u.r.day_ within Burghs, causing intollerable profanation of the Lords Day, by carying of loads, bearing of Burthens; and other work of that kinde: It were expedient for the redresse thereof, that the care for restraining of this abuse be recommended by the a.s.sembly unto the severall Burghs, and they to bee earnestly entreated to finde out some way for the repressing of this evill, and changing of the day; and to report their diligence there anent to the next generall a.s.sembly.

_The a.s.sembly referreth this article to the consideration of the Burrows._

XV. Anent _the profanation of the Sabbath day in Landward_, especially for want of divine service in the afternoone: The a.s.sembly ordaineth the act of a.s.sembly holden at _Dundie, __ July 12. 1580._ Sess. 10. for keeping both dyets, to be put in execution.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this article._

XVI. Anent _frequenting with excommunicat persons_: The a.s.sembly ordaineth that the act at _Edinburgh_, _March 5. 1569._ Sess. 10. to wit, _That these who will not forbear the companie of excommunicat persons after due admonition, be excommunicat themselves, except they forbear_, to be put in execution.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this article._

XVII. Whereas the _confession of the Faith_ of this Kirk, concerning both Doctrine and Discipline, so often called in question by the corrupt judgement and tyrannous authoritie of the pretended Prelats, is now clearly explained, and by this whole Kirk represented by this generall a.s.sembly concluded, ordained also to bee subscribed by all sorts of persons within the said Kirk and Kingdome: The a.s.sembly const.i.tutes, and ordaines, that from henceforth no sort of person, of whatsoever quality and degree, be permitted to speak, or write against the said Confession, this a.s.sembly, or any act of this a.s.sembly, and that under the paine of incurring the censures of this Kirk.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this Article._

XVIII. Anent _voicing in Kirk Sessions_: It is thought expedient that no Minister moderating his Session, shall usurpe a _negative_ voice over the members of his Session, and where there is two or moe Ministers in one Congregation, that they have equall power in voicing, that one of them hinder not the reasoning or voicing of any thing, whereunto the other Minister or Ministers, with a great part of the Session inclineth, being agreeable to the acts and practise of the Kirk, and that one of the Ministers without advice of his colleague appoint not dyets of Communion nor examination, neither hinder his colleague from catechising and using other religious exercises as oft as he pleaseth.

_The a.s.sembly referreth this article to the care of the Presbyteries._

XX. Since the _office of Diocesane_, or lordly Bishop, is utterly abjured, and removed out of this Kirk: It is thought fit that all t.i.tles of dignitie, favouring more of poperie than of Christian libertie, as _Chapters_ with their elections and consecrations, _Abbots_, _Priors_, _Deans_, _Arch-deacons_, _Preaching-deacons_, _Chanters_, _Subchanters_, and others having the like t.i.tle, flowing from the Pope and canon law only, as testifieth the second book of Discipline, bee also banished out of this reformed Kirk, and not to bee usurped or used hereafter under ecclesiastical censure.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this Article._

XX. Anent the _presenting either of Pastours or Readers and School-masters_, to particular Congregations, that there be a respect had to the Congregation, & that no person be intruded in any office of the Kirke, contrare to the will of the congregation to which they are appointed.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this article._

XXI. Anent _Mariage without proclamation of bans_, which being in use these years by-gone hath produced many dangerous effects: The a.s.sembly would discharge the same, conforme to the former acts, except the Presbyterie in some necessarie exigents dispense therewith.

_The a.s.sembly alloweth this article._

XXII. Anent _the buriall in Kirks_, the a.s.sembly would be pleased to consider anent the act of a.s.sembly at _Edinburgh_ 1588. Sess. 5. if it shall be put in execution, and to discharge funeral sermons, as favouring of superst.i.tion.

_The a.s.sembly referreth the former part of this article anent buriall in Kirks to the care of Presbyteries, and dischargeth all funerall sermons._

XXIII. Anent _the tryall of Expectants_ before their entrie to the ministrie, it being notour that they have subscribed the confession of Faith now declared in this a.s.sembly, and that they have exercised often privatly, and publickly, with approbation of the Presbyterie, they shall first adde and make the exercise publickly, and make a discourse of some common head in _Latine_, and give propositions thereupon for dispute, and thereafter be questioned by the Presbyterie upon questions of controversie, and chronologie, anent particular texts of Scripture how they may be interpreted according to the a.n.a.logie of Faith, and reconciled, and that they be examined upon their skill of the _Greek_ & _Hebrew_, that they bring a testificat of their life and conversation from either Colledge or Presbyterie, where they reside.