The Moderatour said—Brethren, I think when ye read constitution of Synods, and these conditions that are essentiallie requyred for making up of lawfull Assemblies and Synods, ye will find many peccant humours in these Assemblies against these rules, and ye will find scairce any of them keeped. I have sundrie tymes considered the Conditions that all divines think requisite to be keeped in Assemblies, but I could never see ane of them keeped in their Assemblies, especiallie in that of Perth.
Mr David Dalgleishe said—I remember it was said that these articles seemed to Poprie, and the pretendit Moderatour said he would meet the Pope midgate; and in voiting they wer commandit either to grant all or deny all, for the Articles wer all voited together.
The Moderatour said—If there be any other brether in this Assembly that hes any uther particular concerning Perth Assembly, let them now declair it before it goe to voiting, and let us doe all out of cleare light, solide knowledge, and certane persuasion, that we pass not from it the nixt day. Ye know what pitiful perturbations and tragical tribulations hes bein upon the urging of these articles, and we have reason to blesse God, who this day calls them to examination. I think there was four yeares betwixt the closing of the Assembly and Parliament that ratified it, and all the tyme betwixt, there could never a certane forme be gotten of that Act. Alwayes brethren, becaus this is a matter of importance, and I would have you all fullie perswaded in your mynds; any man that hes anything to say, he hes now tyme.
The Assembly was all silent, and thereby declared their satisfaction. Then the rolles wer called, and the whole Assembly, all in ane voice, without contrare voice, declaired all the forsaids Assemblies to be null.
The Moderatour said—Ye have voited unanimouslie; and these Assemblies I trust be not only null, but hereafter shall be a beacon that we stryke not against such rocks; pathemata nothemata, nocumenta documenta.
Then the Moderatour pronounced, in name of the Assembly, these Assemblies to be null, in these words:
The Assemblie heir declaires these Assemblies to be null—to have no ecclesiastical nor civile authoritie; and consequentlie whosoever practises any thing under pretence of their authoritie, shall be censured.
Sess. 13.—5 Decʳ 1638.
After in calling on the name of God,
The Moderatour said—We have great reason to blesse the Lord for these very cleare and sensible demonstrations of his presence amongs us, both in veritie and unitie, as we did sensiblie find yesterday. There is none of us that hes now assented to the declaration of the nullitie of these Assemblies, but they can gather such ane appendix as this, That since these Assemblies ar null, no oath that were taken of any Minister shall have any further obligation; and if these pretendit Assemblies had no pretext of ane Assembly, and the rest that wer pretendit to be Assemblies, are declaired to be null: and this was ane great pairt of that intolerable tyrannie and yoke that was upon the neck of this Church; and since all these things are now in effect dischargit and declaired to be null that were concludit in these Assemblies, we ought all to turne to our former practice, warrantable by lawfull Assemblies and customes of this Church, and, no more to be acknowledgit, the power of these null Assemblies. And sicklyke since Presbyteriall power was tane away by these pretendit Assemblies, their power is now returned againe; and therefore let all of us use it when we goe hame.