Now you may perceive how circumspectly this Assembly have gone on, in giving out their judgment against these men according to the degree of their guiltiness. Neither have they judged according to rumours or reports, nor yet by their own private knowledge, but have proceeded according to things that have been clearly proved, which makes us the rather be persuaded of God’s approbation of our sentence. Therefore, let us again humble ourselves, and give thanks to our Lord for his presence with us, and entreat him for a further manifestation thereof, to the glory of his rich grace through Christ our Lord.—Amen.
[Eodem Die.]
After in calling upon the name of God,
A noble Lord, my Lord Montrois, who did formerlie undertake, for my Lord Wigtoune, that he would come and declair his meaning to the Assembly anent his subscryving to the kings Covenant, did give in a letter of excuse, come from my Lord Wigtoune, wherein he declaires that he is myndit to come to the Assembly whensoever his busines can permitt him, and give them all satisfaction.
After this, there was ane proces produced against Mr Wᵐ Annand, sometyme minister at Air, for maintaineing saints dayes, and many poynts of erroneous doctrine; especiallie in ane sermone taught at Glasgow, at ane synod 1637.
Mr John Fergussone and the Provest of Dumbartone, gave a large testimony of his scandalous lyfe and erroneous doctrine. Then the rolles were called.
Mr Alexʳ Kerse said—I know he subscrivit our Covenant, and efter resedit from it, and so he proved a Proteus quem vertit se in omnes figuras. Therefore, let him be deposed, and then he will be in a figure that he was never in before.
The whole Assemblie did all agrie that he should be deposed, and the way and order of his censure to be remitted to the Presbitrie of Air.
Mr Andro Rollock gave in his supplication, declaring that out of meir ignorance he had subscrivit the Declinatour, being brought up with the Constitution of England Church; but now, having gotten farder light from God, and intelligence from Acts of Generall Assemblies, with greiff of heart and conscience, declynes it altogether, and adheres to the acts and constitutions of this present Assembly; and, therefore, did earnestlie supplicat that he might deleit his name from the declinatour, which the Assembly grantit, upon condition that he should make publict declaration of his recantation in his paroche kirk, which he willinglie condiscendit unto.
Lowdoun said that the favour granted to him who had been brought up in the Kirk of England, should not be a preparative to temporizers among ourselves, and so is pure negations, and uthers are prave dispositions, or wilfull ignorance.