THE PRINCIPALL ACTS
OF THE GENERALL ASSEMBLY HOLDEN AT EDINBURGH, IN THE YEAR 1639.
Sess. VII. August 17, 1639.
Master George Grahame his renouncing and abjuring of Episcopacie.
The which day was given in to the Assembly, direct from Master George Grahame, sometimes pretended Bishop of Orknay, an abjuration of Episcopacie, subscribed with his hand, which was publickly read in audience of the Assembly; and thereafter they ordained the same to be registrat in the Assembly Books, ad perpetuam rei memoriam, whereof the tenor follows.
TO all and sundry whom it effeirs, to whose knowledge these presents shall come, specially to the reverend and honourable Members of the future Assembly to be holden at Edinburgh, the twelfth day of August 1639 years: Me, Master George Grahame, sometime pretended Bishop of Orknay, being sorry and grieved at my heart that I should ever, for any worldly respect, have embraced the order of Episcopacie, the same having no warrand from the Word of God, and being such an order as hath had sensibly many fearful and evill consequences in many parts of Christendome, and particularly within the Kirk of Scotland, as by doleful and deplorable experience this day is manifest, to have disclaimed, like as I, by the tenor hereof, doe altogether disclaime and abjure, all Episcopal power and jurisdiction, with the whole corruptions thereof, condemned by lawful Assemblies within the said Kirk of Scotland, in regard the same is such an order as is also abjured within the said Kirk, by vertue of that National Oath which was made in the years 1580 and 1581; promising and swearing by the great Name of the Lord our God, That I shall never, whiles I live, directly or indirectly, exercise any such power within the Kirk, neither yet shall I ever approve or allow the same, not so much as in my private or publike discourse: but, on the contrary, shall stand and adhere to all the Acts and Constitutions of the late Assembly holden at Glasgow, the 21 of Novemb. 1638 last by-past, and shall concurre, to the uttermost of my power, sincerely and faithfully, as occasion shall offer, in executing the said Acts, and in advancing the Work of Reformation within this land, to the glory of God, the peace of the Countrey, and the comfort and contentment of all good Christians, as God shall be my help. In testimony of the which premisses, I have subscribed thir presents with my hand at Brecknes in Stromness, the eleventh day of February, the year of God 1639 years, before thir witnesses, Master Walter Stuart, Minister at Southronnaldsay, Master James Heynd, Minister at Kirkwall, Master Robert Peirson, Minister at Firth, and Master Patrick Grahame, Minister at Holme, my Son.
Sess. VIII. 17 Aug. 1639.
Act containing the Causes and Remedie of the bygone Evils of this Kirk.
THE Kings Majestie having graciously declared, That it is His Royal will and pleasure, that all questions about Religion, and matters Ecclesiasticall, be determined by Assemblies of the Kirk; having also, by publike Proclamation, indicted this free national Assembly, for settling the present distraction of this Kirk, and for establishing a perfect peace against such divisions and disorders as have been sore displeasing to his Majestie, and grievous to all his good Subjects. And now his Majesties Commissioner, John Earle of Traquair, instructed and authorized with a full Commission, being present and sitting in this Assembly, now fully conveened, and orderly constitute in all the members thereof, according to the order of this Kirk, having, at large, declared His Majesties zeal to the reformed Religion, and His Royal care and tender affection to this Kirk, where His Majestie had both His Birth and Baptisme, His great displeasure at the manifold distractions and divisions of this Kirk and Kingdome, and His desires to have all our wounds perfectly cured, with a fair and fatherly hand: And, although in the way approven by this Kirk, tryal hath been taken in former Assemblies before from the Kirk registers, to our full satisfaction, yet the Commissioners Grace, making particular enquiry from the members of the Assembly, now solemnly conveened, concerning the real and true causes of so many and great evils as this time past had so sore troubled the peace of this Kirk and Kingdome, It was represented to His Majesties Commissioner by this Assembly, That, beside many other, the maine and most materiall causes were, First, The pressing of this Kirk, by the Prelates, with a Service Book, or Book of Common Prayer, without warrand or direction from the Kirk, and containing, beside the Popish frame thereof, diverse Popish errors and ceremonies, and the seeds of manifold grosse Superstitions and Idolatry, with a Book of Canons, without warrand or direction from the Generall Assembly, establishing tyrannicall power over the Kirk, in the person of Bishops, and overthrowing the whole discipline and government of the Kirk by Assemblies, with a Book of Consecration and Ordination, without warrand of Authoritie, Civill or Ecclesiasticall, appointing offices in the house of God, which are not warranted by the word of God, and repugnant to the discipline and Acts of our Kirk, and with the High Commission, erected without the consent of the Kirk, subverting the jurisdiction and ordinary judicatories of this Kirk, and giving to persons meerely Ecclesiasticall, the power of both swords, and to persons meerly Civill, the power of the Keys and Kirk censures. A second cause was the Articles of Perth—viz., the observation of Festivall dayes, kneeling at the Communion, Confirmation, Administration of the Sacraments in private places, which are brought in by a null Assembly, and are contrary to the Confession of Faith, as it was meant and subscribed Anno 1580 and divers times since, and to the order and constitutions of this Kirk. Thirdly, the changing of the government of the Kirk, from the Assemblies of the Kirk, to the persons of some Kirk-men, usurping prioritie and power over their Brethren, by the way, and under the name of Episcopall government against the Confession of Faith, 1580, against the order set down in the Book of Policy, and against the intention & constitution of this Kirk from the beginning. Fourthly, the Civill places and power of Kirkmen, their sitting in Session, Councell, and Exchequer; their Riding, Sitting, and Voiting in Parliament, and their sitting in the Bench as Justices of peace, which, according to the constitutions of this Kirk, are incompatible with their spiritual function, lifting them up above their Brethren in worldly pompe, and do tend to the hinderance of the Ministrie. Fiftly, the keeping and authorizing corrupt Assemblies—at Linlithgow, 1606 and 1608; At Glasgow, 1610; At Aberdene, 1616; At S. Andrews, 16I7; at Perth, 1618—which are null and unlawfull, as being called and constitute quite contrary to the order and constitutions of this Kirk, received and practised ever since the reformation of Religion, and, withall, labouring to introduce novations into this Kirk, against the order and religion established. A sixth cause is, the want of lawfull and free Generall Assemblies, rightly constitute of Pastors, Doctors, and Elders, yearly or oftner, pro re nata, according to the libertie of this Kirk, expressed in the Book of Policy, and acknowledged in the Act of Parliament, 1592. After which the whole Assembly, in one heart and voyce, did declare, that these and such other, proceeding from the neglect and breach of the Nationall Covenant of this Kirk and Kingdome, made in Anno 1580, have been, indeed, the true and maine causes of all our evills and distractions. And, therefore, ordaine, according to the constitutions of the Generall Assemblies of this Kirk, and upon the grounds respective above specified, That the foresaid Service-Book, Books of Canons, and Ordination, and the high Commission, be still rejected: That the Articles of Perth be no more practised; That Episcopall Government, and the Civill places and power of Kirk-men, be holden still as unlawfull in this Kirk; That the above named pretended Assemblies—At Linlithgow, 1606 and 1608; At Glasgow, 1610; At Aberdene, 1616; At S. Andrews, 1617; At Perth, 1618—be hereafter accompted as null, and of none effect. And that, for preservation of Religion, and preventing all such evils in time coming, Generall Assemblies, rightly constitute, as the proper and competent judge of all matters Ecclesiasticall, hereafter be kept, yearly and oftner, pro re nata, as occasion and necessity shall require; The necessity of these occasionall Assemblies being first remonstrate to His Majestie, by humble supplication: As also that Kirk Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synodall Assemblies, be constitute and observed, according to the order of this Kirk.