Sess. VI. 2 Aug. 1642.
The report of the interpretation of the Act at Edinburgh, anent tryall of Ministers.
THE meaning of the foresaid Act, is not that an actuall Minister to be transported, shall be tried again by the tryalls appointed for trying of Expectants, at their entry to the Ministery, according to the Acts of the Kirk; but only that he bringing a Testimoniall of his former tryalls, and of his abilities, and conversation, from the Presbyterie from whence he comes, and giving such satisfaction to the Parochiners Presbyterie whereto he comes in preaching, as the Presbyterie finds his gifts fit and answerable for the condition and disposition of the Congregation, whereto he is presented. Because, according to the Act of the Assembly 1596, renewed at Glasgow, some that are meet for the Ministery in some places, are not meet for all alike: and Universities, Towns, and Burghs, and places of Noblemens residence, or frequencie of Papists, and other great and eminent Congregations, and in sundry other cases, require men of greater abilities, nor will be required necessarily in the planting of all private small Paroches, the leaving of the consideration of these cases unto the judgement and consideration of the Presbyterie, was the only intention of the Act.
The Assembly approves the meaning and interpretation foresaid, and appoints the said Act, according to this interpretation, to stand in force, and to have the strength of an Act and Ordinance of Assembly in all time coming.
Act, Sess. VII. 3 Aug. 1642.
Act anent the order for making Lists to his Majestie, and other Patrons for Presentations; the order of tryall of Expectants, and for trying the quality of Kirks.
FORSAMEIKLE as His Majestie was graciously pleased in his Answer to the Petition, tendred by the Commissioners of the late Assembly to His Majestie, to declare and promise, for the better providing of vaiking Kirks, at His Majesties Presentation with qualified Ministers, to present one out of a list of six persons, sent to His Majestie from the Presbyteries wherein the vaiking Kirk lyeth, as His Majesties Declaration, signed with his Royal hand at Whitehall, the 3 of January last, registrate in the books of Assembly, this day at length beares. And suchlike whereas the Lords of Exchequer, upon a Petition presented to them by the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly, and the Procurator and Agent for the Kirk representing two Prejudices; one, that gifts obtained from His Majestie of patronages of Kirks, at his Presentation were passing the Exchequer, without the qualification and provision of a List, wherewith His Majestie was pleased to restrict himself; and the other, that some were seeking gifts of patronage of Bishop Kirks, which are declared to belong to Presbyteries, to be planted by two Acts of the late Parliament: The saids Lords have ordained that no signator, containing gifts of patronages from His Majestie, shall passe hereafter, but with a speciall provision that the same shall be lyable to the tenor of His Majesties said Declaration. Ordaining also the Procurator and Agent of the Kirk to be advertised, and to have place to see all signators whatsoever, containing any patronage, to the effect they may represent the interest of the Kirk therein; as the said Act of the date the 27 of June last, registrate also in the Books of Assembly, this day at length beares. Therefore, that the saids Kirks which now are, or which were at His Majesties presentation the said third day of January last, may be the better provided with able Ministers, when the samine shall vaik, The Assembly ordaines that hereafter every Presbytery shall give up yearly a Roll of the ablest of their Expectants, to their Synods; and that the Synods select out of these Rolls such persons whom they in certain knowledge judge most fit for the Ministrie, and worthiest of the first place, With Power to the Synods to adde or alter these Rolls given by the Presbyteries, as they thinke reasonable: And that the Synods shall send the Rolls made by them in this manner, to the next Generall Assembly, who shall also examine the Rolls of the Synods, and adde or alter the same as shall be thought expedient. Which Roll made by the Generall Assembly, shall be sent to every Presbyterie, and that the Presbyterie, with consent of the most or best part of the Congregation, shall make a List of six persons willing to accept of the presentation out of that Roll of the Assembly, upon every occasion of vacation of any Kirk within their bounds, and shall send the samine, together with a blank presentation: The which (if His Majesty be Patron to the vacant Kirk) shall be sent by the said Procurator and Agent, to such as the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly, or in their absence the Presbyterie of Edinburgh, shall direct and think at that time most able and willing to obtain the presentation, to be signed and filled up by His Majesties choise of one of the List. And if the vacant Kirk be of a Patronage disponed by His Majesty since the 3 of January, in that case either the Presbyteries themselves shall send a List to six persons in maner aforesaid, with a blank presentation to the Patron, to be filled up by his choise, and subscribed, or send the samine to the saids Officers of the Kirk, to be conveyed by them to the Patron of the vaiking Kirk, as the Presbyterie shall think most expedient. It is alwayes declared, that this order shall be without prejudice to the Presbyteries, with consent foresaid, to put actuall Ministers upon the said List of six persons, to be sent to the Patron of the said vaiking Kirks, if they please. And least that the nomination of Expectants by Presbyteries, Synods, or Assemblies, in their Rolls or Lists foresaid, be misinterpreted, as though the Expectants nominated in these Rolls and Lists, were thereby holden and acknowledged to be qualified, which is not the intention of the Assembly, who rather think, that in respect of this Order, there should be a more exact tryall of Expectants then before: Therefore the Assembly ordaines, That no Expectants shall be put on the Rolls or Lists above-mentioned, but such as have been upon the publike exercise, at the least by the space of half a year, or longer, as the Presbyterie shall finde necessary. And suchlike ordaines, that hereafter none be admitted to the publike exercise, before they be tryed, according to the tryall appointed for Expectants, at their entrie to the Ministerie in the late Assembly at Glasgow, in the 24 Article of the Act of the 23 Session thereof: which tryall, the Assembly appoints to be taken of every Expectant, before his admission to the publike exercise. And suchlike ordaines, That the samine tryall shall be again taken immediately before their admission to the Ministerie, together with their tryall mentioned in the advice of some Brethren deputed for penning the corruptions of the Ministery, approven in the said Act of the Generall Assembly at Glasgow. And because that Kirks of the patronages foresaids, will vaik before the Rolls and Lists be made up by the Presbyteries, Synods, and Generall Assemblies, in manner foresaid: Therefore, in the interim, the Assembly ordains the Commissioners of every Presbyterie here present, to give in a List of the ablest Expectants within their bounds, the morn, to the Clerk of the Assembly, that the Assembly may, out of these Rolls, make a List to be sent to every Presbyterie: Out of which the Presbyteries shall make a List of six persons, with consent foresaid, and send the samine upon vacancie of any Church within their bounds, together with a presentation to His Majestie, or any other patron, in manner foresaid. And because the Procurator and Agent of the Kirk cannot get sufficient information to the Lords of Exchequer, anent the Right and Interest of the Kirk, and Presbyteries in Kirks, whereof gifts of patronages may be presented to the Exchequer: Therefore the Assembly ordaines for their better information hereanent, that every Presbyterie, with all diligence, use all meanes of exact tryall of the nature and qualitie of all Kirks within their bounds, as what Kirks belong to the Kings Majesties patronage, what to other Laick patronages, what Kirks of old were planted by Presbyteries, and what by Prelates and Bishops, before the Assembly at Glasgow 1638, what hath been the way and time of the change of the planting and providing of the Kirks, if any have been changed, or any other thing concerning the nature and qualitie of every Kirk within their bounds, and to send the same to the Procurator of the Kirk with all diligence.
Act anent Lists for the Kirks in the High-lands.
THE Assembly considering that in Argyle, and in other places of the Irish language, there will not be gotten six expectants able to speak that language. And therefore the Assembly is hopefull, that in these singular cases, His Majestie will be pleased, for Kirks vacand in the High-lands, to accept of a List of so many expectants as can be had, able to speak the Irish language. And the Commissioners Grace promiseth to recommend it to His Majestie.