Records of the Kirk of Scotland / containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

First, Albeit, vote in parliament was not absolutly granted to ministers, prowydit to prælacies, bot only wpon suche conditions as his heighnes, of happy memorie, and the general assemblies of the kirke should aggree vpon, wich is euident by the remitt and prouision expressed in the acte of parliament holdin at Edinbrughe, in December, 1597; and albeit the maner of ther election and admissione to the office of commissionarey, and the particular conditions and cautions to be obserued by ministers votting in parliament, in name of the kirke, after long disputation wer aggreid vpone by his Maiesty present in persone, and the generall assembley, and wer apponted by them to be insert in the bodey of the acte of parliament, wich was to be made concerning that purpois. Some ministers notwithstanding haue beine, and are admitted to vote in parliament in name of the kirke, als absolutly as if the acte of parliament did conteine no suche reference; and as if his Maiesty, with the gen: assembley, had not aggreid wpone the maner of ther election or admissione to the office, or vpone aney limitations quherby the kirk hath susteined grate hurte and preiudice in her liberties and præulidges, and especially by ther frequent transgressing the first of the conditions, altho grounded wpone the werey law of nature and nations;—that nothinge be proponid by them in parliament, counsell or conuentione in name of the kirke, without expresse warrant and direction from the kirke, vnder the paine of deposition from ther office; nather shall they keepe silence nor consent to the said conuentions to aney thing that may be præiudiciall to the libertie and weell of the kirk, vnder the said paine.

And the second, that they shall be bound at eurey gen: assembley, to giue a compte anent the discharging of their commissione, since the assemblie præceiding, and shall submitt themselues to the censure, and stand to ther determinatione quhatsoeuer, without appellatione, and shall seike and obteine ratificatione of ther doinges at the said assembley, wnder the paine of infamie and excommunicatione.

Therfor, our humble supplication is, that the executione of the actes of parliament, off materes belonging to the kirke, to wich they haue wotted in name of [the] kirke, without aney authority or allouance of the generall assemblies of the kirke, be suspendit till that the kirke be hard; and that in tyme coming ministers haue no otherwayes vote in parliament, bot according to the prouisione of the acte of parliament, and the order of ther entrie to the office of that commissionarey and limitation forsaid, aggreid one, as said is.

2. Seinge ratifications of actes and constitutions of the kirke, cannot be construed to be a benefitt or fauor to the kirke, wnlesse the ratifications passe according to the meining of the kirke, and the tennor of the saides actes and constitutions, without omission, addition or alteration of clausses, artickells or wordes of importance; and that in the ratificatione of the acte of the assembley holdin at Glasgow in Aᵒ 1610, wich past in parliament haldin at Edinbrughe, 1612, wnder the name of explanatione of sundrie clausses and artickells, wer omitted out of the same.

At the subiection of bischopes in all thinges concerning ther lyffe, conversatione, office and benefice to the censure of the gen: assembley;

The censure of bischopes, in caisse they stay the censure of excommunicatione;

The continuing of the exercisse of doctrine weeiklie;

The necessity of the testificat, and assistance of the ministrie of the boundes, for the admission of ministers, and other clauses and artickells are addit and insert, as the different degrees of archbischopes and bischopes;

The pouer of giuing colation of benefices granted to bischopes;

The disposing of benifices fallinge in ther handes jure deuoluto;