The appoynting of moderators in diocesian synodes, in caisse of ther absence, and some wordes of the othe are changed. By all wich omissions, additions and alterations, the kirk hathe susteined, and doeth susteine, grate hurte in her jurisdictione and discipline. Our humble desyre therfor is, that the kirke may be liberat from the preiudice of thosse omissions, additions and alterations of the acte foresaid.
3. Notwithstanding the generall assembleyes haue beine holdin from the tyme of reformation till the zeire 1603, at least once in the zeire or oftner, pro re nata; prouinciall synods tuysse in the zeire; weekly meittinges for exercisses and presbetries, eurey weeke, for matters to be treatted in them respectiue, and ther liberties wer ratified in parliament in Aᵒ 1592, and by that, as a most pouerfull meine, blissed be God, peace and purity of religion wer manteined: and in the assembley holdin at Glasgow, 1610, quhen commissioners, votters in parliament prowydit to prælacies, wer made lyable to the censures of the generall assembley, it was acknowledged, that the necessity of the kirke craued that ther should be zeirlie generall assemblies, and the ministers wer then assured, that liberty wold be granted vpon ther requyste, quherby they wer induced to condescend so far to the acte then made as they did; wich acte also beareth in the wercy entrey thereof, a requyste to his Maiestie, that generall assemblies may be holdin, in all tymes coming, once in the zeire, or precisely at a sett and certaine tyme; neuerthelesse the wounted libertie of holding general assemblies is suppressed; the order of the prouinciall synods confoundit; presbeteries in a grate pairt disordered and neglected, quherby diuisions haue entred into the kirke; ministers are become negligent of their callinges, and scandalous in ther liues; the godlie are heartily greiued, the weeake are scandalized; erroneous doctrine is deliured in kirkes and scooles without controlment; the commissioners votters in parliament lay untrayed and vncensured; and atheisme and poprie incresse. Our humble desyre is, therfor, that the actes of parliament made in fauors of the assemblies of the kirke, and especially the acte of parliament made at Edinbrughe in Junij, 1592, be rewissed and ratified.
4. Notwithstanding the obseruatione of fæstiuall dayes, priuat baptisme, priuat communione, Episcopall confirmatione of children, haue beine reiected by this our reformed kirke, since the begning of the reformation, and it hath beine declared by acte of parliament, in the zeire 1567, that such onlie wer to be acknouledged members of this reformed kirke, as did participat of the sacraments as they wer then rightly ministred, wich was without kneeling in the acte of receauing the sacramentall eliments of the supper, or immediat dispensing of the same to eurey communicant by the minister; and that it was statute and ordained, in the same parliament, that all Kings should giue ther othe at ther coronation, to manteine the religion then professed, and that forme of ministratione of the sacraments wich then was wssed. Neuerthelesse, pastors and people adhearing to the former professione and practisse, are nicknamed Puritans, and threttned not only without aney good varrant, bot besyde the tennor of the acte of Perths assemblie, wich contineth no stricke iniunction, and contrarey to the meining of the wotters, and to the proceidings of that assemblie, wher it was professed that non should be pressed with obedience to the acte.
Therfor, wee humblie intreat, that by ratification of the actes of parliament made befor that assemblie, and by suche wayes as shall seime good to your gratious Maiesty, and honourable estaites assembled, your Maiesties good people, pastors, and professors, may bothe be purged from suche asspertions, and may be freed from all dangers and feares wich may occurre by occasione of that acte of Perth.
5. Albeit it be determined by the generall assemblies of this our reformed kirke quhat othes ministers should take, at the tyme of ther admissione or ordination, zet ther is a new forme of othe dewised and wrged by the admitters, or ordainers wpon intrants to the ministrie, togider with subscriptione to certaine artickells dewysed by them, without direction or warrant from aney assemblie of the kirke, zea, or acte of parliament; quherby the entrey to the ministrie is shutte upon the best qualified, and others lesse able are obtruded vpone the people, to ther grate greiffe and hazard of ther soulles. Our humble petition therefor is, that suche othes and subscriptiones, wrged vpone ministers at ther entrey ore transportation, be discharged.
6. Notwithstanding ther be constitutions of the kirke, and lawes of the countrie for censuring of ministers befor the ordinarey judicatories ecclesiasticall, zet contrarie to that order, ministers are suspendit, silenced and depriued, and that for matters mearlie ecclesiastisall, before wther judicatories wich are not established by the authoritie or order of the countrie and kirke. Therefor, our humble petition is, that ministers deseruing censure, be no wtherwayes censured then the order of the kirke doeth prescriue, and that such as are otherwayes displaced, be suffred to serue in the ministrie as off befor.
The presenter attendit in Edinbrughe, to compeire, if neid wer, befor such as wer to conweene to consider the artickells and petitions wich wer giuen in to the Clercke Register; but ther no appeirance of anney such conwentione; the ministers therfor directed the said Mr Thomas Hogge to present the supplicatione follouing to his Maiesty, wich he did at Dalkeith castle, wpone the 15 day of Junij; that same day his Maiesty was [to] make his entrey into the cittey of Edinbrughe. The petitione was thus:—
This happey occasione, with stronge desyres longe waitted for by your Maiesties most humble and louing subiects, the pastors and professors of the reformed religion, within this your Maiesties kingdome of Scotland. The grate fame wich haue oftin filled our eares of your Maiesties most pious and princely inclination to religion and richteousnesse, quhence this kirke and kingdome, from ther singular intresse in your Maiesties birth and baptisme, haue resone at this tyme to looke for a comfortable influence; the bodey of this kingdome ioyning in hearte with ws, and onlie waitting for the least word from your Maiesties mouthe; the conscience wich we haue, and wich wee trust is manifest to all men, that wee ar seeking nather riches nor honor to ourselues, bot that the soume and substance of our desyres is, to procure the aduancement of the kingdome of Jesus Christe, and to see your Maᵗⁱᵉˢ flourishing estait in your kingdomes; all thesse and eache of them moue ws to intreat, in all humility, your gratious Maiestie to be fauorable to our petitions, wich we haue deliuered to the Clerck of Register, to be presented to your Maiesty and estaites of the approaching parliament, that they may be considered and receave a gratious anssuer.
His Maiesty read this petition at lenth, zet ther was no more hard of ther griuances, ather among the Lordes of the artickells, or in opin parliament, (quher nothing cometh in votting bot that wich first must passe the Lordes of the artickells,) and wsually quhat passes throughe ther handes, is concludit by the quole estaits in publick. Not only wer the griuances of the ministers suppressed, bot lykwayes all former actes concerning the complained offe corruptions In the kirke wer ratified. Howbeit, it was notoriously knowen, that most of thesse actes had wroght grate disturbance in this kirke. And now the actes of this parliament (an I haue formerly showen,) layed the fundatione of ane irreconcilable schisime, and proued afterwardes the ruine bothe of King and bischopes.[25]