THE Assembly recommends to Provinciall Assemblies, that hereafter they cause read all their Acts, before the dissolving of every Assembly; And that their Registers be written formally, and in a good hand writing, with the severall Leafes or Pages thereof marked by ciphers according to their number.
11 Junii, 1646. Ante Meridiem. Sess. VII.
Act concerning the publike satisfaction of Married persons, for Fornication committed before Marriage.
THE Generall Assembly understanding that in many places the publike scandals of Fornication committed before Marriage, are not taken notice of and removed by publike confession according to the order of this Kirk; Therefore for remedie thereof do Ordain, That all Married persons under publike scandall of Fornication, committed before their Marriage (although the scandal thereof hath not appeared before the Marriage) shall satisfie publikely for that sin committed before their Marriage, their being in the estate of Marriage notwithstanding And that in the same manner as they should have done if they were not Married.
13 Junii, 1646. Ante Meridiem. Sess. X.
Ordinance for Excommunication of the Earle of Seafort.
THE Generall Assembly having taken to their serious consideration, that perfidious Band made and contrived lately in the North, under the name of An humble Remonstrance, against our Nationall Covenant, and the League and Covenant of the three Kingdoms; Which tendeth to the making of division and fomenting of Jealousies within this and between both Kingdoms, to the prolonging of these unnaturall Warrs, to the impeding of the intended Uniformity in Religion, and to the subversion of all the happie ends of our covenants: And finding that George Earle of Seafort hes not only most perfidiously himself subscribed the said wicked Band, contrary to his solemne Oaths in the Covenants aforesaid, and most arrogantly owned the same under his owne hand writing in his letters to the Committee of Estates, and to the Commissioners of the preceding Assemblie: But also hes seduced and threatned others to subscribe that divisive Band, and to joyne with him in prosecution of his treacherous and wicked designes, therein masked with the pretences of religion and libertie; boasting also the pursuance of that his Remonstrance against all deadly the opposers thereof, whether King or Parliament. And having also considered another wicked and treacherous Band of Union which the said Earle formerly entred into with that excommunicate Rebell James Grahame, after the sentence of forfalture, and the dreadfull sentence of excommunication were pronounced against him, Oblieging himself therein under solemne Oaths to joyne with that forfaulted Rebell against this Kirk and Kingdome, and to oppose all their publike resolutions for pursuance of the happie ends of our said Covenants. All which, with his vile reproachfull aspersions and most false calumnies against this Kirk and State, and their publike and lawfull endeavours and resolutions, with his other wicked and perfidious practises at length discovered in the Proclamation of the Committee of Estates, and the Declaration of the Commission of the Assembly against the said perfidious Band and Remonstrance, being gravely pondered and considered; Together with his base treachery to the Estates, being intrusted by them with ample Commission, and encouraged and enabled for discharging thereof, with Mony Ammunition and Arms in a good measure: Notwithstanding whereof contrary to that great trust reposed in him, It is notor that not only he did not joyne with the Forces raised for the defence of this Kingdome, But rather on the contrary, actually joyning himself and his Forces with that excommunicate Rebel James Grahame, and these unnatural bloody Rebels his followers, did beleager Jnnernesse, a Towne Garrisoned by the Estates for the Defence of that part of the Country. And the Assembly having also found that fair means have been used for reclaiming of the said Earle from that wicked and perfidious course, by publike Declarations and Proclamations, and particular Letters sent to himself from those that had power in that behalf, And that notwithstanding thereof and of Summonds direct against him to answer to the premisses, often called, he doth not appear, but still remains obstinate in his wicked courses; And after mature deliberation having found his frequent fearfull and grosse perjuries, his perfidious and wicked conspiracies by Band and Oath, with the publike Enemies of this Kirk and Kingdom, and his other treacherous and wicked practices so contemptuously and pertinaciously persisted into, To be haynous offences against God, and high contempt of all Ecclesiastical and Civil authority, Therefore the Assembly moved with the Zeal of God, do without a contrary voice Decerne and Ordain the said George Earle of Seafort to be summarly excommunicate, and declared to be one whom Christ commandeth to be holden by all and every one of the Faithfull as an Ethnik and Publicane, and appoints the sentence of excommunication to be pronounced by Master Robert Blair Moderator in the east Kirk of this Citie, upon the next Lords day, being the 14 of this Moneth; And that thereafter publike intimation be made thereof upon a Sabbath day before noone in all the Kirks of this Kingdom so soon as advertisement shall come unto them.
Enormities and Corruptions observed to be in the Ministery, with the Remedies thereof.
Enormities.
THE first and main sin, reaching both to our personall carriage and callings, we judge to be, Not studying how to keep Communion and Fellowship with God in Christ, but walking in a naturall way, without imploying of Christ, or drawing vertue from him, to inable us unto sanctification, and Preaching in spirit and power.