Act for debarring of Complyers in the first Classe from Ecclesiastick office.
THE Generall Assembly Declares and Ordaines, That no Person who is guilty of Complyance in the first Classe mentioned in the Act of the preceeding Assembly, shall bee received in any Ecclesiasticall charge, untill the evidence of his repentance before the Presbyterie and Congregation be reported to the Synode to which he belongs, and to the Generall Assembly, and their consent obtained for his bearing office. And if any such Person be already received unto the Eldership of any particular Congregation, yet he shall not be admitted to be a Member of any Presbyterie, Synode, or Generall Assemblie, untill (upon the evidence of his repentance) the consent and approbation of these Judicatories respectively bee obtained thereto.
Act for pressing and furthering the plantation of Kirks.
THE Generall Assembly considering how the Work of Provision, Plantation, convenient Dividing, Dismembring, better uniting or enlarging of Parish Kirks is hitherto foreflowed, to the great prejudice of many Ministers, many good People, and hinderance of the Work of Reformation; Doth therefore Ordaine, That all Presbyteries have special care that the present opportunity bee diligently improved by all their Members, as need is, before the Commission for Plantation of Kirks, as they would not be found censurable for neglect. And that every Presbytery send in to the next Generall Assembly the names of all their Parishes, with declaration which of them have Ministers, which not, what is the largenesse of the bounds, commodious or incommodious situation of each Parish Kirk, what is the number of Communicants, what Kirks are under Patrons, what not, who are the severall Patrons, what is the nature and quantitie of the present provision, or possible ground of further provision for competent Maintenance, where the same is not sufficiently provided already: As also, what Parishes are united or disunited or bettered already, and in what measure by the said Commission; That the Generall Assembly being acquaint therewith, may doe accordingly both for censuring Neglecters, and finding out Overtures for better furtherance of the Work for time to come. Moreover it is hereby Ordained, That the next ensuing Provinciall Synodes, crave account of the severall Presbyteries their diligence, And presse that they have it ready in writ to present to the Provinciall Synodes in April next to come, that so all may bee in readinesse and the full account made at the next Generall Assembly.
Act for censuring absents from the Generall Assemblie.
THE Generall Assembly considering the absence of many Commissioners in this and other preceeding Assemblies, and that many of those present have gone from the Assembly before the dissolving thereof: Therefore, for remedie hereof in time coming, Doth Ordaine, that hereafter, Every Commissioner from Presbyteries and Universities who shall be absent from the Assembly without a reasonable excuse notified to the Assembly, Or who being present shall goe from the Assembly before the dissolving thereof without licence, shall be suspended by the Assembly untill the Provinciall Synode next thereafter following.