1638.—March 27.
31. Demands by the Covenanters given to Traquaire.[55]
First, It is certaine that the present not wrging or present discharging of the seruice booke, the booke of canons, and off the last heighe comissione, cannot satisfie our supplications, complaints, protestatione and cofession, cannot remeed the present eiuills, nor prewine the lyke in time coming.
2. Experience showeth the necessity, that this kirke must be assured, by ane acte of free generall assembley, and of ane parliament, that shoe shall neuer be vrged heirafter with aney alteratione in poyntes of doctrine, diwyne worschipe, or churche gouerniment, bot that wich shall be first aggreid wpon in a lawfull and free generall assembly, wich is order appoynted be God, obserued and præscribed in this churche since the reformatione, and the principall meine to giue satisfactione to all mens myndes in matters of religion, as far so as is possible.
3. Pastors and professors can neuer be free of troubles or feares, so long as the terror of the heigh commission standes ouer ther heades, wich cannot be limitted, bot quyte discharged.
First, Becausse it was introduced and exercissed, not only with the lawes of this kirke and kingdome, bot aganist the expresse acte of bothe.
2. It is [a] courte of ciuile and ecclesiasticke persons, hauing pouer to inflicte both spirituall and temporall paines, and therfor, being in the constitutione therof wnlawfull, cannot be qualified with aney limitations.
3. A commissione for ecclesiasticke persons to inflicte spirituall censures, cannot proceid from the King, bot from the generall assembley of the kirke: and a comissione to ciuile persons to inflicke temporall paines for ecclesiastick causes, cannot proceid bot from the parliament, at the desyre of the assemblies.
4tly. It subuerteth all other judicatories of this kirke and realme, and indangereth the liberties, estaites and persons of the quholl leidges.
4o. The vrginge of the artickeles of Perth, wnder ecclesiasticke and ciuile paines, hath caussed grate trouble and dissention in the kirk, made way for all ther subsequent innouations and superstitions, and zet is nather warranted be the acte of assembley, wich doeth nather conteine aney penaltie, nor inoyn’d by way of præcept, necessarly to be obayed, bot by way of counsaile, freelie to be obserued; and that wpone this ressone, seing all memorey of bygaine superstitione is past, wich being anima legis, inferreth via contrariorum, by way of contraries, the necessity of our not obseruing, seing the memorey of bygaine superstition is now reuiued and pressed, according to the last claus of the 21 artickell of our large Confession of Faith, ratified in parliament, and according to our promise in our lait confession; nather is it zet warranted by the actes of parliament, wich doeth ratifie the actes of this assembley, without aney desyre from the kirke; zea, contrarey to the suplications and protestations of maney godlie and learnid of the ministrie, bot neuer intendit, nor could change the free voluntarey obseruance in matters ecclesiasticke of ane churche counsaile, wnto the necessarey obedience of a penall statute, and therfor the vrging of the Perth artickells must ceasse and desist.