6. Ordains that Ministers and Sessions in Congregations be carefull, as they will be answerable to Christ Jesus, to debar from the Lords Table, all such persons as are found not to walk suitably to the Gospel, and being convinced and admonished thereof, do not reform; As also all such as have not knowledge to examine themselves, and to discern the Lords Body. And that for the more orderly performing of this, the Minister in examination of the people, have some of the Elders alwayes with him, and represent unto the Session such as are found grossely ignorant, that by order of the Session they may be debarred.
7. That Presbyteries and Sessions make conscience, that such persons as are found scandalous, and are under censure for that cause, be not received nor absolved from their censure, unlesse they give such satisfaction and evidences of their repentance, as are expressed in the Acts of the Assemblies, concerning the receiving of penitents.
J. Makghie.
No. VI.
Declaration of Assembly.
Edinb. 5 Aug. 1652. Ante mer. Sess. 23.
Right Honourable, right Worshipfull, and
Worthily respected,
We, being met in Edinburgh at the time appointed by the former Assembly at Dundee, of purpose to study the healing of begun breaches in this Kirk, were interrupted at our first down-sitting, and hindered from constitution of the Assembly by our Dissenting-Brethren their offer of Propositions and desires to be granted by us, which could not to any good purpose, either be debated or effectually granted, as was required, before the Assembly was constitute, and the Judicatory fixed. Which short delay of our answer, till we were in capacity to answer, was met with a Protestation, prepared before hand, for a declinatour of the Judicatory, and all the Commissioners of Presbyteries, as freely chosen as any were, and sent forth from all parts of the Kingdom. In which Protestation wer contained many grievous and unjust aspersions upon us and others (who dare not pass from the possession of yearly Generall Assemblies; which being in former times interrupted, was purchased at a dear rate, before it was recovered) and all this was presently put in Print, to the great disadvantage of us, and mis-information of all the Kingdom. After the Assembly was constitute, a conference was offered by us, wherein some from us desired, That to the intent we might joyn the better for promoving the Work of Reformation, legall bars hindering us from peace, to wit, Protestations on the one hand, and Censures inflicted, or which might be inflicted, on the other hand, being removed. They should give assurance to forbear to trouble the Kirk, by holding up debates on the matter of our late Differences, about the managing of Publick Affairs. But after conference, finding no ground of hope for present agreement, we have made the same offer to all them who adhered to the Protestation, whether in the Town for the time, or not, as our Act[452] (the Copy whereof is with these come to your hands) at more length doth declare, and granted unto all, time to advise till the second Wednesday of November next to come. And now because our Dissenting Brethren have the advantage of the Press for the present, and are too diligent and painfull in gathering of hands and subscriptions to their Protestation, of young men or elder, masters or servants, without any tryall of their qualification, to make the world think, that the generality of the godly (as they in their Papers presume to call themselves) and that in great number do stand for their divisive way, Therefore we thought it our duty to write unto you all, who love the Union and Peace of this afflicted Kirk, that by your counsell, conference, and all other godly means, so many as in your bounds, Ministers, or others, are upon this divisive way, which tendeth so much to the hinderance of the Work of Reformation, and peace of the Lords distressed people may be timously reclaimed, and moved to accept the peaceable offer made to them by the Generall Assembly, and the rest within your bounds may be keeped free from this uncouth separation, that it grow not greater, and that difference of judgment about the managing of publick affairs in our late troubles, which occasioned this unhappy rupture, may be no prejudice to our joynt acting in Ecclesiastick Judicatories, for keeping the Liberties thereof, and the peace of this Kirk, which at this time doth so much call for communion of counsels and actings: Wherein as you shall prove instrumentall, you shall be found to do a work of service unto GOD, of love to your Mother-Kirk now distressed on all hands, most suteable to your Covenant and Profession, and contributive as to your peace, comfort and credit in this life, so to the furtherance of your reckoning in the day of the LORD.
Subscribed in name and at command of the
Generall Assembly, by