The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland

by Church of Scotland. General Assembly

Civill Remedies.

For the present, untill the Overtures prepared to be presented to the Parliament, It is to be Recommended to every Congregation to make use of the 9. Act of the Parliament 1645. at Perth, for having Magistrates and Justices in every Congregation, and of the 8. Act of the said Parliament against Swearing, Drinking and mocking of Piety, and all other Acts of Parliament for restraining or punishing of Vice; particularly for the better restraining of the sin of Whoredom that each Magistrate in every Congregation exact and make compt to the Session of fourty Pounds for each Fornicatour and Fornicatrix, of an hundred Merks for each one of their relapse in Fornication, of an hundreth Pounds for each Adulterer and Adulteress according to express Acts of Parliament which is to be exacted of these who may pay it, and the discretion of the Magistrate is to modifie it according to the ability or inability of each Delinquent.

Domestick Remedies.

1. Let care be taken of concionable receiving of Servants, that they have testimonials of their honest behaviour: And let all such as give testimonials take heed that these to whom they give them, be free of scolding, swearing, lying and such like more common sins, as well as fornication, adultery, drunkenesse, and other grosse and hainous evils; Let the ordinary time of giving Testimonials be in face of Session: And if an extraordinary exigent be: Let it be given by the Minister with [pg 425] consent of the elder of the bounds, wherein the person craving the Testimonial hath resided; If they have fallen or relapsed in scandalous sins, let their Testimonial bear both their fall and Repentance.

2. Let care be had that the Worship of God be practised, and Discipline exercised in Families, according to the Directory for Family Worship in all things as was appointed in the General Assembly 1647. especially in the Ministers constant Catechizing of the Family, and in the performance of the Duties of the Sabbath by all the Members thereof.

3. Let Persons to be married, and who have Children to be baptized, who are very rude and ignorant, be stirred up and exhorted, as at all times, so especially at that time, to attain some measure of Christian knowledge in the grounds of Religion, that they may give to the Minister, before the Elder of the Bounds wherein they live, some accompt of their knowledge that so they may the better teach their family and train up their Children.

4. Let every Family that hath any in it than can read, have a Bible and a Psalm-book, and make use of them; and where none can read, let them be stirred up to traine up their children in reading, and use any other good remedie the Minister and Session can fall on.

General Ecclesiastick Remedies.

1. Let the Remedies which were given at Perth 1645. and are mentioned in the General Assembly 1646. anent the Sins of Ministers be put in execution.

2. Let suspension from the Lords Sacrament be more carefully executed.