Act Sess. 26. December 20. 1638.
The Assembly considering the great prejudice which Gods Kirk in this land, hath sustained these years by-past, by the unwarranted printing of lybels, pamphlets, and polemicks; to the disgrace of Religion, slander of the Gospel, infecting and disquyeting the mindes of Gods people, and disturbance of the peace of the Kirk, and remembring the former acts, and custome of this Kirk, as of all other Kirks, made for restraining these and the like abuses, and that nothing be printed concerning the Kirk, and Religion, except it be allowed by these whom the Kirk intrusts with that charge: The Assembly unanimously, by vertue of their ecclesiastical authority, dischargeth and inhibiteth all printers within this Kingdome, to print any act of the former Assemblies, any of the acts or proceedings [pg 060] of this Assembly, any confession of Faith, any Protestations, any reasons pro or contra, anent the present divisions and contraversies of this time, or any other treatise whatsoever which may concerne the Kirk of Scotland, or Gods cause in hand, without warrand subscribed by Mr. Archbald Johnston, as Clerk to the Assembly, and Advocate for the Kirk; or to reprint without his warrand, any acts or treatises foresaids, which he hath caused any other to print, under the paine of Ecclesiastical censures to be execute against the transgressours by the several Presbyteries, and in case of their refusal, by the several Commissioners from this Assembly: Whereunto also we are confident, the honourable Judges of this land will contribute their civill authority: and this to be intimat publickly in pulpit, with the other generall acts of this Assembly.
Act. Sess. 26. December 20. 1638.
The generall Assembly ordaineth all Presbyteries and Provinciall Assemblies to conveen before them, such as are scandalous and malicious, and will not acknowledge this Assembly, nor acquiesce unto the acts thereof: And to censure them according to their malice and contempt, and acts of this Kirk: and where Presbyteries are refractarie, granteth power unto the severall Commissions to summond them to compear before the next generall Assembly to be holden at Edinburgh, the third Wedinsday of Julie, to abide their tryall and censure.
Act Sess. 26. December 20. 1638.
The Assembly considering the acts and practise of this Kirke in her purest times, that the Commissioners of every Presbyterie, Burgh, and Universitie, were both ordained to take, and really did take from the Clerk; the [pg 061] whole generall acts of the Assembly, subscribed by the Clerk: Whereby they might rule and conforme their judicatorie themselves, and all persons within their jurisdictions, unto the obedience thereof: Considering the great prejudices we have lately felt out of ignorance of the acts of Assembly, Considering also the great necessity in this time of reformation, beyond any other ordinarie time, to have an extract thereof: The Assembly ordaineth be this present act, that all Commissioners from Presbyteries, Burghes and Universities, presently get under the Clerks hand an Index of the acts, till the acts themselves be extracted, and thereafter to get the full extract of the whole generall acts, to be insert in their Presbyterie books, whereby all their proceedings may be regulate in time coming. Likeas the Assembly recommendeth unto every Kirk Session, for the preservation of their particular Paroch from the reentrie of the corruptions now discharged, and for their continuance in the Covenant, anent doctrine, worship and discipline now declared, to obtain an extract of these acts: especially if they be printed: Seeing their pryce will no wayes then be considerable: as the benefite both of the particular Parish, and the interest of the whole Kirk, in the preservation thereof from defection is undenyable: seeing Presbyteries are composed of sundry Parochins, and so must be affected, or infected as they are, as Provinciall and generall Assemblies are composed of Presbyteries, and so must be diposed as they are.