Sessio 7a.
The Assembly ordaynes Mr Robert Hamiltone to remaine still with the ministrie of St Androis, and to leave the Provestrie of the New Colledge as ane impediment and hinderance to his calling of the ministrie, under the paine of the censures of the Kirk. Mr William, Commissioner of St Androis, in name of the New Colledge and electors of the said Mr Robert to the said Provestrie, dissentit from this sentence: qwhairunto the said Mr Robert adherit, in respect, as he alleadgit, the Kirk could not discharge him of the Provestrie, and that he could not bear the burden of the haill Kirk of St Androis in his owne persone.
Anent the Article teachit and professit be Mr Thomas Hepburne, That never saull went to heaven before the latter day; The Kirk, after publickly reading of the said Article, of ane mynde and ane voyce, but exceptione, altogether damnit and detestit the said Article, and adjudg it to be hereticall, false, and erroneous, contrarious to the plaine and evident word of God, reveiled in his sacred Scriptures; and, therefore, inhibits all and whatsumevir persones, publickly or privately, to maintaine the said error, under the paine of the censures of the Kirk; levand alwayes the said Mr Thomas to privie conference with sic brether of the ministrie as he thinks good for his resolutione in the said matter: and alwayes for consideratione movand the Kirke presentlie, discharges the said Mr Thomas from entering in the ministrie, qwhill the Kirk be farder advysit.
Anent the propositione of the brether of the Chapter of St Androis, Declarand that my Lord Regent’s Grace hes presentit Mr Patrick Adamsone to the Bishoprick of St Androis, and they beand of the Chapter, in respect of the act and ordinance of the Generall Assemblie, delayed their proceiding therein, desyrand the Assembly present to proceed to the tryall of him, conforme to the said Act of Generall Assemblie: The said Mr Patrick Adamsone being present, and requyrit be the Assembly if he wald submit himselfe to the tryall and examinatione of the Assemblie, and receave the office of a Bischope according to the injunctiones of the Kirk? He answered, he could not doe the same.
Salt-pannes, mylnes, and uther labouring, qwhilk drawes away innumerable people from hearing the word of God, sould not be permittit, and the violators to be debarrit from the benefites of the Kirk, qwhill they make their repentance, and the continuers therein to be excommunicat.
The Kirk will not presently resolve the questione, If a man or ane woman divorcit for adulterie, aucht to be admittit to the second marriage; But inhibites all ministers and readers to marrie sic persones, under the paine of deprivatione simpliciter, without any restitution in tymes cuming; and the persones so joynit, to be chargit to separat themselves, conforme to the Act of the Assemblie in Angus 1574.
Ane man that commits both adulterie and incest, sould be dowbly punisched.
Ane minister or reader that tapis ale, beir, or wyne, and keeps ane open taverne, sould be exortit be the Commissioners to keep decorum.
Qwhither if burrialls sould be in the Kirk or not? Answer, not; and that the contraveeners be suspendit from the benefites of the Kirk, qwill they make publick repentance.
Relapse in adultrie dowbly punischit.