Forsuameikle as, albeit there be diverse acts concludit in sundrie Assemblies of before, to stay unjust alienatione, dispositione, and wasting of the Kirk rents, and patrimonie thereof, be sic persones within the ministrie as are cled with benefices; and not the less, naither respect nor feare of God, nor reverence to his Kirk, nor good lawes set out in the contrare, hes represt their insatiable and cursed avarice from sic inordinat dealing, to the great prejudice of the Kirk of God, and common griefe and regrait of all good men: For better remeid whereof the brethren assemblit, after reasoning and mature deliberatione in the matter, in uniformitie of votis, hes thocht meit, and concludit, that all persons within the ministrie, alsweell they that wsurpit the stylls of Bischops as uthers that shall be tryit heirafter, to diminische the rents of their benefices aither be diminution of the old rentall, be setting of victuall for small pryce, and within the worth, or wther wayes unjustlie dilapidating and putting away of the rent thereof, be the sicht and judgement of the Generall Assembly, shall underly the sentence of excommunicatione, but furder proces.
For purgatione of the Kirk from sclander: the Kirk requyrs, and in the name of God desyres, all men, alsweill gentlemen as uthers convenit at the tyme, if they knaw any within the ministrie sclanderous in lyfe, unable to teache, unprofitable or curious teachers, negligent in preaching, non-residents or deserters, havers of plurality of benefices and offices, dissolute in manners, havand mixt jurisdictiones, givers of pensiones out of benefices, or receavers thereof, to give in their names in a tickett to the Moderator, and that order may be taken with them be the Moderator and his assessors, if present order may be had therewith, wtherwayes to report to the Assembly.
Anent the office of Readers, that hes no farther gift of God but simple reading of the Scriptures: The Generall Assemblie hes concludit, after lang reasoning, that their office is no ordinar office within the Kirk of God; and because some of the brether movit the cause and questione, qwhither, in their necessitie or circumstance of tyme, they should be sufferit to continow, the disputation heirof remittit to the morne.
Sessio 7.
William Stewart, brother to the Laird of Traquair, presentit ane wryting unto the Assemblie in name of the Earle of Lennox. Tenor thereof:
It is not, I think, unknowen unto yow, how it hes pleisit God of his goodness to call me be his grace to the knawledge of my salvatione sen my coming in this land, qwhairfore I rander maist earnestly humble thanks unto his divine Majestie; finding my voyage towards thir pairts maist happilie bestowit in this respect: And, although I have made open declaration of this my calling, first by my owne mouth in the kirk of Edinburgh, and secondly by my hand wreit in the King’s kirk at Striviling, qwhair I subscribed the confessione of my faith, yet I fand it was my dutie, ye being generally convenit, to send this gentleman, my cousine and friend, accompanyed with my Letter towards yow, to make yow, in my name, ane frie and humble offer of dew obedience, to receive your will in anything it shall please yow, I did farther anent the accomplishing of my said confessione; assureing yow that I shall be ready to performe the same with all humilitie, as also to procure and advance all wther things that may farder the glory of God and increase of his Kirke, the commonwealth of the countrie, and of the King’s Majestie’s service at my utter possibilitie: And so houping to be participant in all tymes coming of your godlie prayers and favour, I salute yow maist lovingly in Jesus Christ our Saviour. From St Androis, the 14th of July. Sic subscribitur,
Your humble and obedient at all power,
Lennox.
The Generall Assembly hes concludit that all Readers within this realme shall be tryed and examined de novo be the Commissioners of the countries, with the advyce of their assessors, so far as possiblie they may, betwixt and the nixt Generall Assemblie; and so many as beis sound and travellit in reading be the space of twa yeares, and hes not profited that they are able to be pastores and to preache the word of God, shall be deposit from the reading be the saids Commissioners, with assistance of their saids assessors, and the diligence to be done herein to be reportit again to the nixt Generall conventione of the brether. Sicklyke because Readers hes no ordinarie office within the Kirk of God, The Generall Assemblie declares that no simple Reader sall be capable of any benefice, or bruik or possesse the same in tyme cuming, nor yet bruik or joy the manss or gleib, where there is any minister actuallie serving.
The Assembly hes recommendit the executione of the King’s proclamatione concernyng papists, unto the haill Commissioners, as they will answer unto his heines and unto the Kirk.