The Assembly ordayns Archbald Hegget, John Grahame, younger, Hector Stewart, John Sprewle, elder, William Hegget, Robert Stewart of Nowbar, for their contumaceous absenting them from the Generall Assemblie, being diverse tymes summoned thereto, to have answereit for haunting and wsing the company of Mr Robert Montgomrie, after his excommunication intimat to them, and uthers enormities done against the Kirk, despysing and contemning the voice thereof, To make their publick repentance in the Kirk of Glasgow, in presence of the congregatione thereof, after the forme to be prescryvit to them be the Presbytrie thereof, to qwham the Kirk committs the execution thereof.
Anent the proces deducit against Coline Campbell, Malcolme Stewart, Hector Stewart, John Grahame, elder, Gavine Grahame, and Archbald Hegget, concerning the violence done to Mr Johne Howiesone in the judgement seat in Glasgow: The saids haill persones being cited to this Assembly except the said Walter Stewart, to have heard the sentence of the Kirk in the said matter, and nane compeirand except John Grahame, elder, with wham he has alreadie taken order, and Gavine Grahame; The Assembly ordaynit the said Coline Campbell, Malcolm Stewart, Hector Stewart, Archbald Hegget, and Gavin Grahame, for their offence foresaid, to be excommunicat publicklie in the Kirk of Glasgow be Mr David Weymes, minister thereof, with advyce of the Presbytrie thereof.
Sessio 16.
Articles read and allowed by the Assemblie, as meit to be proponit.
1. Seing the spiritual Jurisdiction and Government of the Kirk is granted be God the Father, throw our Mediator Jesus Christ, and gine only to them that preaching, teaching, and oversieing, bear office within the same, to be exercised not be the injunctions of men, but be the only rule of God’s word; That the act of Parliament, concernyng the libertie and jurisdiction of the Kirk, be so plainly declareit and enlargeit, that hereafter nane uther of qwhatsumever degree, or under qwhatsoever pretence, have any collour to ascryve or take upon them any part thereof, either in placeing or displaceing of ministers of God’s word, in spirituall livings or offices, without the Kirk’s admissione, or in stoping the mouthes of preachers, or putting them to silence, or taking upon them the judgement in triall of doctrine, or in hindering, staying, or disannulling the censures of the Kirk, or exeiming any offender therefrae.
2. That the Presbytries, consisting of doctors, pastors, and such as are commonly callit elders, now according to God’s word and the King’s Majestie’s direction, appoyntit in diverse parts of the realme for discipline, order keeping, and judgement keeping, in ecclesiasticall affaires, be approvit, establischit be authoritie, and paynes prescryvit to them that publickly oppones themselues.
3. That the Synodall Assemblie, consisting of diverse presbytries, and Generall or Nationall consisting of the haill, be approvit, and be virtue of acts of Counsell, presently and hereafter haue power to conveine so oft as occasione shall requyre, to advyse, intreat, conclude, make ordinances in such things as concerns the will of the Kirk, and their charge in doctrine and discipline, with libertie to appoynt times and places for that effect.
4. That Presbytries, or such as they will direct of their awne number, have the same power in designatione of manses and gleibs and reparatione of the kirks, that the Bischops, Superintendants, or Visitors had before.
5. That every Kirk have the awne severall pastor, to be sustainit upon the teynds of the parochine qwhair he serves, and to that end that the manses or kirks annexit to great benefices or prelacies be dissolvit, pensiones gine out of the thrids and tacks sett of the same, be the collectors or possessors having the thrids in their awne hands, be revockit.
6. That of the temporall lands of every Abbacie, Priorie, Bischoprick, Minstrie, &c. so meikle be applyit to the schools as may sufficientlie maintaine ane sufficient number of Masters and Bursars, according as the liveing may bear, in place of Channons, Monks, Nuns, and uthers idle-bellies; the ane to teache and the uther to passe their course alseweill in Philosophie in all Universities as in Theologie, according to the act of Parliament made in the fundatione of the New Colledge of St Androis, that the kirks may be ance plantit with sufficient learnit men.