18. That viccarage-pensioners and stawars, as they vaike, after decease or deprivatione of the present possessors may accresce, to be imployit to principall benefice, and to be assignit to the minister in his living and stipend.
19. That all readers provydit of before to viccarages or stipends, may brook the same qwhill their deceise or deprivatione; and nane to be admittit to the title of any benefice of cure or stipend in the Book of Modificatione in tyme coming, but qualified ministers.
20. That the haill rents of the benefices of cure under prelacies disponit to ministers since his Heines’ coronatione, be assignit haillie and allowit to them in their stipends.
21. That the judgement of all causes of deprivation concernyng ministers for benefices in the second instance, shall come be way of appellatione to the Generall Assemblie, and there take finall end, and not before the Lords of Sessione, be way of reductione.
Sessio 17.
The qwhilk day Mr Andrew Hunter made protestation publickly in the Assemblie as follows, viz. That in respect that the Provinciall Assemblie of the Kirk of God, gatherit together in his name, and halden at St Androis the 12th day of Apryle 1586, for manifest crymes, open contumacie, hes justly and formallie, according to the word of God and sincere custome of the Kirk of God, excommunicat Mr Patrick Adamsone; and that in this Assemblie they take upon them to absolve the said Mr Patrick from the said sentence, the proces not being tryit nor heard in publick—the persone excommunicat declairing no signes of trew repentance, neither craveing the same absolvitor be himself nor his procurators before the very tyme qwherein they absolve him: He therefore for his part, and in name of all uther trew brethrene and Christians quho will be participat hereof, taks God to record of the dealling of that provinciall and this Generall Assemblie—protestit also before the Almightie, his holy Angells, and Saints here convenit, that he hes no assureance of God’s word nor of conscience, to effect, allow, or approve this his absolvitor; and, therefore, unto the tyme he persuade his conversione to be trew and effectuall, he cannot but hald him a man justly delyverit to Satane, notwithstanding the said absolutione: And this protestatione, subscryvit with his hand, he desyrit to be registrat ad perpetuam memoriam, and therewithall gave in the speciall reasons moveing him thereunto premittit to the said protestation; as the originall at lenth bears.
Mr Andrew Melvill and Thomas Buchanane adheirit to the protestatione made before.
Mr Patrick Adamsone subscryvit the conditions proponit be the Assembly before at Halyrudehouse, the 20th of May 1586, with his declaratione thereupon; for the quhilk cause the Assemblie absolvit him, and for the quhilks causes as they are contained in the said propositione at lenth, they declare as is above conteinit.
All ministers are exhortit and admonisched to judge charitably of uthers, albeit there be diversitie in their opinions and votes, remitting every man to God and his conscience; and that nane publickly nor in pulpit quarrell or impugne the determinatione of the Generall Assembly concernyng the appellatione from the sentence of the Synod of Fyfe.
Sessio 18.