Our Souerane Lord, with auise and consent of the thrie Estaitis and haill body of this ... liament, ratifeis and appreuis all and quhatsumeuir actis and statutis maid of befoir be his Hienes, with auiss ... Regentis, in his awin regnne or his predicessouris, anent the freidome and libertie of the trew Kirk of God and religioun, now presentlie professit within this realme; And specialie ratifeis and apprevis the sext act of his Hienes Parliament, haldin in the first zeir of his Hienes regnne, intitulat, Anent the trew and haly Kirk, and of thame that ar declarit not to be of the samyne. Ordaning the same to be heir insert of new, (becaus of sum defectioun and informalitie of wordis in default of the Prentair,) in this forme. Oure Souerane Lord, with auise of his thrie Estaites and haill body of this present Perliament, hes declarit and declaris the ministeris of the blissede Euangel of Jesus Chryst, quhome God of his mercie hes now raisit vp amanges ws, or heirefter sall raiss, aggreing with thame that now levis in doctrine and administratioun of the sacramentis. And the people of this realme that professis Jesus Christ as he is now offerit in his Evangell, and do communicat with the haly sacramentis, as in the reformit kirkis of this realme ar publictlie administrat, according to the Confessioun of the Faythe, to be the only trew and haly kirk of Jesus Christ within this realme. And decernis and declaris that all and sindrie quha vther gaynesayis the word of the Evangell ressauit and apprevit. As the heidis of the Confessioune of the Faythe professit in Perliament of befoir in the yeir 1560: as alsua specifiit and registrat in the actis of Perliament maid in the first zeir of his Hienes regnne, mair perticularlie dois expres, ratifeit alsua and appreuit in this present Parliament: or that refusses the participatioune of the haly sacramentis as they ar now ministrat to be na membris of the saide kirk, within this realme, and trew religioune, sa lang as they keep thame selffes sa deuydit from the societie of Christis body.
V.
Anent the Jurisdictioun of the Kirk, 26 Oct. 1579.[31]
Our Souerane Lord, with aduise of the thrie Estaitis of this present Parliament, hes declarit and grantit Jurisdictioun to the Kirk; quhilk consistis and standis in the preacheing of the trew word of Jesus Chryst, correctioun of maneris, and administratioun of the haly Sacramentis; and declaris that thair is na vther face of Kirk nor vther face of religion then is presentlie be the favour of God, establishit within this realme; and that thair be na vther jurisdiction ecclesiasticale acknawlegit within this realme, vther than that quhilk is and salbe within the samyn Kirk, or that quhilk flowis thairfra, concerning the premisses.
And further, Commission was granted to the Earl of Morton and others “To convene in Edinburgh, the xj. day of Aprile nixttocum, to searche furth mair speciallie, and to consider quhat wther speciall poyntis or clauses sould appertene to the Jurisdictioun, priuilege and auctoritie of the said Kirk; and to report thair declaratioun thairanent, to our Souerane Lord and thrie Estatis of this Parliament, sua that they may tak ordour thairintill, and authorise the samyn be act of Parliament,” &c.
VI.
Anent Prouisioun of Ministeris and certane Stipendis for thame, at all Paroche Kirkis, and appointing of Commissioneris for ordering thairof.—30 Nov. 1581.[32]
Item, Becaus for laik of preching and teiching in sindrie partis of the realme, monie people are suspectit to be fallin in greit ignorance and danger of godles atheisme. It being found maist difficill, that in the charge of pluracie of kirkkis, ony ane minister may instruct mone flokis: Thairfoir it is thocht expedient, statute, and ordanit be our Soverane Lord, and his thre Estatis of this present Parliament, That euerie paroche kirk, and samekle boundis as salbe found to be a sufficient and a competent, parochrie thairfoir sall haue thair awin pastoure with a sufficient and ressonable stipend, according to the state and habilitie of the place. And that all kirkis to the prelacyis annexit, be prouidit of sufficient ministeris, with competent livingis, alsweill laitlie disponit, sen his Hines acceptatioun of the gouernement of his awin persoun, as that sall vaik and be providit heirefter, whill his Hines perfite age. And befoir the title of any prelacie be conferrit to any persoun heirefter, that the saidis livingis and stipends be reseruit in the prouisioun, and alwayis comptit in the thrid, to the effect that ministeris may be prouidit thairto ad vitam. And in cace ony gift or prouision of prelacie sall pas vtherwayis, declaris the same to be null, and of nane auail, force, nor effect; ffor the speciall executioun of the qwhilk ordoure, his Majestie, with aduise of his saidis thre Estatis, grantis and gevis power and commissioun to his richt traist cousingis, and trustie and weill belouit Counsaillouris and vtheris efter specefeit, videlicet: James Stewart, Erle of Arrane, &c. and to considder, appoint, and ordour the estate of the saidis kirkis and stipendis, qwhairthrow the saidis ministeris being honestlie sustenit, may the better attend to thair flokis and propir vocatioun. And the said ordoure to continew ay and quhill forder ordoure be tane be his Hines, with aduise of his saidis Estatis in Parliament.