The Booke of the Universall Kirk of Scotland / Wherein the Headis and Conclusionis Devysit Be the Ministers and Commissionaris of the Particular Kirks Thereof, Are Specially Expressed and Contained.

by Unknown

5. The Kirks also quhilks ar unitit and joynit togidder be annexatioun to thair benefices, aucht to be seperated and diuidit, and gevin to qualifeit ministeris, as Goddis word cravis.

6. Neither aucht sic abuseris of the patrimony of the Kirk of Chryst, to haue voit in Parliament, nor sit in counsall under the name of the kirk and kirk-men, to the hurt and preiudice of the libertie thairof, and lawis of the realme maid in fauouris of the Reformit Kirk.

7. Mekleless is it lawfull, that ane persone amangis thais men sould haue fyue, sax, ten, twentie, or ma kirkis, all hauing the charge of saulis, and bruik the patrimony thairof, ayther be admissioun of the prince, or of the Kirk, in this licht of the Evangell; for it is bot mockage to craue reformatioun whare sic hes place.

8. And albeit it wes thocht guid for avoiding grett inconuenientis, that the auld possessouris of sic benefices quha imbracit the religioun, sould inioy be permissioun, the twa pairt of the rentis quhilks thay possesst befoir, induring thair lyfetymis, zit it is not tollerable to continew in the Kirk lyke abuse, and gif thais places and utheris benefices of new to als onmeit men or rather onmeitar, quha ar not myndit to serue in the Kirk, bot leid a lone and idle lyf as the utheris did quha bruikit thame in the tyme of blindnes.

9. And insafar as in the ordour tane at Leyth in the zeir of our Lord Jaj. v^c. seventie-ane year, it appeiris that sic may be admittit, being fund qualifeit, &c. ather that pretended ordour is agains all guid ordour, or ellis it must be onderstandit not of thame that be qualifeit to worldlie effaires to serue in the court, bot sic as ar qualifeit to teache Goddis word, havand thair lawfull admissioun of the Kirk.

10. As to bischoppis, gif the name επισχοπος be properlie takin, thay ar all ane with ministeris, (as was befoir declairit;) for it is not the name of superioritie and lordschip, bot of office and watching.

11. Zit, becaus in the corruptioun of the Kirk, this name, as utheris hes bene abused, and zit is lyk to be, we cane not allow the fashioun of thais new chosine bischoppis, nather of the chapteris that ar electouris of thame to sic office as thay ar chosene.

12. Trew bischopis sould addict thame selfis to ane particular flok, (quhilk sindry of thame refusis,) nather sould thay usurp lordship ouer thair brethrene, and ouer the inheritance of Chryst, as thais men do.

13. Pastouris, insafar as thay ar pastouris, hes not the office of visitatioun of ma Kirkis joint to the pastureschip, without it be gevin thame.

14. It is ane corruptioun, that bischopis sould haue fordar boundis to visit, nor thay may lawchfully.