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.

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25. So we esteme halding of chapetirs in Papisticall maner, ayther in cathedrall kirkis, abbayis, collegis, or uther conventuall places, usurping the name and auctoritie of the kirk, to hurt the patrimony thairof, or use ony uther act to the preiudice of the same, sene the ʒeir of our Lord 1560 ʒeiris, to be abusioun and corruptioun, contrar to the libertie of the trew kirk and lawis of the realme, and thairfoir aucht to be annullat, reducit, and in tymis cuming utterlie dischargit.

26. The dependences also of this Papisticall jurisdictioun ar to be abolished, of the quhilk sort is the mingled jurisdiction of the commissaris, in safar as thay mell with ecclesiasticall materis, and haue na commissioun of the kirk thairto, bot war erectit in tyme of our Soverainis mother, whan thingis war out of ordour. It is an absurd thing, that sindrie of thame, having na functioun in the kirk, sould be ingis to ministeris, and depose thame fra thair rowmis: Thairfoir, ather thay wald be dischargit to meddle with ecclesiasticall matteris, or it wald be limitat to thame in quhat materis thay might be Juges, and not hurt the libertie of the kirk.

27. Thay also that of befoir war of the ecclesiasticall estait in the Papis kirk, or that ar admittit of new to Papisticall titles, and now ar tollerat be the lawis of the realme, to posses the twa pairt of thair ecclesiasticall rentis, aucht not to haue ony forder libertie, bot to intromet with the portioun assignit and grantit to thame for thair lyfetime, and not, under the abusit titles quhilks thay had, to dispone the kirk rentis, set takis and fewis thairof at thair plesour, to the greit hurt of the kirk, and pure lauboraris that dwell upone the kirk-landis, contrarie to all guid conscience and ordour.

Certane speciall Heidis of Reformatioun quhilk we crave.

CAP. 12.

1. Quhatsoeuir haue bene spokine of the offices of the kirk, the seuerall power, the office-beraris thair conjunct power also, and last of the patrimony of the kirk, we onderstand it to be, the right reformation, whilk God cravis at our handis, That the kirk be ordourit according thairto, as with that ordour quhilk is maist aggreable to the word of God.

2. Bot becaus sumthingis willbe twichit in particular, concerning the estait of the countrie, and that quhilk we principallie seik to be reformit in the same, we haue collectit thame in thir heidis following:

3. First, seing the haill countrie is devydit in provinces, and thir provinces agane ar diuidit in paroches, alsweill in landwart as in townis; in euery paroche of reasonable congregationis, there wald be placit ane or ma pasturis to feid the flok, and na pasture or minister, aucht to be burdenit with the particular charge of ma flockis or kirks thene ane alanarlie.

4. And becaus it willbe thocht hard to find out pasturis or ministeris to all the paroche kirkis of the realme, alsweill in landwart as in borrows townis, we think, be the advice of sic as commissioun may be gevine to, be the kirk and the prince, paroches in landwart or small villages, may be joint twa or thrie or ma, in sum places togidder, and the principall and maist commodious kirkis to stand, and to be repairit sufficientlie, and qualifeit ministeris placet thereat; and the uther kirkis, quhilk ar not fund necessar, may be sufferit to decay, thair kirk-zairdis alwayis being kepit for buriall places: And in sum places quher neid requyris, ane parochine, where the congregatioun is ouir greit for ane kirk, may be diuidit in twa or ma.