Our Soveraigne Lord, with advice foresaid, declares that the ministers serving the cure at the Kirks under-written, present and to come, shall be esteemed the chapter thereof: they are to say, the Prior of Portmook, who is principal of S. Leonard’s Colledge, and deane of the Chapter: the arch-dean of S. Andrewes; the Vicar of S. Andrewes; the Vicar of Leuchers; the Vicar of Cowper; the Provest of Kirkhill; the Parson of Dysert; the Vicar of Forgond; the Vicar of Inshture; the Vicar of Kincaird; the Vicar of Fowles; the Vicar of Eglishgreig; the Vicar of Rossie; the Vicar of Linlithgo; the Vicar of Scoone; the Vicar of Fordun; the Vicar of Forgund in Fyfe; the Deane of Restalrig; the Deane of Dumbar; the Vicar of Kettill; the Vicar of Kennoway; the Vicar of Merkinch; the Vicar of Falkland; and the Vicar of Abercrombie; being all twenty foure persons. Which persons shall have the administration, doing and performing of the affairs belonging to the said bishoprick, and for the weale of the said Cathedral Kirk, which were done of before by the prior and his chanons. And concerning the election of the Archbishop of the said see, whensoever the same shall hereafter vaik,
Our Soveraigne Lord, with advise foresaid, declares, statutes, and ordeins the said Arch-bishop to be elected by eight bishops of his diocy. They are to say, the Bishop of Dunkeld; the Bishop of Aberdein; the Bishop of Brechin; the Bishop of Dumblain; the Bishop of Ross; the Bishop of Murray; the Bishop of Orkney; and the Bishop of Caithness. And by five ministers serving the cure of the Kirks under-written, to wit, the Principal of S. Leonard’s Colledge; the Arch-deane of S. Andrewes; the Vicar of S. Andrewes; the Vicar of Luchars; and the Vicar of Cowper. Which bishops and ministers, or the most part of them, shall have power in all time to come to elect the Arch-bishop whenever the see shall vaik, and shall remain hereafter the chapter appointed by our Soveraigne Lord and Estates for the election foresaid. The Vicar-general for conveining of the which electors, our Soveraigne Lord and Estates declares to be now and in all time comming, the Bishop of Dunkeld, who shall happen be for the time. And siklike, Our Soveraigne Lord, with advise of his Estates, declares, statutes, and ordeins, that the Archbishop of Glasgow, whensoever that see shall vaik, shall be elected by the three Bishops of his diocie, to wit, the Bishop of Galloway, the Bishop of Argyle, the Bishop of the Iles, being for the time, and by his ordinar chapter, or the most part of them, the Bishop of Galloway being alwayes conveiner of the saids electors to the said election. Which persons shall have power onely in the said election, seeing it is the expresse will and ordinance of his Majesty and Estates, that the auld and ordinar chapter of Glasgow, and the other chapter above-written, appointed for the see of Sanct-Andrewes, as said is, shall have the only administration of these things, concerning the affairs tending to the weal of their Cathedral Kirks, and belonging thereto, as the auld chapter formerly had, and these others chapters before-mentioned, appointed allanerly for election of the saids Arch-bishops, shall no wayes be derogatory to the others ordinary chapters established for the handling of the affairs of their seas in manner above-written.
IX.
A Ratification of the Five Articles of the General Assembly of the Kirk, halden at Perth in the Moneth of August 1618.
4th August 1621.
Our Soveraigne Lord, with the advice and consent of the Estates of Parliament presently conveened, ratifies and approves the acts of the General Assembly of the Kirk, halden at Perth the xxv. day of August, the year of God 1618, and concluded the twenty-seventh of the same moneth, Sessione secunda. Whereof the tenour followeth.
1. Since we are commanded by God himselfe, that when we come to worship him, we fall down and kneele before the Lord our Maker, and considering with all, that there is no part of Divine worship more heavenly and spiritual, then is the holy receiving of the blessed body and blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: Lyke as the most humble and reverend gesture of the body in our meditation and lifting up of our hearts, best becometh so divine and sacred an action. Therefore, notwithstanding that our Kirk hath used since the Reformation of religion, to celebrate the holy communion to the people sitting, by reason of the great abuse of kneeling used in the idolatrous worship of the sacrament by the Papists: Yet now, seeing all memory of by-past superstition is past, In reverence of God, and in due regard of so divine a mystery, and in remembrance of so mystical ane union, as we are made partakers of: The Assembly thinketh good, that that blessed sacrament be celebrated hereafter meekly and reverently upon their knees.
2. Item, If any good Christian visited with long sickness, and knowne to the pastor; by reason of his present infirmity, unable to resort to the Kirke, for receiving of the holy communion, or being sick, shall declare to the pastor upon his conscience, that he thinkes his sickness to be deadly, and shall earnestly desire to receive the same in his house: The minister shall not deny to him so great a comfort, lawful warning being given to him upon the night before, and that there be three or foure of good religion and conversation, free of lawful impediments, present with the sick person to communicate with him, who must also provide a convenient place in his house; and all things necessary for the reverend administration thereof, according to the order prescrived in the Kirke.
3. Item, The minister shall often admonish the people, that they defer not the baptising of infants, any longer then the next Lord’s day after the child be borne, unlesse upon a great and reasonable cause declared to the minister, and by him approved. As also they shall warne them, that without great cause they procure not their children to be baptized at home in their houses, but when great need shall compell them to baptize in privat houses, (in which case, the minister shall not refuse to do it, upon the knowledge of the great need, and being timely required thereto,) then baptisme shall be administred after the same forme as it should have been in the congregation. And the minister shall the next Lordes day after any such private baptisme, declare in the Kirke, that the infant was so baptized, and therefore ought to be received as one of the true flocke of Christ’s folde.