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

Sess. 2^a. December 26, 1566.

Anent the Assignation of the pensione of money and victualls offered be the Queen’s Majestie, and her most honourable Councill, for the sustentation of ministers within this realme, the haill brethren present, required the ministers being in the Sessione, to pass furth of the Assembly, and with mature deliberation to consult and advyse, whether they think good to accept the same for reliefe of the present necessitie or not.

After long reasoning and mutual conference anent the said Assignation, returning againe in, the Assembly thought it good, for support of the ministers’ necessitie, to accept the said offer of money and victuall, if they might be gotten hastilie; nottheless, in consideratione of the law of God, Ordaines the persones who heares the doctrine of salvatione at the mouthes of his ministers, and thereby receaves speciall food to the nowrishment of their soules, to communicat temporall sustentation on their preachers: Their answer is, That having just title to crave the bodilie food at the hands of the saids persons, and finding no uthers bound unto them, they only require at their own flock, that they will sustain them according to their bounden dutie, and what it shall please them to give for their sustentation, if it were but bread and water, neither will they refuse it, nor desist from the vocatione. But to take from others contrare their will, whom they serve not, they judge it not their dewtie, nor yet reasonable; alwayes they most heartily thank the Lords that bestowed their labours and paines in purchasing the foresaid assignatione, most heartily requesting their honours to persevere, whill they bring it to some perfectione. Nevertheless, the haill Assemblie solemnly protested that the acceptance of the foresaid assignatione for the relief as said is, prejudges not the libertie of the kirk to sute for that thing that justly pertaineth to the patrimonie of the same, in tyme and place convenient, in any tyme hereafter.

The same day were proponed thir questions underwritten, and answers thereto as follows:—Whether if the teyndes properly pertaines to the kirk, and should only be applyed to the ministers, sustentatione of the poor, maintainyng of schools, repairing of kirks, and uthers godly uses, at the discretion of the kirk?

Answered affirmative, without contradiction.

Secondly, If the teynds pertains to the Kirk, and ought and should be imployed to sic godly uses as said is, Whether, if the ministers, who are the mouth of the Kirk, may, with safe conscience, keep silence, seeing the patrimonie of the Kirk maist injustly taken up and wasted in vain things, be sic persons as bears no office in the Kirk of God; and, in the meantyme, the ministers ceisand for necessitie, the poor perishing for hunger, the schools decayand, and kirks falland to the ground?

Answered: They ought not to keep silence, but earnestly to admonische every man of his deutie, and desyre all men to suit for that whilk justly pertaines to the sustaining of the things forsaid.

Thirdly, Whether, if the Kirk may justly require of all possessors the teynds to be paid to the Kirk only, and inhibite all uthers to intromitt therewith; and, in case of disobedience, what order shall be used be the Kirk against them?

Answered: After dew admonitione used, and no obedience found, rouse the censures of the Kirk.