Ministers, at their publick inauguration, shall protest solemnlie that they sall never leive their vocatione any tyme thereafter under the paine of infamie and perjurie.
Anent the tryall of young children, and how they are brought up be thair parents in the trew religion of Jesus Christ: It is ordainit, that ministers and elders of kirks shall, universallie within this realme, take tryall and examine all young children within their parochines that are come to nyne years, and that for the first tyme; thereafter, when they are come to twelve yeares for the second tyme; the third tyme, to be examined when they are of fourteen years, wherethrough it may be knawne what they have profited in the schoole of Christ from tyme to tyme.
Sessio 3a.
It is ordained, be reasone of the great troubles fallen out lately in this realme be defectione of some from the King’s Majestie’s lawfull authoritie, that certaine brethren be sent from the Kirk to all sortes, Earles, Lords, Barrones, and gentlemen whatsumever, that hes made the foresaid defectione, and travell with them be all meanes possible, to reconcile them to the lawfull obedience of his Majestie, and to certifie them that disobeys, that the haill Kirk will use their sword against them, quhilk God’s word hes committit to them. Commissioners for that effect—Mr Andrew Hay and Mr David Lindsay, to my Lord Duke’s Grace, the Earles of Argyll, Eglintoune, Cassills, the Lord Boyde, and uthers barrones and gentlemen that they can gudlie meit with within the wast parts; The Laird of Dunn, Superintendent of Angus and Mernes, to the Earle of Crawford, the Lord Ogilvie, and their assisters: Qwhilk Commissioners war commandit to report their answers to the next Generale Assemblie.
Sessio 4a.
The controversie in St Androis betuixt Mr Robert Hamiltoune, minister there, and his Colleges on the ane parte, and Mr James Carmichael and his Colleges on the uther parte, is traitit and discussit be the Assembly of the haill Kirk, because the same concerns doctrine, sclander that may rise therein, or discipline of the Kirk.
Cloakers of adulterie sould be callit and convict; and if it be fund that they have cloakit publick adulterie after their knawledge, then let the law haue place. Consentientes et agentes pari pœna puniantur.
Quhen a woman beares a bairne to a certain man, and, in the tyme of her birth, before the midwife, alleadges the bairne to be this man’s, and beand callit before ane judge, beand readie to sweir the same, and this man is ready to swear the contrare, and that he never had carnall dealings with this woman, and there is no other witness, Whether shall credence be gine to the man’s oath or to the woman’s? and shall the bairne be left without ane father knowne?
Answer, Neutri credendum.
All things being done that the civil ordour requires of them that withhalds the dewtie of the Kirk, whereby the ministers wants their stipends, the Kirk may proceed to excommunication for their contempt.