to have all our wounds perfectly cured with a fair and fatherly hand: And although in the way approven by this Kirk, tryal hath been taken in former Assemblies before from the Kirk registers, to our full satisfaction, yet the Commissioners Grace making particular enquiry from the members of the Assembly, now solemnly conveened, concerning the real and true causes of so many & great evils as this time past had so sore troubled the peace of this Kirk and Kingdome, It was represented to his Majesties Commissioner by this Assembly, That beside many other, the maine and most material causes were, First, The pressing of this Kirk, by the Prelates with a Service Book, or Book of Common Prayer, without warrand or direction from the Kirk, and containing beside the Popish frame thereof, diverse Popish errors and ceremonies, & the seeds of manifold grosse Superstitions and Idolatry, with a Book of Canons, without warrand or direction from the general Assembly, establishing tyrannicall power over the Kirk in the person of Bishops, and overthrowing the whole discipline & government of the Kirk by Assemblies, with a Book of Consecration and Ordination, without warrand of Authoritie, Civill or Ecclesiasticall, appointing offices in the house of God, which are not warranted by the word of God, and repugnant to the discipline and Acts of our Kirk, and with the high Commission, erected without the consent of the Kirk, subverting the jurisdiction [pg 075] and ordinary Judicatories of this Kirk, and giving to persons meerely Ecclesiasticall, the power of both swords, and to persons meerly Civill, the power of the Keys and Kirk-sensures. A second cause was the Articles of Perth, viz. the observation of Festivall dayes, kneeling at the Communion, Confirmation, Administration of the Sacraments in private places, which are brought in by a null Assembly and are contrary to the Confession of Faith, as it was meant and subscribed Anno 1580, and divers times since and to the order and constitutions of this Kirk. Thirdly, the changing of the government of the Kirk, from the Assemblies of the Kirk to the persons of some Kirkmen, usurping prioritie and power over their Brethren by the way, and under the name of Episcopall government against the Confession of Faith, 1580 against the order set downe in the Book of Policy, and against the intention & constitution of this Kirk from the beginning. Fourthly the Civill places and power of Kirkmen, their sitting in Session, Councell and Exchequer, their Riding, Sitting, and voting in Parliament, and their sitting in the Bench as Justices of peace, which according to the constitutions of this Kirk are incompatible with their spiritual function, lifting them up above their Brethren in worldly pomp, and do tend to the hinderance of the Ministrie. Fiftly the keeping and authorizing corrupt Assemblies at Linlithgow, 1606. and 1608. At Glasgow, 1610. At Aberdene, 1616. At S. Andrews, 1617. At Perth, 1618. which ar null and unlawful, as being called and constitute quite contrary to the order and constitutions of this Kirk received and practised ever since the reformation of Religion, and withal laboring to introduce novations into this Kirk, against the order and religion established. A sixth cause is the want of lawful & free General Assemblies, rightly constitute of Pastors, Doctors, and Elders yearly, or oftner pro re nata, according to the libertie of this Kirk, expressed in the Book of Policy: and acknowledged in the Act of Parliament, 1592. After which the whole Assembly in one heart and voyce did declare, that these and such other, proceeding from the neglect and breach of the Nationall Covenant of this Kirk and Kingdome, made in Anno [pg 076] 1580. have been indeed the true and maine causes of all our evills and distractions. And therefore ordain, according to the constitutions of the Generall Assemblies of this Kirk: And upon the grounds respectivè above-specified, That the foresaid Service-Book, Books of Cannons, and Ordinaination, and the high Commission, be still rejected: that the Articles of Perth, be no more practised: That Episcopall Government, and the Civill places and power of Kirk-men be holden still as unlawfull in this Kirk: That the above named pretended Assemblies, At Linlithgow 1606. and 1608. At Glasgow 1610. At Aberdene 1616. At S. Andrews 1617. At Perth 1618. be hereafter accounted as null, and of none effect. And that for preservation of Religion, and preventing all such evill in time-coming, Generall Assemblies rightly constitute, as the proper and competent judge of all matters Ecclesiasticall, heereafter be kept yearly and oftner, pro re nata, as occasion and necessity shall require; The necessity of these occasionall Assemblies being first remonstrate to His Majestie by humble supplication: As also that Kirk Sessions, Presbyteries and Synodall Assemblies, be constitute and observed, according to the order of this Kirk.
After the voycing of the Act (anent the causes of our by gone evills) His Majesties Commissioner consented verbally to the said Act, and promised to give into the Clerk in writ, the Declaration of His consent, and that he should ratifie this Act in the ensuing Parliament.
Sess. 18. Aug. 26. 1639.
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Act approving an old Register of the Generall Assembly.
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The whole Assembly (upon the report made to them anent the old Register of the Assembly, gotten from Master John Rig) all in one voice approved the said Register, And ordained the same to make faith in judgement, and outwith in all time coming: as a true and authentick Register of the Kirk of Scotland, conforme [pg 077] to the testimonie subscribed by the Committee, to be insert in the Books of Assembly: whereof the tenor followeth:
We under subscribers, Forsameikle as the late Generall Assembly holden at Glasgow, gave power and Commission to us, To peruse, examine, and cognosce upon the validity, faith, and strength of the books and Registers of the Assembly, particularly set down in the Commission given to us thereanent: According whereunto we did carefully view, peruse, and consider the saids Registers, and gave our testimony thereof under our hands, of the validity and sufficience of the samine, to the said Generall Assembly. And now having a new Commission given to us from the Generall Assembly now presently conveened and sitting at Edinburgh. To peruse, examine, and cognosce upon the validity, faith and strength of another Register of the Assembly, which was not set down and recommended to us by the said former Commission, which Register beginneth at the Assembly holden at Edinburgh the sixt day of March 1572. and endeth at the Assembly likewise holden at Edinburgh 1573. we have carefully viewed, perused, and considered the said Register: And being deeply and maturely advised, as in a matter of greatest weight and consequence, do attest before God, and upon our consciences declare to the world, and this present Assembly, That the said Register above exprest, is a famous, authentick, and good Register, which ought to be so reputed, and have publike faith in judgement and outwith, as a valid and true Record in all things, And finds the same to be of the same handwrit, and subscribed by the same Clerk of the Generall Assembly as divers of the said other Registers (formerly perused by us) are. And in testimonie of our solemne affirmation we have subscribed these presents with our hand, at Edinburgh the 14. day of August 1639.
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Act Sess. 19. August 27. 1639.
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Act approving the deposition of the Ministers by the Committees.
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The Assembly, after the receiving of the whole reports from the Committees, appointed for revising of the processes and sentences, led, deduced, and pronounced before, and by the several Commissions granted by the Assembly at Glasgow, All in one voice approved the saids whole Processes as orderly proceeded, and the whole sentences pronounced therein till, as just and lawful decrees, without prejudice of any favour that can be showne to any person or persons, against whom the said sentences are pronounced upon their supplications, or of Justice to such as complain of their processe, and offers to reduce the same upon whatsoever reason competent, by the Constitutions of this Kirk and Kingdome, before the General Assembly and the Commissioners thereof, they being appointed for that effect.
Act Sess. 20. Aug. 28. 1639.
