And because men may be found meit for fome places, quhilk are not meitt for vthers, it wald be confidderit that the principal places of the realme be provydit with men of moft worthie gifts, wifdome and experience, that none take the charge of greater number of peiple nor they are able to dif charge; and the Affemblie to take ordour heirwith, and the act of the Provinciall Affemblie of Louthiane made at Lynlithgow to be urgeit.

That fuch as falbe found not givin to thair booke and ftudie of Scriptures, not carefull to have bookis, not given to fanctificatioun and prayer, that ftudie not to be powerfull and fpirituall, not applying the doctrine to his corruptiouns, quhilk is the paftoral gift, obfcure and too fcolaftike befor the peiple, cauld and wanting zeale, negligent in vifiteing the feik, careing for the poore, or indifcreit in choofing of parts of the Word not meiteft for the flock, flatterers, and diffembling publick fins, and speciallie of great perfonages in thair congregatiouns, for flatterie or feare; that all fick perfons be cenfured according to the degries of thair faults, and continueing therin, to be depryvit.

That fuch as be flouthfull in miniftratioun of the facraments, and irreverent, as profaners, receiving cleane and vncleane, ignorants and fenfles profane, and making no confcience of thair profeffioun in thair calling or families; omitting due tryall, or vfing none or light tryall; having respect in thair tryall to perfons quherin there is manifest corruptioun: that all fick be sharply rebuikit, and if they continue therin, to be depofit. And if any be found a feller of the facraments, that he be depofit fimpliciter; and fick as colludes with flanderous perfons, and dispensing and ovirfieing them for money, incurre the lyke punishment.

That every Minifter be chargeit that he have a Seffioun eftablished of the meitest men in his congregatioun, and that discipline strike not only vpon groffe finnes, as whordome, bloodshed, &c. but vpon all fins repugnant to the Word of God, as blafphemie of God, banning, profaining of the Sabboth day, diffobedience to parents, idle vnrulie anes without calling, drunkards, and ficklyke deboshit men that makes no confcience of thair lyfe and ruleing of thair families, and fpeciallie of educatioun of thair children, lying, flandering, backbytting, flattering, and breeking of promises: And this to be ane vniverfall ordour throughout the realme; and fuch as are negligent, continueing therin after admonitioun, to be depofit.

That none falling in publick flanders be receivit againe in fellowship of the Kirk, except his Minister have fome appeirand warrand in conscience,

that he hes both ane feiling of fin, and apprehenfioun of mercie; and for this effect that the Minifter travell with him be doctrine and privat inftructioun, to bring him heirto, and specially in the docttrine of repentance, quhilk being neglected, the publick place of repentance is turned in a mocking.

Dilapidatioun of benefices, dimitting of them for favour or money, that they become laik patronages, without the advyce of the Kirk; and ficklyke, interchanging of them be tranfactioun, and transporting of themselves be that occafioun, without the knowledge of the Kirk, be precilie punithed: Sicklyke, fetters of taks, without the confent of the Affemblie, be punished according to the acts; and that the dimiffioun in favours for money or vtherwayes to the effect above wrytin, be punifchit as the dilapidatours.

Corruptiouns in thair perfons and lyves.

That fick as are light and wantoun in thair behaviour, as in gorgeous or light apparrell, in fpeich, in vfeing light and profane companie, vnlawfull gameing, as dancing, cardeing, dyceing, and fuch lyke, not befeiming the gravetie of ane Paftour, be fharplie and gravelie reprovit be the Prefbitrie, according to the degrie therof; and continuing therin after due admonitioun, that he be depryvit as flanderous to the Gospell.

That Ministers being found fwearers or banners, profaners of the Sabboth day, drunkards, fighters, guilty of all thir or any of them, to be depofit fimpliciter; and fuch lyke, liers, detracters, flatterers, breakers of promifes, braulers and quarrellers, after dew admonitioun continueing therin, incurre the fame punishment.

That Minifters givin to vnlawfull and incompetent trades for filthie gaine, as halding of hoftlaries, taking of ocker befyd good confcience and lawis, and bearing warldly offices in Noble and Gentlemens houfes, merchandife, and fuch lyke, buying of victuall and keiping to dearth, and all vther worldlie occupatiouns as may diftract them from thair charge, and be flander to the Paftoural calling, be admonished and brought to the acknowledging of thair faults, and if they continue therin, to be depofit.

That Minifters not refident at thair flocks be depofed, according to the acts of the Generall Affemblie and laws of the realme; vtherwayes the burdein to be laid vpon the Prefbyteries, and they be cenfurit therfor.

That the Affemblie command all thair members, that none of them

awaite on the Court and the affaires therof, without the advyce and allowance of the Prefbytrie.

Item, That they intend no actioun civill without the faid advyce, except in fmall matters; and for remeiding of the neceflitie that fome Ministers hes to entir in pley of law, that remedie be craveit, that short devyfed to be vfed in Minifters actiouns.

proces be

That Minifters take speciall care in vfeing godly exercifes in thair families, and teaching of thair wyves, children, and fervants, in vfing ordinarie prayers, and reiding of the Scriptures, in removeing of offenfive perfons out of thair families, and fuch lyke vther points of godly converfatioun and good example; and that they, at the visitatioun of thair kirks, try the Ministers families in thir points forfaids; and fuch as are negligent in thir points, after due admonitioun, falbe judgeit vnmeit to governe the house of God, according to the rule of the Apostle.

That Minifters in all companies ftryve to be fpiritual and profitable, [and to] talk of things pertaining to godlines, as, namelie, of fick as may ftrenthen them in Chryft, inftruct vs in our calling, of the meanes how to have Chryfts kingdom better eftablished in our congregatiouns, and to know [how] the gofpell flourishes in our flocks; and fuch lyke vthers the hinderances and the remedies that we find; quherin ther is manifold corruptiouns, both in the companying with ourselves and with vthers; and that the contraveiners heirof be tryit and sharply rebuikit.

That no Minifter be found to countenance, affift, or procure for ane publick offender challengit be his awin Minister for his publick offence, or to beare with him, as thogh his Minister were too fevere vpon him, vnder the paine of admonitioun and rebooking.

Anent Generall Affemblies: To urge the keiping of the acts anent the keeping of the Affembly, that it may have the awin reverence.

Seffio 10. 29 [Martii.]

Inftructiouns to Mrs James Preftoun, and Edward Bruce, Commendatour of Kinlofs, his Majefties Commiffioners to the prefent Generall Affemblie.

Imprimis, Je fall fhew to the faid Affemblie our good will to have all the kirks of Scotland plantit with Minifters, and fufficient livings appointit

to them, to the great hurt of our awin rent, and that portioun of the thrids quhilk was affignit to our houfe, and our Comptrollours in poffeffioun therof: Bot fieing that the haill thrids is not fufficient to plant the haill kirks, nor get comodious to Minifters to ferve in ane place, and have thair livings to feik in another [very] farre diftant from thair cure: Therfor we thoght good to fett ford wart ane ordour for locall ftipends, founded vpon this ground, that all the kirks of Scotland fould have Minifters, and all Ministers stipends within thair awin paroches, of fick valour, as be our authoritie on the ane part, and concurrence and procurement of the Kirk on the vther, might be obtainit from the taksmen of teinds, prefent poffeffours of the faid rent; for the quhilk effect we caufit ane act of Parliament to be made in the geir of God 1592, grantand commiffioun to certaine Noblemen, Counsellers, Officiars, [and] Minifters, on the vther parts, to intreat and profecute this matter; and als hes givin command in particular, to certaine of our Lords of Checker to help, with thair advyce and labours, to bring this matter to fome perfectioun, quherin, as we vnderstand, ther is fomething done, as ane part of the brethren can [bear] record. Lyke as we, continueand in our good mynd in our tyme to have the kirks fettlit anent thair livings, and not intanglit geirly with proceffes, and our haill kirks plantit within this realme, be thir prefents, offers and promitts to the faid Affemblie, to caufe our Commiffioners, Counsellours, and Officers, to conveine prefentlie, befor the expyreing of this Affemblie, with the said Commiffioners for the Kirk, to begin this good purpofe, and to lay the ground, and fett downe the ordour, and tyme and place of conveining, to profecute the famein to the finall end, conforme to the act of Parliament, fo that the ftay, (if any,) falbe on the part of the Kirk, as it has bein of befor, and not on our part.

Item, Je fall fhew to them that it is a stay to this good worke, that be fome of thair preachings they wald make the peiple to vnderstand, that we and our Counfell flay the planting of kirks, and take away the prefent livings poffeft be Ministers; albeit the contrair be of veritie, that We and our Counfell is most willing that the haill kirks be plantit, and the rents of the Ministers augmentit, so farre as lawfullie may be obtainit with confent of our Nobilitie, and vthers taksmen of teinds, whofe rights, but ordour of law, We cannot impare; and therfor this forme of preiching difcourages our good Counsellours moft willing to this work, and is ane heavie flander

vpon the Minifters themselves, quherin ze fall defyre ordour to be taine, that the lyke be not done in tyme comeing.

Item, Je fall defyre thefe gour inftructiouns in our name, to be registrat in the Books of the Affemblie, as ane perpetuall teftimonie of our good will; and als that anfuers be given, [in particular,] be ane generall voting of the haill Affemblie, and no wayes to be referrit to ane privat conference; and the anfuers fa vottit to every particular heid to be regiftrat in lyke maner therwith, and the extract of all thefe articles and anfuers to be delyverit to gou, to report to vs again. Sic fubfcribitur,

JAMES R.

Seffio 11a.

[Upon Tuesday the 30 of March, the Minifters and other Commiffioners conveened in the Little Kirk at nine hours, the one kirk door being shutt, and the other fett open for a certain fpace, whereby it came to pass, that few were prefent, except the Ministry, the whole number amounting to four hundred perfons, all Ministers, or choife profeffors. After the first prayer, Mr Davidfon caufed the Reader to read the 15 and 34 chapters of Ezekiel which being done, first, he purged himself of ambition for that place; yet feeing it pleafed God, faid he, to move them to choife him the leaft worthy, and unmeetest in the number, to occupy the place of a teacher that day, they were not to look, that he came there to be cenfured of them, but to use the authority of a teacher as to difciples in that respect; and yet did not take from them the liberty that God gave them to try the spirits, whither they were of God or not. He fhewed, that the end of that convention was the confeffion of their own fins, who were Minifters, and promife of amendment in time to come, and fo to enter into a new league with God, that being fanctified by repentance, they might be the meeter to provock others to the fame; that they fhould not think it needlefs nor strange to enter in examination of themselves guilty of the imminent judgment. They were to conferr, and compare themselves, their learning, geal, godlinefs, multitude, dayes, times, occafions, and helps, or rather wants, with the Prophets of former times, namely the Prophets of these dayes, whereof these two chapters treated, and see what priviledge they have more than they had; and why among their multitude pro re nata