1736. Found, That what Mr. Archibald Campbell, professor of divinity and ecclesiastical history in the university of St. Andrews, had taught with respect, 1..To.. the inability of man by his natural power to find out the being of a God, he had by this no intention to enervate. natural religion, or give any handle or countenance to its enemies, but rather to show the necessity of supernatural revelation. 2. To the law of nature's being sufficient to guide rational minds to happiness; that it was not his meaning that a supernatural revelation of a Saviour, and faith in him, were superfluous, and not necessary to the happiness of fallen man. 3. To self-love's being the sole principle and motive of all religious and virtuous actions; that he meant no more than that our delight in the honour and glory of God was the chief motive of all virtuous and religious actions; and 4. That the disciples during our Saviour's lifetime only expected and hoped for a temporal deliverance and worldly kingdom-that between his death and resurrection they concluded him to be a cheat and impostor-and that before his resurrection they had no notion of his divinity: That these were only Mr. Campbell's conjectural opinions with regard to the inward sentiments of other men that our confession and catechisms teach nothing concerning these matters; and that his design was to give greater strength to his argument for vindicating the apostles from enthusiasm; and it is thought that the examining and stating the matter as has been done is sufficient for cautioning against the errors of which Mr. Campbell had at first been supposed guilty, without a formal sentence; and therefore it is resolved and appointed, That the matter rest here. And it is recommended to Professor Campbell, and to all ministers and teachers of divinity within this church, to be cautious in their preaching, teaching, and writing, not to use doubtful expressions or propositions, which may be constructed in an erroneous sense, or lead the hearers or readers into error, however sound such words or propositions may be in themselves, or however well intended, but to hold fast the form of sound words. Act 10.

1737. It is declared, That as the Assembly in the fore

going act say, that they gave no judgment or formal sentence on Professor Campbell, and therefore could not be understood to adopt any of his expressions on the head of self-love; so this Assembly do steadfastly adhere to the doctrine of our church on that head, expressed in our standards, particularly in the answers to that question in our Shorter and Larger Catechisms, "What is the chief end of man ?—Act 5.

1744. Exceptions having been taken at a sermon published by Mr. William Leechman, professor of divinity. in the college of Glasgow, on the nature, reasonableness, and advantage of prayer, it is found that he has given abundant satisfaction concerning the orthodoxy of his sentiments; and that there is no ground or occasion remaining for any further trial of the professor in respect of that sermon: And the presbytery of Glasgow is prohibited to commence or carry on any further or other proceedings against him on account of that sermon.-Act 9.

DUELS.

1648. That all persons, of whatsoever quality, who shall either fight duels, or make, or write, or receive, or, with their knowledge, carry any challenge, or go to the field, either as principals or seconds, to fight duels or combats, be, without respect of persons, processed with the censures of the kirk, and brought before the congregation two several Lord's days; in the first whereof they are sharply to be rebuked, and convinced of the heinousness of their sin and offence; and on the next to make a solemn public confession thereof, and profession of their unfeigned humiliation and repentance for the same: And if the persons guilty of any of the former offences be an elder or deacon, he is to be removed from his office: And whatsoever person guilty of any of these offences shall refuse to give obedience according to the tenor of this act, that he be processed to excommunication. And if any be killed at such duels, that the killer be proceeded against by the kirk as other murderers.-Act Sess. ult. Aug. 12.

EVILS OF THE KIRK.

1638. The high commission court is disallowed, and condemned as unlawful in itself, and prejudicial to the liberties of Christ's kirk and kingdom, the king's honour in maintaining the established laws and judicatures of the kirk; the use and practice of the same is prohibited; and presbyteries are ordained to proceed with the censures of the kirk against all such as transgress.-Act Sess. 14, Dec. Art. 4.

The articles concluded at Perth Assembly, 1. That the sacrament of the Lord's supper be celebrated by the people on their knees; 2. That it be privately administered to persons on deathbed, three or four being present to communicate with them, and a place convenient, and all things necessary decently provided; 3. That baptism, when great need shall compel, be administered in private houses, and declaration made thereof next Lord's day in the congregation; 4. That ministers catechise all young children of eight years of age, and that the bishops, in their visitations, cause present them to them, and bless them, with prayers and imposition of hands; and, 5. That the days of our Lord's birth, passion, resurrection, and ascension, and sending down of the Holy Ghost, be observed by ministers, in commemoration of these inestimable benefits; are declared to have been abjured by the kirk, in their confession of faith, as it was meaned and professed in the years 1580, 1581, 1590, 1591, and so ought to be removed out of it; and all disputing for, or observing of, any of them, in all time coming, is prohibited and discharged; and presbyteries ordained to proceed with the censures of the kirk against all transgressors : And the several acts of parliament and General Assemblies, and heads of our confession of faith, and books of discipline, disapproving and condemning the substance of these articles, are resumed in Act Sess. 17, Dec. 10.

The confession of faith, and several acts of the General Assemblies of this church, declaring against abolishing

and condemning all errors and corruptions in doctrine, discipline, and government, and particularly, the Roman hierarchy, and establishing and ratifying the liberty, discipline, and jurisdiction of the true kirk, in her sessions, presbyteries, synods, and General Assemblies, and gradually advancing and carrying on the work of reformation from the year 1595, are recapitulated: And declared, that according to the confession of faith, as it was professed in the years 1580, 1581, and 1590, all episcopacy, different from that of a pastor of a particular flock, was abjured in this kirk, and to be removed out of it: And therefore, all persons are prohibited, under ecclesiastical censures, to usurp, accept, defend, or obey, the pretended authority thereof, in time coming.-Act Sess. 16, Dec. 8.

1639. That the service, or common prayer book, book of canons, and consecration or ordination, and the high commission court, be rejected; the articles of Perth be no more practised; that episcopal government, and the civil places and power of kirkmen, be held still as unlawful in this kirk; that the pretended Assemblies at Linlithgow 1606 and 1608, at Glasgow 1610, at Aberdeen 1616, at St. Andrews 1617, and at Perth 1618, be thereafter accounted as null and of no effect, as the main and most material causes, of the many and great evils that in time past had so sore troubled the peace of this kirk and kingdom; and that, for the preserving of religion, and preventing all such evils in time coming, General Assemblies, rightly constituted, as the proper and competent judge of all matters ecclesiastical, be thereafter kept yearly, and oftener, pro re nata, as occasion and necessity shall require; the necessity of all these occasional Assemblies being first remonstrated to his majesty by humble supplication: As also, that kirk-sessions, presbyteries, and synodical Assemblies, be constituted and observed according to the order of this kirk.—Act Sess. 8, Aug. 17.

1715. The Assembly approves of a memorial setting forth the evils and grievances of the church from patronages, from the toleration as it stands; the hardships imposed upon Scotsmen in office in England and Ireland, in obliging them to take the sacramental test, and the

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prejudice done to this church by the differences that have arisen about the oath of abjuration, and recommends to all the members to use their endeavours with friends at London, that the end of the addresses set down in Acts 16, 17, Ass. 1712, concerning the oath of abjuration, may be obtained; and the said memorial is put into the hands of their commission, who are enjoined to use all due means to obtain redress, and to send the same to the secretary of state, to be laid before his majesty.-Act 9.

EXCOMMUNICATION.

1638. The pretended Archbishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, the Bishops of Edinburgh, Galloway, Ross, Bre-chin, and Aberdeen, are deposed and excommunicated; and the pretended Bishops of Dumblain, Murray, Orkney, Lesmore, Isles, Dunkeld, and Caithness, are deposed for sundry heinous offences and enormities proven against them, and are ordained to be excommunicated, in case of their disobedience to the ordinances of the Assembly, by Act Sess. 20, Dec. 13.

The act of Assembly at Edinburgh 1569, ordering, that those who will not forbear the company of excommunicated persons after due admonition, be excommunicated themselves, except they forbear, is ordained to be put in execution, by Act Sess. 23, 24. Dec. 17, 18. Art. 16.

1643. That if any minister haunt the company of an excommunicated person, contrary to the laws of the kirk, he be suspended from his ministry, by his presbytery, for the first fault, during their pleasure; and for the second fault, that he be deprived; and in case the presbytery be negligent therein, that the provincial Assembly do censure the presbytery thus negligent.-Act Sess. ult. Aug. 19.

The article of the heads and propositions sent to the Assembly held at Edinburgh in 1573, by the Lord Regent, and approven by the Assembly, bearing, that it was resolved that the executions of the sentence of excommunication against persons excommunicated, after