holiness, and enforce conformity to the moral law, both in heart and life, not from principles of reason only, but also, and more especially, of revelation: And in order thereto, it is necessary to shew men the corruption and depravity of human nature by their fall in Adam, their natural impotence for, and aversion to what is spiritually good, and lead them to the true and only source of all grace and holiness, viz. union with Christ, by the Holy Spirit's working faith in us, and renewing us more and more after the image of God: And to let their hearers know that they must first be grafted into Christ, as their root, before their fruit can be savoury unto God; that they must have a new principle to animate, and a new end to direct them, before their actions become gracious and acceptable in the sight of God: And that they teach them the necessity of living by faith on the Son of God, in a constant looking to, and dependence upon him, as the great author of all gracious influences for the performance of every duty; and withal, that after their best performances and attainments, they must count themselves but loss and dung in point of justification before God; and to make it their great desire only to be found in Christ and his righteousness: And that ministers, in application of their sermons, endeavour rightly to divide the word of truth, speaking distinctly to such various cases of the converted and unconverted, as arise natively from the subject they have been handling: And that in the whole of their discourses, they take care to suit themselves to the capacity of their hearers, as to method, matter, and expression, and to the prevailing sins of the time and place, with all prudent and zealous freedom and plainness : As also, that they make gospel subjects their main theme and study, and press with all earnestness the practice of moral duties in a gospel manner: And that they forbear delivering any thing in public, that may tend more to amusement than edification, and beware of bringing into their sermons and public discourses, matters of doubtful disputation, which tend to engender strife, rather than promote the edification of christians: And all are exhorted to study to maintain the unity of the spirit in the

bond of peace: And finally, it is recommended to all professors of divinity, to use their best endeavours to have the students under their care well acquainted with the true method of preaching the gospel as above directed; and that presbyteries, at their privy censures, enquire concerning the observation of this Act 7.

1749. Recommended to ministers to instruct the people under their care, and for that purpose, to preach expressly, at least four Lord's days every year, on the principles of pure christianity opposite to the errors and corruptions of popery, and on the grounds and reasons of the reformation, and the principles on which the late glorious revolution, and our present happy establishment are founded.-Act 4.

PRESBYTERIES.

1638. All presbyteries erected since the year 1586 are ratified, and new presbyteries are erected according to a particular note registered in the books of Assembly.Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, § 1, 2.

That absents from presbyteries be censured.-Act id. Art. 3.

Declared, That the power of presbyteries, and of provincial and General Assemblies hath been unjustly oppressed, and never lawfully abrogated; and therefore, that it hath been most lawful to them (notwithstanding any point unjustly objected by the prelates to the contrary) to choose their own moderators, and to exercise all the parts of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, according to their own limits appointed them by the kirk.-Act Sess. 13,

Dec. 5.

Presbyteries are ordered to meet weekly, both in summer and winter, except in places far distant, who during the winter season, i. e. betwixt the 1st of October and the 1st of April, are dispensed with, for meeting once in the fourteen days: And all absents are to be censured, especially those who should exercise and add, according to the act of Assembly 1582: And that some

controverted head of doctrine be handled in the presbytery publicly, and disputed among the brethren, every first presbytery of the month; according to Act 12, Ass. 1598, held at Dundee.-Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, § 2.

1638. Declared, That presbyteries have power to admit ministers, and choose their own moderators.-Ibid. § 7. 1646. That correspondence be kept amongst other presbyteries constantly by letters, without prejudice to the personal correspondence when need requires, that one presbytery may understand what many are doing, and that they may be mutually assisting to each other.-Act Sess. ult. June 18, Art. 1.

1690. The ministers of different presbyteries associating in presbyteries allowed and approven, aye and until the vacancies of the said presbyteries be filled; and they are declared to have the authority and power of presbyteries respectively; and that notwithstanding, according to the old platform, the said ministers do reside in the bounds of different presbyteries.-Act 8.

1694. Recommended seriously to all the presbyteries within the church, to set up the use of the exercise and addition: as also, that of privy censures, conform to the ancient practice of this church; and their diligence therein is appointed to be recorded in their respective registers: And recommended to the several presbyteries, that they be careful to keep and maintain bursars of theology, conform to the ancient practice, and the acts of former Assemblies.-Act 17.

1700. All presbyteries and synods are required to be careful in revising the registers of the judicatures under their immediate inspection, and that they appoint a competent number of the most fit and experienced ministers for that work; and when they find nothing to challenge in any register, they give the same the attestation following: The presbytery of, having heard the report of those appointed to revise the session-book of, and having heard the remarks thereupon, and the said session's answers thereto And having inquired by the moderator, if any other had any complaints to make against

the actings of that session, and nothing appearing censurable, ordered the clerk to attest this in their sessionbook." And so for the registers of provincial synods and presbyteries, mutatis mutandis; but if there be any thing truly censurable in the said book, and in itself material, with respect to discipline, that it be recorded as censured, both in the book and attestation.-Act 9.

PRINTING.

1638. All persons within the kingdom are discharged and prohibited to print any act of the former Assemblies, or any of the acts or proceedings of that Assembly, any confession of faith, any protestation, any reasons pro vel contra anent the present divisions and controversies of this time, or any other treatise whatsoever, which may concern the Kirk of Scotland, or God's cause in hand, without warrant subscribed by Mr. Archibald Johnston, as clerk to the Assembly, and advocate for the kirk; or to reprint, without his warrant, any acts or treatises foresaid, which he hath caused others to print, under the pain of ecclesiastical censures, to be executed against the transgressors, by the several presbyteries; and in case of their refusal, by the several commissions from this Assembly: Whereunto civil authority is also expected.-Act Sess. 26, Dec. 20.

1700. All persons are prohibited and discharged to print any petition, address, appeal, reasons, or answers, or any part of any process to be brought in to the General Assembly, or any other church judicatory, without leave given by the respective presbyteries, before whom the same is in dependence; with certification, that no respect shall be had thereto, by reading or considering the same, in case they contravene this enactment.-Act 17.

1727. It is enacted and declared, That in case parties concerned in processes brought before the judicatories of this church, shall think fit to print states of their case, or other papers relating to said processes, it is only under these restrictions, viz. That a written copy of such printed

be

papers be given in to the clerk of the judicatory, subscribed by the party or his commissioner, to the end, that if any thing that is false, or not instructed, be therein inserted, or any indecent expressions used, the subscriber may censured according to the demerit of his fault: And parties are discharged to disperse, or the members of the church judicatories to regard, any printed paper concerning matters depending before them, not subscribed in the terms of this Act 6.

PROBATIONERS.

1638. All oaths and subscriptions exacted by prelates of intrants to the ministry, preceding the date of this act, are declared unlawful, and no ways obligatory.-Act Sess. 13, Dec. 5.

That none be admitted to the ministry before they be twenty-five years of age; except such as, for rare and singular qualities, shall be judged, by the General and Provincial Assembly, to be meet and worthy thereof; and Act of Ass. 1582, to that purpose, is renewed by Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, Art. 13.

In the trial of expectants before their entry to the ministry, it being notour that they have subscribed the confession of faith then declared in that Assembly, and that they have exercised often, privately and publicly, with approbation of the presbytery; they shall first add, and make the exercise publicly, and make a discourse on some common head in Latin, and give propositions thereupon for dispute; and thereafter be questioned by the presbytery upon questions of controversy and chronology, anent particular texts of scripture, how they may be interpreted, according to the analogy of faith, and be reconciled; and shall be examined upon their skill of the Greek and Hebrew; and they are to bring a testificate of their life and conversation from their college or presbytery, where they reside.—Act Sess. 23, 24, Dec. 17, 18, Art. 23.

1639. That all ministers or intrants presented to kirks,