and dew intervall of tymes obseruit. ANENT PARTICU LAKE KIRKIS. Gif they be lauchfullie rewlit be sufficient ministeris and sessioun, thay haif power and iurisdictioun in thair awin congregatioun in materis ecclesiasticall. And decernis and declairis the saidis Assembleis, Presbiteries and Sessiounes, jurisdictioun and discipline thairof foirsaide to be in all tymes cuming maist iust, gude and godlie in the selff. Notwithstanding of quhatsumeuir statutes, actes, cannon, ciuile, or mvnicipale lawes maid in the contrair; to the quhilkis and every ane of thame thir presentis sall make expres derogatioun. And becaus thair ar diuerss actes of Parliament maid in favouris of the papisticall kirk, tending to the preiudice of the libertie of the trew kirk of God presentlie professit within this realme, jurisdictioun and discipline thairof, quhilk standis yet in the buikis of the actes of Parlia ment not abrogat nor annullit; thairfoir his Hienes and Estaitts foirsaidis hes abrogat, cassit and annullit, and be the tennour heirof abrogat, cassis, and annullis all acts of Parliament maid be ony of his Hienes predecessouris, for maintenance of superstitioun and idolatrie, withall and quhatsumeuir actes, lawes, and statutes maid at ony tyme befoir the day and dait heirof, againis the libertie of the trew kirk, jurisdictioun and discipline thairof, as the samyn is vsit and exerceisit within this realm; and in speciall that pairt of the sevint act of Parliament halden at [Streviling the fourt day of November Im iiije xliij] yeires, commanding obedience to be gevin to Eugin the Pape for the tyme, the je and xj act maid be King James the thride in his Parliament halden at Edinburgh the xxiiij of Februar Im iiije lxxxiij yeiris, and all vtheris actis quhairby the Paipis auctoritie is establishit. The xlvij act of King James the thride in his Parliament halden at Edinburgh the [xx day of November 1 m iiije lxix] yeiris, Anent the Satterday and vther vigillis to be hally dayes from evin sang to evin sang. Item, That pairt of the xxxj act maid be the Quene Regent in the Parliament halden at Edinburgh the first day of Februar Im ve li yeris, geving speciall licence for haldin of Pashe and Yule. Item, The Kingis Maiestie and Estaittis foir

saidis declairis that the secund act of the Parliament halden at Edinburgh the xxij day of Maij, the yeir of God 1m ve lxxxiiij yeiris, sall na wayes be preiudiciall nor derogat any thing to the priuilege that God hes gevin to the spirituall office beraris in the kirk, concerning headis of religioun, materis of heresie, excommunication, collatioun, or depriuation of ministeris, or ony sic essentiall censouris, speciall groundit and havand warrand of the word of Gode. Item, Oure said Souerane Lorde and Estaittis of Parliament foirsaidis, abrogates, cassis, and annullis the xx act of the same Parliament halden at Edinburgh the said yeir Im ve lxxxiiij yieris, granting commissioun to Bishoppis and vtheris iuges constitute in ecclesiasticall causses to ressaue his Hienes presentatioun to benefices, to gif collatioun thairvpon, and to put ordour in all causses ecclesiasticall, quhilk his Maiestie and Estaittis foirsaidis declairis to be expyrit in the self and to be null in tyme cuming, and of nane availl, force nor effect. And thairfoir ordanis all presentatiounis to benefices to be direct to the particular Presbiteries in all tyme cuming, with full power to thame to giff collationis thairvpon, and to put ordour to all materis and caussis ecclesiasticall within thair boundis according to the discipline of the kirk. Providing the foirsaidis Presbiteries be bund and astrictit to ressaue and admitt quhatsumeuir qualifiet minister presentit be his Maiestie or vther laic patrounes." (Acts of the Parliament of Scotland, edit. 1814, vol. iii. pp. 541-2.)

After the abolition of Episcopacy in 1640, there is a "Ratificatioune of the Actis of the Assemblie."*

"The Estaittis of Parliament presentlie convened be his Majesteis speciall authoritie, ratifies, approves and perpetuallie confirmes the act of the Generall Assemblie haldin at Edinburgh in the moneth of August last bypast, maid vpon the sevintent day of the said moneth, and in the eight sessioune of the said Assemblie, intituled Anent the sex Caussis of our bygane evillis, quhairof the tennour followis. The Kings Majesty haveing gratiouslie declared that it is his royall will and pleasour, that all Acts, vol. v. p. 291.

questions about religion and maters ecclesiasticall be determined be assemblies of the kirk, haveing also by publict proclamation indicted this free Nationall Assemblie for setling the present distraction of this kirk, and for establishing a perfite peace against such divisions and disorders as have bene sore displeasing to his Majesty, and grevous to all his goode subjects. And now his Majesties commissioner, Johne Erle of Traquair, instructed and authorized with a full commission, being present and sitting in this Assemblie now fullie conveind and ordourlie constitute in all the members thereof. According to the ordor of this kirk, haveing at large declared his Majestys zeall to the reformed religion, and his royall cair and tender affection to this kirk, wher his Majesty had both his birth and baptisme, his great displeasour at the manifold distractions and divisions of this kirk and kingdome, and his desires to have all our wounds perfitely cured with a fair and fatherlie hand. And altho in the way approvin be this kirk, tryall hath bene takin in former assemblies before from the kirk registers to our full satisfaction; yet the Commissioners Grace making particular inquirie from the members of the Assemblie now solemnlie conveind, concerning the reall and true causes of so manie and great evills as this tyme past had so sore troubled the peace of this kirk and kingdome, it was represented to his Majesteis Commissioner be this Assemblie, that beside manie other, the maine and most materiall causes wer first the pressing of this kirk by the Prelats with a Service Booke, or Booke of Comoun Prayer, without warrant or direction from the kirk, and containing besyde the Popish frame therof, diverss Popish errors and ceremonies, and the seeds of manifold gross su. perstitions and idolatrie, with a Booke of Canons, with out warrant or direction from the Generall Assemblie, establishing a tyrranicall power ovir the kirk in the persons of the Bishops, and overthrowing the whole discipline and governement of the kirk by assemblies, with a booke of consecration and ordination without warrant of auctoritie, civill or ecclesiasticall, appointing offices in the hous of God which ar not warranted be the word of God,

and [are] repugnant to the discipline and acts of our kirk, and with the hie commission erected, without the consent of this kirk, subverting the jurisdiction and ordinarie judicatories of this kirk, and giving to persons meerlie ecclesiasticall the power of both swords, and to persons meerlie civill the power of the keyes and kirk censures. 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 wer brought in by a null assemblie, and ar contrarie to the Confession of Faith as it wes meant and subscryvit anno 1580, and diverss tymes since, and to the ordor and constitution of this kirk. Thridlie, the change of the governement of the kirk from the assemblies of the kirk to the persons of some kirkmen vsurping prioritie and power ovir their brethren, by the way and vnder the name of Episcopall governement, against the Confession of Faith 1580; against the ordor sett doune in the booke of policie, and against the intention and constitutions of this kirk from the beginning. Fourtlie, the civill places and power of kirkmen, ther sitting in Session, Counsall and Exchequer; ther ryding, sitting and voteing in Parliament, and ther sitting in the bench as Justices of the Peace, which, according to the constitutions of this kirk ar incompatible with ther spirituall function, lift them above ther brethrene in worldlie pompe, and doe tend to the hinderance of the ministerie. Fyfthe, the keeping and authorizing corrupt Assemblies at Linlithgow 1606, 1608; at Glasgow 1610; at Aberdene 1616; at St. Andrews 1617, at Perth 1618, which ar null and vnlawfull, as being callit and constitute quyte contrair to the order and constitutions of this kirk, receaved and practized ever since the Reformation of religion, and with all labouring to introduce novations into this kirk against the ordour and religion established. A sixt cause is the want of lawfull and free General Assemblies, rightlie constitute of pastors, doctors, and elders, yearlie or oftner, pro re natu, according to the libertie of this kirk, expressed in the book of policie, and acknowledged in the act of Parliament 1592. After which the whole Assemblie, in one

vp

hearte and voyce, did declair that these and such other proceeding, from the neglect and breach of the Nationall Covenant of this kirke and kingdome, made anno 1580, have bene indeed the true and maine causes of all our evills and distractions; and therfor ordaine, according to the constitutions of the Generall Assemblies of this kirk, and vpon the grounds respective above specifeit, that the foirsaid service booke, bookes of canons and ordination, and the high commission be still rejected; that the articles of Perth be no more practised; that Episcopall go. vernement, the civill places and power of kirkmen, be holdin still as vnlawfull in this kirk; that the abovena meit pretendit assemblies at Linlithgow 1606, 1608; at Glasgow 1610; at Aberdene 1616; at St. Andrews 1617; at Perth 1618, be heirefter accounted as null and of none effect, and that for preservation of religion, and preventing all such evills in tyme coming, Generall Assemblies, rightlie constitute as the propper and competent judge of all maters ecclesiasticall, heirefter be keeped yeirlie and oftner, pro re nata, as occasion and necessitie sall require. The necessitie of these occasionall Assemblies being first remonstrat to his Majesty by humble supplication; as also that Kirk Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synodall Assemblies be constitute and observed according to the order of this kirk. Which act, with all and sindrie the parti-" cular heidis, claussis and articles thairin contained, the Estaittis now convened be his Majesteis indictione, warrand and authoritie forsaid, ratifies, approves and confirmes in all pointis in maner as the same proportis. And gevis thairvnto the strenth of ane law and act of Parliament. And ordainis executioune to pass thairvpon as effeiris. And rescindis, cassis and annullis all actis and decreitts of Parliament and Counsale, formerlie maid contrair and in prejudice of the said act, or any pairt thairof.

"Act anent the Ratificatioune of the Covenant, and of the Assemblies supplicatioun, Act of Counsall, and Act of Assemblie concerning the Covenant.

"The Estaites of Parliament presently conveined be