Z9< KING JAMES T H E S E X f THE TWELFTH Hai'detiTat .Edinburgh; the Fifth day ofjumj, the zeir of God , 15-92,. zeires. Be the richt excellent, richt heigh, and michtie Trin'ce , JAMES the Sext , be the Grace of God ', King of SCOTT ES: with advife of his three Eflaites. 114. Ratification of the libertie of the trew Kirk: of 'General! and Synodall ajfemblies: ofTresbyteries, of difcipline. All Lawes ofldolatrie at abrogate: 'Of prefent a- tion to benefices. U R Soveraine Lord , and Eftaites of this, prefent Parliament ; Following the "^^^0^m^m^ lovabil and gude exemple of their PredecelToures : Fles ratified and appreeved , and "~^^^^^%^ De ^ ie tenour of this prefent act, ratifies and apprevis all liberties, priviledges, immu- |^Tf^f^^l^5S||^ nities and freedomes quhat-fum-ever , given and granted be his Hienefle , hisRe- ^pt^fl !(i^|?Wgehtesinhisname, or onie of his Predeceflburs , to the trew and halie Kirk , pre- ^fSfaMU^ an< ^ declared in thefiril Acte of his Hienefle /to^y^^^^^ Parliament, the twentie day. of October , the zeirofGOD, ane thoufand , five nwk^^^^(vfiM^0^ hundreth , three-fcoir ninetene zeires .- And all and quhat-fum-ever Actes of Parlia- j |S ; ^^^^l#l< , ^^^^"ment , and ftatutes maid of before, be his Hienefle, and his Regentes ; Anentthe libertie and freedome of the faid Kirk: And fpecialiie, the firit Acte of the Parliament, halden at Edinburgh, the twentie fouredaie of October, the zeir of GOD, ane thoufand, five hundreth, four-fcore ane zeires , With the haill particular Actes there mentioned : Quhilk fall be als fufficient, as gif the famin were here expreilH: And all utherActs of parliament maid feniine, in favour of the trew Kirk : And fik-iike, ratifies and appreivis, the generall Aflemblies appoynted be the faid Kirk : And cleclaris , that it fall be lauchfull to the Kirk andMinifters, everie zeir at the leaft and oftner/n? re na ^a, as occafion and neceflitie fall require, to hald and keepe generall Aflemblies : Providing that the Kings Majeltie, or his Commiffioners, with them to be appoynted , be his Hienefle , be prefent at ilk generall Ailemblie , before the dillblving there- of, nominate and appoynt time and place, quhen and quhair the nixt generall Afieinbly f tli be halden: and in-cafe naither his Majeftie, nor his faid Commiffioners beis prefent for the time in that Toun , quhair the faid generall AfTemblie beis halden : Then and in that cafe , it fall be lefum to the faid generall aflemblie , be them- lelves, to nominate and appoynt time and place, quhair the nixt generall ailemblie of the Kirk fall be keiped and halden, as they have bene in ufe to do thir times by-pafl. And als ratines and apprevis , the Synodall and Provincial! Aflemblies , to be halden be the faid Kirk and Miniflers, twife ilk zeir, as they have bene , and ar prefentiie in ufe to do , within everie Province of this Reakne: And ratifies and appreevis the Presbyteries, and particular Seffiones, appoynted be the faid Kirk , with the haill jurifdiction and difcipline of the fame Kirk, aggried upon be his Majeitie in conference had be his Hienefle, with certaine of the Miniflers , conveened to that effect : Of the quhilks artickles , the tenour foilowes. MATERS to be intreated in Provincial Aflemblies: Thir aflemblies ar conititute for weichtie maters, neceflar to be intreated be mutual confent, and affiflance of brethren, within the Province, as neede requiris. This ailemblie hes power to handle, ordour, and redrefle , all thinges omitted or done amifle in the particular aflemblies. It hes power to depofe the office-beareres of that Province , for gude and juft caufe, defeiving deprivation : And generallie , thir aflemblies hes the haill power of the particular Elderfchippes , quhairof they ar collected. MATERS to be intreated, in the Presbyteries. The power of the Presbyteries is to give diligent laboures in the boundes committed to their charge ; That the Kirkes be keeped in gude ordour , To inquire diligentlie of naughtie and - ungodlie perfons: And to travel to bring them in the way againe bee admonition , orthreamingofGods judgements, or be correction. It appertaines to the Elderfehippe , to take heede, that the word of God be purelie preached within their boundes : The Sacramentes richtlie miniflred , the Difcipline interteined : And Ecclefiaflical guddes uncomiptlie diftributed. It belangis to this kinde of Aflemblies, to caufe the ordinances maid be the Aflemblies Provincialles, Nationalles, and generalies, to be keeped and put in execution , to make constitutions , quhilk concernis 70 wp s-aroc in the Kirk , for decent ordour, in the particular Kirk, quhair they governe : Providing that they alter na rules maid be the Provincial, or General Aflemblies : And that they make the Provincial Aflemblies forefaid , privie of the rules that they fall make : And to abolifh conftitu- tiones , tending to the hurt of the fame. It hes power to excommunicate the obftinate , formal Proces being led , and dew interval of times obferved. ANENT particular Kirks, gif they be lauchfuliie ruled , be fufR- cient Miniflerie and Sefiion. They have power and jurisdiction in their owen Congregation , in maters Eccle- fiaflical. And decernis and declaris the iaides Aflemblies , Presbyteries , and Sefiiounes , jurifdiction and Difcipline thereof forefaid, tobcinalhimescummingmaifc juft, gude, and goalie inthefeife, Notvvith- ftandins
