6o. For keiping the purity of religion in this kirk, and establishing a firme peace in this kingdome in tyme coming, generall assemblies must be haldin at the ordinarey tyme, for the commissioners appoynted by K. James for the assemblie, at Linlithgow, 1606, and wthers acquanted withe his Maiesties intentions, declaire that his Maiesty was neuer of ane other mynde, bot that the holding generall assemblies at certane competent tymes, was and is a most necessarey meine for preseruation of piety and vnion in the kirke, and for exterminatione of heresie and schisime, (quhilk our dolefull experience, and innumerable eiuells follouing wpon vant therof, doeth wndenayablie confirme); and therfor it was his will, that the acte of parliament should stand in force for conweinng the generall assembley once in the zeire, lyke as it was acknouledged in the afforsaid assembly of Glasgow, 1610, that the necessity of the kirke did craue, that for taking order with the common enimney, and for other affaires of the kirke, ther be zeirlie generall assemblies, and therfor that assembley requysted his Maiestie, that generall assemblies might be haldin once in the zeire, ore at least at sett tymes, in all tyme coming. 7o. The least can be sought for the present concerning ministers wotters in parliament, is, that they be limitted by the particular caueatts aggreid one in the assemblie, 1600, at Montrose, and by aney other cautions to be made, as the assembley shall thinke meitt and necessarey, (from oure 37 zeires experience of the fruittes and consequences thereof,) as it was appointed at that tyme; for so longe as they wotte in parliament, absolutly without the limitation of ther cautions, they can neuer be thought to wotte in name of the kirke. 8o. Ther can be no houpe of continuance of religione in the kirke, (altho wee are deliuered from all other eiuells) except some better coursse be takin for the free entrey of ministers, without wnlawfull othes, and with the consent of the presbeteries and of the people; for this end it wold be remembred, that it was declared, acte 114, parl. 1592, that God had giuen to the spirituall office bearirs of the kirke, colatione and depriuatione of ministers, and therfor the commission granted to bischopes, in Aᵒ 1584, to receaue the presentatione to benifices, wes declared to be null in all tyme coming; and it was ordained, that all presentations to benefices be directed to particular presbeteries in all tyme coming, with full pouer to giue colatione therwpone, they being the lawfull office bearirs of the kirke, to quhom God hath giuen that right, wich therfor nather was nor can be takin from them absolutly, nor giuen to bischopes exclusiue. * * * * * 1638.—March 27. 32. _Letter by the Covenanters to each of the Lords of Privy Councel._[56] MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP,