Records of the Kirk of Scotland: containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.Church of Scotland. General Assembly
History
Records of the Kirk of Scotland: containing the Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies from 1638 downwards, as authenticated by the clerks of assembly.
Church of Scotland. General Assembly
Church of Scotland -- History -- Sources
VI. And yet doeth the Nullitie of the Commissions flowing from such
Meetinges, farther appeare in this, That they haue associate to
themselues, a Laicke-ruling-Elder, (as they call them) out of everie
Session, and Parish; who beeing ordinarilie the lord of the Parish,
or the man of the greatest authoritie in the Boundes, doeth over-rule
in the election of the sayd Commissioners, both by his authoritie,
and their number being moe than the Ministers, whereof some beeing
ordinarilie absent, and fiue or six, or so manie of them, put in
list, and removed, there remayne but a few Ministers, to voyce to
the Election: and in effect the Commissioners for the Clergie, are
chosen by Laymen, contrarie to all order, decencie, and custome
observed in the Christian world; no wyse according to the custome of
this CHVRCH, which they pretend to follow; the Presbyteries formerlie
never associating to themselves Lay-Elders in the election of the
Commissioners to the Generall Assemblie, but onlie for their assistance
in Discipline, and correction of Manners; calling for them at such
occasions, as they stoode in neede of their Godlie Concurrence;
declaring otherwyse their meeting not necessarie; and providing
expresselie, that they should not be equall, but fewer in number, than
the Pastors: as by the Act of Assemblie at Saynct-Andrewes, Aprill
24, 1582, (where Master Andrew Melvill was Moderatour) doeth appeare:
lyke as these fourtie yeares by-gone, and vpwardes, long before the
re-establishing of Bisshops, these Lay-Elders haue not beene called
at all to Presbyteries. And by the Act at Dundie, 1597; whereby
it is pretended, That Presbyteries haue authoritie to sende these
Lay-Commissioners, it doeth no wyse appeare, that those Lay-Elders
had anie hand in choosing of the Ministers. And this is the onlie Act
of the Assemblie, authorizing Presbyteries, to choose Commissioners
to the Generall Assemblie: nor haue Lay-Elders sate ordinarilie in
Presbyteries, vpon anie occasion, these fourtie yeares, and vpwardes:
nor ever had anie place, nor voyce, in the election of Ministers, for
the Generall Assemblie; and consequentlie, these chosen by them to this
Assemblie, haue no lawfull power, nor authoritie.
VII. Beside; the persons Ecclesiasticall, pretended to be authorized
Commissioners to this Assemblie, haue so behaved themselues, that
justlie they may be thought vnworthie and vncapable of Commission to a
Free and Lawfull Assemblie.
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