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
Yooleday, and Saint’s dayes, and such others may bee abolished, and a
certain penaltie appointed for banqueting, playing, feasting upon these
dayes. In the Assembly holden in April, Anno 1577, It was ordained
that the visitors, with the advice of the Synodall Assembly, should
admonish Ministers, preaching or ministrating the Communion at Easter,
or Christmas, or other like superstitious times, or Readers reading, to
desist, under the paine of deprivation. In the ninth head of the first
book of Discipline, the reason is set down against Easter Communion.
“Your honours are not ignorant how superstitiously the people run to
that action at Pascheven; as if the time gave vertue to the Sacrament,
and how the rest of the whole year, they are carelesse and negligent,
as if it appertained not to them, but at that time only. And, for this
reason, other times were appointed by that book, for that holy action.”
In the Assembly holden 1596, begun in March 1595, at which time the
Covenant was renewed, superstition and idolatrie breaking forth in
observing festival dayes; setting out of bone-fires, singing carols,
are reakoned amongst the corruptions which were to be amended. And the
Pulpits did sound from time to time, against all shew of observing any
festivall day whatsoever, except the Lord’s day.
Concerning _kneeling at the Communion_, findeth that in the confession
of Faith prefixed before the Psalmes, and approved by our Kirk in
the very beginning of the reformation, we have these words, “Neither
in the ministration of the Sacraments, must we follow men; but as
Christ himself hath ordained, so must they be ministred.” In the
large confession of Faith, chap. 23, It is required as necessary, for
the right ministration of the Sacraments, that they bee ministred in
such elements, and in such sort, as God hath appointed, and that men
have adulterate the Sacraments with their own inventions. So that
no part of Christ’s action abideth in the originall puritie. The
judgement of our reformers, who drew up the large Confession, was, by
cleare evidents, shewed to be contrarie to this gesture in the act of
receiving the Sacrament. In the order of celebrating the Lords Supper,
prefixed before the Psalmes in meeter, _sitting and distributing by
the Communicants_, are joined: as likewise by the second head of the
first book of Discipline, as nearest to Christ’s own action, and
to his perfect practise, and most convenient to that holy action,
and all inventions devised by man are condemned, as alterations and
accusations of Christ’s perfect ordinance. Ministers were enjoyned by
act of Assembly in December 1562. To observe the order of Geneva, that
is, the English Kirk at Geneva, (where Master Knox had been some time
Minister,) in the ministration of the Sacraments. This act was renewed
in the Assembly, holden in December 1564, where ministers are referred
to the order set down before the Psalmes, for ministration of the
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