The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of ScotlandChurch of Scotland. General Assembly
History
The Acts of the General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland. General Assembly
Ecclesiastical law -- Scotland; Scotland -- Church history -- 17th century
1. Whosoever are misprises of the blessed work of Reformation established
within this Land, and do not shew themselves grieved for the impediments
and obstructions it hath met with in our neighbour Kingdom, these are even
on the brink of this precipice, ready to tumble down in this gulf
whensoever occasion is offered: All therefore that love the Lord Jesus,
would stir up their hearts in the light and strength of the Lord highly to
prize, and thankfully to acknowledge what the right hand of the most High
hath done among us, as also to thirst fervently after the advancing and
perfecting of the LORD’s work among our neighbours.
2. Disrespect to the publick Ministery and Ordinances is a symptome of a
dangerous inclination to that disease: And therefore as all Christs
Ministers ought to stir up themselves, to walk as becometh their high and
holy calling lest they be stumbling blocks to the people of God; so all
the people of God ought most carefully to stir up themselves unto a
precious estimation of the Ordinances of God, & highly to esteem the
Stewards thereof for their works sake. A duty at all times needful but now
especially, when Sathan by all means endevours the contrary.
3. Indifferency in points of Religien, and pleading for Toleration to
themselves or others how far soever different among themselves, is not to
be forgotten among the characters of Sectaries, and therefore ought the
more carefully to be avoided and opposed by all who desire to hold fast
the profession of their faith without wavering.
4. They who are glorying in, and seeking after new lights, or under the
pretext of them are self-conceited in singular opinions, or who affect new
and strange expressions, are entring into the snare ready to be carried
about with every winde of Doctrine. And therefore albeit we ought always
as Disciples of the Lord to set ourselves as in his sight to be taught by
his Spirit according to his Word, yet in this time so fertil of errours;
it becommeth all the lovers of truth to hold fast what they have received,
that no man take their Crown.
5. Whosoever brings in any opinion or practise in this Kirk contrary to
the confession of Faith, Directory of Worship or Presbyterian Government
may be justly esteemed to be opening the door to Schisme and Sects: And
therefore all depravers or misconstructers of the proceedings of
Kirk-Judicatories, especially the Generall Assembly would take heed least
by making a breach upon the walls of _Jerusalem_ they make a patent way
for Sectaries to enter.
6. They who separate the Spirit from the Word, and pretend the Spirit,
when they have no ground or warrant from the Word, are already taken in an
evill snare, And therefore tis necessary to try the Spirits whither they
are of God, for many false Prophets are gone out into the world, if they
speak not according to the word it is because there is no light in them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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