The Generall Assemblie of the Kirk, finding the universall corruptione of the haill estates of the bodie of this realme, the great coldness and slackness of religione in the greitest pairt of the professors of the same, with the daily increase of all kynd of fearfull sinnes and inormities, as incest, adulterie, murders, and namely, recently committit in Edinburgh and Striviling, cursed sacriledge, ungodlie seditione and divisione within the bowells of the realme, with all manner of disorderit and ungodly living, qwhich justly hes provokit our God, although long-suffering and patient, to stretch out his arme in his anger to correct and visite the iniquitie of the land, and namely be the present seueritie of famine and hunger, joynit with the civill and domestick seditiones, qwhairunto doubtless greater judgements must succeed gif his correctiones work no reformatione nor amendment in men’s hearts: Seeing also the bloodie conclusiones of the cruell councill of that Roman beast, tending to exterminat and raze from the face of all Europe, the light of the blessed word of salvatione: ffor these causes, and that God of his mercy wald bless the King’s heines and regiment, and make him to haue ane happie and prosperous government, as also to put in his heines heart and in the hearts of his noble Estates of Parliament, not only to make and establische good and politick lawes for the weel and good government of the realme, but also to setle and establische sic ane policie and discipline in the Kirk, as is cravit in the word of God, and is conteinit and pennit alreadie to his heines and councill, that in the ane and in the uther God may be glorified and haue his dew praise, and the age to come ane example of upright and godlie living and dealing: Therefore the Kirk hes ordainit the act preceiding heiranent to be preceislie keepit in all poynts. Sessio 9. The brethren appoyntit to speak with the suspect Lords reportit, that the Earle of Caithnes desyreit to sie the articles of religione: My Lord Ogilvie declareit that he had subscryveit the articles of religione, and participat the communion before the pastour of the countrie, and was willing to doe the same againe. They had not the commoditie to meet with the Chancellour and Montgomerie. The Ministers and Sessiones of these townes where they shall happin to repaire, were ordaynit to admonische them; and if they fand disobedience, after dew admonitione, to proceed against them with the censures of the Kirk. Mr Thomas Sincloure was nominat amang the brethren to answer the bills. Sessio. What shall be the punischment of communicants that violats the generall fast? Answer: They shall make repentance twa severall Sondayes, and according to the contempt in the violatione, the paine to be aggravat.