Читать книгу The Acts Of The General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland - Church of Scotland. General Assembly - Страница 22

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The generall Assembly, having heard the lybels and complaints given in against the foresaids pretended Bishops, of Aberdeen and Dumblane, to the Presbytery of Edinburgh, and sundry Presbyteries within their pretended Dioceses, and by the saids Presbyteries referred to this Assembly to be tryed: The saids pretended Bishops being lawfully cited, often-times called, and not compearing, proceeded to the cognition of the complaints and lybels against them, and finding them guilte of the breach of the cautions, agreed upon in the Assembly holden at Montrose, Anno 1600 for restricting the minister voter in Parliament, from encroaching upon the liberties and jurisdictions of this Kirk, which was set down with certification of deposition, infamie and excommunication, specially for receiving of consecration to the office of Episcopacie, condemned by the confession of Faith, and acts of this Kirk, as having no warrand nor foundament in the word of God, and by vertue of this usurped power, and power of the high Commission, pressing the Kirk with novations in the worship of God, and for sundry other haynous offences and enormities, and length expressed, and clearly proven in their Processe, and for their refusall to underly the tryall of the reigning slander of sundry other grosse transgressions and offences laid to their charge: Therefore the assembly moved with zeal to the glorie of God, and purging of the Kirk, hath ordained the saids pretended Bishops to be deposed, and by these presents doth depose them, not only of the office of Commissionary to vote in Parliament, Councell, or Convention, in name of the Kirk, but also of all functions, whether of pretended Episcopall or ministeriall calling, declareth them infamous: and likewise ordains the saids pretended Bishops to be excommunicate, and declared to be of these whom Christ commanded to be holden by all [pg 021] and every one of the faithfull as Ethnicks and Publicans; and the sentence of excommunication to be pronounced by Mr. Alexander Henderson Moderatour, in face of the Assembly after Sermon, in the high Kirk of Glasgow: and that the execution of the sentence be intimat in all the Kirks within this Realme, by the Pastours of every particular congregation, as they will be answerable to their Presbyteries and Synods, or the next generall Assembly, in case of the negligence of Presbyteries and Synods.