Series 3 > Register of the consultations of the ministers of Edinburgh and some other brethren of the ministry > Volume 1

FIRST REGISTER: GREEVANCES
81
the members of this Kirk, and the maintenance thereof
undertaken by Coven* to the Most High God, should be
now so interupted, that we doe not enjoy them as formerly
we did.
2. That there are so great encroachments upon the
Govern* of Christ in this Kirk amongst us, taking away
in great part alreadie, and tending further to the utter
subversion of His spirituall visible govemm* distinct from
the civill powers of the world by His owne lawes, Ministers
and other officers, and discipline institute by Himselfe
for ordering His house and people in matters relateing
to their spiritual estate and conditions, which is no ways
prejudicial! to civill powers and governm*, but on the
contraire contributeth verie much for the strengthen¬
ing and preservation of the same, as hath been often
abundantlie asserted and cleared, before the world.
It’s matter of heavie regrate that these two should be
counfounded.
3. That congregations should be disorderly planted con-
trarie to the established order of this Kirk, as many
Congregations have been these late years by past, and
yet are planted, by intrusion of men upon them to be
their Ministers against the mynd of the whole presbyteries,
or the greatest part thereof, and against the will and choice
of the whole people, or at least the body of them, a few
excepted, who, assuming and appropriating to themselves
the name of the godlie, will needs, contraire to all orders,
carrie the sway of the whole congregation, and usurpe
over all their fellow-members, which tends palpably to
the enslaving of the whole congratiouns to the arbitriment
of a few, or other wise to the rending and breking of
congregatiouns with endless rupture and divisions.
4. That, by the suggestions and misinformatiouns of some
few men who notwithstanding are engaged by oath and
Coven* to adhere unto and maintaine in their stations
the Governm* of this Kirk, the seculare power is procured
to maintaine these disorders, and persons so intruded
upon Congregations contraire to the right order of plan¬
tations used in this Kirk, which suggestions tend to draw
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