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

FIRST REGISTER: GREEVANCES
83
are merely ecclesiastick, pertinently belonging to ecclesi-
astick courts.
8. That the lawful judicatories of this Kirk are so
injustlie sclandefed and held forth as corrupt, and the
members whereof they are constitute, to be for the most
part profane and scandalous. This is the verie maine
engine of the disturbers of this Kirk, to bear the world in
hand that the judicatories are corrupt and profane, that
under that pretext they may have all Governm* in their
owne hands. And this is one of the maine principles and
practise to cast all lawfull established judicatories at
their pleasure, to get all power under pretext of pietie,
and that none be permitted in nor admitted into judica¬
tories but men of their own stamp, disaffected unto,
and impatient of any Governm*, unless themselves carrie
the whole sway.
9. That it is our greef that there are such divisions and
distractiouns in our Kirk, so through the continueing of
those divisions and distractions the judicatories of the
Kirk are interrupted in the purgeing out of such Ministers
as might by orderlie triall be found scandalous or un¬
sufficient. It is true indeed that some men blazes it
abroad and does what they can to possesse the mynds of
men unacquainted with our affaires and condition, with
a persuasion that the judicatories of the Kirk are wholly
or for the greatest part constitute of corrupt and profane
men, and that herein lyeth the cause obstructive of the
purgeing of the Kirk. But it is as true that this is, as we
have said in the preceeding greevance, a mere unjust
slander sett on foot for serving and promoteing their
designe to gett all Government into their owne hands.
Blessed be God there are in our judicatories such numbers
of unquestionablie godlie and faithfull men zealous for
God’s glorie and the advancement of Christ’s Kingdome,
that, were they not hindered by several of their brethren
doeing what they can to break judicatories, and to expose
them to contempt by daylie needlesse protestations,
reproachfull invectives, and other divisive wayes, would
prove both able and active to purge out of the Kirk all