sary (in
respect of divine institution) to be in the kirk; 5. That as the rights,
power, and authority of the civil magistrate are to be maintained
according to the word of God, and the confessions of the faith of the
reformed kirks, so it is no less true and certain, that Jesus Christ, the
only Head and only King of the kirk, hath instituted and appointed a kirk
government, distinct from the civil government or magistracy; 6. That the
ecclesiastical government is committed and entrusted by Christ to the
assemblies of the kirk, made up of the ministers of the word and ruling
elders; 7. That the lesser and inferior ecclesiastical assemblies ought to
be subordinate and subject unto the greater and superior assemblies; 8.
That notwithstanding hereof, the civil magistrate may and ought to
suppress, by corporal or civil punishments, such as by spreading error or
heresy, or by fomenting schism, greatly dishonour God, dangerously hurt
religion, and disturb the peace of the kirk. Which heads of doctrine
(howsoever opposed by the authors and fomenters of the foresaid errors
respectively) the General Assembly doth firmly believe, own, maintain, and
commend unto others, as solid, true, orthodox, grounded upon the word of
God, consonant to the judgment both of the ancient and the best reformed
kirks. And because this Assembly (through the multitude of other necessary
and pressing business) cannot now have so much leisure as to examine and
consider particularly the foresaid one hundred and eleven propositions;
therefore a more particular examination thereof is committed and referred
to the theological faculties in the four universities of this kingdom, and
the judgment of each of these faculties concerning the same is appointed
to be reported to the next General Assembly. In the mean while these
propositions shall be printed, both that copies thereof may be sent to
presbyteries, and that it may be free for any that pleaseth to peruse
them, and to make known or send their judgment concerning the same to the
said next Assembly.

A. KER.

PROPOSITIONS.

1. As our Lord Jesus Christ doth invisibly teach and govern his church by
the Holy Spirit; so in gathering, preserving, instructing, building and
saving thereof, he useth ministers as his instruments, and hath appointed
an order of some to teach and others to learn in the church, and that some
should be the flock and others the pastors.

2. For beside these first founders of