_Act discharging Duels._
The Generall Assembly taking in consideration the many Duels and combats
that have been fought, and Challenges that have been made, and carried,
and received in this Land of late. And being sensible of the exceeding
great offence that comes by so horrible and hainous a sin; which is a
grosse preferring of the supposed credit of the Creature unto the Honour
of the most High God, and an usurpation upon the office of the Magistrate
by private mens taking of the Sword, And a High degree of murther both of
body and soul, by shedding the blood of the one, and cutting of the other
from time of repenting; And which doth ordinarily produce many wofull
consequents, Therefore doth enact And Ordain that all Persons of
whatsoever quality who shall either fight Duels, or make, or write, or
receive, or with their knowledge carry Challenges, or go to the fields,
either as Principals, or as Seconds to fight Duels and Combats, that they
shall without respect of Persons be processed with the Censures of the
Kirk and brought before the Congregation two severall Lords-dayes; In the
first whereof they are sharply to be rebuked and convinced of the
hainousnesse of their sin and offence, and on the next to make a solemn
publick Confession thereof, and profession of their unfained Humiliation
and Repentance for the same. And if the Person guilty of any of the former
offences be an Elder or Deacon, he is to be removed from his office, and
whatsoever person guilty of any of these offences, shall refuse to give
obedience according to the tenour of this Act, shall be processed to
Excommunication: Declaring always, that if any be killed at such Duels,
the killer shall be proceeded against by the Kirk as other murtherers.
_Act concerning deposed Ministers._
The Assembly considering that divers Ministers deposed for Malignancy, and
complying with the Enemies of this Kirk and Cause of God, may be suited
by, and hope to get entry in some Congregation where a Minister deposed
for Malignancy hath been, and may be supposed to have put on the people a
stamp and impression of Malignancie, and being by the Act of the Generall
Assembly in _Anno 1645._ Past all hope of being restored to the place out
of the whilk he was cast: Now also Ordains and enacts that no Minister
deposed for Malignancy and compliance foresaid (when it shall fall out
that he be put in a capacity of admission to the Ministry) shall enter
into the Congregation of any other Minister who also hath been deposed for
Malignancy and complyance, as said is.
The Generall Assembly not having now time to consider the References of
the preceeding Assemblies, and the most part of Presbyteries not having
lent their opinions in Writ, Therefore do yet again Recommend to
Presbyteries and Provinciall Assemblies to consider all matters referred
by this or by any former Assemblies, and to send their opinions therein in
writ to the next Generall Assembly.
_The meeting of the next Generall Assembly is hereby Appointed to be at_
Edinburgh _the first_ Wednesday _of_ Iuly, 1649.