ing the
unlawfulnesse and nullitie of these Assemblies; which were confirmed by
the registers of the Assembly, the books of Presbyteries, the Kings
Majesties own letters, and by the testimonie of divers old reverend
Ministers, standing up in the Assembly, and verifying the truth thereof.
The Assembly with the universall consent of all, after the serious
examination of the reasons against every one of these six pretended
Assemblies apart, being often urged by the Moderatour, to informe
themselves thoroughly, that without doubting, and with a full perswasion
of minde, they might give their voices, declared all these six Assemblies
of _Linlithgow_ 1606. and 1608, _Glasgow_ 1610, _Aberdeen_ 1616, St.
_Andrews_ 1617, _Perth_ 1618. And every one of them to have been from the
beginning unfree, unlawfull, and null Assemblies, and never to have had,
nor hereafter to have any Ecclesiasticall authoritie, and their
conclusions to have been, and to bee of no force, vigour, nor efficacie:
Prohibited all defence and observance of them, and ordained the reasons of
their nullitie to be insert in the books of the Assembly: _Whereof the
tennour followeth._

_Reasons annulling the pretended Assembly, holden at_ Linlithgow, 1606.

I. From the indiction of it. It was indicted the third of _December_ to
bee kept the tenth of _December_. And so there was no time given to the
Presbyteries, far distant, neither for election of Commissioners nor for
preparation to those who were to be sent in Commission. The shortnesse of
the time of the indiction is proved by the Presbyterie books of
_Edinburgh_, _Perth_, and _Hadingtonn_, &c.

II. From the want of a lawfull calling, to these who went to the meeting,
seeing they were not at all elected by their Presbyteries, but were
injoyned to come by the Kings letters. This also is proved by the
foresaids books of the Presbyteries, and by his Majesties letters.

III. From the nature of that meeting, which was only a private meeting, or
convention, for consultation to be taken by some persons of sundry estates
written for, as the Kings letters and the Presbyterie books do
acknowledge.

IV. From the power of those ministers who were present. Their Presbyteries
did limitate them: First, That they should give no suffrages in that
meeting as a generall Assembly. Secondly, That they agree to nothing that
may any wayes be prejudiciall to the acts of the generall Assemblies, or
to the established disciplin