and feniouris, from the grauitie in maneris, quhilk thay aucht to haue in taking cair of the fpirituall gouernament, quhilk aucht to be most dear vnto thame.

2. Thay that ar callit to the ministrie, or that offer thame felffis thairvnto, aucht not to be electit, without ane certane flok be affignit vnto thame. 3. Na man aucht to ingeir him selffe, or vfurpe the office, without lauchfull calling.

4. They quha ar anes callit be God, and dewlie elected be man, eftir that they haue anes accepted the charge of the ministrie, may not leave thair functionis.

5. The defertouris fould be admonefhed; and, in caife of obftinacie, finalie excommunicat.

6. Na pastour may leaue his flok without licence of the Prouinciall or Nationall Affemblie; quhilk gif he do, efter admonitioun not obeyit, lett the cenfuris of the Kirk ftrik vpoun him.

7. Vnto the Pafture apperteinis teacheing of the Word of God, in feafoun and out off feafoun, publiclie and priuatlie; alwayis traveling to edefie, and discharge his confcience, as Goddis Worde prescryuis vnto him.

8. Vnto the Pasture onlie appertenis the adminiftratioun of the facramentis, in lyk maner as the ministratioun of the Woord; for baith ar appoyntit be God as meanes to teach ws; the ane be the eare, the vther be the eeis and vther fenfis, that be baith knawledge may be tranfferrit to the mynd.

9. It appertenis, be the fame reafoun, to the Paftoure to pray for the peple, and, namlie, for the flok committit to his charge; and to bleifs thame in the name of the Lord, quha will not suffer the bliffingis of his faythfull feruand to be fruftrat.

10. He aucht alfo to watche aboue the maneris of his flok, that the better he may apply the doctrine to thame, in reprehending the diffolute perfonis, and exhorting the godlie to continew in the fear of the Lord.

11. It appertenis to the Minister, eftir lauchfull proceding be the Elderschip, to pronunce the fentence of binding and lowfing vpoun ony perfoun, according to the power of the keyis grantit vnto the Kirk.

12. It belangis to him alsua, eftir lauchfull proceiding in the mater be the Elderfchip, to folemnizat the contract of mariage betuix thame that ar jonit thairin; and to pronunce the bliffing of the Lord vpoun thame that enter in the holie band in the fear of God.

13. And generalie, all publict denunciationis that ar to be maid in the Kirk, befoir the congregatioun, concerning ecclefiafticall effearis, belang vnto the office of the Minifter; for he is as meffinger and herauld betwene God and the peple, in all theis effearis.

Off Doctouris and thair office; and of Scoles. CAP. V.

1. Ane of the tua ordinar and perpetuall functionis that trauell in the Woorde, is the office of the Doctour, quha may also be callit Prophet, Bifchop, Eldar, Cathechifare, that is, teacher of the Cathechifme, and Rudimentis of religioun.

2. His office is to oppin vp the mynd of the Spirite of God within the Scriptouris, fimplie, without fic applicationis as the Minifter vfis, to the end that the faythfull be inftructed, found doctrene be teachet; and the puretie of the Gospell not corrupted throch ignorance and euell opinionis. 3. He is different frome the Pasture, not onlie in name, bott in duerfitie of giftis; for to the Doctour is gevin the woorde of knawledge, to oppin vp, be fimple teacheing, the myfteris of the fayth: To the Paftoure the gift of wisdome, to apply the fame be exhortatioun to the maneris of the flok, as occafioun crauit.

4. Vnder the name and office of ane Doctour, we comprehend alfo the ordour of Scoles, in Colleges and Vniuerfeteis, quhilk hes bene frome tyme to tyme cairfullie mantened, alfweill amangis the Jewes and Chriftianes as amang prophane nationis.

5. The Doctour being ane Elder, as faid is, fould affift the Paftoure in the gouernament of the Kirk, and concurre with the vther Elderis, his bretherene, in all affemblies; be reafoun the interpretatioun of the Worde, (quhilk is onlie Judge in ecclefiafticall materis,) is committed to his charge.

6. Bot to preache vnto the peple, to minifter the facramentis, and to celebrat mariages, pertenis not vnto the Doctour, onles he be vtherwise ordourlie callit: howbeit, the Paftoure may teache in the fcoles, as he quha hes also the gift of knawlege, oftentymes meit thairfoir, as the exemplis of Polycarpus and vther do teftefie.

Off the Eldaris and thair office. CAP. VI.

1. The woorde Elder, in the Scriptouris, fumtyme is the name of aige, fumtyme of office.

2. Quhen it is the name of ane office, fumtyme it is takin learglie, comprehending alfweill the Paftouris and Doctouris, as thame quha ar commonlie callit Seniouris and Eldaris.

3. In this our diuifioun, we call thais Eldaris, quhom the Apoftles callis Prefidentis or Gouernouris.

4. Thair office, as it is ordinarey, fua it is perpetuall, and alwayis neceffare in the Kirk of God.

5. The Eldarfchip is ane functioun fpirituall, as is the Miniftre.

6. Elderis aenis lauchfullie callit to the office, and haueing giftis of God meit to exercise the fame, may not leif it agane.

7. Albeit fic ane nomber of Eldaris may be chofin in certane congregationis, that ane part of thame may releif ane vther for ane reffonable space, as wes amangis the Leveittis vnder the Law, in feruing of the Temple.

8. The nowmber of Elderis in euerie congregatioun cannot weill be limitat, bot sould be according to the boundis and neceffitie of the peple. 9. It is not neceffar that all Elderis be alfo teachearis of the Woord, albeit cheiflie thay aucht to be fic; and fua ar worthie of double honour. 10. Quhat maner of perfones thay aucht to be, we refer to the expres Word, and namely, the Canones writtin be the Apostles.

11. Thair office is, alfweill feueralie as coniunctlie, to watche diligentlie vpoun the flok committet vnto thair charge, baith publictlie and priuatlie, that no corruptioun of religioun or maneris enter thairin.

12. As the Paftouris and Doctouris fould be diligent in teacheing and fawing the feed of the Worde; fo the Eldaris fould be cairfull in seiking the fruct of the fame in the peple.

13. It appertenis to thame to affift the Paftours in examinatioun of thame that cum to the Lordis table, and in vifeting the feik.

14. They fould be cairfull to caus the Actis off the Affembleis, alfweill particulare as prouinciall or generall, to be put to executioun.

15. They fould be diligent in admonisheing of all men of thair dewetie, according to the reull of the Euangell.

16. Thingis that thay can not correct be priuie admonitioun, they fould bring to the affemble of the Elderschip.

17. Thair principall office is to hauld affembleis with the Paftouris and Doctouris, (quha ar alfo of thair nowmer,) for estableshing of guid ordour, and executioun of difcipline: Vnto the quhilk affembleis all perfonis ar fubiect, that remane within thair boundis.

Off Eldarfchippis, and Affembleis, and of Discipline. CAP. VII.

1. Eldarfchippis or Affembleis ar conftitute commounlie of Paftouris, Doctouris, and fic as commounlie we call Eldaris, that laubour not in the Woorde and Doctrene, of quhom, and of quhais feuerall power, hes bene fpokin.

2. Affembleis ar of four fortis: for ather ar they of particular kirkis and congregationis, ane or ma; ather of ane province; ather of ane haill natioun ; or of all and diuers nationis profefling ane Jefus Chryst.

3. All the Ecclefiafticall Affembleis haue power to conuene lauchfullie togidder, for treatting of thingis concerning the Kirk, and pertening to thair chargis.

4. They haue power to apoint tymes and places to that effect; and ane Affemblie to apoint the dyet, tyme, and place for ane vther.

5. In all Affembleis ane Moderatour fould be chofin, be commoun consent of the haill bretherine convenit, quha fould propone materis, gather the voittis, and caus guid ordour be kepit in the Affembleis.

6. Diligence fould be tane cheiflie be the Moderatour, that onlie ecclefiaftical thingis be handlit in the Affembleis; and no melling with ony thingis pertening to the Ciuile Jurifdictioun.

7. Euerie Affemblie hes power to fend furth frome thair awin nowmer, ane or ma vifitouris, to fie quhow all thingis be rewlit in the boundis of thair jurifdictioun.

8. Vifitatioun of ma Kirkis is na ordinare office ecclefiafticall in the perfoun of ane man; nather may the name of ane Bifchope be attributtit to the visitour onlie; nather is it neceffar to abyd alwyfe in ane manis perfoun bot it is the part of the Elderfchip to fend out qualefiit perfonis to vifeit, pro re nata.

9. The finall end of all Affembleis is, firft, to keip the religioun and

doctrene in puretie, without errour and corruptioun; nixt, to keip cumlines and guid ordour in the Kirk.

10. For the ordouris caus, thay may mak certane rewlis and conftitutionis appertening to the guid behauiour of all the membris of the Kirk, in thair vocatioun.

11. They haue power alfo to abrogat and aboleifhe all ftatutis and ordinances concerning ecclefiafticall materis, that ar fund noyfum or improfitable, or aggrie not with the tyme, or [ar] abufet be the peple.

12. They haue power to execut ecclefiafticall difcipline and punishement vpoun all tranfgreffouris, and proud contempnaris of guid ordour and policie of the Kirk and fua the haill discipline is in thair handis.

13. The firft kynd and forte of Affembleis, althocht thay be within particulare congregationis, git thay exerce the power, auctoritie, and jurisdictioun of the Kirk with mutuall confent, and thairfore bearis fumtyme the name of the Kirk.

14. Quhen we fpeik of Elderis of particulare congregationis, we meane not that euerie particulare parroche kirk can, or may haue thair awin particulare elderschip, effpeciall to landwart; bot we think three or four, ma or fewar, particulare kirkis may haue ane commoun elderfchip to thame all, to judge thair ecclefiafticall caufes.

15. Albeit it is meit that fum of the Elderis be chofin out of euerie particulare congregatioun, to concure with the reft of thair bretherene in the commoun Affemble, and to tak vp the dilationis of offences within thair awin kirkis, and bring thame to the Affemblie.

16. This we gadder of the practise of the primitiue Kirk, quher Elderis, or Collegis of Seniouris, wer conftitute in citeis and famous places.

17. The power of thir particulare Elderfchippis is to gif diligent laubour in the boundis committed to thair charge, that the Kirkis be keipit in guid ordour; to inquire diligentlie of nauchtie and vnrewlie perfonis, and travell to bring thame in the way agane, ather be admonitioun, or the threttining of Goddis jugementis, or be correctioun.

18. It pertenis to the Elderfchip to tak heid, that the Worde of God be purelie preachet within thair boundis, the facramentis richtlie miniftrat, the difcipline [richtlie] mentened, and the ecclefiafticall guidis vncorruptlie diftribute.

19. It belangis to this kynd of Affembleis, to caus the ordinances made be the Affembleis, Prouincialis, Nationalis and Generalis, to be keipit and put in executioun.