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 BX 9075 .A5 1836 
 
 The Books of discipline, i 
 of common order 
 
THE Avu^tL A'<LJ t&txA. 
 
 f 
 
 BOOKS OF DISCIPLINE, 
 
 COMMON ORDER; 
 
 ^fit iSirtctara for dFamilg aEori^Sip ; 
 
 THE FORM OF PROCESS ; 
 
 ORDER OF ELECTION OF SUPERINTENDENTS, 
 MINISTERS, ELDERS, AND DEACONS. 
 
 EDINBURGH: 
 
 EDINBURGH PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY. 
 
 GLASGOW : J. SMITH AND SON, AND M. OGLE. 
 
 ABERDEEN : BROWN AND CO. AND LEWIS SMITH. 
 
 LONDON : SMITH, ELDER, AND CO. 
 
 MDCCCXXXVI. 
 

 EDINBURGH PRINTING COMFANY, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 It has long been acknowledged as a matter of much 
 regret by the Clergy, Elders, and People in connec- 
 tion with all the Reformed Churches, that the truly 
 valuable and important body of divinity contained 
 in the two Books of Discipline, the Book of Com- 
 mon Order, the Directory for Family Worship, the 
 Form of Process, and the Form and Order of the 
 Election of Superintendents, Ministers, Elders, and 
 Deacons, have for a very long period been almost 
 inaccessible to the generality of readers, from the 
 circumstance of the extreme scarcity of the original 
 Treatises themselves, and of the very high price of 
 Dunlops Collections, and other large and expensive 
 works in which they are now to be met with, in a 
 reprinted form. 
 
 The Editor has been induced, on the suggestion 
 and solicitation of many eminent individuals, to 
 remedy this long-felt inconvenience, by publishing, 
 for the use of Ministers, Elders, and Families, and of 
 all in connection with the Church of Scotland, and 
 other Churches of the Reformation, a correct edition 
 of the most important of these works, collected 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 together, in a form and at a price which would place 
 such a work within the reach of all classes of the 
 community. The whole of the present volume has 
 been carefully compiled, and the several treatises 
 have been accurately collated, from the most authen- 
 tic sources. 
 
 In compliance with the desire of the respectable 
 individuals with whom the publication of this work 
 originated, the language and orthography of the 
 various treatises, as at first published, have been left 
 untouched. Any attempt at modernizing either the 
 style or spelling would have greatly lessened the 
 force and vigour of the original; and, instead of 
 rendering the meaning clearer, even to the modern 
 reader, would merely have perplexed the sense of 
 the text, and assuredly would have shaken the con- 
 fidence of those who are more deeply skilled in the 
 masculine and forcible dialect of our forefathers. 
 
 Edinburgh, August G, 1836. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 I.— The directory for fajuly worship, approved 
 
 by Act of the General Assembly, anno 164)7 7 
 
 II.— The first book of discipline; or, the Policie 
 and Discipline of the Church, drawn up by Mr 
 John Winram, Mr John Spottiswood, John 
 Willock, Mr John Douglasse, Mr John Row, 
 and John Knox, and presented to the Nobilitie 
 anno 1560, and afterwards subscribed by the 
 Kirk and Lords 19 
 
 III.— The second buik of discipline; or, Heidis and 
 Conclusiones of the Policie of the Kirk, agreed 
 upon in the General Assembly 1578, &c. . . 97 
 
 IV.^The form of process in the Judicatories of the 
 Church of Scotland, with relation to Scandals 
 and Censures ; approved by Act of the General 
 Assembly April 18, 1707 129 
 
 V. — The book of common order; or the Order of 
 the English Kirk at Geneva, whereof John Knox 
 was Minister 157 
 
 The Preface 159 
 
 A Prayer made at the first Assembly of the 
 English Church at Geneva, when the Con- 
 fession of Faith and whole Orders were there 
 read and approved 169 
 
 The Book of Common Order 171 
 
vi CONTENTS. 
 
 VI. The forme and ordour of the election and 
 
 ADjnssiON of the superintendent; which may 
 serve in electioun of all uther mNiSTERS. At 
 Edinburgh, March 9, 1560; John Knox being 
 Minister 217 
 
 VII. The ELECTIOUN of eldaris and deaconis in the 
 
 Church of Edinburgh 226 
 
 fi 
 
THE 
 
 DIRECTORY 
 
 FOR 
 
 FAMILY WORSHIP, 
 
 APPROVED BY ACT OF THE 
 
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 
 
 ANNO 1647. 
 
 
 Xi-: 
 
 -f rr 
 
 Jt" AiL A i.* 
 
 
 
Edinburgh, 2lst May 1711. 
 
 The General Assembly does earnestly recommend to 
 Presbytries to use their utmost endeavours, that the 
 worship of God be set up and performed, in all its parts, 
 in the families within their bounds, according to former 
 Acts of Assembly, and directions given concerning the 
 same. 
 
PSIHCETOIT 1 
 REC.JUN '«»i 
 
 THE 
 
 DIRECTORY FOR FAMILY WORSHIP. 
 
 August 24, 1647- 
 
 ACT for Observing' the Directions of the General 
 Assembly for Secret and Private Worship, and mu- 
 tual Edification, and Censuring such as neglect Fa- 
 mily Worship. 
 
 The General Assembly, after mature deliberation, 
 doth approve the following rules and directions for che- 
 rishing piety, and preventing division and schism : And 
 doth appoint ministers and riding elders in each con- 
 gregation to take special care that these directions be 
 observed and followed: As likewise, that presby tries and 
 provincial synods inquire and make trial, ivhether the 
 said directions be duly observed in their bounds ; and to 
 reprove or censure, according to the quality of the offence, 
 such as should be found to be reprovable or censurable 
 therein. And to the end that these directions may not 
 be rendered ineffectual and unprofitable among some, 
 through the usual neglect of the very substance of the 
 duty of family worship ; the Assembly doth further 
 require and appoint ministers and ruling elders to make 
 diligent search and inquiry in the congregations com- 
 mitted to their charge respectively, ivhether there be 
 among them any family or families which use to neglect 
 
10 THE DIRECTORY FOR FAMILY WORSHIP. 
 
 this necessary duty : Arid if any such family be found, 
 the head of that family is to he first admonished "privately 
 to amend this faulty and in case of his continuing therein, 
 he is to he gravely and sadly reproved hy the session ; 
 after which reproof if he be found still to neglect family 
 worship, let him be for his obstinacy in such an offence 
 suspended and debarred from the Lord's Supper, as 
 being justly esteemed unworthy to communicate therein 
 till he amend. 
 
DIRECTIONS 
 
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
 
 CONCERNING SECRET AND PRIVATE WORSHIP, AND MUTUAL EDIFICA- 
 TION ; FOR CHERISHING PIETY, FOR MAINTAINING UNITY, AND 
 AVOIDING SCHISM AND DIVISION. 
 
 Besides the publick worship in congregations, merci- 
 fully established in this land in great purity, it is expe- 
 dient and necessary that secret worship of each person 
 alone, and private worship of families, be pressed and set 
 up; that with national reformation, the profession and 
 power of godliness, both personal and domestick, be ad- 
 vanced. 
 
 I. And first for secret worship ; It is most necessary 
 that every one apart and by themselves be given to 
 prayer and meditation ; the unspeakable benefit whereof 
 is best known to them who are most exercised therein, 
 this being the mean whereby in a special way commu- 
 nion with God is entertained, and right preparation for 
 all other duties obtained : And, therefore, it becometh 
 not only pastors within their several charges to press 
 persons of all sorts to perform this duty morning and 
 evening, and at other occasions ; but also it is incumbent 
 to the head of every family to have a care that both 
 themselves and all within their charge be daily diligent 
 herein. 
 
 II. The ordinary duties comprehended under the ex- 
 ercise of piety, which should be in families when they 
 are convened to that effect, are these : — First, prayer ahd 
 
12 THE DIRECTORY FOR 
 
 praises performed with a special reference, as well to the 
 publick condition of the kirk of God and this kingdom, 
 as to the present case of the family and every member 
 thereof. Next, reading of Scriptures, with catechising 
 in a plain way, that the understandings of the simpler 
 may be the better inabled to profit under the publick 
 ordinances, and they made more capable to understand 
 the Scriptures when they are read ; together with godly 
 conferences tending to the edification of all the mem- 
 bers in the most holy faith; as also admonition and re- 
 buke upon just reasons from those who have authority 
 in the family. 
 
 III. As the charge and office of interpreting the holy 
 Scriptures is a part of the ministerial calling, which none 
 (howsoever otherwise qualified) should take upon him in 
 any place, but he that is duly called thereunto by God and 
 his kirk : So in every family where there is any that can 
 read, the holy Scriptures should be read ordinarily to the 
 family. And it is commendable that thereafter they 
 confer, and by way of conference make some good use 
 of what hath been read and heard ; as, for example, if 
 any sin be reproved in the word read, use may be made 
 thereof, to make all the family circumspect and watchful 
 against the same ; or if any judgment be threatened or 
 mentioned to have been inflicted in that portion of Scrip- 
 ture which is read, use may be made to make all the 
 family fear, lest the same or a worse judgment befal 
 them, unless they beware of the sin that procured it; and 
 finally, if any duty be required, or comfort held forth in 
 a promise, use may be made to stir up themselves to im- 
 ploy Christ for strength to enable them for doing the 
 commanded duty, and to apply the ofi'ered comfort ; in 
 all which the master of the family is to have the chief 
 hand, and any member of the family may propound a 
 question or doubt for resolution. 
 
 IV. The head of the family is to take care that none 
 of the family withdraw himself from any part of family 
 worship. And seeing the ordinary performance of all 
 the parts of family worship belongeth properly to the 
 head of the family, the minister is to stir up such as are 
 
FAMILY WORSHIP. 13 
 
 lazy, and train up such as are weak to a fitness for these 
 exercises ; it being always free to persons of quality, to 
 entertain one approved by the presbytery for performing 
 family exercise ; and in other families, where the head of 
 the family is unfit, that another constantly residing in 
 the family, approved by the minister and session, may be 
 imployed in that service, wherein the minister and session 
 are to be countable to the presbytery. And if a minister 
 by Divine Providence be brought to any family, it is 
 requisite that at no time he conveen a part of the family 
 for worship, secluding the rest ; except in singular cases, 
 specially concerning these parties, which (in Christian 
 prudence) need not, or ought not to be imparted to 
 others. 
 
 V. Let no idler who hath no particular calling, or 
 vagrant person under pretence of a calling, be suffered 
 to perform worship in families to or for the same ; seeing 
 persons tainted with errors, or aiming at division, may be 
 ready (after that manner) to creep into houses, and lead 
 captive silly and unstable souls. 
 
 VI. At family worship a special care is to be had that 
 each family keep by themselves, neither requiring, invit- 
 ing, nor admitting persons from divers families, unless it 
 be those who are lodged with them, or at meal, or other- 
 wise with them upon some lawful occasion. 
 
 VII. Whatsoever hath been the effects and fruits of 
 meetings of persons of divers families in the times of 
 corruption or trouble (in which cases many things are 
 commendable, which otherwise are not tollerable), yet 
 where God hath blessed us with peace and the purity of 
 the gospel, such meetings of persons of divers families 
 (except in the cases mentioned in these directions) are to 
 be disapproved, as tending to the hindrance of the reli- 
 gious exercise of each family by itself, to the prejudice 
 of the publick ministry, to the renting of the families of 
 particular congregations, and, in progress of time, of the 
 whole kirk ; besides many offences which may come 
 thereby, to the hardning of the hearts of carnal men, 
 and grief of the godly. 
 
 VIII. On the Lord's day, after every one of the 
 
14 THE DIRECTORY FOR 
 
 family apart, and the whole family together, have sought 
 the Lord (in whose hands the preparation of men's hearts 
 are) to fit them for the publick worship, and to bless to 
 them the publick ordinances ; the master of the family 
 ought to take care that all within his charge repair to 
 the public w^orship, that he and they may join with the 
 rest of the congregation ; and the publick worship being 
 finished, after prayer he should take an account what 
 they have heard, and thereafter to spend the rest of the 
 time which they may spare in catechising, and in spiri- 
 tual conferences upon the word of God ; or else (going 
 apart) they ought to apply themselves to reading, medi- 
 tation, and secret prayer, that they may confirm and 
 increase their communion with God, that so the profit 
 which they found in the publick ordinances may be che- 
 rished and promoved, and they more edified unto eternal 
 Hfe. 
 
 IX. So many as can conceive prayer, ought to make 
 use of that gift of God ; albeit those who are rude and 
 weaker may begin at a set form of prayer, but so as they 
 be not sluggish in stirring up in themselves (according 
 to their daily necessities) the spirit of prayer, which is 
 given to all the children of God in some measure, to 
 which eifect they ought to be the more fervent and 
 frequent in secret prayer to God, for enabling of their 
 hearts to conceive, and their tongues to express, conve- 
 nient desires to God for their family ; and in the mean 
 time, for their greater encouragement, let these materials 
 of prayer be meditated upon, and made use of, as fol- 
 loweth : 
 Let them confess to God how unworthy they are to come 
 
 in his presence, and how unfit to worship his majesty ; 
 
 and therefore earnestly ask of God the spirit of prayer. 
 They are to confess their sins and the sins of the family, 
 
 accusing, judging, and condemning themselves for 
 
 them, till they bring their souls to some measure of 
 
 true humiliation. 
 They are to pour out their souls to God in the name of 
 
 Christ by the Spirit, for forgiveness of sins, for grace 
 
 to repent, to believe, and to live soberly, righteously. 
 
FAMILY WORSHIP. IS 
 
 and godly; and that they may serve God with joy and 
 delight, walking before him. 
 
 They are to give thanks to God for his many mercies to 
 his people and to themselves; and especially for his 
 love in Christ, and for the light of the Gospel. 
 
 They are to pray for such particular benefits, spiritual 
 and temporal, as they stand in need of for the time 
 (whether it be morning or evening), as health or sick- 
 ness, prosperity or adversity. 
 
 They ought to pray for the kirk of Christ in general, 
 for all the reformed kirks, and for this kirk in particu- 
 lar, and for all that suffer for the name of Christ ; for 
 all our superiors, the king's majesty, the queen, and 
 their children ; for the magistrates, ministers, and the 
 whole body of the congregation w^hereof they are 
 members, as well for their neighbours absent in their 
 lawful affairs, as for those that are at home. 
 
 The prayer may be closed with an earnest desire that 
 God may be glorified in the coming of the kingdom of 
 his Son, and in the doing of his will ; and with assur- 
 ance that themselves are accepted, and what they have 
 asked according to his will shall be done. 
 
 X. These exercises ought to be performed in great 
 sincerity, without delay, laying aside all exercises of 
 worldly business or hinderances, notwithstanding the 
 mockings of Atheists and profane men ; in respect of 
 the great mercies of God to this land, and of his severe 
 correction, wherewith he hath lately exercised us : And 
 to this effect, persons of eminence (and all elders of the 
 kirk) not only ought to stir up themselves and their 
 families to diligence herein, but also to concur effectually, 
 that in all other families, where they have power and 
 charge, the said exercises be conscionably performed. 
 
 XI. Besides the ordinary duties in families which are 
 above-mentioned, extraordinary duties, both of humilia- 
 tion and thanksgiving, are to be carefully performed in 
 families, when the Lord by extraordinary occasions (pri- 
 vate or publick) calleth for them. 
 
 XII. Seeing the word of God requireth that we 
 should consider one another to provoke unto love and 
 
16 THE DIRECTORY FOR 
 
 good works ; therefore, at all times, and specially in this 
 time, wherein profanity abounds, and mockers, walking 
 after their own lusts, think it strange that others run not 
 with them to the same excess of riot, every member of 
 this kirk ought to stir up themselves and one another to 
 the duties of mutual edification, by instruction, admoni- 
 tion, rebuke, exhorting one another to manifest the grace 
 of God, in denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and 
 in living godly, soberly, and righteously in this present 
 world, by comforting the feeble minded, and praying 
 with or for one another ; which duties respectively are 
 to be performed upon special occasions offered by Divine 
 Providence, as, namely, when under any calamity, gross 
 or great difficulty, counsel or comfort is sought ; or when 
 any offender is to be reclaimed by private admonition, 
 and if that be not effectual, by joining one or two more 
 in the admonition according to the rule of Christ, that in 
 the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be 
 established. 
 
 XIII. And because it is not given to every one to 
 speak a word in season to a wearied or distressed con- 
 science, it is expedient that a person in that case, finding 
 no ease after the use of ordinary means, private and pub- 
 lick, have their address to their own pastor, or some 
 experienced Christian ; but if the person troubled in con- 
 science be of that condition or of that sex, that discretion, 
 modesty, or fear of scandal, requireth a godly, grave, 
 and secret friend to be present with them in their said 
 address, it is expedient that such a friend be present. 
 
 XIV. When persons of divers families are brought 
 together by Divine Providence, being abroad upon their 
 particular vocations, or any necessary occasions, as they 
 would have the Lord their God with them whitherso- 
 ever they go, they ought to walk with God, and not 
 neglect the duties of prayer and thanksgiving, but take 
 care that the same be performed by such as the company 
 shall judge fittest ; and that they likewise take heed that 
 no corrupt communication proceed out of their mouth, 
 but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may 
 minister grace to the hearers. 
 
FAMILY WORSHIP. 17 
 
 The drift and scope of all these directions is no other, 
 but that upon the one part, the power and practice of 
 godliness among all the ministers and members of this 
 kirk, according to their several places and vocations, may 
 be cherished and advanced, and all impiety and mocking 
 of religious exercises suppressed; and upon the other 
 part, that under the name and pretext of religious exer- 
 cises, no such meeting or practices be allowed, as are apt 
 to breed error, scandal, schism, contempt, or misregard 
 of the publick ordinances and ministers, or neglect of the 
 duties of particular callings, or such other evils as are the 
 works not of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and are con- 
 trary to truth and peace. 
 
IS THE DIRECTORY FOR FAMILY WORSHIP. 
 
 ACTS of the General Assembly relating to 
 Family Worship. 
 
 Act 13, Assembly 1694. 
 
 The General Assembly appoints, that the ministers 
 and elders in each congregation take care that the wor- 
 ship of God be pei'formed in the several families thereof; 
 and if any family he found tvhich neglecteth this neces- 
 sary duty, the head of that family is to be gravely, seri- 
 ously, and earnestly admonished, until he amends his 
 fault. And recommends to ministers and kirk-sessions, 
 that none be ruling elders who make not conscience of 
 this necessary and unquestionable duty. 
 
 Act 7, Assembly 1697. 
 
 The General Assembly, considering how necessary 
 a duty it is, that the worship of God, and calling upon 
 his name, be daily performed in all families, do recom- 
 mend it to ministers and elders in each congregation to 
 take care thereof. And it being the duty of all ruling 
 elders and deacons to be exemplary herein, the Assembly 
 renews and confirms the \^th act of Assembly 1694, 
 recommending that none be ruling elders who make not 
 conscience of this unquestionable duty : And do likewise 
 appoint, that in case any elders or deacons shall neglect 
 to worship God in their families by themselves, or others 
 appointedfor that effect, that they be seriously admonished 
 to amend, and if need be, rebuked for the same; and if, 
 notwithstanding of admonitions and rebukes of the mini- 
 ster and other elders, any elder or deacon continue obsti- 
 nate in their neglect, that such elder or deacon be removed 
 from his office by the presbytery. And appoints this act 
 to be read in all the churches yearly, as also the said 
 \3th act of the Assembly 1694, and that upon the first 
 Sabbath of May. 
 
THE 
 
 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE, 
 
 OR THE 
 
 POLICIE AND DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH; 
 
 DRAWN UP BY 
 
 MR JOHN WINRAM, MR JOHN SPOTTISWOOD, 
 
 JOHN WILLOCK, MR JOHN DOUGLASSE, 
 
 MR JOHN ROW, AND JOHN KNOX, 
 
 Presented to the Nobilitie anno 1560, and aftenuards 
 Subscribed by the Kirk and Lords. 
 
 ExoD. XXV- 9. 
 
 " According to all that I shew thee, both after the fashion of the taber- 
 nacle, and after the fashion of all the ornaments thereof, even so shall ye 
 make it." 
 
L 20 ] 
 
 BOOKS OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Previously to the legal establishment of the Protestant religion 
 in 1560, the Book of Common Order used by the English Church 
 at Geneva was generally followed as the rule of worship and dis- 
 cipline by the Scots Reformers; but that being found inadequate 
 to the regulation of a church consisting of numerous congregations, 
 a Book of Discipline, adapted to the state of the Church, was soon 
 after that event urged upon the Parliament as a necessary accom- 
 paniment to the legal institution of the National Church. Parlia- 
 ment, however, was dissolved without any thing being done on this 
 subject. But the reformed clergy persevered, and the Privy Coun- 
 cil were induced to grant a commission to five ministers to frame 
 such a standard of ecclesiastical government. When they had 
 completed their task on 29th May 1560, the *' Book of Policy " or 
 *' First Book of Discipline," was submitted to the General Assem- 
 bly, by whom it was approved; and though not formally ratified 
 by the Council, it was subscribed by a great portion of the mem- 
 bers. Many of them, however, were opposed to it; and by some 
 it was stigmatized as a " devout imagination." The First Book of 
 Discipline, therefore, though thus sanctioned by the church, was 
 never formally and fully approved by the civil authorities. 
 
 After many commissions and conferences, with a view to the 
 settlement of the discipline of the church, it was finally agreed on 
 by the General Assembly in 1581, and registered in the Acts of 
 the Kirk. The Confession of Faith, which had received the sanc- 
 tion of the civil government, was also declared to be the Confession 
 of the Professors of the Reformed Doctrines of the Church of 
 Scotland. 
 
[ 21 ] 
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE.* 
 
 To the great Councell of Scotland now admitted to the 
 Regiment, by the providence of God, and by the com- 
 mon consent of the Estates thereof, your honours hum- 
 ble Servitors and Ministers of Christ Jesus within the 
 same, wish grace, mercy, and peace from God the 
 Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the perpetual 
 increase of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 From your honours we received a charge, dated at 
 Edinburgh the 29 th of April, in the yeare of our Lord 
 1560, requiring and commanding us, in the name of the 
 Eternall God, as we will answer in his presence, to com- 
 mit to writing, and in a book deliver to your wisedoms our 
 judgements touching the reformation of religion which 
 heretofore in this realme (as in others) hath been utterly 
 corrupted ; upon the receipt whereof (so many of us as 
 were in this towne) did convene, and in unitie of minde 
 doe offer unto your wisedoms these subsequents for com- 
 mon order and uniformitie to be observed in this realme 
 concerning doctrine, administration of sacraments, elec- 
 tion of ministers, provision for their sustentation, ecclesi- 
 astical discipline, and policie of the church ; most humbly 
 requiring your honours, that as you look for participation 
 with Christ Jesus, that neither ye admit any thing which 
 God's plain word shall not approve, neither yet that ye 
 
 «■'/ 
 * This edition of the First Book of Discipline is conformable to the 
 edition printed aniio 1621 ; the typographical errors are corrected ; some 
 words, which probably have been omitted by the printer, are supplied 
 from other copies, but they are printed within brackets; and a few 
 various readings are printed on the foot margin. 
 
22 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 shall reject such ordinances as equi tie, justice, and God's 
 word do specific : For as we will not bind your wisedomes 
 to our judgements, further then we are able to prove by- 
 God's plain Scriptures ; so must we most humbly crave 
 of you, even as ye will answer in God's presence (before 
 whom both ye and we must appeare to render accounts 
 of all our facts), that ye repudiate nothing for pleasure 
 and affection of men, which ye be not able to improve 
 by God's written and revealed word. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The First Head, of Doctrine. 
 
 Seeing" that Christ Jesus is he whom God the Father 
 hath commanded onely to be heard and followed of his 
 sheepe, we judge it necessary, that his gospell be truely 
 and openly preached in every church and assembly of 
 this realme ; and that all doctrine repugnant to the same 
 be utterly repressed, as damnable to man's salvation. 
 
 The Explication of the First Head, 
 
 1 . Lest that upon this generalitie ungodly men take 
 occasion to cavill, this we add for explication. By preach- 
 ing of the gospell^ we understand not onely the Scriptures 
 of the New Testament, but also of the Okie, to wit, the 
 Law, Prophets, and Histories, in which Christ Jesus is 
 no less contained in figure, then we have him now ex- 
 pressed in veritie ; And therefore, with the Apostle we 
 affirme, that all Scripture inspired of God is profitable to 
 instruct, to reprove, and to exhort. In which books of 
 Old and New Testaments we affirme, that all thing neces- 
 sary for the instruction of the church, and to make the 
 man of God perfect, is contained and sufficiently ex- 
 pressed. 
 
 2. By the contrary doctrine we understand whatsoever 
 men by lawes, councells, or constitutions, have imposed 
 upon the consciences of men, without the express com- 
 mandement of God's word, such as be the vows of chasti- 
 tie, forswearing of marriage, binding of men and women to 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 23 
 
 several and disguised apparells, to the superstitious obser- 
 vation of fasting dayes, difference of meat for conscience 
 sake,^ prayer for the dead ; and keeping of holy dayes of 
 certaine saints commanded by man, such as be all those 
 that the Papists have invented, as the Feasts (as they 
 ternie them) of the Apostles, Martyrs, Virgines, of 
 Christmasse, Circumcision, Epiphanie, Purification, and 
 other fond Feasts of our Ladie; Which things, because 
 in God's Scriptures they neither have commandement nor 
 assurance, we judge them utterly to be abolished from 
 this realme; affirming farther, that the obstinate main- 
 tainers and teachers of such abominations ought not to 
 escape the punishment of the civil magistrate. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The Second Head, of the Sacraments, 
 
 1 . To Christ Jesus his holy gospell truely preached, 
 of necessity it is, that his holy sacraments be annexed, 
 and truely ministered, as scales and visible confirmations 
 of the spirituall promises contained in the word: and they 
 be two, to wit, Baptism, and the Holy Supper of the 
 Lord Jesus; which are then rightly ministred, when by 
 a lawfull minister the people, before the administration of 
 the same, are plainly instructed and put in mind of God's 
 free grace and mercie, offered unto the penitent in Christ 
 Jesus; when God's promises are rehearsed, the end and 
 use of [the] sacraments preached and declared, and that 
 in such a tongue as the people doe understand; when far- 
 ther to them is nothing added, from them nothing dimi- 
 nished, and in their *practise nothing changed besides the 
 institution of the Lord Jesus, and practise of his holy 
 Apostles. 
 
 2. And albeit the order of Geneva, which now is used 
 in some of our churches, is sufficient to instruct the dili- 
 gent reader, how that both these sacraments may be 
 rightly ministred; yet for an uniformitie to be kept, we 
 have thought good to adde this as superaboundant. 
 
 * Administration. 
 
24 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 3. In baptisrae we acknowledge nothing to be used 
 except the element of water onely (that the word and de- 
 claration of the promises ought to preceed we have said 
 before) ; wherefore whosoever prcsumeth in baptism e to use 
 oyle, salt, waxe, spittle, conjuration and crossing, accus- 
 eth the perfect institution of Christ Jesus of imperfection ; 
 for it was void of all such inventions devised by men. 
 And such as would presume to alter Christ's perfect or- 
 dinance you ought severely to punish. 
 
 4. The table of the Lord is then most rightly minis- 
 tred, when it approacheth most near to Christ's own ac- 
 tion ; but plaine it is, that at supper Christ Jesus sate 
 with his disciples, and therefore doe we judge that sitting 
 at a table is most convenient to that holy action ; that bread 
 and wine ought to be there, that thanks ought to be 
 given, distribution of the same made, and commandement 
 given that the bread should be taken and eaten, and that 
 all should likewise drinke of the cup of wine, with decla- 
 ration what both the one and the other is; we suppose no 
 godly man will doubt. For as touching the damnable 
 errour of the Papists, who dare defraud the common peo- 
 ple of the one part of the holy sacrament, to wit, of the 
 cup of the Lord's blood, we suppose their errour to be 
 so manifest, that it needeth no confutation ; neither yet 
 intend we to confute any thing in this our simple confes- 
 sion, but to offer public disputation to all that list op- 
 pugne any thing affirmed by us. 
 
 5. That the minister breake the bread, and distribute 
 the same to those that be next unto him, commanding 
 the rest, every one with reverence and sobrietie, to break 
 with other, we thinke it nearest to Christ's action, and to 
 the perfect practise [of the Apostles], as we reade in St 
 Paul. During the which action we thinke it necessarie, 
 that some comfortable places of the Scripture be read, 
 which may bring in minde the death of Christ Jesus, and 
 the benefit of the same ; for seeing that in that action we 
 ought chiefly to remember the Lord's death, we judge 
 the Scriptures making mention of the same, most apt to 
 stirre up our dull mindes then, and at all times. Let the 
 discretion of the ministers appoint the places to be read 
 
FIIIST BOOK OF DISCirLINE. 25 
 
 as they think good. What times we think most conve- 
 nient for the administration of the one and of the other of 
 these sacraments, shall be declared in the Policie of the 
 Kirk, * 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 The Third Head, touching the Abolishing of Idolatrie. 
 
 1 . As we require Christ Jesus to be truely preached, 
 and his holy sacraments rightly ministred; so [\\'e] cannot 
 cease to require idolatry, with all monuments and places 
 of the same, as abbey es, monkeries, frleries, nunneries, 
 chapels, chanteries, cathedrall churches, chanonries, col- 
 ledges, others then presently are parish churches or 
 schooles, to be utterly suppressed in all bounds and places 
 of this realme, except onely palaces, mansions, and dwell- 
 ing 'places adjacent thereto, with orchards and yards of 
 the same. As also [we desire] that idolatrie may be re- 
 m.oved from the presence of all persons of what estate or 
 condition that ever they be, within this realme. 
 
 2. For let your honours assuredly be perswaded, that 
 where idolatry is maintained or permitted, where it may 
 be suppressed, that there shall God's wrath raigne, no*^t 
 onely upon the blind and obstinate idolaters, but also the 
 negligent sufferers [of the same] ; especially if God have 
 armed their hands with power to suppresse such abhomi- 
 nation. 
 
 3. By idolatry we understand, the masse, invocation of 
 saints, adoration of images, and the keeping and retain- 
 ing of the same; And finally, all honouring of God not 
 conteined in his holy Word. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 I. The Fourth Head, concerning Ministers and their 
 laufull Election, 
 
 1 . In a church reformed or tending to reformation 
 * See chap. xi. of this book, sect. 5. 
 
26 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 none ought to presume either to preach, or yet to minis- 
 ter the sacraments, till that orderly they be called to the 
 same. Ordinarie vocation consisteth in election, exami- 
 nation, and admission. And because that election of 
 ministers in this cursed Papistrie hath altogether been 
 abused, we thinke expedient to intreat it more largely. 
 
 2. It appertaineth to the people, and to every sever- 
 all congregation, to elect their minister. And in case 
 that they l3e found negligent therein the space of fourty 
 dayes, the best reformed church, to wit, the church of the 
 superintendent with his councell, may present unto them 
 a man whom they judge apt to feed the flock of Christ 
 Jesus, who must be examinated as well in life and man- 
 ners as in doctrine and knowledge. 
 
 3. And that this may be done with more exact dili- 
 gence, the persons that are to be examinated must be 
 commanded to appeare before men of soundest judgement, 
 remaining im some principal town next adjacent unto 
 them, as they that be in Fife, Angus, Mearnes, or 
 Straitha?me, to present themselves in Saint Andrews; 
 these that be in howthian, Merse, or Tevidaill, in Edin- 
 burgh; and likewise those that be in other countries must 
 resort to the best reformed citie and towne, that is, to the 
 towne of the superintendent, where first in the schooles, or 
 failing thereof in open assembly, and before the congre- 
 gation, they must give declaration of their giftes, utter- 
 ance, and knowledge, by interpreting some place of Scrip- 
 ture to be appointed by the ministerie; which being end- 
 ed, the person that is presented, or that offereth himself 
 to the *administration of the church, must be examined 
 l)y the ministers and elders of the church, and that 
 openly and before all that list to heare, in all the chiefs 
 points that now be in controversie betwixt us and the 
 Papists, Anabaptists, Arrians, or other such enemies to 
 the <Z!hristian religion. In which if he be found sound, 
 able to perswadc by wholesome doctrine, and to convince 
 the gaine-sayer, then must he be directed to the church 
 and congregation where he should serve, that there, in 
 
 • Service. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 27 
 
 open audience of his flock in diverse public sermons, he 
 may give confession of his faith in the article of justifi- 
 cation, of the office of Christ Jesus, and of the number, 
 effect, and use of the sacraments; and finally, in the whole 
 religion, which heretofore hath been corrupted by the 
 Papists. 
 
 4. If his doctrine be found wholesome and able to in- 
 struct the simple, and if the church justly can reprehend 
 nothing in his life, doctrine, nor utterance, then we judge 
 the church, which before was destitute, unreasonable if 
 they refuse him whom the church did offer; and [that] 
 they should be compelled, by the censure of the councefl 
 and church, to receive the person appointed and ap- 
 proved by the judgement of the godly and learned; un- 
 lesse that the same church have presented a man better, 
 or as well qualified to the examination, before that this 
 foresaid tryall was taken of the person presented by the 
 councell of the whole church. As for example, the coun- 
 cell of the church presents to any church a man to be 
 their minister, not knowing that they are otherwise pro- 
 vided; in the meane time, the church is provided of ano- 
 ther sufficient in their judgement for that charge, whom 
 they present to the learned ministers and next reformed 
 church to be examined. In this case the presentation of 
 the people, to whom he should be appointed pastor, must 
 be preferred to the presentation of the councell or greater 
 church, unlesse the person presented by the inferiour 
 church be judged unable of the regiment by the learned. 
 For altogether this is to be avoided, that any man be 
 violently intruded or thrust in upon any congregation ; 
 but this libertie with all care must be reserved to every 
 severall church, to have their votes and suffrages in elec- 
 tion of their ministers. But violent intrusion we call not, 
 when the councell of the church in the feare of God, and 
 for the salvation of the people, offereth unto them a suffi- 
 cient man to instruct them, whom they shall not be forced 
 to admit before just examination, as before is said. 
 
 II. What may enable any person^ that he may not he 
 admitted to the Ministerie of the Church, 
 
28 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 5. It is to be observed that no person, noted with 
 piiblique infamie, or being unable to edifie the church by 
 wholesome doctrine, or being known of corrupt judge- 
 ment, be either promoted to the regiment of the church, 
 or yet retained in ecclesiastical administration. 
 
 Explication, 
 
 6. By public infamy we understand, not the common 
 sinnes and offences which any hath committed in time of 
 blindness, by fragility; if of the same by a better and 
 more sober conversation, he hath declared himselfe verily 
 penitent; but such capitall crimes as the civill svrord 
 ought and may punish with death by the word of God. 
 For besides that the Apostle requireth the life of minis- 
 ters to be so irreprehensihle^ that they have a gcod testi- 
 monie from those that he without; we judge it a thing 
 unseemly and dangerous, that he shall have publick au- 
 thoritie to preach to others life everlasting, from whom the 
 civill magistrate may take the life temporall for a crime 
 publickly committed; and if any object that the Prince 
 hath pardoned his offence, and that he hath publickly 
 repented [the same], and so not onely his life is in assur- 
 ance, but also that he may be received to the ministerie 
 of the church; we answer, that repentance doth not take 
 away the temporall punishment of the law, neither doth 
 the pardon of the Prince remove his infamie before man. 
 
 7. That the life and conversation of the person pre- 
 sented or to be elected may be the more clearely knowne, 
 publick edicts should be directed to all parts of this 
 realme, or at the least to those parts where the person hath 
 been most conversant; as where he was nourished in let- 
 ters, or where he continued since the yeares of infancie 
 and childhood were passed. Straight commandement 
 would be given, that if any capitall crimes were commit- 
 ted by him, that they should be notified, as if he had 
 committed wilful murder [or] adulterie: [or] if he were a 
 common fornicator, a theife, a drunkard, a fighter, braw- 
 ler, or contentious person. These edicts ought to be no- 
 tified in the chiefe cities, with the like charge and com- 
 mandement, with declaration that such as concealed his 
 
FIRST BOOK or DISCIPLINE. 29 
 
 sinnes knowne, did deceive and betray, as far as in them 
 lay, the church which is the spouse of Christ Jesus, and 
 did communicate with the sinnes of that wicked man. 
 
 III. Admission of Ministers, 
 
 8. The admission of ministers to their offices must 
 consist in [the] consent of the people and church whereto 
 they shall be appointed, and approbation of the learned 
 ministers appointed for their examination. 
 
 9. We judge it expedient that the admission of ministers 
 be in open audience, [and] that some speciall minister make 
 a sermon touching the duty and office of ministers, touch- 
 ing their manners, conversation, and life; as also touching 
 the obedience which the church oweth to their ministers. 
 Commandement should be given, as w'ell to the minister as 
 to the people, both being present, to wit, that he with all 
 careful! diligence attend upon the flock of Christ Jesus, 
 over the which he is appointed pastor ; that he will walk 
 in the presence of God so sincerely, tliat the graces of the 
 Holy Spirit may be multiplied into him; and in the pre- 
 sence of men so soberly and upri<rhtly, that his life may 
 confirme in the eyes of men, that which by tongue and 
 word be perswaded unto others. The people should be 
 exhorted to reverence and honor their ministers chosen, 
 as the servants and ambassadors of the Lord Jesus, obey- 
 ing the commandements which they pronounce from God's 
 word, even as they would obey God himselfe : For who- 
 soever heareth Christ's ministers heareth himself; and 
 whosoever rejecteth and despiseth their ministerie and ex- 
 hortation, rejecteth and despiseth Christ Jesus. 
 
 10. Other ceremonie than the public approbation of the 
 people, and declaration of the chiefe minister, that the 
 person there presented is appointed to serve the* church, 
 we cannot approve; for albeit the Apostles used imposition 
 of hands, yet seeing the miracle is ceased, the using of 
 the ceremonie w^e judge not necessarie.t 
 
 11. The minister elected or presented, examined, an.d, 
 
 * That c]-.nrch. 
 
 t See the Second Book of Discipline, chap. iii. sect. 6. 
 
30 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 as sayd is, publickly admitted, may neither leave the 
 flocke at his pleasure, to which he hath promised his fide- 
 litie and labours ; neither yet may the flocke reject or 
 change him at their appetite, unlesse they be able to con- 
 vict him of such crimes as deserve deposition, whereof 
 we shall after speak. We mean not but that the whole 
 church, or the most part thereof, for just considerations, 
 may transferre a minister from one church to another; 
 neither yet mean we, that men who now serve as it were 
 of benevolence, may not be appointed and elected to serve 
 in other places; but once being solemnly elected and ad- 
 mitted, we cannot approve that they should change at 
 their own pleasure. 
 
 12. We are not ignorant that the raritie of godly and 
 learned men, will seem to some a just reason why that so 
 straight and sharpe examination should not be taken uni- 
 versally; for so it would appear, that the most part of the 
 kirks shall have no minister at all : But let these men 
 understand, that the lack of able men shall not excuse us 
 before God, if by our consent unable men be placed over 
 the flock of Christ Jesus; as also that amongst the Gen- 
 tiles godly and learned men w-ere as rare as they be 
 now amongst us, when the Apostle gave the same rule to 
 trie and examine ministers, which we now follow : And 
 lastly, let them understand that it is alike to have no mi- 
 nister at all, and to have an idoU in the place of a true 
 minister, yea, and in some case it is worse; for those that 
 be utterly destitute of ministers will be diligent to search 
 for them, but those that have a vain shadow, do com- 
 monly without farther care content themselves with the 
 same, and so remain they continually deceived, thinking 
 that they have a minister when in verie deed they have 
 none; for we cannot judge him a dispensator of God's 
 mysteries, that in no wise can breake the bread of life to 
 the fainting and hungrie soules; neither judge we that the 
 sacraments can be rightly ministred by him, in whose 
 mouth God had put no sermon of exhortation. 
 
 13. The chicfest remedie left to your honours and to 
 us, in all this raritie of true ministers, is fervent praier 
 unto God, that it will please his mercie to thrust forth 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 31 
 
 faithfull workmen into this his harvest. And next, that 
 your honours, with consent of the church, are bound by 
 your authoritie to compel such men as have gifts and 
 graces able to edifie the church of God, that they bestow 
 them where greatest necessitie shall be* known; for no 
 man may be permitted to live idle, or as themselves list, 
 but must be appointed to travell where your wisdoms and 
 the church shall think expedient. We cannot prescribe 
 unto your honours certain rules how that ye shall dis- 
 tribute the ministers and learned men, w^hom God hath 
 already sent unto you; but hereof we are assured, that it 
 greatlie hindereth the progresse of Christ's gospell within 
 this poore realm, that some altogether abstract their la- 
 bours from the church, and others remain altogether in 
 one place, the most part of them being idle. And there- 
 fore of your honours we require in God's name, that by 
 your authoritie which ye have of God, ye compel all men 
 to whom God hath given any talent to persuade, by whole- 
 some doctrine, to bestow the same, if they be called by 
 the church to the advancement of Christ's glorie, and the 
 comfort of hLs troubled flock ; and that ye, with the con- 
 sent of the church, assign unto the chiefest w'orkmen, not 
 onelie townes to remaine in, but also provinces, that by 
 their faithfull labours churches may be erected, and order 
 established where none is now. And if on this manner 
 ye shall use your power and authoritie, chieflie seeking 
 God's glorie, and the comfort of your brethren, we doubt 
 not but God shall blesse you and your enterprises. 
 
 IV. For Readers. 
 
 14. To the churches where no ministers can be had 
 presentlie, must be appointed the most apt men that dis- 
 tincthe can read the common Praiers* and the Scriptures, 
 to exercise both themselves and the church, till they grow 
 to greater perfection ; and in process of time he that is 
 but a reader may attain to a farther degree, and by con- 
 sent of the church and discreet ministers, may be permit- 
 
 * That is, the Prayers that were printed with the Book of Covmou 
 Order and Psalm Book. 
 
32 riRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ted to minister the sacraments; but not before that he be 
 able somewhat to perswade by wholesome doctrine, be- 
 side his reading, and be admitted to the ministerie, as 
 before is said. Some we know that of long time have 
 professed Christ Jesus, whose honest conversation de- 
 serveth praise of all godlj^ men, and whose knowledge 
 also might greatly helpe the simple [and ignorant people], 
 and yet they onely content themselves with reading; 
 these must be animated, and by gentle admonition en- 
 couraged, by some exhortation to comfort their brethren, 
 and so they may be admitted to administration of the 
 sacraments; but such readers as neither have had exercise 
 nor continuance in Christ's true religion, must abstain 
 from ministration of the sacraments, till they give declar- 
 ation and witnessing of their honestie and further know- 
 ledge, that none be admitted to preach but they that are 
 qualified therefore, but rather be retained readers; and 
 such as are preachers already, not found qualified there- 
 fore by the superintendent, [are] to be placed readers. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 The Fift Head, concerning the Provision for the Minis- 
 ters, and for the Distribution of the Rents and Posses- 
 sions justly appertaining to the Church, 
 
 1. Seeing that of our Maister Christ Jesus, and his 
 Apostle Paul, we have, that the ivorhman is worthy of his 
 reward, and that the mouth of the labouring oxe ought 
 not to be musseled; of necessitie it is, that honest provi- 
 sion be made for the ministers, which we require to be 
 such, that they have neither occasion of soUicitude, 
 neither yet of insolencie and wantonnesse. And this pro- 
 vision must be made not onely for their owne sustenta- 
 tion, during their lives, but also for their wives and 
 children after them. For w^e judge it a thing most con- 
 trarious to reason, godlinesse, and equitie, that the widow 
 and the children of him who in his life did faithfully serve 
 in the kirk of God,aridfor that cause didnot carefully make 
 provision for his family, should after his death be left com- 
 fortlesse of all provision; which provision for the wives of 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 33 
 
 the ministers after their deceasse, is to be remitted to 
 the discretion of the kirk. 
 
 2. Difficile it is to appoint a several stipend to every 
 minister, by reason that the charge and necessitie of all 
 will not be alike : For some will be eontinuers in one place, 
 some will be compelled to travel and oft to change their 
 dwelling place, if they shall have charge of divers kirks ; 
 among these some will be burdened with wife and chiki- 
 dren, and one with moe then others, and some perhaps will 
 be single men ; if equal stipends should be appointed to 
 these that in charge should be so unequall, either should 
 the one suffer penurie, or else should the other have su- 
 perfluitie and too much. We judge therefore that every 
 minister have sufficient whereupon to keep an house, antl 
 be sustained honestly in all things necessarie, as bookes, 
 cloathes, flesh, fish, fewell, and other things necessarie, 
 [forth] of the rents and treasurie of the kirk [where he 
 serve til], at the discretion of the congregation, conforme 
 to the qualitie of the person and necessity of the time. 
 Wherein it is thought good that every minister shall have 
 at least fourtie bolls meale, *twenty-six bolls malt, to finde 
 his house bread and drinke; and more, so much as the 
 discretion of the church findes necessarie : Besides money 
 for buying of other provisions to his house and other ne- 
 cessaries ; the modification whereof is referred to the 
 judgement of the kirk, to be made every yeare at the 
 choosina: of the elders and deacons of the kirk. Provid- 
 ing alwaies that there be advanced to every mmister suf- 
 ficient provision for a quarter of a yeare beforehand of 
 all things. 
 
 3. But to him that travels from place to place, whom 
 we call superintendent, who remaines as it were a month 
 or lesse in one place for establishing of the kirk, and for 
 the same purpose changing to another, must [further] con- 
 sideration be had. And therefore to such we thinke sixe 
 chalders beere, nine chalders meale, three chalders oates,t 
 sixe hundreth merks money, to be eiked and paired at 
 
 * Some copies have only twenty bolls malt. 
 
 t Some copies add,/or pz-oyawof to his horse, and have only 500 merks 
 of money. 
 
 2-2 
 
34 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the discretion of the prince and councell of the realme, to 
 be payd to him in manner foresaid. 
 
 4. The children of the ministers must Iiave the liber- 
 ties of the cities next adjacent, where their fathers labour- 
 ed, freely granted. They must have the priviledges in 
 schooles, and bursisses in colledges, that is, that they shall 
 be sustained at learning, if they be found apt thereto ; 
 and failing thereof they [must] be put to some handiecraft, 
 or exercised in some vertuous industry, whereby they 
 may be profitable members of the commonwealth ; and 
 the same we require of their daughters, to ivit, that they 
 be vertuously brought up, and honestly doted when they 
 come to maturity of years, at the discretion of the kirk. 
 And this in God's presence we witnesse, we require not 
 so much for our selves, or for any that appertaine to us, 
 so that we do it for the increase of vertue and learning, 
 and for the profite of the posterity to come ; [for] it is not 
 to be supposed that any man will dedicate himselfe and 
 his children so to God and to his kirk, that they look for 
 no worldly commodity ; but this cankered nature which 
 we beare, is provoked to follow vertue when it seeth pro- 
 fite and honour thereto annexed ; and contrarily, then is 
 vertue by many despised when vertuous and godly men 
 are without honour ; and sorry would we be that poverty 
 should discourage men from studie, and following of the 
 way of vertue, by which they might edifie the kirk and 
 flock of Christ Jesus. 
 
 5. Nothing have we spoken of the stipend of readers, 
 because if they can do nothing but reade, they neither 
 can be called nor judged true ministers, and yet regard 
 must be had to their labours ; but so that they may be 
 spurred forward to vertue, and not by any stipend ap- 
 pointed for their reading to be retained in that estate. 
 To a reader therefore that is newly entered, fourty mcrkes, 
 or more or lesse, as parishioners and readers can agree, 
 is sufficient : Provided that he teach the children of the 
 parish, which he must doe, besides the reading of the 
 common prayers,* and bookes of the Old and New Tes- 
 
 * That is, the Prayers which Avcre printed with the Psalm Book. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 35 
 
 tament. If from reading he begin to exhort and explain 
 the Scriptures, then ought his stipend to be augmented, 
 till finally he come to the honour of a minister : But if 
 he be found unable after two yeares, then must he be 
 removed from that office, and discharged of all stipend, 
 that another may be proved as long ; for this alwaies is 
 to be avoided, that none who is judged unable to come at 
 any time to some reasonable knowledge, whereby he may 
 edifie the kirk, shall be perpetually susteined upon the 
 charge of the kirk. Farther it must be avoided, that no 
 child, nor person within age, that is, within twentie one 
 yeares of age, be admitted to the office of a reader ; but 
 readers ought to be endued with gravity and discretion, 
 lest by their lightnesse the prayers or Scriptures read be 
 of lesse price or estimation. It is to be noted that the 
 reader be put in the kirk by the admission of the super- 
 intendent. The other sort of readers, who have long con- 
 tinued in [the course of] godliness, and have some gift 
 of exhortation, who are of hope to attain to the degree of 
 a minister, and [who] teach the children; we think an 
 hundred merkes, or more or lesse, at the discretion of the 
 kirk, may be appointed ; so that difference be made, as 
 said is, betwixt them and the ministers that openly 
 preaches the word and ministers the sacraments, 
 
 6. Rests yet tw^o sorts of people to be provided for up- 
 on that which is called the patrimony of the kirk, to icit, 
 the poore, and teachers of the youthhead. Every several 
 kirk must provide for the poore within it self; for fearful 
 and horrible it is, that the poore, whom not onely God 
 the Father in his law, but Christ Jesus in his Evangel, 
 and the Holy Spirit speaking by St Paul, hath so earnest- 
 ly commended to our care, are universally so contemned 
 and despised. We are not patrons for stubborne and 
 idle beggars, who, running from place to place, make a 
 craft of their begging, whom the civill magistrate ought 
 to [compel to work, or then] punish: But for the widow 
 and fatherlesse, the aged, impotent or lamed, w^ho neither 
 can nor may travell for their sustentation, we say that 
 God commands his people to be careful; and therefore 
 for such, as also for persons of honestie fallen into decay 
 
36 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 and poverty, ought such provision to be made, that of 
 our aboundance their indigence may be relieved. How 
 this most convenientlv and most easilie mav be done in 
 every citie, and other parts of this realme, God ^vill shew 
 you wisdome and the meanes, so that your mindes be 
 godly inclined thereto. All must not be suffered to beg 
 that gladly would so doe, neither yet must beggars re- 
 main where they would, but the stout and strong beg- 
 gars must be compelled to worke ; and every person that 
 may not worke, must be compelled to repair to the place 
 where he or she was borne, unlesse of long continuance 
 they have remained in one place ; and there reasonable 
 provision must be made for [their] sustentation, as the 
 kirk shall appoint. The order nor summes, in our judge- 
 ments, cannot particularly be appointed, until such times 
 as the poore of every ciiie, town and parish, be compelled 
 to repaire to the places wliere they were borne, or of 
 their residence, where their names and number must be 
 taken and put in roll, and then may the wisedom of the 
 kirk appoint stipends accordingly. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 I. The Head of the Superintendents, 
 
 1 . Because we have appointed a larger stipend to them 
 that shall be superintendents than to the rest of the mi- 
 nisters ; we have thought good to signifie to your honours, 
 such reasons as moved us to make difference betwixt 
 preachers at this time ; as also how many superintendents 
 we think necessarie, with their bounds, office, [the man- 
 ner of their] election, and [the] causes that may deserve 
 deposition from that charge. 
 
 2. We consider that if the ministers whom God hath 
 endowed with his singulnr graces amongst us, should be 
 appointed to severall places there to make their conti- 
 nuall residence, that then the greatest part of the realme 
 should be destitute of all doctrine; which should not 
 onely be the occasion of great murmur, but also be dan- 
 gerous to the salvation of many. And therefore we have 
 
nilST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 37 
 
 thought it a thing most expedient at this time, that from 
 the whole number of godly and learned men, now pre- 
 sently in this realme, be selected ten or twelve (for in so 
 many provinces we have divided the whole), to whom 
 charge and commandement should be given to plant and 
 erect kirkes, to set, order, and appoint ministers as the 
 former order prescribes, to the countries that shall be 
 appointed to their care where none are now^ ; and by 
 their meanes, your love and common care over all [the] 
 inhabitants of this realme, to whom you are equally 
 debtors, shall evidently appear ; as also the simple and 
 ignorant, who perchance have never heard Jesus Christ 
 truely preached, shall come to some knowledge, by the 
 which many that are dead in superstition and ignorance 
 shall attaine to some feeling of godlinesse, by the which 
 they may be provoked to search and seek farther know- 
 ledge of God, and his true religion and worshipping ; 
 whereas by the contrary, if they shall be neglected, then 
 shall they not onely grudge, but also seeke the meanes 
 whereby they may continue in their blindness, or return 
 to their accustomed idolatry. And therefore nothing we 
 desire more earnestly, than that Christ Jesus be univer- 
 sally once preached throughout this realme, which shall 
 not suddenly be, unlesse that by you men be appointed 
 and compelled, faithfully to travel! in such provinces as 
 to them shall be assigned. 
 
 II. The names of the places of residence, and severall 
 Diocesses of the Superintendents. 
 
 1. Imprimis, the superintendent of Orknay, w'hose 
 diocesse shall comprehend the isles of [Orknay and] Zet- 
 land, with Catbnes and Stranaver, his residence to be in 
 Kirkwall. 
 
 2. The superintendent of Rosse, whose diocesse shall 
 comprehend Rosse, Sutherland, Murray, with the North 
 Isles of Skie and Lewes, with the adjacents, his residence 
 to be in the channonrie of Rosse. 
 
 3. The superintendent of Argyle, whose diocesse shall 
 comprehend Argyle, Kyntyre, Lorn, the South Isles, 
 
38 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Arran, and Buite, with their adjacents, with [the countrey 
 of\ Loehwhaber, his residence to be in Argyle. 
 
 4. The superintendent of Aberdene, whose diocesse is 
 betwixt Dee and Spay, conteining the shirefdonis of 
 Aberdene and Bamfe, whose residence shall be in Old 
 Aberdene. 
 
 5. The superintendent of Brechen, whose diocesse shall 
 be the whole shirefdoms of the Merns and Angus, and 
 the Brae of Mar to Dee, his residence to be in Brechen. 
 
 6. The superintendent of Fife [whose diocesse shall be 
 Fife], and Fotherinhame to Stirling, and the whole she- 
 rifdome of Perth, his residence to be in Saint Androes. 
 
 7. The superintendent of Edinburgh, whose diocesse 
 shall comprehend the whole sherifdoms of Lowthian, and 
 Stirlinor on the south side of the water of Forth, his resi« 
 dence to be in Edinburgh. 
 
 8. The superintendent of Jedburgh, whose diocesse 
 shall comprehend the whole Tivitdail, Tweeddale, Lid- 
 disdail, and thereto is added by consent of the whole 
 kirk* the Merse, Lawderdail, and Weddaill, with the 
 Forrest of Ettriek, his residence to be in Jedburgh. 
 
 9. The superintendent of Glasgow, whose diocesse 
 shall comprehend Clidsdaill, Renfrew, Menteth, Lennox, 
 Kyle, and Cunninghame, his residence to be in Glasgow. 
 
 10. The superintendent of Dumfries, whose diocesse 
 shall comprehend Galloway, Carrik, Nithsdail, Anan- 
 daile, with the rest of the Dailes in the West, his resi- 
 dence to be in Dumfriese. 
 
 4. Those men must not be suffered to live as your idle 
 bishops have done heretofore, neither must they remaine 
 where gladly they would ; but they must be preachers 
 themselves, and such as may not make long residence in 
 any place till their kirks be planted and provided of mi- 
 nisters, or at the least of readers. Charge must be given 
 to them that they remain in no place above twenty daies 
 in their visitation, till they liave passed through their 
 whole bounds. They must thrice everie week preach at 
 
 * This seems to have been done after the first division. For in some 
 copies the Merse, Lawderdaill, and Stow of Tweeddaii, are in the diocess 
 of Edinburgh. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 39 
 
 the least, and when they returne to their princlpall town 
 and residence, they must be likewise exercised in preach- 
 ing and edification of the kirk ; and yet they must not 
 be sufiered to continue there so long, that they may seem 
 to neglect their other kirks : But aiter they have remain- 
 ed in their chiefe town three or foure moneths at most, 
 they shall be compelled (unlesse by sicknesse they be re- 
 tained) to re-enter in visitation, in which they shall not 
 onely preach, but also examine the life, diligence, and 
 behaviour of the ministers ; as also the order of the kirkes 
 [and] the manners of the people. They must further con- 
 sider how the poore be provided, how the youth be in- 
 structed : They must admonish where admonition need- 
 eth, and dresse such things as by good counsell they be 
 able to appease. And finally, they must note such 
 crimes as be heynous, that by the censure of the kirk the 
 same may be corrected. 
 
 5. If the superintendent be found negligent in any of 
 the chiefe points of his office, and specially if he be noted 
 negligent in preaching of the word, and visitation of the 
 kirkes ; or if he be convict of such crimes w-hich in com- 
 mon ministers are damned, he must be deposed without 
 respect of his person or office. 
 
 III. The Election of Supemitendents, Sfc. 
 
 6. In this present necessity, the nomination, examina- 
 tion, and admission of the superintendent, cannot be so 
 &traight as we require, and as afterward it must be. For 
 this present, therefore, we thinke expedient that either 
 your honours by yourselves nominate so many as may 
 serve the fore-written province? ; or that ye give commis- 
 sion to such men as ye suppose the feare of God to be in, 
 to doe the same : And the same men being called in your 
 presence shall be by you, and such as your honours please 
 call unto you for consultation in that case, appointed to 
 their provinces. We thinke it expedient and necessarie, 
 that as well the gentlemen, as burgesses of every diocie 
 be made privy at this time to the election of the superin- 
 tendent, as well to bring the kirk in some practise of her 
 liberty, as that the pastor may be the better favoured of 
 
40 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the flock whom themselves have chosen. If your hon- 
 ours cannot finde for this present so many able [men] as 
 necessity requireth, then in our judg-ments, more profit- 
 able it is those provinces vaike till God provide better for 
 them, then that men unable to edifie and govern the 
 kirk, so suddenly be placed in that charge ; for experi- 
 ence hath teached us what pestilence hath been engen- 
 dered in the kirk by men unable to discharge their offi- 
 ces. When therefore after three yeares any superintend- 
 ent shall depart, or chance to be deposed, the cheefe 
 towne within the province, to loit, the ministers, eldeis, 
 and deacons, with the magistrate and councell of the same 
 towne, shall nominate, and by public edicts, proclaime, as 
 well to the superintendents, as to two or three provinces 
 next adjacent, two or three of the most learned and godly 
 ministers within the whole realme, that from amongst 
 them one with public consent may be elected and ap- 
 pointed to the office then vacant : And this the chiere 
 towne shall be bound to doe within the space of twentie 
 dales ; which being expired and no man presented, then 
 shall three of the next adjacent provinces, with consent 
 of their superintendents, ministers, and elders, enter in 
 the right and privi ledge of the towne, and shall present 
 every one of them one or two, if they list, to the chiefe town 
 to be examined as the order requires ; as also it shall be 
 lawfuU for all the kirks of the diocesse, to nominate within 
 the same time such persons as they thinke worthy to stand 
 in election, who all must be put in an edict. 
 
 7. After [the] nomination is made, publick edicts must 
 be sent forth, warning all men that have any exception 
 against the persons nominate, or against any of them, to 
 be present in the chiefe town at the day affixed, and 
 place, to object what they can against the election of any 
 of them. Thirtie dayes we thinke sufficient to be assigned 
 thereto ; — thirtie dayes we meane after the nomination 
 be made. 
 
 8. Which day of the election being come, the whol' 
 ministers of the province, with three orfoure superintend- 
 ents next adjacent, or that shall be thereto nominated, 
 shall examine, not onely the learning, but also the man- 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 41 
 
 ners, prudence, and habilitie to g-overne the kirk, of all 
 these that be nominated; that he who shall be found most 
 worthie may be burdened with the charge. If the mi- 
 nisters of the whole province should bring wiih them the 
 votes of them that were committed to their care, the elec- 
 tion should be the more free; but alwayes the votes of 
 them that convene should be required. The examina- 
 tions must be publickly made, [and] they that stand in 
 election must publickly preach ; and men must be charged, 
 in the name of God, to vote according to conscience, and 
 not after affection. If any thing be objected against him 
 that standeth in election, the superintendents and mini- 
 sters must consider whether the objection be made of con- 
 science or malice, and they must answer accordingly. 
 Other ceremonies then sharp examination, approbation of 
 the ministers and superintendents, with the publicke con- 
 sent of the elders and people, we cannot allow. 
 
 9. The superintendent being elected, and appointed to 
 his charge, must be subject to the censure and correction 
 of ministers and elders not of his chiefe town onely, but 
 also of the whole province over the which he is appointed 
 overseer. 
 
 10. If his offence be known, and the ministers and el- 
 ders of the towne and province be negligent in correcting 
 of him, then the next one or two superintendents, with 
 their ministers and elders, may convene him, and the mi- 
 nisters and elders of his chiefe towne, providing the same 
 be within his owne province or chiefe towne, and accuse 
 or correct as well the superintendent in these things that 
 are \vorthy of correction, as the ministers and elders of 
 their negligence and ungodly tolerance of his oifence. 
 
 1 1 . Whatsoever crime deserves deposition or correc- 
 tion of any other minister, deserveth the same in the 
 superintendent, without exception of persons. 
 
 12. After that the kirk is established, and three yeares 
 be passed, we require that no man be called to the office 
 of a superintendent, who hath not at the least two years 
 given declaration of his faithfull labours in the ministerie 
 of some kirk. 
 
 13o No superintendent may be transferred at the plea- 
 
42 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 sure or request of any one province, no not without the 
 consent of the whole councell of the kirk, and that for 
 grave causes and considerations. 
 
 14. Of one thing in the end we must admonish your 
 honours, to icit, that in the appoynting of the superin- 
 tendents for this present, ye disappoint not your chiefe 
 townes, and where learning is exercised, of such ministers 
 as may more profit by residence in one place, then by 
 continuall travell from place to place ; for if ye so doe, 
 the youth in these places shall lack the profound inter- 
 pretation of Scripture, and so shall it be long before your 
 garden send forth many plants ; where by the contrary, 
 if one or two townes be continually exercised as they may, 
 the commonwealth shall shortly feast of their fruit, to the 
 comfort of the godly. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Of Schooles [and Universities], 
 
 Seeing that the office and dutie of the godly magistrate, 
 is not onely to purge the church of God from all super- 
 stition, and to set it at liberty from tyranny and bond- 
 age ; but also to provide at the utmost of his power 
 how it may abide in some puritie in the posterity fol- 
 lowing; we can [not] but freely communicate our judg- 
 ments with your honours in this behalf. 
 
 I. The Necessitie of Schooles. 
 
 1. Seeing that God hath determined that his kirk 
 here in earth shall be taught not by angels but by men, 
 and seeing that men are borne ignorant of God and of all 
 godlinesse, and seeing also he ceasses to illuminate men 
 miraculously, suddenly changing them as he did the 
 Apostles and others in the primitive kirke : Of necessity 
 it is that your honours be most careful for the vertuous 
 education and godly up-bringing of the youth of this 
 realm, if either ye now thirst unfainedly the advancement 
 of Christ's glorie, or yet desire the continuance of his 
 benefits to the generation following; for as the youth must 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 43 
 
 succeed to us, so we ought to be careful! that they have 
 knowledge and erudition to profit and comfort that which 
 ought to be most deare to us, to wit, the kirk and spouse 
 of our Lord Jesus. 
 
 2. Of necessitie therefore we judge it, that every se- 
 veral kirk have one schoolmaister appointed, such a 
 one at least as is able to teach grammar and the Latine 
 tongue, if the town be of any reputation : If it be *upaland, 
 where the people convene to the doctrine but once in the 
 week, then must either the reader or the minister there 
 appointed, take care of the children and youth of the pa- 
 rish, to instruct them in the first rudiments, especially in 
 the Catechisme,t as we have it now translated in the Booke 
 of the Common Order, called the Order of Geneva. And 
 furder, we think it expedient, that in every notable town, 
 and specially in the town of the superintendent, there be 
 erected a col ledge, in which the arts, at least logick and 
 rhetorick, together with the tongues, be read by sufficient 
 masters, for whom honest stipends must be appointed : 
 As also [that] provision [be made] for those that be poore, 
 and not able by themselves nor by their friends to be sus- 
 tained at letters, and in speciall these that come from land- 
 ward. 
 
 3. The fruit and commodltie hereof shall suddenly 
 appeare. For first, the youth-head and tender children 
 shall be nourished and brought up in vertue, in pre- 
 sence of their friends, by whose good attendance many 
 inconveniences may be avoyded in which the youth com- 
 monly fall, either by over much libertie which they have 
 in strange and unknowne places, while they cannot rule 
 themselves; or else for lack of good attendance, and [of] 
 such necessaries as their tender age requires. Secondly, 
 the exercise of children in every kirke shall be great in- 
 struction to the aged [and unlearned]. Last, the great 
 schooles called the universities shall be replenished with 
 these that shall be apt to learning; for this must be carefully 
 provided, that no father, of what estate or condition that 
 ever he be, use his children at his own fantasie, especially 
 
 * That is, in the countrey. t That is, Calvin's Catechism. 
 
44 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 in their youth-head; but all must be compelled to bring 
 up their children in learning and vertue. 
 
 4. The rich and potent may not be permitted to suffer 
 their children to spend their youth in vaine idlenesse, as 
 heretofore they have done. But they must be exhorted, 
 and by the censure of the kirk compelled to dedicate 
 their sonnes, by [training them up in] good exercises, to 
 the profite of the kirk and commonwealth, and that they 
 must doe of their own expences because they are able. 
 The children of the poore must be supported and sus- 
 tained on the charge of the kirk, tryall being taken w^hether 
 the spirit of docility be in them found or not. If they be 
 found apt to learning and letters, then may they not (we 
 meane, neither the sons of the rich, nor yet of the poore) 
 be permitted to reject learning, but must be charged to 
 continue their studie, so that the commonwealth may have 
 some comfort by them ; And for this purpose must dis- 
 creet, grave, and learned men be appointed to visit 
 schooles for the tryall of their exercise, profit, and con- 
 tinuance; to wit, the minister and elders, with the best 
 learned men in every town, shall in every quarter make 
 examination how the youth have profited. 
 
 5. A certain time must be appointed to reading and 
 learning of the Catechisme, and [a] certain [time] to the 
 grammar and to the Latine tongue, and a certain [time] to 
 the arts of philosophic, and the [other] tongues, and [a] cer- 
 tain [time] to that studie in the which they intend chiefly 
 to travel for the profite of the commonwealth; which time 
 being expired, we meane in every course, the children 
 should either proceed to farther knowledge, or else they 
 must be set to some handie craft, or to some other pro- 
 fitable exercise ; providing alwaies that first they have 
 further knowledge of Christian religion, to wit^ the know- 
 ledge of God's law and commandments, the use and 
 office of the same, the chief articles of the beleefe, the 
 right form to pray unto God, the number, use, and effect 
 of the Sacraments, the true knowledge of Christ Jesus, 
 of his offices and natures, and such other [points], without 
 the knowledge whereof neither any man deserves to be 
 called a Christian, neither ought any to be admitted to 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 45 
 
 the participation of the Lord's table; and therefore thir 
 principles ought and must be learned in the youth-head. 
 
 II. The Time appointed to every Course. 
 
 6. Two yeares we thinke more then sufficient to learne 
 to reade perfectly, to answer to the Catechisme, and to 
 have some entres in the first rudiments of grammer; to 
 the full accomplishment whereof (we meane of the gram- 
 mer) we thinke other three years or four at most suffi- 
 cient to the arts, to tcit, logick, to rhetorick, and to the 
 Greek tongue, [we allow other] four years; and the rest 
 till the age of 24 years, to be spent in the study, wherein 
 the learner would profit the church or commonwealth, be it 
 in the lawes, physick, or divinitie, which time of 24 yeares 
 being spent in the schools, the learner must be removed 
 to serve the church or commonwealth, unlesse he be found 
 a necessary reader in this same colledge or university. 
 If God shall move your hearts to establish and execute 
 this order, and put these things in practice, your whole 
 realme, we doubt not, within few years, will serve itselfe 
 of true preachers, and of other officers necessary for the 
 common-wealth. 
 
 III. Of the Erection of Universities. 
 
 7. The grammer schoole being erected, and of the 
 tongues as we have said, next we think it necessary there 
 be three universities in this whole realme, established in 
 the three towns accustomed.* The first in St Androes, 
 the second in Glasgow, and the third in Aberdeen. And 
 in the first and principal university, viz. St Androes, that 
 there be three coUedges; and in the first colledge, v/hich 
 is the entry of the university, there be four classes or 
 sieges, the first to the new supposts shall be only [of] 
 Dialectick, next only Mathematicks, the third of Phy- 
 sicks only, the fourth of Medicine: And in the second 
 colledge two classes or sieges, the first of Morall Philoso- 
 phy, the second of the Lawes; And in the third colledge, 
 
 * The University of Edinburgh was not founded till the year 1582; 
 and that in the town of Aberdeen not till some time after. 
 
46 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 two classes or sieges, the first of the tongues, to wit, Greek 
 and Hebrue, the second of Divinity. 
 
 IV. Of Readers^ of the Degrees^ and Time of Studie 
 [and of Principals and Rector, and of Bursars], 
 
 8. Imprimis, In the first colledge and first classe shall 
 be a reader of Dialectick, who shall accomplish his course 
 thereof in a yeare. In Mathematicks, which is the se- 
 cond classe, shall be a reader who shall compleat his 
 course of Arithmetick, Geometric, Cosmography, and 
 Astrologie in one year. In the third classe shall be a 
 reader of Naturall Philosophy, who shall compleat his 
 course in one yeare. And who after thir three years, by 
 tryall and examination, shall be found sufficiently in- 
 structed in the foresaid sciences, shall be laureat and gra- 
 duat in Philosophy. In the fourth classe shall be a 
 reader of Medicine, who shall compleat his course in five 
 years; after the study of the which time, being by examina- 
 tion found sufficient, they shall be graduat in Medicine. 
 
 9. Item, In the second colledge in the first classe, one 
 reader onely in the Ethicks, Qllconomicks, and Politicks, 
 who shall compleat his course in the space of one yeare. 
 In the second classe shall be two readers in the Munici- 
 pal and Roman Laws, who shall compleat their course in 
 four yeares; after which time being by examination found 
 sufficient, they shall be graduate in the Lawes. 
 
 1 0. Item, In the third colledge in the first classe, one 
 reader of the Hebrew and another of the Greek tongue, 
 who shall compleat the grammer thereof in three moneths, 
 and the remanent of the yeare, the reader of the Hebrew 
 shall interpret one book of Moses, [or of] the Prophets, 
 or the Psalms, so that this course and classe shall conti- 
 nue one year; the reader of the Greek shall interpret 
 some book of Plato, together with some places of the New 
 Testament [and shall compleat his course the same year]. 
 In the second classe shall be two readers in Divinitie, the 
 one in the New Testament, the other in the Old, who 
 shall compleat their course in five years; after which 
 time, who shall be found by examination sufficient, they 
 shall be graduate in Divinitie, 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 47 
 
 1 1 . Itern^ Wee thinke expedient that none be ad- 
 mitted to the first colledge, and be [made] supposts of 
 the Universitie, unlesse he have from the master of the 
 schoole, and minister of the town where he was instructed 
 in the tongues, ane testimonie of his learning, docility, 
 age, and parentage ; and likewise triall be taken by cer- 
 tain examinators, depute by the rector and principalis of 
 the same. And if he hath been taught [the] dialectick, 
 and be found sufficiently instructed therein, he shall in- 
 continent the same year be promoted to the classe of 
 mathematicks. 
 
 12. Item^ That none be admitted to the classe of me- 
 dicine, but he that shall have his testimoniall of his lime 
 well spent in Dialectick, Mathematicks, and Fhysicks, 
 and of his docility in the last. 
 
 13. Item^ That none be admitted unto the classe of the 
 lawes, but he that shall have sufficient testimonialls of his 
 time well spent in Dialecticks, Mathematicks, Physicks, 
 Ethicks, GEconomicks, and Politicks, and of his docilitie 
 in the last. 
 
 14. Item^ That none be admitted unto the classe and 
 siege of divinity, but he that shall have sufficient testimo- 
 nialls of his time well spent in Dialectick, Mathematicks, 
 Physicks, Ethicks, GEconomicks, and Politicks, and the 
 Hebrew tongue, and of his docilitie in the moral philoso- 
 phy and the Hebrew tongue. But neither shall snch as 
 apply them [selves] to heare the Law^s, be com.pelled to 
 heare Medicine; neither such as apply them [selves] to 
 heare Divinitie, be compelled to heare either Medicine or 
 yet the Lawes. 
 
 15. Item^ In the second University, which is Glasgow, 
 shall be two colledges onely : In the first shall be a classe 
 of Dialectick, an other of Mathematicks, the third of 
 Physicks, ordered in all sorts as S. Androes. 
 
 16. Item^ In the second [colledge shall be] foure clas- 
 ses, the first of Moral Philosophy, Ethicks, GEconomicks, 
 and Politicks ; the second of the Municipal and Roman 
 Lawes; the third of the Elebrew tongue; the fourth of 
 Divinity: Which shall be ordered in all sorts [according] 
 
48 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 to that we have written in the order of the Universitie of 
 St Androes.* 
 
 17. The third University of Aberdeen shall be con- 
 forme to this Universitie of Glasgow in all sorts. 
 
 18. Iteni^ We thinke needfull that there be chosen 
 [forth] of the bodie of the Universitie to every colledge, 
 a Principall, [who must be a] man of learning, discretion, 
 and diligence. He shall receive the whole rents of the 
 colledge, and distribute the same according to the erec- 
 tion of the colledge, and shall dayly hearken the dyet 
 counts; adjoyning to him[selfe] weekly one of the readers 
 or regents, above whom he shall take attendance upon 
 their diligence, as well in their reading as exercising of 
 the yowth in the matter taught: [he shall oversee] the 
 policie and fuphold of the place: And for punishment of 
 crimes shall hold a weekly convention with the whole 
 members of the colledge. He shall be countable yearly 
 to the superintendent, rector, and the [rest of the] prin- 
 cipalis convened, about the first of November. His elec- 
 tion shall be in this sort, there shall be three of the most 
 sufficient men of the Universitie (not principalis already) 
 nominate by the members of the colledge whose principall 
 is departed [and who are] sworn to follow their con- 
 sciences, [then these three shall be] publickly proponed 
 throufj-h the whole Universitie: Eight days after the 
 which time, the superintendent himselfe or his speciall 
 procurator, with the rector and the rest of the principalis, 
 as a chapter convenit, shall confirme one of the three they 
 think most sufficient; being before sworn to do the same 
 with a single eye but respect to fead or favour. 
 
 19. Item, In every colledge we thinke needfull at least 
 a steward, a cooke, a gardiner, and porter, who shall be 
 subject to [the] discipline of the principall, as [are] the 
 rest. 
 
 20. Item, That everie universitie have a beddall sub- 
 
 • There is here no mention made of Medicine or Greek ; but it is pro- 
 ])able that a Professor of Greek was designed both for Glasgow and Aber- 
 deen, for the reason given in the remark on the 25th section of this chapter. 
 
 \ Some copies have huildmys. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 49 
 
 ject to serve at all times throughout the whole universi- 
 tie, as the rector and prmcipall shall command. 
 
 21. Item, That everie universitie have a rector chosen 
 from yeare to yeare as shall follow. The principalis be- 
 ing- convened with the whole regents chapterly, shall be 
 sworn that every man [speaking] in his [own] roome, 
 shall nominate such a one as his conscience shall testify 
 to be most sufficient to beare such charge and dignity ; 
 and three of them that shall be oftest nominated shall be 
 put in edict publickly fifteen dales before Michaelmas ; 
 and then shall on Michaelmas even convene the whole 
 principalis, regents, and supposts that are graduat, or at 
 the least [have] studyed their time in Ethicks, CEcono- 
 micks, and Politicks, and no others yonger ; and every 
 one [having] first protested in God's presence to follow 
 the sincere dytment of their conscience, shall nominate 
 [one] of the three, and he that hath most votes shall be 
 confirmed by the superintendent and principals, and his 
 duty with an exhortation proponed unto him, and this to 
 be the 28 day of September"; and thereafter [an oath] 
 shall be taken [of] him for his just and godly govern- 
 ment, and of the rest [for their] lawful submission and 
 obedience : He shall be propyned by the university at 
 his entry with a new garment,* bearing insignia mngis- 
 tratus, [And] he shall be holden monethly to visite 
 every colledge, and with his presence decore and ex- 
 amine the lections and exercises thereof. His assessors 
 shall be a lawyer and a theologue, with whose advice he 
 shall decide all questions civill betwixt the members of 
 the university. If any without the university persue a 
 member thereof, or he be persued by a member of the 
 same, he shall assist the provost and baillies in these cases, 
 or other judges competent, to see justice be ministred. 
 In like wise if any of the university be criminally per- 
 sued, he shall assist the judges competent, and see that 
 justice be ministred. 
 
 22. Item, We think [it] expedient that in every col- 
 
 * Some copies have, insignia magistratus being borne before bim, he 
 shall visite every colledge monethly, &c. 
 
50 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ledge in every university there be 24 bursars, divided 
 equally in all the classes and sieges as is above expremit; 
 that is, in St Androes 72 bursars, in Glasgow 48 bur- 
 sars, in Aberdeen 48, to be susteined onely in meat upon 
 the charges of the colledge ; and to be admitted at the 
 examination to the ministerie [of the town] and chaptour 
 of principalis in the university as well in the docility of 
 the persons offered, as of the ability of their parents to 
 sustaine them themselves, and not to burden the common- 
 wealth with them. 
 
 V. Of the Stipends and Expenses necessanj. 
 
 23. We thinke expedient that the universities be doted 
 with temporall lands, with rents and revenues of the 
 bishopricks temporalitie, and of the kirkes collegiat, so 
 farre as their ordinary charges shall require ; and there- 
 fore that it would please your honours, by advice of your 
 honourable councel and vote of Parliament, to do the 
 same. And to the effect the same may be shortly exped, 
 we have recollected the summes we think necessary for 
 the same. 
 
 24. Imprimis, For the ordinary stipend of the Dialec- 
 tician reader, the Mathematician, Physician, and Morall 
 Philosopher, we think sufficient an hundred pounds for 
 every one of them. 
 
 Ite7n, For the stipend of every reader in Medicine and 
 Lawes, a hundreth thirty three pounds six shillings and 
 eight pennies. 
 
 Ite77i, To every reader in Hebrew, Greek, and Divini- 
 ty, 200 pounds. 
 
 Item, To every principall of a colledge, 200 pounds. 
 
 Item, To every steward [for his fee] 16 pounds. 
 
 Item, To every gardiner, to every cooke, and porter, 
 to ilk one of them ten merks. 
 
 Item, To the buird of every bursar without the classe 
 of theologie 20 pounds. 
 
 Item, [To every bursar] in the classes of theologie, 
 which will be onely 12 persons in St Androes, 24 pounds. 
 
 25. [The] summe of [the] yearly and ordinary ex- 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 51 
 
 penses in the university of St Androes, extend eth to 
 3796 pounds. 
 
 [The] summe of [the] yearly and ordinary expenses 
 of Ghisgow [extends to] 2922 pounds. *[The summe 
 of] Aberdein to 2922 pounds. 
 
 [The] summe of the ordinary charges of the whole is 
 9640 pounds. 
 
 26. Item, The beddalls stipend shall be of every intrant 
 andsuppost of the university 2 shillings, of every one gra- 
 duate in Philosophy three shillings, of every one graduate 
 in Medicine or Lawes four shillings, in Theologie five 
 shillings; all bursars being excepted. 
 
 27. Item, We have thought good for building and 
 upholding of the placesf a general collect be made ; and 
 that every Earl's sonne, at his entry to the university, 
 shall give 40 shilling, and likewise at every graduation 
 40 shilling. Item, Each Lord's sonne likewise, at such 
 times, 30 shilling, each freeholding Baron's sonne 20 shil- 
 ling, every fewar and substantious gentleman's sonne 1 
 mark. Item, Every substantious husband and burgess 
 sonne at each time 10 shilling. Item, Every one of the 
 rest, not excepting the bursars, 5 shilling at each time. 
 And that this be gathered in a common box, put in keep- 
 ing to the principall of the theologians, every principall 
 having a key thereof, to be [opened, and the money] 
 counted each year once, with the interest of princi- 
 palis to be laid in the same, upon the 15 day of Novem- 
 ber, in presence of the superintendent, rector, and whole 
 principalis; and with their whole consent, or at least the 
 most part of them, reserved or employed only upon the 
 building and upholding of the places, and repairing of the 
 same, as necessitie shall require. And therefore the 
 rector with his assistant shall be holden to visit the places 
 each yeare once incontinent after he be promoted upon 
 the last of October, or thereby. 
 
 * The ordinary expenses of Glasgow or Aberdeen extend only to 2722 
 pounds and one nierk, so that pi-obably it was designed that these two 
 universities should have had each of them a professor of Greek, whose 
 salary was to have been 200 pounds. 
 
 t Fabrick. 
 
52 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 VI. Of the Priviledges of the. Unive?'sitie. 
 
 28. Seeing we desire that innocencie should defend us 
 rather then priviledge, we think that each person of the 
 University should answer before the Provost and Bailiffs 
 of the town where the Universitie is, for all crimes whereof 
 they are accused, onely that the rector be assessor to the 
 [magistrates] in the said actions. In civill matters, if the 
 question be betwixt members of the University on each 
 side, making their residence and exercise therein for the 
 time, in that case the partie called shall not be holden to 
 answer but onely before the rector and his assessors here- 
 tofore exprimed: In all other cases of civill pursuit, the 
 generall rule of the law [is] to be observed, actor sequa- 
 tur forum rei. 
 
 29. The rector and all inferiour members of the uni- 
 versitie must be exempted from all taxations, imposts, 
 [and] charges of warr ; or any other charge that may 
 onerate or abstract him or them from the care of his of- 
 fice, such as tutorie, curatorie, or any such like that are 
 established, or hereafter shall be established in our com- 
 mon- weale; to the effect, that without trouble they may 
 wait on the up-bringing of the youth in learning, and 
 bestow^ their time onely in that most necessarie exercise. 
 
 30. All other things touching the books to be read in 
 ilk classe, and all such like particular affaires, we referre 
 to the discretion of the masters, principals and regents, 
 with their well-advised counsel; not doubting but if God 
 shall grant quietnesse, and give your wisedomes grace to 
 set forward letters in the sort prescribed, ye shall leave 
 wisdome and learning to your posterity, a treasure more 
 to be esteemed than any earthly treasure ye are able to 
 amasse for them, which without wisedome are more able 
 to be their ruin and confusion, then [their] help and com- 
 fort. And as this is most true, so we leave it with the 
 rest of the commodities to be weighed by your honours 
 wisedome, and set forwards by your authority to the most 
 high advancement of this common-wealth committed to 
 your charge. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 53 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 The Sixt Head, of the Rents and Patrimonie of the 
 
 Church, 
 
 1, Thir two sorts of men, that is to say, ministers [of 
 the word] and the poore, together with the schooles, when 
 order shall be taken thereanent, must be susteyned upon 
 the *charges of the kirk; and therefore provision must be 
 made how, and by whom such summes must be lifted. 
 But before we enter in this head, we must crave of your 
 honours, in the name of the Eternal God and of his Son 
 Christ Jesus, that ye have respect to your poor brethren, 
 the labourers and manurers of the ground; who by thir 
 cruell beastes the Papists have before been opprest, that 
 their life to them hath been dolorous and bitter : If ye 
 will have God author and approver of this reformation, 
 ye must now follow their foote-steps, but ye must have 
 compassion of your brethren, appointing them to pay 
 reasonable tiends, that they may finde some benefite of 
 Christ Jesus now preached unto them. 
 
 2. With the griefe of our hearts we heare, that some 
 gentlemen are now as cruell over their tenants as ever 
 were the Papists, requiring of them [the tiends and] 
 whatsoever they afore paid to the kirk, so that the Pa- 
 pistical tyrannic shall onely be changed into the tyrannic 
 of the lord and laird. We dare not flatter your honours, 
 neither yet is it profitable for you that we so doe : [For 
 neither shall w^e,] if we permit cruelty to be used ; nei- 
 ther shall ye, who by your authoritie ought to gainestand 
 such oppression, nor yet they that use the same, escape 
 God's heavie and fearfuU judgements. The gentlemen, 
 barones, carles, lords, and others, must be content to live 
 upon their just rents, and suifer the kirk to be restored 
 to her [right and] liberty ; that by her restitution, the 
 poore, who heretofore by the cruell Papists have been 
 spoiled and oppressed, may now receive some comfort and 
 relaxation, that their tiends and other exactions be cleane 
 
 * Rents. 
 
54 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 discharged, and no more taken in times comming. The 
 uppermost claith, corps-present, clerk-maile, the pasche- 
 otFering, tiend-ale, and all handlings upaland,* can nei- 
 ther be required nor received of good conscience. 
 
 3. Neither do we judge it to proceed of justice, that 
 any man should possess the tiends of another, but we 
 think it a most reasonable thing that every man have the 
 use of his own tiends, provided that he answer to the 
 deacons and treasurers of the kirk, of that which [of] 
 justice shall be appointed to him. We require the dea- 
 cons and treasurers rather to receive the rents, then the 
 ministers themselves; because that of the tiends must not 
 onely the minister be susteined, but also the poore and 
 schooles. And therefore we think it expedient that com- 
 mon treasurers, viz. the deacons, be appointed from yeare 
 to yeare, to receive the whole rents appertaining to the 
 kirk, and that commandement be given tiiat none be 
 permitted either to receive or yet to intromet with any 
 thing appertaining to the sustentation of the persons 
 foresaid, but such as by common consent of the kirk are 
 thereto appointed. 
 
 4. If any think this prejudicial! to the tackes and as- 
 sedations of them that now possesse the tiends: Let them 
 understand that their unjust possession is no possession 
 before God ; for they of whom they received their title, 
 and pre-supposed right or warrant, w^re theeves and 
 murtherers, and had no power so to alienate the patri- 
 monie and common good of the kirk. And yet we are 
 not so extreame but that we wish just recompence to be 
 made to such as have debursed summes of money to the 
 unjust possessors, so that it hath not been done of late 
 dayes in prejudice of the kirk; but such as are found 
 and known to be done of plaine collusion, in no wayes 
 ought to be maintained by you: And for that purpose 
 we think it most expedient that whosoever have asseda- 
 tion of tiends [of] any kirk [in part or in whole], be 
 openly warned to produce their assedation and assurance, 
 that cognition being taken, the just taksmen may hav(^ 
 
 • Exactions in the country. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 55 
 
 the just and reasonable recompense for the yeares that 
 are to runne, the profite of the yeares past bein^ con- 
 sidered and deduced ; and the unjust and surmised may 
 be served accordingly, so that the kirk in the end may 
 receive her libertie and freedom, and that onely for the 
 reliefe of the poore. 
 
 5. Your honours may easily understand that we 
 speake not now for our selves, but in favour of the la- 
 bourers defrauded and opprest by the priests, and by 
 their confederate pensioners; for while that the priests 
 pensioner his idle belly is delicately fed, the poore, to 
 whom the portion of that appertaines, was pyned with 
 hunger, and moreover the true labourer was compelled to 
 pay that which he ought not: For the labourer is neither 
 debtor to the dumbe dogge called the bishop, neither yet 
 to his hired pensioner, but is debtor onely to the kirk; 
 and the kirk is bound to sustaine and nourish of her 
 charges the persons before mentioned, to wit^ the mini- 
 sters of the word, the poore, and the teachers of the youth. 
 
 6. But now to returne to the former head. The 
 summes able to sustaine the forenamed persons, and to 
 furnish all things appertaining to the preservation of good 
 order and policie within the kirk, must be lifted of the 
 tenths, to ivit^ the tenth sheaf of [all sorts of corn], hay, 
 hemp, [and] lint; [tenth] fishe, tenth calfe, tenth lamb, 
 tenth wooll, tenth foUe, tenth cheese. And because that 
 we know that the tenth reasonably taken, as is before ex- 
 pressed, will not suffice to discharge the former neces- 
 sity; we thinke that all things doted to hospitality, and 
 annual rents both in burgh and land pertaining to the 
 priests, chanteries, colledges, chappellanries, and the 
 freeries of all orders, to the sisters of the scenes, and such 
 kirk or kirks within the townes and parishes where they 
 were doted. Furthermore, to the upholding of the uni- 
 versities, and sustentation of the superintendents, the 
 whole revenew of the temporality of the bishops, deanes, 
 and archdeanes lands, and of all rents of lands pertaining- 
 to the cathedrall kirks whatsoever. And further [we thinke 
 that] merchants and rich craftsmen in free burghs, having 
 
56 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 nothing to doe with the manuring of the ground, must 
 make some provision in their cities, towns, and dwelling 
 places, for to support the need of the kirk. 
 
 7. To the ministers, and failing thereof the readers, 
 must be restored their manses and gleibs; for else they 
 cannot serve [nor attend] their flocks at all times, as 
 their dutie is. If any gleib exceed six akers of ground, 
 the rest shall remain in the hands of the possessours, till 
 [further] order be taken therein. 
 
 8. The receivers and collectors of these rents and du- 
 ties must be deacons or thesaurers appointed from yeare 
 to yeare in every kirk, and by the common consent and 
 free election of the kirk, the deacons must distribute no 
 part of that which is collected, but by command of the 
 ministers and elders; and they may command nothing 
 to be delivered, but as the kirk hath before determined, 
 to wit, the deacons shall of the first part pay the summes, 
 either quarterly, or from halfe yeare to halfe yeare, to 
 the ministers which the kirk hath appointed. The same 
 they shall doe to the schoolmasters, readers, and hospi- 
 tall if any be, receiving alwayes an acquittance for their 
 discharge. 
 
 9. If any extraordinary summes be to be delivered, then 
 must the ministers, elders, and deacons, consult whether the 
 deliverance of such summes doth stand with the common 
 utilitie of the kirk or not, and if they do universally con- 
 descend and agree upon the affirmative or negative, then 
 because they are in credite and office for the yeare, they 
 may do as best seems; but if there be any controver- 
 sy amongst themselves, the whole kirk must be made 
 privy, and after that the matter be proponed, and the 
 reasons [heard], the judgment of the kirk with the mini- 
 ster's consent shall prevaile. 
 
 10. The deacons shall be compelled and bound to 
 make accounts to the minister and elders of that which 
 they received, as oft as the policie shall appoint ; and 
 the elders when they are changed, which must be every 
 year©, must cleare their count before such auditers as the 
 kirk shall appoint ; and both the deacons and elders 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 57 
 
 being changed, shall deliver to them that shall be new 
 elected all summes of money, cornes, and other profites, 
 resting in their hands: the tickets whereof must be de- 
 livered to the superintendents in their visitation, and by 
 them to the great councell of the kirk, that as well the 
 aboun dance as the indigence of everie kirk may be evi- 
 dently known, that a reasonable equality may be had 
 throughout this whole realm. If this order be perfectly 
 kept, corruption cannot suddenly enter. For the free 
 and yearly election of deacons and elders* shall suifer 
 none to usurp a perpetuall domination over the kirk; the 
 knowledge of the rentall shall suffer them to receive no 
 more then whereof they shall be bound to make ac- 
 counts; the deliverance of money to the new officers 
 shall not suffer private men [to] use in their private 
 business, that which appertaines to the publick affaires 
 of the kirk. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 I. The Seventh Head, of Ecclesiasticall Discipline 
 
 1. As that no common-wealth can flourish or long in 
 dure without good lawes and sharp execution of the 
 same; so neither can the kirk of God be brought to 
 purity, neither yet be retained in the same, without the 
 order of ecclesiasticall discipline, which stands in reprov- 
 ing and correcting of the faults, w^hich the civill sword 
 either doth neglect, or [may] not punish: blasphemie, 
 adulterie, murder, perjurie, and other crimes capitall, 
 worthy of death, ought not properly to fall under [the] 
 censure of the kirk; because all such open transgressors 
 of God's lawes ought to be taken away by the civill 
 sword. But drunkenness, excesse, be it in apparell or 
 be it in eating and drinking, fornication, oppressing of 
 the poore by exactions, deceit in buying and selling by 
 wrang met and measure, wanton words and licentious 
 
 * See the Second Book of Discipline, chap, v'. sect, 2. and chap, 
 viii. sect. 2. 
 
 2-3 
 
58 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 living tending to slander, do properly appertaine to the 
 kirk of God to punish them as God's word commands. 
 
 2. But because this accursed Papistrie hath brought 
 in such confusion into the world, that neither was vertue 
 rightly praised, neither yet vice severely punished ; the 
 kirk of God is compelled to draw the sword which of 
 God she hath received, against such open and manifest 
 contemners, cursing and excommunicating all such, as 
 well those whom the civill sword ought to punish as the 
 other, from all participation with her in prayers and sa- 
 craments till open repentance appeare manifestly in them. 
 As the order and proceeding to excommunication ought 
 to be slow and grave, so being once pronounced against 
 any person of what estate or condition that ever they 
 be, it must be kept with all severity ; for lawes made 
 and not kept engender contempt of vertue, and bring in 
 confusion and liberty to sinne; and therefore this order 
 we thinke expedient to be observed afore and after ex- 
 communication. 
 
 3. First, if the offence be secret or known to few men, 
 and rather stands in suspicion, then in manifest proba- 
 tion, the offender ought to be privately admonished to 
 absteine from all appearance of evill, which if he pro- 
 mise to doe, and declare himselfe sober, honest, and one 
 that feares God and feares to offend his brethren, then 
 may the secret admonition suffice for his correction. But 
 if he either contemne the admonition or after promise 
 made to shew himselfe no more circumspect then he was 
 before, then must the minister admonish him, to whom 
 if he be found inobedient they must proceed according 
 to the rule of Christ, as after shall be declared. 
 
 4. If the crime be publick, and such as is heynous, as 
 fornication, drunkennesse, fighting, common swearing, or 
 execration, then ought the offender to be called in pre- 
 sence of the minister, elders and deacons, where his 
 sinne and trespasse ought to be declared and aggreged, 
 so that his conscience may feele how farre he hath of- 
 fended God, and what slander he hath raised in the 
 kirk; if signes of unfaigned repentance appeare in him, 
 and if he require to be admitted to publick repentance, 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 59 
 
 the minister may appoint unto him a clay when the whole 
 kirk convenes together, that in presence of all he may 
 testify his repentance which before he professed: which 
 if he accept, and with reverence confesse his sinne, ear- 
 nestly desiring the congregation to pray to God with 
 him for mercy, and to accept him in their societie not- 
 withstanding the former oftence; then the kirk may and 
 ought to receive him as a penitent, for the kirk ought to 
 be no more severe then God declares himselfe to be, who 
 witnesses that in whatsoever houre a sinner imfeignedly 
 repents, and turnes from his ivick,ed way, that he ivill not 
 remember one of his iniquities; and therefore ought the 
 kirk diligently to advert that it excommunicate not those 
 W'hom God absolves. 
 
 5. If the offender called before the ministerie be found 
 stubborn, hard-hearted, or in whom no signe of repent- 
 ance appeares, then must he be dimitted with an exhor- 
 tation to consider the dangerous estate in which he stands; 
 assuring him that if they linde in him no other tokens of 
 amendment of life, that they will be compelled to seek a 
 further remedy: if he, within a certaine space, shew his 
 repentance to the ministerie, they may present him to the 
 kirk, as before is said. 
 
 6. If he continue not in his repentance, then must the 
 kirk be advertised that such crimes are committed amongst 
 them, which by the ministry hath bene reprehended, and 
 the persons provoked to repent ; whereof because no 
 signes appeare unto them, they could not but signifie 
 unto the kirk the crimes, but not the person, requiring 
 them earnestly to call to God to move and touch the heart 
 of the offender, so that suddenly and earnestly he may 
 repent. 
 
 7. If the person maligne, the next day of publick as- 
 sembly, the crime and the person must be both notified 
 unto the kirk, and their judgments must be required, if 
 that such crimes ought to be suffred unpunished among 
 them: Request also should be made to the most discrete 
 and nearest friend of the offender to travell with him to 
 bring him to [the] knowledge of himself, and of his dan- 
 gerous estate; with a commandement given to all men to 
 
60 flitST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 call to God for the conversion of the unpenitent. If a 
 solemne and speciall prayer were drawne for that purpose, 
 the thing would be more gravely done.* 
 
 8. The third Sonday the minister ought to require, if 
 the unpenitent have declared any signes of repentance to 
 one of the ministry, and if he have, then may the mini- 
 ster appoint him to be examined by the whole ministry; 
 either then instantly, or another day affixed to the con- 
 sistorie: And if repentance appeare, as well for his crime 
 as for his long contempt, then he may be presented to 
 the kirk, and make his confession to be accepted as be- 
 fore is said: But if no m.an signifie his repentance, then 
 ought he to be excommunicated, and by the mouth of 
 the minister, and consent of the ministry, and commande- 
 ment of the kirk, must such a contemner be pronounced 
 excommunicate from God, and from all society of the 
 kirk. 
 
 9. After which sentence may no person (his wife and 
 family onely excepted) have any kind of conversation 
 with him, be it in eating and drinking, buying and selHng, 
 yea in saluting or talking with him ; except that it be at 
 commandement or licence of the ministrie for his con- 
 version : That he, by such meanes confounded, seeing 
 himselfe abhorred of the godly and faithful, may have 
 occasion to repent, and so be saved. The sentence of 
 excommunication must be published universally through- 
 out the realme, lest that any man should pretend igno- 
 rance. 
 
 10. His children begotten and born after that sentence 
 and before his repentance, may not be admitted to bap- 
 tisme till either they be of age to require the same, or 
 else that the mother or some of his speciall friends, mem- 
 bers of the kirk, oflPer and present the child, abhorring 
 and damning the iniquity and obstinate contempt of the 
 impenitent. If any man should think it severe that the 
 child should be punished for the iniquity of the father, 
 let him understand that the sacraments appertaine to the 
 
 * See the Ordour of Excommunication, and of Public Repentance, 
 chap. ii. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 61 
 
 faithfall and their seed; but such as stubbornly conterane 
 all godly admonition, and obstinately remaine in their 
 iniquity, cannot be accounted amongst the faithfull. 
 
 II. The Order for Public Offenders. 
 
 We have spoken nothing of them that commit horrible 
 crimes, as murtherers, manslayers, adulterers; for such, 
 as we have said, the civill sword ought to punish to dead : 
 But in case they be permitted to live, then must the kirk, 
 as is before said, draw the sword which of God she hath 
 received, holding them as accursed, even in their very 
 fact. The offender being first called, and [the] order of 
 the kirk used against him, in the same manner as the per- 
 sons for their obstinate impenitency are publickly excom- 
 municate. So that the obstinate impenitent after the sen- 
 tence of excommunication, and the murtherer or adul- 
 terer stand in one case, as concerning the judgement of 
 the kirk; that is, neither of both may be received in the 
 fellowship of the kirk to prayers or sacraments (but to 
 hearing the word they may) till first they offer themselves 
 to the ministrie, humbly requiring the ministers and 
 elders to pray to God for them, and also to be interces- 
 sors to the kirk that they may be admitted to publick 
 repentance, and to the fruition of the benefits of Christ 
 Jesus, distributed to the members of his bodie. 
 
 12. If this request be humbly made, then may not the 
 ministers refuse to signifie the same unto the kirk, the 
 next day of publick preaching the minister giving ex- 
 hortation to the kirk to pray to God to perform the worke 
 which he appears to have begun, w^orking in the heart of 
 the offender unfaigned repentance of his grievous crime 
 and offence, [with a sense] and feeling of his great mercy, 
 by the operation of the Holy Spirit. Thereafter one 
 day ought publickly to be assigned unto him to give open 
 profession of his offence and contempt, and so to make 
 publick satisfaction to the kirk of God: Which day the 
 offender must appear in presence of the whole kirk, with 
 his own mouth damning his own impiety, publickly con- 
 fessing the same; desiring of God his mercy and grace, 
 and [of] his congregation that it would please them to 
 
62 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 receive him in their society, as before is said. The mi- 
 nister must examine him diligently whether he finds a 
 hatred and displeasure of his siniio, as well of his con- 
 tempt as of his crime: Which if he confesse, he must 
 travell with him to see what hope he hath of God's mer- 
 cies. 
 
 13. If he finde him [humbly disposed, and] reasonably 
 instructed in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, and the ver- 
 tue of his death; then may the minister comfort him 
 with God's infallible promises, and demand of the kirk 
 if tliey be content to receive that creature of God, whom 
 Satan before had drawen in his nettes, into the society 
 of their bodie, seeing that he [hath] declared himselfe 
 penitent: Which if the kirk grant, as they cannot justly 
 deny the same, then ought the minister in public prayer 
 commend him to God, [and] confesse the sinne of that 
 oifender before the whole kirk, desiring mercy and grace 
 for Christ Jesus sake. Which prayer being ended, the 
 minister ought to exhort the kirk to receive that peni- 
 tent brother into their favours, as they require God to 
 receive themselves when they offend; and in signe of 
 their consent, the elders and chiefe men of the kirk shall 
 take the penitent by the hand, and one or two in the 
 name of the rest shall kiss and embrace him with rever- 
 ence and gravitie as a member of Christ Jesus. 
 
 14. Which being done, the minister shall exhort the 
 received, that he take diligent heed in times comming, 
 that Sathan trap him not in such crimes, admonishing 
 him that he* will not cease to tempt and trie by all 
 meanes possible to bring him from that obedience which 
 he hath given to God and to the ordinance of Jesus 
 Christ. The exhortation being ended, the minister ought 
 to give publick thankes unto God for the conversion of 
 their brother, and for all benefits which we receive of 
 Christ Jesus, praying for the increase and continuance of 
 the same. 
 
 15. If the penitent after he hath off*ered himself unto 
 the ministerie, or to the kirk, be found ignorant of the 
 
 * How that enemy will not, &c. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 63 
 
 principall points of our religion, and chiefly in the arti- 
 cles of justification and of the offices of Christ Jesus, then 
 ought he to be exactly instructed before he be received. 
 For a mocking of God it is to receive them to repentance 
 who know not wherein standeth their remedie, when they 
 repent their sinne. 
 
 III. Persons subject to Discipline. 
 16. To discipline must all the Estates within this 
 realme be subject, as well the rulers as they that are ruled; 
 yea, and the preachers themselves, as well as the poorest 
 within the kirk : And because the eye and mouth of the 
 kirk ought to be most single and irreprehensible, the life 
 and conversation of the minister ought to be- diligently 
 tried, whereof we shall speak after that we have spoken 
 of the election of elders and deacons, who must assist the 
 minister in all pub lick affairs of the kirk. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The Eight Head^ touching the Election [and Office'] of 
 Elders and Deacons ; [and the Censure of Ministers^ 
 Elders, and Deacons.'] 
 
 1 . Men of best knowledge in God's word, and clean- 
 est life, men faithfull and of most honest conversation 
 that can be found in the kirk, must be nominate to be 
 in election, and their names must be publickly read to 
 the whole kirk by the minister, giving them advertise- 
 ment, that from amongst them must be chosen elders 
 and deacons ; if any of these nominate be noted with 
 publick infamie, he ought to be repelled ; for it is not 
 seemly that the servant of corruption should have autho- 
 ritie to judge in the kirk of God. If any man know 
 others of better qualities within the kirk then these that 
 be nominate, let them be put in election [with them], 
 that the kirke may have the choyce. 
 
 2. If the kirk be of smaller number then that seniors 
 and deacons can be chosen from amongst them, then may 
 they well be joyned to the next adjacent kirks. For the 
 
64 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 pluralitie of kirks without ministers and order shall ra- 
 ther hurt than edifie. 
 
 3. The election of elders and deacons ought to be made 
 every yeare once, which we judge to be most convenient 
 on the first day of August ; lest of long continuance of 
 such officers, men presume upon the liberty of the kirk : 
 [And yet] it hurteth not that one be received in office 
 moe years than one, so that he be appointed yearly 
 [thereto] by common and free election ;* provided al- 
 wayes, that the deacons and thesaurers be not compelled 
 to receive the [same] office againe for the space of three 
 yeares. How the votes and suffrages may be best re- 
 ceived, so that every man may give his vote freely, every 
 severall kirk may take such order as best seems [to] 
 them. 
 
 4. The elders being: elected, must be admonished of 
 their office, which is to assist the ministers in all publicke 
 aifaires of the kirk ; to wit, in determining and judging 
 causes, in giving admonition to the licentious liver, in 
 having respect to the manners and conversation of all 
 men within their charge. For by the gravitie of the se- 
 niors, the light and unbridled life of the licentious must 
 be corrected and bridled. 
 
 5. Yea the seniors ought [also] to take heed to the 
 life, manners, diligence, and study of their ministers. If 
 he be worthy of admonition, they must admonish him ; 
 of correction, they must correct him ; and if he be wor- 
 thy of deposition, they with consent of the kirk and su- 
 perintendent may depose him, so that his crime deserve 
 so. If a minister be light of conversation, by his elders 
 and deacons he ought to be admonished : If he be ne- 
 gligent in study, or one that vaikesf not upon his charge 
 or fiock, or one that propones not faithfuU doctrine, he 
 deserves sharper admonition and correction ; to the which 
 if he be found stubborn and inobedient, then may the 
 seniors of the kirk complain to the ministry of the two 
 
 * See the Second Book of Discipline, chap. vi. sect. 2. and chap. viii. 
 sect. 2. 
 t Waiteth. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 65 
 
 next adjacent kirks, where men of greater gravitie are, 
 to whose admonition if he be found inobedient, he ought 
 to be discharged of his ministry, till his repentance ap- 
 peare, and a place be vakand for him. 
 
 6. If any minister be deprehended in any notable 
 crime, as whoredome, adulterie [murther], manslaughter, 
 perjurie, teaching of heresie, or any other deserving 
 death, or that may be a note of perpetual infamie, he 
 ought to be deposed for ever. By heresie we mean per- 
 nicious doctrine plainly taught, and *openly defended, 
 against the foundations and principles of our faith ; and 
 such a crime we judge to deserve perpetual deposition 
 from the ministry : For most dangerous we know it to be 
 to commit the flocke to a man infected with the pesti- 
 lence of heresie. 
 
 7. Some crimes deserve deposition for a time, and 
 while the person give declaration of greater gravitie and 
 honesty : As if a minister be deprehended drinking, brawl- 
 ing, or fighting; an open slanderer or infamer of his 
 neighbours, factious, and a sower of discord, he must be 
 commanded to ceasse from his ministry till he declare 
 some sign of repentance, upon the which the kirk shall 
 abide him the space of 20 dayes or further, as the kirk 
 shall think expedient, before they proceed to a new elec- 
 tion. 
 
 8. Every inferiour kirk shall by one of their seniors 
 and one of their deacons, once in the yeare, notifie unto 
 the ministers of the superintendent's kirk, the life, man- 
 ers, study and diligence of their ministers, to the end 
 the discretion of some may correct the levitie of others. 
 
 9. Not onely must the life and maners of ministers 
 come under censure and judgment of the kirk, but also 
 of their wives, children, and familie : Judgment must 
 be taken that he neither live riotously, neither yet avari- 
 tiously ; yea respect must be had how they spend the sti- 
 pend appointed to their living : If a reasonable stipend 
 be appointed, and they live avaritiously, they must be ad- 
 monished to live as they receive; for as excesse and super- 
 
 * Obstinatelie. 
 
66 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 fluitie is not tolerable in a minister, so is avarice and the 
 careful solicitude of money utterly to be damned in 
 Christ's servants, and especially in them that are fed up- 
 on the charge of the kirk ; We judge it unseemly and 
 untolerable, that ministers should be buirded in common 
 ale-houses or in tavernes. 
 
 10. Neither must a minister be permitted to frequent 
 and commonly haunt the court, unlesse it be for a time, 
 when he is either sent by the kirk, or called for by the 
 authoritie for his counsell and judgment in civill affairs.* 
 Neither yet must he be one of the councell,t be he judged 
 never so apt for the purpose ; but either must he cease 
 from the ministry (which at his own pleasure he may 
 not do), or else from bearing charge in civill affairs, un- 
 lesse it be to assist the Parliament if he be called. 
 
 1 1 . The office of deacons, as before is sayd, is to re- 
 ceive the rents, and gather the alms of the kirk, to keep 
 and distribute the same, as by the ministers and kirk 
 shall be appointed ; they may also assist in judgement 
 with the minister and elders, and may be admitted to read 
 in assembly if they be required, and be able thereto. 
 
 12. The elders and deacons, with their wives and hous- 
 hold, should be under the same censure that is prescribed 
 for the ministers : For they must be carefull over their 
 office, and seeing they are judges over others manners, 
 their own conversation ought to be irreprehensible : They 
 must be sober, lovers and maintainers of concord and 
 peace [amongst neighbours] ; and finally, they ought to 
 be examples of godliness to others. And if the contrary 
 thereof appeare, they must be admonished thereof by the 
 ministers, or some of their brethren of the ministry, if 
 the fault be secret : And if the fault be open and known, 
 they must be rebuked before the ministery, and the same 
 order kept against the senior and deacon, that before is 
 described against the minister. 
 
 13. We think it not necessary that any public stipend 
 shall be appointed, either to the elders, or yet to the 
 
 In any matter. t Of the councell in civil affairs. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 67 
 
 deacons, because their travell continues but for a yeare; 
 and also because that they are not so occupied with the 
 affairs of the kirk, but that reasonably they may attend 
 upon their domesticall businesse. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 The Ninth Head, concerning the Policie of the Kirk. 
 
 1 . Policie we call an exercise of the kirk in such thinpfs 
 as may bring the rude and ignorant to knowledge, or else 
 inflame the learned to greater fervencie, or to retain the 
 kirk in good order; and thereof there be two sorts, the 
 one utterly necessarie, as that the word be truly preach- 
 ed, the sacraments rightly ministred, common prayers 
 publickly made, that the children and rude persons be 
 instructed in the chiefe points of religion; and that oifences 
 be corrected and punished; these things be so necessary, 
 that without the same there is no face of a visible kirk. 
 The other is profitable, but not merely necessary, [as] 
 that psalms should be sung, that certain places of the 
 scriptures be read when there is no sermon; that this 
 day or that, or how many [days] in the week the kirk 
 should assemble; of these and such others we cannot see 
 how a certain order can be established: For in some kirks 
 the psalmes may conveniently be sung, in others per- 
 chance they cannot; some kirkes [may] convene every 
 day, some twice, some thrice in the week, [and] some per- 
 chance but once: In this and such like must every par- 
 ticular kirk by their consent appoint their owne policie. 
 
 2. [Yet] in great townes w^e thinke expedient that 
 every day there be either sermon or common prayers, 
 with some exercise of reading of scriptures. What day 
 the public sermon is, we can neither require nor greatly 
 approve that the common prayers be publickly used, lest 
 that we should either foster the people in superstition, 
 who come to the prayers, as they come to the masse; or 
 else give them occasion, that they think them no prayers, 
 which be made before and after sermons. 
 
 3. In every notable town, we require that one day, 
 
68 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 beside the Sonday, be appointed to the sermon, which 
 during the time of sermon and prayers must be kept free 
 from all exercise of labour, as well of the maister as of 
 the servant; in smaller townes, as we have said, the com- 
 mon consent of the kirk must put order: But the Son- 
 day must straitly be kept both before and after noone in 
 all townes. Before noone must the word be preached, 
 and sacraments ministred, as also marriage solemnized if 
 occasion offer: After noone must the yong children be 
 publickly examined in their catechism in the audience of 
 the people, [in doing] whereof the minister must take 
 great diligence, as well to cause the people understand 
 the questions proponed as [the] answers, and the doc- 
 trine that may be collected thereof; the order [to be kept 
 in teaching the catechism], and how much [of it] is ap- 
 pointed for every Sonday, is already distinguished in 
 [the Catechism printed with] the Book of our Common 
 Order, which Catechism is the most perfect that ever yet 
 was used in the kirk. And after noone may baptisme 
 be ministred, when occasion is offered of great travell be- 
 fore noone : It is also to be observed, that prayers be af- 
 ter noone upon Sonday, where there is neither preaching 
 nor catechisme. 
 
 4. It appertaines to the policie of the kirk to appoint 
 the times when the sacraments shall be ministred. Bap- 
 tisme may be ministred whensoever the word is preached; 
 but we think it more expedient that it be ministred up- 
 on Sonday, or upon the day of prayers, onely after the 
 sermon: Partly to remove this grosse errour by the 
 which many are deceived, thinking that children be 
 damned if they die without baptisme; and partly to make 
 the people have greater reverence to the administration 
 of the sacraments then they have, for we see the people 
 begin already to wax weary by reason of the frequent 
 
 repetion of those promises. 
 
 5. Foure times in the jeare we think sufficient to the 
 administration of the Lord's table, which we desire to be 
 distincted, that the superstitions of times* may be avoid- 
 
 * Superstitious observation of times. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 69 
 
 ed so farre as may be : For your honours are not igno- 
 rant how superstitiously the people runne to that action 
 at Pasche, even as if the time gave vertue to the sacra- 
 ment; and how the rest of the whole year they are care- 
 lesse and negligent, as if it appertained not unto them, but 
 at that time onely. We think therefore most expedient, 
 that the first Sonday of March be appointed for one time 
 [to that service] ; the first Sonday of June for another ; 
 the first Sonday of September for the third; the first 
 Sonday of December for the fourth : We do not deny 
 but any severall kirk for reasonable causes may change 
 the time, and may minister oftner, but we studie to re- 
 presse superstition. All ministers must be admonished 
 to be more carefull to instruct the ignorant then readie to 
 serve their appetite, and to use sharp examination rather 
 then indulgence, in admitting to thir great mysteries 
 such as be ignorant of the use and vertue of the same : 
 And therefore we think that the administration of the ta- 
 ble ought never to be without examination passing be- 
 fore, and specially of them whose knowledge is suspect ; 
 we think that none are to be admitted to this mysterie 
 who can not formally say the Lord's prayer, the articles 
 of the beliefe, nor declare the summe of the law [and 
 understandeth not the use and vertue of this holy sacra- 
 ment] . 
 
 6. Further, we think it a thing most expedient and ne- 
 cessary, that every kirk have the Bible in English, and 
 that the people be commanded to convene and heare the 
 plaine reading and interpretation of the Scripture, as the 
 kirk shall appoint; [for] by frequent reading, this grosse 
 ignorance, which in this cursed Papistrie hath overflowed 
 all, may partly be removed. We thinke it most expe- 
 dient that the Scripture be read in order, that is, that 
 some one book of the Old or New Testament be begun 
 and orderly read to the end; and the same we judge of 
 preaching, where the minister for the most part remaines 
 in one place : For this skipping and divagation from place 
 to place of Scripture, be it in reading, or be it in preach- 
 ing, we judge not so profitable to edifie the kirk, as the 
 continuall following of one text. 
 
70 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 7. Every master of houshold must be commanded either 
 to instruct, or cause to be instructed, his children, servants, 
 and family, in the principles of the Christian religion, with- 
 out the knowledge whereof ought none to be admitted to 
 the table of the Lord Jesus : For such as be so dull and 
 so ignorant, that they can neither try themselves, nor yet 
 know the dignitie and mysterie of that action, cannot eat 
 and drink of that table worthily. And therefore of ne- 
 cessity we judge, that everie year at the least, publicke 
 examination be had by the ministers and elders of the 
 knowledge of every person within the kirk, to icit, that 
 every master and mistresse of houshold come themselves 
 and their fiimily, so many as be come to maturity, before 
 the minister and the elders, and give confession of their 
 faith: If they understand not, nor cannot rehearse the 
 commandements of God's law, know not how^ to pray, 
 neither w^ierein their righteousnesse stands or consists, 
 they ought not to be admitted to the Lord's table : And 
 if they stubburnly contemne, and suffer their children 
 and servants to continue in wilfull ignorance, the disci- 
 pline of the kirk must proceed against them to excom- 
 munication, and then must that matter be referred to the 
 civill magistrate ; for seeing that the just lives by his 
 own faith, and Christ Jesus justifies by knowledge of 
 himselfe, insufferable we judge it that men be permitted 
 to live as members of the kirk [of God], and yet [to] con- 
 tinue in ignorance. 
 
 8. Moreover, men, women [and] children, would be 
 exhorted to exercise themselves in Psalmes, that when the 
 kirk doth conveene, and sing, they may be the more able 
 together with common hearts and voices to praise God. 
 
 9. In private houses we think expedient, that the most 
 grave and discrete person use the common prayers at 
 morn and at night, for the comfort and instruction of 
 others : For seeino: that we behold and see the hand of 
 God now presently striking us with divers plagues, we 
 thinke it a contempt of his judgements, or provocation of 
 his anger more to be kindled against us, if we be not 
 moved to repentance of our former unthankfulnesse, and 
 to earnest invocation of his name, whose onely power may, 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 71 
 
 and great mercy will, if we unfaignedly convert unto him, 
 remove from us thir terrible plagues which now for our 
 iniquities hang over our heads. "Convert us, O Lord, 
 and we shall be converted." 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 For Prophecying^ or Interpreting of the Scriptures. 
 
 1 . To the end that the kirk of God may have a tryall of 
 mens 'knowledge, judgements, graces and utterances; as 
 also, such that have somewhat profited in God's word, 
 may from time to time grow in more full perfection to 
 serve the kirk, as necessity shall require : it is most ex- 
 pedient that in every towne, where schooles and repaire 
 of learned men are, there be [a time] in one certain day 
 every week appointed to that exercise w^hich St Paul 
 calls prophecying; the order whereof is expressed by 
 him in thir words, *Let the prophets speak two or three, 
 and let the other judge; but if anything he revealed to 
 another that sitteth by, let the Jormer keep silence: [/o/*] 
 ye may one by one all propJiesie, that all may learne, and 
 all may receive consolation. And the spirits, that is, the 
 judgements, of the prophets, are subject to the prophets. 
 By which words of the apostle, it is evident that in the 
 kirk of Corinth, when they did assemble for that pur- 
 pose, some place of Scripture was read, upon the which 
 one first gave his judgement to the instruction and con- 
 solation of the auditors ; after w hom did another either 
 confirme what the former had said, or added w hat he 
 had omitted, or did gently correct or explaine more pro- 
 perly where the whole verity was not revealled to the 
 former; and in case things were hid from the one and 
 from the other, liberty w^as given for a third to speak his 
 judgement, to the edification of the kirk; above which 
 number of three, as appears, they passed not, for avoid- 
 ing of confusion. 
 
 2. This exercise is a thing most necessarie for the kirk 
 of God this day in Scotland ; for thereby, as said is, shall 
 
 * 1 Cor. xiv. 293-30,31,32. 
 
72 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the kirk have judgement and knowledge of the graces, 
 gifts and utterances of every man within their bodie ; 
 the simple and such as have somewhat profited, shall be 
 encouraged daily to studie and to proceed in knowledge, 
 [and] the [whole] kirk shall be edified; for this exercise 
 must be patent to such as list to hear and learne, and 
 every man shall have liberty to utter and declare his 
 minde and knowledge, to the comfort and consolation of 
 the kirk. 
 
 3. But least of this profitable exercise there arise de- 
 bate and strife, curious, peregrine and unprofitable 
 questions are to be avoided. All interpretation disagree- 
 ing from the principles of our faith, repugning to chari- 
 ty, or that stands in plaine contradiction with any other 
 manifest place of Scripture, is to be rejected. The in- 
 terpreter in this exercise may not take to himself the li- 
 berty of a public preacher (yea, although he be a mini- 
 ster appointed), but he must bind himselfe to his text, 
 that he enter not in degression or in explaining common 
 places : he may use no invective in that exercise, unlesse 
 it be of sobriety in confuting heresies: in exhortations 
 or admonitions he must be short, that the time may be 
 spent in opening the minde of the Holy Ghost in that 
 place ; following the sequele and dependance of the text, 
 and observing such notes as may instruct and edifie the 
 auditor : for avoiding of contention, neither may the in- 
 terpreter, nor any in the assemblie, move any question in . 
 open audience, whereto himselfe is not able [presently] to 
 give resolution without reasoning with another, but every 
 man ought to speake his own judgement to the edifica- 
 tion of the kirk. 
 
 4. If any be noted with curiosity or bringing in of 
 strange doctrines, he must be admonished by the mode- 
 rator, ministers and elders, immediately after the inter- 
 pretation is ended. The whole ministers [with] a number j 
 of them that are of the Assembly, ought to convene to- 
 gether, where examination should be had, how the per- 
 sons that did interprete did handle and convey* the 
 
 * Intreat. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 73 
 
 matter; they themselves being removed till every man 
 hath given his censure: after the which the persons be- 
 ing called [in,] the faults, if any notable be found, are 
 noted, and the persons gently admonished. In that As- 
 sembly are all questions and doubts, if any arise, resolv- 
 ed without contention. 
 
 5. The ministers of the parish kirks in landwart ad- 
 jacent to every chiefe town, and the readers, if they have 
 any gift of interpretation, within sixe miles, muslt con- 
 curre and assist these that prophecie within the townes ; 
 to the end that they themselves may either learne, or 
 others may learne by them. And moreover, men, in 
 whom is supposed to be any gifts which might edifie the 
 church if they were well imployed, must be charged by 
 the mmisters and elders to joyn themselves with the ses- 
 sion and company of interpreters, to the end that the 
 kirk may judge whether they be able to serve to God's 
 glorie, and to the profit of the kirk, in the vocation of [the! 
 ministry or not: and if any be found disobedient, and 
 not willing to communicate the gifts and speciall graces 
 of God with their brethren, after sufficient admonition, 
 discipline must proceed against them, provided that the 
 civill magistrate concurre with the judgment and election 
 of the kirk; for no man may be permitted as best pleas- 
 eth him to live within the kirk of God, but every man 
 must be constrained, by fraternall admonition and cor- 
 rection, to bestow his labours when of the kirk he is re- 
 quired, to the edification of others. 
 
 6. What day in the week is most convenient for that ex- 
 ercise, what books of Scripture shall be most profitable 
 to reade, we referto the judgementof every particular kirk, 
 we meane, to the wisdome of the ministers and elders. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 Of Marriage, 
 
 Because that marriage, the blessed ordinance of God, 
 m this cursed Papistry hath partly bene contemned, and 
 partly hath beene so infirmed, that the parties conjoyned 
 
 4 
 
74 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 could never be assured in conscience, if the Bishops and 
 Prelates list to dissolve the same; we have thought good 
 to shew our judgements how such confusion in times 
 comming may be avoided. 
 
 2. And first publick inhibition must be made, that no 
 person under the power or obedience of others ; such as 
 sonns and daughters, and those that be under curators, 
 neither men nor women, contract marriage privately and 
 Avithout [the] knowledge of their parents, tutors or cu- 
 rators, under whose power they are for the time : which 
 if they doe, the censure and discipline of the kirk [ought] 
 to proceed against them. If any son or daughter, or 
 other [under subjection], have their hearts touched with 
 the desire of marriage, they are bound to give honour to 
 their parents, that they open unto them their affection, 
 asking their counsell and assistance, how that motion, 
 which they judge to be of God, may be performed. If 
 the father, [nearest] friend or maister,* gainestand their 
 request, and have no other cause than the common sort 
 of men have; to ivit, lacke of goods, and because they 
 are not so high borne as they require ; yet must not the 
 parties whose hearts are touched make any covenant till 
 further declaration be made unto the kirk of God [or 
 civill magistrate] : And, therefore, after that they have 
 opened their mindes to their parents, or such others as 
 have charge over them, they must declare it to the mini- 
 tery also, or to the civill magistrate, requiring them to 
 travell with their parents for their consent, which to doe 
 they are bound. And if they, to wit, the ministery or 
 magistrate, find no cause that is just why the marriage 
 required may not be fulfilled, then, after sufficient admo- 
 nition to the father, friend, master, or superiour, that 
 none of them resist the work of God, the ministery or 
 magistrate may enter in the place of parents, and by con- 
 senting to their just requests may admit them to mar- 
 riage: for the worke of God ought not to be hindred by 
 the corrupt aff'ections of worldly men; the work of God 
 we call, when two hearts, without filthinesse before com- 
 
 * Or curator. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. f 5 
 
 mitted, are so joyned, and both require, and are content 
 to live together in that holy band of matrimony. 
 
 3. If any commit fornication with that woman he re- 
 quires in marriage, they do both loose this foresaid be- 
 nefit as well of the kirk as of the magistrate; for neither 
 of both ought to be intercessors or advocats for filthy 
 fornicators. But the father or nearest friend, whose 
 daughter being a virgine is defloured, hath power by the 
 law of God to compell the man that did that injurie to 
 marry his daughter: and if the father will not accept him 
 by reason of his offence, then may he require the dowrie 
 of his daughter; which if the offender be not able to pay, 
 then ought the civill magistrate to punish his body by 
 some other punishment. And because whoredome, for- 
 nication, [and] adulterie, are sinnes most common in this 
 realme; we require of your honors, in the name of the 
 eternal God, that severe punishment, according as God 
 hath commanded, be executed against such wicked con- 
 temners; for we doubt not but such enormities and 
 crimes, openly committed, provoke the wrath of God, as 
 the apostle speaketh, not onely upon the offenders, but 
 upon such places where without punishment they are 
 committed. 
 
 4. But to return to our former purpose, marriage 
 ought not to be contracted amongst persons that have no 
 election for lack of understanding; and therefore we af- 
 firme that bairns and infants cannot lawfully be married 
 in their minor age, to wit, the man within 14 yeares, and 
 the woman 12 yeares at least; which if it have been, 
 and they have kept themselves alwayes separate, we 
 cannot judge them to [be bound to] adhere as man and 
 wife, by reason of that promise, which in God's presence 
 was no promise at all; but if in yeares* of judgement 
 they have embraced the one the other, then by reason f 
 of that last consent, they have ratified that which others 
 have promitted for them in their youth-head [and are 
 to be held as married persons]. 
 
 5. In a reformed kirk, marriage ought not to be secret- 
 
 ♦ After the years. f Vertue. 
 
76 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 ly used, but in open face and publick audience of the 
 kirk: and for avoiding of dangers, expedient it is that 
 the bannes be publickly proclaimed three [several] Son- 
 dayes, unlesse the persons be so knovvne, that no suspi- 
 cion of danger may arise, and then may the time be 
 shortned at the discretion of the ministry; but no wayes 
 can we admit marriage to be used secretly how honour- 
 able soever the persons be, [and therefore] the Sonday 
 before noon we think most expedient for mariage, and 
 [that it ought to] be used no day else without the con- 
 sent of the whole ministerie. 
 
 6. Mariage once lawfully contracted, may not be dis- 
 solved at man's pleasure, as our master Christ Jesus 
 doth witnes, unlesse adulterie be committed; which being 
 sufficiently proved in presence of the civill magistrate, 
 the innocent, if they so require, ought to be pronounced 
 free, and the offender ought to suffer death, as God hath 
 commanded. If the civill sword foolishly spare the life 
 of the offender, yet may not the kirke be negligent in 
 their office, which is to excommunicate the wicked, and 
 to repute them as dead members, and to pronounce the 
 innocent partie to be at freedome, be they ever so hon- 
 ourable before the world : [notheless] if the life be spared, 
 as it ought not to be, to the offenders, and if fruits of re- 
 pentance of long time appeare in them, and if they 
 earnestly desire to be reconciled with the kirk, we judge 
 they may be received to the participation of the sacra- 
 ments, and other benefites of the kirk ; for we would not 
 that the kirk should hold them excommunicate whom 
 God absolved, tJiat is, the penitent. 
 
 7. If any demand, whether that the offender, after re- 
 conciliation with the kirk, may not marry againe? we 
 answer, that if they cannot live continently, and if the 
 necessity be such as that they feare further offence of 
 God, we cannot forbid them to use the remedy ordained 
 of God. If the partie offended may be reconciled to 
 the offender, then we judge that on no wayes it shall be 
 lawfull to the offender to marry any other, except the 
 partie that before hath been offended; and the solemni- 
 zation of the latter mariage must be in the open face of 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 77 
 
 the kirk like as the former, but without proclamation of 
 bannes. This we do offer as the best counsell that God 
 giveth unto us in so doubtsome a case ; but the most 
 perfect reformation were, if your honours would give to 
 God his honour and glory, that ye would preferre his 
 expresse commandement to your own corrupt judge- 
 ments, especially in punishing of these crimes, which he 
 commandeth to be punished with death : for so should 
 ye declare your selves God's true obedient officiars, and 
 your common-wealth should be rid of innumerable trou- 
 bles. We meane not, that sinnes committed in our former 
 blindnesse, which be almost buried in oblivion, shall 
 be called again to examination and judgement ; but we 
 require that the law may be now and hereafter so esta- 
 blished and execute, that this ungodly impunity of sinne 
 have no place within this realme : for in the feare of 
 God we signifie unto your honours, that whosoever per- 
 swades you that ye may pardon where God command- 
 eth death, deceives your soules, and provokes you to of- 
 fend God's majestic. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 Of BurialL 
 
 1. Buriall in all ages hath bene holden in estimation, 
 to signifie that the same bodie which was committed to 
 the earth should not utterly perish, but should rise againe 
 [in the last day] : And the same w^e would have kept 
 within this realme, provided that superstition, idolatry, 
 and whatsoever hath proceeded of a false opinion and for 
 advantage sake,* may be avoided, [such] as singing of 
 Masse, Placebo, and Dirige, and all other prayers over 
 or for the dead, which are not onely superstitious and 
 vaine, but also are idolatry, and do repugne to the plaine 
 Scriptures of God. For plaine it is, that every one that 
 dyeth, departeth either in the faith of Christ Jesus, or 
 departeth in incredulity : Plaine it is, that they that de- 
 
 ♦ Advantage and gain. 
 
78 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 part in the true faith of Christ Jesus rest from their la- 
 bours, and from death do goe to life everlasting, as by 
 our Master and his Apostles we are taught ; but whoso- 
 ever departeth in unbeleefe or incredulitie shall never see 
 life, but the wrath of God abides upon him : And so we 
 say that prayers for the dead are not onely superstitious 
 and vaine, but do expresly repugne to the manifest Scrip- 
 tures and veritie thereof. 
 
 2. For avoiding of all inconveniences, we judge it best 
 that neither snigmg nor reading be at [the] buriall : For 
 albeit things sung and read may admonish some of the 
 living to prepare themselves for death, yet shall some 
 superstitious think that singing and reading of the living 
 may profite the dead. And therefore we think it most 
 expedient, that the dead be conveyed to the place of bu- 
 riall with some honest company of the kirk, without 
 either singing or reading ; yea, without all kind of cere- 
 mony heretofore used, other than that the dead be com- 
 mitted to the grave, with such gravity and sobriety, as 
 those that be present may seeme to feare the judgements 
 of God, and to hate sinne, which is the cause of death. 
 
 3. We are not ignorant that some require a sermon at 
 the buriall, or else some place of Scripture to be read, to 
 put the living in minde that they are mortall, and that 
 likewise they must die : But let these men understand, 
 that the sermons which be daily made serv^e for that use, 
 which if men despise, the funerall sermons shall rather 
 nourish superstition and a false opinion, as before is said, 
 then that they shall bring such persons to a godly consi- 
 deration of their own estate. Attour, either shall the 
 ministers for the most part be occupied in funerall ser- 
 mons, or else they shall have respect of persons, preaching 
 at the burialls of the rich and honourable, but keeping 
 silence when the poore and despised departeth ; and this 
 with safe conscience cannot the minister do : For seeing 
 that before God there is no respect of persons, and that 
 their ministrie appertaineth to all alike, whatsoever they 
 doe to the rich, in respect of their ministery, the same they 
 are bound to doe to the poorest under their charge. 
 
 4. In respect of divers inconveniences, we think it not 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 79 
 
 seemly that the kirk, appointed for preaching and minis- 
 tration of the sacraments, shall be made a place of buryall, 
 but that some other secret and convenient place, lying in 
 the most free aire, be appointed for that use, which place 
 ought to be walled and fenced about, and kept for that 
 use only. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 For Reparation of the Kirkes. 
 
 1 . Least that the word of God, and ministration of the 
 sacraments, by unseemlinesse of the place, come in con- 
 tempt, of necessity it is that the kirk and place where the 
 people ought publickly to convene, be wdth expedition re- 
 paired with dores, windowes, thack, and with such pre- 
 paration within, as appertaineth as w'ell to the majestic 
 of [the word of] God, as unto the ease and commodity 
 of the people. And because we know the slothfulnesse 
 of men in this behalfe, and in all other [affairs], which 
 may not redound to their private commoditie ; strait 
 charge and commandement must be given, that within 
 an certain e day the reparation must be begun, and within 
 another day to be affixed by your honours, that it may 
 be finished : Penalties and summs of money must be en- 
 joined, and without pardon taken from the contemners. 
 
 2. The reparation would be according to the ability 
 and number of kirks. Every kirk must have dores, 
 close windowes of glasse, thack [or sclait] able to with- 
 hold raine, a bell to convocate the people together, a pul- 
 pet, a basen for baptizing, and tables* for ministration of 
 the Lord's supper. In greater kirks, and where the con- 
 gregation is great in number, must reparation be made 
 within the kirk, for the quiet and commodious receiving 
 of the people. The expenses are to be lifted partly of 
 the people, and partly of the teinds, at the consideration 
 of the ministry. 
 
 * A table. 
 
80 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE:. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 For Pu7iishment of those that prophane the Sacraments, 
 and contemne the Word of God, and dare presume to 
 minister them, not being thereto lawfully called, 
 
 1. As Satan hath never ceased from the beginning to 
 draw mankind into one of two extremities, to ivit, that 
 men should either be so ravished with gazing upon the 
 visible creatures, that forgetting the cause wherefore they 
 are ordained, they attribute unto them a vertue and 
 power which God hath not granted unto them ; or else that 
 men should so contemne and despise God's blessed ordi- 
 nances and holy institutions, as if that neither in the right 
 use of them there were any profite, neither yet in their 
 prophanation there were any danger : As this way, we 
 say, Satan hath blinded the most part of mankinde from 
 the beginning ; so doubt we not, but that he will strive 
 to continue in his malice even to the end. Our eyes have 
 scene, and presently do see, the experience of the one and 
 of the other, what was the opinion of the most part of 
 men, of the sacrament of Christ's bodie and bloud, dur- 
 ing the darknesse of superstition, is not unknowne, how 
 it was gazed upon, kneeled unto, borne in procession, and 
 finally worshipped and honoured as Christ Jesus himselfe ; 
 and so long as Satan might then retaine men in that 
 damnable idolatrie, he was quiet as one that possessed his 
 kingdome of darknes peaceably. But since that it hath 
 pleased the mercie of God to reveale unto the unthank- 
 full world the light of his word, the right use and admi- 
 nistration of his sacraments, he assayes man upon the 
 contrary part ; For where not long agoe men stood in 
 such admiration of that idol the masse, that none durst 
 have presumed to have said the masse but the shaven 
 sort, the beast's marked-men ; some dare now be so bold, 
 as, without all vocation, to minister, as they suppose, the 
 true sacraments in open assemblies ; and some idiots (yet 
 more wickedly and impudently) dare counterfeit in their 
 house that which the true ministers doc in the open con- 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 81 
 
 gregations, they presume, we say, to doe it in houses with- 
 out reverence, without word preached, and without mi- 
 nister. This contempt proceeds, no doubt, from the 
 malice and craft of that serpent who first deceived man, 
 of purpose to deface the glorie of Christ's Evangell, and 
 to bring his blessed sacraments in a perpetuall contempt: 
 And further, your honours may clearly see how stub- 
 bornly and proudly the most part despises the Evangell 
 of Christ Jesus offered unto you, whom unles that sharp- 
 ly and stoutly ye resist, we mean as wel the manifest de- 
 spiser as the prophaner of the sacraments, ye shall find 
 them pernicious enemies ere it be long ; and therefore, in 
 the name of the eternall God, and of his Son Christ Je- 
 sus, we require of your honours that, without delay, strait 
 lawes be made against the one and the other. 
 
 2. We dare not prescribe unto you what penalties 
 shall be required of such, but this we feare not to affirme, 
 that the one and the other deserve death : for if he who 
 doth falsifie the scale, subscription, or coine of a king, is 
 judged worthy of death; what shall we think of him who 
 plainly doth falsifie the scales of Christ Jesus, [who is 
 the] Prince of the kings of the earth ? If Darius pro- 
 nounced that a balk should be taken from the house of 
 that man, and he himselfe hanged upon it, that durst at- 
 tempt to hinder the re-edifying of the materiall temple 
 [in Jerusalem] ; what shall we say of those that con- 
 temptuously blaspheme God, and manifestly hinder the 
 [spirituall] temple of God, which is the soules and bo- 
 dies of the elect, to be purged by the true preaching of 
 Christ Jesus [and right administration of the sacra- 
 ments], from the superstition and damnable idolatry in 
 which they have bene long plunged and holden cap^ve ? 
 If ye, as God forbid, declare your selves carelesse over 
 the true religion, God will not suffer your negligence 
 unpunished : and therefore more earnestly we require 
 that strait lawes may be made against the stubborne con- 
 temners of Christ Jesus, and against such as dare pre- 
 sume to minister his sacraments not orderly called to that 
 office, least while that there be none found to gainstand 
 impiety, the wrath of God be kindled against the whole. 
 
 4-2 
 
82 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 3. The Papisticall priests have neither power nor 
 authoritie to minister the sacraments of Christ Jesus, 
 because that in their mouth is not the sermon of exhor- 
 tation: And therefore to them must strait inhibition be 
 made, notwithstanding any usurpation they have made 
 in the time of blindnesse [not to presume upon the like 
 hereafter, as Hkewise to all others who are not lawfully 
 called to the holy ministry], it is neither the clip))ing of 
 their crownes, the greasing* of their fingers, nor the 
 blowing of the "dumb dogges called the bishops, neither 
 the laying on of their hands, that maketh [true] mini- 
 sters of Christ Jesus. But the Spirit of God inwardly 
 first moving the heart to seeke [to enter in the holy call- 
 ing for] Christ's glory and the profite of his kirk, and 
 thereafter the nomination of the people, the examination 
 of the learned, and publick admission, as before is said, 
 make men law full ministers of the word and sacraments. 
 We speak of the ordinarie vocation [in kirks reformed], 
 and not of that which is extraordinary, when God by 
 himselfe and by his onely power, raiseth up to the mini- 
 sterie such as best pleaseth his wisedome. 
 
 The Conclusion. 
 
 1. Thus have we in these few heads offered unto your 
 honours our judgements, according as we were com- 
 manded, touching the reformation of things which 
 heretofore have altogether bene abused in this cursed 
 Papistrie. We doubt not but some of our petitions shall 
 appeare strange unto you at the first sight: But if your 
 wisedomes deeply consider, that we must answer not 
 onely unto man, but also before the throne of the eter- 
 nall God and of his Son Christ Jesus, for the counsell 
 which we give in this so grave a matter; your honours 
 shall easily consider, that more assured it is to us to fall 
 in the displeasure of all men in the earth, than to offend 
 the Majestic of God, whose justice cannot suffer flatter- 
 ers and deceitfull counsellers unpunished. 
 
 * Crossing. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 83 
 
 2. That we require the kirk to be set at such liberty, 
 that she neither be compelled to feed idle bellies, neither 
 yet to sustaine the tyrannic which heretofore hath been 
 by violence maintained, w^e know we shall oiFend many ; 
 but if we should keep silence hereof, we are most assured 
 to offend the just and righteous God, who by the mouth 
 of his apostle hath pronounced this sentence. He that la- 
 houreth not^ let him not eate. If we in this behalfe, or in 
 any other, require or aske any other thing, then by 
 God's expresse commandement, [or] by equity and good 
 conscience ye are bound to grant, let it be noted and 
 after repudiate: but if we require nothing which God 
 requireth not also, let your honours take heed how ye 
 gainstand the charge of him w hose hand and punishment 
 ye cannot escape. 
 
 3. If blind affection rather lead you to have respect 
 to the sustentation of those your carnall friends, who ty- 
 rannously have impyred above the flock of Christ Jesus, 
 then that the zeale of Christ Jesus his glorie provoke 
 and move you to set his oppressed kirk at freedome and 
 liberty ; we feare your sharpe and suddaine punish- 
 ments, and that the glorie and honour of this enterprise 
 [shall] be reserved unto others : and yet shall this our 
 judgement abide to the generations following for a mo- 
 nument and witnesse, how lovingly God called you and 
 this nation to repentance, what counsellours God sent 
 unto you, and how ye have used the same. If obedient- 
 ly ye heare God now calling, we doubt not but he shall 
 heare you in your greatest necessitie : but if, following 
 your own corrupt judgements, ye co.itemne his voyce 
 and vocation, we are assured that your former iniquitie, 
 and present ingratitude, shall together crave great punish- 
 ment from God, who cannot long delay to execute his 
 most just judgements, when, after many oifences and long 
 blindnesse, grace and mercy offered is contemptuously 
 refused. 
 
 4. God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the 
 power of his Holy Spirit, so illuminate your hearts, that 
 ye may clearly see what is pleasing and acceptable in his 
 presence, and so bow the same to his obedience, that ye 
 
84 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPJJNE. 
 
 may preferre his revei led will to your own affections: and 
 so strengthen you by the spirit ot fortitude, that boldly ye 
 may punish vice and maintaine v^ertue within this realme, 
 to the praise and .^lory of his holy name, to the comfort 
 and assurance of your own consciences, and to the conso- 
 lation and the good example of the posterity following. 
 Amen. 
 
 From Edinburgh, the 20th of May 1560, by your 
 Honours most humble Servitours. 
 
 Act of Secret Counsell 17 ofjanuanj^ anno 1560.* 
 
 Wee which have subscribed thir presents, having ad- 
 vised with the articles herein specified, as is above men- 
 tioned from the beofinnina: of this Book, thinkes the same 
 good and conforme to God's word in all points ; conforme 
 to the notes and additions hereto eiked; and promises to 
 set the same forward to the uttermost of our powers. 
 Providing tbat the Bishops, Abbots, Priors, and other 
 Prelates and beneficed men which els have adjoined them- 
 selves to us, bruik the revenues of their benefices during 
 their lifetimes ; they sustaining and upholding the mini- 
 stry and ministers, as herein is specified, for the preaching 
 of the word, and ministring of the sacraments. 
 
 James Duke of Chatellerault, ancestor to the Duke of 
 
 Hamiltoun. 
 James Hamiltoun, Earl of Arran, eldest son to the Duke 
 
 of Chatellerault. 
 Archbald Argyle, ancestor to the Duke of Argyle. 
 James Steuart, Lord James Steuart, then Prior of St 
 
 Andrews, afterward Earl of Murray, known by the 
 
 title of the Good Regent. 
 Rothes, Andrew Earl of Rothes. 
 Marshal, the Earl of Marshal. 
 John of Monteith, Earl of Monteith. 
 Mortoun, James Douglass Earl of Mortoun. 
 
 • 1561. The year did not begin at that time till the 25th of March. 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 85 
 
 Glencairn, the Earl of Glencairn. 
 
 Boyd, Lord Boyd, ancestor to the Earl of Kilmarnock. 
 
 William Lord Hay, Lord Yester, ancestor to the Mar- 
 quess of Tweeddale. 
 
 Alexander Campbel. 
 
 M. Alexander Gordon, Bishop of Galloway. 
 
 Uchiltrie, Steuart Lord Uchiltrie, now extinct. 
 
 Sanquhare, Lord Sanquhare, ancestor to the Earl of 
 Dumfries. 
 
 St Jhones, Sir James Sandelandes of Calder, Lord St 
 Johns, ancestor to the Lord Torphichen. 
 
 William of Culross. 
 
 Drumlangrig, ancestor to the Duke of Queensberry. 
 
 Lord Lindsay, John Lord Lindsay, ancestor to the Earl 
 of Crawford. 
 
 Maister of Lindsay, Patrick, eldest son to the Lord 
 Lindsay. 
 
 Bargannie younger, Kennedy Laird of Bargannie. 
 
 Lochinvar, ancestor to the Viscount of Kenmuir. 
 
 Garleiss, ancestor to the Earl of Galloway. 
 
 Cunninghamhead. 
 
 James Haliburtoun. 
 
 Jhone Lockart of Bar. 
 
 Jhone Schaw of Halie. 
 
 Scot of Haning. 
 
 James Maxwell, Master of Maxwell, ancestor to the Earl 
 of Nithsdale. 
 
 George Fentoun of that Ilk. 
 
 Andro Ker of Fadownside. 
 
 Andro Hamiltoun of Lethane. 
 
 Dean of Murray. This is probably the same with Alex- 
 ander Campbell above. 
 
 The Duke of Chatellerault, the Earls of Marshal, 
 Monteith, and Mortoun, the Lord Lindsay, and the Laird 
 of Garleiss, are not in the edition printed 1621. But 
 Knox, Spotiswood, and Calderwood, number them 
 amongst the subscribers to this Book of Discipline. The 
 Master of Lindsay is added from Knox and Calderwood. 
 
86 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Ane schort Somme of the Buik of Discipline for the In- 
 struction of Ministers and Reidaris in thair Office, 
 
 I. Doctrine, — The word of God onlie, quhilk is the 
 New and Auld Testament, sal be taught in everie kirk 
 within this realme, and all contraire doctrine to the same 
 sal be impugnit and utterlie suppressit. 
 
 We affirme that to be contrarious doctrine to the word, 
 that man has inventit and imposed upon the consciences 
 of men be lawis, counsallis and constitutions, without the 
 expresse command of Godis word. 
 
 Of this kynd ar vowis of chastitie, disgysit apparell, 
 superstitious observatioun of fasting dayis, difference of 
 meatis for conscience saik, prayer for the dead, calling 
 upon Sanctis, with sic uther inventiouns of men. In this 
 rank ar holie dayis inventit be men, sic as Christimes, 
 Circumcision, Epiphania, Purificatioun, and utheris fond 
 feastis of our Ladie: with the feastis of the Apostillis, 
 Martyris, and Virgins, with utheris quhilk we judge ut- 
 terlie to he abolisheit furth of this realme, because they 
 have na assurance in Godis word. All mainteinaris of 
 sic abhominatiouns suld be punishit with the civill sword. 
 
 The word is sufficient for our salvatioun, and thairfoir 
 all thingis neidfuU for us ar conteinit in it. The Scrip- 
 tures sal be red in privie houses for removing of this gross 
 ignorance. 
 
 II. Sacramentis, — The sacramentis of necessitie are 
 joynit with the word, quhilk are twa onlie, baptisme and 
 the tabill of the Lord. The preaching of the word man 
 preceid the ministratioun of the sacramentis. In the 
 dew administratioun of the sacramentis all things suld be 
 done according to the word, nothing being addit, nor zit 
 diminisht. The sacramentis suld be ministerit efter the 
 order of the kirk of Geneva. All ceremoneis and reittis 
 inventit be men suld be abolisheit, and the sympill word 
 foUowit in all poyntis. 
 
 The ministratioun of the sacramentis in na wayis suld 
 be gevin him in quhais mouth God has not put the word 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 87 
 
 of exhortatioun. In the ministration of the tabill sum 
 confortabil places may be red of the Scriptures. 
 
 III. Idolatrie All kynd of idolatrie and monumentis 
 
 of idolatrie suld be abolishit, sic as places dedicat to 
 idolatrie and relickis. Idolatrie is all kynd of worship- 
 ing of God not conteinit in the word, as the mess, invo- 
 cation of sainctis, adoratioun of images, and all uther sic 
 thingis inventit be man. 
 
 IV. The Ministrie. — No man suld enter in the mini- 
 strie without ane lawfull vocatioun. The lawfuU voca- 
 tioun standeth in the electioun of the peopill, examina- 
 tioun of the ministrie, and admissioun be thame baith. 
 The extraordinar vocatioun has ane uther consideratione, 
 seing it is wrocht only be God inwartlie in menis hartis. 
 
 No minister suld be intrused upon any particular kirk 
 without thair consent ; bot gif ony kirk be negligent to 
 elect, than the superintendent with his counsall suld pro- 
 vyde ane qualifeit man within fortie dayis. 
 
 Nather for raritie of men, necessity of teiching, nor 
 for any corruptione of time, suld unable personis be ad- 
 mitted to the ministrie. Better it is to have the rowme 
 vaikand, than to have unqualifiet personis, to the sclan- 
 der of the ministrie and hurt of the kirk. In the raritie 
 of qualifiet men, we suld call unto the Lord, that he of 
 his gudnes wald send forth trew laboreris to his harvest : 
 the kirk and faithfull magistrate suld compell sic as have 
 the giftis to take the office of teiching upon thame. 
 
 We sould consider first, quhidder God has geven the 
 giftis to him quhame we wald choise: for God callis no 
 man to the ministrie quhame he armes not with necessa- 
 rie giftis. 
 
 Personis noted with infamy, or unabill to edefie the 
 kirk be helsome doctrine, or of ane corrupt judgement, 
 suld not be admittit nor zit reteinit in the ministrie; the 
 Princeis pardon nor reconciliatioun with the kirk takis 
 not away the infamie befoir men : thairfoir publick edictis 
 suld be set furth in all places quhair the persone is 
 knawin, and strait charge gevin to all men to reveill gif 
 
88 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 thay knaw ony capital cryme committit be him, or gif he 
 be sclanderous in his life. 
 
 Personis proponed be the kirk sal be examinated pub- 
 lickliebe thesuperintendant and brethren, in the princi- 
 pal kirk of the diocie or province. Thay sal geif publick 
 declaratione of thair giftis, be the interpretatione of sum 
 places of Scripture. Thay sal be examinated openlie in 
 all the principall poyntis that now ar in controversie. 
 Quhen thay ar appro vin be the judgment of the breth- 
 ren, thay suld mak sindrie sermones befoir thair congre- 
 gations afoir they be admittit. 
 
 In thair admission, the office and dewtie of ministeris 
 and peopill sould be declarit be sum godlie and learnit 
 minister. And sua publicklie befoir the people sould 
 they be placeit in thair kirk, and joinit to thair flock at 
 the desire of the samin : uther ceremonies except fasting 
 with prayer, sic as laying on of hands, we judge not ne- 
 cessair in the institution of ministerie. 
 
 Ministeris sa placeit may not for their awin plesure 
 leve thair awin kirkis; nor zit thair kirkis refuse thaim, 
 without sum wechtie causis tryit and knawin: but the 
 General Assemblie for guid causes may remove ministeris 
 from place to place without the consent of the particular 
 kirkis. 
 
 Sic as ar preichers alreddie placeit, and not found qua- 
 lifiet efter this forme of tryall, sal be maid reidaris; and 
 sa for no sort of men sal this rigour of examination be 
 omittit. 
 
 V. ReAdaris. — Reidaris ar bot for a time, till through 
 reiding of the Scriptures thay may come to furder knaw- 
 ledge and exerceis of the kirk in exhorting and explain- 
 ing of the Scriptures. No reider sail be admittit within 
 twentie ane zeiris of age, and unless thair be ane hope 
 that be reiding he sal schortlie com to exhorting, lleid- 
 ers fund unabill, efter tua zeiris exerceis, for the mini- 
 strie, sould be removit, and uthers als lang put in thair 
 rowme. 
 
 No reider sal attempt to minister the sacramentis, un- 
 till he be abill til exhorte and perswad be helsum doc- 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 89 
 
 trine. Reideris a landwart sal teiche the zouth of the 
 parochinis. 
 
 Ministeris and reideris sal begin evir sum buik of the 
 Auld or New Testament, and continow upon it unto the 
 end ; and not to hip from place to place as the Papistis 
 did. 
 
 VI. Provision for Ministeris. — The ministeris stipend 
 sould be moderated that nether thei have occasion to be 
 cairfull for the warld, nor zit wanton nor insolent ony- 
 wyse. Thair wyfis and children sould be sustenit not 
 onlie in thair time, but also after thair death. 
 
 VII. Elder is and Deaconis Men of the best knaw- 
 
 ledge, judgement, and conversatioun, sould be chosin for 
 elderis and deaconis. Thair election sal be zearlie, quhair 
 it may be convenientlie observit. How the vottis and 
 suffrages may be best resavit with everie manis fredome 
 in votting, we leif to the judgement of everie particular 
 kirk. Thei sal be publicklie admittit, and admonished 
 of thair office, and alse the peopil of thair dutie to them, 
 at thair first admission. 
 
 Thair office is to assist the ministeris in thair execu- 
 tion of discipline in all grit and weightie matteris. The 
 elderis sal watche upon all menis maneris, rehgioun, and 
 conversatioun, that ar within thair charge: correct all 
 licentious leveris, or else accuse them befoir the sessioun. 
 
 Thei sould tak held to the doctrine, diligence, and be- 
 havior of thair minister and his houshald; and gif neid 
 be, admonishe and correcte thame accordinglie. 
 
 It is undecent for ministeris to be buirdit in ane ail- 
 house or taverne, or to hant mekil the court, or to be oc- 
 cupiet in counsel of civill affairis. 
 
 The office of deaconis is to gadder and distribute the 
 almes of the puire according to the directione of sessione. 
 The deaconis suld assist theassemblie in judgement, and 
 may reid publicklie gif neid requyris. 
 
 Elderis and deaconis being judges of uther menis ma- 
 neris, man with thair houshald leve godlilie, and be sub- 
 ject to the censure of kirk. 
 
90 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 It is not necessair to appoynt ane publick stipend for 
 elderis and deaconis, seing thei ar changed zearlie, and 
 may wait upon tliair awin voeatioun with the charge of 
 the kirk. 
 
 VIII. Superintendentis. — The necessitie, nominatioun, 
 examination, and institution of superintendentis, ar at 
 large contenit in the Buik of Discipline: and in monie 
 thingis doe agrie with the examinatioun and admission 
 of ministeris. Principall townis sal not be spoilzeit of 
 thair ministers to be appointit superintendentis. Super- 
 intendentis ainis admittit sal not be changed without grit 
 causeis and considerationis. 
 
 Superintendentis sal have thair awin special kirkis be- 
 syde the common charge of utheris. Thei sal not re- 
 maine in ane place untill thair kirkis be provydit of mi- 
 nisteris or reideris. Thei sal not remaine abone twentie 
 dayis in ane place in thair visitation till thei pass throw 
 thair boundis. They sal preiche themselfis thrj^ce in the 
 weik at the leist. Quhan thei come hame again to thair 
 awin kirk, thei man be occupyit in preiching and edifie- 
 ing of the kirk: thei sal not remain at thair cheif kirk 
 abone thrie or four monethis, bot sal pas agane to thair 
 visitatioun. 
 
 In thair visitatioun thei sal not onlie preiche, but als 
 examine the doctrine, life, diligence, and behavior of the 
 ministeris, reideris, elderis, and deaconis. They sal con- 
 sider the ourder of the kirk, the maneris of the peopil, 
 how the puire ar providit, how the zouth ar instructit, 
 how the discipline and policie of the kirk ar keipit, how 
 heinous and horribil crymis ar corrected. They sal ad- 
 monish, and dress thingis out of ordour, with thair coun- 
 sel as thei may best. 
 
 Superintendentis ar subject to the censure and correc- 
 tion not onlie of the synodal -conventioun, bot alse of 
 thair awin kirk and uther within thair jurisdictioun. 
 Quhatsumevir crime deservis correctione or depositione in 
 ony uther minister, the same deservis the lyke in the su- 
 perintendent. 
 
 Thair stipend wald be considerit and augmentit abone 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 91 
 
 uther ministeris, be reasone of thair gritt charges and 
 travel! . 
 
 IX. Discipline, — As no common-welth can be go- 
 vernet without executione of gude lawis, na mair can the 
 kirk be reteined in puritie without discipline. Disci- 
 pline standeth in the correctione of these thingis that ar 
 contrarie to Goddis law, for the edefieing of the kirk. 
 All estatis within the realme ar subject to the discipline 
 of the kirk, als weil reuleris and preicheris as the common 
 peopill. 
 
 In secreit and privie faultis the ordour prescrived be 
 our Maister suld be observed, quhairof we neid not to 
 wryte at length, seing it is largelie declared in the Buik 
 of Excommunication.* 
 
 Befoir the sentence proceid, labour sould be takin with 
 the giltie be his freindis, and publick prayer maid for his 
 conversione unto God. Quhen all is done, the minister 
 sould ask gif ony man will assuir the kirk of his obe- 
 dience, and gif ony man promeis, than the sentence sal 
 stay for that time. Gif efter publick proclameing of 
 thair namis they promeis obedience, that sould be de- 
 clarit to the kirk quha hard their former rebellione. 
 
 The sentence being ainis pronunced, na member of 
 the kirk sould have com panic with thame under pain of 
 excommunicatione, except sic personis as ar exemit be 
 the law. Thair children sould not be resavit to baptisme 
 in thair name, bot be sum member of the kirk quha sal 
 promeis for the children, and detaist the parentis impie- 
 tie. 
 
 Comittaris ofhorribil crymis worthie of death, gif the 
 civill sword spair them, thei sould be halden as deid to us, 
 and cursed in their factis. 
 
 Gif God move thair hartis to repentance, the kirk can- 
 not deny thame conciliatione, thair repentance being try- 
 ed and fund trew. Some of the elderis sould resave sic 
 personis publicklie in the kirk in taken of reconciliatione. 
 
 * The Book of Excommunication was written in the 1567 : So this 
 Summary was not written till some time after. 
 
92 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 X. Mariage. — Personis under cuir of utheris sal not 
 raary without thair consent lauchfullie requyrit. Quhen 
 the parentis and utheris ar hard and stub burn, than the 
 kirk and ma^istratis sould enter in the parentis rowme, 
 and decerne upone the equitie of the caus without aifec- 
 tione: the kirk and mao^istrat sal not sute for thame that 
 commit furnicatioun befoir thay sute the kirk. 
 
 Promeises of bairnes within aige ar null, except thay 
 be ratifeit efter thay cum to age. 
 
 Band of mariage suld be proclamit upon thrie seve- 
 rall Sondayis to tak away all excuse of impediment. 
 
 Commiteris of adulterie suld not be overseit be the 
 kirk, albeit the civil sword oversie thame, but suld be 
 estimit as deid and excommunicate in thair wickit fact. 
 Gif sic oifendaris desire earnestlie to be reconceilit to the 
 kirk, we dar not refuse thame, nor excommunicat them 
 quhame God has brocht to repentance. 
 
 The pairtie that is provin to be innocent suld be ad- 
 mittit to mariage againe. As for the pairtie offending, all 
 dout of mariage wald be removit if the civil sword wald 
 stryk according to Godis word. 
 
 XL Policie Policie is an exerceis of the kirk serving 
 
 for instructioun of the ignorant, inflaming of the learnit 
 to gritter service, and for reteining of the kirk of God in 
 gude ordor. 
 
 Of the partis of policie sum ar necessar, and sum not 
 necessar absolutlie. Necessar is the trew preiching of the 
 word, the right ministration of the sacramentis, the com- 
 mon prayeris, the instructioun of the zouth, the support of 
 the puir, and the punishment of vice: Bot singing of 
 psalmis, certaine dayis of the conventionis in the weik, 
 thryse or twise preiching on week-dayis, certain places of 
 Scripture to be red quhen thair is na sermone, with sic 
 thingis, ar not necessar. 
 
 In townes we requyre everie day aither sermon or 
 publick prayeris, with sum reiding of Scriptures. Pub- 
 lick prayers ar not neidfuU in the dayis of preiching, leist 
 thereby we suld nurische the peopill in superstitioun, 
 causing tham understand that the publick prayeris sue- 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE* 93 
 
 ceids to the Paplstlcall messe. In everi notabil towne we 
 requyre that at the leist anis in the weik beside the Sun- 
 day the haill peopill convene to the preiching. 
 
 The Sunday man be keipit straitlie in all townis baith 
 befoir none and efter for heiring of the word. At after- 
 none upon the Sunday the Catechisme sal be taught, the 
 children examinated, and the baptisme ministerit. Pub- 
 lick prayeris sal be usit upon the Sunday als weill after 
 none as befoir, quhen sermones cannot be had. 
 
 It apperteinis to the policie of everie particular kirk to 
 appoynt the time quhen the sacramentis sal be minis- 
 terit. 
 
 XII. Baptisme Baptisme maybe ministerit quhanso- 
 
 ever the word is preichit, bot we think it maist expedient 
 that it be ministerit upon Sunday, or upon the day of 
 common prayeris : Thus we tak away that error of the 
 Papistis concerning the estait of the infantis depairting 
 without baptisme. We bring the ministratioun of bap- 
 tisme to the presence of the peopill, to be keipit in grit- 
 ter reverence, and to put everie ane in rememberance of 
 the promesis of baptisme, in the quhilk now mony wax 
 faint and cauld. 
 
 XIII. The TabilL— The tabill of the Lord sal be mi- 
 nisterit foure times in the zeir, and out of the times of 
 superstitione. We judge the first Sunday of March, 
 Junii, September, and December, to be the meitest : Bot 
 this we leve to the judgement of the particular kirkis. 
 
 Let all ministeris be mair diligent to instruct the igno- 
 rant, and to suppress superstitioun, than to serve the 
 vaine appetytes of men. The ministratioun of the tabill 
 suld never be without scharp examinatioun ganging be- 
 foir; cheiflie of thame quhais life, ignorance, or religioun 
 is suspectit. Quha can nocht say the Lordis Prayer, the 
 Articles of the Faith, and declare the soume of the law, 
 suld not be admittit. Quhoso will stubburnly remaine 
 ignorant of the principall poyntis of our salvatioun suld 
 be excommunicat, with thair parentis and maisteris that 
 keip thame in that ignorance: Everie maister of houshald 
 
94 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 suld be commandit aither to instruct his children and 
 servants, or cause thame be instructit ; and gif thay will 
 not, the kirk suld proceid agains thame. 
 
 It is verie neidfuU that publick examinatioun of everie 
 persone be maid at the leist anis in the zeir, be the mini- 
 steris and elderis. 
 
 Everie maister and maisteris of houshald suld cum 
 with thair houshald and familie to give confessioun of 
 thair faith, and answer to the principall poyntis of our re- 
 ligioun. 
 
 We think it verie expedient that prayeris be had dayly 
 in privie houses at morne and at nicht, for the confort 
 and instructioun of utheris; and this to be done be the 
 maist grave and discreit persone of the house. 
 
 XIV. The Exerceis. — In townis quhair lernit men 
 ar, the exerceis of the Scriptures suld be weiklie. In 
 this exerceis thre onlie sal speik to the opening of the 
 text and edefeing of the peopill. This exerceis sal be 
 upon some places of Scripture, and openlie that all that 
 will may heir and speik thair judgment to the edefeing of 
 the kirk. In this kynd of exerceis the text is onlie openit 
 without any digressing or exortation, following the file 
 and dependance of the text, confuting all errors as occa- 
 sion sal be geven. Na man suld move a questioun the 
 quhilk himself is na abill to solve. 
 
 The exerceis being endit, the ministeris and elderis 
 present suld convene apairt and correct the thingis that 
 hes bein done or spokin without ordor, and not to the 
 edefeing of the kirk. In this public exerceis all affecta- 
 tioun and vaine curiositie man be abone all thingis escliew- 
 it, leist for edefeing we suld slander the kirk of God. 
 
 Ministeris within sax myles about suld cum in willing- 
 lie, and alse reideris that wald profeit suld cum baith to 
 teich uthers and to lerne: Uther lernit men, to quhame 
 God has gevin the gift of interpretatioun, suld be chairgit 
 to joyn themselfis. 
 
 XV. Schulis. — Because schulis ar the seid of the 
 ministrie, diligent cair suld be taken over thame that thay 
 
FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 95 
 
 be orderit in religioun and conversatioun according to the 
 word. Everie towne suld have ane schule-maister, and 
 a landwart the minister or reider suld teich the childrein 
 that cum to thame : Men suld be compellit be the kirk 
 and magistratis to send thair bairnes to the schulis, pure 
 menis childrein suld be helpit. 
 
 XVI. Universities. — Thie universities suld be erectit 
 in this realme, Sanct Andros, Glasgow, and Aberdein: 
 Thair ordor of proceiding, provision, and degreis, with 
 thair reideris and officeris, ar at length declarit in the Buik 
 of Discipline; how mony collegis, how mony classes in 
 everie college, and quhat suld be taucht in everie class, is 
 thair expressit. 
 
 A contributioun sal be maid at the entrie of the stu- 
 dentis for the uphalding of the place : And ane sufficient 
 stipend is ordeinit for everie member of the universitie 
 according to thair degrie. 
 
 XVII. Rentis of' the Kirk The haill rentis of the 
 
 kirk abusit in Papistrie, sal be referrit againe to the kirk, 
 that thairbe the ministrie, schulis, and the puir may be 
 menteinit within this realme according to thair first insti- 
 tutioun. 
 
 Everie man suld be suiferit to leid and use his awin 
 teithis, and nocht man suld leid ane uther manis teithis. 
 The upermest claithe, the cors-present, the cleirk-meill, 
 the pasche offeringis, teithe-ale, and haill uther sic thingis, 
 suld be dischargit. 
 
 The deaconis suld tak up the haill rentis of the kirk, 
 disponing thame to the ministrie, the schulis, and puir 
 within thair bounds, according to the appointment of the 
 kirk. 
 
 All Frearies, Noneries, Chantereis, Chapelanreis, An- 
 nualrentis, and all thingis dotit to the hospitalitie, sal be 
 reducit to the help of the kirk. Merchantis and craftis- 
 men in burgh suld contribute to the support of the kirk. 
 i' 
 
 XVIII. Bwiall. — We desire that buriall be sa honour- 
 ablie handlit that the hoip of our resurrectioun may be 
 
96 FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 nurischit; and all kynd of superstitione, idolatrie, and 
 quhatsumever thing proceideth of the fals opinione, may 
 be avoided. 
 
 At the buriall nether singing of psalmis nor reiding sal 
 be usit, leist the peopill sould be nurischit thairbe in that 
 auld superstitioun of praying for the deid: But this we 
 remitt to the judgement of the particular kirkis with ad- 
 vyce of the niinisteris. All superstitioun being removit, 
 ministeris sal not be burdenit with funeral sermonis, seing 
 that daylie sermonis are sufficient aneuch for ministering 
 of the living. Buriall sould be without the kirk in ane 
 fine air, and place wallit and keipit honourabillie. 
 
 XIX. Repairing of Kirkis — The kirk dois crave 
 maist earnestlie the Lordis thair assistance for hastie pre- 
 pairing of all paroch kirkis, quhair the peopill suld con- 
 vene for the heiring of the word and resaving of the 
 sacramentis: This reparatioun sould not onlie be in the 
 wallis and fabrick, but alse in all thingis neidfull within, 
 for the peopill and decencies of the place appoyntit for 
 Godis service. 
 
 XX. Punishment of Prof aner is of the Sacramentis. 
 — We desire strait lawis to be maid for punischment of 
 thame that abuse the sacramentis, als weill the ministeris 
 as reideris. The halie sacramentis ar abusit quhen the 
 minister is not lauchfullie callit, or quhen thay are gevin 
 to opin injurareis of the treuth or to profane leiveris; or 
 quhen they ar ministerit in an privie place without the 
 word preichit. The exempils of Scripturis do plainlie 
 declair that the abuseris of the sacramentis, and contem- 
 neris of the word, ar worthie of deith. 
 
 This our judgment for reformatioun of the kirk sal 
 beir witnes, baith befoir God and man, quhat we have 
 cravit of the nobilitie, and how thay have obeyit our 
 leiving admonitiounis. 
 
 Thus far out of the Buik of Discipline quhilk was 
 subscryvit be the Kirk and Lordis. 
 
THE 
 
 SECOND BUIK OF DISCIPLINE, 
 
 OR 
 
 HEIDIS AND CONCLUSIONES 
 
 OF 
 
 THE POLICIE OF THE KIRK, 
 
 AGREED UPON IN THE 
 
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1578; 
 
 Inserted in the Registers of Assembly 1581; 
 
 Sworn to in the National Covenant^ revived and ratified hy 
 
 the Assembly 1638, and by many other Act^ of Assembly, 
 
 AND ACCORDING TO WHICH 
 
 THE CHURCH GOVERNMENT 
 
 IS ESTABLISHED BY LAW, AN. 1592 AND 1690. 
 
 1 Cor. xiv. 40. 
 '• Let all things be done honestly, and by order.' 
 
THE 
 
 SECOND BUIK OF DISCIPLINE, 
 
 OB. 
 
 HEIDIS AND CONCLUSIONES 
 
 OF 
 
 THE POLICIE OF THE KIRK. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Of the Kirk and Policie thereof in generally and quherein 
 it is different from the Civi II Policie. 
 
 1. The kirk of God is siimtymes largelie takin, for all 
 them that professe the Evangill of Jesus Christ, and so 
 it is a company and fellowship not onely of the godly, but 
 also of hypocrites professing alwayis outwardly ane true 
 religion. Uther tymes it is takin for the godlie and elect 
 onlie, and sumtymes for them that exercise spiritual func- 
 tion amongis the congregation of them that professe the 
 truth. 
 
 2. The kirke in this last sense hes a certaine power 
 grantit be God, according to the quhilk it uses a proper 
 jurisdiction and governement, exerciseit to the confort of 
 the hole kirk. This power ecclesiasticall is an authoritie 
 grantit be God the Father, throw the Mediator Jesus 
 Christ, unto his kirk gatherit, and having the ground in 
 the word of God; to be put in execution be them, unto 
 quhom the spirituall government of the kirk be lawful 
 calling is committit. 
 
 3. The policie of the kirk flowing from this power, is 
 an order or forme of spirituall government, quhilk is ex- 
 ercisit be the members appoyntit thereto be the word of 
 God: And therefore is gevin immediatly to the office- 
 beararis, be quhom it is exercisit to the weile of the hole 
 
100 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 bodie. This power is cliverslie usit : For sumtyme it is 
 severally exercisit, chiefly by the teacharis, sumtyme con- 
 junctly be mutuall consent of them that beir the office 
 and charge, efter the forme of judgement. The former 
 is commonly callit potestas ordinis, and the uther potestas 
 jurisdictionis. These two kinds of power have both one 
 authority, one ground, one finall cause, but are different 
 in the manner and forme of execution, as is evident be 
 the speiking of our Master in the 1 6 and 1 8 of Matthew. 
 
 4. This power and policie ecclesiasticall is different 
 and distinct in the awin nature from that power and poli- 
 cie quhilk is callit the civill power, and appertenis to the 
 civill government of the common welth : Albeit they be 
 both of God, and tend to one end, if they be rightlie usit, 
 to ivit, to advance the glorie of God, and to have godlie 
 and gud subjectis. 
 
 5. For this power ecclesiasticall flowes immediatlie from 
 God, and the Mediator Jesus Christ, and is spirituall, 
 not having a temporall heid on earth, bot onlie Christ, 
 the onlie spirituall King and Governour of his kirk. 
 
 6. It is a title falslie usurpit be Antichrist, to call him- 
 selfe heid of the kirk, and aucht not to be attribute to 
 angel nor man, of what estait that ever he be, saving to 
 Christ the onlie Heid and Monarch of the kirk. 
 
 7. Therefore this power and policie of the kirk sould 
 leane upon the word immediatlie, as the onlie ground 
 thereof, and sould be tane from the pure fountaines of 
 the Scriptures, the kirk hearing the voyce of Christ the 
 onlie spirituall King, and being rewlit be his lawes. 
 
 8. It is proper to kings, princes, and magistrates to be 
 callit lordis, and dominators over their subjectis, whom 
 they govern civilly, bot it is proper to Christ onlie to be 
 callit Lord and Master in the spirituall government of the 
 kirk, and all uthers that beiiis office therein aucht not to 
 usurp dominion therein, nor be callit lordis, bot onlie 
 ministeris, disciples, and servantis. For it is Christis 
 proper office to command and rewU his kirk universall, 
 and every particular kirk, throw his Spirit and word, be 
 the ministrie of men. 
 
 9. Notwithstanding, as the ministeris and uthers of the 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 101 
 
 ecclesiasticall estait ar subject to the magistrat civill, so 
 aucht the person of the magistrat be subject to the kirk 
 spiritually, and in ecclesiasticall government. And the 
 exercise of both these jurisdictiones cannot stand in one 
 person ordinarlie. The civill power is callit the power of 
 the sword, and the uther the power of the keyes. 
 
 10. The civill power sould command the spiritual to 
 exercise and doe their office according to the word of 
 God : The spiritual rewlaris sould requyre the Christian 
 magistrate to minister justice, and punish vyce, and to 
 maintaine the libertie and quietness of the kirk within 
 their boundis. 
 
 11. The magistrate commandes externall thingis for 
 externall peace and quyetnes amongis the subjects : The 
 minister handles externall thingis onlie for conscience 
 cause. 
 
 12. The magistrat handles externall things onlie, and 
 actions done befoir men : Bot the spiritual rewlar judges 
 both inward affectionis and externall actionis, in respect 
 of conscience, be the word of God. 
 
 13. The civill magistrat craves and gettis obedience be 
 the sword, and uther externall meanis : Bot the ministrie* 
 be the spiritual sword, and spirituall meanis. 
 
 14. The magistrat neither aucht to preich, minister 
 the sacramentis, nor execute the censuris of the kirk, nor 
 yet prescryve any rewll how it sould be done ; bot 
 command the ministeris to observe the rewll commandit 
 in the word, and punish the transgressouris be civill 
 meanes : The ministeris exerce not the civill jurisdictioun, 
 bot teich the magistrat how it sould be exercit according 
 to the word. 
 
 15. The magistrat aucht to assist, mentain and fortilie 
 the jurisdiction of the kirk. The ministeris sould assist 
 their princes in all thingis agreiable to the word, providing 
 they neglect not their awin charge be involving themselfis 
 in civill affairis. 
 
 Finally, as ministeris are subject to the judgement and 
 
 * The copie in Spottiswood's History hath, "the minister." An old 
 manuscript hath, "the ministeris." 
 
102 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 punishment of the magistrat in externall things, if they 
 offend : So aucht the magistratis to submit themselfis to 
 the discipline of the kirk, gif they transgresse in matteris 
 of conscience and reliofioun. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the Pairtes of the Policie of' the Kirk, and Persons 
 or Office-heiraris to whom the Administratioun is 
 committit, 
 
 1 . As in the civill policie the haill common welth con- 
 sistis in them that ar governours or magistratis, and them 
 that ar governit or subjects : So in the policie of the kirk 
 sum ar appointit to be rewlaris, and the rest of the mem- 
 bers thereof to be revvlit, and obey according to the word 
 of God, and inspiratioun of his Spirit, alvvayis under one 
 heid and chiefe governour, Jesus Chiist. 
 
 2. Againe, the haill policie of the kirk consisteth in 
 three things, viz. in doctrine, discipline, and distribu- 
 tion. With doctrine is annexit the administratioun of 
 sacramentis. And according to the pairtes of this divi- 
 sion, arisis a threfald sort of office-beiraris in the kirk, 
 to wit, of ministeris or preachers, eldaris or governours, 
 and deaconis or distributeris. 
 
 3. And all these may be callit be ane general! word, 
 ministers of the kirk. For albeit the kirk of God be 
 rewiit and governit be Jesus Christ, who is the onlie 
 King, hie Priest, and Heid thereof, yit he useis the mi- 
 nistry of men, as the most necessar middis* for this pur- 
 pose. For so he lies from tyme to tyme, befoir the law, 
 under the law, and in the tyme of the Evangell, for our 
 great comfort raisit up men indewit with the giftis of his 
 Spreit, for the spiritual! government of his kirk, exercis- 
 ing be them his awin power, throw his Spreit and word 
 to the beilding of the same. 
 
 4. And to take away all occasion of tyrannic, he willis 
 that they sould rewl with mutuall consent of brether, 
 
 * An old manuscript bath, " as maist necessar servandis for his purpose." 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 103 
 
 and equality of power, every one according to thair fimc- 
 tiones. 
 
 5. In the New Testament, and tyme of the Evangell, 
 he hes usit the ministry of the apostles, prophetis, evan- 
 gelistes, pastouris and doctoris in the administratioun of 
 the word : the elderschip for gude order, and admini- 
 stratioun of discipline : the deaconschip to have the cure 
 of the ecclesiasticall gudis. 
 
 6. Sum of thir ecclesiasticall functiones ar ordinar, 
 and sum extraordinar or temporarie. There be three 
 extraordinary functiones, the office of the apostle, of the 
 evangelist, and of the prophet, quhilkis ar not perpetuall, 
 and now have ceisit in the kirk of God, except quhen it 
 pleasit God extraordinarly for a tyme to steir sum of 
 them up againe. There are foure ordinarie functiones or 
 offices in the kirk of God, the office of the pastor, mini- 
 ster or bishop ; the doctor ; the presbyter or eldar ; and 
 the deacon. 
 
 7. Thir offices ar ordinar, and audit to continue per- 
 petually in the Idrk, as necessur for the government and 
 policie of the same, and no moe offices aucht to be re- 
 ceivit or sufFerit in the trew kirk of God, establishit ac- 
 cording to his word.* 
 
 8. Therefore all the ambitious titles inventit in the 
 kingdome of antichrist, and in his usurpit hierarchic, 
 quhilkis ar not of ane of these foure sorts, togither with 
 the offices depending thereupon, in ane word aucht all ut- 
 terlie to be rejectit. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 How the Persones that heir Ecclesiasticall Functiones 
 ar admitted to thair Office, 
 
 1. Vocation or calling is common to all that sould beir 
 office within the kirk, quhilk is a lawfuU way, be the 
 quhilk qualifiet persones ar promotit to any spiritual 
 office within the kirk of God : without this lawful calling 
 
 * An old manuscript hath, *' be his word." 
 
104 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLlNlfi. 
 
 it was never leisum to any person to medle with any 
 function ecclesiasticall. 
 
 2. There are twa sorts of calling, ane extraordinar be 
 God himself immediatelie, as war of the prophetis and 
 apostiles, quhilk in kirks establishit and well already re- 
 formit hes no place. 
 
 3. The uther calling is ordinar, quhilk besydes the 
 calling of God, and inward testimonie of a gude con- 
 science, hes the lawfuU approbation and outward judge- 
 ment of men, according to Godis word, and order esta- 
 blishit in his kirk. Nane aucht to presume to enter in 
 any office ecclesiasticall without he have this testimony of 
 a good conscience before God, who only knaws the hartis 
 of men. 
 
 4. This ordinar and outward calling hes twa parts, 
 election and ordination. Election is the chusing out of 
 a person or persons maist abile to the office that vaikes, 
 be the judgement of the elderschip and consent of the 
 congregation, to whom the person or persons beis ap- 
 pointed. The qualities in generall requisite in all them 
 wha sould beir charge in the kirk, consist in soundness 
 of religion, and gocllines of lyfe, according as they ar 
 sufficiently set furth in the word. 
 
 5. In this ordinar election* it is to be eschewit, that 
 na person be intrusit in ony of the offices of the kirk, 
 contrar to the will of the congregation to whom they ar 
 appointed, or without the voce of the elderschip. Nane 
 aucht to be intrusit, or placeitf in the places alreadie 
 plantit, or in any roume that vaikes not, for any warldlie 
 respect : and that quhilk is callit the benefice aucht to be 
 nothing else, but the stipend of the ministers that ar law- 
 fullie callit. t 
 
 6. Ordinatione is the separatione and sanctifying of 
 the persone appointit to God and his kirk,|| eftir he be 
 
 * An old manuscript and some printed copies have, *' in the order of 
 election." 
 
 t An old manuscript hath, ** or enterit in the places ;" the copie which 
 is in Spottiswood's History, " or placed in the miiiistery in places." 
 
 J An old manuscript hath, "callit and electit." 
 
 II The old manuscript hath, "be God and his kirk." Spottiswood 
 hath, "by," &c. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 105 
 
 Weill tryit and fund qualifiet. The ceremonies ot ordi- 
 natione are fasting, earnest prayer, and imposition of 
 hands of the elderschip. 
 
 7. All thir, as they must be raisit up be God, and be 
 him made able for the wark quhairto they ar eallit ; so 
 aucht they knaw their message to be limitit within God's 
 word, without the quhilk bounds they aucht not to passe. 
 All thir sould tak these titils and names onlie (leist they 
 be exaltit and puft up in themselfis) quhilk the Scrip- 
 tures gevis unto them, as these quhilks import labour, 
 travell and wark ; and ar names of offices, and service, 
 and not of idleness, dignitie, warldlie honour or prehemi- 
 nence,* quhilk be Christ our Maister is expresUe reprovit 
 and forbidden. 
 
 8. All these office-beararis sould have their awin par- 
 ticular flockis amongst whom they exercise their charge, 
 and sould mak residence with them, and tak the inspec- 
 tion and oversicht of them, every ane in his vocation. 
 And generallie thir twa things aucht they all to respect, 
 the glorie of God, and edifieing of his kirk, in dischar- 
 ging their dewties in their callings. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of the Office-beararis in particular^ and first of the 
 Pastoris or Ministeris, 
 
 1. Pastors, bischops, or ministers, ar they wh a are ap- 
 pointit to particular congregationes, quhilk they rewil 
 be the word of God, and over the quhilk they watch. 
 In respect whairof, sumetyme they ar eallit pastors, be- 
 caus they feid their congregation ; sumetyme episcopi^ 
 or bischops, because they watch over their flock; sume- 
 tymes ministers be reason of their service and office ; and 
 sumetymes also presbyters or seniors, for the gravity in 
 manners, quhilk they aucht to have in taking cure of 
 the spirituall government, quhilk aucht to be most deir 
 unto them. 
 
 Some copies have, " honour or warldlie preferment. 
 
 5 2 
 
106 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 2. They that are callit unto the ministrie, or that offer 
 themselfis thereunto, aucht not to be eleetit without ane 
 certain flock be assignit unto them. 
 
 3. Na man aucht to ing-yre himselfe, or usurpe this 
 office without lawfull calling. 
 
 4. They that ar anis callit be God, and dewlie eleetit 
 be man, eftir that they have anis acceptit the charge of 
 the ministrie, may not leive their functions : the deser- 
 tours sould be admonishit, and in case of obstinacie final- 
 lie excommunicate. 
 
 5. Na pastor may leive his flock, without licence* of 
 the provinciall or nationall Assemblie, quhilk gif he do 
 eftir admonition not obeyit, let the censures of the kirk 
 stryke upon him. 
 
 6. Unto the pastors apperteinis teaching of the word 
 of God, in season and out of season, publicklie and pri- 
 vatelie, alwayes travelling to edilie and discharge his con- 
 science, as God's word prescryves to him. 
 
 7. Unto the pastors onlie apperteins the administra- 
 tion of the sacramentis, in lyke manner as the adminis- 
 tration of the word : for baith ar appointit be God as 
 meanes to teach us, the ane be the ear, and the uther be 
 the eyes and uther senses, that be baith knawledge may 
 be transferrit to the mynde. 
 
 8. It apperteinis be the same reason to the pastors to 
 pray for the people, and namely for the flock committed 
 to his charge, and to blesse them in the name of the 
 Lord, who will not sufi'er the blessings of his faithfull 
 servants to be frustrat. 
 
 9. He aucht also to watch over the maimers of his 
 flock, that the better he may apply the doctrine to them 
 in reprehending the dissolute persons, and exhorting the 
 aodlie to continue in the feir of the Lord. 
 
 10. It apperteines to the minister eftir lawfull proceid- 
 ingt be the elderschip, to pronunce the sentence of 
 binding and lowsing upon any person, according unto the 
 power of the keyes grantit unto the kirk. 
 
 ' An old manuscript hath, "advyce." 
 
 t An old manuscript hath, " it apperteinis to the minister be lawfull 
 prcconcluding with the eldersliip," Sec. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 107 
 
 1 1 . It belongs to him lykewyse, eftir lawfull proceid- 
 ing in the matter be the elderschip, to solemiiizate ma- 
 nage betwixt them that ar to be joy nit therein ; and to 
 pronounce the blessing of the Lord upon them that en- 
 ter in that holie band in the feir of God. 
 
 1 2. And generallie all publick denunciations that ar 
 to^be made in the kirk before the congregation, concern- 
 ing the ecclesiasticall affaires, belong to the office of a mi- 
 nister ; for he is as a messenger and herauld betwix God 
 and the people in all these affairs. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Of Doctors and thair Office ^ and of the Schoolt's. 
 
 1. Ane of the twa ordinar and perpetuall functions 
 that travell in the word, is the office of the Doctor, quha 
 also may be callit Prophet, Bischop, Elder, Catechizar, 
 that is, teicher of the Catechisme, and rudiments of re- 
 ligione. 
 
 2. His office is to open up the mynde of the Spirit of 
 God in the Scriptures simplie, without sic applications as 
 the ministers usis, to the end that the faithful! may be 
 instructit, and sound doctrine teichit, and that the purity 
 of the Gospell be not corruptit throw ignorance or evill 
 opinions. 
 
 3. He is different from the pastor not onely in name, 
 but in diversity of gifts. For to the Doctor is gine the 
 word of knawledge, to open up be simple teiching the 
 mysteries of faith; to the Pastor the gift of wisedome, to 
 apply the same be exhortation to the manners of the 
 flock, as occasion craveth. 
 
 4. Under the name and office of a Doctor, we compre- 
 hend also the order in schooles, colledges and univer- 
 sities, quhilk hes bene from tyme to tyme carefullie main- 
 tainit als w eill amang the Jewes and Christians as amangs 
 the prophane nations. 
 
 5. The Doctor being an elder, as said is, sould assist 
 the pastor in the government of the kirk, and concurre 
 with the elders his brethren in all assemblies ; be reason 
 
108 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 the interpretation of the word, quhilk is onlie judge in 
 ecclesiasticall matters, is committit to his charge. 
 
 6. Bot to preich unto the people, to minister the sa- 
 craments, and to celebrate manages, perteines not to the 
 Doctor, unlesse he be utherwyse callit ordinarly ; how- 
 beit the pastor may teich in the schoolis, as he wha hes 
 also the gift of knawledge oftentimes meit therefore, as 
 the examples of Polycarpus and uthers testifie. 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 OfElaers, and their Office. 
 
 1 . The word Eldar in the Scripture sumetyme is the 
 name of age, sumetyme of office. When it is the name 
 of ane office, sumetyme it is taken largely, comprehend- 
 ing als Weill the Pastors and Doctors, as them who ar 
 callit seniors or elders. 
 
 2. In this our division, we call these elders, whom the 
 Apostles call presidents or governours. Their office as 
 it is ordinar, so is it perpetuall, and alwayes necessar in 
 the kirk of God. The elderschip is a spirituall function, 
 as is the ministrie. Eldarls anis lawfully callit to the 
 office, and having gifts of God meit to exercise the same, 
 may not leive it again. Albeit sic a number of eldars 
 may be chosen in certane congregations, that ane pairt of 
 them may reliefe anuther for a reasonable space, as was 
 among the Levites under the law in serving of the tem- 
 ple. The number of the eldars in every congregation 
 cannot weill be limitit, but sould be according to the 
 bounds and necessitie of the people. 
 
 3. It is not necessar that all elders be also teichars of 
 the word, albeit the chief aucht to be sic,* and swa ar 
 worthie of double honour. What manner of persons they 
 aucht to be, we referre it to the expresse word of God, 
 and namely the Canons written be the Apostle Paul. 
 
 4. Their office is als weill severallie as conjunctlie, to 
 
 * The copie in Spottiswood's History and several manuscripts have, 
 " albeit chiefly they aucht to be sic." 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 109 
 
 watch diligently upon the flock committit to their charpre, 
 baith piiblickly and privately, that na corruption of reli- 
 gion or manners enter therein. 
 
 5. As the Pastors and Doctors sould be diligent in 
 teiching and sawing the seid of the word, so the elders 
 sould be cairfuU in seikino^ the fruit of the same in the 
 people. 
 
 6. It apperteines to them to assist the pastor in exa- 
 mination of them that cumis to the Lord's table: Item, 
 in visiting the sick. 
 
 7. They sould cause the actes of the Assemblies, als 
 Weill particular as generall, to be put in execution caire- 
 fullie.* 
 
 8. They sould be diligent in admonishing all men of 
 their dewtie according: to the rewl of the Evanp^ell. 
 Things that they cannot correct be privat admonitions, 
 they sould bring to the assemblie of the elderschip. 
 
 9. Their principall office is to hald assemblies with the 
 pastors and doctors who ar also of thair number, for 
 establishing of gude ordor, and execution of discipline. 
 Unto the quhilks assemblies all persones ar subject that 
 remain within thair bounds. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 OftheEldarschips, and Assemblies, and Discipline. 
 
 1 . Elderschips and assemblies are commonlie constitute 
 of Pastors, Doctors, and sic as we commonlie call Elders, 
 that labour not in the word and doctrine, of quhom, and 
 of whais severall power hes bene spokin. 
 
 2. Assemblies ar of four sortis. For aither ar they of 
 particular kirks and congregations ane or ma, or of a 
 province, or of ane haill nation, or of all and divers na- 
 tions professing one Jesus Christ. 
 
 3. All the ecclesiasticall assemblies have power to con- 
 vene lawfully togidder for treating of things concerning 
 the kirk, and perteining to thair charge. They have 
 
 * An Old manuscript hath, *' als weill particular, as provincial or gener^," 
 
110 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 power to appoynt twines and places to that effect; and at 
 ane meiting to appoint the dyet, time and place for an- 
 uther. 
 
 4. In all assemblies ane moderator sould be chosen be 
 common consent of the haill brethren convenit, who sould 
 propone matters, g-ather the votes, and cause gude ordor 
 to be keipit in the assemblies. Diligence sould be taken, 
 chiefly be the moderator, that onlie ecclesiasticall things 
 be handlit in the assemblies, and that there be na med- 
 lino; with onv thino; perteining to the ci\iil jurisdiction. 
 
 5. Every assembly hes power to send furth from them 
 of their awin number, ane or moe visitours to sie how all 
 thino^-s beis rewlit in the bounds of thair jurisdiction. Vi- 
 sitation of mae kirks is na ordinar office ecclesiastick in the 
 person of ane man, naither may the name of a Bischop be 
 attribute to the visitor onlie, naither is it necessar to abyde 
 alwaves in ane man's person, but it is the part of the el- 
 dersehip to send out qualifeit persons to ^isit pro re nata. 
 
 6. The tinall end of all assemblies is first to keip the 
 reliofion and doctrine in puritie, witJiout error and cor- 
 ruption. Next, to keip cumelines and ^ude ordor in the 
 kirk. 
 
 7. For this orders cause, they may make certane rewls 
 and constitutions apperteining to the gude behaviour of 
 all the members of the kirk in thair vocation. 
 
 S. They have power also to abrogate and abolish all 
 statutes and ordinances concernino: ecclesiasrlcall matters 
 that are found noysome and unprofitable, and agrie not 
 with the tyme, or ar abusit be the people. 
 
 9. They have j>ower to execute ecclesiastical discipline 
 and punishment upon all transgressors, and proud con- 
 temners of the gude order and policie of the kirk, and 
 6wa the haill discipline is in thair hands. 
 
 10. The first k}Tide and sort of assemblies, although 
 they be within particular congregations, yet they exerce 
 the flower, authoritie, and jurisdiction oi the kirk with 
 mutuall consent, and therefore beir sumtyme the name ot 
 the kirk. When we speik oi the elders of the particular 
 congregations, we mein not that even.* particular parish 
 kiik can, or may have their awin particular elderschips. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. Ill 
 
 specially to landwart, bot we think thrie or four, mae or 
 fewar particular kirks, may have ane common elderschip 
 to them all, to judge thair ecclesiasticall causes. Albeit 
 this is meit that some of the elders be chosen out of every 
 particular congregation, to concurre with the rest of their 
 brethren in the common assemblie, and to take up the 
 delations of offences within their awin kirks, and bring 
 them to the Assemblie. This we gather of the practise 
 of the primitive kirk, where elders or colleges of seniors 
 were constitute in cities and famous places. 
 
 11. The power of thir particular elderschips, is to use 
 diligent labours in the boundis committit to thair charge, 
 that the kirks be kepit in gude order, to inquire diligently 
 of nauchtie and unruly persons, and to travell to bring 
 them in the way againe, aither be admonition or threat- 
 ning of God's judgements, or be correction. 
 
 12. It pertaines to the elderschip to take held, that the 
 word of God be purely preichit within their bounds, the 
 sacraments rightly ministrat, the discipline rightly man- 
 tenit, and the ecclesiasticall gudes uncorruplie distributit. 
 
 13. It belangs to this kynde of assembly, to cause the 
 ordinances made be the assemblies provinciall, nationall, 
 and generall, to be keipit, and put in execution. To mak 
 constitutions qiihilk concerne to ^o:-o> in the kirk, for 
 the decent order of these particular kirks* where they 
 governe: Pro vy ding they alter no rewls made by the ge- 
 neral or pro^^inciall assemblies, and that they mak the 
 pro\"inciall assemblies foresein of these rewls that they sal 
 mak, and abolish them that tend to the hurt of the same. 
 
 14. It hes power to excommunicat the obstinat. 
 
 15. The power of election of them who beir ecclesias- 
 ticall charges, perteines to this kynde of assemblie, within 
 thair a^vin bounds, being well erectit, and constitute of 
 many pastors and elders of sufficient abilitie. 
 
 16. By the like reason their deposition also perteins to 
 this kynde of assemblie, as of them that teich erronious 
 and corrupt doctrine; that be of sclanderous lyfe, and 
 efter admonition desist not; that be gine to schisme or 
 
 * An old manuscript h&ib, " Paroch kirks. " 
 
112 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 rebellion against the kirke, manifest blasphemie, simonie, 
 corruption of brybes, falsett, perjurie, whoredome, thift, 
 drunkennes, feghting- worthy of punishment be the law, 
 usurie, dancing-, infamie, and all uthers that deserve se- 
 paration fra the kirk : These also who are fund altogither 
 unsufficient to execute their charge sould be deposit. 
 Quhairof uther kirks wald be advertisit, that they receive 
 not the persons deposit. 
 
 17. Yet they aucht not to be deposit, wha throw age, 
 sicknes, or uther accidents, become unmeit to do thair 
 office ; in the quhilk case their honour sould remain to 
 them, their kirk soukl mantein them ; and uthers aucht 
 to be provedit to do thair office. 
 
 18. Provinciall assemblies we call lawful conventions 
 of the pastors, doctors, and uther eldaris of a province, 
 gatherit for the common affaires of the kirkes thereof, 
 quhilk also may be callit the conference of the kirk and 
 brethren. 
 
 19. Thir assemblies are institute for weighty matters, 
 to be intreatit be mutuall consent and assistance of the 
 brethren within that province, as neid requyres. 
 
 20. This assemblie hes power to handle, order, and 
 redresse all things ommittit or done amisse in the parti- 
 cular assemblies. It hes power to depose the office-beir- 
 ers of that province for gude and just causes deserving 
 deprivation. And generallie thir assemblies have the 
 haill power of the particular elderschips whairof they ar 
 collectit. 
 
 21. The nationall assemblie quhilk is generall to us, 
 is a lawfuU convention of the haill kirks of the realm, or 
 nation, where it is usit and gatherit for the common af- 
 faires of the kirk ; and may be callit the generall elder- 
 ship of the haill kirk within the realme. Nane ar subject 
 to repaire to this assemblie to vote bot ecclesiasticall per- 
 sons to sic a number as shall be thocht gude be the same 
 assemblie: Not excluding uther persons that will repaire 
 to the said assemblie to propone, heir and reason. 
 
 22. This assemblie is institute, that all things aither 
 omittit, or done amisse in the provinciall assemblies, may 
 be redressit and haiidlit ; And things generally serving 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 113 
 
 for the Weill of the haill bodie of the kirk within the 
 realme may be foirsein, intreatit, and set furth to Godis 
 glorie. 
 
 23. It sould tak cair, that kirks be plantit in places 
 quhair they are not plantit. It sould prescryve the rewU 
 how the uther twa kynds of assemblies sould proceid in 
 all things. 
 
 24. This assemblie sould tak heid, that the spirituall 
 jurisdiction and civill be not confoundit to the hurt of 
 the kirk : That the patrimonie of the kirk be not con- 
 sumit* nor abusit: And generallie concerning all weighty 
 aifaires that concerne the weill and gude ordor of the 
 haill kirks of the realm, it aucht to interpone authoritie 
 thairto. 
 
 25. There is besydes these, an uther mair generall 
 kynde of assemblie, quhilk is of all nations and estaits of 
 persons within the kirk, representing the universall kirk 
 of Christ : Quhilk may be callit properlie the Generall 
 Assemblie or Generall Councell of the haill kirk of God. 
 
 These assemblies were appoyntit and callit together, 
 specially when ony great schisme or contraversie in doc- 
 trine did aryse in the kirk, and wer convocat at command 
 of godlie emperours being for the tyme, for avoiding of 
 schismes within the universal kirk of God : Quhilk because 
 they apperteine not to the particular estait of ane realme, 
 we ceis further to speik of them. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Of the Deaconis and thair Office^ the last ordinar Func- 
 tion in the Kirk. 
 
 1. The word ^li-AO'jog sumtymes is largely takin, 
 comprehending all them that beir office in the ministrie 
 and spirituall function in the kirk: Bot now, as we speik, 
 it is taken only for them, unto whom the collection and 
 distribution of the almes of the faithfuU and ecclesiasticall 
 gudes does belang. 
 
 • An old manuscript hath, " diminishit or abusit. 
 
114 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 2. The office of the deacons sa takin, is an ordinar 
 and perpetuall ecclesiasticall function in the kirk of 
 Christ. Of what properties and dewties he oucht to be 
 that is callit to this function, we remit it to the manifest 
 Scriptures. The deacon aucht to be callit and electit as 
 the rest of the spirituall officers, of the quilk election 
 was spoken befoir. 
 
 3. Thair office and power is to receave, and to distri- 
 bute the haill ecclesiasticall gudes unto them to whom 
 they ar appoyntit. This they aucht to do according to 
 the judgement, and appoyntment of the Presbyteries or 
 elderschips (of the quhilk the deacons ar not) that the 
 patrimonie of the kirk and puir be not convertit to pri- 
 vat mens usis, nor wrangfuUie distributit. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Of the Patrimonie of the Kirk, and Distribution thair of, 
 
 1. Be the patrimonie of the kirk we mein whatsum- 
 ever thing hath bene at ony tyme before, or shall be in 
 tymes coming gevin; or be consent or universall custome 
 of countries professing the Christian religion, applyit to 
 the publique use and utilitie of the kirk. Swa that under 
 the patrimonie we comprehend all things gevin, or to be 
 gevin to the kirk and service of God, as lands, biggings, 
 possessions, annual-rents, and all sic lyke, wherewith the 
 kirk is dotit, aither be donations, foundations,'mortifications, 
 or ony uther lawfuU titles, of Kings, Princes, or ony per- 
 sons inferiour to them ; togither with the continuall ob- 
 lations of the faithfuU. We comprehend also all sic things 
 as be lawis or custome, or use of countries, hes bene ap- 
 plyit to the use and utilitie of the kirk ; of the quhilk 
 sort ar teinds, manses, gleibs, and sic lyke, quhilks be 
 common and municipall lawis and universall custome ar 
 possessit be the kirk. 
 
 2. To tak ony of this patrimonie be unlawfull meinis, 
 and convert it to the particular and profane use of ony 
 person, we hald it ane detestable sacriledge befoir God. 
 
 3. The gudes ecclesiasticall aucht to be collectit, and 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 115 
 
 distributit be the deacons, as the word of God appoynts, 
 that they who beir office in the kirk be providit for 
 without cair or solicitude. In the apostolicall kirk, the 
 deacons wer appoyntit to collect and distribute quhat- 
 sumevir was coUectit of the faithfuU to distribute unto 
 the nece«sitie of the saincts; sa that nane lackit amang 
 the faithfull. These collections war not onlie of that 
 quhilk was collectit in manner of almes, as sume sup- 
 pose ; but of uther gudes, moveable and unmoveable, of 
 lands and possessions, the price quhairof was brocht to 
 the feit of the Apostles. This office continuit in the 
 deacons hands, quha intromettit with the haill gudes of 
 the kirk, ay and whil the estate therof was corruptit be 
 Antichrist, as the ancient canons beir witnes. 
 
 4. The same canons mak mention of ane fourfald dis- 
 tribution of the patrimonie of the kirk, quhairof ane part 
 was applyit to the pastor or bischop for his sustentation 
 and hospitalitie; anuther to the elders and deacons, and 
 all the clergie; the third to the puir, sick persons and 
 strangers; the fourth to the uphald and uther affaires of 
 the kirk, speciallie extraordinar: We adde hereunto the 
 schules and schuile-maisters also, quhilk aucht and may 
 be Weill susteinit of the same gudes, and ar comprehend- 
 ed under the clergie. To wham we joyn also clerks of 
 assemblies als weill particular as generall; syndicks or 
 procutors of the kirk affaires, takers up of psalmes, and 
 sic lyke uther ordinar officers of the kirk, sa far as they 
 ar necessar. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 Of the Office of a Christian Magistrat in the Kirk. 
 
 1. Although all the members of the kirk be halden 
 every ane in their vocation, and according therto to ad- 
 ♦vance the kingdom of Jesus Christ sa far as lyis in their 
 pbwer; yit chiefly Christian Princes, and uther magis- 
 trates, ar halden to do the same : For they ar callit in the 
 Scripture nourishers of the kirk, for sameikle as be them 
 it is, or at least aucht to be manteinit, fosterit, uphalden, 
 
1 16 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE* 
 
 and defendit agains all that wald procure the hurt there- 
 of. 
 
 2. Sua it perteinis to the office of a Christian magistrat 
 to assist and fortifie the godly proceidings of the kirk in all 
 behalfes; and namely to sie that the publique estait and 
 ministrie thereof be manteinit and susteinit as it apper- 
 teins, according to Godis word. 
 
 3. To sie that the kirk be not invadit nor hurt be 
 false teichers and hyrelings, nor the rowmes therof be 
 occupyit be dumb dogs, or idle bellies. 
 
 4. To assist and manteine the discipline of the kirk; 
 and punish them civilly, that will not obey the censure 
 of the same, without confounding alwayis the ane juris- 
 diction with the uther. 
 
 5. To sie that sufficient provision be made for the mi- 
 nistrie, the schules, and the puir: And if they have not 
 sufficient to awaite upon their charges, to supplie their 
 indigence even with their awin rents, if neid require. 
 To hald hand als weill to the saving of their persons 
 from injurie and opin violence; as to their rents and pos- 
 sessions, that they be not defraudit, robbit, nor spuilziet 
 thereof. 
 
 6. Not to suffer the patrimony of the kirk to be apply it 
 to profane and unlawful uses, or to be devorit be idle 
 bellies, and sic as have na lawfull function in the kirk, 
 to the hurt of the ministry, schules, puire, and other 
 godly uses, quhairupon the same aucht to be bestowit. 
 
 7. To mak lawis and constitutions agreeable to God's 
 word, for advancement of the kirk, and policie therof; 
 without usurping ony thing that perteins not to the civil 
 sword, bot belangs to the offices that ar meirHe ecclesiasti- 
 call, as is the ministrie ofthe word and sacramentis, using 
 of ecclesiasticall discipline, and the spirituall execution 
 thereof, or ony part of the power of the spirituall key is, 
 quhilks our Maister gave to the Apostles, and their trew 
 successours. And although Kings and Princes that be 
 godlie, sumtymes be their awin authority, whan the kirk 
 is corruptit, and all things out of ordor, place ministers, 
 and restore the trew service of the Lord, efter the ex- 
 amples of sum godly Kings of Juda, and divers godly 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 117 
 
 Emperours and Kings also in the liclit of the New Tes- 
 tament: Yit quhair the ministrie of the kirk is anes law- 
 fullie constitute, and they that are placeit do thair office 
 faithfullie, all godlie princes and magistratis aucht to 
 heir and obey thair voice, and reverence the majestic of 
 the Son of God speiking be them. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Of the present Ahises remaining in the Kirk, quhilks 
 we desyre to be Reformit. 
 
 1. As it is the dewtle of the godlie magistrat to man- 
 tein the present libertie quhilk God of his mercie hes 
 grantit to the preaching of his word, and the trew admi- 
 nistration of the sacraments within this realme ; sa is it 
 to provyde, that all abuses quhilks as yit remaine in the 
 kirk be removit, and utterly takin away. 
 
 2. Thairfoir first the admission of men to Papisticall 
 titles of benefices, sic as serve not, nor have na function 
 in the reformit kirk of Christ, as abbottis, commendato- 
 ris, prioris, prioressis, and uther titles of abbyis, quhais 
 places are now for the maist pairt be the just judgement 
 of God demolishit and purgit of idolatrie, is plaine abu- 
 sion, and is not to receive the kingdom of Christ amangs 
 us, hot rather to refuse it. 
 
 3. Siclyke that they that of auld wer callit the chapi- 
 ters and convents of abbayis, cathedrall kirks, and the 
 lyke places, serve for nathing now, bot to set fewes and 
 tacks, if ony thing be left of the kirklands and teinds, in 
 hurt and prejudice thairof, as daily experience teiches, 
 and thairfoir aucht to be utterly abrogat and abolishit. 
 Of the lyke nature ar the deanes, archdeanes, chantors, 
 subchantors, thesaurers, chancellars, and uthers having 
 the lyke titles flowing from the Pape and canon law onlie, 
 wha heve na place in the reformit kirk. 
 
 4. The kirks also quhilks ar unitit together, and joyn- 
 it be annexation to thair benefices, aucht to be separatit 
 and dividit, and gine to qualifiet ministers, as God's word 
 craves. 
 
118 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 5. Neither aucht sic abusers of the kirk's patrimony 
 to have vote in Parliament, nor sit in councell under the 
 name of the kirk and kirk-men, to the hurt and preju- 
 dice of the libertie thairof, and lawes of the realm made 
 in favouris of the reformit kirk. 
 
 6. Meikle less is it lawfull, that ony person amang 
 these men sould have fyve, sax, ten or twenty kirks, or 
 mae, all having the charge of saules:* and bruik the pa- 
 trimonie thairof, either be admission of the prince, or of 
 the kirk, in this licht of the Evangell; for it is but 
 mockage to crave reformation where sic lyke hes place. 
 
 7. t^nd albeit it was thocht gude, for avoyding of 
 greater inconvenientis, that the auld possessors of sic be- 
 nefices quha had imbracit the trew religion, suld injoy be 
 permission the twa pairt of the rentis quhilks they pos- 
 sesst of befoir induring thair lyfetyme ; Yit it is not tolera- 
 bil to continew in the lyke abuse, to geve thaise places 
 and uthers benefices of new to als unmeit men or rather 
 unmeitar, quha ar not myndit to serve in the kirk, bot 
 leif an idle lyfe as uthers did quha bruikit them in the 
 tyme of blindnes. 
 
 8. And in sa farr as in the order takin at Leith in the 
 zeir of our Lord 1571, it appeires that sic may be admit- 
 tit, being found qualifiet; either that pretendit order is 
 agains all gude ordor, or else it must be understood not 
 of them that be qualifiet in worldly affaires or to serve in 
 court; bot of sic as are qualifiet to teich Godis word, 
 having their lawfull admission of the kirk. 
 
 9. As to Bischops, if the name iTnax-oTrog be properly 
 takin, they ar all ane with the ministers, as befoir was 
 declairit. For it is not a name of superioritie and lord- 
 schip, bot of office and watching. Yit because in the 
 corruption of the kirk, this name (as uthers) hes bene 
 
 * The copy in Calderwood's History, that printed anno 1621 in 4to, and 
 
 thatprintedin 8vo, anno 1682, have, "all craving the charge of souls." An 
 old manuscript hath, '* and have the charge of thair saules." The copy 
 in Spottis wood's History hath, " all having the cure of soules." 
 
 t This paragraph is not in the copy which is in Calderwood's History ; 
 neither is it in the copy printed iu 4to,*anno 1621, nor in that printed in 
 8vo, anno 1682. But it is in the Church registers and other manuscripts, 
 »nd in Spottiswood's History. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 119 
 
 abusit, and yit is lykelie to be; we cannot allow the fashion 
 of thir new chosin bischops, neither of the chapiters that 
 ar electors of them to sic offices as they ar chosen to. 
 
 10. Trew bischops sould addict themselves to ane par- 
 ticular flock, quhilk sindry of them refuses, neither sould 
 they usurpe lordship over their brethren and over the 
 inheritance of Christ, as these men doe. 
 
 1 1 . Pastors, in sa far as they ar pastors, have not the 
 office of visitation of mae kirks joy nit to the pastorship, 
 without it be gine them. It is a corruption, that bischops 
 sould have farder boundis to visit, nor they may lawful- 
 lie.* Na man aucht to have the office of visitation, bot 
 he that is lawfully chosin be the Presbytrie thereunto. 
 The elderschips being well establishit, have power to 
 send out visitors ane or mae, with commission to visit 
 the bounds within thair elderschip: And siclyke eftir 
 compt takin of them, either continew them, or remove 
 them from tyme to tyme, to the quhilks elderschips they 
 shall be alwayes subject. 
 
 12. The criminal! jurisdiction inf the person of a 
 pastor, is a corruption. 
 
 13. It agries not with the word of God that bischops 
 sould be pastors of pastors, pastors of monie flocks ; and 
 yit without ane certaine flock, and without ordinar teich- 
 ing. It agries not with the Scriptures, that they sould be 
 ex emit fra the correction of their brethren, and discipline 
 of the particular elderschip of the kirk, where they shall 
 serve ; neither that they usurpe the office of visitation of 
 uther kirks, nor ony uther function besyde uther mini- 
 sters, bot sa far as sail be committit to them be the kirk. 
 
 14. Heirfoir we desyre the bischops that now ar, either 
 to agrie to that order that God's word requyres in them, 
 as the generall kirk will prescry ve unto them not passing 
 that bounds either in ecclesiasticall or civill afiaires, or else 
 to be deposit fra all function in the kirk. 
 
 * The copy in Spottis wood's History hath, " than they may conve- 
 niently overtake." 
 
 t The copy printed in 8vo, anno 1682, which is said to have been 
 printed from the Presbytery Book of Haddingtoun, hath, •' civil juris- 
 diction." 
 
120 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 15. We deny not in the mein tyme, hot ministers may 
 and sould assist their Princes when they are requyrit, in 
 all things agreiable to the word, quhither it be in Coun- 
 cell or Parliament, or utherwayis, provyding alwayis they 
 neither neglect their awin charge, nor throw flatterie of 
 Princes, hurt the publick estait of the kirk. Bot gener- 
 allie, we say no person, under whatsumever title of the 
 kirk, and specially the abusit titles in Papistrie, of Pre- 
 lates, Convents, and Chapters, aucht to attempt ony act 
 in the kirk's name, either in Councell or Parliament, or 
 out of Councell, having na commission of the reformit 
 kirk within this realme. 
 
 16. And be act of Parliament it is providit, that the 
 Papisticall kirk and jurisdiction sould have na place within 
 the same, and na bischop nor uther prelate in tymes cum- 
 ing sould use ony jurisdiction flowing from his authoritie. 
 And again, that na uther ecclesiasticall jurisdiction sould 
 be acknawledged within this realm, bot that quhilk is, 
 and shall be in the reformit kirk, and flowing therefra. 
 Sa we esteim balding of chapiters in Papisticall manner, 
 aither in cathedrall kirks, abbayis, colledges, or uther 
 conventuall places, usurping the name and authoritie of 
 the kirk, to hurt the patrimonie thairof, or use ony uther 
 act to the prejudice of the same, sen the zeir of our 
 Lord 1560, to be abusion and corruption, contrar to the 
 libertie of the trew kirk and lawis of the realme, and thair- 
 for aucht to be annuUit, reducit, and in all tyme cuming 
 all utterlie dischargit. 
 
 17. The dependances also of the Papisticall jurisdic- 
 tion ar to be abolishit, of the quhilk sort is the minglit 
 jurisdiction of the commissars, in sa far as they meddle 
 with ecclesiasticall matters, and have na commission of the 
 kirk thairto, but wer erectit in tyme of our Soveraignis 
 mother, whan things wer out of order. It is an absurd 
 thing that sindry of them having na function of the kirk, 
 sould be judgis to ministers, and depose them from their 
 roumis. Thairfoir they either wald be dischargit to medle 
 with ecclesiasticall matters, or it wald be limitit to them 
 in quhat matters they might be judges, and not hurt 
 the libertie of the kirk. 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DlSCirLIKE. 121 
 
 18. They also that befoir wer of the eeelesiastical[ 
 estait in the Papis kirk, or that ar admittit of new to the 
 Papisticall titles, and now ar toUerat be the lawes of the 
 realme to possess the twa pairt of thair ecclesiasticall rents, 
 aucht not to have ony farther libertie hot to intromet with 
 the portion assignit and gran tit to them for thair lyfe- 
 tymes: And not, under the abusit titles qnhilks they had, 
 to dispone the kirk rentis, set tackes and fewes thairof at 
 thair pleisure, to the grit hurt of the kirk, and puir law- 
 bourers that dwell upon the kirk-lands, contrar to all good 
 conscience and ordor. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 Certain speciall Heids of Reformation quhilk we crave. 
 
 1 . Quhatsumever hes bene spokin of the offices of the 
 kirk, the severall power of the office-beirars, their con- 
 junct power also, and last of the patrimonie of the kirk ; 
 we understand it to be the rio-ht reformation, which God 
 craves at our hands, that the kirk be orderit according 
 thairto, as with that order quhilk is most agreeable to the 
 word. Bot because sumthing wald be touched in parti- 
 cular, concerning the estait of the countrey, and that 
 quhilk we principally seik to be reformit in the same, we 
 have collectit them in thir heids following. 
 
 2. Seeing the haill countrey is dividit in provinces, and 
 thir provinces again are dividit in parishes, als weill in 
 landwart as in townes ; in every parish and reasonable 
 congregation there wald be placit ane or mae pastors to 
 feid the flock, and no pastor or minister alwaies to be bur- 
 denit with the particular charge of mae kirks or flockes 
 then ane alanerly. 
 
 3. And because it will be thocht hard to finde out 
 pastors or ministers to all the paroch kirks of the realm, 
 als well in landwart as in townes, we think be the advice 
 of sic, as commission may be gine to be the kirk and 
 prince, parishes in landwart or small villages, mae be 
 joyned twa or three or mae, in sum places together, and 
 the principall and maist commodious kirks, to stand, and 
 
 6 
 
122 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 be repairit sufficiently, and qualifiit ministers placit 
 thereat ; and the uther kirks, quhilk ar not fund neces- 
 sar, may be sufFerit to decay, their kirk-yards alwaies 
 beand kept for buriall places: And in sume places where 
 neid requyres ane parish, where the congregation is owir 
 great for ane kirk, may be dividit in twa or mae. 
 
 4. Doctors wald be appointitin universities, colledges, 
 and in uther places neidfull, and sufficiently provided 
 for ; to opin up the meining of the Scriptures, and to 
 have the charge of schules, and teich the rudiments of 
 religion. 
 
 5. As for elders, there waldbe sume to be censurers 
 of the manners of the people, ane or mae in every con- 
 gregation ; bot not an assembly of eldars in every particu- 
 lar kirk, bot only in townes and famous places quhere 
 resort of men of judgement and habilitie to that effect 
 may be had, quhere the eldars of the particular kirks 
 about may convene together, and have a common elder- 
 ship and assembly place amang them, to treat of all 
 things that concernes the congregations of which they 
 have the oversicht. 
 
 6. And as there ought to be men appointit to unite 
 and divyde the parishes, as necessity and commodity re- 
 quyres : Sa wald there be appointit be the generall kirk, 
 with advyce* of the prince, sic men as feir God, and 
 knaw the estait of the countries, that were able to nomi- 
 nate and desyne the places, quhere the particular elder- 
 ships should convene, taking consideration of the dioces- 
 ses as they were dividit of auld, and of the estait of the 
 countries and provinces of the realme. 
 
 7. Lykewise concerning provincial! and synodall as- 
 semblies, consideration wer easie to be taken, how mony 
 and in quhat places they were to be halden, and how oft 
 they sould convene, aucht to be referrit to the libertie of 
 the general kirk, and order to be appoyntit therein. 
 
 8. The national! assemblies of this countrey, callit com- 
 monlie the Generall Assemblies, aucht alwayes to be re- 
 teinit in their awin libertie, and have their awin place. 
 With power to the kirk to appoynt tymes and places 
 
 * Some copies have, '* assent." 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 123 
 
 convenient for the same, and all men, als weill magistrats 
 as inferiours, to be subject to the judgement of the same 
 in ecclesiasticall causes, without any reclamation or ap- 
 pellation to ony judge, civill or ecclesiasticall, within the 
 realm. 
 
 9. The libertie of the election of persons callit to the 
 ecclesiasticall functions, and observit without interruption 
 swa lang as the kirk was not corruptit be Antichrist, w^e 
 desyre to be restorit and reteinit within this realm. Swa 
 that nane be intrusit upon ony congregation, either be 
 the prince or ony inferiour person, without law^full election 
 and the assent of the people owir quham the person is 
 placit; as the practise of the apostolical and primitive 
 kirk and gude order craves. 
 
 10. And because this order, quhilk God's word craves, 
 cannot stand with patronages and presentation to bene- 
 fices usit in the Paipes kirk: We desyre all them that 
 trewlie feir God earnestly to consider, that for swa meikle 
 as the names of patronages and benefices, togither with 
 the effect thairof, have flowit fra the Paip and corruption 
 of the canon law only, in sa far as thereby ony person 
 was intrusit or placit ow4r kirks having curam animarum. 
 And for swa meikle as that manner of proceeding hes na 
 ground in the word of God, but is contrar to the same, 
 and to the said libertie of election, they aucht not now to 
 have place in this licht of reformation. And therefore 
 quhasumever will embrace God's word, and desyre the 
 kingdome of his Son Christ Jesus to be advancit, they will 
 also embrace, and receive that policie and order quhilk 
 the word of God, and upright estait of his kirk craves, 
 otherwise it is in vaine that they have profest the same. 
 
 11. Notwithstanding as concerning uther patronages 
 of benefices that have not curam animarum^ as they 
 speak : Such as ar chaplanries, prebendaries foundit upon 
 temporall lands, annuals, and sic lyke, may be reservit 
 unto the ancient patrones, to dispone thairupon, quhan 
 they vaike, to schulis and bursars, as they are requyrit 
 be act of Parliament.* 
 
 * Jam. VI. Pari. 1. Cap. 12. Afterward ratified Jam. VI. Pari. 12. 
 Cap. 161. 
 
124 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 12. As for the kirk rents in general!, we desyre that 
 order be admittit and mentainit amangis us, that may 
 stand with the sinceritie of God's word, and practise of 
 the purity of the kirk of Christ. To wit, that as was 
 before spoken, the haill rent and patrimonie of the kirk, 
 exceptand the small patronages before mentionat, may be 
 dividit in four portions : Ane thereof to be assignit to the 
 pastor for his intertainment and hospitalitie: An uther 
 to the eldars, deacons, and uther officers of the kirk, sic 
 as clerks of assemblies, takers up of the psalmes, beadels 
 and keipers of the kirk, sa far as is necessar; joyning 
 therewith also the doctors of schules, to help the ancient 
 foundations where neid requires: The third portion to be 
 bestowit upon the puir members of the faithfull, and on 
 hospitals: The fourth for reparation of the kirks, and 
 uther extraordinar charges as ar profitable for the kirk ; 
 and also for the common well, if neid requyre. 
 
 13. We desyre therefore the ecclesiasticall gudes to be 
 upliftit, and distributit faithfuUie to quham they apper- 
 tein, and that be the ministerie of the deacons, to quhais 
 office properlie the collection and distribution thereof be- 
 langs ; that the puir may be answerit of their portion 
 thereof, and they of the ministery live without care and 
 solicitude: As also the rest of the treasurie of the kirk 
 may be reservit, and bestowit to their richt uses. Gif these 
 deacons be electit with sic qualities as God's word craves to 
 be in them, there is na feir that they sail abuse themselfis 
 in their office, as the prophane collectors did of before. 
 
 14. Yit because this vocation appeires to many to be 
 dangerous, let them be oblishit as they wer of auld to a 
 yeirlie count to the pastors and elderschip ; and gif the 
 kirk and prince think expedient, let cautioners be oblishit 
 for their fidelitie, that the kirk rents on na wayes be di- 
 lapidat. 
 
 15. And to the effect this order may tak place, it is 
 to be provydit, that all uthers intromettors with the kirk 
 rent, collectors general or speciall, whether it be by ap- 
 pointment of the prince, or utherwaies, may be denudit 
 of farther intromission therewith ; and suft'er the kirk 
 rents in tyme cumming to be haillie intromettit with be 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 125 
 
 the ministrie of the deacons, and distribute to the use 
 before mentionat. 
 
 16. And also to the effect, that the ecclesiasticall rents 
 may suffice to these uses, for the quhilk they ar to be ap- 
 pointit ; we think it necessar to be desyrit, that all alie- 
 nations, setting of fewes or tacks of the rents of the kirk, 
 als Weill lands as teinds, in hurt and diminution of the 
 auld rentals, be reducit and annullit, and the patrimony 
 of the kirk restorit to the former auld libertie. And lyke- 
 wise, that in tymes cumming the teinds be set to nane 
 bot to the labourers of the ground, or els not set at all, 
 as was agriet upon, and subscribit be the nobilitie of be- 
 fore.* 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 TlieUtilitie that sail flow fra this Refonualion to all 
 
 Estaites. 
 
 1 . Seing the end of this spirituall government and po- 
 licie, quhairof we speik, is that God may be glorifiet, the 
 kingdom of Jesus Christ advancit, and all who are of his 
 mysticall bodie may live peaceable in conscience : Ther- 
 fore we dar bauldlie affirme, that all these who have trew 
 respect to thir ends, will even for conscience cause gladly 
 agrie and conforme themselfis to this order, and advance 
 the same, sa far as in them lyes, that their conscience 
 being set at rest, they may be replenishit with spirituall 
 gladnes in giving full obedience to that quhilk Godis word 
 and the testimonie of their awin conscience does crave, 
 and in refusing all corruption contrar to the sam. 
 
 2. Nixt we sail becum an example and paterne of gude 
 and godly order to uther nations, countries, and kirks 
 professing the same religion with us, that as they have 
 glorified God in our continueing in the sinceritie of the 
 word hitherto, without any errours, praise be to his name : 
 
 * See Chap. 8. of tlie First Book of Discipline, which was subscribed 
 by many of the nobility. See also the Proceedings of the General As- 
 semblie about the PoHcie of the Kirk. 
 
126 SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 So they may have the lyke occasion in our conversation, 
 when as we conform our selfis to that discipline, pollicie, 
 and gude order, quhilk the same word and purity of re- 
 formation craveth at our hands; utherwise that fearfull 
 sentence may be justly said to us, " The servant knawing 
 the will of his maister, and not doing it," &c. 
 
 3. Mairover, gif we have any pity or respect to the 
 puir members of Jesus Christ, who so greatly increase 
 and multiplie amanges us, we will not suffer them to be 
 langer defraudit of that part of the patrimonie of the kirk 
 quhilk justly belangs unto them: And by this order, if 
 it be deuly put to execution, the burden of them sail be 
 taken of us to our great confort, the streits sail be cleansed 
 of thair cryings and murmurings ; swa as we sail na mair 
 be an skandall to uther nations as we have hitherto bene 
 for not taking order with the puir amanges us, and caus- 
 ing the word quhilk we profess to be evill spokin of, giv- 
 ing occasion of sclander to the enemies, and offending the 
 consciences of the sempil and godly. 
 
 4. Besydes this, it sail be a great ease and commoditie 
 to the haill common people, in relieving them of the 
 beilding and uphalding of thair kirks, in bigging of 
 brigges, and uther lyke publick warks : It sail be a relief 
 to the labourers of the ground in payment of their teinds; 
 and schortlie in all these things, whereinto they have bene 
 hitherto rigorously handlit be them that were falslie callit 
 kirkemen, thair tacksmen, facto urs, chalmerlanes, and ex- 
 tortionars. 
 
 Finally, to the King's Majestic and common-weill of 
 the countrey, this profite shall redound: That the uther 
 affaires of the kirk beand sufficientlie provydit according 
 to the distribution of the quhilk hes bene spokin ; the su- 
 perplus beand collectit in the treasurie of the kirk, may 
 be profitablie imployit, and liberallie bestowit upon the 
 extraordinar support of the affaires of the Prince and 
 common-weill, and speciallie of that part quhilk is ap- 
 poyntit for reparation of kirks. 
 
 Sa to conclude, all beand willing to apply themselfis to 
 this order, the people suffering themselfis to be re w lit ac- 
 cording thereto; the Princes and Magistrates not beand 
 
SECOND BOOK OF DISCIPLINE. 127 
 
 exemit, and these that ar placit in the ecclesiastieall estait 
 richtlie rewling and governing, God sail be glorifiet, the 
 kirk edifiet, and the bounds thereof inlargit, Christ Jesus 
 and his kingdome set up, Satan and his kingdom sub- 
 vertit, and God sail dwell in the middis of us, to our 
 comfort, through Jesus Christ, who, togither with the 
 Father and the Holy Ghost, abydes blessit in all eternity. 
 Amen. 
 
 ENDIS THE BUIK OF POLICIE. 
 
THE 
 
 FORM OF PROCESS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 JUDICATORIES 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Qtf)vixcf) of Scotlanir, 
 
 WITH RELATIOX TO 
 
 SCANDALS AND CENSURES, 
 
 APPROVED BY 
 
 ACT OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 
 April 18, 1707* 
 
 6 2 
 
THE 
 
 FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 Concerning Church Government^ Discipline, Scandals, 
 and Censures in general, 
 
 1. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath instituted a govern- 
 ment, and governors ecclesiastical in his house, with 
 power to meet for the order and government thereof; 
 and to that purpose, the apostles did immediately receive 
 the keys from the hands of their Lord and Master Jesus 
 Christ, and did use and exercise the same upon all occa- 
 sions, and Christ hath from time to time furnished some 
 in his church with gifts for government, and with com- 
 mission to exercise it when called thereunto, and has 
 promised his presence to be with them to the end of the 
 world. 
 
 2. It is agreeable to and founded on the word of God, 
 that some others, besides these who labour in the word 
 and doctrine, be church governors, to join with the mi- 
 nisters of the word iii the government of the church, and 
 exercise of discipline and oversight of the manners of the 
 people, which officers are called ruling elders : As also, 
 that the church be governed by several sorts of judica- 
 tories, and one in subordination to the other, such as 
 kirk-sessions, presbyteries, provincial synods, and general 
 assemblies. 
 
 3. Church discipline and censures, for judging and 
 removing of offences, are of great use and necessity in the 
 church, that the name of God, by reason of ungodly and 
 wicked persons living in the church, be not blasphemed, 
 nor his wrath provoked against his people, that the god- 
 
1^2 THE FORM OF PROCESS, 
 
 Jy be not leavened with, but preserved from the conta- 
 gion, and stricken with fear, and that sinners w^ho are 
 to be censured may be ashamed, to the destruction of 
 the flesh, and saving of the spirit in the day of the Lord 
 Jesus. 
 
 4. Nothing ought to be admitted by any church judi- 
 catory as the ground of a process for censure, but what 
 hath been declared censurable by the word of God, or 
 some act or universal custom of this national church 
 agreeable thereto; and the several judicatories of this 
 church ought to take timeous notice of all scandals : but 
 it is judged, that if a scandal shall happen not to be no- 
 ticed in order to censure for the space of five years, it 
 should not be again revived, so as to enter in a process 
 thereanent, unless it be of an heinous nature, or become 
 again flagrant; but the consciences of such persons ought 
 to be seriously dealt with in private, to bring them to a 
 sense of their sin and duty. 
 
 5. These assemblies or church judicatories before men- 
 tioned, have power to convene and call before them any 
 persons within their own bounds, whom the ecclesiastic 
 business which is before them doth concern, either as 
 party, witness, or otherwise, and to examine them accord- 
 ing to the nature of the affair, and to hear and determine 
 in such cases as shall orderly come before them, and ac- 
 cordingly dispense church censures. 
 
 6. If a person be charged with a scandal, who lives 
 within the bounds of another parish, the kirk-session of 
 the parish w^here that person resides should be desired 
 to cause cite that person to answer before the session in 
 whose bounds the scandal happened, and the same course 
 is to be followed in such cases by the other judicatories 
 of the church, seeing for order's sake they should not 
 presume to exerce their authority without their own 
 bounds, 
 
 7. The minister of the word being an office above 
 that of the ruling elder, cannot be liable to the censure 
 of the kirk-session, but to the superior judicatories of the 
 church. 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 133 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Concerning the entering Processes, Citation of Parties 
 and Witnesses, and taking Depositions, and anent 
 Fugitives from D isciplin e . 
 
 1 . Members of kirk-session are wisely to consider the 
 information they get of scandals, and consult with their 
 minister thereanent, even before the same be communi- 
 cate to others, that thereby the spreading of the scandal 
 may be prevented, and it may be removed by private ad- 
 monition according to our Lord and Saviour's rule, 
 Matth. xviii. 15, which, if amendment follow, is the far 
 better way of gaining and recovering a lapsed brother, 
 whereas the needless spreading of a scandal does some- 
 times harden the guilty, grieve the godly, and is dishon- 
 ourable to reliofion. 
 
 2. When any business is moved in a church judica- 
 tory, whether by information, petition, or otherwise, they 
 are, in the first place, to consider whether the matter in 
 its circumstantiate case be proper for them to enter upon, 
 and whether it be orderly brought in, and proper for 
 them to cognosce and discuss it themselves, or prepare it 
 for superior judicatories ; and should endeavour to short- 
 en their work as much as with the edification of the 
 church they can, especially as to the head of scandal, but 
 still on all occasions the office-bearers in the house of 
 God are to shew all prudent zeal against sin. 
 
 3. In proceeding in all causes where there is any per- 
 son or parties concerned, the judicatory is to see, that, 
 before they proceed, these persons or parties be duly 
 sisted before them by a legal and timeous citation in 
 writ bearing its cause, either at the instance of a party 
 complaining, or at least by order of the judicatory ; and 
 if they be residing within the parish, the same may be 
 upon forty-eight hours advertisement, and the execution 
 of the summons bearing its cause, and made before two 
 or three witnesses insert, is to be returned by the beadle 
 or officer in writing, and the persons cited, called at the 
 
134 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 door; and this is especially to be observed by presby* 
 teries and other superior judicatories of the church. 
 
 4. Sometimes it may be fit that the party be privately 
 spoken to, before any citation be given or process begun, 
 for their better gaining ; in which case, the minister is to 
 exercise his own discretion, and take the concurrence of 
 elders and others with him ; but if the party cited as 
 above appear not, there ought to be a second and then a 
 third citation given by the order of the sessions and 
 presbyteries, either personally, or left at their dwelling- 
 house, before the judicatory declare the person contuma- 
 cious, unless the party be cited to appear before a supe- 
 rior judicatory by reference or appeal, in which case there 
 is not that need of so many citations before the superior 
 judicatory, the party having actually appeared before the 
 inferior judicatory, and being cited apud acta to appear 
 before the superior, and the same marked in the minutes, 
 or having been declared contumacious before the cause 
 was brought before the superior judicatory. 
 
 5. All citations apud acta are peremptory, and if in- 
 structed, infer contumacy if not obeyed. 
 
 6. If the person do not appear on the third citation, or 
 upon a citation apud acta, and no relevant excuse addu- 
 ced and verified, though in that case he be censurable for 
 contumacy, yet it may be fit the judicatory proceed to 
 take cognition, either by examining witnesses upon oath, 
 or by other documents of the verity of the scandals de- 
 lated against him, before they censure him for contu- 
 macy. 
 
 7. If the party appear, then the moderator is to inform 
 the person of the occasion of his being called, and to give 
 liim, if desired, a short note in writing thereof, with the 
 names of the witnesses that are to be made use of. 
 
 8. There seems to be no need of accusers or informers 
 in ecclesiastic processes, where the same are not raised 
 at the instance of a party complaining formally, but the 
 party, if cited by order of the judicatory, is to answer the 
 judicatory in what is laid to his charge ; yet so, that if 
 the party cited be found innocent and acquitted, these 
 who informed the judicatory, whether the party require 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 135 
 
 it or not, ought to be noticed, for either their calumny or 
 imprudence, as the judicatory shall find cause. 
 
 9. If there be witnesses to be made use of in the pro- 
 cess, a list of their names ought to be given to the defen- 
 ders some time before, or at least at their compearance, 
 and their witnesses ought to be timeously cited to give 
 evidence ; and if they refuse after three citations given, 
 and executions returned, may be proceeded with as con- 
 tumacious; or if judged needful, after the first or second 
 citation, application may be made to the civil magistrate, 
 that he may oblige them to appear. 
 
 10. Before the witnesses be judicially examined, the 
 accused person is to be called, and the relevancy of the 
 libel discussed, and if the defender compear, he may ob- 
 ject against any of them, and if the objection be relevant, 
 and made evident to the judicatory, the witnesses are to 
 be cast ; but a person's being the delator or informer, doth 
 not hinder him to be a witness, except in the case where 
 he formerly complained for his own interest, or of preg- 
 nant presumptions of malice against the person accused. 
 
 11. Though there be no relevant objection, yet the 
 witnesses are solemnly to be purged of malice, bribe, or 
 good deed done or to be done, and of partial counsel. 
 
 12. The witnesses are to be sworn and examined in 
 the presence of the accused party, if compearing; and he 
 may desire the moderator to propose such questions or 
 cross questions to the witnesses as may tend for his excul- 
 pation, which, if the judicatory think pertinent, are to be 
 proposed, but no accused person is to interrupt the wit- 
 ness, or speak during the time of deposition. 
 
 13. If the party accused do before probation offer 
 grounds of exculpation to be proven by witnesses, the 
 moderator and clerk, if required, are to give warrant to 
 cite the witnesses upon the party's charges, the relevancy 
 of the ofi*ered exculpation being first considered and sus- 
 tained by the judicatory; and if the exculpation be fully 
 proven as to the substance of the scandal, all further proof 
 of the libel and accusation must there sist, and the de- 
 fender is to be assoilzied; as, if the libel be special a 
 to the time and place of a fact, and the accused mor 
 
136 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 pregnantly allege and clearly prove alibi. But if the sub- 
 stance of the scandal be once sustained and deponed up- 
 on, there can be no place for exculpation, unless it be as 
 to some extenuating or alleviating circumstances not 
 contrary to, but consisting with, the depositions already 
 taken. 
 
 14. If the witnesses cannot subscribe their names to 
 their deposition, the clerk is to mark that they declare 
 they cannot write, and the moderator is to subscribe the 
 same, whether they can subscribe or not. 
 
 15. After the depositions are ended, the parties being 
 removed, the members of the judicatory at the same or 
 some after diet thereto appointed, are to advise the cause, 
 and there and then to reason the affair calmly, speaking 
 always to the moderator one after another, without in- 
 terrupting one another, using no reflecting language to 
 or of one another, nor too long harangues or digressions. 
 
 16. If any person or persons under process for scan- 
 dals abscond, they should, after being called before the 
 judicatory and not compearing, be cited first from the 
 pulpit of the parish where the process depends, and where 
 they reside, and if they do not thereupon appear before 
 the judicatory before whom the process depends, they are, 
 by order of the presbytery, to be cited from the pulpits of 
 all the kirks within their bounds, to compear before the 
 presbytery: and if they do not then compear, they are 
 to be declared fugitive from church discipline, and the 
 same intimate in all the kirks within the bounds of the 
 presbytery; desiring, that if any knows of the saids fugi- 
 tives, they may acquaint the minister or elder of the 
 bounds thereof, and the presbytery are to sist there until 
 they get further notice of these persons. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Concerning Swearers^ Cursers, Profaners of the Lord's 
 Day, Drunkards, and other Scandals of that nature. 
 
 1 . It may fall out that one single act of drunkenness 
 or breach of the Lord's day, disobedience to parents, or 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 137 
 
 of swearing-, cursing", scolding, fighting, lying, cheating, 
 or stealing, may be clothed with such circumstances as may 
 be a just ground of process immediately, and even bring 
 the persons guilty under the censure of the lesser excom- 
 munication and suspension from the benefit of the sealing 
 ordinances, and require their appearance in presence of 
 the congregation to be rebuked, before relaxation; but 
 the weight of this is duly to be pondered, and church 
 judicatories, and members thereof, are to consider whether 
 the private admonition of persons alledged and found 
 guilty of the above scandals, if not clothed wdth such 
 circumstances or the bringing them to public, will tend 
 most to edification, and proceed accordingly. 
 
 2. But ordinarily in all such offences, the guilty for 
 the first fault would be spoken to in private by the mini- 
 ster or an elder, and admonished ; and on promise from a 
 sense of guilt to amend, they may sist there. 
 
 3. But if the person relapse, he should be called before 
 the session, and if found guilty, may be there judicially 
 rebuked; where the session, on promise, from a due sense 
 of sin, to amend, may again sist. 
 
 4. But if the person amend not after that, the session 
 should orderly proceed, unless repentance appear and 
 due satisfaction be offered, till they inflict the censure of 
 the lesser excommunication and suspension from the 
 benefit of the sealing ordinances, under which the cen- 
 sured are to lie till amendment and reformation. 
 
 5. With respect to scandals, the grossness whereof 
 makes it necessary to bring the persons guilty oftener 
 than once before the congregation, the rules prescribed 
 by the fourth act of the General Assembly, anno 1705, 
 are to be follow^ed. 
 
 6. If the guilty persons continue in this condition, or 
 lie under the censure of the lesser excommunication a 
 considerable time, and yet be found frequently relapsing 
 in these vices they are censured for, it may be constructed 
 such a degree of contumacy, and so aggravate the crime, 
 as to found a process of the censure of the higher excom- 
 munication, which is to be inflicted, or not, as may tend 
 
138 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 most to the reclaiming of the guilty person and edification 
 of the church. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Concerning the Sin of Fornication^ Adultery^ and 
 scandalous Carriage tending thereto, 
 
 1. In delations about the sin of uncleanness, it falls 
 frequently out, that when the matter is put to the strict- 
 est trial, all that can be proven is but presumptions of 
 guilt or scandalous behaviour, and not the act of unclean- 
 ness, the same being a work of darkness; and therefore 
 this should oblige the kirk-session to be very cautious 
 how to admit the public entering a process without good 
 warrant, where there is not a child in the case, unless 
 the scandal be very flagrant. 
 
 2. Many of these actions which give occasion to the 
 raising a scandal of uncleanness, are such as are not 
 themselves alone publicly censurable, but to be past by 
 with a private rebuke or admonition. 
 
 3. Yet some of these actions which come under the 
 name of scandalous behaviour may be so lascivious and 
 obscene, and clothed with such circumstances as may be 
 as offensive as the act of uncleanness itself, and as cen- 
 surable. 
 
 4. If a married woman, whose husband hath been 
 notourly absent for a considerable time, beyond the or- 
 dinary time that women use to go with child, be found 
 with child, this also may give ground to a kirk-session 
 for a process against her; but in this case judicatories 
 w^ould be prudent in considering well all circumstances, 
 and whether or not the person hath been always of en- 
 tire fame before, as also how the public fame now runs. 
 
 5. When an unmarried woman is known to be with 
 child, the same gives ground to a kirk-session for a pro- 
 cess against her; and after she is cited before the session, 
 and appeareth, she is to be interrogate who is the father 
 of that child, and though in other cases the divulging of 
 a secret may be very imprudent, and indeed the raising 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 139 
 
 of a scandal, yet in this case where there is a child, where- 
 by there is an undeniable scandal, and the keeping secret 
 of the father a ground of greater offence, and of suspecting 
 many innocent persons, if she discover not the father, she 
 is to be looked upon as contumacious. 
 
 6. Prudence may sometimes require that the person 
 she nameth to be the father of the child be informed 
 thereof, and spoke to privately ; and if he deny the same, 
 he is seriously to be dealt with to confess, but if he still 
 deny, then the session is to cause cite him to appear be- 
 fore them. 
 
 7. In this process, when the delated father compeareth, 
 he is to be interrogate, and if he deny, he is to be con- 
 fronted with the woman, and the presumptions as par- 
 ticularly held forth as possible; and all along there should 
 be private treating with him, in all meekness, charity, and 
 seriousness ; and if, after all this, he deny, though the 
 woman's testimony can be no sufficient evidence against 
 him, yet pregnant presumptions, such as suspicious fre- 
 quenting her company, or being solus cum sola in loco 
 suspecto, or in suspect postures and such like, w^hich he 
 cannot disprove to the satisfaction of the session, may so 
 lay the guilt iipon him as to shew him, that there appears 
 no other way of removing the scandal, but his appearance 
 to be publicly rebuked therefore: If he will not submit 
 himself to be rebuked as above, it perhaps may be more 
 for edification that a true narrative of the case be laid be- 
 fore the congregation, and intimation given that there can 
 be no further procedure in that matter, till God in his 
 providence give further light, and to sist there at the time, 
 than that an oath be pressed, and upon refusal proceed to 
 the higher excommunication; but if the person accused 
 do offer his oath of purgation, and crave the privilege 
 thereof, the presbytery may (if they shall judge it for 
 edification and removing of the scandal) allow the same, 
 which may be to this purpose ; — 
 
 '' I, A. B. now under process before the presbytery of 
 for the sin of alleged to be committed by 
 
 me with C. D. and lying under that grievous slander, be- 
 ing repute as one guilty of that sin; I, for ending of the 
 
140 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 said process, and giving satisfaction to all good people, do 
 declare before God and this that I am innocent 
 
 and free of the said sin of or having carnal know- 
 
 ledge of the said C. D. and hereby call the great God, 
 the judger and avenger of all falsehood, to be witness and 
 judge against me in this matter if I be guilty; and this I 
 do by taking his blessed name in my mouth, and swear- 
 ing by him, who is the great judge, punisher, and 
 avenger as said is, and that in sincerity of heart, ac- 
 cording to the truth of the matter and mine own con- 
 science, as I shall answer to God in the last and great 
 day, when I shall stand before him to answer for all that 
 I do in the flesh, and as I would partake of his glory in 
 heaven after this life is at an end." 
 
 8. In taking this oath for purgation, all tenderness and 
 caution is to be used; nor is the session to press any man 
 thereto, but they are to deal with him and his conscience 
 as in the sight of God; and if he offer to give his oath, 
 the judicatory are to accept it or not as they shall see 
 cause, and then to proceed to remove the scandal, with 
 the advice of the presbytery, as may be most to edifica- 
 tion ; but this oath is not to be taken in any case but this, 
 when the presumptions are so great that they create such 
 jealousy in that congregation and session, that nothing 
 will remove the suspicion but the man's oath of purgation, 
 and when his oath will probably remove the scandal and 
 suspicion; in all other cases this oath is in vain, and so 
 should not be admitted, and never but by advice of the 
 presbytery. 
 
 9. This oath for purgation is to be taken either before 
 the kirk-session or presbytery, or the congregation, as 
 the presbytery shall determine; and if the oath be taken 
 before the session or presbytery, it is to be intimate to 
 the congregation that such a person hath taken such an 
 oath, and the party may be obliged to be present in the 
 congregation, and may be put publicly to own his pur- 
 ging himself by oath, and so be declared free from the 
 alleged scandal. 
 
 10. After an end is made as above with the delated 
 father, the woman is to be dealt with to give the true fa- 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 141 
 
 ther, and if after all serious dealing, and due diligence, 
 she give no other, she is to be censured according to the 
 quality of the offence confest by her, without naming the 
 person delated by her; the judicatory reserving place for 
 further censure upon further discovery. 
 
 11. If the woman who hath brought forth the child 
 doth declare she knoweth not the father, alleging she 
 was forced, as in the fields, by a person unknown, or 
 any the like reason; in these cases, great prudence is to be 
 used, the former behaviour of the woman exactly searched 
 into, and she seriously dealt with to be ingenuous; 
 and if she hath been of entire fame, she may be put to it 
 to declare the truth as if she were upon oath, but not 
 without the advice of the presbytery, and no formal oath 
 should be taken; and if the woman confess she was not 
 forced, but doth not know the man, whether married or 
 unmarried, the same censure is to be inflicted upon her 
 as in the case of adultery. 
 
 12. If a person doth voluntarily confess uncleanness, 
 and if there be no child, and the case be brought to the 
 kirk-session, the session is to enquire what presumptions 
 there are of the truth of the thing confessed, or what may 
 have moved the person to make that confession, whether 
 it floweth from disquietness of mind, or from sinistrous 
 design, as when a man suing to a woman for marriage is 
 denied, and for revenge, or for to obtain his desire, 
 spreads the report that he hath been guilty with her, 
 they are to be dealt with according as the presumptions 
 upon search are found, or not. 
 
 13. If it be found that there is no ground for the confes- 
 sion, and that it is false, the person confessing is to be cen- 
 sured as defaming himself, and likewise as a slanderer of 
 the other party; and withal application is to be made by 
 the session to the civil magistrate, that he may be punish- 
 ed according to law. 
 
 14. If there be need of witnesses, the directions for- 
 merly mentioned, chap. 2d, are to be followed. 
 
 15. When persons guilty of uncleanness live one in 
 one parish, and another in another parish, the process 
 against them and censures are to be before the session of 
 
142 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 the parish where the woman livethj or where the scandal 
 is most notour. 
 
 16. If a scandal of uncleanness be committed where 
 neither party resides, as if persons having their fixed resi- 
 dence in one parish, do commit uncleanness in another 
 parish, or perhaps in the fields, or in the time of fairs or 
 markets; in these cases, they are to be processed and 
 censured where their ordinary abode is, except the place 
 of their abode be at a considerable distance from the 
 place where the sin was committed, and the scandal be 
 most flagrant where it was committed. 
 
 17. When there is a scandal of uncleanness whereof 
 persons are guilty, living in different parishes, the session 
 where the sin was committed is to acquaint the other ses- 
 sions where any of the persons resides, who are ex debito 
 to cause summon these persons to appear before that ses- 
 sion, where the scandal is to be tried. 
 
 18. When a person is convict of scandal by a session 
 of another congregation than his own, and the censure 
 of the lesser excommunication is inflicted, the session is 
 to send an account thereof to that session to which he 
 belongs; but there is no need of any other sentence of 
 his own session to fix the censure on him, but only a 
 public intimation thereof to be made in his own parish. 
 
 19. When a person is censured and absolved from his 
 scandal in another congregation than where he lives, he 
 is to bring a testimonial of his absolution, which is to be 
 intimate to the congregation he lives in, if the scandal be 
 also flagrant there ; otherwise it will be sufficient to inti- 
 mate the same to the session ; and the same is to be done 
 in the case of the profession of repentance where there 
 has been a sentence of the lesser excommunication. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Concerning Appeals from a Kirk- Sessioii to a 
 Presbytery^ Sfc. 
 
 1 . All persons who judge themselves lesed by the pro- 
 cedure or sentence of a kirk-session, may appeal to the 
 presbytery, by declaring and protesting at passing of the 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 143 
 
 sentence ; and should thereupon, according to the eighth 
 act of the General Assembly, 1694, give in the appeal 
 with the reasons thereof in writ, to the moderator or 
 clerk of the session, within the space of ten days after the 
 time of appealing, and procure extracts thereof, and pre- 
 sent the same to the next meeting of the presbytery 
 thereafter, if there be a competent time, at least ten days 
 free betwixt the time of appealing and the meeting of the 
 presbytery ; and should then insist in the appeal ; where- 
 in if the appellant fail, the appeal ipso facto falls and be- 
 comes null, and the appellant is to be held as contuma- 
 cious, and proceeded against accordingly by the kirk- 
 session. 
 
 2. When an appeal is brought from a kirk-session to 
 a presbytery, the presbytery is to consider whether the 
 cause is of that nature, as it behoveth at length to come 
 to the presbytery by the course of discipline, before the 
 final determination thereof, as if it be in a process of 
 alleged adultery or such like ; then the presbytery, to 
 save themselves time, may fall upon the consideration of 
 the affair without insisting much upon the bene or male 
 appellatum, though it seem to be preposterously ap- 
 pealed. 
 
 3. But if the cause be such as the kirk-session are the 
 competent and proper judges of, even to its ultimate de- 
 cision, and if there have been no cause given by the kirk- 
 session, by their breaking the rules of an orderly process, 
 either by the course of the process, or by the incompe- 
 tency of the censure, the presbytery is not to sustain the 
 appeal. 
 
 4. If the presbytery do not sustain the appeal, and 
 find there hath been some fault, passion, or culpable mis- 
 take in the appellant, the presbytery is to inflict some 
 censure, such as a reproof before the presbytery, or ap- 
 point an acknowledging of their precipitancy before their 
 own session or such like, on these appealers they find to 
 have been malicious and litigious, thereby to prevent un- 
 necessary appeals ; and that beside remitting back to the 
 session, to stand either to the censure of the session, if 
 
144 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 it be inflicted already, or to sist themselves during the 
 process, if it be depending. 
 
 5. If the appeal be sustained, and yet upon proceeding 
 on the cause the presbytery find the appellant censur- 
 able, it is always to be minded, that whatever censure 
 be inflicted to remove the ofi'ence he hath given to the 
 presbytery, yet the appellant, if found guilty, is to un- 
 dergo a censure, either before the kirk-session or congre- 
 gation he belongs to, such as the presbytery thinks he 
 deserves, else presbyteries will be always troubled with 
 appeals. 
 
 6. If, on the other hand, on trial of the process, the 
 presbytery find the kirk-session hath unwarrantably pro- 
 ceeded, either in contributing to the raising of a scandal, 
 or inflicting the censure without a sufficient cause, and 
 thereby the appellant lesed ; the presbytery is not only 
 to assoilzie the appellant, but to take such ways as may 
 be proper and effectual to vindicate the appellant's inno- 
 cence, and wipe off the scandal taken at him. 
 
 7. Herein the presbytery is to exercise great prudence, 
 doing justice to the innocent, yet so as not to weaken 
 the Idrk-session's authority in that congregation, if in 
 justice it can be avoided. 
 
 8. But such an emergent may very w^ell occasion the 
 presbytery's giving the minister and elders of that session 
 suitable injunctions and rules to walk by, or private ad- 
 monitions, or to call for a visitation of their session re- 
 gister. 
 
 9. The same method is to be followed in appeals from 
 presbyteries to synods, and from synods to general as- 
 semblies. 
 
 10. An appeal being made by parties, should sist the 
 execution of the sentence appealed from, only while the 
 appeal is duly and diligently prosecute, and may thereby 
 be determined ; otherwise not, unless the judicatory 
 appealed to receive the appeal, and take the affair be- 
 fore them, and in that case the judicatory appealed from 
 is to sist until the appeal be discussed. 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 145 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Concerning Processes which natively begin at the Kirk- 
 Session, hut are not to be brought to a final determi- 
 nation by them, 
 
 ^ 1. There are some processes which natively begin at the 
 kirk-session, which, for the atrocity of the scandal, or 
 difficulty in the affair, or general concern, the session 
 having the opportunity of frequent meetings of the 
 presbytery to have recourse unto, do not determine of 
 themselves; such as scandals of incest, adultery, trilapse 
 in fornication, murder, atheism, idolatry, witchcraft, 
 charming, and heresy and error, vented and made pub- 
 lic by any in the congregation, schism and separation 
 from the public ordinances, processes in order to the 
 highest censures of the church, and continued contuma- 
 cy ; but the kirk-session having received information of 
 such gross scandals, they are to weigh the same accord- 
 ing to the rules and directions prescribed them in pro- 
 cesses which belong to their peculiar province ; and if 
 they find good ground for a process, they are to deal 
 with the person accused to confess that which now can- 
 not be hid nor amended, till satisfaction be made to the 
 church, which, when done, the session is to refer the case, 
 and send an extract of their procedure thereanent to the 
 presbytery. 
 
 2. ^ When there is no confession of the scandals above 
 nientioned, the session are not to proceed to lead proba- 
 tion by witnesses or presumptions, till an account of the 
 matter ^ be brought by reference to the presbytery as 
 aforesaid, and the presbytery do thereupon appoint the 
 session to proceed and lead probation ; and after proba- 
 tion is led, the same is to be brought to the presbytery, 
 who may inflict what censure they see cause. 
 
 3. Sometimes it will fall out that the process is so 
 clear, as in a case of judicial confession, that the kirk- 
 session may summon the delinquent when before them 
 apud acta, to compear before the presbytery, without 
 previous acquainting them thereof, but where there is 
 
 7 
 
146 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 any difficulty, the kirk-session should inform the pres- 
 bytery, and take their advice before a party be summon- 
 ed before them. 
 
 4. When the party or parties compear before the pres- 
 bytery, if they confess and profess repentance for their 
 sin, then the presbytery having gravely rebuked, and se- 
 riously exhorted the party or parties, are to determine 
 the censure, and prescribe the time and place of the 
 parties, their profession of repentance publicly in the 
 church of that congregation where the process began, 
 the scandal being there to be taken away, or remit them 
 to the session to receive orders thereanent. 
 
 5. It is thought more fit that the delinquents be ap- 
 pointed to remove the scandal in the congregation where 
 the offence is most flagrant, especially if they reside 
 there, rather than in the place where it was committed, 
 if it be not public there, and that intimation of the re- 
 moving thereof be made in other places, if the judicatory 
 shall find it needful. 
 
 6. When persons censured for these grosser scandals 
 do apply to the kirk-session for relaxation, they may 
 both be privately conferred with, and likewise their ac- 
 knowledgments heard before the session; but they ought 
 not to be brought before the congregation, in order to 
 their absolution, nor absolved, but by advice and order 
 of the presbytery. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Concerning Processes against Ministers, 
 
 1 . All processes against any minister are to begin be- 
 fore the presbytery to which he belongeth, and not before 
 the kirk-session of his own parish. 
 
 2. The credit and success of the gospel (in the way of 
 an ordinary mean) much depending on the entire credit 
 and reputation of ministers, their sound doctrine and 
 holy conversation, no stain thereof ought lightly to be 
 received ; nor when it comes before a judicatory ought to 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 14/ 
 
 be negligently enquired into, or when found evident, 
 ought to be slightly censured. 
 
 3. And because a scandal committed by a minister 
 hath on these accounts many aggravations, and once 
 raised, though it may be found to be without any ground, 
 yet it is not easily wiped oiF; therefore a presbytery 
 would exactly ponder by whose information and com- 
 plaint it comes first before them ; and a presbytery is not 
 so far to receive the information, as to proceed to the ci- 
 tation of a minister, or any way begin the process, until 
 there be first some person, who under his hand gives in 
 the complaint with some account of its probability, and 
 undertakes to make out the libel. 2do, Or at least do be- 
 fore the presbytery undertake to make it out, under the 
 pain of being censured as slanderers. Or, ^tio, That the 
 fama clamosa of the scandal be so great, as that the pres- 
 bytery, for their own vindication, see themselves necessi- 
 tate to begin the process, without any particular accuser; 
 but the presbytery in this case would be careful, first, to 
 enquire into the rise, occasion, broachers and grounds of 
 this fama clamosa, 
 
 4. All Christians ought to be so prudent and wary in 
 accusing ministers of any censurable fault, as that they 
 ought^ neither to publish nor spread the same, nor accuse 
 the minister before the presbytery, without first acquaint- 
 ing the minister himself, if they can have access thereto, 
 and then, if need be, some of the most prudent of the 
 ministers and elders of that presbytery, and their advice 
 got in the affair. 
 
 5. If there shall be ground found to enter in a process 
 against a minister, the presbytery should first consider 
 the libel, then order him to be cited, and to get a full 
 copy, with a list of the witnesses' names to be led for 
 proving thereof, and a formal citation in writ is to be 
 made either personally or at his dwelling-house, bearing 
 a competent time allowed to give in answers to the libel, 
 and his just defences and objections against witnesses, at 
 least ten free days before the day of compearance, and the 
 citation should bear the date when given, and the names 
 of the witnesses to the giving thereof; and the execution 
 
148 THE FORM OF PROCESS- 
 
 bearing its date, with the names and designations of the 
 witnesses, should be made in writ, and signed by the offi- 
 cer and witnesses; which being accordingly returned, he 
 is to be called, and if he compear, the libel is to be read 
 unto him, and he is to be enquired if he has any answers 
 to give in to the libel, that they may be read and consi- 
 dered, in order to the discussing of the relevancy; and if 
 the presbytery find the same, and there is cause to in- 
 sist, they are to endeavour to bring him to a confession, 
 whereby he may most glorify God ; and if he confess, 
 and the matter confest be of a scandalous nature, censur- 
 able in others, such as the sin of unclean ness, or some 
 other gross scandal, the presbytery (whatever be the na- 
 ture of his penitency, though to the conviction of all) are 
 instanter to depose him ah officio, and to appoint him in 
 due time to appear before the congregation where the 
 scandal was given, and in his own parish, for remov- 
 ing the offence, by the public profession of his repent- 
 ance. 
 
 6. If a minister be accused of any scandal, and cited 
 to appear before his own presbytery, and do absent him- 
 self by leaving the place, and be contumacious without 
 making any relevant excuse, after a new public citation 
 and intimation made at his own church when the congre- 
 gation is met, he is to be holden as confest, and to be de- 
 posed and censured instanter with the lesser excommu- 
 nication ; but if after some time he do not return and 
 subject himself to the censures of the church, he may be 
 proceeded against till he be censured with the greater 
 excommunication, if the judicatory see cause for it. 
 
 7. If the minister accused do appear and deny the 
 fact after the relevancy is found, the presbytery proceed- 
 ing to probation, and to find the truth of the matter, all 
 the circumstances are to be exactly canvassed, and the 
 accused heard to object against the witnesses. As also, 
 lie should be allowed to be present at the examination, 
 and modestly to cross interrogate, and then the reputa- 
 tion of the witnesses and their hability duly regarded, 
 and the examinations considered. If, after consideration 
 of all these, the judicatory shall find the scandal suffi- 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 149 
 
 ciently proven, they are to proceed to censure, as advised 
 in the case of confession in paragraph 5th. 
 
 8. If the matter laid to the minister's charge be such 
 practices as in their own nature manifestly subvert that 
 order, unity, and peace, which Christ hath established in 
 his church, or unsoundness and heterodoxy in doctrine, 
 then great caution would be used, and the knowledge 
 and understanding of witnesses much looked into ; and 
 withal, if the errors be not gross and striking at the vitals 
 of religion, or if they be not pertinaciously stuck unto, 
 or industriously spread, with a visible design to corrupt, 
 or that the errors are not spreading among the people, 
 then lenitives, admonitions, instructions, and frequent 
 conferences are to be tried to reclaim without cutting off, 
 and the advice of other presbyteries sought; and unless 
 the thing be doing much hurt, so as it admits of no de- 
 lay, the synod or general assembly may be advised with 
 in the affair, and the same intimate to the minister con- 
 cerned. 
 
 9. If the libel and comyjlaint brought against a mini- 
 ster be a multitude of smaller things laid together, as se- 
 veral acts of negligence or other unsuitable actions, the 
 presbytery in proceeding therein are to make a presby- 
 terial visitation of that parish to which the minister be- 
 longs, and at the said visitation, are first to see if any of 
 these things now laid to the minister's charge were com- 
 mitted prior to the last presbyterial visitation of that pa- 
 rish, and whether they were then laid to his charge, and 
 if they w'ere not, it would be tried how they come to be 
 laid to his charge now. 
 
 10. If the presbytery find these things laid to his 
 charge to be committed since the last visitation, or find 
 a satisfying reason wherefore they were not then tabled, 
 they are to enquire what diligence hath been used in ac- 
 quainting the minister wath the oifence taken at these 
 things when first committed by him, and how far the 
 minister hath been guilty of giving offence, after he knew 
 ofi'ence to be taken. 
 
 1 1 . It would likewise in this case be enquired, whether 
 any of the complainers did first in a prudent, private way, 
 
150 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 inform any of the neighbour ministers of some of these 
 things committed by their minister, who is now chal- 
 lenged, before these offences came to be so many, as to 
 merit a public and solemn trial, and accordingly the pres- 
 bytery is to judge. 
 
 12. If the presbytery find, upon trial, the complaint 
 to resolve on the minister's having committed such acts 
 of infirmity or passion as, considering all the circum- 
 stances, may be either amended and the people satisfied, 
 and no such offence taken, or at least not to remain, so 
 as to hinder the minister's profiting the people, and that 
 the offence was taken by the minister's own people only 
 or mainly ; then the presbytery is to take all prudent 
 ways to satisfy and reclaim both minister and people, and 
 do away the offence. 
 
 13. But before a minister deposed for scandalous car- 
 riage can be restored to the exercise of the ministry, 
 there would not only be convincing evidences of a deep 
 sorrow for sin, but an eminent and exemplary humble 
 walk, and edifying conversation, so apparent and con- 
 vincing as hath worn out and healed the wound the 
 scandal gave. 
 
 14. Immediately on the minister's being deposed by 
 the presbytery, the sentence is to be intimate in his con- 
 gregation, the church declared vacant, the planting there- 
 of with another minister hastened, and never delayed on 
 the expectation of his being reponed, it being almost im- 
 possible that ever he can prove useful in that parish again. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Concerning Processes in order to the Censure of the 
 greater Excommunication. 
 
 1 . Since there is a distinction betwixt the greater and 
 the lesser excommunication, it seems that whatever have 
 been the causes of the first process, yet ordinarily all pro- 
 cesses that are in order to the greater excommunication 
 are to be grounded on manifest contumacy, or obstinate 
 continuance in scandalous practices ; and where there is 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 151 
 
 no manifest contumacy, or continuance as aforesaid, the 
 lesser excommunication needs only have place. Yet in 
 some extraordinary cases, the church, according to Scrip- 
 ture warrant, hath summarily excommunicated persons 
 guilty of notour atrocious scandalous sins, to shew the 
 church's abhorrence of such wickedness. 
 
 2. Even where there hath been a scandal delated, ana 
 contumacy following by not appearing, it would be con- 
 sidered, whether any scandalous practice hath been pro- 
 ven or not ; if not proven, then only the simple contuma- 
 cy is to be proceeded against, for which it were hard to 
 go a greater length than the lesser excommunication. 
 
 3. If the scandal hath been proven, and the censure 
 of the lesser excommunication intimated, as in chapter 
 third, it seems most reasonable that there be no further 
 proceeding, unless the scandal be gross, or of an heinous 
 nature, or that it is spreading and infectious, as in here- 
 sies or schism in the church : In which cases, contumacy 
 is to be proceeded against in order to the greater excom- 
 munication. 
 
 4. The kirk-session having brought the process to an 
 intimation of the censure of the lesser excommunication, 
 before they inflict the same, they are to refer the affair 
 to the presbytery, bringing their whole proceedings be- 
 fore the presbytery in writ, that the presbytery may 
 thereby have a clear and full view of the whole affair. 
 
 5. The presbytery finding the kirk-session hath order- 
 ly proceeded, and that the lesser excommunication is not 
 sufficient, and that the affair is so weighty as to oblige 
 them to enter on the process, they are to cause their 
 officer to cite the scandalous person. 
 
 6. If the party appear, then the presbytery is to pro- 
 ceed in the enquiry at the accused, about the scandal al- 
 leged and libelled ; and if he deny it, then they are to pro- 
 ceed and lead probation, as in other cases. 
 
 7. But if the party appear not, but contemn the ci- 
 tation, the presbytery causeth renew the same, until he 
 hath got three citations ; and after the three citations, he 
 is to be cited out of the pulpit ; and for the further con- 
 viction of all concerned, intimation is to be made that 
 
152 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 the judicatory will proceed and enquire into the presump- 
 tions or probation of the guilt, and this is to be done al- 
 though the delinquent be absent. 
 
 8. Then the presbytery is to order the minister of the 
 congregation next Sabbath, after forenoon's sermon, to 
 acquaint the congregation what proceedings the kirk-ses- 
 sion first, and thereafter the presbytery, hath made in the 
 affair, and how contumacious the party was, and that 
 the presbytery intended to proceed to the highest cen- 
 sure : and the minister is gravely to admonish the party 
 (if present) to repent and submit himself to the discipline 
 of the church, threatening him, if he continue impenitent, 
 that the church will proceed ; yea, though he be absent, 
 the minister is to acquaint the people, that the church 
 requires him to repent and submit as abovesaid, under 
 the foresaid certification. 
 
 9. There should be three public admonitions, and a 
 presbytery should intervene betwixt each admonition ; 
 and if, after all, that person continue impenitent or contu- 
 macious, the same is to be represented to the presbytery, 
 who are thereupon to appoint public prayers thrice to be 
 made, in which the minister is to exhort the congregation 
 seriously to join with him in prayer for the scandalous, 
 impenitent, or contumacious person, w^hich he is solemnly 
 to put up to God, humbly begging that he would deal 
 with the soul of the impenitent, and convince him of the 
 evil of his ways. 
 
 10. These public prayers of the church are to be put 
 up three several Sabbath days, a presbytery (where its 
 meetings are more frequent, once a month at least) inter- 
 vening between each public prayer, both to shew the 
 church's tenderness towards their lapsed brother, their 
 earnestness to have him reclaimed, and likewise to create 
 a greater regard and terror of that dreadful censure, both 
 in the party and in all the people. 
 
 11. If, after all, the scandalous person makes no appli- 
 cation, but continues impenitent, the presbytery, after 
 prayer, is to pass sentence, and appoint a minister to in- 
 timate the same, and to shew the presbytery's resolution 
 to proceed upon such a Sabbath as they shall name, 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 153 
 
 for pronouncing that dreadful sentence solemnly in face 
 of the congregation, unless either the party, or some for 
 him, signify some relevant ground to stop their proce- 
 dure. 
 
 12. That day being come, it were fit the minister did 
 preach a sermon suited to that solemn occasion, or at least 
 after sermon the minister should shew the congregation 
 what he is going about, introducing the narrative of the 
 process, with a discourse concerning the nature, use, and 
 end of church censures, particularly that of the greater 
 excommunication, if he hath not done it fully in his ser- 
 mon. 
 
 13. The narrating all the steps of the process in order, 
 shewing the church's faithfulness and tenderness towards 
 the scandalous person, and declaring his obstinate impeni- 
 tency ; and that now, after all other means were used, 
 there remained only that of cutting off the scandalous 
 person from the society of the faithful, and intimating 
 the church's warrant and order to him so to do. 
 
 14. And before the minister pronounce the sentence, 
 he is to pray, and desire all the congregation to join with 
 him therein, that God would grant repentance to the ob- 
 stinate person, would graciously bless his own ordinance, 
 and make the censure effectual, both to edify others, and 
 to be a mean to reclaim the obstinate sinner. 
 
 15. Then after prayer, the minister is, with great gravi- 
 ty and authority, to pronounce the censure ; shewing his 
 warrant from our Lord's command, and the Apostle 
 Paul's direction, and recapitulating the presbytery's war- 
 rant in obedience thereunto, and resuming the scandal- 
 ous and obstinate person's behaviour, whom he is to 
 name ; he, therefore, in the name and authority of our 
 Lord and Master Jesus Christ, doth in verbis de prce- 
 senti pronounce and declare him or her excommunicated 
 and shut out from the communion of the faithful, debar 
 ring that person from their privileges ; and in the words 
 of the Apostle, delivering that person over to Satan, 
 which sentence is to be intimate according to the 9th act 
 of the Assembly anno 1704. 
 
 7-2 
 
154 THE FORM OF PROCESS* 
 
 16. If after prayer, or before the censure be pronounced, 
 the scandalous person do make any public signification of 
 his repentance, and of his desire to have the censure stopt, 
 the minister, upon apparent seriousness in the scandalous 
 person, which he sheweth to the congregation, may there- 
 upon delay pronouncing the sentence, till he report to 
 the presbytery at their next meeting, who are then to 
 deal with the scandalous person as they shall find cause. 
 
 17. After the pronunciation of this sentence, the peo- 
 ple are to be warned that they hold that person to be cast 
 out of the communion of the church, and that they shun 
 all unnecessary converse w ith him or her ; nevertheless, 
 excommunication dissolveth not the bond of civil or na- 
 tural relations, nor exempts from the duties belonging to 
 them. 
 
 18. Although it be the duty of pastors and ruling el- 
 ders to use all diligence and vigilance, both by doctrine 
 and discipline respectively, for preventing and purging 
 out such errors, heresies, schisms, and scandals as tend to 
 the detriment and disturbance of the church; yet, because 
 it may fall out through the pride and stubbornness of 
 off'enders, that these means alone will not be efiectual to 
 that purpose, it is therefore necessary, after all this, to 
 employ the aid of the civil magistrate, who ought to use 
 his coercive power for the suppressing of all such ofi'ences, 
 and vindicating the discipline of the church from con- 
 tempt. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 Concerning the Order of' proceeding to Absolution. 
 
 1. If, after excommunication, the signs of repentance 
 appear in the excommunicated person ; such as godly sor- 
 row for having incurred God's heavy displeasure by his 
 sin, occasioned grief to his brethren, and justly provoked 
 the church to cast him out of their communion, together 
 with a full purpose of heart to turn from his sin unto 
 God through Christ, and to reform his life and conversa- 
 tion, with an humble desire of recovering peace with 
 
THE FORM OF PROCESS. 155 
 
 God and his people, and to be restored to the favour of 
 God and light of his countenance, through the blood of 
 Jesus Christ, and to the communion of the church, and 
 the presbytery upon his application be satisfied therewith, 
 and judge that he ought to be absolved, and thereupon 
 give warrant for his absolution; he is to be brought be- 
 fore the congregation, and there also to make free con- 
 fession of his sin and sorrow for it, to call upon God for 
 mercy in Christ, to seek to be restored to the communion 
 of the church, promising to God, through grace, new 
 obedience, and more holy and circumspect walking as 
 becomes the gospel, and that this appearance before the 
 congregation be as often as church judicatories shall find 
 may be for edification and trial of the professing penitent's 
 sincerity; and being satisfied in this, then the minister 
 and congregation are to praise God, who delighteth not 
 in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent 
 and live ; as also, for blessing the ordinance of excommu- 
 nication, and making it efi'ectual by his Spirit to the re- 
 covering of this offender, to magnify the mercy of God 
 through Jesus Christ, in pardoning and receiving to his 
 favour the most grievous offenders whensoever they un-- 
 feignedly repent and forsake their sins. But before the 
 minister proceed to absolution, he is to pray with the con- 
 gregation to this effect: " That the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 Prophet, Priest, and King of his church, who with the 
 preaching of the gospel hath joined the powder to bind and 
 loose the sins of men ; who hath also declared, that w hat- 
 soever by his ministers is bound on earth, shall be bound 
 in heaven, and also, that whatsoever is loosed by the same, 
 shall be loosed and absolved in heaven, w^ould mercifully 
 accept his creature N. whom Satan of long time hath 
 holden in bondage, so that he not only drew him to ini- 
 quity, but also so hardened his heart, that he despised all 
 admonitions, for the which his sin and contempt, the 
 church was compelled to excommunicate him from the 
 society of the faithful; but now seeing the Holy Spirit by 
 his grace hath so prevailed, that he is returned, and pro- 
 fesseth repentance toward God, and faith toward our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, that it may please God by his Spirit 
 
156 THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 and grace to make him a sincere and unfeigned penitent, 
 and for the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ unto death, 
 so to accept of this poor believing and returning sinner, 
 that his former disobedience be never laid to his charge, 
 and that he may increase in all godliness, so that Satan in 
 the end may be trodden under feet by the power of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and God may be glorified, the church 
 edified, and the penitent saved in the day of our Lord." 
 
 2. Then shall follow the sentence of absolution in 
 these or the like words: " Whereas thou N. hast for thy 
 sin been shut out from the communion of the faithful, 
 and hast now manifested thy repentance, wherein the 
 church resteth satisfied, I, in the name of the Lord Jesus, 
 before this congregation, pronounce and declare thee 
 absolved from the sentence of excommunication formerly 
 denounced against thee, and do receive thee to the com- 
 munion of the church, and the free use of all the ordi- 
 nances of Christ, that thou mayest be partaker of all his 
 benefits to thy eternal salvation." 
 
 3. After this sentence of absolution, the minister 
 speaketh to him as a brother, exhorteth him to watch 
 and pray, and comforting him as there shall be cause; 
 the elders embrace, and the whole congregation holdeth 
 communion with him, as one of their own ; and the abso- 
 lution should be intimate in all the churches where the 
 excommunication was intimate. 
 
 END OF THE FORM OF PROCESS. 
 
 ,* This edition of the " Form of Process" has been carefully collated 
 with the copy in the Acts of Assembly. 
 
THE 
 
 BOOK OF COMMON ORDER, 
 
 OR, THE 
 
 ORDER OF THE ENGLISH KIRK AT GENEVA; 
 
 WHEREOF JOHN KNOX WAS MINISTER. 
 
 APPROVED BY THE FAMOUS AND LEARNED MAN, JOHN CALVIN. 
 
 Received and used by the Reformed Kirk of Scotland, and 
 ordinarily prefixed to the Psalms in Metre. 
 
 Matth. X. 23. 
 " When they persecute you in this city, flye ye into another." 
 
 1 Cor. iii. 2. 
 
 " Another foundacion can no man laye then it that is layde, which is 
 Jesus Christ," 
 
THE PREFACE. 
 
 To our Brethren in England and elsewhere, which love 
 Jesus Christ unfainedly, Mercy and Peace. 
 
 It is more evident and known to all men, then welt 
 considered and faithfully received of many, with what 
 great mercies and especial graces God endued our coun- 
 trey of England in these latter dayes, when from idolatry 
 he called us to the knowledge of the gospel, and of no 
 people made us his people, a holy people, the people 
 of God, sending us a King, most godly, learned, zealous, 
 wise, and such a one as never sate in that royal chaire 
 before ; God's word universally spred over all the land, 
 repentance preached, Christ's kingdom offered, sin rebuk- 
 ed, so that none could excuse himselfe either that he had 
 not heard, or else was not taught God's holy gospel; yet it 
 came to pass, and this day that is verified on us, which 
 the Lord reproved Israel for, saying, / have stretched 
 forth my hands all the day long unto a people that be- 
 lieveth 7iot, but rebelleth against me, and icalketh after 
 their own imaginations:* For whose wayes were not cor- 
 rupt ? even from the highest to the lowest, from top to 
 toe, there was no part sound. Such contempt of God's 
 word as well on their behalfe to whom the charge of 
 preaching was committed ; as on the other side, negligence 
 to hear and learn to frame their lives according thereunto ; 
 that if the Lord had not hastened his plague, and pre- 
 vented, it would certainly have come to pass which these 
 wicked men of Anathoth said to the prophet Jeremie, 
 Speak no more to us in the name of the Lord.^ The 
 which unkindnesse and contempt, would God we could as 
 
 * Isa. Ixv. 2. Rom. x. 21. f Jer. xi. 21. 
 
160 THE PREFACE. 
 
 earnestly repent, as we now feel the lack of these accus- 
 tomed mercies : For now the day of our visitation is comen, 
 and the Lord hath brought the plagues upon us, whereof 
 before we were admonished, and most justly menaced ; for 
 the false prophets are sent forth with lies in their mouthes, 
 to deceive England ; and the scarcity of God's word is 
 so great, that although they seek it from one sea-coast to 
 another, yet they cannot find it, but as men affamished, 
 devour the pestiferous dung of papistry, to the poisoning 
 of their own souls. 
 
 Let us therefore, brethren, turne wholly to the Lord 
 by repentance, fasting, and prayer ; earnestly beseeching 
 him to receive us once again to his favour, who willeth 
 not the death of a sinner, but his amendment ; offering 
 himself to all them that in their necessity seek unto him ; 
 and like a most merciful father proveth all remedies for 
 our bettering, not cruelly punishing to destroy us, but 
 gently chastising to save us. 
 
 Beware then ye harden not your hearts against this 
 merciful Lord, and tempt him as the stubborn Jews did, 
 whom he therefore delivered up into their enemies hands, 
 to perish with the sword, hunger, and pestilence ; for God 
 will not be mocked, but like a consuming fire will destroy 
 as well the wicked contemners of his word, as the crafty 
 dissemblers which go about to measure God by their fan- 
 tasies, not considering that they heap damnation against 
 themselves in the day of his anger, which now already is 
 kindled and beginneth to flame to the condemnation of 
 their souls and bodies, who knowing Jesus Christ to have 
 once fully satisfied for our sins, cease not daily either 
 in heart, mouth, or outward consent, to blaspheme his 
 precious death, and (as much as in them lieth) crucifie 
 him a new. 
 
 Do ye not remember that idolaters have no portion in 
 the kingdom of God, but are thrown into the lake of fire 
 and brimstone, where their worme shall never die ? Can- 
 not the examples of God's fearful judgments move you, 
 who spared not his very angels when they trespassed, but 
 hitherto reserveth them in hell-chaines to be tormented in 
 the day of the Lord ? and will he then favour idolaters, 
 
THE PREFACE. 16 1 
 
 dissemblers, blasphemers, mockers, contemners ? and not 
 rather in this life verifie that which the Holy Ghost 
 pronounceth against the children of God's wrath, who, 
 because they doe not receive the love of the trueth for 
 their salvation, are led by lies to their endless condem- 
 nation.* At least let God's forewarnings somewhat move 
 you to pity your own state, w^ho, for your instruction, suf- 
 fereth your own brethren amongst you to die so terriblie, 
 some in despaire, others to kill themselves, and many ut- 
 tering most horrible blasphemies, even to their last breath; 
 the which things are so fearfull for us to hear, that we 
 tremble in thinking thereupon. 
 
 If you will therefore be counted in the number of God's 
 people, and be so indeed, look not back from the plough, 
 returne not to your vomite, bow not your knee to Baal, 
 polute not the temple of the Holy Ghost, in presenting 
 your selves to that wicked and most blasphemous masse, 
 with such like idols : But either stand in the trueth, and 
 so obe}^ God rather then man, or else follow God's call- 
 ing, w^ho hath so mercifully provided for you, moving 
 the hearts of godly rulers and magistrates to pity your 
 state and do you good, so that at Emden, TVessel, Francke- 
 fort, and in this city, he hath appointed godly churches 
 wherein you may learn to fear him, repent your sins, 
 amend your lives, and recover again his favour and mer- 
 cie. 
 
 And because there is no way more ready or sure to 
 come to him, then by framing our lives altogether to his 
 blessed will revealed unto us in his word; we, to whom, 
 though God hath given more liberty, yet no less lament- 
 ing your bondage, then rejoycing in our ow^n deliverance 
 from that Babylonian slavery, and antichristian yoke, have 
 earnestly endeavoured, amongst other things which might 
 bring us to the worthy consideration of God's word, to 
 frame our lives, and reforme our state of religion in 
 such sort, that neither doubt of the certainty thereof should 
 make us fear, nor yet mens judgement discourage us, and 
 cause us shrink from this enterprise, most acceptable to 
 
 * 2 Thess. ii. 10, 11, 12. John iii. 19. 
 
162 THE PREFACE. 
 
 God, comfortable to his church, and necessarily apper- 
 taining to every Christian man's duty. 
 
 We therefore, not as the greatest clerks of all, but as 
 the least able of many, do present unto you, which desire 
 the increase of God's glory and the pure simplicity of his 
 word, a form and order of a reformed church limite within 
 the compasse of God's word which our Saviour hath left 
 unto us as only sufficient to govern all our actions* by ; so 
 that whatsoever is added to this word by man's device, 
 seem it never so good, holy, or beautiful, yet before our 
 God, who is jealous, and cannot admit any companion! or 
 counsellor, it is evil, wicked, and abominable ; for he that 
 is the wisdom of the Father, the brightnesse of his glory, 
 the true light, the word of life, yea trueth and life it self, J 
 can he give unto his church (for which he paid the ran- 
 som of his blood), that which should not be a sufficient 
 assurance for the same ? Can the word of trueth deceive 
 us ? the way of life misguide us ? the word of salvation 
 damne us ? God keep us from such blasphemies, and so 
 direct our hearts with his Holy Spirit, that we may not only 
 content our selves with his wisdom, but so rejoyce in the 
 same, that we may abhorre all things which are contrary. 
 
 The which considerations, dear brethren, when we 
 weyed with reverent fear and humblenesse : And also, 
 knowing that negligence in reforming that religion which 
 was begun in Engla7id, was not the least cause of God's 
 rods laid upon us, having now obteined, by the mercifull 
 providence of our heavenly Father, a free church for all 
 our nation in this most worthy city of Geneva, we pre- 
 sented to the judgement of the famous man John Calvin, 
 and others learned in these parts, the order which we mind- 
 ed to use in our church, who approving it as sufficient for 
 a Christian congregation, we put the same in execution, 
 nothing doubting but all godly men shall be much edified 
 thereby. And as for the papists or malicious men and 
 ungodly, we have not laboured to justify them, because we 
 know no soverein medicine for their canckered sore, except 
 
 * Gal. i. 8, 9, 11, 12. 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16, 17. f Lukexvi. 13. 
 
 t 1 Cor. i. 24. John i. 4, 9, and xiv. 6. Heb. i. 3. 
 
THE PREFACE. 163 
 
 it may please God, by our prayers, to be mercifull to them, 
 and call them home, if they be not already forsaken. 
 
 But yet for as much as there are some, which, through 
 continuance in their evil, rather delighting in custome 
 then knowledge, cannot suffer that men should once open 
 their mouthes against certain old and received ceremonies, 
 we thought good in this place somewhat to touch that 
 scrupulosity : For as ceremonies grounded upon God's 
 word, and approved in the New Testament, are com- 
 mendable as the circumstance thereof doth support ; so 
 those that man hath invented, though he had never so 
 good occasion thereunto, if they be once abused, import a 
 necessity, hinder God's word, or be drawne into a super- 
 stition, without respect ought to be abolished. 
 
 For if Ezechias was commended by the Holy Ghost, 
 for breaking in pieces the brazen serpent which Moses 
 had erected by commandment, and had continued above 
 800 years ;* which thing of it self was not evil, but rather 
 put men in remembrance of God's benefite ; yet because 
 it began to minister occasion to the people to commit 
 idolatry, it was not to be born withall. How much 
 more ought we to take heed, that through our occasion 
 men commit not idolatry with their own imaginations and 
 fantasies? It was not without great cause commanded 
 by Almighty God, that the places and other appurte- 
 nances, which had served to idolatry, should be utterly 
 consumed, lest babes and children, through occasion re- 
 membring the same, should fall into the like inconveni- 
 ence.! And think ye that we ought to be wiser, and not 
 rather take heed that those things which the papists or 
 other idolators have invented, may not enter into Christ's 
 church; as well to the end that the weak be not confirmed 
 in their error, J as that we may altogether separate our- 
 selves from that idolatrous Babylon and temple of Belial, 
 wherewith Christ hath no concord nor agreement. § 
 
 There was no one ceremonie more ancient, nor yet of 
 better authority, then the washing of the disciples' feet, 
 
 * 2 Kings xviii. 2, 3. t Deut. vii. 5, and xii. 2, 3, 30. 
 
 X 1 Cor. viii. 9, &c. and x. 32. § 2 Cor. vi. 15, 16, 17. 
 
 Isa. lii. 11. 
 
164 THE PREFACE. 
 
 which was instituted by Christ himself, * and observed a long 
 time in the church; yet when some were perswaded that 
 it was a part of the Lord's supper, and others thought it 
 served instead of baptism, the godly churches in St Au- 
 gustme's time thought it better to leave that which was 
 ordeined for a good use, then by retaining the same con- 
 firme an error or superstition .f The Corinthians, for the 
 relief of the poor, and to increase brotherly amity together, 
 did institute a feast immediately after the Lord's supper ;j 
 but how sharply St Paul did reprehend the same, con- 
 demning in comparison that men should adde any thing 
 to the Lord's institution, appeareth by what he saith, / 
 have received of the Lord that which I gave you.^ 
 
 We read also that Ezechias and his nephew Josias 
 restored the use of the Passover, which had been a very 
 long time discontinued ; but in the ministration thereof, 
 they observed none other ceremonies then God had left 
 to Moses from the beginning. || Circumcision, likewise a 
 sacrament, was evermore after one sort ministred, even as 
 the Lord commanded it. But such is the nature of flesh, 
 it will be wise, and have a stroke in God's doings ; yea, 
 how wilfully it causeth man to maintain his own fantasies, 
 is manifest to them which have perused the ancient re- 
 cords of the church : For, beginning at Jerusalem, and 
 so coming to the rest of the churches, as Constantinople, 
 Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome, he shall plainly see that 
 their greatest disturbance and overthrow chanced through 
 ceremonies. What conflict was at all times betwixt the 
 Latin and Greek churches for the same, no Christian can 
 consider without tears. And was there any thing more 
 objected against St Paul, both of the Galatians and also 
 of others, then that he would not observe the ceremonies 
 as the chief apostles did?lf and yet he kept them whilest 
 any hope was to gain the weak brethren, and there- 
 fore he circumcised Timothy ;** but when he perceived 
 that men would retain them as necessary things in the 
 
 * John xiii. 4-17. f Aug. Epist. 119, ad Januarium, Cap. 18. 
 
 X Chrysost. in 1 Cor. Cap. 11. Tertul. ad uxorein. § 1 Cor. xi. 23. 
 II 2 Chron. xxx. Chapter, and xxxv. 1 — 19. 2 Kings xxiii. 21, 22, 23. 
 ^ Gal. i. and ii. Chapters. Acts xxi. ** Acts xvi. 3. 
 
THE PREFACE. 165 
 
 church, he called that which before he made indif- 
 ferent, wicked and impious, saying, that whosoever was 
 circumcised^ Christ could nothing profit them* fearing 
 also lest he had taken paines amongst them in vain, which 
 joyned Christ with heggerly cer€monies.'\ 
 
 Therefore, dear brethren, being hereby perswaded, and 
 by many moe reasons confirmed, which opportunity per- 
 mitteth not here to write, we have contented our selves 
 with that wisdom which we have learned in God's booke, 
 where we be taught to preach the word of God purely, 
 minister the sacraments sincerely, and use prayers and 
 other orders thereby approved, to the increase of God's 
 glory and edification of his holy people. As touching 
 preaching, for as much as it is allowed of all godly men, 
 we may at this time leave the probation thereof; and also 
 for the ministration of the two sacraments, our booke 
 giveth sufficient proofe. 
 
 But because prayers are after two manner of sorts, that 
 is, either in words only, or else with song joyned there- 
 unto; and this latter part, as well for lack of the true use 
 thereof, as due consideration of the same, is called by 
 many into doubt, whether it may be used in a reformed 
 church : It is expedient that we note briefly a few things 
 pertaining thereunto. 
 
 St Paid, giving a rule how men should sing, first saith, 
 / will sing in voice, and I will sing with under standing. % 
 And in another place shewing what songs should 
 be sung, exhorteth the Ephesians to edifie one an- 
 other with psalms, songs of praise, and such as are 
 spiritual, singing in their hearts to the Lord with 
 thanksgiving, \ as if the Holy Ghost would say, that the 
 song did inflame the heart to call upon God, and praise 
 him with a more fervent and lively zeal. And as musick 
 or singing is natural unto us, and therefore every man 
 delighteth therein; so our mercifull God setteth before our 
 eyes how we may rejoyce and sing to the glory of his 
 name, recreation of our spirits, and profite of our selves. 
 
 But as there is no gift of God so precious or excellent, 
 
 * Gal. V. 2. t Gal. iv. 9, 10, II. $ 1 Cor. xiv. 15. 
 
 § Eph. V. 19. Jam. v. 13. 
 
166 THE PREFACE. 
 
 that Satan hath not after a sort drawen to himself and 
 corrupt, so hath he most impudently abused this notable 
 gift of singing, chiefly by the papists his ministers, in 
 disfiguring it, partly by strange language that cannot 
 edifie, and partly by a curious wanton sort, hireing men 
 to tickle the ears, and flatter the fantasies, not esteeming 
 it as a gift approved by the word of God, profitable for 
 the church, and confirmed by all antiquity ; As, beside 
 other places, is most manifest by the words of Plinius, 
 called the younger, who, when he was deputy in Asia, 
 under the Emperor Trajan, and had received charge to 
 enquire out the Christians to put them to death, writ 
 amongst other things touching the Christians, That their 
 manners were to sing verses or psalms early in the morn- 
 ing to Christ their God* If any peradventure would 
 doubt, when or by whom these churches or assemblies 
 were institute, it is likewise evident that St John the 
 Apostle, who although in Domitian's time he was banish- 
 ed in the isle Pathmos, yet when Nerva his successor, 
 and next before Trajan, reigned, returned to Ephesus, 
 and so planted the churches, as the histories report.f 
 Seeing therefore God's word doth approve it, antiquity 
 beareth witness thereof, and best reformed churches have 
 received the same; no man can reprove it, except he will 
 contemne God's word, despise antiquity, and utterly con- 
 demne the godly reformed churches. 
 
 And there are no songs more meet then the Psalms of 
 the Prophet David, which the Holy Ghost hath framed 
 to the same use, and commended to the church as con- 
 teining the efl'ect of the whole Scriptures, that hereby our 
 hearts might be more lively touched : As appeareth by 
 Moses,X Ezechias,^ Jiidith,\\ Deborah,^ Mary,** Zacha- 
 /•/e,tt and others, who by songs and metre, rather then in 
 their common speech and prose, gave thanks to God for 
 such comfort as he sent them. 
 
 Here it were too long to intreat of the meter : But for- 
 
 * Plin. Epist. Lib. x. Ep. 97. t Euseb. Hist. Eccles. Lib. iii. 
 
 Cap. 23. t Exod. xv. 1—19. § Isa. xxxviii. 10—20. 
 
 (II Judith xvi. 1—22.) t Judg. v. ** Luke i. 46—55. 
 
 tt Luke. i. 68—79. 
 
THE PREFACE. 167 
 
 asmuch as the learned doubt not thereof, and it is plainly- 
 proved that the psalms are not only meter, and contain 
 just ceasures; but also have grace and majesty in the 
 verse more then in any other places of the Scriptures, 
 we need not to enter into any probation. For they that 
 are skilful in the Hebrew tongue, by comparing the Psalms 
 with the rest of the Scriptures, easily may perceive the 
 meter:* And they to whom it is not so well known may 
 see how the Holy Ghost by all means sought to help our 
 memory, when he fashioned many psalms according to 
 the letters of the alphabet, so that every verse beginneth 
 with the letters thereof in order ; some times A begin- 
 neth the halfe verse, and B the other halfe, and in another 
 place three verses, yea, and eight verses beginne with one 
 letter, even the psalme throughout, as if all men should 
 be inflamed with the love thereof, both for the variety of 
 matter, and also brefnesse, easiness, and delectation. 
 
 Now to make you privy also why we altered the rhime 
 also in certain places, of him whom for the gifts that God 
 had given him we esteemed and reverenced, this may suf- 
 fice, that in this our enterprise we did only set God before 
 our eyes ; and therefore weighed the words and sense of 
 the prophet, rather considering the meaning thereof then 
 what any man had written. And chiefly being in this 
 place, where as most perfect and godly judgment did 
 assure us, and exhortations to the same encourage us, we 
 thought it better to frame the rhime to the Hebrew sense, 
 then binde the sense to the Unglisli meeter. And so we 
 either altered for the better, in such places as he had not 
 attained unto, or else where he had escaped part of the 
 verse, or some times the whole, we added the same ; not 
 as men desirous to find faults, but such as covet to hid 
 them, as the learned can judge. 
 
 It remaineth last of all, that you understand the reasons 
 which moved us to chuse out and follow the catechisme 
 of Geneva rather then any other; for considering that the 
 true use of a catechisme is to instruct a Christian fully in 
 
 * Read Moses Chabib, in his bookes called Psalmes in Meter in the 
 Hebrew Tongue. 
 
168 THE PREFACE. 
 
 all points of belief and Christian religion, and wherein this 
 is most easily, orderly, and perfectly taught, that to be the 
 best; we could find none in so great a number, which 
 either for the facility is equal, or else for the perfection to 
 be compared. Moreover, the dangers which hang over 
 Christ's church in these days moved us very much ; for 
 as men may see present signes of certain barbarousnesse 
 and puddles of errors, which are like to enter into the 
 Church of God ; so there is no better preservation against 
 the same, then if all godly churches would agree in one 
 kinde of doctrine and Confession of Faith, which in all 
 points were agreeable to God's holy word; that our pos- 
 terity might be confirmed by the universall example of 
 Christ's church, against all heresies, persecutions, and 
 other dangers, perceiving that it is not onely the doctrine 
 of one man, but the consent of the whole Christian church, 
 and that wherein all youth hath been brought up and 
 trained in. The which thing, seeing none hath so far 
 performed, nor yet is in such towardnesse to the same as 
 this catechisme is, being for the worthiness thereof also 
 translated into Hebrew^ Greek, Latin, French, Italian, 
 Spanish, Dutch, and English, we could do no lesse but 
 willingly and gladly embrace the same. 
 
 Wherefore we being now under the same crosse of 
 affliction that you our dear brethren are, and yet altogether 
 the children of God our merciful 1 Father through Jesus 
 Christ, desire you in his name, with judgement to read 
 our doings, trying them only by the touchstone of his 
 word, that either if they be found faulty they may be re- 
 jected, or else if they be profitable, God may be glorified, 
 his church edified, and the malicious confounded. Fare- 
 well, dear brethren, and let us pray to our loving God, 
 that he would be mercifull unto us, restore his holy word, 
 comfort and strengthen his children, and finally confound 
 Satan, antichrist, and all his enemies.* 
 
 At Geneva the lOth of February Anno 1556. 
 
 Nota. — This Preface and the following Prayer are not usually printed in 
 the Scots Editions of The Book of Common Order. 
 
 * Psal. Ixxxix. 15—18. 
 
A PRAYER. 169 
 
 A Prayer made at the first Assemhhj of the English 
 Church at Geneva, when the Confession of Faith and 
 whole Orders were there read and approved. 
 
 O Lord God Almighty, and Father most merciful, 
 there is none like thee in heaven nor in earth,* which 
 workest all things for the glory of thy name, and the 
 comfort of thine elect. Thou didst once make man ruler 
 over all thy creatures,! and pieced him in the garden of 
 all pleasures ;| but how soon, alas ! did he in his felicity 
 forget thy goodnesse ?§ Thy people Israel also in their 
 wealth did evermore run astray, abusing thy manifold 
 mercies ;|| likeas all flesh continually rageth, when it hath 
 gotten liberty and external prosperity. 
 
 But such is thy wisdome adjoyned to thy mercies, dear 
 Father, that thou seekest all means possible to bring thy 
 children to the sure sense and lively feeling of thy fatherly 
 favour ;1[ and therefore, when prosperity will not serve, then 
 sendest thou adversity, graciously correcting all thy child- 
 ren whom thou receivest into thine household.** Where- 
 fore we, wretched and miserable sinners, render unto thee 
 most humble and harty thanks, that it hath pleased thee 
 to call us home to thy folde, by thy fatherly correction at 
 this present ; whereas in our prosperity and liberty we 
 did neglect thy graces oifered unto us: For the which 
 negligence, and many other grievous sins, whereof we 
 now accuse our selves before thee, thou mightest most 
 justly have given us up to reprobate mindes,tt and indura- 
 tion of our harts, as thou hast done others. But such is thy 
 goodness, O Lord, that thou seemest to forget all our of- 
 fences, and hast called us of thy good pleasure from 
 all idolatries into this city most christianly reformed, to 
 profess thy name,^ and to sujffer som.e crosse among thy 
 people for thy trueth and gospel's sake;§§ and so to be 
 thy witnesses with thy prophets and apostles, |||| yea, with 
 thy dearly beloved Sonne Jesus Christ our head, to whom 
 
 * 1 Kings viii. 23. f Gen. i. 28. % Gen. ii. 8—17. 
 
 § Gen ]ii. II Exod. \xxii. ^ Ezek. xii. ** Heb. xii. 6. 
 
 Piov. hi. 12. ft Rom. i. 28. 1% Isa. iv. 2—6. §§ Matth. 
 
 X. 11, 12. nil Luke xxiv. 48. Acts ix. 15, 16, and xxii. 15. 
 
 8 
 
170 A PRATER. 
 
 thou doest begin here to fashion us like, that in his glory 
 we may also he like him when he shall appear.* 
 
 O Lord, what are we upon whom thou shouldest shew 
 this great mercy ?t O most loving Lord, forgive us our 
 unthankfulnesse, and all oursinnes, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
 O heavenly Father, increase thine Holy Spirit in us, 
 to teach our harts to crie Abba, dear Father,J to assure 
 us of our eternal election in Christ, to reveile thy will 
 more and more towards us, to confirme us so in the trueth, 
 that we may live and die therein ; and that by the power 
 of the same Spirit we may boldly give accounts of our 
 faith to all men with humbleness and meekness, that 
 whereas they backbite and sclander us as evil doers, they 
 may be ashamed and once stop their mouths, seeing our 
 good conversation in Jesus Christ. For whose sake we 
 beseech, O Lord God, to guide, governe and prosper this 
 our enterprise, in assembling our brethren to praise thine 
 holy name ; and not only be here present with us thy 
 children according to thy promise, but also mercifully 
 to assist thy like persecuted people our brethren, gathered 
 in all other places, that they and we consenting together 
 in one spirit and trueth, may, all worldly respects set 
 apart, seek thy only honour and glory in all our and their 
 assemblies. Amen. 
 
 * 1 John iii. 2. f Psal. cxliv. 3. J Rom. viii. 15. Gal. iv. 6. 
 
THE 
 
 BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 OF THE MINISTERS AND THEIR ELECTION. 
 I. What thinges are chiefely required in the Ministers, 
 
 Let the church first diligently consider, that the minis- 
 ter who is to be chosen,* be not found culpable of any 
 such faultes, which Sainct Paul reprehendeth in a man 
 of that vocation ; but contrariwise indued with such vir- 
 tues, that he may be able to undertake his charge, and 
 diligently execute the same.f Secondly^ That he distri- 
 bute faithfully the w^ord of God, and minister the sacra- 
 ments sincerely ;t ever carefuU, not only to teach his flock 
 publikely, but also privately to admonish them;§ remem- 
 bring ahvayes, that if any thing perish through his de- 
 fault, the Lord will require it at his hands. || 
 
 II. Of their Office and Duty. 
 
 Because the charge of the worde of God is of greater 
 importance, than that any man is able to dispence there- 
 with, Tf and Sainct Paid exhorteth to esteeme them as 
 ministers of Christ, and disposers of God's mysteries, ** 
 not lords or rulers, as Sainct Peter saith, over the flocke :tt 
 Therefore the pastors or ministers chiefe office standeth 
 
 • Acts i. 21, 22, 23, and xiii. 2, 3, and xiv. 23. f 1 Tim. iii. 2-7. 
 2 Tim. i. 5, 6, and ii. 1, and iv. 5. Ezek. xxxiii, 7. Jer. iii. 15. 
 
 John xxi. 17. Isa. Ixii. 6. 1 Cor. ix. 16, 19-23. X 2 Tim ii. 2, 
 
 14,15,16,23,24,25. 2 Cor. iv. 1, 2, 17. Matth. xxvi. 26, &c. and 
 xxviii. 19, 20. 1 Cor. i. 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, and xi. 23, &c. § Acts xx. 
 28, 31. 2 Tim. iv. 2. i| Ezek. iii. 18, 19, 20, 21. 1 Cor. ix. 16. 
 
 f 1 Cor. ix. 16. Acts vi. 2, 4. Luke xii. 41. *' 1 Cor. iv. 1. 
 
 2 Cor. iv. 1, 2, 5, 7, 10 ft 1 Pet. v. 2, 3. 2 Cor. i. 24. Matth. 
 
 XX. 25, 26. Luke xxii. 25, 26. 
 
172 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 in preaching the word of God, and ministring the sacra- 
 ments ;* so that in consultations, judgments, elections, 
 and other politicall affaires, his counsell rather than 
 authority taketh place ;t and if so be the congregation 
 upon just cause agreeth to excommunicate, then it be- 
 iongeth to the minister, according to their generall deter- 
 mination, to pronounce the sentence,^ to the ende that all 
 things may be done orderlie and without confusion. § 
 
 III. The manner of electing the Pastors or Ministers. 
 
 The ministers and elders at such time as there wanteth 
 a minister, II assemble the whole congregation, exhorting 
 them to advise and consider who may best serve in that 
 roome and office; and if there be choise, the church appoint 
 two or three upon some certaine day to be examined by 
 the ministers and elders. 
 
 Firsts As touching their doctrine, whether he that 
 should be minister have good and sound knowledge in 
 the holy Scriptures, and fit and apt giftes to communicate 
 the same, to the edification of the people ;![ for the triall 
 whereof they propose him a theame or text, to be treated 
 privately, whereby his habilitie may the more manifestly 
 appeare unto them. 
 
 Secondly^ They inquire of his life and conversation, if 
 he have in times past lived without slander, and governed 
 himselfe in such sort as the word of God hath not been 
 evill heard, or been slandered through his occasion;** which 
 beeing severally done, they signifie unto the congregation, 
 whose gifts they found most meet and profitable for that 
 ministerie, appointing also by a generall consent eight 
 days at the least, that everie man may diligently inquire 
 of his life and maners. 
 
 At the which time also the minister exhorteth them to 
 
 * Matth. xxvi. 26, &c. and xxviii. 19. 20. Miil. ii. 6, 7- 1 Pet. i\ . 10, 
 11. Acts xiii. 2, 3, 5, and xvi. 10, 17. 1 Cor. i. 17, ^(^- and xv. 1, 2, 
 10, 11. t Acts XX 28. 1 Cor. iv. 2, 5. % 1 Cor. v. chapter. 
 
 § 1 Cor. xiv. 33, 40. || Acts xiv. 23. Tit. i. 5. Acts ii. 
 
 «[ 1 Tim. iii. 2, 6. Tit i. 0. ** Rom. ii. 19—24. Jam. i. 2G, 27. 
 
 J Sam. ii. 17,24. 1 Tim. v. 17. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 173 
 
 humble themselv:es to God, by fasting and prayer,* that 
 both their election may be agreeable to his will, and also 
 profitable to the church : And if in the mean season any 
 thing be brought against him, whereby he may be found 
 unworthie by lawfuU probations, then is he dismissed, and 
 some other presented ; if nothing be alledged, upon some 
 certaine day, one of the ministers, at the morning sermon, 
 presenteth him again to the church, framing his sermon, 
 or some part thereof, to the setting foorth of his duetie. 
 
 Then at after noone the sermone being ended, the 
 minister exhorteth them to the election, with the invoca- 
 tion of God's name,t directing his prayer as God shall 
 move his heart : In like maner, after the election, the mi- 
 nister giveth thankes to God, J with request of such thinges 
 as shall be necessarie for his office. After that he is 
 appointed minister, the people sing a psalme, and depart. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Of the Elders, and as touching their Office and Election. 
 
 The elders must be men of good life and godly conver- 
 sation, without blame and all suspition, carefuil for 
 the flocke, wise, and above all things fearing God, whose 
 office standeth in governing with the rest of the ministers, 
 in consulting, admonishing, correcting, and ordering all 
 thinges apperteining to the estate of the congregation. 
 And they differ from the ministers in that they preach 
 not the worde, nor minister the sacraments. In assem- 
 bling the people, neither they without the ministers, nor 
 the ministers without them, may attempt any thing. And 
 if any of the just number want, the minister, by the con- 
 sent o\. the rest, warneth the people thereof, and finally 
 admonisheth them to observe the same order which was 
 used in choosing the ministers, as farre foorth as their 
 vocation requireth.§ 
 
 * Acts xiii. 3, and xiv. 23. f Matth. ix. 37, 38. 1 Cor. x. 31. 
 
 Col. iii. 17. t I Thess. v. 18. Col. iv. 2. Eph. v. 20. Phil. i. 3. 
 § Numb. xi. 16, &c. Acts xiv. 23, and xv. 23, and xvi. 4, and xx. 17. 
 Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 28. James v. 14. 1 Pet. v. 1, 2, 3. 1 Tim. 
 V. 17. Acts XV. 6, 22, 23. 
 
174 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER, 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 Of the Deacons, their Office and Election, 
 
 The deacons must be men of good estimation and report, 
 discrete, of a good conscience, charitable, wise, and finally, 
 endued with such virtues as Sainct Paul requireth in 
 them,* Their office is, to gather the almes diligently, 
 and faithfully to distribute it,t with the consent of the 
 ministers and elders : also to provide for the sicke and 
 impotent persons, having ever a diligent care, that the 
 charitie of godly men be not v/asted upon loyterers and 
 ydle vagabondes.J Their election is, as hath beene afore 
 rehearsed, in the ministers and elders. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Of Teachers or Doctors. 
 
 We are not ignorant that the Scriptures make mention 
 of a fourth kind of ministers left to the church of Christ, 
 which also are verie profitable, where time and place doeth 
 permit. § 
 
 These ministers are called teachers or doctors, || whose 
 office is to instruct and teach the faithfuU in sounde 
 doctrine, providing with all diligence that the puritie of 
 the gospel be not corrupt, either through ignorance or 
 evill opinions. Notwithstanding, considering the present 
 estate of things, we comprehend under this title such 
 means as God hath in his church, that it sliould not be 
 left desolate, nor yet his doctrine decay, for default of 
 ministers thereof. 
 
 * Acts vi. 1— C. 1 Tim. iii. 8, 13. f Rom. xii. 7, 8. J 2 Thess. 
 iii. 10, 11, 12. 
 
 § The old copy printefl at Geneva 1558 hath here, — but for lack of 
 opportunity in this our dispersion and exile, we cannot well have the 
 use thereof, and would to God it were not neglected, where better 
 occasion serveth. 
 
 II Eph. iv. 11. 1 Cor. xii. 28. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 175 
 
 Therefore to terme it by a word more usuall in these 
 our dayes, we may call it the order of schooles, wherein 
 the highest degree, and most annexed to the ministrie 
 and government of the church, is the exposition of God's 
 word, which is conteined in the Olde and New Testa- 
 ments. 
 
 But because men cannot so well profit in that know- 
 ledge, except they be first instructed in the tongues 
 and humane sciences (for now God worketh not com- 
 monlie by miracles), it is necessary that seed be sowne 
 for the time to come, to the intent that the church be not 
 left barren and waste to our posteritie, and that schooles 
 also be erected, and colleges mainteined with just and 
 sufficient stipends, wherein youth may be trained in the 
 knowledge and feare of God, that in their ripe age they 
 may prove worthie members of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 whether it be to rule in civile policie or to serve in the 
 spirituall ministrie, or els to live in godly reverence and 
 subjection. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 The weekly Assembly of the Ministers, Elders, and 
 
 Deacons. 
 
 To the intent that the ministerie of God's worde may be 
 had in reverence, and not brought to contempt through 
 the evill conversation of such as are called thereunto ;* 
 and also that faultes and vices may not by long sufierance 
 growe at length to extreame inconveniences;! it is or- 
 deined, that every Thursday the ministers and elders in 
 their assembly or consistorie diligently examine all such 
 faults and suspicions as may be espied, not only amongst 
 others, but chiefly amongst themselves, t lest they seeme 
 to be culpable of that which our Saviour Christ reproved 
 in the Pharisees who coulde espie a mote in another 
 man's eye, and could not see a beattie in their own.§ 
 
 * Rom. ii. 19_24. Ezek. xxxvi. 22, 23. Isa. lii. 5. f 2 Tim. ii. 
 X 1 Cor. V. § Mattb. vii. 3. Luke vi. 41. Rom. ii. 1. 
 
176 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 And because the eve oug^ht to be more cleare than the 
 rest of the bodie,* the minister may not be spotted with 
 anie vice, to the great slander of God's worde, whose 
 message he beareth : Therefore it is to be understood, 
 that there be certaine faults, which if they be deprehended 
 in a minister, he ought to be deposed, as heresie, papistrie, 
 schisme, blasphemie, perjurie, fornication, theft, drunken- 
 nesse, usurie, fighting, unlawfull games, with such like. 
 
 Others are more tolerable, if so be that after brotherly 
 admonitions he amend his fault, as strange and unprofit- 
 able fashion in preaching the Scriptures, curiositie in seek- 
 ing vain questions, negligence, as well in his sermons, and 
 in studying the Scriptures, as in all other things concern- 
 ing his vocation, scurrilitie, flattering, lying, backe-biting, 
 wanton words, deceit, covetousnesse, taunting, dissolution 
 in apparel, gesture, and other his doings, which vices, as 
 they be odious in all men, so in him, that ought to be as 
 an example to others of perfection, f in no wise are to be 
 suffered, especially if so be that according to God's rule 
 he being brotherly advertised, acknowledge not his fault 
 and amend. t 
 
 CHAP. VL 
 
 Interpretation of the Scriptures. 
 
 Every week once the congregation assemble to heare 
 some place of the Scriptures orderly expounded ;§ at the 
 which time it is lawftdl for every man to speake or inquire 
 as God shall move his heart, and the text minister occa- 
 sion, so it be without pertinacitie or disdaine, as one that 
 rather seeketh to profite than to contend. And if so be 
 any contention rise, then such as are appointed modera- 
 tors either satisfie the party, or else if he seeme to cavill, 
 exhort him to keepe silence, referring the judgment there- 
 of to the ministers and elders, to be determined in their 
 assemblie before mentioned. 
 
 * Matth. vi. 22, 23 Luke xi 34. f Matth. v. 13. Mark ix. 50. 
 t Matth. xviii. 15, 10, 17. Luke xvii. 3. James v. IG, 19, 20. 
 § 1 Cor. xiv. 29—33. 1 Tbess. v 20. Eph. iv. 29. 1 Cor. xii. 8, 10. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 177 
 
 CHAP. VIL 
 
 The Order of the Ecclesiastical Discipline. 
 
 As no citie, towne, house or family, can maintaine their 
 estate and prosper without policy and governance, even so 
 the church of God, which requireth more purely to be go- 
 verned than any citie or family, cannot without spirituall 
 policy and ecclesiastical discipline continue, increase and 
 flourish ; and as the w^ord of God is the life and soule of 
 this church,* so this godly order and discipline is as it 
 were sinews in the body, which knit and joine the mem- 
 bers together with decent order and comelinesse, it is a 
 bridle to stay the wicked from their mischiefs, as it is a 
 spurre to pricke forward such as be slow and negligent ; 
 yea, and for all men, it is the father's rod, ever in a readi- 
 ness to chastise gently the faults committed, and to cause 
 them afterward to live in more godly feare and reverence. 
 Finally^ It is an order left by God unto his church, 
 whereby men learne to frame their willes and doings ac- 
 cording to the law of God, by instructing and admonish- 
 ing one another, yea, and by correcting and punishing all 
 obstinate rebelles and contemners of the same. 
 
 There are three causes chiefely w hich move the church 
 of God to the executing of discipline : First, That men of 
 evil conversation be not numbred among God's children, 
 to their father's reproach, as if the church of God were a 
 sanctuary for naughty and vile persons.f The second 
 respect is, that the good be not infected with companying 
 with the evil, which thing Sainct Paul foresaw when he 
 commanded the Corinthians to banish from amongst them 
 the incestuous adulterers, saying, a little leaven maketh 
 soure the whole lumpe of dowe.X The third cause is, that a 
 man thus corrected, or excommunicated, might be asham- 
 ed of his fault, and so through repentance come to amend- 
 ment, the which thing the apostle calleth, delivering to 
 Sathan, that his soule may be saved in the day of the 
 
 * Eph. V. t Eph. V. 7—11. X 1 Cor. v. 6, 7. Gal. v. 9. 
 
 8-2 
 
178 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 Lord;* meaning that he might be punished with excom- 
 munication, to the intent his souleshould not perish forever. 
 
 First, Therefore, it is to be noted, that this censure, cor- 
 rection, or discipline, is either private orpublick; private, 
 as if a man commit either in maners or doctrine against 
 thee, to admonish him brotherly betweene him and thee ; 
 if so be he stubburnely resist thy charitable advertise- 
 ments, or else by continuance in his fault, declareth that 
 he amendeth not, then after he hath been the second time 
 warned, in presence of two or three witnesses, and con- 
 tinueth obstinatelie in his error, he ought, as our Saviour 
 Christ commandeth, to be disclosed and uttered to the 
 church, so that, according to publike discipline, he either 
 may be received through repentance, or els be punished 
 as his fault requireth.t 
 
 And here, as touching private discipline, three thinges 
 are to be noted : First, That our admonitions proceede of 
 a godly zeale and conscience, rather seeking to winne our 
 brother than to sclander him : Next, that we be assured 
 that his fault be reproveable by God's word: And finally, 
 that we use such modestie and wisedome, that if we some- 
 what doubt of the matter, whereof we admonish him, yet 
 with godly exhortations he may be brought to the know- 
 ledge of his fault, or if the fault appertaine to many, or 
 be knowen of divers, that our admonition be done in 
 presence of some of them. 
 
 Briefely, if it concerne the whole church in such sort, 
 that the concealing thereof might procure some danger 
 to the same, that then it be uttered to the ministers and 
 seniors, to whom the policy of the church did appertaine. 
 
 Also in publike discipline it is to be observed, that the 
 ministery pretermit nothing at any time unchastised with- 
 out one kind of punishment or other, if they perceive any 
 thing in the congregation, either evill in example, sclan- 
 derous in maners, or not beseeming their profession ; as if 
 there be any covetous person, any adulterer, or fornicator, 
 forsworne thiefe, briber, false witnesse- bearer, blasphemer, 
 
 • 1 Cor. V. 5. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8. f Matth. xviii. 15, 16, 17. 
 
 Lukexvii. 3. Jam. v. 16, 19, 20. Lev. xix. 17. 2 Tbess. iii. 6. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 179 
 
 drunkard, sclanderer, usurer, or any person disobedient, 
 seditious, or dissolute; any heresie or sect, as papisticall, 
 anabaptisticall, and such like : briefely, whatsoever it be 
 that might spot the Christian congregation, yea, rather 
 whatsoever is not to edification, ought not to escape either 
 admonition or punishment.* 
 
 And because it cometh to pass sometime in the church 
 of Christ, that when other remedies assayed profit nothing, 
 they must proceed to the apostolicall rod and correction, 
 as unto excommunication (which is the greatest and last 
 punishment belonging to the spirituall ministry), it is or- 
 dained that nothing be attempted in that behalfe without 
 the determination of the whole church : Wherein also 
 they must beware, and take good heed, that they seeme 
 not more ready to expell from the congregation, then to 
 receave againe those in whom they perceave worthy 
 fruits of repentance to appeare; neither yet to forbid him 
 the hearing of sermons, who is excluded from the sacra- 
 ments, and other duties of the church, that he may have 
 liberty and occasion to repent. Finally, that all punish- 
 ments, corrections, censures, and admonitions, stretch no 
 further than God's word with mercy may lawfully beare. 
 
 THE ORDER OF PUBLIQUE WORSHIP. 
 
 CHAP. VIH. 
 
 Prayers before and after Sermon, 
 
 When the congregation is assembled at the houre ap- 
 pointed, the minister useth one of these two confessions, 
 or like in effect, exhorting the people diligently to ex- 
 
 ■* Eph. V. 7—11. 
 
180 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 amine themselves, following in their hearts the tenor 
 of his words. 
 
 The Confession of our Sinnes, 
 
 O eternall God, most mercifull Father, we confesse and 
 acknowledge here before thy divine majesty, that we are 
 miserable sinners, conceived and borne in sinne and ini- 
 qnitie, so that in us there is no goodnesse ;* for the flesh 
 evermore rebelleth against the Spirit, whereby we contin- 
 ually transgresse thy holy precepts and commandments,! 
 and so doe purchase to our selves, through thy just judge- 
 ment, death and damnation.:}: Notwithstanding, O heaven- 
 ly Father, for as much as we are displeased with our 
 selves for the sinnes that we have committed against thee, 
 and doe unfainedly repent us of the same,§ w^ moste hum- 
 bly beseech thee, for Jesus Christ's sake, to shewe thy 
 mercie upon us, to forgive us all our sinnes, || and to increase 
 thy Holy Spirit in us, that we, acknowledging from the 
 bottome of our heartes our own unrighteousness, may 
 from hencefoorth not onely mortifie our sinfuU lustes and 
 affections, but also bring foorth such fruites as may be 
 agreeable to thy most blessed will ;lf not for the worthiness 
 thereof, but for the merites of thy dearely beloved Sonne 
 Jesus Christ our onely Saviour, whom thou hast already 
 given an oblation and offering for our sinnes,** and for 
 whose sake we are certainely perswaded that thou wilt 
 deny us nothing that we shall aske in his name according 
 to thy will, for thy Spirit doth assure our consciences, 
 that thou art our mercifull Father, and so lovest us thy 
 children through him, that nothing is able to remoove 
 thine heavenly grace and favour from us. To thee there- 
 fore, O Father, with the Sonne and with the Holy Ghost, 
 be ail honour and glory, world without ende. So be it. 
 
 * Rom. iii. 9—18. Psal. xiv. 1, 2, 3, and li. 5. f Gal. v. 17. 
 
 Rom. vii. 5, 23, 25. % Rom. ii. 3, 8, 9, and vi. 23. § Jer. iii. 
 
 12, 13, 14, 22. II Rom. v. t Col. iii. 5, &c. Eph. vi. 
 
 1 Pet. ii. ** Rom v. Eph. ii. Heb. ix. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 181 
 
 * Another Confession of Sinnes, to be used before the 
 
 Sermon, 
 
 Trueth it is, O Lord, that we are unworthie to come 
 to thy godlie presence, by reason of our manifolde sinnes 
 and wickednesse ; much lesse are we worthie to receive 
 any grace or mercy at thy hands, if thou shouldest deale 
 with us according to our deservinges, for we have sinned, O 
 Lord, against thee, and we have offended thy godlie and 
 divine majesty; if thou shouldest beginne to reckon with 
 us, even from our first conception in our mother's wombe, 
 thou canst finde nothing at all in us, but occasion of death 
 and eternall condemnation : For trueth it is, that first we 
 were conceaved in sinne, and in iniquitie was everie one 
 of us borne of our mother ; all the dayes of our life, we 
 have so still continued in sinne and wickednesse, that 
 rather we have given our selves to follow the corruption 
 of this our fleshlie nature, than otherwise, with that 
 earnest care and diligence to serve and worship thee our 
 God as it becometh us ; and therefore, if thou shouldest 
 enter in judgement with us, just occasion hast thou, not 
 onelie to punish these our wretched and mortall bodies, 
 but also to punish us both in bodie and soule eternally, 
 if thou shouldest handle us according to the rigour of thy 
 justice. But yet, O Lord, as on the one part we acknow- 
 ledge our sinnes and offences, together with the fearfull 
 judgement of thee our God, that justly by reason thereof 
 thou mayst powre upon us ; so also on the other part we 
 acknowledge thee to be a mercifull God, a loving and a 
 favourable father to all them that unfainedlie turne unto 
 thee : Wherefore, O Lord, we thy people, and the work- 
 manship of thine owne hands, most humblie beseech thee, 
 for Christ thy Sonnes sake, to shewe thy mercie upon us, 
 and forgive us all our offences ; impute not unto us the 
 sinnes of our youth, neither yet receive thou a reckoning 
 of us for the iniquitie of our old age ; but as thou hast 
 shewed thy self merciful to all them that have truely call- 
 
 * This confession is not in the order printed at Geneva 1558, but in 
 place of it there is a confession of our sinnes, framed to our time, out of 
 the ninth chapter of Daniel. 
 
182 THE BOOK OF COMxMON ORDER. 
 
 ed unto thee, so shew the like mercie and the like favour 
 unto us thy poore servants. Indue our hearts, O God, 
 with such a true and perfect acknowledging of our sinnes, 
 that we may powre forth before thee the unfained sighs and 
 sobs of our troubled heartes and afflicted consciences for 
 our offences committed against thee. Inflame our heartes 
 with such a zeal and fervencie towards thy glory, that all 
 the dayes of our life, our onely studie, travell, and labour, 
 may be to serve and worship thee our God in spirit, in 
 trueth, and veritie, as thou requirest of us : And that this 
 may be the better performed in us, preserve us from all 
 impediments and stayes that in anie wise may hinder or 
 stoppe us in the same; but in speciall, O Lord, preserve 
 us from the craft of Sathan, from the snares of the world, 
 and from the naughtie lustes and aifections of the flesh. 
 Make thy Spirit, O God, once to take such full possession 
 and dwelling in our heartes, that not onelie all the actions 
 of our life, but also all the wordes of our mouth, and the 
 least thought and cogitation of our mindes, may be guided 
 and ruled thereby. 
 
 And finallie, grant that all the time of our life may be 
 so spent in thy true fear and obedience, that altogether 
 we may end the same in the sanctification and honouring 
 of thy blessed name, through Jesus Christ our Lord, to 
 whom with thee, and the Holie Ghoste, be all honour and 
 glorie, for now and for ever. So be it. 
 This done, the people sing apsalme altogether in a plain 
 tune, which ended, the minister prayeth for the assist- 
 ance of God's Holie Spirit, as the same shall move his 
 heart, and so proceedeth to the sermon. 
 
 The minister after the sermon useth this prayer follow- 
 ing, or such like. 
 
 A Prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church. 
 
 Almightie God, and most mercifull Father, we humblie 
 submit our selves,* and fall downe before thy majesty,! 
 
 * 1 Pet. V. 6. t Num. xvi. 22. Deut. ix. 18. Josh. vii. 6. 
 
 Psal. xcv. 6. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 183 
 
 beseeching thee, from the bottome of our hearts, that this 
 seede of thy worde now sowne amongst us may take such 
 deep root, that neither the burning heat of persecution 
 cause it to wither, neither the thornie cares of this life doe 
 choke it, but that, as seed sown in good ground, it may 
 bring forth thirtie, sixtie, and an hundreth fold,* as thy 
 heavenly wisdome hath appointed. And because we have 
 need continually to crave manie thinges at thy handes, 
 we humblie beseech thee, O heavenly Father, to grant 
 us thine Holy Spirit, to direct our petitions,! that they may 
 proceed from such a fervent mindej as may be agreeable 
 to thy most blessed will.§ 
 
 And seeing that our infirmitie is able to doe nothing 
 without thine helpe, || and that thou art not ignorant with 
 howe manie and great tentations we poore wTetches are 
 on everie side enclosed and compassed,^ let thy strength, 
 O Lord, sustaine our weaknesse, that we, being defended 
 with the force of thy grace, may be safelie preserved 
 against all assaultes of Sathan, who goeth about continu- 
 allie like a roaring lyon, seeking to devoure us.** Increase 
 our faith, tt O merciful I Father, that we do not swerve at 
 anie time from thy heavenly worde, but augment in us 
 hope and love, with a care full keeping of all thy command- 
 ments, that no hardnesse of heart,tt no hypocrisie, no 
 concupiscence of the eyes, nor entisements of the world, 
 doe draw us away from thine obedience. §§ And, seeing 
 we live nowe in these most perillous times, let thy father- 
 lie providence defend us against the violence of all our 
 enemies, which do everie where pursue us ; but chiefelie 
 against the wicked rage and furious uproars of that Romish 
 idole, enemie to thy Christ. |||| 
 
 Furthermore, for as much as by thine holie apostle we 
 be taught to make our prayers and supplications for all 
 
 * Matth. xiii. 3—8. f Luke xi. 13. Rom. viii. 9, 11, 15, 26. 
 
 X Rom. xii. 11. James v. 16. § 1 John v. 14. (Wisd. ix. 17, 
 
 18.) II 2 Cor. iii. 5. John xv. 5. Phil. ii. 13. i Psal. xl. 12, 
 13, 17. 1 Pet. i. 6. *• 1 Pet. v. 8. ft Luke x\di. 3. 
 
 H Psal. xcv. 7, 8. Heb. iii. 7, 8, and iv. 7. §§ 1 Tim. iv. 2. 
 
 2 Tim. iii. 2—3. 1 John ii. 15, 16, 17. 2 Pet. iii. 17. Jude 4, 8, 
 10, 16, 18, II II 2 Thess. ii. 1 John ii. 18, 22. Rev. xiii. and xvii. 
 chapters. 
 
184 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 men,* we pray not only for our selves here present, but 
 beseech thee also to reduce all such as be yet ignorant 
 from the miserable captivitie of blindness and error, to 
 the pure understanding of thine heavenly trueth, that we 
 all with one consent and unitie of minds may worship thee 
 our only God and Saviour ;t and that all pastors, sheepe- 
 heardes, and ministers, to whom thou hast committed the 
 dispensation of thine holie word, and charge of thy chosen 
 people,^ may both in their life and doctrine be founde 
 faithfull, setting onlie before their eyes thy glorie, and 
 that by them all poore sheepe, which wander and goe 
 astray, may be gathered and brought home to thy folde. 
 
 Moreover, because the hearts of rulers are in thine 
 hands, § we beseech thee to direct and govern the hearts 
 of all kings, princes, and magistrates, to whome thou hast 
 committed the sword ;|| especially, O Lord, according 
 to our bounden duetie, we beseech thee to maintaine 
 and increase^ the noble estate of the kinges majestie, 
 and his honourable counsell, with all the estate and whole 
 bodie of the common-wealth. Let thy fatherlie favour so 
 preserve him, and thine Holie Spirit so govern his heart, 
 that he may in such sort execute his office, that thy re- 
 ligion may be purely maintained, maners reformed, and 
 sinne punished,** according to the precise rule of thine 
 holie word. 
 
 And for that we be all members of the mystical 1 bodie 
 of Christ Jesus, ft we make our requests unto thee, O 
 heavenly Father, for all such as are afflicted with any 
 kind of crosse or tribulation, J J as warre, plague, famine, 
 sicknesse, povertie, imprisonment, persecution, banish- 
 ment, or anie other kinde of thy rods, whether it be griefe 
 of bodie, or unquietnesse of minde, that it would please 
 
 * 1 Tim. ii. 1. f Rom. xv. 6. 1 Cor. i. 10. Eph, iv. 3. 
 
 X John xxi. 15, 16, 17. Matth. xxviii. 19, 20. Mark xvi. 15, 20. 
 1 Cor. ix. 16, 20, 21, 22. § Prov. xxi. 1. || Rom. xiii. 1, 4. 
 
 John xix. 11. 
 
 ^ In the old copie printed in Geneva it is, — the hononrable estate of 
 this city, into whose defence we are received, the magistrates, the coun- 
 cil, and all the whole body of this common-wealth. 
 
 ** 1 Tim. ii. 2. 1 Pet. ii. 14. ft Rom. xii. 4, 5. 1 Cor. xii. 
 
 12, 13. Xt James v. 16. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 185 
 
 thee to give them patience and constancie till thou sende 
 them full deliverance of all their troubles.* 
 
 t And finallie, O Lord God, moste mercifuU Father, we 
 moste humblie beseech thee to shewe thy great mercies 
 upon our brethren who are persecuted, cast in prison, and 
 daylie condemned to death for the testimonie of thy 
 trueth :X and though they be utterly destitute of all man's 
 aide,§ yet let thy sweete comfort never depart from them, 
 but so inflame their hearts with thine Holy Spirit, that 
 they may boldly and chearfuUie abide such trial, || as thy 
 godly wisedome shall appoint,1[ so that at length, as well 
 by their death as by their life,** the kingdome of thy 
 Sonne Jesus Christ may encrease and shine through all 
 the world, in whose name we make our humble petitions 
 unto thee, as he hath taught us, saying, Our Father, Sfc, 
 
 Almightie and everliving God, vouchsafe, we beseech 
 thee, to grant us perfect continuance in the livelie faith, 
 augmenting the same in us daylie,tt till we grow to the 
 full measure of our perfection in Christ,t!J: whereof we make 
 our confession, saying, / believe in God the Father Al- 
 mightie, &c. 
 
 Then the people sing a psabne, which ended, the ininister 
 pronounceth one of these blessings, and so the congre- 
 gation departeth. 
 
 The Lord blesse us and save us, the Lord make his face 
 to shine upon us, and be mercifull unto us; the Lord turne 
 his countenance towardes us, and grant us his peace. §§ 
 
 * 2 Cor. i. 4, 5, 10. Heb. xiii. 3. 
 
 t The Geneva copie, which was printed in the time of Queen Marie's 
 persecution, hath here, — and as we be bound to love and honour our 
 parents,* kinsfolks, friends, and country; so we most humbly beseech 
 thee, to shew thy pity upon our miserable country of England, which 
 once through thy mercy was called to liberty, and now, for their and our 
 sinnes, is brought unto most vile slavery and babylonicall bondage ; root 
 out from thence, O Lord, all ravening wolves, f which, to fill their bellies, 
 destroy thy flock, | and shew thy great mercies upon those our brethren 
 which are persecuted, &c. * Exod. xx. 12. f Matth. vii. 15. Acts 
 XX. 29. X Ezek. xxxiv. Rom. xvi. 17, 18. Phil. iii. 2. 
 
 ± Rom. viii. 36. Psal. xliv. 22. Heb. xiii. 3. § John xvi. 2, 3, 33. 
 II 1 Pet. i. 7. If Acts ii. 23. Matth. x. 16. Luke xxi. 12, &e. 
 
 ** Rom. xiv. 7, 8. tt Luke xvii. 5. %% Eph. iv. 12—16. 
 
 §§ Num. vi. 24, 25, 26. 
 
186 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 
 and the communion of the Holie Ghost, be with us all. 
 Ame7i.* 
 
 It shall not he necessarie for the minister daylie to re- 
 peat all these thinges bejore mentioned^ hut heginning 
 with some maner of confession, to proceede to the ser- 
 mon, ivhich ended, he either useth the prayer for all 
 estates hefore mentioned, or else prayeth as the Spirit 
 of God shall move his heart, framing the same accord- 
 ing to the titiie and matter which he hath intreated 
 of A?id if there shall he at anie time anie present 
 plague, famine, pestilence, warre, or such like, which 
 he evident tokens of Gods wrath, as it is our part to 
 acknowledge our sinnes to he the occasion thereof, so 
 are we appointed by the Scriptures to give our selves to 
 mourning, fasting, and prayer, as the meanes to turne 
 away God!s heavy displeasure.^ Therefore it shall be 
 convenient, that the minister at such time doe not onlie 
 admonish the people thereof, but also use some forme of 
 prayer, according as the present necessity requireth, 
 to the which he may appoint by a common consent, 
 some severall day after the sermon weeklie to be ob- 
 served. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 The Order of Baptism, 
 
 First note, that for as much as it is not permitted by 
 God^s word that women should preach or minister 
 the sacraments, and it is evident, that the sacraments 
 are not ordeined of God to be used in private corners, as 
 charmes or sorceries, but left to the congregation, and 
 necessarilie annexed to God's ivord, as scales of the 
 
 * 2 Cor. xiii. 14. f Deut. xxx. 1_10. 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, 14, 25. 
 
 1 Kings viii. 33—40, 46—50. Ezra ix. chap. Neh. ix. chap. Dan. ix. 
 chap. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 187 
 
 same :* Therefore, the infant which is to be baptized 
 shall be brought to the church, on the day appointed 
 to common prayer and preaching, accompanied with 
 the father and god-father, so that, after the sermon, 
 the childe being presented to the minister, he demand" 
 eth this question : — 
 
 Doe ye here present this childe to be baptized, earnestly 
 desiring that he may be engrafted in the mysticall bodie 
 of Jesus Christ ? 
 
 The answere. 
 Yea, we require the same. 
 
 The minister proceedeth. 
 
 Then let us consider, dearlie beloved, how Almightie God 
 hath not onlie made us his children by adoption, and re- 
 ceived us into the fellowship of his church,t but also 
 hath promised that he will be our God, and the God of 
 our children, unto the thousand generation 4 Which 
 thing, as he confirmed to his people of the Olde Testament, 
 by the sacrament of circumcision, § so hath he also renew- 
 ed the same to us in his Newe Testament, by the sacra- 
 ment of Baptisme ; || doing us thereby to wit, that our 
 infants apperteine to him by covenant, and therefore ought 
 not to be defrauded of those holie signes and badges, 
 whereby his children are knowen from infidels and pa- 
 gans.lf 
 
 Neither is it requisite that all those that receive this sac- 
 rament have the use of understanding and faith, but chiefe- 
 lie that they be conteined under the name of God's peo- 
 ple, so that the remission of sinnes in the blood of Christ 
 Jesus doth apperteine unto them by God's promise,** which 
 
 * The transgression of God's ordinance is called iniquity and idolatry, 
 and is compared to witchcraft and sorcerie, 1 Sam. xv. 23. How danger- 
 ous also it is to enterprise any thing rashly, or without the warrant of 
 God's worde, the examples of Saul, 1 Sam. xiii. 11 — 14; of Oza, 2 Sam. 
 vi. 6, 7 ; of Ozia, 2 Chron. xxvi. 16 — 21; and of Nadab and Abihu, Lev. 
 X. 1, 2, sufficiently doe warne us. 
 
 t Rom. viii. 14—17. Gal. iv. 4—7. Eph. i. 5, and ii. 18, 19. 
 X Gen. xvii. 7. Exod. xx. 6. Deut. ix. 9. Isa. Ivi. 2. § Gen. 
 
 xvii. 9— 14. Rom. iv. 11. || Col. ii. 12. Rom. vi. 3, 4. Gal. 
 
 iii. 27. Acts ii. 38, 39. ^ Acts x. 47, 48. ** Acts ii. 38, 39. 
 
188 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 thing is most evident by Saint Paul^ who pronounceth 
 the children begotten and borne (either of the parents 
 being faithful!) to be clean and Jiolie* Also our Saviour 
 Christ admitteth children to his presence, embracing and 
 blessing them.j Which testimonies of the Holie Ghost 
 assure us, that infants be of the number of God's people, 
 and that remission of sinnes doeth also apperteine to them 
 in Christ. Therefore, without injurie they cannot be 
 debarred from the common signe of God's children. And 
 yet is not this outward action of such necessitie, that the 
 lack thereof should be hurtfuU to their salvation, J if that, 
 prevented by death, they may not convenientlie be pre- 
 sented to the church. § But we (having respect to that 
 obedience which Christians owe to the voyce and ordinance 
 of Christ Jesus, who commanded to preach and baptize all 
 without exception)!] doe judge them onelie unworthie of 
 any fellowship with him, who contemptuously refuse such 
 ordinary means, as his wisedom hath appointed to the in- 
 struction of our dull senses. 
 
 Furthermore, it is evident that baptisme was ordeined 
 to be ministred in the element of water, to teach us, that 
 like as water outwardlie doth wash away the filth of the 
 bodie, so inwardlie doth the virtue of Christ's blood purge 
 our soules from that corruption and deadlie poyson,lf 
 wherewith by nature we were infected,** whose venomous 
 dregs, although they continue in this our flesh, ft yet by 
 the merites of his death are not imputed unto us,^ because 
 the justice of Jesus Christ is made ours by baptisme ;§§ 
 not that we thinke any such virtue or power to be inclu- 
 ded in the visible water, or outward action, for many have 
 been baptized, and yet never inwardly purged ;|||| but that 
 our Saviour Christ, who commanded baptisme to be mini- 
 stred, will, by the power of his Holie Spirit, effectuallie 
 worke in the hearts of his elect, in time convenient, all 
 
 * 1 Cor. vii. 14. t Matth. xix. 13, 14, 15. Mark x. 13_1G. Luke 
 xviii. 15, 16. Psal. xxii. 9, 10. t Rom. iv. 10. Gal. iii. James ii. 
 Gen. XV. G. § and xvii. 12. Lev. xii. 3. || Matth. xxviii. 19. 
 
 Mark xvi. 15, 16. f Matth. iii. 11. 1 Pet. iii. 21. I .John v. 6, 8. 
 1 Cor. X. 1 — 4. ** Eph. ii. tt Rom. vii. 5, to the end. 
 
 XI Rom. iv. Gal. iii. Psal. xxxii. 1,2. §§ Rom. vi. Gal. iii. 27, 
 jjjj As Judas, Simon Magus, Hymeneus, Alexander, Philctus. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 189 
 
 that is meant and signified by the same.* And this the 
 Scripture calleth our regeneration, which standeth chiefe- 
 lie hi these two points. In mortification, that is to say, a 
 resisting of the rebellious lusts of the flesh, and in newnesse 
 of life, whereby we continually strive to walke in that pure- 
 nesse and perfection, wherewith we are clad in baptisme.f 
 
 And although we, in the journey of this life, be encum- 
 bred with manie enemies, who in the way assaile us,| yet 
 fight we not without fruit ; for this continuall battell, 
 which we fight against sinne, death, and hell, is a most 
 infallible argument, that God the Father, mindfull of his 
 promise made unto us in Christ Jesus, doeth not only 
 give us motions and courage to resist them,§ but also as- 
 surance to overcome, and obteine victorie.|| 
 
 Wherefore, dearly beloved, it is not onlie of necessitie 
 that we be once baptized, but also it much profiteth oft 
 to be present at the ministration thereof, that we (being 
 put in mind of the league and covenant made betweene 
 God and us,lf that he will be our God, and we his people, 
 he our father, and we his children)** may have occasion 
 as well to trie our lives past as our present conversation, 
 and to prove ourselves, whether we stand fast in the faith 
 of God's elect, or, contrariwise, have strayed from him 
 through incredulitie and ungodlie living, ft whereof if our 
 consciences doe accuse us, yet by hearing the loving pro- 
 mises of our heavenlie Father, who calleth all men to mer- 
 cie, by repentance,tt we may from henceforth walke more 
 warilie in our vocation. Moreover, ye that be fathers and 
 mothers, may take hereby most singular comfort, to see 
 your children thus received into the bosome of Christ's con- 
 gregation, w^hereby ye are daylie admonished, that ye nour- 
 ish and bring up the children of God's favour and mercie 
 over whom hisfatherlie providence watcheth continuallie.§ § 
 
 * Actsii. 41, 42, and xiii. 48. t Eph. ii. 1 Cor. xii. Rom. vi. 
 
 Col. ii. t 1 Pet. V. 8. Luke xxii 31. Job i. 7. § Rora. v. 
 
 3, 4. 5. James i. 3, 4. Eph. vi. 10-18. 1 Pet. v. 8, 9. |! 1 Cor. 
 XV. 57, 58. Ose. xiii. 9, 10, 14. Heb. ii. 14, 15. Jobn xvi. ^ Deut. 
 vi. 6—9, and xi. 18. 19, 20. Josh. i. 8. ** Jer. xxxi. 1, 33. Heb. 
 
 viii. 8—13. tt Eph. iv. 14. Heb. xiii. 9. Col. iii. tt Ezek. 
 
 xviii. 21, 22, 23. Acts xi. 18. 2 Pet. iii. 9. Deut. iv. 29, 30, 31. 
 §§ Matth. xviii. 
 
190 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 Which thing, as it ought greatly to rejoyce you, know- 
 ing that nothing can chance unto them without his good 
 pleasure,* so ought it to make you diligent and carefuU 
 to nurture and instruct them in the true knowledge and 
 fear of God,t wherein if ye be negligent, ye doe not one- 
 lie injurie to your own children, hyding from them the 
 good will and pleasure of Almightie God their father, J 
 but also heap damnation upon your selves, in suffering his 
 children, bought with the blood of his dear Sonne, so 
 traiterouslie, for lack of knowledge, to turn back from him. 
 Therefore it is your duetie, with all diligence to provide 
 that your children in time convenient be instructed in all 
 doctrine necessarie for a true Christian, chiefelie that they 
 be taught to rest upon the justice of Christ Jesus alone, 
 and to abhorre and flee all superstition, papistrie, and 
 idolatrie. 
 
 Flnallie, to the intent that we may be assured that 
 you, the father and the suretie, consent to the performance 
 hereof, declare here before God, and in the face of his con- 
 gregation, the summe of that faith wherein ye believe, and 
 will instruct this childe.§ 
 
 Then the father, or in his absence the god-father, shall 
 rehearse the articles of his faith, which done, the mini- 
 ster expoundeth the same as after followeth. 
 
 II Ane Exposition of the Creed. 
 
 The Christian faith, whereof now ye have brieflie heard 
 the summe, is commonlie divided in twelve articles ; but 
 that we may the better understand what is conteined in 
 the same, we shall divide it into four principall parts. The 
 first shall concern God the Father; the second Jesus Christ 
 our Lord; the third shall expresse to us our faith in the 
 Holie Ghoste; and the fourth and last shall declare what 
 is our faith concerning the church, and of the graces of 
 God freelie given to the same. 
 
 * Matth. X. 29, 30, 31. Luke xii. 6, 7. t Deut. iv. 9. Eph. vi. 
 
 4. X 1 Sam. ii. 22, 23, 24. 2 Kings ii. 23. § Gen. xviii. 19. 
 
 Deut. xxxii. 46. 
 
 Ij This exposition of the Creed is not in the copy printed at Geneva. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 191 
 
 First, of God we confesse three things, to wit, that he 
 is our Father Almightie, maker of heaven and earth. Our 
 Father we call him, and so by faith believe him to be, not 
 so much because he hath created us (for that we have 
 common with the rest of creatures, who yet are not call- 
 ed to that honour to have God to them a favourable 
 Father), but we call him Father by reason of his free adop- 
 tion, by the which he hath chosen us to life everlasting 
 in Jesus Christ, and this his most singular mercy we pre- 
 ferre to all things, earthlie and transitorie ; for without 
 this there is to mankind no felicitie, no comfort nor finall 
 joye ; and having this, we are assured that by the same 
 love, by the which he once hath freely chosen us, he 
 shall conduct the whole course of our life, that in the end 
 we shall possess that immortall kingdome that he hath 
 prepared for his chosen children ; for from this fountaine 
 of God's free mercie or adoption springeth our vocation, 
 our justification, our continuall sanctification, and, finallie, 
 our glorification, as witnesseth the apostle.* 
 
 The same God our Father we confesse Almightie, not 
 onlie in respect of that he may doe, but in consideration 
 that by his power and godlie wisedome are all creatures 
 in heaven and earth, and under the earth, ruled, guided, 
 and kept in that order that his eternall knowledge and 
 will hath appointed them. And that is it Vv'hich in the 
 third part we doe confesse, that he is creator of heaven 
 and earth, that is to say, the heaven and the earth, and 
 the contentes thereof, are so in his hand, that there is 
 nothing done without his knowledge, neither yet against 
 his will ; but that he ruleth them so, that in the end his 
 godly name shall be glorified in them. And so we confesse 
 and believe that neither the devils, nor yet the wicked of 
 the worlde, have anie power to molest or trouble the cho- 
 sen children of God ; but in so far as it pleaseth him to 
 use them as instruments, either to prove and trie our faith 
 and patience, or els to stirre us to more fervent invoca- 
 tion of his name, and to continuall meditation of that 
 heavenlie rest and joye that abide th us after these transi- 
 
 * Rom. viii. 29, 30. 
 
192 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 tone troubles. And yet shall not this excuse the wicked, 
 because they never look in their iniquitie to please God, 
 nor yet to obey his will. 
 
 II. In Jesus Christ we confesse two distinct and perfect 
 natures, to wit^ the eternall Godhead and the perfect 
 manhood joyned together, so that we confesse and believe, 
 that that eternall word which was from the beginning, 
 by the which all things were created, and yet are conser- 
 ved and kept in their being, did, in the time appointed in 
 the counsell of his heavenlie Father, receive our nature of 
 aVirgine, by operation of the Holie Ghoste, so that in his 
 conception we acknowledge and believe that there is no- 
 thing but puritie and sanctification, yea, even in so much 
 as he is become our brother : For it behoved him, that 
 should purge others from their sinnes, to be pure and clean 
 from all spotte of sinne, even from his conception. 
 
 And as we confesse and believe him conceived by the 
 Holie Ghoste, so doe we confesse and believe him to be 
 borne of a virgine, named Marie, of the tribe of Juda, 
 and of the familie of David, that the promise of God and 
 the prophecie might be fulfilled, to wit. That the seed of 
 the woman shall break down the serpent's head,* and that 
 a virgine should conceive and heare a childe, icJiose name 
 should he Emmanuel, that is to say, God with us.f 
 
 The name Jesus, which signifieth a Saviour, was 
 given unto him by the angel,t to assure us, that it is he 
 alone that saveth his people from their sinnes. He is 
 called Christ, that is to say. Anointed, by reason of the 
 offices given unto him by God his Father, to wit, that he 
 alone is appointed King, Priest, and Proj)het ; King, in 
 that, that all power is given to him in heaven and on earth, 
 so that there is none other but he in heaven, nor on earth, 
 that hath just authoritie and power to make laws, to bind 
 the consciences of men ; neither yet is there anie other 
 that may defend our soules from the bondage of sinne, 
 nor yet our bodies from the tyrannic of man. And this 
 he doeth by the power of his worde, by the which he 
 
 * Gen. iii. 15. f Isa. vii. 14. Matth. i. 2-3. % Mattli. i. 21. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 193 
 
 draweth us out of the bondage and slaverie of Sathan, 
 and maketh us to reigne over sinne, whiles that we live 
 and serve our God in righteousnesse and holinesse of our 
 life. A priest, and that perpetuall and everlasting, we 
 confesse him ; because that by the sacrifice of his own 
 bodie, which he once offered up upon the crosse, he hath 
 fullie satisfied the justice of his Father in our behalfe, so 
 that whosoever seeketh anie means, besides his death and 
 passion, in heaven or on earth, to reconcile unto them 
 God's favour, they doe not onlie blaspheme, but also, so 
 farre as in them is, renounce the fruite and efficacie of 
 that his onlie one sacrifice. We confesse him to be the 
 onlie prophet, who hath revealed unto us the whole will 
 of his Father, in all things apperteining to our salvation. 
 This our Lord Jesus we confesse to be the only Sonne of 
 God, because there is none such by nature but he alone. 
 We confesse him also our Lord, not onelie by reason we 
 are his creatures, but chieflie because he hath redeemed 
 us by his precious blood, and so hath gotten just dominion 
 over us, as over the people whom he hath delivered from 
 bondage of sinne, death, hell and the devill, and hath 
 made us kings and priests to God his Father. 
 
 We further confesse and believe, that the same our 
 Lord Jesus was accused before an earthlie judge, Pontius 
 Pilate, under whome, albeit oft and divers times he was 
 pronounced to be innocent, he suffered the death of the 
 crosse, hanged upon a tree betwixt two thieves, which 
 death, as it was moste cruell and vile before the eyes of 
 men, so was it accursed by the mouth of God himself, 
 saying. Cursed is everie one that hangeth on a tree. And 
 this kinde of death susteined he in our person, because he 
 was appointed of God his Father to be our pledge, and he 
 that should bear the punishment of our transgressions. 
 And so we acknowledge and believe that he hath taken 
 away that curse and malediction that hanged on us, by 
 reason of sinne. 
 
 He verilie died, rendering up his spirit into the hands 
 of his Father, after that he said, Father^ into thine handes 
 I commend my spirit. After his death, we confesse his 
 bodie was buried, and that he descended to the hell. But 
 
 9 
 
194 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 because lie was the author of life, yea, tlie verie life it 
 selfe, it was impossible that he should be reteined under 
 the dolours of death. 
 
 And therefore the third day he rose again, victor and 
 conquerer of death and hell, by the which his resurrection, 
 he hath brought life againe into the world, which he, by 
 the power of his Holie Spirit, communicateth unto his live- 
 ly members, so that now unto them corporall death is no 
 death, but an entrance into that blessed life, wherein our 
 head Jesus Christ is now entered ; for after that he had 
 sufficientlie proved his resurrection to his disciples, and 
 unto such as constantly did abide with him to the death, he 
 visibly ascended to the heavens, and was taken from the 
 eyes of men, and placed at the right hand of God the 
 Father Almightie, where presentlie he remaineth in his 
 glorie, onelie head, onelie mediator, and onelie advocate, 
 for all the members of his bodie, of which we have moste 
 especiall comfort, ^r^^, for that, that by his ascension the 
 heavens are opened unto us, and an entrance made unto 
 us that boldly we may appeare before the throne of our 
 Father's mercy. And secondarily, that we know that this 
 honour and authoritie is given to Jesus Christ our head, in 
 our name, and for our profite and utility : for albeit that in 
 bodie he now be in the heaven, yet by the power of his 
 Spirit he is present here with us, as well to instruct us, 
 as to comforte and maintaine us in all our troubles and 
 adversities, from the which he shall finallie deliver his 
 whole church, and everie true member of the same, in 
 that day when he shall visiblie appeare againe, Judge of 
 the quick and the dead. 
 
 For this finallie we confesse of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 that as he was seen visiblie to ascend, and so left the 
 world, as touching that bodie that suffered and rose again, 
 so do we constantlie believe that he shall come from 
 the right hand of his Father, when all eyes shall see 
 him, yea, even those that have pierced him; and then 
 shall he gather as well those that then shall be found 
 alive, as those that before have slept. Separation shall 
 be made betwixt the lambes and the goats,* that is to say, 
 * Matt. XXV. 31, &c. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 195 
 
 betwixt the elect and the reprobate; the one shall heare 
 this joyfull voyce, Come, ye the blessed of my Father, pas- 
 sesse the kingdome that is prepared for you before the be- 
 ginning of the ivorld: the other shall heare that fearfull 
 and irrevocable sentence, Depart from me, ye workers of 
 iniquitie, to the fire that never shall be quenched. And 
 for this cause, this day in the Scriptures is called, The 
 day of refreshing,"^ and of the revelation of all secrets,^ 
 because that then the just shall be delivered from all 
 miseries, and shall be possessed in the fulnesse of their 
 glorie. Contrariwise, the reprobate shall receive judge- 
 ment, and recompence of all their impietie, be it openlie 
 or secretlie wrought. 
 
 III. As we constantlie believe in God the Father, 
 and in Jesus Christ, as before is said; so we doe assuredlie 
 believe in the Holie Ghost, whom we confesse God equall 
 with the Father and the Sonne, by whose working and 
 mightie operation our darknesse is removed, our eyes 
 spirituallie are illuminated, our soules and consciences 
 sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ, and we retained 
 in the trueth of God, even to our lives end. And for 
 these causes we understand that this eternal Spirit, pro- 
 ceeding froni the Father and the Sonne, hath in the 
 Scriptures divers names, sometimes called water, by 
 reason of his purgation, and giving strength to this our 
 corrupt nature, to bring forth good fruite, without whome, 
 this our nature should utterly be barren, yea, it should 
 utterly abound in all wickednesse. Sometimes the same 
 Spirit is called fire, by reason of the illumination and 
 burning heat of fire that he kindleth in our hearts ; The 
 same Spirit also is called oyle or unction, by reason that 
 his working moUifieth the hardnesse of our hearts, and 
 maketh us receive the print of that image of Jesus Christ, 
 by whome onelie we are sanctified. 
 
 IV. We constantlie believe that there is, was, and 
 shall be, even till the comming of the Lord Jesus, a 
 
 * Acts iii. 19. t Rom= ii. 16. 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 
196 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 church, whicli is holie and universall ; to ivit, the com- 
 munion of saints : This church is holie, because it re- 
 ceivetli free remission of sinnes, and that by faith onlie 
 in the blood of Jesus Christ. Secondlie^ because it being 
 regenerate, it receiveth the Spirit of sanctification and 
 power, to walke in newnesse of life, and in good works, 
 which God hath prepared for his chosen to walke in. 
 Not that w^e think the justice of this church, or of anie 
 member of the same, ever was, is, or yet shall be, so full 
 and perfect, that it needeth not to stoupe under mcrcie ; 
 but that because the imperfections are pardoned, and the 
 justice of Jesus Christ imputed unto such as by true 
 faith cleave unto him. Which church we call universall, 
 because it consisteth and standetli of all tongues and 
 ]iations, yea, of all estates and conditions of men and 
 women, whom of his mercie God calleth from darknesse 
 to light, and from the bondage and thraldome of sinne, 
 to his spiritual service and puritie of life. 
 
 Unto whom he also communicateth his Holie Spirit, 
 giving unto them one faith, one head and sovereigne 
 Lord, the Lord Jesus, one baptisme and right use of 
 sacraments, whose heart also he knitteth together in love 
 and Christian concord. To this church, holie and uni- 
 versall, we acknowledge and believe three notable giftes 
 to be granted, to 2vit, remission of sinnes, whicli by true 
 faith must be obtained in this life; resurrection of the 
 iiesh, which all shall have, albeit not in equal condition; 
 for the reprobate (as before is said) shall rise, but to 
 fearfull judgement and condemnation, and the just shall 
 rise to be possessed in glorie: and this resurrection shall 
 not be an imagination, or that one bodie shall rise for 
 another, but everie man shall receive in his own bodii 
 as he hath deserved, be it good or evill. The just shall 
 receive the life everlasting, which is the free gift of God, 
 given and purchased to his chosen, by Jesus Christ our 
 ordy liead and Mediator, to whome, with the Father and 
 the Holie Ghost, be all honour, praise, and glorie, now 
 and ever. So be it. 
 
 Then the minister, exhorting the j)eople to pray, '^aith 
 in iJiis manner, or such like. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 197 
 
 The Prayer. 
 
 Almightie and everlasting God, who of thine infinite 
 mercie and goodnesse hast promised unto us, that thou 
 wilt not onlie be our God, but also the God and Father 
 of our children, we beseech thee, that as thou hast vouch- 
 safed to call us to be partakers of this thy great mercie, 
 in the fellowship of faith;* so it may please thee to sanc- 
 tifie with thy Spirit,! and to receive into the number of thy 
 children this infant, whom we shall baptize according to 
 thy word;t to the end that he, coming to perfect age, 
 may confesse thee onlie the true God, and whom thou 
 bast sent Jesus Christ, § and so serve him, and be profit- 
 able unto his church in the whole course of his life,|l that 
 after his life be ended, he may be brought as a livelie 
 member of his bodie unto the full fruition of thy joyes in 
 the heavens,1[ where thy Sonne our Saviour Christ 
 reigneth world without end, in whose name we pray, as 
 he hath taught us, saying. Our Father which art, &c. 
 
 When they have prayed in this sort, the minister 
 requireth the child's name, which known, he saith, 
 
 N. I baptize thee in the name of the Father, of the 
 Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost.** 
 
 A7id as he speaketh these words, he taketh water in 
 his hand, and layeth it upon the child's forehead, 
 which done, he giveth thanks, as follow eth. 
 
 The Prayer, 
 
 Forasmuch, most holie and merciefull Father, as thou 
 doest not onlie beautifie and blesse us with common 
 benefites, like unto the rest of mankinde, but also heapest 
 upon us most aboundantlie rare and wonderfuU gifts,tt of 
 duetie we lift up our eyes and minds unto thee, and give 
 
 * Gal. iii. 7, 9, 26-29. Phil. iii. 10, 20. t 1 Pet. i. 2. 2 Cor. 
 
 V. 17. Rom. viii. Eph. ii. and iii. X Matt, xxviii. 19. Mark 
 
 x/i. 15, 16. Acts ii. 41. § Rom. x. 9 — 11. John xvii. 3. 
 
 II Rom. xii. 1. Cor. x;i. 1 Thess. v. ^ I Cor. ii. 9. Rom. 
 
 vi. 8. 22, 23. Tit. iii. 7- ** r>Iatt. xxviii. 19. tt Eph. ii. 
 
 1 Pet. ii. 9, 10. 0:=e. ii. 23. 2 Pet. iii. 13, 14. 
 
198 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 thee most humble thanks for thine infinite goodnesse, 
 who hast not onlie numbred us amongst thy saincts,* but 
 also of thy free mercie doest call our children unto thee, 
 marking them with this sacrament, as a singular token 
 and badge of thy love ; wherefore, most loving Father, 
 though we be not able to deserve this so great a benefite 
 (yea, if thou wouldest handle us according to our merits, 
 we should suffer the punishment of eternall death and 
 damnation),! yet, for Christ's sake, we beseech thee, that 
 thou wilt confirme this thy favour more and more towards 
 us, and take this infant into thy tuition and defence, 
 whom we oifer and present unto thee, with common 
 supplications, and never suffer him to fall into such 
 unkindnesse whereby he should lose the force of bap- 
 tisme,t but that he may perceive thee continuallie to be 
 his mercifull Father, through thy Holie Spirit working 
 in his heart, by whose divine power he may so prevaile 
 against Sathan, that in the end, obteining the victorie, 
 he may be exalted into the libertie of thy kingdome. 
 So be it. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 The Maner of the Admiiiistration of the Lord's Supper, 
 
 The day when the Lord's Supper is ministred, which is 
 commonlie used once a moneth, or so oft as the con- 
 cjregation shall tJiink expedient, the minister useth to 
 say as follow eth. 
 
 Let us mark, dear brethren, and consider how Jesus 
 Christ did ordeine unto us his holy supper, according as 
 Sainct Paul maketh rehearsall in the eleventh chapter 
 of the first epistle to the Corintldans, saying, / have 
 received of the Lord^ that which I have delivered unto 
 you, to wit, that tJie Lord Jesus, the same night that he 
 was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thankes, 
 
 * 1 Pet. ii. 5, 9, 10. Eph. ii. t Rom. iii. Jer. ii. Isa. xl. 
 
 Luke xvii. 10. t 1 Cor. v. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 199 
 
 he brake it, saying. Take ye, eat ye, this is my hodie 
 which is broken for you, do ye this in remembrance of 
 me. Likewise after supper he took the cup, saying. 
 This cup is the new testament or covenant in my blood ; 
 doe ye this, so of as ye shall drink thereof, in remem- 
 brance of me : For as oft as ye shall eat this bread, and 
 drink of this cup, ye shall declare the Lord's death 
 untill his camming : Therefore, whosoever shall eat this 
 bread, and drink of the cup of the Lord unworthilie, he 
 shall be guiltie of the bodie and blood of the Lord, Then 
 see that everie man prove and trie himselfe, and so let 
 him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup; for whoso- 
 ever eateth or drinketh unworthilie, he eateth and drinketh 
 his owne damnation, for not having due regard and 
 consideration of the Lord's bodie. 
 
 This done, the minister proceedeth to the exhortation. 
 
 Dearlie beloved in the Lord, for as much as we be now 
 assembled to celebrate the holie communion of the bodie 
 and blood of our Saviour Christ, let us consider these 
 words of St Paul, how he exhorteth all persons diligentlie 
 to trie and examine themselves before they presume to 
 eat of that bread, and to drinke of that cup ; for as the 
 benefit is great, if, with a true penitent heart and livelie 
 faith, we receive that holie sacrament (for then we spirit- 
 uallie eat the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood, then 
 we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us, we be one with 
 Christ, and Christ with us*), so is the danger great, if 
 we receive the same unworthilie, for then we be guiltie 
 of the bodie and blood of Christ our Saviour, we eat and 
 drink our own damnation, not considering the Lord's 
 bodie, we kindle God's wrath against us, and provoke 
 him to plague us with divers diseases and sundrie kindes 
 of death. 
 
 t And therefore, in the name and authoritie of the 
 
 » John vi. bQ, 51. 
 
 t The old Geneva copie hath here, — Therefore, if any of you be a 
 blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of his word, an adulterer, 
 or be in malice or en vie, or in any other grievous crime,* bewaile your 
 
 * Gal. V. 19, 20, 21. 
 
200 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 eternal God, and of his Sonne Jesus Christ, I excom- 
 municate from this table all blasphemers of God, all 
 idolaters, all murtherers, all adulterers, all that be in 
 malice or en vie; all disobedient persons to father or 
 mother, princes or magistrates, pastors or preachers ; all 
 thieves and deceivers of their neighbours, and finallie, all 
 such as live a life directly fighting against the will of 
 God:* charging them, as they will answer in the presence 
 of him who is the righteous Judge, that they presume 
 not to prophane this most holie table. And yet this I 
 pronounce not, to seclude anie penitent person, how 
 grievous soever his sinnes before have been, so that he 
 feel in his heart unfained repentance for the same;t but 
 onlie such as continue in sinne without repentance. 
 Neither yet is this pronounced against such as aspire to 
 a greater perfection than they can in this present life 
 attaine unto; for, albeit we feel in our selves much 
 frailtie and wretchednesse, as that we have not our faith 
 so perfect and constant as we ought, being manie times 
 readie to distrust God's goodnesse through our corrupt 
 nature ; and also that we are not so throughlie given to 
 serve God, neither have so fervent a zeale to set forth 
 his glorie, as our duetie requireth, feeling still such 
 rebellion in our selves, that we have need daylie to fight 
 against the lustesof our flesh ;| yet neverthelesse, seeing 
 that our Lord hath dealt thus mercifullie with us, that 
 he hath printed his gospell in our hearts, § so that we are 
 preserved from falling into desperation and misbeliefe ; 
 
 sinnes, and come not to this holy table ; lest after the taking of this holy 
 sacrament, the devil enter itito you as he entered into Judas,* and fill 
 you full of all inirjiiities, and bring you to destruction both of body and 
 soul. Judge therefore your selves, brethren, that ye be not judged of 
 the Lord, repent you truely for your sirmes past,t and have a lively and 
 stedfast faith in Christ our Saviour, seeking onely your salvation in the 
 merites of his death and passion, t from henceforth refusing and forget- 
 ting all malice and debate, § with full purpose to live in brotherly amity 
 and godly conversation all the days of your life. And albeit we feel in 
 ourselves, Sfc. 
 
 * Gal. V. 19—21. t Matt. iii. 2, 8. \ Rom. vii. 14—25. 
 
 Gal. V. 17. § Heb. viii. 10—12. Jer. xxxi. 33, 34.. Ezek. 
 
 xxxvi. 26, 27. 
 
 * John xiii. 27. f Matt. iii. ?, 8. t Acts iv. 12. § 1 Pet. ii. 1. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 201 
 
 and seeing- also that he hath endued us with a will and 
 desire to renounce and withstand our own affections, with 
 a longing for his righteousnesse and the keeping of his 
 commandements,* we may be now right well assured, 
 that those defaultes and manifold imperfections in us 
 shall be no hindrance at all against us, to cause him not 
 to accept and impute us as worthie to come to his spiri- 
 tual table : For the end of our coming thither, is not to 
 make protestation that we are upright or just in our 
 lives ;t but contrariwise, we come to seeke our life and 
 perfection in Jesus Christ, acknowledging in the mean 
 time, that we of our selves be the children of wrath and 
 
 damnation 4 
 
 Let us consider then, that this sacrament is a singular 
 medicine for all poore si eke creatures, a comfortable help 
 to weak souls, and that our Lord requireth no other 
 worthinesse on our part, but that we unfainedlie acknow- 
 ledge our naughtinesse and imperfection. Then to the 
 end that we may be worthie partakers of his merites, and 
 most comfortable benefites, which is the true eating of 
 his flesh and drinking of his blood, § let us not suffer our 
 minds to wander about the consideration of these earthlie 
 and corruptible thinges (which we see present to our 
 eyes, and feel with our hands), to seek Christ bodilie 
 present in them, as if he were inclosed in the bread and 
 wine, or as if these elements were turned and changed 
 into the substance of his flesh and blood, for the onlie 
 way to dispose our souls to receive nourishment, reliefe, 
 and quickning of his substance, is to lift up our minds by 
 faith above all things worldlie and sensible, and thereby 
 to enter into heaven, that we may find and receive Christ, 
 where he dwelleth undoubtedlie verie God and verie man, 
 in the incomprehensible glorle of his Father,] to whom 
 be all praise, honour and glorie, now and ever. Amen. 
 
 The exhortation ended., the minister commeth down 
 from the pulpit, and sitteth at the table, everie man 
 
 * Rom. vii. 15, 19, 20. Phil. iii. 8, 9. f Luke xviii. 9—14. 
 
 I Eph. ii. 3. Luke v. 31, 32. § John vi. 47—58. || 1 Tim. 
 
 vi. 14—16. 
 
 9-2 
 
202 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 and woman in Uk icise taking their place as occa- 
 sion best serveth : Then he taketh bread, and giveth 
 thajiks* either in these words following, or like in 
 effect. 
 
 O Father of mercie, and God of all consolation, seeing 
 all creatures doe acknowledge and confesse tliee as gover- 
 nour and Lord,t it becommeth us, the workmanship of 
 thine own hands, at all times to reverence and magnifie 
 thy godlie majestic, first, for that thou hast created us 
 to thine owne image and similitude,^ but chiefelie because 
 thou hast delivered us from that everlasting death and 
 damnation, into the which Sathan drew mankinde, by 
 the mean of sinne,§ from the bondage whereof, neither 
 man nor angell was able to make us free, || but thou, O 
 Lord, rich in mercie, and infinite in goodnesse, hast pro- 
 vided our redemption to stand in thine onlie and well- 
 beloved Sonne,^ whom of verie love thou didst give to 
 be made man like unto us, in all thinges, sinne except,** 
 that in his bodie he might receive the punishment of our 
 transgression, tt by his death to make satisfaction to thy 
 justice,^ and by his resurrection to destroy him that was 
 author of death, §§ and so to bring again life to the world, || || 
 from which all the whole olF-spring of Adam most justlie 
 w^as exiled. T"^[ 
 
 O Lord, we acknowledge that no creature is able to 
 comprehend the length and breadth, the deepnesse and 
 height of that thy most excellent love,*** which moved 
 thee to shew mercy where none was deserved, fjt to pro- 
 mise and give life where death had gotten the victorie4tt 
 to receive us into thy grace, when we could doe nothing 
 but rebell against thy justice.§§§ O Lord, the blind 
 
 ♦ Matt. xxvi. 26—30. Mark xiv. 22—26. Luke xxii. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 
 xi. 24—29. t I^ev. v. 13. | Gen. i. 27. § Epli. ii. 
 
 Gal. i. 4. Gen. iii. 15. || Acts iv. 12. Ileb. i. 4, 5. f Kcv. 
 
 V. 9. ** John iii. 16. Hcb. ii. 17, and iv. 15. ff 1 Pet. 
 
 ii. 24. Isa. liii. \\ Matt. iii. 17, and xvii. 5. Rom. v. 8 — 10. 
 
 §§ Heb. ii. 14. || || Jolin vi. 33. \^ Gen. iii. Rom. v. 12. 
 
 *** Eph. iii. 18, 19. ftt ^pb. ii. \\\ John vi. 3.3, 51. 
 
 §§§ Gen. vi. Rom. iii. 9 — 18. Isa. Ixiv. 6, 7. Psal. xiv. 2, 3. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 203 
 
 dulnesse of our corrupt nature will not safFer us sufficiently 
 to weigh those thy most ample benefits ;* yet neverthe- 
 lesse, at the commandement of Jesus Christ our Lord, we 
 present our selves to this his table, which he hath left to 
 be used in remembrance of his death, untill his comming 
 again,! to declare and witnesse before the world, t that 
 by him alone we have received liberty and life,§ that by 
 him alone thou dost acknowledge us thy children and 
 heires,!! that by him alone we have entrance to the 
 throne of thy grace,^ that by him alone we are possessed 
 in our spirituall kingdome, to eat and drink at his table,** 
 with whom we have our conversation presentlie in 
 heaven,tt and by whom our bodies shall be raised up 
 again from the dust,!i:t and shall be placed with him in 
 that endlesse joy, which thou, O Father of mercie, hast 
 prepared for thine elect before the foundation of the world 
 was laid.§§ And these most inestimable benefits we 
 acknowledge and confesse to have received of thy free 
 mercy and grace, by thine onlie beloved Sonne Jesus 
 Christ, II II for the which therefore, we thy congregation, 
 moved by thy Holie Spirit,^^ render thee ail thanks, 
 praise and glorie, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
 This done, the minister breaketh the bread, and deli- 
 ver eth it to the people, who distribute and divide the 
 same amongst themselves, according to our Saviour 
 Christ'' s commandement, and likewise giveth the 
 cuppe :*** During the which time some place of the 
 Scriptures is read, which doth livelie set foorth the 
 death of Christ, to the intent that our eyes and 
 senses may not onlie be occupied in these outward 
 signes of bread and wine, luhich are called the visible 
 icord, but that our hearts and minds also may be 
 
 * Rom. vii. 23. 1 Cor. ii. Ik Matt. xvi. 8, &c. f 1 Cor. xi. 
 
 24—26. t ^-fatt. X. 32. Luke xii. 8. § John viii. 31, 32, 
 
 36. Rom. viii. 2. Gal. v. 1. || Rom. viii. U— 17. Eph. i. 5. 
 
 % Eph. ii. 12. Heb. iv. 15, 16. ** Matt. xxv. 21, 23, .34. 
 
 John xiv. 2, 3. Luke xii. 32, and xxii. 29. Rev. ii. 7, 17. ff Phil, 
 iii. 20. It Phil. iii. 21. §§ Matt. xxv. 21, 23, 34. 
 
 II II Eph. i. 3, &c. and ii. 7, &c. Rom. iii. 24. ^% Rom. viii. 
 
 *** Matt. xxvi. 26—30. Mark xiv. 22—26. Luke xxii. 19, 2iL 
 1 Cor. X. 16, and xi. 23—29. 
 
204 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 fallie fixed in the conteinplation of the Lord's deaths 
 which is by this holie sacrament represented. And 
 after this action is done, he giveth thanks, saying, 
 
 Moste mercifull Father, we render to thee all praise, 
 thanks and glorie, for that it hath pleased thee of thy 
 great mercies to grant unto us, miserable sinners, so ex- 
 cellent a gift and treasure, as to receive us into the 
 fellowship and companie of thy dear Sonne Jesus Christ 
 our Lord,* whom thou deliveredst to death for us,t and 
 hast given him unto us, as a necessarie food and nou- 
 Tishment unto everlasting life.t And now we beseech 
 also, O heavenlie Father, to grant us this request, that 
 thou never suffer us to become so unkind as to forget so 
 worthie benefites, but rather imprint and fasten them 
 sure in our hearts, that we may grow and increase daylie 
 more and more in true faith, § which continually is exer- 
 cised in all maner of good works, || and so much the 
 rather, O Lord, confirme us in these perillous dayes and 
 rages of Sathan,^ that we may constantlie stand and 
 continue in the confession of the same, to the advance- 
 ment of thy glorie,** who art God over all things, blessed 
 for ever. So be it. 
 
 The action thus ended, the people sing the CI II. 
 Psalme, My soule give Laude, ^c. or some other of 
 thanksgiving, which ended, one of the blessings be- 
 fore me7\tioned\\ is recited, and so they rise from 
 the table and depart. 
 
 Why this Order is observed rather than any other. 
 
 If so be that anie would marvell why we follow rather 
 this order than anie other, in the administration of this 
 sacrament, let him diligentlie consider, that first of nil 
 we utterlie renounce the error of the Papistes : Sccondlie, 
 We restore unto the sacrament his owne substance, and 
 to Christ his proper place. And as for the words of the 
 
 * 1 Cor. X. 16, 17. f Rom. iv. 25. \ John vi. 53—56. 
 
 § Luke xvii. 5. || Gal. v. 6. ^ I Tim. iv. 1, &c. Eph. v. G. 
 
 2 Pet. iii. 3. ** Matt. v. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 9, 12. jf Pages 185, i&G. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 205 
 
 Lord's supper, we rehearse them, not because they should 
 change the substance of the bread or wine, or that the 
 repetition thereof, with the intent of the sacrificer, should 
 make the sacrament, as the Papistes falselie believe, but 
 they are read and pronounced to teach us how to behave 
 our selves in that action, and that Christ might witnesse 
 unto our faith, as it were with his own mouth, that he 
 hath ordeined these signes to our spiritual use and com- 
 fort ; we doe first therefore examine our selves, according 
 to Saint PauVs rule, and prepare our minds, that we may 
 be worthie partakers of so high mysteries ; then taking 
 bread, we give thanks, breake and distribute it as Christ 
 our Saviour hath taught us ; finallie, the administration 
 ended, we give thanks again, according to his example, 
 so that without his word and warrant there is nothing in 
 this holie action attempted. 
 
 CHAP. \l. 
 
 The Form of Marriage. 
 
 After the hannes or contract hath heene published three 
 severall dayes in the congregation (to the intent that 
 if anie person have interest or title to either of the 
 parties, they may have sufficient time to make their 
 challenge), the parties assemble at the beginning of the 
 sermon, and the minister at time convenient saith as 
 followeth. 
 
 The Exhortation. 
 
 Dearlie beloved brethren, we are here gathered to- 
 gether in the sight of God, and in the face of his con- 
 gregation, to knitte and joyne these parties together in 
 the honourable estate of matrimonie,* which was insti- 
 tuted and authorised by God himselfe in Paradise, man 
 being then in the estate of innocencieif For what time 
 
 * Heb. xiii. 4. Prov. xviii. 22. f Gen. ii. 18—24.. 
 
206 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 God made heaven and earth, and all that is in them, and 
 had created and also fashioned man after his own simili- 
 tude and likenesse, unto whom he gave rule and lordship 
 over all the beastes of the earth, fishes of the sea, and 
 foules of the ay re, he said, It is not good that man live 
 alone, let us make him an helper like unto himselfe, and 
 God brought a fast sleep upon him, and took one of his 
 ribbes, and shaped Heva thereof, giving us thereby to 
 understand, that man and wife are one bodie, one flesh, 
 and one blood ;* signifying also unto us, the mysticall 
 union that is betweene Christ and his Church,! for the 
 which cause man leaveth his father and mother, and 
 taketh him to his wife, to keep companie with her, J 
 whome also we ought to love, even as our Saviour loveth 
 his church, § that is to say, his elect and faithfull con- 
 gregation, || for the which he gave his life.^ 
 
 And semblablie also it is the wives duetie to studle to 
 please and obey her husband, serving him in all thinges 
 that be godlie and honest,** for she is in subjection, and 
 under the governance of her husband, so long as they 
 continue both alive.ft 
 
 And this holie marriage, being a thing most honour- 
 able, is of such vertue and force, that thereby the husband 
 hath no more right or power over his own bodie, but the 
 wife ; and likewise the wife hath no more right or power 
 over her own bodie, but the husband ;H for as much as 
 God hath so knitte them together in this mutuall societie, 
 to the procreation of children, that they shoulde bring 
 them up in the fear of the Lordj and to the increase of 
 Christ's kingdom. §§ 
 
 Wherefore, they that be thus coupled together by God 
 cannot be severed, or put apart, unlesse it be for a season, 
 with the consent of both parties, to the end to give them- 
 
 * In Hebrew man is called Isch, and the woman Ischa, whereby is well 
 expressed the natural affinity betwixt the man and his wife. 
 
 t Eph. V. 32. I Gen. ii. 24. Matt. xix. 5. Mark x. 7, 8. Eph. 
 V. 21. I Pet. iii. 7. § Eph. v. 25. Col. iii. 19. |] John xvii. 
 
 ^ Rom. V. Heb. ix. 1 Pet. iii. 18. ** Eph. v. 22, 23, 2t. 
 
 Col. iii. 18. 1 Pet. iii. 1—6. 1 Cor. xi. 3, &c. 1 Tim. ii. 9, etc. 
 ft Rom. vii. 2. 1 Cor. vii. 39. Matt. xix. 9. ft 1 Cor. vii. 2, &i-. 
 
 §§ Eph. vi. 4-. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 207 
 
 selves the more ferventlie to fasting and prayer, giving 
 diligent heed, in the mean time, that their too long being 
 apart be not a snare to bring them into the danger of 
 Sathan through incontinencie :* And, therefore, to avoyde 
 fornication, everie man ought to have his own wife, and 
 everie woman her own husband,t so that so many as 
 cannot live chaste, are bound by the commandement of 
 God to marie, { that thereby the holie temple of God, 
 which is our bodies, may be kept pure and undefiled : 
 For since our bodies are now becomen the verie members 
 of Jesus Christ, how horrible and detestable a thing is it, 
 to make them the members of an harlot ?§ every one 
 ought therefore to keep his vessell in all purenesse and 
 holinesse ;|| for whosoever poUuteth and delileth the tem- 
 ple of God, him will God destroy .^ 
 
 Here the minister speaketh to the parties that are 
 there present to he married, in this wise, 
 
 I require and charge you, as ye will answere at the 
 day of judgement, when the secrets of all heartes shall 
 be disclosed,** that if either of you doe know anie impe- 
 diment, why you may not be lawfullie joyned together 
 in matrimonie, that ye confesse it : For be ye well as- 
 sured, that so manie as be coupled otherwise than God's 
 worde doeth allowe, are not joyned together by God, 
 neither is their matrimonie lawiuU. 
 
 If no impediment be by them declared, then the mini- 
 ster saith to the whole congregation, 
 
 I take you to witnesse that be here present, beseeching 
 you all to have good remembrance hereof, and moreover, 
 if there be anie of you, which knoweth that either of 
 these parties be contracted to anie other, or knoweth anie 
 other lawfull impediment, let them now make declaration 
 thereof. 
 
 * 1 Cor. vii. 5. t 1 Cor. vii. 2. \ 1 Cor. vii. 9. Matt. 
 
 xix. 11. § 1 Cor. vi. 15, &c. 2 Cor. vi. 14—16. 1 Pet. ii. 11. 
 
 11 1 Thess. iv. 3—5. Rom. vi. 12. Eph. v. 33. ^ I Cor. 
 
 iii. 16, 17. ** 1 Cor. iv. 5. Rom. ii. 2, 16. Matt. vii. 21—23. 
 
208 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 If no cause he alledged, the minister proceedeth, sailing 
 to the man^ 
 
 For as much as no man speaketh against this thing, 
 you N. shall protest here before God and his holie con- 
 gregation, that you have taken, and are now contented 
 to have M, here present for your lawfull wife, promis- 
 ing to keep her, to love and intreat her in all things, 
 according to the duetie of j. faithfull husband,* forsaking 
 all other during her life ; and briefelie, to live in an holie 
 conversation with her, keeping faith and trueth in all 
 points, according as the word of God and his holie 
 gospell doeth command. 
 
 The Ansxver. 
 
 Even so I take her, before God, and in the presence 
 of this his congregation. 
 
 The minister to the spouse also saith, 
 You M. shall protest here before the face of God, and 
 in presence of this his congregation, that ye have taken, 
 and are now contented to have N. here present for your 
 lawfull husband, promising to him subjection and obe- 
 dience,! forsaking all other during his life ; and finallie, to 
 live in an holie conversation with him, keeping faith and 
 trueth in all points, as God's word doeth prescribe. 
 
 The Ansiver. 
 Even so I take him, before God, and in the presence 
 of this his congregation. 
 
 The minister then saith to the parties married, 
 Give diligent ear then to the gospell, that ye may 
 understand how our Lord would have this holie contract 
 kept and observed, and howe sure and fast a knot it is, 
 which may in no wise be loosed, according as we are 
 taught in the nineteenth chapter of Sainct Matthew's 
 gospell. 
 
 * Col. iii. 19. 1 Pet. iii. 7. Matt. xix. 5. Epli. v. 25, 33. Mai. 
 ii. 15, 16. t Eph. V. 22, 23, 24, 33. Col. iii. 18. 1 Tim. ii. 9, 
 
 &c. I Pet. iii. 1— G. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 209 
 
 The Pharisees came unto Christ to tempt him^ and to 
 grope his mind, saying, Is it lawful for a man to put 
 away his wife for everie light cause? He answered, say- 
 ing, Have ye not read, that he which created man at the 
 beginning made them male and female, saying. For this 
 thing shall man leave father and mother, and cleave unto 
 his wife, and they twaine shall he one flesh, so that they 
 are no more two, hut one flesh? Let no man therefore 
 put asunder that which God hath coupled together. 
 
 If ye believe assuredlie these words, which our Lord 
 and Saviour did speak (according* as ye have heard them 
 now rehearsed out of the holie g'ospeli), then may ye be 
 certaine, that God hath even so knitte you together in 
 this holie estate of wedlock ; wherefore, applie your selves 
 to live together in godlie love, in Christian peace, and 
 good example, ever holding fast the band of charitie 
 without anie breach, keeping faith and trueth the one 
 to the other, even as God's word doth appoint. 
 
 Then the minister commendeth them to God, in this 
 or such like sort. 
 
 The Lord sanctifie and blesse you, the Lord powre 
 the riches of his grace upon you, that ye may please him, 
 and live together in holie love to your lives end. So 
 he it. 
 
 Then is sung the CXXVIIL Psahne, Blessed are 
 they that feare the Lord, 8^c. or some other appertein- 
 ing to the same purpose. 
 
 CHAP. XIL 
 
 The Visitation of the Sicke. 
 
 Because the visitation of the sicke is a thing verie 
 necessarie, and yet notwithstanding it is hard to prescribe 
 all rules apperteining thereunto : we referre it to the 
 discretion of the godly and prudent minister, who, accord- 
 ing as he seeth the patient afflicted, either may lift him 
 up with the sweete promises of God's mercie through 
 
210 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 Christ, if he perceave him much afraid of God's threat- 
 nings; or contrariwise, if he be not touched with the 
 feeling of his sinnes, may beate him down with God's 
 justice; evermore like a skilfull physitian, framing his 
 medicine according as the disease requireth. And if he 
 perceave him to want anie necessaries, he not onlie re- 
 lieveth him according to his habilitie, but also provideth 
 by others, that he may be furnished sufficientlie. More- 
 over, the partie that is visited may at all times for his 
 comfort send for the minister, who doeth not onelie make 
 prayers for him there presently; but also, if it so require, 
 commendeth him in the publike prayers to the congre- 
 gation. 
 
 * A Prayer to he said in visiting of the Sicke. 
 
 Our good God, Lord and Father, the creator and 
 conserver of all things, the fountaine of all goodnesse 
 and benignitie, like as (amongst other thine infinite bene- 
 fits, which thou of thy great goodnesse and grace doest 
 distribute ordinarily unto all men) thou givest them 
 health of bodie, to the end that they should the better 
 know thy great liberalitie ; so that they might be the 
 more readie to serve and glorifie thee with the same ; so 
 contrariwise when we have evill behaved our selves, in 
 off*ending thy majestic, thou hast accustomed to admonish 
 us, and call us unto thee by divers and sundrie chastise- 
 ments, through the which it hath pleased thy goodnesse 
 to subdue and tame our fraile flesh ; but especially by 
 the grievous plagues of sicknesse and diseases, using the 
 same as a mean to aw ake and stirre up the great dulnesse 
 and negligence that is in us all, and advertising us of our 
 evill life, by such infirmities and dangers, especially when 
 as they threaten the verie death, which (as assured mes- 
 sengers of the same) are all to the flesh full of extreame 
 anguish and tormentes, although they be notwithstanding 
 to the spirit of the elect as medicines both good and whol- 
 some ; For by them thou doest move us to returne unto 
 
 * This Prayer is not in the old Geneva copy. 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 211 
 
 thee for our salvation, and to call upon thee in our afflic- 
 tions, to have thine helpe, which art our cleare and loving 
 Father. 
 
 In consideration whereof, we most earnestly pray unto 
 thee, our good God, that it would please thine infinite 
 goodness, to have pity on this thy poore creature whom 
 thou hast, as it were, bound and tied to the bedde by 
 moste grievous sicknesse, and brought to great extremitie 
 by the heaviness of thine hand. 
 
 O Lord, enter not into a compt with him, to render 
 the reward due unto his works, but thorow thine infinite 
 mercie remit all his faults, for the which thou hast chas- 
 tised him so gently; and beholde rather the obedience 
 which thy deare Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord hath ren- 
 dered unto thee, to ivit, the sacrifice which it pleased thee 
 to accept as a full recompence for all the iniquities of 
 them that receive him for their justice and satisfaction, 
 yea, for their only Saviour. 
 
 Let it please thee, O God, to give him a true zeale 
 and affection to receave and acknowledge him for his only 
 Redeemer; to the ende also that thou may est receave 
 this sicke person to thy mercie, qualifying all the trou- 
 bles which his sinnes, the horrour of death, and dreadful 
 fear of the same, may bring to his weake conscience; 
 neither suffer thou, O Lord, the assaultes of the mightie 
 adversarie to prevaile, or to take from him the comfort- 
 able hope of salvation, which thou givest to thy dearly 
 beloved children. 
 
 And for as much as we are all subject to the like estate 
 and condition, and to be visited with like battell, when it 
 shall please thee to call us unto the same ; we beseech 
 thee, most humblie, O Lord, with this thy poore crea- 
 ture, whom thou now presently chastisest, that thou wilt 
 not extende thy rigorous judgment against him, but that 
 thou woldest vouchsafe to shew him thy mercie for the 
 love of thy deare Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord, who, hav- 
 ing suffered the most shamefuU and extreame death of the 
 crosse, beare willingly the fault of this poore patient, to 
 the end that thou mightest acknowledge him as one re- 
 deemed with his pretious blood, and receaved into the 
 
212 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 communion of his bodie, to be participant of eternal feli- 
 citie, in the company of thy blessed angels; wherefore, O 
 Lord, dispose and move his heart to receave by thy grace 
 with all meeknesse this gentle and fatherly correction, 
 which thou hast laide upon him, that he may endure it 
 patiently, and with willing obedience, submitting him- 
 selfe with heart and minde to thy blessed will and favour- 
 able mercie, wherein thou nowe visitest him after this 
 sort for his profite and salvation. May it please thy 
 goodnesse, O Lord, to assist him in all his anguishes and 
 troubles, and although the tongue and voyce be not able 
 to execute their office in this behalf, to set foorth thy 
 glorie ; that yet at least thou wilt stirre up his heart to 
 aspire unto thee onelie, which art the onelie fountaine of 
 all goodnesse; and that thou fast root and settle in his 
 heart, the sweet promises which thou hast made us in 
 Christ Jesus thy Sonne, our Saviour, to the intent he may 
 remaine constant against all the assaultes and tumultes 
 which the enemie of our salvation may raise up to trouble 
 his conscience. 
 
 And seeing it hath pleased thee, that by the death of 
 thy deare Sonne, life eternall should be communicated 
 unto us ; and by the sheddirjg of his blood, the washing 
 of our sinnes should be declared ; and that by his resur- 
 rection also, both justice and immortalitie should be given 
 us, may it please thee to applie this holie and holsome 
 medicine to this thy poore creature, in such extremitie, 
 taking from him all trembling and dreadfull feare, and 
 to give him a stoute courage in the middes of all his 
 present adversities. 
 
 And for as much as all things, O heavenly Father, be 
 knowen unto thee, and thou canst, according to thy good 
 pleasure, minister unto him all such thinges as shall be 
 necessarie and expedient, let it please thee, O Lord, so 
 to satisfie him by thy grace, as may seeme most meete 
 unto thy divine majesty. Receave him, Lord, into thy 
 protection, for he hath his recourse and accesse to thee 
 alone, and make him constant and firme in thy com- 
 mandements and promises; and also pardon all his sinnes, 
 both secrete, and those which are manifest, by the which 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 213. 
 
 he hath moste grievouslie provoked thy wrath and severe 
 judgementes against him ; so as in place of death (the 
 which both he and all we have justly merited) thou wilt 
 grant unto him that blessed life which we also attend 
 and looke for, by thy grace and mercie. Neverthelesse, 
 O heavenly Father, if thy good pleasure be that he shall 
 yet live longer in this worlde, may it then please thee to 
 augment in him thy graces, so as the same may serve 
 unto thy glorie ; yea. Lord, to the intent he may con- 
 forme himselfe the more diligently, and with more care- 
 fulnesse, to the example of thy Sonne Christ Jesus, and 
 that in renouncing himselfe he may cleave fully unto 
 him, who, to give consolation and hope unto all sinners, 
 to obteine remission of all their sinnes and offences, hath 
 caried with him into the heavens the thiefe which was 
 crucified with him upon the crosse. 
 
 But if the time, by thee appointed, be come that he 
 shall depart from us unto thee, make him to feele in his 
 conscience, O Lord, the fruit and strength of thy grace, 
 that thereby he may have a new taste of thy fatherly 
 care over him from the beginning of his life unto the 
 verie end of the same, for the love of thy deare Sonne 
 Jesus Christ our Lord. 
 
 Give him thy grace, that with a good heart and full 
 assurance of faith he may receave to his consolation so 
 great and excellent a treasure, to icit, the remission of 
 his sinnes in Christ Jesus thy Sonne, who nowe presenteth 
 him to this poore person in distresse, by the vertue of 
 thy promises revealed unto him by thy worde, which he 
 hath exercised with us in thy church and congregation ; 
 and also in using the sacraments, which thou therein 
 hast established for confirmation of all their faith that 
 trust in thee unfainedly. 
 
 Let true faith, O Lord, be unto him as a most sure 
 buckler, thereby to avoide the assaultes of death, and 
 more boldly walke for the advancement of eternall life, 
 to the end that he, having a most lively apprehension 
 thereof, may rejoyce with thee in the heavens eternally. 
 
 Let him be under thy protection and governance, O 
 heavenly Father ; and although he be sicke, yet canst 
 
214 THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 thou lieale him ; he is cast downe, but thou canst lift 
 him up ; he is sore troubled, but thou canst sende re- 
 dresse ; he is weak, but thou canst send strength ; he 
 acknowledgeth his uncleannesse, his spots, his filthinesse, 
 and iniquities, but thou canst wash him and make him 
 clean ; he is wounded, but thou canst minister most so- 
 veraigne salves ; he is fearfuU and trembling, but thou 
 canst give him good courage and boldness : To be short, 
 he is, as it were, utterly lost, and a strayed sheep, but 
 thou canst call him home to thee againe. Wherefore, O 
 Lord, seeing that this poore creature, thine owne work- 
 manship, resigneth him wholly into thine hands, receave 
 him into thy mercifuU protection. Also, we poore miser- 
 able creatures, which are, as it were, in the field, readie 
 to fight till thou withdraw us from the same, vouchsafe 
 to strengthen us by thine Holie Spirit, that we may ob- 
 taine victorie in thy name against our deadly and mortall 
 enemie. And furthermore, that the affliction and the 
 combate of this thy poore creature in most grievous tor- 
 ments, may move us to humble our selves with all reve- 
 rent feare and trembling under thy mightie hand, know- 
 ing that we must appeare before thy judgement seat, 
 when it shall please thee so to appoint. But, O Lord, 
 the corruption of our fraile nature is such, that w^e are 
 utterly destitute of any meane to appear before thee, 
 except it please thee to make us such as thou thy selfe 
 requirest us to be ; and further, that thou give us the 
 spirit of meeknesse and humility, to rest and stay wholly 
 on those things which thou only commandest. 
 
 But for as much as we be altogether unworthie to 
 
 enjoy such benefits, we beseech thee to receave us in the 
 
 name of thy deare Sonne our Lord and Maister, in whose 
 
 ^death and satisfaction standeth wholly the hope of our 
 
 ijidvation. 
 
 ^ May it also please thee, O Father of comfort and 
 
 t)nsolation, to strengthen with thy grace those which 
 mploy their travell and diligence, to the ayding of this 
 sicke person, that they faint not by over much and con- 
 tinuall labour ; but rather to goe heartily and chearfully 
 forward in doing their endeavours towards him ; and if 
 
THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 215 
 
 tliou take him from them, then of thy goodness to com- 
 fort them, so as they may patiently beare such departing-, 
 and praise thy name in all things. Also, O heavenly 
 Father, vouchsafe to have pity on all other sicke persons, 
 and such as be by any other wayes or meanes afflicted, 
 and also on those who as yet are ignorant of thy trueth, 
 and appertaine neverthelesse unto thy kingdome. 
 
 In like maner on those that suifer persecution, tor- 
 mented in prisons, or otherwise troubled by the enemies 
 of the verity, for bearing testimony to the same. Final- 
 ly^ on all the necessities of thy people, and upon all the 
 ruines and decayes which Sathan hath brought upon thy 
 church : O Father of mercie, spread foorth thy good- 
 nesse upon all those that be thine, that we, forsaking our 
 selves, may be the more inflamed and confirmed to rest 
 onely upon thee alone. Grant these our requestes, O 
 our deare Father, for the love of thy deare S'onne our 
 Saviour Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee 
 in unitie of the Holy Ghoste, true God for evermore. 
 So be it. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 The Burial, 
 
 The corps is reverently to be brought unto the grave, 
 accompanied with the congregation, without any further 
 ceremonies, which being buried, the minister, if he be 
 present, and required, goeth to the church, if it be not 
 farre off, and maketh some comfortable exhortation to 
 the people, touching death and resurrection.* 
 
 * See First Book of Discipline, Chap. XIV. 
 
THE 
 
 FORME AND ORDOUR 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ELECTION AND ADMISSION OF 
 THE SUPERINTENDENT: 
 
 WHICH MAY SERVE IN ELECTIOUN OF ALL UTHER MINISTERS. 
 
 AT EDINBURGH THE NINTH OF MARCH ANNO 1560. 
 JOHN KNOX BEING MINISTER. 
 
 " And whan they had ordeined them eldars by election in everie congrega- 
 tion, and had prayed and fasted, they commended them to the Lord on whom 
 they beleved." — Acts xiv. 23. 
 
 OBDINARLY PRINTED WITH THE BOOK OF COMMON ORDER. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 THE ELECTIOUN OF ELDARS AND DEACONIS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 CHURCH OF EDINBURGH. 
 
FORME AND ORDOR 
 
 ELECTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, 
 
 WHICH MAY SERVE IN THE ELECTIOUN OF ALL UTHER MINISTERS. 
 AT EDINBURGH THE NINTH OF MARCH, 1560.* 
 
 JOHN KNOX BEING MODERATOR.f 
 
 First was made a sermon, in the which thir heads wer 
 intreated. 1. The necessitie of ministers and superin- 
 tendents. 2. The crymes and vices that might unable 
 them of the ministerie. 3. The vertues required in 
 theme. 4. And last, whethir such as by publict consent 
 of the church wer called to such office myght refuis the 
 same. 
 
 The sermon finished, it wes declared be the same mi- 
 nister (maker thereof), that the lords of the secrete coun- 
 sall hed gevin charge and power to the churchis of 
 Louthian to cheis Mr John Spottisivood superintendent, 
 and that sufficient warning wes maid be publick edict to 
 the churchis of Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Striveling, 
 Trenent, Hadington, and Dumhar ; as also to Earles, 
 Lords, Barons, Gentelmen, or uthers havand or that 
 might claime to have vote in election, to be present that 
 dav at that same houre. 
 
 And therefor inquisition wes made who wer present 
 and who wer absent, after wes called the said Mr John 
 
 * 1561. For the year did not tben begin in Scotland till the 2oth of 
 March. f Some copies have Minister. . 
 
220 THE ELECTION AND ADMISSION 
 
 Spotiswood, who answering, the minister demanded give 
 any man knew any cryme or offence to the said Mr John, 
 that myght unable him to be called to that office, and 
 that he demanded thryse. Secundarily, Question wes 
 moved to the hole multitude give ther wes any uther 
 w hom they w aid put in election with the said Mr John : 
 The people wer asked if they wald have the said Mr 
 John superintendent ? If they wald honor and obey him 
 as Christ's minister? and confort and assist him in everie 
 thing perteining to his charge? 
 
 They Ansivered, 
 
 We will and do promise unto him such obedience as 
 becumeth the scheip to geve unto their pastor, so long 
 as he remaineth faithful in his office. 
 
 The Answers of the People and their Co7isent received, 
 these Qitestio^iis were proponed to him that wes to he 
 elected. 
 
 Quest, Seeing that ye heare the thrist and desyir of 
 this people, do ye not think your self bound in conscience 
 before God to support them that so earnestlie call for 
 your confort, and for the fruict of your labours? 
 
 Ans. If any thing v/er in me able to satisfie their 
 desyir, I acknowledge my self bound to obey God's 
 calling by them. 
 
 Q. Do ye seke to be promoted to this office and charge 
 for ony respect of worldlie commoditie, riches, or glorie ? 
 
 A. God knowcth the contrair. 
 
 Q. Beleve ye not that the doctrine of the prophets 
 and apostles, contened in the books of the New and Olde 
 Testaments, is the onlie trew and moste absolute fanda- 
 tion of the universal church of Christ Jesus? Insomuch 
 that in the same Scriptures ar contened all tbingis neces- 
 sare to be beleved for the salvation of mankynd ? 
 
 A. I verilie beleve the same, and do abhor and utterlie 
 refuse all doctrine alledged necessare to salvation that is 
 not expressedlie contened in the same. 
 
OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. 221 
 
 Q. Is not Christ Jesus, man of man according to the 
 flesh, to wit, the sone of David, the seid oi Abraham, 
 conceived of the Holy Ghost, borne of the virgine his 
 mother, the only head and mediator of his church? 
 
 A. He is, and without him there is neither salvation 
 to man, nor lyfe to angell. 
 
 Q. Is not the same Lorde Jesus the onlie trew God, 
 the eternal Sone of the eternal Father, in whom all that 
 shall be saved wer elected before the foundation of the 
 world wes layd ? 
 
 A. I acknowledge and confes him in the unitie of his 
 Godhead, to be God abuife all things, blessed for evir. 
 
 Q. Shal not they whom God in his eternal counsell 
 hath elected, be called to the knowledge of his Sone our 
 Lord Jesus? And shall not they, who of purpose ar 
 called in this lyfe, be justified? And where justificatioun 
 and free remissioun of sinnes is obtened in this life be 
 fre grace, shall not the glory of the sonnes of God follow 
 in the general resurrection, when the Sone of God shall 
 appeare in his glorious majestic? 
 
 A. This I acknowledge to be the doctrine of the apos- 
 tles, and the most singular contort of Goddis children. 
 
 Q. Will ye not then contene your selfe in all doctrine 
 within the bounds of this foundatioun? Will ye not 
 study to promove the same als well be your lyfe as be 
 your doctrine? Will ye not, according to the graces and 
 utterance that God shall grant unto you, profes, instruct 
 and mantene the purity of the doctrine contened in the 
 sacred word of God? And to the uttermost of your 
 power, will ye not gain-stand and convince the gain-sayers 
 and the teacharis of mennis inventions? 
 
 A. That do I promise in the presence of God, and ot 
 his congregatioun here assembled. 
 
 Q. Know ye not that the excellencie of this office, to 
 the which God hath called you, requireth that your con- 
 versation and behaviour be such as that ye may be irre- 
 prehensible, yea, even in the eyis of the ungodly? 
 
 A. I unfainedly acknowledge and humblie desire the 
 church of God to pray with me, that my lyfe be not 
 slanderous to the glorious evangel of Christ Jesus. 
 
 10-2 
 
222 THE ELECTION AND ADMISSION 
 
 Q. Because you ar a man compassed with Infirmities, 
 Avill you not charitablie and with lowlines of spirit receave 
 admonitioun of your brethren ? And give ye shall happin 
 to slide or offend in any poynt, will ye not be subject to 
 the discipline of the church, as the rest of your brethren? 
 
 The Answer of the Superinteiident or Minister that is 
 to be elected, 
 
 I acknowledge my selfe a man subject to infirmitie, 
 and one that hath need of correctioun and admonitioun, 
 and therefore I most willinglie subject my selfe to the 
 holsome discipline of the church, yea, to the discipline of 
 the same church by the which I am now called to this 
 office and charge, and heire, in Goddis presence and 
 yours, do promis obedience to all admonitions secretly or 
 publictly gevin, unto the which, if I be found inobedient, 
 I confes my selfe most worthy to be ejected, not only 
 from this honor, bot also from the society of the faithful!, 
 in case of my stubburnnes : For the vocatioun of God to 
 beare charge within his church, maketh not men tyrants 
 nor lordes, bot appointeth them servandis, w^atchmen and 
 pastors to the flock. 
 
 Thus ended, Q;uestion must he asked again of the Mul- 
 titude, 
 
 Require ye any farther of this your superintendent? 
 
 If no man answer, let the minister proced. 
 
 Will ye not acknowledge this your brother for the 
 minister of Christ Jesus ? Will ye not reverence the 
 word of God that procedeth fra his mouth ? Will ye 
 not receave of him the sermon of exhortation with pa- 
 tience, not refusing the holesom medicine of your saules, 
 although it be bitter and unplesing to the flesh ? Will 
 ye not finally mantean and confort him in his ministery, 
 against all such as wickedlie wald rebell against God 
 and his holy ordinance? 
 
OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. 223 
 
 The People answer. 
 
 We will, as we w ill answer to the Lord Jesus, who 
 hath commanded his ministers to be had in reverence, as 
 his embassadors, and as men that cairefullie watch for the 
 salvation of our saules. 
 
 Let the Nohilitie he urged with this. 
 
 Ye have hard the dewtie and profession of this our 
 brother, by your consentis appointed to this charge, as 
 also the dewitie and obedience which God requireth of us 
 towards hira here in his ministerie : Bot because that 
 neither of both are able to perform e any thing without 
 the especial grace of our God in Christ Jesus, who hath 
 promised to be present with us, evin to the consumma- 
 tion of the w^orlde, with unfained hartis, let us crave of 
 him his benedictioun and assistance in this w^orke begun 
 to his glory, and for the con fort of his church. 
 
 The Prayer -^ 
 
 O Lord, to whom all power is gevin in heavin and in 
 earth, thou that art the eternal Sone of the eternall Father, 
 who hast not onlie so loved thy church, that for the re- 
 demptioun and purgatioun of the same, thou hast hum- 
 bled thy self to the death of the croce, and thereupon 
 hast sched thy most innocent blode, to prepare to thy 
 selfe a spouse without spot, bot also to retene this thy 
 most excellent benefit in recent memorie, hast appointed 
 in thy church teachers, pastors, and apostels, to instruct, 
 confort, and admonish the same : Look upon us merci- 
 fully, O Lord, thou that only art king, teacher, and hie 
 preast to thy awin flock ; and send unto this our brother, 
 whom in thy name we have charged with the cheif cair 
 of thy church within the boundis of Louthian, such por- 
 tion of thy Holy Spirit, as thereby he may rightlie divyd 
 thy word to the instructioun of thy flock, and to the con- 
 
224 THE ELECTION AND ADMISSION 
 
 futatioun of pernitious erroris and damnable supersti- 
 tiouns : Geve unto him, good Lord, a mouth and wise- 
 dom, whereby the enemies of thy trueth may be con- 
 founded, the wolfes expelled and drevin from thy fald, 
 thy schep may be fed in the holesome pastures of thy 
 most holy word, the blind and ignorant may be illumi- 
 nated with thy trew knowledge. Finallie, that the 
 dregges of superstitioun and idolatrie, which yet resteth 
 within this realme, being* purged and removed, we may 
 all not only have occasion to glorifie thee our only Lord 
 and Saviour, hot also daylie to grow in godlines and obe- 
 dience of thy most holy will, to the destruction of the 
 bodie of sinne, and to the restitution of that image, to 
 the which we wer ones created, and to the which, after 
 our fall and defection, we ar renewed by participation of 
 thy Holy Spirit, which by trew faith in thee, we do pro- 
 fes as the blessed of thy Father, of whom the perpetuall 
 oncrease of thy graces we crave, as by thee our Lord, 
 King, and onlie Bischop, we ar taught to pray. Our 
 leather, &c. 
 
 The Prayer ended, the rest of the ministers, and eldars 
 of that church, if any be present, in signe of' there con- 
 sent shall tali the elected be the hand. 
 
 The chiefe minister shall give the benedictioun as fol- 
 loweth. 
 
 THE BENEDICTIOUN. 
 
 God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath 
 commanded his evangell to be preached to the confort of 
 his elect, and hath called thee to the office of a watchman 
 owir his people, multiplie his graces w^ith thee, illuminate 
 thee with his Holy Spirit, confort and strenthen thee in 
 all vertew, governe and guyde thy ministerie to the prayse 
 of his holy name, to the propagation of Christ's kingdome, 
 to the confort of his church, and finally, to the plaine 
 discharge and assurance of thy awin conscience in the day 
 
OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. 225 
 
 of the Lord Jesus ; to whom with the Father, and with 
 the Holy Ghost, be all honour, prayse^ and glory, now 
 and evir. So be it. 
 
 The last Exhortation to the Elected, 
 
 Tak heed to thy selfe, and unto the flock committed 
 to thy charge, feid the same cairfullie, not as it wer be 
 compulsion, hot of very lufe, which thou bearest to the 
 Lord Jesus, walke in simplicitie and purenes of lyfe, as 
 it becumeth the trew servand and the embassadour of the 
 Lord Jesus. Usurpe not dominion nor tyrannicall autho- 
 ritie owir thy brethren : Be not discouraged in adversitie, 
 bot lay before thy self the example of the prophets, apos- 
 tles, and of the Lord Jesus, who in their ministery sus- 
 tened contradiction, contempt, persecution and death : 
 Feare not to rebuke the world of sin, justice and judg- 
 ment : If any thing succeid prosperouslie in thy vocation, 
 be not puft up with pryde, nether yit flatter thy self, as 
 that the good succes proceided from thy vertew, Industrie 
 or cair : Bot let evir that sentence of the apostle remain 
 in thy hart. What hast thou which thou hast not receaved? 
 If thou hast receaved, why glories thou? Confort the 
 afflicted, support the poore, and exhort utheris to support 
 them : Be not solist for things of this lyfe, but be fer- 
 vent in prayer to God for the increase of his Holie 
 Spirit. And fmallie, behave thy selfe in this holy voca- 
 tion with such sobriety, as God maj^ be glorified in thy 
 ministerie; and so shal thou schortiie obteine the vic- 
 torie, and shal receave the crowne promised, when the 
 Lord Jesus shall appeare in his glorie, whose omnipotent 
 Spirit assist thee and us to the end. Amen, 
 
 Sing the xxiii. P^ahne, 
 
THE ELECTIOUN OF ELDARIS AND DEACONIS 
 
 IN THE 
 
 CHURCH OF EDINBURGH/ 
 
 Before that there wes any publick face of the trew 
 religioun within this realm e, it pleased God of his mer- 
 cie to illuminate the harts of many private persones, so 
 that they did perceave and understand the abuses that 
 war in the Papistical church, and thereupon they did 
 withdraw themselfis from participation of their idolatrie. 
 
 And because the Spirit of God will never suifer his 
 awin to be idil, and voyd of all religion ; men began to 
 exercise themselfis in reading of the Scriptures secretlie 
 within their awin houses, and thereunto war added secret 
 prayers publictlie made within the houses, after schort 
 proces of time, God gadthered houses togidder in one 
 hous to the same exercise, some times in the feild, and 
 some times in houses by nyght : And then began men 
 inspyred, no doubt by the Spirit of God, to consider 
 that diverse houses and varietie of persones could not be 
 kept in good obedience and honest fame without over- 
 searis, eldaris, and deaconis; and so began that smal flok 
 to put themselves in such ordour as if Christ Jesus had 
 plainlie triumphed in the middes of them by the power of 
 the Evangel, and so they did elect some to occupy the 
 supreme place of exhortation and reading, sum to be 
 eldaris and helparis to them for the oversight of the flok, 
 and sum to be deaconis for the collection of almis to be 
 distributed to the poore of their awin bodie. Of this 
 smal beginning is that ordour that now God of his mercie 
 
 * It is uncertain when tins was written ; but it is in the manuscript 
 copy of Knox's History, which is in the College Library of Glasgow, and 
 is printed at Edinburgh with other publick papers by Robert Lekpre- 
 vick, anno 1569. It is approved by the General Assembly, April 
 1582, Sess. 12. in these words, Concerning ane general order of admis- 
 sion to the office of eldaris, referris it to the order usit at Edinburgh, 
 qwhilk we approve. 
 
THE ELECTIOX OF ELDARIS AND DEACONIS. 227 
 
 hath gevin unto us publictlie within this realm, and 
 principallie within this town of Edinhwgh proceded : 
 For when it pleased the merciful goodnes of our God to 
 geve the victorie to the evangel of his deare Son our 
 Lord Jesus, and to suppresse and beat doun the pryde 
 of the enemies of all trew religion within the realme ; of 
 the principals of such as war knowin to be men of good 
 conversation and honest fame in the privie church w'ar 
 chosen eldaris and deaconis, to rule with the minister in 
 the publick church ; which burden they patiently sus- 
 tened a zeir and more : And then, because they culd not, 
 without neglecting their awin private houses, longer wait 
 upon the publick charge, they desired that they might 
 be releaved, and uthers might be burdened in their roume, 
 which was thought a petition reasonable of the w-hole 
 church; and therefore it was granted unto them that they 
 shuld nominat and geve up in election such personages 
 as they in there consciences thoght most apte and abil to 
 serve in that charge, providing that they shuld nominat 
 double moe persones then wer sufficient to serve in that 
 charge, to the end that the whole congregatioun might 
 have there fre vote in there election. And this ordour 
 hath bene ever observed since that tyme in the church of 
 Edinburgh : that is, the old session before there depart- 
 ing nominates twentie-four in election for eldars, of whom 
 twelve ar to be chosen ; and two and thirtie for deacons, 
 and of them sixtene to be elected : Which persones ar 
 publictlie proclaimed in the audience of the whole church 
 upon a Sonday before noon efter sermon, with admoni- 
 tion to the church, that if any man know any notorious 
 cryme or cause that might unable any of those persones 
 to enter in such a vocation, that they should notifie the 
 same the next Thurisday to the session, or if any knew 
 any persones more able for that charge, they shuld notifie 
 the same unto the said session, to the end that no man 
 without the church shuld complein that he was spoiled of 
 his libertie in electioun. 
 
 The Sonday following in the end of the sermon before 
 noon, the hole communicantes ar commanded to be pre- 
 sent at after noon, to geve there votes, as they will 
 
228 THE ELECTION OF ELDARIS AND DEACONIS. 
 
 answer before God, to such as they think most able to 
 bear the charge of the church with the ministers. The 
 votes of all being receaved, the scrolles ar delivered to 
 any of the ministers, who keipeth the same secret from 
 the sight of all men till the nixt Thurisday^ then in the 
 session he produces them that the votes may be counted; 
 where the maniest votes, without respect of persone, hath 
 the first place in the eldarschip, and so proceding til the 
 number of twelf be compleit : So that if a poore man 
 excede the rich man in votes, he precedeth him in place, 
 and is called the first, second and thrid eldar, evin as the 
 votes answereth. And this same method is observed in 
 the election of the deaconis. 
 
 The Fryday after that judgement is tane what persones 
 ar elected for elders and deacons to serve for that zeir, 
 the minister after his sermon readis the same names 
 publictlie, and geves commandement publictlie that such 
 persones be present in the church the nixt Sonday at 
 sermon before noon, in the place to be appoynted for 
 them to accept that charge, that God by the pluralitie 
 of votes had laid upon them : Who being convened, the 
 minister after sermon readis the names publictlie, the 
 absents ar noted, and the presentes ar admonished, to 
 consider the dignitie of that vocation whereunto God 
 hath called them, the dewtie that they aw to the people, 
 the danger that lyis upon them if they be found negligent 
 in that there vocation ; and finallie, the dewtie of the 
 people towardis the persones elected. Which being done, 
 this prayer is red. 
 
 The Prayer in the Election of Eldaris and Deaconis, 
 
 O eternal and everlasting God, Father of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who, of thy infinite mercie and goodnes, 
 hast chosin to thy self a church of the lost seid of Adam, 
 which thou hast ever reuled by the inspiration of thy 
 Holy Spirit ; and yit not the les hast alwayis used the 
 ministerie of men, als weill in preaching of thy word, 
 and administration of thy sacraments, as in guiding of 
 thy flok, and providing for the poor within th« same ; as 
 
THE ELECTION OF ELDAKIS AND DEACONIS. 229 
 
 in the law, prophets, and in thy glorious evangel we have 
 witnesis. \¥hich ordour, O Lord, thou of thy mercie 
 hast now restored to us again, after that the publique face 
 of thy church hath bene deformed be the tyrannic of that 
 Roman Antichrist. Grant unto us, O heavenlie Father, 
 hartis thankful for the benefits that we have receaved, 
 and geve unto these our brethren elected unto the charges 
 within thy church, such abundance of thy Holy Spirit, 
 that they may be found vigilant and faithful in that voca- 
 tioun whereunto thou of thy mercie hast called them. 
 
 And albeit, O Lord, these small beginningis ar con- 
 temned of the proud world, yet, Lord, thou for thy awin 
 mercyis sake blesse the same, in such sort that thy godlie 
 name may be glorifyed, superstitioun and idolatrie may 
 be rooted out, and verteu may be planted not onJy in this 
 generation, bot also to the posterities to come. Amen. 
 Grant us this, merciefiil Father, for Jesus Christ thy 
 Sonnes saik, in whose name we call unto the as he hath 
 taught us, saying — 
 
 Our Father^ &c. 
 
 And so with the rehersal of the Beleif. After which 
 shall be sung this portion of the 103 Psalme, verse 19, 
 The heavens hie ar made the seat, and so to the end of 
 that Psalme. After the which shall this schort Admo- 
 nition be gevin to the elected. 
 
 11 
 
230 THE ELECTION OF ELDAKIS AND DEACONIS. 
 
 Exhortation to the Elected. 
 
 Magnifie God, who of his mercie hath called you to 
 rule within his church ; be faithful in your vocation, schaw 
 your self zealous to promote vertew, feir not the faces 
 of the wicked, but rebuke their wickednes : Be merciful 
 to the poore, and support them to the uttermost of your 
 power ; and so shall ye receave the benediction of God, 
 present and everlasting. 
 
 God save the King's majestic, and geve unto him the 
 spirit of sanctificatioun in his zong age. Blesse his Re- 
 gent, and such as assist him in upryght counsal. And 
 ather fructfullie convert, or suddanlie confound the ene- 
 mies of trew religion, and of this afflicted common-wealtli. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 THE EDINBURGH PRINTrNG COMPANT, 
 12, South St David Street. 
 

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