they govern Providing that they alter no rules made by the Provinciall or generall Assemblies And that they make the Provinciall Assemblies foresaid privie to the rules that they shall make and to abolish Constitutions tending to the hurt of the same It hath power to excommunicate the obstinate for mall processe being led and due intervall of times observed Anent particular Kirkes if they bee lawfully ruled by sufficient Ministers and Session they have power and Jurisdiction in their owne Congregation in matters Ecclesiasticall And decrees and declares the Assemblies Presbyteries and Sessions Jurisdiction and Discipline foresaid to bee in all times comming most just good and godly in the selfe Notwithstanding of whatsoever Statutes Acts Canons Civill or Municipall lawes made to the contrary To the which and every one of them their presents shall make expresse derogation And because there are divers Acts of Parliament made in favour of the Papisticall Kirk tending to the prejudice of the liberty of the true Kirk of God presently professed within this Realme Jurisdiction and Discipline thereof which stand yet in the bookes of the Acts of Parliament not abrogated nor annulled Therefore his Highnesse and Estates foresaid hath abrogated cassed and annulled and by the Tenour hereof abrogates casses and annulles all Acts of Parliament made by any of his Highnesse Predecessours for maintenance of superstition and idolatry withall and whatsoever Acts Lawes and Statutes made at any time before the day and date hereof against the liberty of the true Kirk Jurisdiction and Discipline thereof as the same is used and exercised within this Realme And in speciall that part of the Act of Parliament holden at Sterling the fourth day of November the yeare of God 1443. yeares commanding obedience to be given to Eugenius the Pope for the time The Act made by King Iames the third in his Parliament holden at Edinburgh the 24. of February the yeare of God 1480. yeares And all other Acts whereby the Popes authority is established The Act of King Iames the third in his Parliament holden at Edinburgh the 20. of November the yeare of God 1469. yeares anent the Saturday and other vigils to be holy dayes from Evensong to Evensong Item that part of the Act made by the Queene Regent in the Parliament holden at Edinburgh the first day of February the yeare of God 1551. yeares giving speciall licence for holding of Pasche and Zuill Item the Kings Majesty and Estates foresaid declares that the 129. Act of the Parliament holden at Edinburgh the two and twentieth of May the yeare of God 1584. yeares shall no wayes be prejudiciall nor derogate any thing from the priviledge that God hath given to the spirituall Office-bearers in the Kirk concerning heads of Religion matters of Heresie excommunication collation or deprivation of Ministers or any such like essentiall censures specially grounded and having warrant of the word of God Item our Soveraigne Lord and Estates of Parliament fore-said abrogates casses and annihilates the Acts of the same Parliament holden at Edinburgh the said yeare 1584. yeares granting commission to Bishops and other Judges constitute in Ecclesiasticall causes to receive his Highnesse presentation to Benefices to give collation thereupon and to put order to all causes Ecclesiasticall which his Majesty and Estates afore-said declares to bee expired in the selfe and to bee null in time comming of none availe force or effect And therefore ordaines all Presentations to Benefices to be direct to the particular Presbyteries in all time comming with full power to give collation thereupon and to put order to all matters and causes Ecclesiasticall within their bounds according to the Discipline of the Kirk providing the fore-said Presbyteries be bound and astricted to receive and admit whatsoever qualified Minister presented by his Majesty or laicke Patrons THE FIRST BOOKE OF DISCIPLINE To the great Councell of Scotland now admitted to the Regiment by the providence of God and by the Common consent of the Estates thereof Your Honours humble Servitours and Ministers of Christ Jesus within the same wish grace mercy and peace from God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with the perpetuall increase of the holy Spirit FRom your Honours weereceived a charge dased at Edinburgh the 29. of April in the yeare of our Lord 1560. requiring and commanding us in the name of the eternall God as wee will answer in his presence to commit to writing and in abooke deliver to your wisedomes our judgements touching the reformation of Religion which heretofore in this Realme as in others hath beene utterly corrupted upon the receit whereof so many of us as were in this Towne did conveene and in unity of minde doe offer unto your wisedomes these subsequents for common order and uniformity to bee observed in this Realme concerning doctrine administration of Sacraments election of Ministers provision for their sustentation Ecclesiasticall discipline and policy of the Church Most humbly requiring your Honours that as you looke for participation with Christ Jesus that neither ye admit any thing which Gods plaine word shall not approve neither yet that ye shall reject such ordinances as equity justice and Gods word doe specifie For as wee will not bind your wisedomes to our judgements further then wee are able to prove by Gods plaine Scriptures so must we most humbly crave of you even as ye will answer in Gods presence before whom both ye and wee must appeare to render accounts of all our facts that ye repudiate nothing for pleasure and affection of men which ye bee not able to improve by Gods written and revealed word The first head of Doctrine SEing that Christ Jesus is he whom God the Father hath commanded onely to bee heard and followed of his sheepe wee judge it necessary that his Gospell bee 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 mans salvation The explication of the first head LEst that upon this generality ungodly men take occasion to cavill this wee adde for explication By preaching of the Gospell wee understand not onely the Scriptures of the new Testament but also of the old to wit the Law Prophets and Histories in which Christ Jesus is no lesse contained in figure then wee have him now expressed in verity And therefore with the Apostle we affirme that all Scripture inspired of God is profitable to in struct to reprove and to exhort In which bookes of old and new Testaments we affirme that all thing necessary for the instruction of the Church and to make the man of God perfect is contained and sufficiently expressed By the contrary doctrine wee understand whatsoever men by lawes counsells or constitutions have imposed upon the conseiences of men without the expressed commandement of Gods word such as bee the vowes of chastity for swearing of marriage binding of men and women to severall and disguised apparells to the superstitious
the Church findes necessary besides money for buying of other provision to his house and other necessaries the modification whereof is referred to the judgment of the Kirk to bee made every yeare at the choosing of the Elders and Deacons of the Kirk Providing alwayes that there bee advanced to every Minister sufficient provision for a quarter of a yeare before-hand of all things But to him that travels from place to place whom wee 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 consideration bee had And therefore to such wee thinke six chalders beere nine chalders meale three chalders oats six hundreth merkes money to bee eiked and paired at the discretion of the Prince and Councell of the Reasme to bee payed to him in manner foresaid The Children of the Ministers must have the liberties of the Cities next adjacent where their Fathers laboured 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 that they bee put to some handy-craft or exercised in some vertuous industry whereby they may bee profitable members of the Common-wealth and the same we require of their Daughters To wit that they bee vertuously brought up and honestly doted when they come to maturity of yeares at the discretion of the Kirk And this in Gods presence wee witnesse wee require not so much for our selves or for any that appertaine to us as that wee doe it for the increase of vertue and learning and for the profite of the posterity to come It is not to bee supposed that any man will dedicate himselfe and his Children so to God and to his Kirk that they looke for no worldly commodity but this cankered nature which wee beare is provoked to follow vertue when it seeth profite and honour thereto annexed and contrarily then is vertue in many despised when vertuous and godly men are without honour and sory would wee bee 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 Nothing have wee spoken of the stipend of Readers because if they can doe nothing but reade they neither can bee called nor judged true Ministers and yet regard must bee had to their labours but so that they may bee suprred forward to vertue and not by any stipend appointed for their reading to bee retained in that estate To a Reader therefore that is newly entred fourty merkes or more or lesse as Parishioners and Readers can agree is sufficient Provided that hee teach the Children of the Parish which hee must doe beside the reading of the common prayers and bookes of the old and new Testament If from reading hee begin to exhort and explaine the Scriptures then ought his stipend to bee augmented till finally hee come to the honour of a Minister But if hee bee found unable after two yeeres then must hee bee removed from that office and discharged of all stipend that another may bee proved as long For this alwayes is to bee avoided that none who is judged unable to come at any time to some reasonable knowledge whereby hee may edifie the Kirk shall bee perpetually sustained upon the charge of the Kirk Farther it must bee avoided that no child nor person within age that is within twenty one yeares of age bee admitted to the office of a Reader But Readers ought to bee endued with gravity and discretion lest by their lightnesse the prayers or Scriptures read bee of lesse price or estimation It is to bee noted that the Reader bee put in the Kirk at the admission of the Super-intendent The other sort of Readers who have long continued in godlines and have some gift of exhortation who are of hope to attaine to the degree of a Minister and teach the Children wee thinke an hundred merkes or more or lesse at the discretion of the Kirk may bee appointed so that difference bee made as is said betwixt them and the Ministers that openly preaches the word and ministers the Sacraments Rests yet two sorts of people to bee provided for upon that which is called the Patrimony of the Kirk to wit the poore and teachers of the youth-head Every severall Kirk must provide for the poore within it selfe For fearefull and horrible it is that the poore whom not onely God the Father in his Law but Christ Jesus in his Evangell and the holy Spirit speaking by Saint Paul hath so earnestly commended to our care are universally so contemned and despised Wee are not Patrones for stubborne and idle beggars who running from place to place make a craft of their begging whom the civill Magistrate ought to punish But for the Widow and Fatherlesse the aged impotent or lamed who neither can nor may travell for their sustentation wee say that God commands his people to bee carefull and therefore for such as also for persons of honesty fallen into decay and poverty ought such provision to bee made that of our aboundance their indigence might bee relieved How this most conveniently and most easily may bee done in every Citie and other parts of this Realme God will shew you wisedome and the meanes so that your mindes bee godly inclined thereto All must not bee suffered to begge that gladly would so doe neither yet must beggers remaine where they would but the stout and strong beggers must bee compelled to worke and every person that may not worke must bee compelled to repaire to the place where hee or shee was borne unlesse of long continuance they have remained in one place and there reasonable provision must bee made for sustentation as the Kirk shall appoint The order nor summes in our judgements can not particularly bee appointed unto such times as the poore of every City Towne and Parish bee compelled to repaire to the places where they were borne or of their residence where their names and number must bee taken and put in roll and then may the wisedome of the Kirk appoint stipends accordingly The Head of the Super-intendents BEcause wee have appointed a larger stipend to them that shall bee Super-intendents then to the rest of the Ministers 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 Super-intendents wee thinke necessary with their bounds office election and causes that may deserve deposition from that charge Wee consider that if the Ministers whom God hath endowed with his singular graces amongst us should bee appointed to severall places there to make their continuall residence that then the greatest part of the Realme should bee destitute of all doctrine which should not onely bee the occasion of great murmur but also bee dangerous to the salvation of many And therefore wee
Iesus then that the zeale of Christ Iesus his glory provoke and move you to set his oppressed Kirk at freedome and libertie wee feare your sharpe and suddaine punishments and that the glory and honor of this enterprise be reserved unto others And yet shall this our judgement abide to the generations following for a monument and witnesse how lovingly God called you and this nation to Repentance what counsellours God sent unto you and how you have used the same If obediently ye heare God now calling we doubt not but he shall heare you in your greatest necessitie But if following your owne corrupt judgements ye contemne his voice and vocation we are assured that your former iniquitie and present ingratitude shall together crave great punishment from God who cannot long delay to execute his most just judgements when after many offences and long blindnesse grace and mercy offered is contemptuously refused God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by the power of his holy Spirit so illuminate your hearts that ye may cleerly see what is pleasing and acceptable in his presence and so bow the same to his obedience that ye may preferre his revealed will to your owne affections And so strengthen you by the Spirit of Fortitude that boldly yee may punish vice and maintaine vertue within this Realme to the praise and glory of his holy Name to the comfort and assurance of your own consciences and to the consolation and the good example of the posterity following Amen By your Honours most humble servitors From Edinburgh the 20. of May. 1560. Act of Secret Counsell 17 Januarii anno 1560. WEE which have subscribed thir presents having advised with the Articles herein specified as is above mentioned from the beginning of this book thinkes the same good and conforme to Gods 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 that the Bishops Abbots Priors and other Prelates and benificed men which else have adjoyned them to us bruik the revenues of their benefices during their life times they sustaining and upholding the Ministry and Ministers as herein is specified for the Preaching of the Word and ministring of the Sacraments sic subscribitur James Hamiltoun Archbald Argyle James Stewart Rothes Boid William Lord Hay Alexander Cambell M. Alexander Gordoun Glencarne Vchiltrie Sanquhare S. Jhones William of Culrosse Drumlangrig Bargannie yonger Lochinvar Cunninghamhead James Haliburtoun Ihone Lochart of Bar. Jone Schaw of Halie Scot of Haning James Maxwell George Fentoun of that ilk Andro Ker of Fadounside Andro Hamiltoun of Lethane Deane of Murray The second Booke of Discipline Heads and Conclusions of the Policie of the Kirk CHAP. I. Of the Kirk and policie thereof in generall and wherein it is different from the civill policie THE Kirk of God sometimes is largely taken for all them that professe the Evangell of Iesus Christ and so it is a company and fellowship not onely of the godly but also of hypocrites professing alwayes outwardly the true Religion Other times it is taken for the Godly and Elect only and sometimes for them that exercise spirituall function in the congregation of them that professe the truth The Kirk in this last sense hath a certain power granted by God according to which it uses a proper jurisdiction and government exercised to the comfort of the whole Kirk This power Ecclesiasticall is an authoritie granted by God the Father through the Mediator Iesus Christ unto his Kirke gathered and having the ground in the Word of God to be put in execution by them unto whom the spirituall government of the Kirk by lawfull calling is committed The Policie of the Kirk flowing from this power is an order or forme of spirituall government which is exercised by the members appointed thereto by the Word of God and therefore is given immediately to the office-bearers by whom it is exercised to the weale of the whole body This power is diversly used for sometime it is severally exercised chiefly by the teachers sometime conjunctly by mutuall consent of them that bear the office and charge after the form of judgement The former is onely called potestas ordinis and the other 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 by the speaking of our Master in the 16 and 18 of Matthew This power and policy Ecclesiasticall is different and distinct in the own nature from that power and policy which is called Civill power and appertaineth to the Civill government of the Common wealth albeit they be both of God and tend to one end if they be rightly used viz. to advance the glory of God and to have godly and good subjects For this power Ecclesiasticall floweth immediately from God and the mediator Jesus Christ and is spirituall not having a temporall head in the earth but only Christ the only spirituall King and governour of his Kirk It is a title falsly usurped by Antichrist to call himself head of the Kirk and ought not to be attributed to Angel nor man of what estate that ever he be saving to Christ the onely head and Monarch in the Kirk Therefore this power and policy of the Kirk should leane upon the word immediatly as the onely ground thereof and should be taken from the pure fountains of the scriptures the Kirk hearing the voice of Christ the only spirituall King and being ruled by his laws It is proper to Kings Princes and Magistrates to be called Lords and dominators over their subjects whom they govern civilly but it is proper to Christ onely to be called Lord and Master in the Spirituall government of the Kirk and all others that bear office therein ought not to usurp dominion therein nor be called Lords but only Ministers Disciples and servants For it is Christs proper office to command and rule his Kirk universally and every particular Kirk through his spirit and word by the ministery of men Notwithstanding as the Ministers and others of the Ecclesiasticall estate are subject to the Magistrate civill so ought the person of the Magistrate be subject to the Kirk spiritually and in Ecclesiasticall government And the exercise of both these jurisdictions cannot stand in one person ordinary The Civill power is called the power of the Sword and the other the power of the Keys The civill power should command the spirituall to exercise and to doe their office according to the word of God The spirituall rulers should require the Christian magistrate to minister justice and punish vice and to maintaine the liberty and quietnes of the Kirk within their bounds The Magistrate commandeth externall things for externall peace and quietnesse amongst the subjects the Minister handleth externall things onely for conscience cause The Magistrate handleth externall things only and actions done before men but
for reasonable causes may change the time and may minister oftner but we study to represse superstition All Ministers must be admonished to be more carefull to instruct the ignorant then ready to serve their appetite and to use more sharp examination then indulgence in admitting to their great Mysteries such as be ignorant of the use and vertue of the same And therfore we think that the administration of the Table ought never to be without examination passing before specially of them whose knowledge is suspect We think that none are to be admitted to this Mysterie who can not formally say the Lords prayer the Articles of the Beliefe and declare the summe of the Law Further we think it a thing most expedient necessary 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 By frequent reading this grosse ignorance which in this cursed Papistry hath overflowed all may partly be removed We thinke it most expedient 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 preaching we judge not so profitable to edifie the Kirk as the continuall following of one text Every Master of houshold must be commanded either to instruct or cause to be instructed his children servants and familie in the principalls of the Christian Religion without 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 necessity we judge that every yeare at the least publick examination be had by the Ministers Elders of the knowledge of every person within the Kirk to wit that every Master and Mistresse of houshold come themselves and their family so many as be come to maturity before the Minister and the Elders give confession of their faith If they understand not nor cannot rehearse the commandements of Gods law know not how to pray neither wherein their righteousnesse stands or consists they ought not to be admitted to the Lords Table And if they stubbornly contemne suffer their children and servants to continue in wilfull ignorance the discipline of the Kirk must proceed against them to excommunication 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 and continue in ignorance as members of the Kirk Moreover men women Children would be exhorted to exercise themselves in Psalmes that when the Kirke doth convent and sing they may be the more able together with common hearts and voyces to praise God In private houses we think expedient that the most grave and discreet person use the common prayers at morne and at night for the comfort and instruction of others For seeing 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 only power may and great mercy will if we unfainedly convert unto him remove from us their terrible plagues which now for our iniquities hang over our heads Convert us ô Lord and we shall be converted For Prophecying or Interpreting of the Scriptures 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 Gods word may from time to time grow in more full perfection to serve the Kirk as necessity shall require it is more expedient that in every towne where Schooles and repaire of learned men are there be in one certaine day every week appointed to that exercise which S. Paul cals prophecying The order whereof is expressed by him in their words Let two or three Prophets speake and let the rest judge But if any thing be revealed to him that sits by let the former keep silence yee may one by one all prophesie that all may learne and all may receive consolation And the spirit 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 purpose some place of Scripture was read upon the which one first gave his judgement to the instruction consolation of the auditors after whom did another either confirm what the former had said or added what he had omitted or did gently correct or explaine more properly where the whole veritie was not revealed to the former And in case things were hid from the one and from the other liberty was given for a third to speake his judgement to the edification of the Kirk Above which number of three as appeares they passed not for avoiding of confusion This exercise is a thing most necessary for the Kirk of God this day in Scotland For thereby as said is shall the Kirk have judgement and knowledge of the graces gifts and utterances of every man within their body The simple and such as have somwhat profited shal be encouraged daily to study to proceed in knowledge the Kirk shall be edified For this exercise must be patert to such as list to heare and learne every man shall have liberty to utter and declare his minde and knowledge to the comfort and consolation of the Kirk But lest of this profitable exercise there arise debate and strife curious peregrine and unprofitable questions are to be avoided All interpretation disagreeing from the principles of our faith repugning to charity or that stands in plaine contradiction with any other manifest place of Scripture is to be rejected The Interpreter in this exercise may not take to himself the liberty of a publick Preacher yea although he be a Minister appointed but he must bind himselfe to his text that hee enter not in digression 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 dependence of the text and observing such notes as may instruct and edifie the auditor for avoiding of contention neither may the Interpreter nor any in the Assemblie move any
their calling CHAP. IIII. Of the Office-bearers in particular and first of the Pastors or Ministers PAstors Bishops or Ministers are they who are appointed to particular Congregations which they rule by the word of God and over the which they watch In respect whereof sometime they are called Pastors because they feed their Congregation sometime Episcopi or Bishops because they watch above their flock sometimes Ministers by reason of their service and office and sometimes also Presbyters or Seniors for the gravity in manners which they ought to have in taking care of the spirituall government which ought to be most deare unto them They that are called unto the Ministery or that offer themselves thereunto ought not to be elected without any certain flock be assigned unto them No man ought to ingyre himselfe or usurpe his office without lawfull calling They who are once called by God and duely elected by man after that they have once accepted the charge of Ministery may not leave their functions The desertours should be admonished and in case of obstinacy finally Excommunicate No Pastor may leave his flock without License of the Provinciall or Nationall Assembly which if he doe after admonitions not obeyed let the censures of the Kirk strike upon him Unto the Pastors apperteins teaching of the Word of God in season and out of season publikly and privately alwaies travelling to edifie and discharge his conscience as Gods word prescribes to him Unto the Pastors onely apperteins the administration of the Sacraments in like manner as the administration of the Word For both are appointed by God as meanes to teach us the one by the care and the other by the eyes and other senses that by both knowledge may be transferred to the minde It appertains by the same reason to the Pastor 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 suffer the blessings of his faithfull servants to be frustrate He ought also to watch above the manners of his flock that the better he may apply the Doctrine to them in reprehending the dissolute persons and exhorting the godly to continue in the feare of the Lord. It appertains to the Minister after lawfull proceeding by the Eldership to pronounce the sentence of binding and loosing upon any person according unto the power of the keys granted unto the Kirk It belongs to him likewise after lawfull proceeding in the matter by the Eldership to solemnizate mariage betwixt them that are to be joyned therein and to pronounce the blessing of the Lord upon them that enter in at that holy Band in the feare of God And generally all publick denunciations that are to be made in the Kirk before the Congregation concerning the Ecclesiasticall affaires belonging to the Office of a Minister For he is as messenger and Herauld betwixt God and the people in all these affaires CHAP. V. of Doctors and their Office and of the Schooles ONE of the two ordinary and perpetuall functions that travell in the Word is the Office of the Doctor who may be also called Prophet Bishop Elder Catechiser that is teacher of the Catechisme and rudiments of Religion His office is to open up the minde of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures simply without such applications as the Ministers use to the end that the faithfull may be instructed and sound Doctrine taught and that the purity of the Gospell be not corrupted through ignorance or evill opinions He is different from the Pastor not only in name but in diversity of gifts For to the Doctor is given the word of knowledge to open up by simple teaching the mysteries of faith to the Pastor the gift of wisdome to apply the same by exhortation to the manners of the flock as occasion craveth Under the name and office of a Doctor wee comprehend also the order in Schooles Colledges and Universities which hath been from time to time carefully maintained as well among the Jewes and Christians as also among the prophane Nations The Doctor being an Elder as is said should assist the Pastor in the government of the Kirk and concurre with the Elders his brethren in all assemblies by reason the interpretation of the Word which is onely judge in Ecclesiasticall matters is committed to his charge But to preach unto the people to Minister the Sacraments and to celebrate mariages pertaine not to the Doctor unlesse he be otherwise called ordinarily howbeit the Pastor may teach in the Schooles as he who hath the gift of knowledge oftentimes meet for that end as the examples of Polycarpus and others testifie c. CHAP. VI. Of Elders and their Office THE word Elder in the Scripture sometime is the name of Age sometime of Office When it is the name of any Office sometime it is taken largely comprehending as well the Pastors and Doctors as them who are called Seniors or Elders In this our division we call these Elders whom the Apostles call Presidents or Governours Their office as it is ordinary so is it perpetuall and alwayes necessary in the Kirk of God The Eldership is a spirituall function as is the Ministery Elders once lawfully called to the office and having gifts from God meet to exercise the same may not leave it again Albeit such a number of Elders may be chosen in certaine Congregations that one part of them may relieve another for a reasonable space as was among the Levites under the Law in serving of the Temple The number of the Elders in every Congregation cannot well be limited but should be according to the bounds and necessity of the people It is not necessary that all Elders be also teachers of the Word albeit the chiefe ought to be such and swa are worthy of double-honour What manner of persons they ought to be we referre it to the expresse word and namely the Canons written by the Apostle Paul Their office is as well severally as conjunctly to watch diligently upon the flock committed to their charge both publikely and privately that no corruption of Religion or manners enter therein As the Pastors and Doctors should be diligent in teaching and sowing the seed of the Word so the Elders should be carefull in seeking the fruit of the same in the people It appertains to them to assist the Pastor in examination of them that come to the Lords Table item in visiting the sick They should cause the acts of the assemblies as well particular as generall to be put in execution carefully They should be diligent in admonishing all men of their duty according to the rule of the Evangell Things that they cannot correct by private admonitions they should bring to the Eldership Their principall office is to hold Assemblies with the Pasiors and Doctors who are also of their number for establishing of good order and execution of Discipline unto the which Assemblies all persons are subject that remain within