VII - Of the Elderships, Assemblies, and Discipline

Elderships and Assemblies are commonly constitute of Pastors, Doctors, and such as we commonly call Elders, that labour not in the word and doctrine, of whom, and of whose severall power hath bene spoken.

Assemblies are of foure sorts. For either are they of particular Kirks and Congregations ane or moe, or of a Province, or of a whole nation, or of all and divers Nations professing one Iesus Christ.

All the Ecclesiasticall Assemblies have power to convene lawfully together for treating of things concerning the Kirk, and perteining to their charge.

They have power to appoint times, and places to that effect, and at one meeting to appoint the dyet, time and place for another.

In all Assemblies an Moderatour should be chosen by common consent of the whole brethren convened, who should propone matters, gather the votes, and cause good order to be kept in the Assemblies.

Diligence should be taken, chiefly by the Moderator, that onely Ecclesiasticall things be handled in the Assemblies, and that there be no medling with any thing perteining to the civill jurisdiction.

Every Assembly hath power to send forth from them of their own number, ane or moe visitours to see how all things be ruled in the bounds of their jurisdiction.

Visitation of moe Kirks is no ordinary Office Ecclesiastick in the person of one man, neither may the name of a Bishop be attribute to the visitor onely, neither is it necessary to abide alwaies in one mans person, but it is the part of the Eldership to send out qualified persons to visit pro re nata.

The finall end of assemblies is first to keep the religion and doctrine in puritie without error and corruption. Next, to keepe comelinesse and good order in the kirk.

For this orders cause, they may make certaine rules and constitutions appertaining to the good behaviours of all the members of the kirk in their vocation.

They have power also to abrogate and abolish all statutes and ordinances concerning Ecclesiastical matters, that are found noysome and unprofitable, and agree not with the time, or are abused by the people.

They have power to execute Ecclesiastical discipline & punishment upon all transgressors, and proud contemners of the good order and policie of the kirke, and so the whole discipline is in their hands.

The first kinde and sort of assemblies, although they be within particular congregations, yet they exerce the power, authoritie and jurisdiction of the kirk with mutuall consent, and therefore beare sometime the name of the kirk.

When we speake of the Elders of the particular congregations, we mean not that every particular parish kirk can, or may have their own particular Elderships, specially in Landward; but wee think three, foure, moe or fewer particular kirks, may have one Eldership common to them all, to judge their Ecclesiasticall causes.

Yet this is meet, that some of the Elders be chosen out of every particular congregation, to concurre with the rest of their brethren in the common assembly, and to take up the delations of offences within their owne kirks, and bring them to the assembly.

This we gather of the practise of the primitive kirk, where Elders or colledges of Seniors were constitute in cities and famous places.

The power of their particular Elderships is to use diligent labours in the bounds committed to their charge, that the kirks be kept in good order, to inquire diligently in naughtie and unruly persons, and travell to bring them in the way againe, either by admonition or threatning of Gods judgements; or by correction.

It pertaines to the Eldership to take heed, that the word of God be purely preached within their bounds, the sacraments rightly ministred, the discipline rightly maintained, and the Ecclesiasticall goods uncorruptly distributed.

It belongs to this kinde of assembly, to cause the ordinances made by the assemblies provinciall, nationall, and generall, to be kept, and put in execution.

To make constitutions which concerne τὸ πρέπον in the kirk, for the decent order of these particular kirks, where they governe: providing they alter no rules made by the generall, or provinciall assemblies, and that they make the provinciall assemblies foreseen of these rules that they shall make and abolish them that tend to the hurt of the same.

It hath power to excommunicate the obstinate.

The power of election of them who beare Ecclesiasticall charges, pertaines to this kind of assembly within their owne bounds, being well erected, and constitute of many Pastors, and Elders of sufficient abilitie.

By the like reason their deposition also pertains to this kinde of assembly, as of them that teach erronious and corrupt doctrine, that be of slanderous life, and after admonition desist not, that be given to schisme, or rebellion against the kirke, manifest blasphemy, simonie, corruption of bribes, falshood, perjurie, whoordome, theft, drunkennesse, fighting worthy of punishment by the Law, usurie, dauncing, infamie, and all others, that deserve separation from the kirk.

These also who are altogether found unsufficient to execute their charge should be deposed, whereof other kirks would be advertised, that they receive not the persons deposed.

Yet they ought not to be deposed, who through age, sicknesse, or other accidents, become unmeet to do their office, in which case their honour should remain to them, their kirk should maintaine them; and others ought to be provided to doe their office.

Provinciall assemblies wee call lawfull conventions of the Pastors, Doctors, and other Elders of a province, gathered for the common affaires of the kirkes therof, which also may bee called the conference of the kirk and brethren.

Thir assemblies are institute for weightie matters to be intreated by mutuall consent and assistance of the brethren within that province, as need requires.

This assembly hath power to handle, order, & redresse all things committed or done amisse in the particular assemblies.

It hath power to depose the office-bearers of that province for good and just causes deserving deprivation.

And generally thir assemblies have the whole power of the particular Elderships whereof they are collected.

The Nationall assembly, which is generall to us, is a lawfull convention of the whole kirks of the realm or nation where it is used and gathered, for the common affaires of the kirk, and may be called the generall Eldership of the whole kirks in the realme. None are subject to repaire to this assembly to vote, but Ecclesiasticall persons to such a number, as shall be thought good by the same Assemblie, not excluding other persons that will repaire to the said Assembly to propone, heare, and reason.

This Assemblie is institute, that all things either committed, or done amisse in the Provinciall Assemblies, may be redressed and handled, and things generally serving for the weale of the whole bodie of the Kirk within the Realme may be foreseene, intreated, and set forth to Gods glorie.

It should take care, that Kirks be planted in places where they are not planted.

It should prescribe the rule how the other two kinds of Assemblies should proceed in all things.

This Assembly should take heed, that the spirituall jurisdiction, and civill, be not confounded to the hurt of the Kirk: That the patrimonie of the Kirk be not consumed, nor abused; and generally concerning all weighty affaires that concerne the weale and good order of the whole Kirks of the Realm, it ought to interpone authoritie thereto.

There is besides these, an other more generall kinde of Assemblie, which is of all Nations, and all estates of persons within the Kirk, representing the universall Kirk of Christ, which may bee called properly the Generall Assembly, or Generall Councell of the Kirk of God.

These Assemblies were appointed and called together specially, when any great schisme or controversie in doctrine did arise in the Kirk, and were convocate at command of godly Emperours being for the time, for avoiding of schismes within the universall Kirk of God, which because they perteine not to the particular estate of any Realme we cease further to speake of them.