Their Office is, to affift the Ministers in their Execu tion of Difcipline, in all great and weighty Matters.

The Elders fhall watch upon all Mens Manners, Religion and Converfation, that are within their Charge: Correct all licentious Livers, or else accuse them before the Seffion.

They should take Heed to the Doctrine, Diligence, and Behaviour of their Minister and his Houfhold; and, if need be, admonish and correct them accordingly.

It is undecent for Ministers to be boarded in an Alehouse or Tavern, or to haunt much the Court, or to be occupied in Council of Civil Affairs,

The Office of Deacon is, to gather and diftribute the Alms of the Poor, according to the Direction of the Sellion: The Deacons fhould affift the Affembly in Judgment, and may read publickly, if need requires.

Elders and Deacons, being Judges of other Mens Manners, muft, with their Houfhold, live godly, and be fubject to the Cenfure of the Kirk.

It is not neceffary to appoint a publick Stipend for Elders and Deacons, feeing they are changed yearly, and may wait upon their own Vocation within the Charge, of the Kirk.

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VIII. Superintendents.

He Neceffity, Nomination, Examination, and Inftitution of Superintendents, are at large contained in the Book of Difcipline, and in many Things do agree with the Examination and Admiffion of Minifters: Principal Towns fhall not be spoiled of their Minifters, to be appointed Superintendents; Superintendents, once admitted, fhall not be changed, without great Causes and Confiderations.

Superintendents fhall have their own fpecial Kirks, beside the common Charge of others: They fhall not remain in one Place, until their Kirks be provided of Ministers or Readers: They fhall not remain above twenty Days in one Place in their Vifitation, till they pass through their Bounds: They fhall preach themfelves thrice in the Week at the leaft; when they come home

again to their own Kirk, they must be occupied in Preaching and Edifying of the Kirk: They fhall not remain at their chief Kirk above three or four Months, but fhall pass again to their Visitation.

In their Vifitation, they fhall not only preach, but alfo examine the Doctrine, Life, Diligence and Behaviour of the Ministers, Readers, Elders and Deacons. They fhall confider the Order of the Kirk, the Manners of the People, how the Poor are provided, how the Youth are inftructed, how the Difcipline and Policy of the Kirk are keeped, how hainous and horrible Crimes are corrected: They fhall admonish and dress Things out of Order with their Council, as they may beft. Superintendents are fubject to the Cenfure and Correction, not only of the Synodal Convention, but alfo of their own Kirk, and others within their Jurifdiction. Whatfomever Crime deferves Correction or Depofition in any other Minifter, the fame deferves the like in the Superintendent; their Stipend would be confidered and augmented above other Ministers, by Reason of their great Charand Travel.

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IX. Difcipline.

S no Commonwealth can be governed without Execution of good Laws, no more can the Kirk be retained in Purity without Difcipline.

Discipline standeth in the Correction of thefe Things that are contrary to God's Law, for the Edifying of the Kirk. All Eftates within the Realm are fubject to the Discipline of the Kirk, as well Rulers and Preachers, as the common People.

In fecret and private Faults, the Order prescribed by our Master fhould be observed, whereof we need not to write at length, feeing it is largely declared in the Book of Excommunication *.

Before the Sentence proceed, Labour should be taken with the Guilty by his Friends, and publick Prayer made for his Converfion unto God. When all is done,

the

*The Book of Excommunication was written in the Year 1567. So this Summary was not written till fome Time after.

the Minister fhould ask, if any Man will affure the Kirk of his Obedience; and if any Man promife, then the Sentence fhall ftay for that Time.

If, after publick proclaiming of their Names, they promise Obedience, that should be declared to the Kirk, who heard their former Rebellion.

The Sentence being once pronounced, no Member of the Kirk fhould have Company with them, under Pain of Excommunication, except fuch Perfons as are exeemed by the Law; their Children fhould not be received to Baptifm in their Name, but by fome Member of the Kirk, who fhall promife for the Children, and deteft the Parents Impiety.

Committers of horrible Crimes worthy of Death, if the Civil Sword fpare them, they fhould be holden as dead to us, and curfed in their Facts.

If God move their Hearts to Repentance, the Kirk cannot deny them Conciliation, their Repentance being tried and found true. Some of the Elders fhould receive fuch Perfons publickly in the Kirk, in token of Reconciliation.

X. Marriage.

Pout their Confent lawfully required.
Erfons, under Care of others, fall not marry with-

When the Parents and others are hard and stubborn, then the Kirk and Magiftrates fhould enter into the Parents Room, and decern upon the Equity of the Caufe, without Affection: The Kirk and Magiftrate fhall not fute for them that commit Fornication, before they fute the Kirk.

Promises of Bairns within Age are null, except they be ratified after they come to Age. Band of Marriage fhould be proclaimed upon three feveral Sabbaths, take away all Excufe of Impediment.

to

Committers of Adultery fhould not be overfeen by the Kirk, albeit the Civil Sword overfee them, but fhould be esteemed as dead and excommunicate in their wicked, Fact. If fuch Offenders defire earnestly to be reconciled to the Kirk, we dare not refuse them, nor excom

municate

municate them, whom God has brought to Repentance,

The Party, that is proven to be innocent, fhould be admitted to Marriage again, As for the Party Offending, all Doubt of Marriage would be removed, if the Civil Sword would strike according to God's Word.

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XI. Policy.

Olicy is an Exercife of the Kirk, ferving for Inftruction of the Ignorant, inflaming of the Learned to greater Service, and for retaining of the Kirk of God in good Order.

Of the Parts of Policy, fome are neceffary, and some not neceffary abfolutely. Neceffar is the true Preaching of the Word, the right Miniftration of the Sacraments, the Common-prayers, the Inftruction of the Youth, the Support of the Poor, and the Punishment of Vice; but finging of Pfalms certain Days of the Conventions in the Week, thrice or twice preaching on Week-days, certain Places of Scripture to be read when there is no Sermon, with fuch Things, are not neceffary.

In Towns, we require every Day either Sermon ar publick Prayers, with fome Reading of the Scriptures ; publick Prayers are not needful in the Days of Preaching, left thereby we fhould nourish the People in Su perftition, caufing them understand that the publick Prayers fucceed to the Papistical Mafs In every notable Town, we require, that at least once in the Week, befide the Sabbath, the whole People conveen to the Preaching.

The Sabbath must be kept strictly in all Towns, both Forenoon and Afternoon, for hearing of the Word; at Afternoon upon the Sabbath, the Catechifm fhall be taught, the Children examined, and the Baptifin miniftred. Publick Prayers fhall be used upon the Sabbath, as well Afternoon as before, when Sermons cannot be had.

It appertains to the Policy of every particular Kirk, to appoint the Time when the Sacraments fhall be miniftred.

XII. Baptifm.

Aptifm may be miniftred whenfoever the Word is

be miniftred upon Sabbath-day, or upon the Day of Common Prayers: Thus we take away that Error of the Papifts, concerning the Eftate of the Infants departing without Baptism; we bring the Miniftration of Baptifm to the Prefence of the People, to be kept in greater Reverence, and to put every one in Remembrance of the Promises of Baptism, in the which now many wax faint and cold.

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XIII. The Table.

He Table of the Lord fhall be miniftred four Times in the Year, and out of the Times of Superftition. We judge the firft Sabbath of March, June, September, and December to be meetest: But this we leave to the Judgment of the particular Kirks.

Let all Minifters be diligent, rather to inftruct the Ignorant, and to fupprefs Superftition, than to ferve the vain Appetites of Men. The Ministration of the Table fhould never be without sharp Examination going before, chiefly of them whofe Life, Ignorance, or Religion is fufpected. Who cannot fay the Lord's Prayer, the Articles of the Faith, and declare the Sum of the Law, hould not be admitted. Whofo will stubbornly remain ignorant of the principal Points of our Salvation, fhould be Excommunicate, with their Parents and Masters that keep them in that Ignorance. Every Master of a Houfhold should be commanded, either to inftruct his Children and Servants, or caufe them to be inftructed; and if they will not, the Kirk fhould proceed against them.

It is very needful, that publick Examination of every Perfon be made, at least, once in the Year, by the Minifter and Elders.

Every Master and Mafters of Houfhold, fhould come with their Houshold and Family, to give Confession of their Faith, and answer to the principal Points of our Religion.

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