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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 been spoken.
Assemblies are of foure sorts. For either are they of particular Kirks and Congregations ane or moe, or of a Province, or of
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a whole Nation, or of all and divers Nations professing one Jesus Christ.
All the Ecclesiasticall Assemblies have power to convene lawful∣ly together for treating of things concerning the Kirk, and pertain∣ing 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 assem∣blies.
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 pertaining 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 alwayes in one mans person, but it is the part of the Eldership to send out qualified per∣sons to visit prore nata.
The finall end of assemblies is first to keep the Religion and Do∣ctrine in purity without error and corruption. Next, to keep com∣linesse and good order in the Kirk.
For this orders cause, they may make certaine rules and constitu∣tions 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 Or∣dinances concerning Ecclesisticall matters, that are found noysome and unprofitable, and agree not with the time, or are abused by the people.
They have power to execute Ecclesiasticall Discipline and pu∣nishment upon all transgressors, and proud contemners of the good order and policy of the Kirk, and so the whole Discipline is in their hands.
The first kinde and sort of assemblies, although they be within par∣ticular Congregation, yet they exerce the power, authority 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 we thinke 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 concur with the rest of their brethren in the common Assembly, and to take up the delations of offences within their own kirks, and bring them to the Assembly. This we gather of the practise of the Primitive kirke, where Elders, or Colledges of Seniors were constitute in Cities, and famous places.
The power of their particular Elderships is to use diligent labors in the bounds committed to their charge, that the kirks be kept in good order, to inquire diligently in naughty & 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 mini∣stred, the Discipline rightly maintained, and the Ecclefiasticall goods uncorruptly distributed.
It belongs to this kind 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the kirk, for the decent order of these particular kirks where they govern: Providing, they alter no rules made by generall or provinciall As∣semblies, and that they make the provinciall Assemblies fore-seen 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 kinde of Assembly within their own bounds, being well erected, and constitute of many Pastors and Elders of sufficient abilitie.
By the like reason their deposition also pertaines 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 kirk, manifest blasphemy, fimony, corruption of bribes, falshood, perjury, whore∣dome,
theft, drunkennesse, fighting worthy of punishment by the Law, usury, dancing, infamy, and all others, that deserve separati∣on from the kirk.
These also who are altogether found unsufficient to execute their charge should be deposed, whereof other kirks would be ad∣vertised that they receive not the persons deposed.
Yet they ought not to be deposed, who through age, fickenesse, or other accidents become unmeet to do their office, in which case their honour should remaine to them, their kirk should maintaine them; and others ought to be provided to doe their office.
Provinciall assembles we call lawfull conventions of Pastors, Do∣ctors, and other Elders of a Province, gathered for the common af∣faires of the kirk thereof, which also may be called the conference of the kirk and brethren.
Their assembles are institute for weighty matters to be intreated by mutuall consent and assistance of the brethren within that Pro∣vince, as need requires.
This assembly hath power to handle, order, and 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 their assemblies have the whole power of the par∣ticular Elderships whereof they are collected.
The Nationall assembly, which is generall to us, is a lawfull con∣vention 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 cal∣led the generall Eldership of the whol kirks in the Realm. None are subject to repaire to this assembly to vote, but Ecclefiasticall persons to such a number, as shall be thought good by the same Assembly, not excluding other persons that will repaire to the said Assembly to propone, hear, and reason.
This Assembly is institute, that all things either committed, or done amisse in the Provinciall Assemblies may be redressed and han∣dled, and things generally serving for the weale of the whole body of the kirk within the Realm may be forescen, intreated and set forth to Gods glory.
It should take care, that kirks be planted in places where they are not planted.
It should prescribe the rule how the other two kindes of Assem∣blies 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 Pa∣trimony of the kirk be not consumed, nor abused; and generally concerning all weighty affaires that concern the weale and good or∣der of the whole Kirks of the Realm, it ought to interpone autho∣rity thereto.
There is besides these, another more generall kinde of Assem∣blie, which is of all Nations, and all estates of persons within the kirk, representing the universall kirk of Christ, which may be cal∣led 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 atcommand of godly Emperours being for the time, for avoiding of schisme within the Universall kirk of God, which because they pertain not to the particular estate of any Realm we cease further to speak of them.