_According to all that I shew thee, after the paterne of the
Tabernacle, and the paterne of all the instruments thereof,
even so shall yee make it._
Printed Anno 1621.
FROME youre Honouris we receaved a charge, daittit at Edinburgh, xxix
of Aprile, in the yeir of God J^M V^C thre scoir yeiris, requyring and
commanding us, in the name of the Eternall God, as we will ansuer in
his presence, to committ to writing, and in a Buke to deliver unto
your Wisdomes oure jugementis tuiching the Reformatioun of Religioun,
quhilk heirtofore in this Realme, (as in utheris,) hes bene utterlie
corrupted. Upone the recept quhairof, sa mony of us as wer in this
Toune, did convene, and in unitie of mynd do offer unto your Wisdomes
these Headis subsequent for commoun ordour and uniformitie to be
observed in this Realme, concernyng Doctryne, administratioun of
Sacramentis, [election of Ministers, Provision for their
sustentation,][369] Ecclesiasticall Discipline, and Policye of the
Kirk:[370] Most humilie requyring your Honouris, that as ye luke for
participatioun with Christ Jesus, that nather ye admitt ony thing
quhilk Goddis plane word sall not approve, nather yit that ye sall
reject suche ordinances as equitie, justice, and Goddis word do
specifie: For as we will nott bynd your Wisdomes to oure jugementis,
farther then we be able to prove the same by Goddis plane Scripturis;
so must we most humblie crave of yow, evin as ye will ansuer in Goddis
presence, (befoir quhom boyth ye and we must appeir to rander
accomptis of all oure factis,) that ye repudiat na thing for pleasour
nor[371] affectioun of men, quhilk ye be not abill to improve by
Goddis writtin and revealled Word.
[369] Omitted in MS. 1566, but contained in Vautr. edit. and edit.
1621.
[370] In Vautr. edit., and edit. 1621, "Church" is used throughout the
earlier portion of the Book of Discipline in place of "Kirk:" see note
2 to page 201.
[371] In edit. 1621, "pleasure and."