3. And sumtymis for thame quho exerce the spirituall functioun among
the congregatioun of thame that profes the trewth.
4. The kirk in this last sence, hes ane certane power grantit be
God, according to the quhilk, it usis ane proper jurisdictioun and
gouernament, exercit to the confort of the haill kirk.
5. This power ecclesiasticall, is an auctoritie grantit be God the
Fader, throught the Mediator Jesus Chryst, vnto his kirk gadderit,
and having the ground in the word of God, to be putt in executioun be
thame, unto quhom the spirituall gouernament of the kirk, be lawful
calling, is committit.
6. The policie of the kirk, flowing fra this power, is ane ordour or
forme of spirituall gouernament, quhilk is exercit be the memberis
appointit thairto be the word of God: And thairfoir is gevine
immediatlie to the office-beirars, be quhome it is exercit to the
weill of the haill bodie.
7. This power is diverslie vsit: For sumtymis it is seuerallie
exercit, (chieflie be the teacheris,) sumtyme coniunctlie be mutuall
consent of thame that bear the office and charge, efter the forme of
iugement. The former is commonlie callit _potestas ordinis_, and the
vther _potestas jurisdictionis_.
8. These two kyndis of power have bayth ane authoritie, ane
ground, ane finall caus, bot ar different in the maner and forme of
executioun, as is evident of the speiking of our Master in the 16 and
18 of Mathow.
9. This power and policie ecclesiasticall is different and distinct
in the awin nature fra that power and policie quhilk is callit the
ciuille power, and appertenit to the ciuille gouernament of the
commoun welth: Albeit thay be bayth of God, and tend to ane end, gif
thay be richtlie usit, _to wit_, to aduance the glorie of God, and to
haue godlie and guid subiectis.
10. For this power ecclesiasticall, flowis immediatlie frome God,
and the Mediator Chryst Jesus, and is spirituall, not having ane
temporall heid on eirth, bot onlie Chryst, the onlie spirituall King
and Gouernour of his kirk.
11. Thairfoir this power and policie of the kirk, sould lene upone
the word of God immediatlie, as the onlie ground tharof, and sould be
tane frome the pure fountanis of the Scripturis, heiring the voce of
Chryst, the onlie spirituall King, and being rewlit be his lawis.
12. It is ane title falslie usurpit be Antichrist, to call himself
heid of the kirk, and aucht not to be attributit to angell or to
mane, of what estait soeuir he be, saiffing to Chryst, the Heid and
onlie Monarche in this kirk.
13. It is proper to kingis, princes, and magistrats to be callit
Lordis, and dominators ouer thair subiectis, quhom thay gouverne
civillie, bot it is proper to Chryst onlie, to be callit Lord and
Maister, in the spirituall gouernament of the kirk, and all uthers
that beris office thairin aucht not to usurp dominion therein, be
callit Lordis, bot onlie ministeris, disciplis, and servandis; For it
is Chrystis proper office to command and reull his kirk universall,
and euery particular kirk, throw his Spirit and word, be the
ministrie of mene.
14. Notwithstanding, as the ministeris and vtheris of the
ecclesiasticall estait, ar subiect to the magistrat ciuillie,
swa aucht the persone of the magistrat, be subiect to the kirk
spirituallie, and in ecclesiasticall gouernament.
15. And the exercise of bayth thais jurisdictionis can not stande in
ane persone, ordinarlie.
16. The ciuill power is callit the power of the sword; the uther the
power of the keyis.
17. The ciuile power sould command the spirituall, to exerce and do
thair office, according to the word of God: The spiritual rewlaris
sould require the Christiane magistrat, to minister justice, and
puniesh vyce, and to mantene the libertie and quyetnes of the kirk
within thair boundis.
18. The magistrat commandeth externall thingis for externall peax
and quyetnes amangis the subjectis: The ministerie handlit externall
thingis onlie, for conscience caus.
19. The magistrat handlit onlie externall thingis, and actionis done
befoir men: Bot the spirituall rewlaris iuge baith inwart affectionis
and externall actionis, in respect of conscience, be the word of God.
20. The ciuile magistrat cravis and gettis obedience be the sword,
and uther externall menis: Bot the ministrie be the spirituall sword,
and spirituall meanis.
21. The magistrat nather aucht to preache, minister the sacramentis,
nor execut the censouris of the kirk, nor ʒet prescryve ony reull
how it sould be done; bot command the ministrie to obserue the reull
commandit in the word, and punishe the transgressouris be ciuile
meanis: The ministeris exerce not the ciuile jurisdictioun, bot
teaches the magistrat how it sould be exercit according to the word.
22. The magistrat aucht to assist, mantene, and fortifie the
jurisdictioun of the kirk: The ministeris sould assist thair princes
in all thingis aggreable to the word; providing thay negleck not
their awin charge, be involving thame selfis in ciuile effairis.
23. Finallie, as ministeris are subiect to the iugement and
punishment of the magistrat in externall thingis, gif thay offend;
Swa aucht the magistrat to submit thame selfis to the discipline of
the kirk, gif thay transgres in matteris of conscience and religioun.
Off the Partis of the Policie of the Kirk, and Personis or
Office-beiraris to whome the Administratioun thairof is committit.