1. Pasturis, or bischopis, or ministeris, ar thay wha ar appointit to
particular congregationis and kirkis, quhilk thay rewll be the word
of God, and ouir the quhilk thay watch, in respect qwhairof, thay ar
callit sumetymis pasturis, becaus thay feid thair congregationis,
sumetymis _episcopi_, or bischoppis, becaus thay watche aboue thair
flokis; sumetymes ministers, be reasone of thair service and office;
and sumtyme presbyteris and seinouris, frome the grauitie in
maneris, quhilk thay aucht to haue, in taking cair of the spirituall
gouernament, quhilk aucht to be most deir unto thame.
2. Thay that ar callit to the ministrie, or that offer thameselfis
tharunto, aucht not to be electit, without ane certain flok be
assignit unto thame.
3. Na man aucht to ingeir him self, or usurp the office, without
lawfull calling.
4. Thay qwha ar anis callit be God, and dewlie electit be man, eftir
that they haue anis accepted the charge of the ministrie, may not
leaue thair functionis.
5. The desertouris sould be admonisched, and incaice of obstinacie,
finallie excommunicat.
6. Na pastour may leaue his flok, without licence of the provinciall
or nationall Assemblie; quhilk gif he do, eftir admonitioun not
obeyit, let the censuris of the kirk strik upone hime.
7. Unto the pasture apperteins teaching of the word of God, in
seasone and out of seasone, publicklie and priuatlie, alwayis
travelling to edifie, and discharge his conscience, as Goddis word
prescryuis unto hime.
8. Unto the pasture onlie apperteins the administratioun of the
sacramentis, in lyk manor as the ministratioun of the word: for baith
ar appointit be God as meanis to teache us; the ane be the ear, the
uther be the eis and other senses, that be baith, knawledge may be
transferrit to the mynd.
9. It apperteinis be the same resone to the pasture to pray for the
peple, and namelie for the flok committit to his charge, and to bliss
thame in the name of the Lord, qwho will not suffer the blissingis of
his faythfull servand to be frustrat.
10. He aucht also to watche aboue the maneris of his flok, that
the better he may apply the doctrine to thame, in reprehending the
dissolut personis, and exhorting the godlie, to continew in the fear
of the Lord.
11. It appertenis to the minister, efter lawchfull proceding be the
elderschip, to pronunce the sentence of binding and lowsing upone ony
persone, according to the power of the keyis, grantit unto the kirk.
12. It belangis alswa, eftir lawchfull proceding in the mater be the
elderschip, to solemnizat the contract of mariage betwix thame that
ar joint thairin; and to pronunce the blissing of the Lord on thame
that entir in the holie band in the fear of the Lord.
13. And generallie, all publick denunciations that ar to be maid
in the kirk befoir the congregationis, concerning ecclesiasticall
effairis, belang to the office of the ministrie, for he is as
messenger and herauld betwene God and the people in all thais
effairis.
Off Doctouris and thair Office, and of Scolis.