The Preface
THE PREFACE
TO THE BUKE OF DISCIPLINE.'
To THE Great CounsaLi oF ScorLaND NOW ADMITTED To [THE] RecimentT, By THE ProvipENcE oF GoD, AND BY THE COMMOUN CONSENT OF THE EsraiTtTis THAIROY, your Honovuris HUMBLE SERVITOURIS AND MINISTERIS oF Curist JESUS WITHIN THE SAME, WISHE GRACE, Mercy, anD Prace FRoM Gop THE FATHER OF OURE Lorp Jesus Curist, WITH THE PERPETUALL ENCREASE OF THE HoLye SprrRite.
Frome youre Honouris we receaved a charge, daittit at Edinburgh, xxix of Aprile, in the yeir of God J" V° thre scoir yeiris, requyring and commanding us, in the name of the Peto
L ES T AN DD
1 There is no separate title either in the MS. 1566, or in Vautrollier's edition, which contains the earlier portion of the Boox or Discrpiinz.
(Sce note 1, page 197.) The edition 1621, quoted in the foot-notes, was published anonymously by Dayid Calderwood the historian, and was evidently printed in Holland.
A copy of the title-page is herewith annexed.
It was reprinted in the " Collection of Confessions of Faith," &c., with a separate title-page, dated 1721, but the volume ii. (pp. 515-608,) containing it, was not completed until 1722.
'The Wditor says, " This edition
SECOND BOOKE OF
DISCIPLINE
Together with some
ACTS OF THE GENERALL
ASSEMBLIES,
Clearing and confirming the same: And
AN ACT OF PARLIAMENT.
Exon. 25. 9.
According to all that I shew thee, after the is according to that which was printed in 1621," correcting typographical errors, and supplying " from other copies some words which probably have paterne of the Tabernacle, and the paterne of all the instruments therof, even so shall yce make it. been omitted by the printer."
It is to Printed Anno 1621.
THE PREFACE.
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,"] Ecclesiasticall Discipline, and Policye of the Kirk :3 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* affectioun of men, quhilk ye be not abill to improve by Goddis writtin and revealled Word. be regretted that he should not have 5In Vautr. edit., and edit.
1621, specified what "other copies' he made '" Church" is used throughout the use of. But one of these, no doubt, was _ earlier portion of the Book of Discipline
Spotiswood's, referred to in note 2, in place of " Kirk:" see note 2 to page page 181.
201.
2 Omitted in MS. 1566, but contained 4 In edit. 1621, " pleasure and." in Vautr. edit. and cdit. 1621.