BEFOIR that thare wes ony publict face of a trew Religioun within this Realme, it pleised God of his grit mercie, to illuminat the hairts of mony privat persones, so that they did perceave and understand the abusses that wer in the Papisticall Kirk, and thareupoun withdrew thameselfis from participatioun of thare idolatrie. And becaus the Spirit of God will never suffer his awne to be idle and voyde of all religioun, men began to exercise thameselfis in reading of the Scriptures secreitly within thair awne houses; and varietie of persones culd not be keipt in gud obedience and honest fame, without Oversiers, Elders, and Deacones: And so begane that small flocke to put thameselfis in sick ordour, as if Christ Jesus had planely triumphed in the middes of thame by the power of his Evangell. And thay did elect sum to occupie the supreame place of exhortatioun and reading, som to be Elderis and helperis unto thame, for the oversight of the flocke: And some to be Deacones for the collectioun of almes to be distributed to the poore of thair awne bodie. Of this small begyning is that Ordour, quhilk now God of his grit mercie hes gevin unto us publictlie within this Realme. Of the principalls of thame that wer knowne to be men of gude conversatioun and honest fame in the privy Kirk, wer chosen Elders and Deacones to reull with the Minister in the publike Kirk; quhilk burdene thay patiently susteaned a yeir and mair: And then, becaus they could not (without neglecting of thair awen private houses) langer wait upoun the publict charge, they desyred that they micht be releaved, and that uthers micht be burdeined in thair roume: Quhilk was thocht a petitioun ressonabill of the haill Kirk. And tharefore it was granted unto thame, that thay sould nominat and gif up in electioun sick personages as thay in thair consciences thocht maist apte and abill to serve in that charge; provyding that they sould nominate double moe personis then war sufficient to serve in that charge, to the end that the haill Congregatioun micht have thair free vote in thair Electioun. And this Ordour hes bene ever observed sen that tyme in the Kirk of Edinburgh; that is, that the auld Sessioun befor thair departure, nominat twenty-four in Electioun for Elders, of quhom twelve ar to be chosen, and thirty-two for Deacounes, of quhome sixteen ar to be elected; quhilk persones ar publictly proclaimed in the audience of the haill Kirk, upoun a Sonday befoir none, efter sermone; with admonitioun to the Kirk, that if ony man knaw ony notorious cryme or caus that micht unabill ony of these persones to enter in sick vocatioun, that they sould notifie the same unto the Sessioun the next Thursday: Or if ony knaw any persones mair abill for that charge, they sould notifie the same unto the Sessioun, to the end that na man eyther present or absent (being ane of the Kirk) suld complayne that he was spoyled of his liberty in electioun.