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." THE FIRST HEAD, OF DOCTRINE.[372] [372] In edit. 1722, Chap. I. SEEING that Christ Jesus is he quhom God the Father hes commandit onlie to be herd, and followed of his scheip, we urge it necessarie, that his Evangell[373] be trewlie and openlie preached in everie Kirk and Assemblie of this Realme; and that all doctrine repugnyng[374] to the same be utterlie suppressed[375] as damnabill to mannis salvatioun. [373] In Vautr. edit., and edit. 1621, "Evangell" is always rendered "Gospell." [374] In edit. 1621, "repugnant." [375] In Vautr. edit., and edit. 1621, "repressed." _The Explicatioun of the First Head._