e
nationall assembly. One pastor also hath priority [of esteem] before
another, for age, for zeale, for gifts, for his good deservings of the
church, each one honouring him whom God hath honoured, and as he beareth
the image of God which was to bee seen among the apostles themselves.
But none hath power or jurisdiction above others: even as in nature one
eye hath not power over another, only the head hath power over all, even
as Christ over His church.... And lastly, here there is a subjection
without slaverie, for the people are subject to the pastors and
assemblies, yet there is no assemblie wherein everie particular church
hath not interest and power; nor is there anything done but they are, if
not actually, yet virtually called to consent unto it."[282] This is
presbytery in theory, and there is no reason why we should not
approximate to the ideal in practice more closely than some recent
representations imply, save that we come short of what we ought to be as
men and as Christians, and that would suffice to mar any form of
government that could be devised by the wit of men.

FOOTNOTES:

[257] Cunningham's Church History of Scotland, 1859, i. 444.

[258] Ibid., i. 445.

[259] Hill Burton's History of Scotland, 1876, v. 203.

[260] Confession of 1560, in Dunlop's Confessions, ii. 92, 93. [In
Laing's Knox, ii. 118, it is _reformatioun and purgatioun_ instead of
_conservation and purgation_.]

[261] Dunlop's Confessions, ii. 788, 789. [The Second Book of Discipline
has been frequently printed. It is in Calderwood's History, Wodrow
Society ed., iii. 529-555; Spottiswoode's History, 1655, pp. 289-302;
Spottiswoode Society ed., ii. 233-256; Booke of the Universall Kirk,
Bannatyne Club ed., ii. 488-512; Peterkin's ed., pp. 537-563; Dunlop's
Confessions, ii. 757-805. The quotations in the text are from Dunlop.]

[262] Ibid., ii. 764. Melville afterwards more pithily expressed the
same principle in his sovereign's presence: "Thair is twa kings and twa
kingdomes in Scotland. Thair is Chryst Jesus the King, and His kingdome
the kirk, whase subject King James the Saxt is, and of whase kingdome
nocht a king, nor a lord, nor a heid, bot a member! And they whome
Chryst hes callit and commandit to watch over His kirk, and governe His
spirituall kingdome, hes sufficient powar of Him and authoritie sa to
do, bathe togidder and severalie; the quhilk na Christian king nor
prince sould controll and discharge, but fortifie and as