minifter, confidered as an individual, has an authoritative jurifdidl
over another. Jurifdiftion is competent for them only when thev
act in a colleitive body, or as a court of judicature: and then thei
is a fubordination of one court to another, or inferiour and fuperiim
courts.
The courts eftabliihed by law are the four following, viz. ChurcH
Seffions, Preibyteries, Provincial Synods, and above all a N a t i o l
or General Affembly.
A Church Seflion is compofed of the Minifter of the pariih Id
certain difcreet Laymen, who are chofen and ordained for the em
cife of difcipline, and are called Elders. The number of til
Elders varies according to the extent of the pariih. Two of the®
together with the Minifter, are neceflary, in order to their holdinli
legal meeting. The Minifter always prefides in thefe meetings, ana
is called Moderator ; but has no other authority but what bclona
to the Profes of any other court. The Church Seflion is appointi
for infpedling the morals of the parilhioners, and managing the fuiffl
that are appropriated for the maintainance of the poor within then
bounds. When a perfon is convifted of any inftance of immofl
•condudt, or of what is inconfiftent.with his chriftian profeflion, tn
Church Seflion inflidbs fome ecclefiaftical cenfure, fuch as giviM
him an admonition or rebuke : or if the crime be of a grofs anq
publick nature, they appoint him to profefs his repentance in tM
face of the whole congregation, in order to make fatisfaftion for tjis
publick offence. The Eigheft church cenfure is e x c o m m u n i c a t i o n ]
which is feldom infliited but for contumacy, or for fome very a t i l
cious crime obftinately perfifted in. In former times there were c e r t i
xm l pains.and penalties which followed upon a fentence of exafj
m u n i c a t i f f l
fcunication; but by a Britijh ftatute, thefe are'happily aboliihed.
fhe church of Scotland addreflfes its cenfures only to the confciences of
men; and if they cannot reclaim offenders by the methods of per-
faafion, they think it inconfiftent with the fpirit of true religion, to
lave recourfe to compulfive ones, fuch as temporal pains and
penalties.
i If the perfon thinks himfelf aggrieved by the Church Seflion, it is
competent for him to feek redrefs, by entering an appeal to the Pref-
bytery, which is the next fuperiour court. In like manner he may
appeal from the Preibytery to the Provincial Synod, and from the
Synod to the Affembly, whofe fentence is final in all ecclefiaftical
matters.
A Preibytery confifts of the Minifters within a certain diftrift,
and alfo of one ruling Elder from each Church Seflion within the
[diftridt. In fettling the boundaries of a Preibytery, a regard was
paid to the fituation of the country. Where the country is populous
and champaign, there are inftances of thirty Minifters and as
many Elders being joined in one Preibytery. In mountainous
countries where travelling is more difficult, there are only feven or
eight Minifters, in fome places fewer, in a Preibytery. The number
of Preibyteries is computed to be about feventy. Preibyteries review
the procedure of Church Seffions, and judge in references and
(appeals that are brought before them. They take trials of candidates
(for the miniftry : and if upon fuch trial they find them duly qualified,
they licenfe them to preach, but not to difpenfe the facraments.
Such licentiates are called Probationers. It is not common for the
church of Scotland to ordain or confer holy orders on fuch licentiates
B b b till