[506] In edit. 1722, Chap. IX.
As that no Commoun-wealth can flurische or long indure without gude
lawis, and scharp executioun of the same; so neathir can the Churche
of God be brocht to puritie, neathir yit be retained in the same,
without the ordour of Ecclesiasticall Discipline, whiche standis in
reproving and correcting off these faltis, which the civill sweard
doeth eather neglect, eather may not punische: Blasphemye, adulterie,
murthour, perjurie, and uthir crymes capitall, worthie of death, aucht
not properlie to fall under censure of the Churche; becaus all suche
oppin transgressouris of Goddis lawis aucht to be tackin away be the
civill swearde. But drunkynnes, excesse, (be it in apparell, or be it
in eating and drinking,) fornicatioun, oppressioun of the poore by
exactionis, deceaving of thame in buying or selling be wrang met or
measure, wantoun wordis and licentious leving tending to sklander, do
propirlie appertene to the Churche of God, to punische the same as
Goddis word commandeth.
[Sidenote: CONSENTED ON BE THE COUNSALL.]
But becaus this accursit Papistrie hath brocht in suche confusioun in
the warld, that neather was virtu richtlie praysit, neathir vice
seveirlie punisched; the Churche of God is compelled to draw the
swearde whiche of God scho have receaved, aganis suche oppin and
manifest offendaris,[507] cursing and excommunicating all suche,
alsweall those whome the civill swearde aucht to punische as the
uthiris, frome all participatioun with hir in prayeris and
sacramentis, till oppin repentence manifestlie appeare in thame. As
the ordour of Excommunicatioun and proceiding to the same aucht to be
grave and slow, so being onis pronunced aganist any persoun, off what
estait and conditioun that ever thay be, it must be keipit with all
severitie. For lawis maid and nocht keipit engendereth contempt of
virtu, and bringis in confusioun and libertie to syn: And thairfore
this ordour we think expedient to be observit before and efter
excommunicatioun.
[507] In edit. 1621, "contemners."
First, yf the offence be secreit and knawin to few,[508] and rathir
standis in suspitioun than in manifest probatioun, the offender aucht
to be privatlie admonischeit to abstene frome all appearance of evill;
whiche yf he promissis to do, and to declair him self sober, honest,
and one that feareth God, and feareth to offend his brethren, than may
the secreit admonitioun suffice for his correctioun. But gif he athir
contempn the admonitioun, or efter promis maid, do schaw him self no
more circumspect than he was before, than must the Minister admonische
him; to whome yf he be fund inobedient, thei must proceid according to
the reule of Christ, as efter sall be declairit.
[508] In edit. 1621, "or known to few men."
Gif the cryme be publict, and suche as is haynouse, as fornicatioun,
drunkynnes, fechting, commoun sweiring, or execratioun, than aucht the
offendar to be callit in the presence of the Minister, Elderis, and
Deaconis, whair his syn and offence[509] aucht to be declared and
aggredgeit, so that his conscience may feale how far he hath offended
God, and what sklander he hath rasit in the Churche.[510] Yf signis of
unfeinyeit repentence appeare into him, and gif he require to be
admitted to publict repentence, the Ministerie may appoint unto him a
day whan the hoill Churche convenith togidder, that in presence of all
he may testifie the repentence whiche before thame he professed:
Whiche yf he accept, and with reverence do, confessing his syn, and
dampnyng the same,[511] and earnestlie desiring the Congregatioun to
pray to God with him for mercy, and to accept him in thair societie,
nochtwithstanding his formar offence: than the Churche may, and aught
resave him as a penitent; for the Churche aught to be no more seveir
than God declarith him self to be, who witnessith, that "In
whatsoever hour ane synner unfeynedlie repenteth, and turnis from his
wickit way, that he will nocht remember ane of his iniquiteis." And
thairfore the Churche aught deligentlie to advert that it excommunicat
not those whom God absolvith.
[509] In edit. 1621, "and trespass."
[510] In edit. 1621, "Kirk."
[511] In edit. 1621, "and with reverence confesse his sinne, doing the
same."
Yf the offendar callit before the Ministerie be fund stuburne,
hard-hertit, or one in whome no signe of repentence appeareth, than
must he be demissed with ane exhortatioun to considder the dangerus
estait in whiche he standis; assuring him, yf thei find into him no
uthir tokin of amendment of lyfe, that thai will be compelled to seake
a farther remedie. Yf he within ane certane space schaw his repentence
to the Ministrie, thei must present him to the Churche as before is
said.
But gif he continew in his impenitence, than must the Churche be
admonisched[512] that suche crymes are committed amangis thame, whiche
by the Ministerie hath bene reprehendit, and the personis provocked to
repent; whairof becaus no signis appeareth unto thame, thei could not
but signifie unto the Churche the crymes, but not the persoun,
requiring thame earnistlie to call to God to move and tuiche the
heartis of the offenderis, so that suddanlie and earnistlie thei may
repent.
[512] In edit. 1621, "If he continue not in his repentance, then must
the Kirk be advertised."
Yf the persoun maligne, than the nixt day of publict assemblie; the
cryme and the persoun must be both notifyed unto the Churche, and
thair judgement must be requirit, yf that suche crymes aught to be
suffered unpunischeit amangis thame: Requeast also wald be maid to the
most discreit and to the nearest freindis of the offendare to travell
with him to bring him to knawledge of himself, and of his dangerus
estait, with ane commandiment gevin to all man to call to God for the
conversioun of the impenitent. Yf ane solempned and ane speciall
prayer war maid and drawin for that purpose, the thing shuld be the
more gravelie done.[513]
[513] This was afterwards done, in the Order of Excommunication and of
Public Repentance.
The thrid Sunday, the Minister aught to require yf the unpenitent have
declared ony signis of repentence to ony of the Ministerie; and yf he
hath, then may the Minister appoint him to be examinated be the hoill
Ministerie; eathir then instantlie, or at ane uther day affixed to the
consistorie: and yf repentence appeare, alsweill of the cryme, as of
his long contempt, then may he be presented to the Churche, and mak
his confessioun, and to be accepted as before is said. But yf no man
signifie his repentence, then aught he to be excommunicat; and by the
mouth of the Minister, consent of the Ministerie, and commandiment of
the Churche, must sick a contempnar be pronunced excommunicat from
God, and from the societie of his Churche.
After whiche sentence may no persoun, (his wife and familie onlie
excepted,) have ony kynde of conversatioun with him, be it in eiting
and drinking, buying or selling, yea, in saluting or talking with him;
except that it be at the commandiment or licence of the Ministerie for
his conversioun; that he by suche meanis confoundit, seing him self
abhorrit of the faythfull and godlie, may have occasioun to repent and
be so savit. The sentence of his Excommunicatioun must be publischeit
universalie throwhout the Realme, least that any man sould pretend
ignorance.
His children begottin or borne efter that sentence and before his
repentence, may nocht be admitted to baptisme, till eathir thei be of
aige to require the samin, or ellis that the Moder, or sum of his
especiall freinds, members of the Churche, offer and present the
child, abhorring and dampnyng the iniquitie and obstinat contempt of
the impenitent. Yf ony think it seveir,[514] that the child suld be
punischeit for the iniquitie of the Fader; let thame understand that
the sacramentis appertene onlie to the faithfull and to thair seade:
But suche as stuburnlie contempt all godlie admonitioun, and
obstinatlie remane in thair iniquitie, can nocht be accompted amangist
the faithfull.
[514] In edit. 1621, "If any man should think it severe."