[528] In edit. 1722, Chap. XI.
POLECIE we call ane exercise of the Churche[529] in suche thingis as
may bring the rude and ignorant to knawledge, or ellis inflambe the
learned to greater fervencie, or to reteane the Churche in gude
ordour. And thairof thair be two sortis: the one utterlie necessarie;
as that the word be treulie preched, the sacramentis richtlie
ministrat, common prayeris publictlie maid; that the children and
rude personis be instructed in the cheaf pointis of religioun, and
that offences be corrected and punisched; these thingis, we say, be so
necessarie, that without the same thair is no face of ane visible
Kirk. The other is proffitable, bot not of mere necessitie; as, that
Psalmes suld be sung; that certane placis of the Scripturis suld be
red whan thair is no sermon; that this day or that day, few or many in
the weeke, the churche suld assemble. Off these and suche utheris we
can not se how ane certane ordour can be establisched. For in some
churcheis the Psalmes may be convenientlie sung; in utheris,
perchance, thay can not. Some churcheis may convene everie day; some
thryise or twise in the weeke; some perchance bot onis. In these and
such like must everie particular Churche, by thair awin consent,
appoint thair awin Polecie.
[529] In edit. 1621, "Policie wee call an exercise of the Kirk."
In greit Tounis we think expedient that everie day thair be eathir
Sermon, or ellis Common Prayeris, with some exercise of reiding the
Scripturis. What day the publict Sermon is, we can neathir require or
gretlie approve that the Commoun Prayeris be publictlie used, least
that we shall eathir fostar the peple in superstitioun, wha come to
the Prayeris as thay come to the Messe; or ellis give thame occasioun
to think that those be no prayeris whiche ar maid before and efter
Sermon.
In everie notable Toun, we require that one day besydis the Sunday, be
appointed to the Sermone and Prayeris; whiche, during the tyme of
Sermone, must be keipit fre frome all exercise of laubour, alsweill of
the maister as of the servandis. In smaller tounis, as we have said,
the commoun consent of the Churche must put ordour. But the Sunday
must straitlie be keipit, both before and efter noon, in all tounis.
Before noon, must the word be preached and sacramentis ministered, as
also Mariage solempnissed, yf occasioun offer: After noon must the
young children be publictlie examinated in thair Catechisme in
audience of the pepill, in doing whairof the Minister must tak gret
deligence, alsweill to cause the Pepill to understand the questionis
proponed, as the ansueiris, and the doctrine that may be collected
thairof. The ordour[530] and how much is appointed for everie Sunday,
is alreaddy distinctit in oure buke of Common Ordour;[531] whiche
Catechism is the most perfite that ever yit was used in the Churche.
At efter noon also may Baptisme be ministered, whan occasioun is
offered of great travell before noon. It is also to be observit, that
prayeris be used at after noon upoun the Sunday, whair thair is
neathir preching nor catechisme.
[530] The Editor in 1722, has given this sentence as follows:--"The
Order to be kept in teaching the Catechism, and how much of it is
appointed for every Sunday, is already distinguished in the Catechism
printed with the Book of our Common Order."
[531] See note 2, page 210.
It apperteaneth to the Policie of the Churche to appoint the tymes
whan the Sacramentis shall be ministered. Baptisme may be ministrat
whensoever the word is preached; but we think it more expedient, that
it be ministered upoun the Sunday, or upoun the day of prayeris, onlie
after the sermon; partlie to remove this gross errour by the which
many deceaved, think[532] that children be dampned yf thay die without
Baptisme; and partlie to mak the people assist the administratioun of
that sacrament with greater reverence than thei do.[533] For we do see
the people begyn alreddie to wax weary be reasoun of the frequent
repetitioun of those promisses.
[532] In edit. 1621, "many are deceived, thinking."
[533] In edit. 1621, "to make the people have greater reverence to the
administration of the Sacraments then they have."
Foure tymes in the yeare we think sufficient to the administratioun of
the Lordis Tabill, which we desire to be distincted, that the
superstitioun of tymes may be avoided so far as may be. Your Honouris
ar nocht ignorant how superstitiouslie the people ryn to that actioun
at Pasche, evin as [if] the tyme gave virtue to the Sacrament; and how
the rest of the hoill yeare thai ar cairles and negligent, as [if]
that it apperteaneth not unto thame but at that tyme onlie. We think
thairfore most expedient, that the first Sunday of Marche be appointed
for one [time]; the first Sunday of Junij for ane uther; the first
Sunday of September for the thrid; and the first Sunday of December
for the fourt. We do not deny but that any severall churche, for
reasonable causses, may change the tyme, and may minister ofter; but
we study to suppresse[534] superstitioun. All Ministeris must be
admonisched to be more cairfull to instruct the ignorant than readdie
to satisfie[535] thair appetiteis, and more scharp in examinatioun
then indulgent, in admitting to that great Mysterie[536] such as be
ignorant of the use and virtu of the same: and thairfore we think that
the administratioun of the Table aught never to be without that
examinatioun pass before, especiallie of those whose knawledge is
suspect. We think that none ar apt to be admitted to that Mysterie who
can not formalie say the Lordis Prayer, the Articles of the Beleif,
and declair the soume of the Law.[537]
[534] In edit. 1621, "minister oftner, but we studie to represse."
[535] In edit. 1621, "to serve."
[536] In edit. 1621, "thir great mysteries."
[537] The Editor, in 1722, supplies, at the end of this paragraph:
"And understandeth not the use and virtue of this holy Sacrament."
Farthir, we think it a thing most expedient and necessarie, that
everie Churche have a Bibill in Inglische, and that the people be
commanded to convene to heir the plane reiding or interpretatioun of
the Seripturis, as the Churche shall appoint; that be frequent reiding
this gross ignorance, whiche in the cursit Papistrie hath overflowne
all, may partlie be removit. We think it most expedient that the
Seripturis be red in ordour, that is, that some one buke of the Auld
and the New Testament be begun and ordourlie red to the end. And the
same we judge of preching, whair the Minister for [the] maist part
remaneth in one place: For this skipping and divagatioun frome place
to place of the Scripture, be it in reiding, or be it in precheing,
we judge not so proffitabill to edifie the Churche, as the continewall
following of ane text.
Everie Maister of houshald must be commandit eathir to instruct, or
ellis caus [to] be instructed, his children, servandis, and familie,
in the principallis of the Christiane religioun; without the knawledge
whairof aught none to be admitted to the Tabill of the Lord Jesus: for
suche as be so dull and so ignorant, that thei can neathir try thame
selfis, neathir yit know the dignitie and misterie of that actioun,
can not eat and drink of that Tabill worthelie. And thairfore of
necessitie we judge it, that everie yeare at least, publict
examinatioun be had by the Ministeris and Elderis of the knawledge of
everie persoun within the Churche; to wit, that everie maister and
maistres of houshald cum thame selvis and thair familie so many as be
cum to maturitie, before the Ministeris and Elderis, to gyf
confessioun of thair faith, and to ansueir to such cheaf points of
Religioun as the Ministeris shall demand. Such as be ignorant in the
Articulis of thair Faith;[538] understand not, nor can not rehearse
the Commandimentis of God; knaw not how to pray; neathir whairinto
thair richtuousnes consistis, aught not to be admitted to the Lordis
Tabill. And gif thay stuburnlie continew,[539] and suffer thair
children and servandis to continew in wilfull ignorance, the
discipline of the Churche must proceid against them unto
excommunicatioun; and than must the mater be referred to the Civill
Magistrat. For seing that the just levith be his awin faith, and that
Christ Jesus justifieth be knawledge off him self, insufferable we
judge it that men shall be permitted to leve and continew in ignorance
as memberis of the Churche of God.[540]
[538] Nearly two lines in this place are omitted in the editions 1621
and 1722.
[539] In edit. 1621, "stubburnly contemne."
[540] In edit. 1621, "to live as members of the Kirk, and yet to
continue in ignorance."
Moreover, men, wemen, and children wald be exhorted to exercise thame
selvis in the Psalmes, that when the Churche convenith, and dois
sing, thai may be the more abill togither with commoun heart and voice
to prayse God.
In private housses we think it expedient, that the most grave and
discreate persoun use the Commoun Prayeris at morne and at nycht, for
the confort and instructioun of uthiris. For seing that we behald and
se the hand of God now presentlie striking us with diverse plagues, we
think it ane contempt of his judgementis, or ane provocatioun of his
anger more to be kendillit against us, yf we be not movit to
repentence of oure formar unthankfulnes, and to earnist invocatioun of
His name, whois onlie power may, (and great mercy will,) yff we
unfeynedlie convert unto him, remove from us these terribill plagues
whiche now for our iniquiteis hing oure our headis. "Convert us, O
Lord, and we shall be converted."