[566] In edit. 1722, Chap. XV.
[Sidenote: AGGREIT ON.]
LEAST that the worde of God, and ministratioun of the Sacramentis, by
unseamelynes of the place, come in contempt, of necessitie it is,
that the Churches and places[567] whair the people aught publictlie to
convene, be with expeditioun repaired in durres, wyndois, thak, and
with suche preparationis within, as apperteaneth, alsweall to the
majestie of the word[568] of God as unto the ease and commoditie of
the people. And becaus we knaw the slouthfulnes of men in this behalf,
and in all other whiche may not redound to thair privat commoditie;
strait charge and commandiment must be gevin, that within a certane
day the reparationis must be begune, and within another day, to be
affixed by your Honouris, that thei be finished: penalteis and soumes
of money must be injoyned, and without pardone taken from the
contempnaris.
[567] In edit. 1621, "that the Kirk and place."
[568] In edit. 1621, the words, "of the word," are omitted.
The reparatioun would be according to the possibilitie and nomber of
the Churche.[569] Everie Churche must have durres, cloise wyndoes of
glass, thak or sclait able[570] to withhold raine, a bell to convocat
the people together, a pulpite, a basyn for baptisme, and tables for
the ministratioun of the Lordis Suppar. In greater churches, and whair
the congregatioun is great in number, must reparatioun be maid within
the Churche for the quiet and commodious receaving of the people. The
expensses to be lyfted partlie of the people, and partlie of the
teindis, at the consideratioun of the Ministerie.
[569] In edit. 1621, "according to the abilitie and number of kirks."
[570] In edit. 1621, "thack able to."
FOR PUNISHMENT OF THOSE THAT PROPHANE THE SACRAMENTIS AND DO
CONTEMPT THE WORD OF GOD, AND DARE PRESUME TO MINISTER
THAME, NOT BEING THAIRTO LAUCHFULLIE CALLED.[571]
[571] In edit. 1722, Chap. XVI.
As Sathan hath never ceassed frome the begyning to draw mankynd in one
of two extremiteis, to wit, that men should eathir be so ravished with
gazing upoun the visible creaturis, that forgetting the caus why thai
war ordeyned,[572] thai attributed unto thame a vertew and power which
God hath not granted unto thame; or ellis that men should sa contempne
and dispyse Godis blessed ordinance and holy institutionis, as [if]
that neathir in the rycht use of thame war thair any proffeit, neathir
yit in thair prophanatioun war thair any danger. As this wyese, we
say, Sathan hath blynded the most parte of mankynd from the begyning;
so doubt we not, but that he will stryve to continew in his malice
evin to the end. Oure eyis have seane, and presentlie do see the
experience of the one and of the other. What was the opinioun of most
parte of men, of the Sacrament of Christis bodie and bloode, during
the darknes of superstitioun, is not unknawin, how it was gazed upoun,
kneeled unto, borne in processioun, and finallie wirschipped and
honored as Christ Jesus him selve. And so long as Sathan mycht thane
reteane man in that damnable idolatrie, he was quyet, as one that
possessed his kingdome of darknes peceablie. But since that it hath
pleased the mercyis of God to reveill unto the unthankfull world the
lyght of his wourd, the rycht use and administratioun of his
sacramentis, he assayis man upoun the contrarie parte. For whair, (not
lang ago,) men stude in suche admiratioun of that idoll in the Messe,
that none durst presume to have said the Messe, but the foirsworne
schavin sorte, the beastis marked men some dar now be so bald; as
without all convocatioun, to minister, (as thai suppoise,) the treu
sacramentis in open assemblies; and some idiottis, (yit more wickedlie
and more imprudentlie,) dar counterfeit in thair housses that which
the treu Ministeris do in the open congregatioun; thei presume, (we
say,) to do it in housses without reverence, without word preached,
and without Minister, other then of companioun to companioun.[573]
This contempt proceideth, no doubt, from the malice and craft of that
Serpent who first deceaved man, of purpoise to deface the glory of
Christis evangell, and to bring his blessed sacramentis in a
perpetuall contempt. And farther, your Honouris may clearlie see how
proudlie and stubburnlie the most parte despyse the Evangell of Christ
Jesus offered unto you; whome onles that scharplie and stoutlie ye
resist, we meane alsweill the manifest dispysar as the prophanare of
the sacramentis, ye shall fynd thame pernitious ennemyes or it be
long. And thairfoir, in the name of the Eternall God, and of his Sone
Christ Jesus, we require of your Honouris, that, without delay, strait
Lawis be maid against the one and the other.
[572] In edit. 1621, "the cause wherefore they are ordained."
[573] The last six words are omitted in edit. 1621.
[Sidenote: OPTIMA COLLATIO.]
We dare not prescribe unto you what penalties shalbe required of
suche: But this we fear not to affirme, that the ane and the other
deserve death; for yf he which doeth falsefye the the seall,
subscriptioun, or coynzie of a king is adjudged worthy of death; what
shall we think of him who planlie doeth falsefye the Seallis of Christ
Jesus, Prince of the Kingis of the earth? Yf Darius pronunced, that a
bauk[574] should be taken frome the house of that man, and he him self
hinged upoun it, that durst attempt to hinder the re-edificatioun[575]
of the materiall Temple, What shall we say of those that
contempteouslie blaspheme God, and manifestlie hynder the [spirituall]
Temple of God, which is the saullis and bodyis of the elect, to be
purged by the treu preaching of Christ Jesus, from the superstitioun
and damnable idolatrie in which thai have bene of long plunged and
holdin captive? Yf ye, (as God forbid,) declair your selfis cairless
ower the treu Religioun, God will not suffer your negligence
unpunished. And thairfoir, moir earnestlie require we, that strait
lawis may be maid against the stubburne contempnaris of Christ Jesus,
and against such as dare presume to minister his Sacramentis, not
ordourlie called to that office, least that whill thair be none found
to ganestand impietie, the wrayth of God be kindilled against the
hoill.
[574] In edit. 1621, "a balk."
[575] In edit. 1621, "the re-edifying."
The Papisticall Preastis have neather power nor authoritie to minister
the Sacramentis of Christ Jesus; becaus that in thair mouth is not the
sermon of exhortatioun. And thairfoir, to thame most strait
inhibitioun be maid, notwithstanding any usurpatioun whiche thai have
had in that behalf in the tyme of blyndnes:[576] It is neathir the
clipping of thair crownes, the crossing[577] of thair fingaris, nor
the blowing of the dum doggis, called the Bischopis, neathir yit the
laying on of thair handis, that maketh thame treu Ministeris of Christ
Jesus. But the Spreit of God inwardlie first moving the heartis to
seke[578] Christis glorie and the proffeit of his Churche, and
thaireftir the nominatioun of the People, the examinatioun of the
learned, and publict admissioun, (as befoir is said,) maikis men
lauchfull Ministeris of the wourd and sacramentis. We speak of ane
ordinarie vocatioun, whare churches ar reformed, or at least tend to
reformatioun,[579] and not of that which is extraordinarye, when God
by him self, and by his only power, raseth up to the Ministerie such
as best pleaseth his wisdome.
[576] The edit. 1722, here supplies, "not to presume upon the like
hereafter, as likewise to all others who are not lawfully called to
the holy Ministry."
[577] In edit. 1621, "the greasing."
[578] In edit. 1722, is here added, "to seek to enter in the holy
Calling for Christis glorie."
[579] In edit. 1621, the words after "ordinarie vocation" are omitted:
in the edit. 1722, their place is thus supplied, "in Kirks reformed."