Church of Scotland; Knox, John, approximately 1514-1572; Reformation -- Scotland; Theology -- Early works to 1800
For this present, thairfore, we think sufficient that eather your
Honouris, by your selves, nominat sa mony as may serve the
fore-written provincis; or that ye gyff commissioun to suche men, as
in whome ye suppoise the feir of God [to be] to do the same; and that
the same men being called in your presence shalbe by you, and by suche
as your Honouris please call unto you for consultatioun in that case,
appointed to thair provinces. We think it expedient and necessarie,
that als weill the gentilmen, as burgesses of everie diocese, be maid
privie at the same tyme to the electioun of the Superintendent,
alsweill to bring the Churche in sum practise of hir libertie, as to
mak the pastor better favorit of the flocke whome thame selves have
chosin. Yff your Honouris can not find for this present sa many able
men as the necessitie requireth, then, in our judgementis, more
profitable it is that those provincis vaik till God provide better,
than that men unabill to edifie and governe the Churche be suddanlie
placit in that charge. For experience hath taught us,[433] what
pestilence hath bene engendred in the Church by men unabill to
discharge thair offices.
[433] In edit. 1621, "hath teached us."
When, thairfore, after thre yeiris any Superintendent shall departe,
or chance to be deposed, the cheaf town within that province, to wit,
the Ministeris, Elders, and Deaconis, with the Magistrat and Counsall
of the same town, shall nominat, and by publict edictis proclame,
alsweill to the Superintendent, as to twa or thre provinces nixt
adjacent, two or thre of the most learned and most godlie Ministeris
within the hole realme, that frome amangis thame, one with publict
consent may be electit and appointed to the office then vaiking: and
this the cheaf Town shall be bound to do within the terme of twenty
dayis. Whiche being expired and no man presented, then shall thre of
the nixt adjacent provincis, with consent of thair Superintendentis,
Ministeris, and Elderis, enter in into the rycht and priviledgeis of
the cheaf town, and shall present everie one of thame one, or two yf
thei list, to the cheaf town, to be examinated as the Ordour
requireth. As also, it shalbe lauchfull for all the churches of the
Diocesye to nominat within the same tyme suche personis as thei think
worthye to stand in electioun; which man be put in edict.[434]
[434] In edit. 1621, "Electioun, who all must be put in an Edict."
After the nominationis be maid, publict edictis must be send, first
warnyng all men that have any objectioun[435] againis the personis
nominatit, or against ony ane of thame, to be present in the cheaf
toun at day and place affixit, to object what thei can against the
electioun of any one of thame. Threttye dayis we think sufficient to
be assigned thairto; thretty dayis, we meane, after that the
nominatioun be maid.
[435] In edit. 1621, "sent forth, warning all men that have any
exception."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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