And gif he find him reasonabillie instructed in the knawledge of Christ Jesus, in the virtu of his death; than may the Minister confort him by Goddis infallibill promisses, and demand of the Churche yf thei be content to resave that creature of God, whome Sathan before have drawin in his nettis, in the societie of thair body, seing that he declairis him self penitent. Whiche yf the Churche grant, as thai may not justlie deny the same, than aught the Minister in publict prayer to commend him to God, confesse the syn of that offendar, and of the whole[518] Churche, desiring mercy and grace for Christ Jesus saik. Whiche prayer being endit, the Minister aught to exhort the Churche to resave that penitent brothir in thair favouris, as thay require God to resave thame selfis, whan thay have offendit; and in signe of thair consent, the Elderis and cheaf men of the Churche sall tak the penitent by the hand, and one or two in name of the whole shall kiss and imbrace him with all reverence and gravitie, as a member of Christ Jesus. [518] In edit. 1621, "before the whole." Whiche being done, the Minister shall exhort the reconcilled[519] to tak diligent heid in tymes cuming, that Sathan trap him nocht in suche crymes, admonissing him that he will nocht cease to tempt and trye [by] all meanis possibill to bring him frome that obedience whiche he hath gevin to God, and to the ordinance of his Sone Christ Jesus. The exhortatioun being ended, the Minister aught to gif publict thankis unto God for the conversioun of that thair brothir, and for the benifittis quhilk we resave by Jesus Christ, praying for the increase and continewance of the same. [519] In edit. 1621, "the received." Yf the penitent, efter that he have offered him self to the Ministerie, or to the Churche, be fund ignorant in the principall pointis of oure religioun, and cheaflie in the article of Justificatioun, and of the office of Christ Jesus, than aucht he to be exactlie instructed before he be receaved: For ane mocking of God it is to receave thame in repentence, who knoweth not whairin standis thair remeid, whan thai repent thair syn. III. PERSONIS SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINE. [Sidenote: CONSENTED TO LIKEWISE] To Discipline must all Estaitis within this Realme be subject, yf thay offend,[520] alsweil the Reullaris as thay that are reulit; yea and the Preachearis thame selfis, alsweill as the poorest within the Churche. And becaus the eye and mouth of the Churche aught to be most single and irreprehensibill, the life and conversatioun of the Ministers aucht most diligentlie to be tryed. Whairof we shall speake, efter that we have spokin of the electioun of Elderis and Deaconis, who must assist the Ministeris in all public effaires of the Churche, &c.[521] [520] The words, "yf they offend," are omitted in edit. 1621. [521] In edit. 1621, "of the Kirk." THE EYGHT HEID, TUICHING THE ELECTIOUN OFF ELDERIS AND DEACONIS, &C.[522] [522] In edit. 1722, Chap. X.