The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 23

[400] In edition 1621, "Kirk" and "kirkis," are uniformly "Church" and "churches," throughout a considerable portion of this book; but see note 2, page 201.

[401] That is, the Prayers that were usually printed with the Book of Common Order, and the Psalms in metre.

[402] In edit. 1621, "to a farther degree;" Vautr. edit. is the same as the text.

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* For The Lordis thinkis, That nane be admitted to preche,[403] but thai that ar qualifiet thairfoir, but rather be reteaned readaris; and sick as ar prechearis alreaddy, not fundin qualifiet thairfoir be the Superintendent, be placed to be readaris.

[403] The edit. 1621, takes no notice of this sentence having been added; and thus connects it with the preceding words, "honestie and further knowledge, that none be admitted to preach," &c. Vautr. edit.

is nearly the same with the text.

THE FYFT HEID, CONCERNYING THE PROVISIOUN FOR THE MINISTERIS, AND FOR THE DISTRIBUTIOUN OF THE RENTIS AND POSSESSIONIS JUSTLIE APPERTENYNG TO THE KIRK.[404]

[404] In edit. 1722, Chap. V.

Seing that of our Maister Christ Jesus and his Apostle Paule, we have, "That the warkman is worthy of his reward," and that, "The mouth of the lawboring oxe aucht nott to be muzilled," of necessitie it is, that honest provisioun be maid for the Ministeris, quhilk we requyre to be suche, that thai haif neather occasioun of sollicitude, neather yit of insolencie and wantoness. And this provisioun must be maid not onlie for thair awin sustentatioun, during thair lyiffes, but also for thair wiffis and childrene efter thame. For we juge it a thing most contrariouse to rea.s.sone, G.o.dlines, and equitie, that the wedow and childrene of him, quho in[405] his lyiff did faithfullie serve[406]

the Kirk of G.o.d, and for that caus did not cairfullie mak provisioun for his familie, suld, efter his deith, be left confortles of all provisioun.

[405] Vautrollier's suppressed edition breaks off at the foot of page 560, with these words, "the widow and the children of him who in." See vol. i. pp. x.x.xii. x.x.xix.-xlii.

[406] In edit. 1621, "serve in."

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* Provisioun for the Wyffis of Ministeris efter thair deceise, to be remitt.i.t to the discretioun of the Kirk.[407]

[407] This addition is in the margin of the MS. It is taken into the text in edit. 1621, without notice, and reads as follows: "be left comfortles of all provision; which provision for the wives," &c., "is to be," &c.

Difficill it is to appoint a severall stipend to everie Minister, be rea.s.soun that the chargis and necessitie of all will not be licke; for some wilbe contenewaris in one place, some wilbe compellit to travell, and oft to change dwelling place, (gif thai sall have charge of diverse kirkis.) Amangis these, some wilbe burdened with wyiff and childrein, and one with mo then ane other; and some perchance wilbe single men: Gif equall stipendis suld be appointed to all those that in charge ar so inequall, eather suld the one suffer penurie, or ellis suld the uther have superfluitie and too muche.

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO.]

* We juge, thairfor, that everie Minister have sufficient quhairupoun to keip ane house, and be sustened honestlie in all thingis necessarie, alsweill for keiping of his house, as claithis, flesche, fische, buykis, [fewell,] and other thingis necessarie, [furth] of the rentis and thesaurie[408] of the kirk, [where he serveth,] at the discretioun of the congregatioun, conforme to the qualitie of the persone and necessitie of the tyme. Quhairin it is thocht [good] that everie Minister sall have at leist fourtie bollis meill, and twenty-six bollis malt, to find his house breid and drink; and mair, sa mekill[409] as the discretioun of the Kirk findis necessarie; besydes money for buying of uther provisioun to his house, and other necessaries, the modificatioun quhairof is referred to the jugement of the kirk, to be maid everie yeir at the chosing of the eldaris and deaconis of the kirk. Providing alwayis, that thair be advanced to everie minister sufficient provisioun for ane quarter of ane yeir befoir hand of all thingis.

[408] In MS. 1566, "the same;" in edit. 1621, "and treasurie."

[409] In edit. 1621, "and more so much."

To him[410] that travelleth from place to place, quhom we call Superintendentis, quho remane as it war a moneth or less in one place, for the establishing of the kirk, and for the same purpoise changeing to ane uther place, must farther[411] consideratioun be haid. And, thairfoir, to suche we think sax chalder beir, nyne chalder meill, thre chalder aittis for his horse, v^c markis[412] money, to be eikkit and pared at the discretioun of the Prince and Counsall of the Realme; to be payit to him yeirlie, in maner foirsaid.

[410] In edit. 1621, "But to him."

[411] In edit. 1621, the words "place," and "farther," are omitted.

[412] The edit. 1621, omits the words "for his horse;" and makes it "six hundreth merkes money."

The children of the Ministeris must have the liberties of the citeis next adjacent, quhair thair fatheris lawbored, frelie granted. Thai must[413] have the privileges in sculis, and bursis[414] in collegis; that is, that thai salbe susteaned at learnyng, gif thai be found apt therto; and failing thairof that thai be put to some handycraft, or exercised in some verteouse industrie, quhairby thai may be profitable membres in a commoun wealth.

[413] In MS. 1566, "must," is usually written "most."

[414] In edit. 1621, "bursissis."

[Sidenote: * ADDITIO]

* And the same we requyre for thair douchteris; to wit, that thai be verteouslie brocht up, and honestlie doted quhen thai come to maturitie of yeiris, at the discretioun of the Kirk.

And this in G.o.ddis presence we witness, we requyre nott so muche for oure selfis, or for any that till us apperteneth, as that we do for the encrease of vertew and learnyng, and for the proffeit of the posteritie to come. It is nott to be supposed that all man[415] will dedicat him self and childrene so to G.o.d, and to serve his kirk, that thai luyke for no warldlie commoditie. But this cankered nature quhilk we beare, is provokit to follow vertew quhen it seith honour and profeit annexit to the same;[416] as, contrairlie, then is vertew of mony despised, quhen verteouse and G.o.dlie men leve without honour. And sorye wuld we be that povertie suld discourage men from studye, and from following the way of vertew, by the quhilk thai mycht edifie the kirk and flock of Christ Jesus.

[415] In edit. 1621, "any man."

[416] In edit. 1621, "when it seeth profite and honour thereto annexed; and."

Nothing have we spokin of the stipend of Readaris, becaus, gif thai can do nothing but reade, thai neather can be called nor jugit trew ministeris: And yit regard must be haid to thair lawbouris; but so that thai may be spurred fordwart to vertew, and nott by a stipend appointed for thair reading, to be reteaned still in that estait. To a Readare thairfor that is laitlie enterit, we think fourty markis, or mair or less, as the Parochenaris and Readaris can agree, sufficient: providing that he teiche the childrene of the parische, quhilk he must do, besydis the reading of the Commoun Prayeris,[417] and buykis of the New and Auld Testamentis. Gif frome Reading he begin to Exhorte[418] and explane the Scriptures, then aucht his stipend to be augmented; till finallie he come to the honour of a Minister: But and gif he be found unable efter two yeiris, then must he be removed from that office, and dischargit of all stipend, that another may be provin als lang. For this alwayis is to be avoyded, that none quho is jugit unabill to come at ony tyme to some reasonable knawlege, quhairby he may edifie the Kirk, sall perpetuallie be nurisshed[419] upone the charge of the kirk. Farther, it must be avoided, that no child or persone within aige, that is, within xxj yeir of aige, be admitted to the office of a Readare; but Readaris aucht to be endewed with gravitie, witt, and discretioun, lest be thair lychtness the Prayeris or Scripturis read be of less price and estimatioun. It is to be noted, that the Readaris be putt in by the Kirk, and admissioun of the Superintendent.

[417] See note 1, page 196.

[418] There were persons styled Exhorters, employed in the Church about this time: see next paragraph.

[419] In edit. 1621, "shall be perpetually sustained."

[Sidenote: _NOTA_]

The other sorte of Readaris, quho have long continewed in G.o.dliness, and have some gift of Exhortatioun, quho are in hope to atteane to the degree of a minister, and teche the childrene; we think ane hundreth markis, or mair[420] at the discretioun of the Kirk, may be appointed; so that difference, as said is, be betwix thame and the ministeris that openlie preche the Word, and minister the Sacramentis.

[420] In edit. 1621, "or mair or less."

Restis yit other two sortis of peple to be provided for, of that quhilk is called the patrimonye of the Kirk; to wit, the Poore, and Teachearis of the youtheid. Every severall Kirk must provide for the poore within the self; for fearful and horrible it is, that the poore, quhom nott onlie G.o.d the Father in his law, but Christ Jesus in his evangell, and the Holie Spreit speaking by Sanct Paule, hath so earnestlie commended to oure cayre, ar universallie so contempned and dispysed. We ar nott patronis for stubburne and idill beggaris, quho, rynning from place to place, mak a craft of thair beggyng, quhom the Civile Magistrat aucht to punyshe;[421] but for the wedow and fatherless, the aiged, impotent, or laymed, quho neather can nor may travell for thair sustentatioun, we say, that G.o.d commandeth his pepill to be cairfull; and thairfor, for suche, as also for personis of honestie fallin in[to] decay and penuritie,[422] audit suche provisioun[423] be maid, that [of] oure aboundance should thair indigence be releaved. How this most convenientlie and most easilie may be done in everie citie, and uthir partis of this Realme, G.o.d shall schaw you wisdome and the meanis, so that youre myndis be G.o.dlie thairto inclyned. All must not be suffered to beg that gladlie so wald do; neather yit most beggeris remane whare thei chuse;[424] but the stout and strong beggar must be compelled to wirk, and everie persoun that may nocht wirk, must be compelled to repair to the place whare he or scho was born, (unles of long continuance thai have remaned in one place,) and thair rea.s.sonable provisioun must be maid for thair sustentatioun, as the Churche shall appoint. The ordour nor soumes, in oure judgementis, can nott be particularlie appointed, unto suche tyme as the poore of everie citie, toun, or parrishe, be compelled to repair to the places whaire thei war borne, or of thair residences, whaire thair names and nomber must be tackin and put in roll; and then may the wisdome of the Kirk appoint stipendis accordinglye.

[421] The edit. 1722, supplies the words, "ought to [compell to work, or then] punish."

[422] In edit. 1621, "fallen into decay and poverty."

[423] In this place of the MS. 1566, a blank s.p.a.ce occurs, at the conclusion of one of the re-written quires, with the catchword "_such provi-_," in connexion with the top of the next quire, which is written in a kind of official square hand, and was probably a portion of the copy laid before the Convention, in January 1561. Instead of "Kirk," it will be observed that the word "Church" is now employed; and curiously enough, in Calderwood's edition, 1621, this is reversed, and "Church," which had hitherto been used, gives place to "Kirk."

[424] In edit. 1621, "where they would."

I. OFF THE SUPERINTENDENTIS.[425]

[425] In edit. 1621, "The Head of the Superintendents." In edit. 1722, Chap. VI.

Becaus we have appointed ane largear stipend to these that shalbe Superintendentis then to the rest of the Ministeris, we have thocht goode to signifie unto your Honouris, suche rea.s.sonis as moved us to mak difference betwix preachearis at this tyme; as also how many Superintendentis we think necessarie, with thair boundis, office, [the manner of their] electioun, and causses that may deserve depositioun frome that charge.

We considder that yf the Ministeris whome G.o.d hath endewed with his [singular] graces amangis us, should be appointed to severall and certane placis, thair to mak thair continuall residence, that then the greatest part off this Realme should be dest.i.tute of all doctrine; whiche should not onlie be occasioun of greate murmure, but also should be dangerus to the salvatioun of manye. And thairfore we have thocht it a thing most expedient for this tyme, that frome the whole nomber of G.o.dlie and learned [men], now presentlie in this Realme, be selected twelf or ten, (for in sa mony Provincis have we divideit the hoill,) to whome charge and commandiment shalbe gevin[426] to plant and erect churches, to set ordour and appoint ministeris (as the formar Ordour prescribeth) to the contreis that sall be appointed to thair cayre whaire none ar now; and by these meannis [your] luff and common caire ower all the inhabitantis of this Realme (to quhome ye ar equall debttouris) shall evidentlie appeare; as also the simpill and ignorant (who perchance have never heard Christ Jesus trewlie preached) shall come to some knawlege, by the which manye that now be deid in superst.i.tioun and ignorance shall atteane to some fealling of G.o.dlynes, by the whiche thei may be provocked to searche and seik farther knawledge of G.o.d, and his trew religioun and wirschipping.

Whaire be the contrarie, yf thei shalbe neglected, thei shall not onlie grudge, but also thei shall seik the meanis whairby thei may continew in thair blindnes, or returne to thair accustumed idolatrie.

And thairfore no thing desire we more earnistlie, then that Christ Jesus be universallie once preached throuchout this Realme; whiche shall not suddanlie be unles that by you, men be appointed and compelled faithfullie to travell in suche Provinces as to thame shall be a.s.signit.

[426] In edit. 1621, "ten or twelve," &c., and "and should be given."