The Works of John Knox Volume II Part 24

II. THE NAMES OF THE PLACIS OF RESIDENCE, AND SEVERALL DIOCESES OF THE SUPERINTENDENTIS.

Imprimis, the Superintendent of Orknay: whose Diocesye shalbe to the Ylis of Orknay, Sheitland, Caithnes,[427] and Straythnaver. His residence to be in the Toun of Kirkwall.

[427] In edit. 1621, "whose diocesse shall comprehend the Isles Orknay, Zetland, and Caithnes," &c.

2. The Superintendent of Ross; whose Diocesye shall comprehend Ross, Suthirland, Murray, with the North Ylis of the Sky, and the Lewis, with thair adjacentis. His residence to be in Channonrie of Ross.

3. The Superintendent of Ergile; whose Diocesye shall comprehend Argile, [Kyntyre,] Lorne, the South Ylis, Arrane [and] Bute, with thair adjacents, with Lochquhaber. His residence to be in [Argyle.]

4. The Superintendent of Abirdene; whose Diocesye is betwix Dee and Spay, conteanand the schirefdome of Abirdene and Bamff. His residence to be in Auld Abirdene.

5. The Superintendent of Brechin; whose Diocesye shalbe the hole schirefdomes of Mearnis and Anguss, and the Bray of Mar to Dee. His residence to be in Brechin.

6. The Superintendent of Sanctandrois; whose Diocesye shall comprehend the hoill schirefdome of Fyffe[428] and Fotheringhame, to Striveling; and the hoill schirefdome of Perth. His residence to be in Sanctandrois.

[428] In edit. 1621, part of this sentence is omitted: it reads "The Superintendent of Fiffe and Fotheringhame to Stirling."

7. The Superintendent of Edinburght; whose Diocesye shall comprehend the hoill schirefdomes of Lowthiane, and Striveling on the south syde of the Watter of Forth;[429] and thairto is added, by consent of the hoill Churche, Mersse, Lauderdaill, and Weddell. His residence to be in [Edinburgh.]

[429] See following note, page 204.

8. The Superintendent of Jedburgh; whose Diocesye shall comprehend Thevedaill, Tweddell, Liddisdaill,[430] with the Forrest of Ethrick.

His residence to be [Jedburgh.]

[430] The words after "the Watter of Forth," in clause 7, are transferred to this clause, in edit. 1621: it reads, "whose Diocesse shall comprehend the whole Tivitdail, Tweedaill, Liddisdail, and thereto is added by consent of the whole Kirk, the Merse, Lawderdaill and Weddaill, with the Forrest of Ettrick."

9. The Superintendent of Glasgow; whose Diocesye shall comprehend Cliddisdale, Renfrew, Menteith, Levinax, Kyle, and Cunynghame. His residence to be in Glasgow.

10. The Superintendent of Dumfriese; whose Diocesye sall comprehend Galloway, Carrik, Niddisdaill, Annanderdaill, with the rest of the Daillis in the West. His residence to be in Drumfreise.

Those men must not be sufferred to leave as your idill Bischopis have done heirtofore; neather most thei remane whaire gladlie thei wald: But thei must be preachearis thame selves, and suche as may mak no long residence in ony one place, till thair Churches be[431] planted and provided of Ministers, or at the leist of Reidaris.

[431] In edit. 1621, "may not make long residence in anyplace till thair kirkis."

Charge must be gevin to thame that thei remane in no one place above twenty or threttye[432] dayis in thair visitatioun, till thei have pa.s.sed throucht thair hoill boundis. Thei must thryise everie weake at the least preache; and when thei returne to thair princ.i.p.all town and residence, thei must be likewise exercisit in preacheing and in edificatioun of the Churche thaire; and yet thei must not be suffered to continew thair so long, as thei may seame to neglect thaire uthir Churches: but efter that thei have remaned in thair cheif toun thre or four monethis at most, thei shall be compelled (onles be seiknes onlie thei be reteaned,) to re-enter in visitatioun, in which thei shall not onlie preache, but also examyn the life, diligence, and behaviour of the Ministeris; as also the ordour of thaire Churches, [and] the maneris of the people. Thei must farther consider how the poore be provided: how the youth be instructed: thei must admonische whaire admonitioun neidith, dresse suche thingis as by goode counsall thei be able to appease: and, finalie, thei must note suche crymes as be haynouse, that by the censure of the Church the same may be corrected.

[432] The words "or threttye," (thirty,) omitted in edit. 1621.

Yf the Superintendent be fund negligent in any of these cheaf pointis of his office, and especiallie yf he be noted negligent in preacheing of the word, and in visitatioun of his Churches; or yf he be convict of ony of those crymis, which in the common Ministeris ar dampned, he must be deposit, without respect of his persoun or office.

III. OFF THE ELECTIOUN OF SUPERINTENDENTIS.

In this present necessitie, the nominatioun, examinatioun, and admissioun of Superintendentis, can not be so strait as we require, and as afterward it must be.

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 G.o.d [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 G.o.d 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 G.o.dlie Ministeris within the hole realme, that frome amangis thame, one with publict consent may be elect.i.t 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 nominat.i.t, 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 a.s.signed thairto; thretty dayis, we meane, after that the nominatioun be maid.

[435] In edit. 1621, "sent forth, warning all men that have any exception."

Whiche day of electioun being come, the hoill Ministeris of that Province, with thre or mo[436] of the Superintendentis nixt adjacent, or that sall thairto be named,[437] shall examyn not onlie the learnying, but also the maneris, prudence, and habilitie to governe the Churche, of all those that ar nominat; that he who shallbe fund most worthye, may be burdened with the charge. Yff the Ministeris of the whole Province should bring with them the voitis of those that war committ.i.t to thair caire, the electioun should be the more fre; bot alwayis, the voitis of all those that convene must be requirit.[438]

The examinationis must be publictlie maid; those that stand in electioun must publictlie preache; and men must be chargeit in the name of G.o.d, to voit according to conscience, and not efter affectioun. Yf ony thing be object.i.t against any that stand[439] in electioun, the Superintendentis and Ministeris must considder whether the objectioun be maid of conscience or of malice, and thei must ansueir accordinglie. Other ceremonies then scharp examinatioun, approbatioun of the Ministeris and Superintendentis, with the publict consent of the Elderis and People, then present,[440] we can not allow.

[436] In edit. 1621, "with three or foure."

[437] In edit. 1621, "or that shall be thareto nominated."

[438] In edit. 1621, "the votes of them that convene should be required."

[439] In edit. 1621, "against him that standeth."

[440] Edit. 1621, omits "the present."

The Superintendent being elect.i.t, and appointed to his charge, must be subjected to the censur and correctioun of the Ministeris and Elderis, not onlie of his cheaf Toun, but also of the hoill Province over the whiche he is appointed oversear.

Yf his offencis[441] be knawin, and the Ministeris and Elderis of his Province[442] be negligent in correcting him, then the nixt one or two Superintendentis, with thair Ministeris and Elderis, may convene him, and the Ministeris and Elderis of his cheaf toun, (provideit that it be within his awin Province or cheaf toun,) and may accuse and correct alsweale the Superintendent in those thingis that ar worthy of correctioun, as the Ministeris and Elderis for thair negligence and unG.o.dlie tollerance of his offencis.

[441] In edit, 1621, "his offence."

[442] In edit. 1621, "Elders of the Toun and Province."

Whatsoever cryme deserve correctioun or depositioun of any other minister, deserveth the samin in the Superintendent, without exceptioun of persoun.

After that the Churche he establischeit,[443] and thre yeiris be pa.s.sed, we require that na man be callit to the office of a Superintendent, who hath not tuo yeiris at the leist gevin declaratioun of his faithfull lawbouris in the ministerie of some churche.[444]

[443] In edit. 1621, "Kirk is established."

[444] In edit. 1621, "in the ministrie of the same Kirk."

No Superintendent may be transferrit at the plesour or requeist of ony one Province; no, not without the consent of the whole counsall of the Churche, and that for grave causses and considderationis.

Off one thing, in the end, we must admonische your Honouris, to wit, that in appointing Superintendentis for this present, ye disappoint not your cheaf Tounis, and whair learning is exercised, of suche ministeris as more may proffit be residence in one place, than be continewall travell frome place to place: For if ye so do, the youth in those placis shall lacke the profound interpretatioun of the Scripturis; and so shall it be long before that your gardenis send furth many plantis; whair by the contrarie, yf one or tuo tounis be continewallie exercised as thei may, the Commoun-wealth shall schortlie taist of thair fruct,[445] to the confort of the G.o.dlie.

[445] In edit. 1621, "feast of their fruit."

FOR THE SCHOLLIS.[446]

[446] In edit. 1722, "Chap. VII. Of Schools [and Universities.]"