The Order of Excommunication and Public Repentance, Treatise 2
The Electioun of Eldars, and Deaconis, in the Church of Edinburgh.
BEfore that there was any publict face of trew religioun within this Realme, it pleased God of his merciemercy to illuminat the harts of many priuate persones, so that they did perceaue and vnderstand the abuses that was in the Papistioall Church & thereupone they did withdraw them selfis from participation of there idolatrie.
And because the Spirit of God will neuer sufer his a win to be Idill and Void of al Religion, men began to exercise them selfis in reading of the Scriptures secretlie within there awin houses and thereunto war added secrete prayers, publictlie made within the houses, after …hort proce… of tyme God gadthered Houses to gidder, in one … to the same exercise, some tymes in the …, & some tymes in houses by nyght & then …egan men inspyred (no doubt by the Spirit of God to consider that diuerse Houses & varietie of persons could not be kept in good obeiean…, and honest fame without ouerfearis, Eldaris and Deacones. And so began that small flok to but theme selue, in such ordour as if Christ Iesus, had plainlie triumphed in the midds of them by the power of his Euangel and so they did elect some to occupie the supreme place of exhortation, and reading, sum to be Eldaris, and helparis to them for the ouersight of the flok, & some to be Deacones, for the collection of almus to be distributed to the poore of there awin body. Of this smal begining is that ordour yt now God of his merciemercy hath geuin vntounto vsus publictlie within this Realm, & principallie within this Toune of Edinburgh proceded. For when it pleased ye merciful goodnes of our God, to geue the victorie to the Euangel of his deare Some oure Lorde Iesus, & to suppres & beat downey pryde of the enemies of al trew Religion within this Realmes. Of the principales of suche as we knowin to be men of good conuersation and honest same in the priuie Church, wer cho… Eldaris, and Decones to rule with the Minister. In the publict Church: which burdene they precientlie sustened â Ʒeir and more, and then because they could not (without Neglecting o… there awin priuate houses) longer wait vponupon publict charge they desired that they might … releaued, and vthers might be burdened in the roume, which was thoght â petitiō reasonable, … the whole Church. And therefor it was grant… vntounto theme that they shuld nominat, & geue … in election suche personages as they in there o… …iences thoght most apte & abil to serue in that charge: prouiding that they should nominate dowble mo persones then wer sufficient to serue in that charge, to the end that the whole congregatioun might hauehave there fre vote in there election, & this ordour hath bene euer obserued since that tyme in the Church of Edinburgh: yt in the olde sessioun before there departing nominates 24. in election for Eldars, of whome 12. as to be chosin, and 32. for Deacones, of theme 26. to be elected which persones ar publictlie proclamed in the audience of the whole church vpone â Sonday before noon after Sermō, with admonition to the Church that if any mā know any notorious cryme or cause that might vnable any of those persones to enter in suche â vocatioun that they should notifie the same, the nixt thurisday to the session, or if any knew any persones more able for yt charge they shuld notifie the same vntounto the said sessioun, to the end that no man without the Church shuld complein… yt he was spoiled of his libertie in electioun.
The Sonday following in the end of the sermon before noone the hole Communicants at comanded to be present at after noone, to geue there votes as they will answer before God to such as they think most able to beare the charge of the Church with the Ministers. The votes of all being receaued the scrolles ar deliuered to any of the Ministers, who keipeth the same secreate from the sight of all men, til the nixt thurisday, then in the session he produces them that the Votes may be counted, Where the maniest votes without respect of persone, hathe the first place in the Eldarschip & so proceading till the nomber of tuelf be cōpleit, so that if â poore man excead the riche mā in votes he preceadeth him in place and it is called the first, second, and thrid Eldar, euin as the votes answereth: and this same is obserued in the election of the Deacones.
The fryday after that Iudgement is tane what persones ar elected for Elders and Deacones to serue for that Ʒeir, the Minister after his Sermon readis the same names publictlie, & geues commandement publictlie that suche persones be present in the Church the nixt Sonday at sermont before noone in the place to be appoynted for theme to accept that charge, that God by the pluralitie of votes had laid vpone theme. Who being conuened, the minister after sermon readis the names publictlie, the absents ar noted & the presentes ar admonised, to consider the dignitie of that vocation, whereunto God hath called there, the dewtie that they aw to the people the danger that lyis vpone theme, if they be …und negligent in that there vocation: And fi…allie the dewtie of the people towardis the per …ons elected wc being done this prayer is red.
THE Prayer in the election of Eldaris & Deaconis.
OEternall & euerlasting God Father of oure Lorde Iesus Christ, who of thy infinit mercy and goodnes hast chosin to thy self â Church of the lost seade of Adam, which thow hast euer reulled by the Inspiration of thyne holy spirit. & yet not the les hast alwayis vsed the ministerie of men as weill in preaching of thy worde & administration of thy Sacraments, as in giding of thy flok & prouiding for the poore within the same as in the Law, Prophets & in thy glorious …angel we hauehave witnessis which ordour ô Lord yt of thy mercy hast now restored to vsus again after that the publict face of thy Church hathe bene deformed be the tyrannie of that Roman Antichrist. Grant vntounto vsus ô Heauinlie Father hartes thankful for the benefits yt we hauehave receaned, and geue vntounto these our Bretheren, elected to these charges within thy Church, suche abundance of thy holie spirit that they may be found vigilant, and faithfull in that vocatioun wherevnto thow of thy mercy hast called them.
And albeit ô Lord these smal beginnigis ar …temned of the proud worlde, yet Lord thow … thy awin mercyes saik blesse ye same, in such so… yt thy Godlie name may be glorified superstitio… & idolatrie may be rooted out, and vertew may be planted, not onlie in this generation, but also to the postirities to come. Amen. grant … this mercyfull Father for Iesus Christ thy Sone saik in whose name we call vntounto the as he hath taughtvs saying. Oure Father. &c.
And so with the rehersall of the Beleif after the which shall be song this portion of the 103. psalme verse 19. The Heauens hie a… and so to the end of that psalme.
After the which shall this schort admonition be geuin to the elected.
Magnifie God who of his mercy hath called yow to rule within his Church: be faithfull in your Vocation, schaw your self Zealous to promote Vertew feir not the faces of the wicked, but rebuke there wickednes. Be merciful to the poore, & support them to the vtermost of your power, and so shall ye receaue the benediction … God present and euerlasting.
…d saue the Kings Maiestie and geue vntounto him … Spirit of Sanctificatioun in his Ʒong age. …esse his regent & such as assist him in vpryght …unsal, & ather fructfullie cōuert, or suddanlie …found the enemies of trew Religioun, and …f this afflicted common Wealth.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Knox, The Order of Excommunication and Public Repentance (1569)