The History of the Reformation of Religion in Scotland / With Which Are Included Knox's Confession and The Book of Discipline

by John Knox

V. Concerning Provision for the Ministers, and for Distribution of the Rents and Possessions justly appertaining to the Kirk.

Seeing that from our Master Christ Jesus and His Apostle Paul we have it that the workman is worthy of his reward, and that the mouth of the labouring ox ought not to be muzzled, of necessity it is that honest provision be made for the ministers. This we require to be such that they have neither occasion of solicitude nor of insolence and wantonness. And this provision must be made not only for their own sustentation during their lives, but also for their wives and children after them. For we judge it a thing most contrarious to reason, godliness, and equity that the widow and children of him who in his life did faithfully serve the Kirk of God, and for that cause did not carefully make provision for his family, should, after his death, be left comfortless of all provision.[247]

It is difficult to appoint a stipend to every several minister, by reason that the charges and necessity of all will not be alike; for some will be continuers in one place, while some will be compelled to travel and oft to change dwelling-place if they shall have charge of divers kirks. Some will be burdened with wife and children, and one with more than another, and some perchance will be single men. If equal stipends be appointed to all those that in charge are so unequal, one would suffer penury, or another would have superfluity and too much.

We judge, therefore, that every minister should have sufficient whereupon to keep a house and be sustained honestly in all things necessary, as well for keeping of his house, as clothes, flesh, fish, books, fuel, and other things necessary. Provision should be made for this from the rents and treasury of the kirk where he serveth, at the discretion of the congregation, conform to the quality of the person and necessity of the time. It is thought good that every minister should have at least forty bolls meal and twenty-six bolls malt, to find his house in bread and drink, and so much more as the discretion of the kirk finds necessary. He should have, besides, money for buying other provision to his house, and other necessaries, and the modification of this is referred to the judgment of the kirk, to be made every year at the choosing of the elders and deacons of the kirk; providing always that there be advanced to every minister sufficient provision of all things for a quarter of a year beforehand.[248]

For those that travel from place to place, whom we call Superintendents, who remain a month or less in one place for the establishing of the Kirk, and thereafter, for the same purpose, change to another place, further consideration must be had. To each Superintendent there should be allowed, we think, six chalders[249] bear,[250] nine chalders meal, three chalders oats for his horse, and five hundred marks of money. This shall be eked and pared at the discretion of the prince and council of the realm, and be paid to him yearly.

The children of the ministers must have the liberties of the cities next adjacent the place of their father's labours, freely granted. They must have the privileges in schools, and bursaries in colleges; that is, they shall be sustained at learning, if they be found apt thereto, and failing thereof, they shall be put to some handicraft, or exercised in some virtuous industry, whereby they may become profitable members of the commonwealth.[251]

In God's presence we bear witness that we require these provisions not so much for ourselves, or for any that to us appertain, as for the increase of virtue and learning, and for the profit of the posterity to come. It is not to be supposed that any man will dedicate himself and his children to God, and so serve His Kirk that he will look for no worldly commodity. This cankered nature which we bear is provoked to follow virtue when it seeth honour and profit annexed to the same, as, contrarily, virtue is despised of many when virtuous and godly men live without honour. And, too, we should be sorry that poverty should discourage men from study and from following the way of virtue, whereby they might edify the Kirk and flock of Christ Jesus.

We have not spoken of the stipend of readers, because, if they can do nothing but read, they can be neither called nor judged true ministers. And yet regard must be had to their labours; but only that they may be spurred forward to virtue, and not by a stipend appointed for their reading be retained permanently in that estate. For a reader that is lately entered, we think forty marks, more or less, as the parishioners and readers can agree, should be sufficient. He must teach the children of the parish, besides reading the Common Prayers and the books of the New and Old Testaments. If from reading he begin to exhort and explain the Scriptures, then ought his stipend to be augmented, until, finally, he come to the honour of a minister. But if he be found unable after two years, then must he be removed from office, and discharged of all stipend, in order that another may be proven as long. It is always to be avoided, that any reader who is judged unable to come at any time to some reasonable knowledge, whereby he may edify the Kirk, shall perpetually be nourished upon the charge of the Kirk. Further, it must be avoided that any child, or person within twenty-one years of age, be admitted to the office of a reader. Readers ought to be endowed with gravity, wit, and discretion, lest by their lightness the Prayers or Scriptures read be of less price and estimation. The readers shall be put in by the Kirk, and admitted by the Superintendent.

For the other sort of readers who have long continued in godliness, have some gift of exhortation, are in hope to attain to the degree of a minister, and teach the children, we think a hundred marks, or more at the discretion of the Kirk, may be appointed; difference being made betwixt them and the ministers that openly preach the word and minister the Sacraments.

There still remain other two sorts of people to be provided for, from that which is called the patrimony of the Kirk, to wit, the poor and the teachers of youth. Every several kirk must provide for the poor within itself; for fearful and horrible it is that the poor (whom not only God the Father in His law, but Christ Jesus in His Evangel, and the Holy Spirit speaking by St. Paul, have so earnestly commended to our care) are universally so contemned and despised. We are not patrons for stubborn and idle beggars, who, running from place to place, make a craft of their begging. Them the civil magistrate ought to punish; but God commandeth His people to be careful for the widow and fatherless, the aged, impotent, or lamed, who neither can nor may travail for their sustentation. For these latter, as also for persons of honesty fallen into decay and penury, such provision ought to be made, that of our abundance should their indigence be relieved.

How, most conveniently and most easily, this may be done in every city, and in other parts of this realm, God shall show you wisdom and the means, if your minds shall godly thereto be inclined. All must not be suffered to beg that gladly so would do; neither yet must beggars remain where they choose; but the stout and strong beggar must be compelled to work, and every person that may not work must be compelled to repair to the place where he or she was born (unless of long continuance he or she have remained in one place), and there reasonable provision must be made, as the Church shall appoint. The order nor sums, in our judgment, cannot be particularly appointed, until such time as the poor of every city, town, or parish be compelled to repair to the places where they were born, or to the place of their residence. There their names and number must be taken and put in roll; and then may the wisdom of the kirk appoint stipends accordingly.

VI. Of the Superintendents.[252]

1. Because we have appointed a larger stipend to these that shall be Superintendents than to the rest of the ministers, we have thought good to signify such reasons as moved us to make difference betwixt preachers at this time; as also how many Superintendents we think necessary, with their bounds, office, the manner of their election, and causes that may deserve deposition from that charge.

We consider that, if the ministers whom God hath endowed with His singular graces amongst us should be appointed to several and certain places, there to make their continual residence, the greatest part of this realm should be destitute of all doctrine. This would not only give occasion for great murmuring, but would be dangerous to the salvation of many. Therefore we have thought it a thing most expedient for this time that, from the whole number of godly and learned men now presently in this realm, there be selected twelve or ten (for into so many provinces have we divided the whole) to whom charge and commandment shall be given to plant and erect churches, and to set order and appoint ministers, as the former order prescribeth, to the districts that shall be appointed to their care, where none are now. By these means your love and common care over all the inhabitants of this realm, to whom ye are equal debtors, shall evidently appear; and the simple and ignorant, who perchance have never heard Jesus Christ truly preached, shall come to some knowledge. Many that now be dead in superstition and ignorance shall attain to some feeling of godliness, and may be provoked to search and seek further knowledge of God, and of His true religion and worshipping. On the contrary, if they be neglected, they shall not only grudge, but also they shall seek the means whereby they may continue in their blindness, or return to their accustomed idolatry. Therefore nothing desire we more earnestly than that Christ Jesus be universally once preached throughout this realm; and this shall not suddenly be, unless men be appointed and compelled faithfully to travel in such provinces as to them shall be assigned.

2. The Names of the Places of Residence, and several Dioceses of the Superintendents.—(1) The Superintendent of Orkney; whose diocese shall be the Isles of Orkney, Shetland, Caithness, and Strathnaver. His residence to be in the town of Kirkwall.

(2) The Superintendent of Ross; whose diocese shall comprehend Ross, Sutherland, Moray, with the North Isles of Skye, and the Lewis, with their adjacents. His residence to be in Chanonry of Ross.

(3) The Superintendent of Argyll; whose diocese shall comprehend Argyll, Kintyre, Lorne, the South Isles, Arran, and Bute, with their adjacents, with Lochaber. His residence to be in Argyll.

(4) The Superintendent of Aberdeen; whose diocese is betwixt Dee and Spey, containing the sheriffdom of Aberdeen and Banff. His residence to be in Old Aberdeen.

(5) The Superintendent of Brechin; whose diocese shall be the whole sheriffdoms of Mearns and Angus, and the Brae of Mar to Dee. His residence to be in Brechin.

(6) The Superintendent of St. Andrews; whose diocese shall comprehend the whole sheriffdom of Fife and Fotheringham to Stirling; and the whole sheriffdom of Perth. His residence to be in St. Andrews.

(7) The Superintendent of Edinburgh; whose diocese shall comprehend the whole sheriffdoms of Lothian, and Stirling on the south side of the Water of Forth; and thereto is added, by consent of the whole Church, Merse, Lauderdale, and Wedale.[253] His residence to be in Edinburgh.

(8) The Superintendent of Jedburgh; whose diocese shall comprehend Teviotdale, Tweeddale, Liddesdale, with the Forest of Ettrick. His residence to be Jedburgh.

(9) The Superintendent of Glasgow; whose diocese shall comprehend Clydesdale, Renfrew, Monteith, Lennox, Kyle, and Cunningham. His residence to be in Glasgow.

(10) The Superintendent of Dumfries; whose diocese shall comprehend Galloway, Carrick, Nithsdale, Annandale, with the rest of the Dales in the west. His residence to be in Dumfries.

Those men must not be suffered to live as your idle bishops have done heretofore; neither must they remain where gladly they would. They must be preachers themselves, and such as may make no long residence in any one place, until their churches be planted and provided with ministers, or at the least with readers.

Charge must be given to them that they remain in no one place above twenty or thirty days in their visitation, until they have passed through their whole bounds. They must preach thrice every week, at the least; and when they return to their principal town and residence they must be likewise exercised in preaching and in edification of the Church there; and yet they must not be suffered to continue there so long, as that they seem to neglect their other churches. After they have remained in their chief town three or four months at most, they shall be compelled, unless by sickness they be detained, to re-enter upon visitation. They shall not only preach, but also shall examine the life, diligence, and behaviour of the ministers, the order of their churches, and the manners of the people. They must further consider how the poor are provided for, and how the youth are instructed; they must admonish where admonition is needed, restore order where by good counsel they are able to appease; and, finally, they must note such crimes as are heinous, that by the censure of the Church the same may be corrected.

If the Superintendent be found negligent in any of these chief points of his office, and especially if he be noted negligent in preaching of the Word, and in visitation of his churches; or if he be convicted of any of those crimes which in the common ministers are condemned, he must be deposed, without respect to his person or office.

3. Of the Election of Superintendents.—In this present necessity, the nomination, examination, and admission of Superintendents cannot be so strait as we require, and as afterwards it must be. For the present, therefore, we think sufficient that either your honours, by yourselves, nominate so many as may serve the forewritten provinces; or that ye give commission to men in whom ye suppose the fear of God to be, to do the same; these men, being called into your presence, shall be by you, and by such as your honours may please to call unto you for consultation in that case, appointed to their provinces. We think it expedient and necessary, that the gentlemen, as well as the burgesses of every diocese, be made privy at the same time to the election of the Superintendent, both to bring the Church into some practice of her liberty, and to make the pastor better favoured of the flock whom themselves have chosen.

If your honours cannot find for the present so many able men as the necessity requireth, then, on our judgments, it is more profitable that those provinces remain vacant until God provide better, rather than that men unable to edify and govern the Church be suddenly placed in that charge. For experience hath taught us what pestilence hath been engendered in the Church by men unable to discharge their offices.

When, therefore, after three years, any Superintendent shall depart, or chance to be deposed, the chief town within that province, to wit, the ministers, elders, and deacons, with the magistrate and council of the same town, shall nominate, and by public edicts proclaim, as well to the Superintendent, as to two or three provinces next adjacent, two or three of the most learned and most godly ministers within the whole realm, that from amongst them, one with public consent may be elected and appointed to the office then vacant. The chief town shall be bound to do this within the term of twenty days. If this period expire and no man be presented, then shall three of the next adjacent provinces, with consent of their Superintendents, ministers, and elders, enter into the right and privileges of the chief town, and shall present every one of them one, or two if they list, to the chief town, to be examined as the order requireth. It shall also be lawful for all the churches of the diocese to nominate within the same time such persons as they think worthy to stand in election; and this must be put in edict.

After the nominations are made, public edicts must be sent, first warning all men that have any objection against the persons nominated, or against any one of them, to be present in the chief town at day and place appointed, to object what they can against the election. Thirty days we think sufficient to be assigned thereto; thirty days, we mean, after the nomination shall be made.

The day of election being come, the whole ministers of that province, with three or more of the Superintendents next adjacent, or thereto named, shall examine not only the learning, but also the manners, prudence, and ability to govern the Church, of all those that are nominated; that he who shall be found most worthy may be burdened with the charge. If the ministers of the whole province should bring with them the votes of those that were committed to their care, the election should be the more free; but, always, the votes of all those that convene must be required. The examinations must be publicly made; those that stand in election must publicly preach; and men must be charged in the name of God, to vote according to conscience, and not after affection. If anything be objected against any that stand in election, the Superintendents and ministers must consider whether the objection be made of conscience or of malice, and they must answer accordingly. Other ceremonies than sharp examination, approbation of the ministers and Superintendents, with the public consent of the elders and people then present, we cannot allow. The Superintendent being elected, and appointed to his charge, must be subjected to the censure and correction of the ministers and elders, not only of his chief town, but also of the whole province over which he is appointed overseer.

If his offences be known, and the ministers and elders of his province be negligent in correcting him, the next one or two Superintendents, with their ministers and elders, may convene him, and the ministers and elders of his chief town, within his own province or chief town; and they may accuse and correct the Superintendent in those things that are worthy of correction, as well as the ministers and elders for their negligence and their ungodly tolerance of his offences. Whatsoever crime deserves correction or deposition of any other minister deserveth the same in the Superintendent, without respect of person.

After the Church is established, and three years be passed, we require that no man be called to the office of a Superintendent, who hath not for two years at least, given declaration of his faithful labours in the ministry of some church.

No Superintendent may be transferred at the pleasure or request of any one province without the consent of the whole Council of the Church, and that only for grave causes and considerations.

Of one thing, in the end, we must admonish your honours. In appointing Superintendents for the present, ye may not disappoint your chief towns, and places where learning is exercised, of such ministers, as more may profit by residence in one place than by continual travel from place to place. For if ye so do, the youth in those places shall lack the profound interpretation of the Scriptures; and so shall it be long before your gardens send forth many plants. On the contrary, if one or two towns be continually exercised as they may, the Commonwealth shall shortly taste of their fruit, to the comfort of the godly.