And this Ordour hes bene ever observed sen that tyme in the Kirk of Edinburgh; that is, that the auld Sessioun befor thair departure, nominat twenty-four in Electioun for Elders, of quhom twelve ar to be chosen, and thirty-two for Deacounes, of quhome sixteen ar to be elected; quhilk persones ar publictly proclaimed in the audience of the haill Kirk, upoun a Sonday befoir none, efter sermone; with admonitioun to the Kirk, that if ony man knaw ony notorious cryme or caus that micht unabill ony of these persones to enter in sick vocatioun, that they sould notifie the same unto the Sessioun the next Thursday: Or if ony knaw any persones mair abill for that charge, they sould notifie the same unto the Sessioun, to the end that na man eyther present or absent (being ane of the Kirk) suld complayne that he was spoyled of his liberty in electioun.
The Sonday following befoir none, in the end of the Sermone, the hole Communicants ar commandit to be present efternone, to gif thair votes, as they will answer befoir God, to sick as they esteme most abill to beir the charge of the Kirk with the ministers. The votes of all being receaved, the scroles of all ar delyvered to any of the ministers, quho keips the same secreit fra the sicht of all men till the next Thursday; and then in the Sessioun he produces thame, that the voites may be counted, quhare the moniest voites, without respect of persones, have the first place in the Eldership, and so proceiding till the number of twelve be compleit; so that if a puir man exceid the riche man in votes, he preceids him in place; and it is called the first, secound, and thrid Elder, even as the votes answereth. And this same is observed in the electioun of Deaconis.
The Fryday efter the jugement is tane quhat persones ar elected for Elders and Deacones to serve for that yeir; the minister efter his sermone, reids the same names publictly, and gives commandment openly, that sick persones be present the next Sonday at sermone befoir none, in the place to be appointed for thame, to accept of that charge that God by plurality of votes had layd upoun thame. Quho being conveined, the Minister efter sermone reids the names publictly, the absents (if ony be) ar noted, and these quho ar present ar admonisched to consider the dignity of that vocatioun, quhareunto God hes called thame; the dewty that they aucht to the pepill; the danger that lyes upoun thame, if they be found negligent in thair vocatioun: And finally, the dewty of the people towards the persons elected. Quhilk being done, this Prayer is red:—
The Prayer in the Electioun of the Elderis.
O Eternall and everlasting God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, quho, of thy infinite gudeness and mercy, hes chosin to thy self a Kirk of the lost seid of Adame, quhilk thow hes ever reulled by the inspiratioun of thy Holie Spirit; and yet not the less, hes always usit the ministry of men, alswell in preiching of thy word, and administratioun of thy sacraments, as in gyding of thy flock, and provyding for the puir within the same, as in the Law, Propheits, and in thy glorious Evangell we have witnesses: Quhilk ordour, O Lord, thow of thy mercie hes now restoired unto us agane efter that the publict face of the Kirk hes bene deformed by the tyrany of that Romane Antichrist. Grant unto us, O hevinly Father, hairts thankfull for the benefites quhilks we have receaved, and give unto these our brethrein, elected unto thir charges within thy Kirk, sick abundance of thy Holie Spirit, that they may be found vigilant and faythfull in that vocatioun, quharunto thow of thy mercy hes callit thame. And albeit, O Lord, these small begynings ar contemned of the proude world, yet, O Lord, do thow for thy awne mercies sake, bless the same in sick sorte that thy godlie name may be glorified, superstitioun and idolatry may be ruited out, and vertue may be planted, not onely in this generatioun, bot also in the posterity to cum. Amen. Grant us this, mercifull Father, for Christ Jesus thy Sones saik, in quhose name we call unto thee, as he hes taucht us, saying, Our Father, &c.
And so efter the rehersall of the beleif, efter the quhilk sall be sung this portioun of the 103 Psalme, ver. 19. The hevins hie ar maid the seat,[314] and so forth to the end of that Psalme. Efter the quhilk sall this schort Admonitioun be given to the elected:—
Magnifie God, quho hes of his mercy callit yow to ruill within his Kirk: Be thankfull in your vocatioun: Schaw yourselfis zealous to promote verity: Feir not the faces of the wicked, bot rebuik thair wickitnes: Be mercifull to the puir, and support thame to the uttermost of your power; and so sall ye receave the benedictioun of God, present and everlasting. God save the Kingis Majestie, and gif unto him the Spirit of sanctificatioun in his young age: Blesse his Regent, and sick as assist him in upricht counsaill, and eyther fruitfully convert, or suddanely confound the enemies of trew religioun, and of this afflicted Comoun-welthe. Amen.
As the servandis of God uprychtlie travellit to haif vice punissit and verteu plantit, so did the Devill ever steir up some in the contrair of baith. Thair was a law maid aganis fornicatouris and adulteraris,[315] that the ane and the uther suld be cartit throcht the townis, and so banissit, till that thair repentance wes offerit and receavit. And albeit this wes nott the severitie of Goddis law, especiallie aganis adulteraris, yet wes it a greit brydill to malefactouris; quhairat the wickit did wonderouslie storme. It chancit that ane Sandersoun, a fleschour, wes deprehendit to haif put away his lauchfull wyffe, (under cullour that he was lauchfullie partit efter the maner of the Papisticall religioun,) and haid takin to him ane uther in [his] housse. The complaynt and sclander proponit to the Kirk, and tryall takin that he wes nott maryit with the secund woman, nather that he wes able to prove that he wes devorcit by any ordour of law from the first, he wes committit in the handis of the Magistratis, quha, according to the lawis, commandit him to be cartit. Bot the raschall multitude, enflambit be some ungodlie craftismen, maid insurrectioun, brake the carte, boistit the officiaris, and tuke away the malefactour. This wes the begyning of farther evillis, as we will efter heir.
AMBASSADOUR FRA FRANCE, AND HIS DEMANDIS.