In a Kirk reformed or tending to reformatioun, none aucht [to] presume eather to preache, eather yit to minister the Sacramentis, till that ordourlie thai be callit to the same. Ordinarie vocatioun consisteth in Electioun, Examinatioun, and Admissioun. And becaus that Electioun of Ministeris in this cursed Papistrie hes altogither bene abused, we think expedient to intreat it moir largelie.
It apperteneth to the Pepill, and to everie severall Congregatioun, to Elect thair Minister: And in caise that thai be fundin negligent thairin the space of fourty dayis, the best reformed kirk, to wit, the churche of the Superintendent with his Counsall, may present unto thame a man quhom thai juge apt to feade the flock of Christ Jesus, who must be examinated alsweill in lyiff and maneris, as in doctryne and knawlege.
And that this may be done with moir exact diligence, the personis that ar to be examinated must be commanded to compeir[386] befoir men of soundest jugement, remanying in some principall towne nyxt adjacent unto thame; as thai that be in Fyffe, Anguss, Mernyss, or Straytherne, to present thame selfis in Sanctandrois; those that be in Lowthiane, Merse, or Teviotdaill, to Edinburgh; and likewise those that be in other countreis mon resorte to the best reformed citeis or townis, that is, to the citie[387] of the Superintendent; quhair first in the scoillis, or failling thairof in open assemblie, and befoir the congregatioun, thai most geve declaratioun of thair giftis, utterance, and knawlege, by interpreting some place of Scripture to be appointed be the ministerie. Quhilk being ended, the persone that is presented, or that offered him self to the administratioun of the kirk, must be examined by the ministeris and elderis of the kirk, and that opinlie and befoir all that list to hear, in all the cheif pointes that now lie in contraversie betwix us and the Papistis, Anabaptistis, Arrians, or other suche ennemies to the Christiane religioun. In quhilk gif he be found sound, abill to persuade by hailsome doctryne, and to convince the gaynsayaris, then must he be directed to the Kirk and Congregatioun quhair he suld serve, that thair, in oppin audience of his flock, in diverse publict sermonis, he may gif confession of his faith in the articles of Justificatioun, of the office of Christ Jesus, of the nomber, effect, and use of the Sacraments; and, finallie, of the hoill religioun, quhilk heirtofoir hath bene corrupted by the Papistis.
Gif his doctrine be found holesome, and able to instruct the simple, and if the Kirk justlye can reprehend nothing in his lyiff, doctryne, nor utterance, then we juge the Kirk, quhilk befoir wes destitute, unreasonabill if thai refuse him quhom the Kirk did offer; and that thai suld be compelled, by the censure of the Counsall and Kirk, to receive the persone appoynted and approvin by the jugement of the godlie and lerned; unless that the same Kirk have presented a man better or alsweill qualifeid to the examinatioun, befoir that this foirsaid tryell wes takin of the persone presented by the counsall of the hoile Kirk. As, for example, the Counsall of the Kirk presentis to any kirk a man to be thair minister, not knawing that thai ar utherwayis provided: in the meyntyme, the Kirk is provided of ane uther, sufficient in thair jugement for that charge, quhom thai present to the lerned Ministeris and next reformed Kirk to be examinated. In this case the presentatioun of the Pepill, to quhom he suld be appointed pastour, must be preferred to the presentatioun of the Counsall or greater Kirk; unless the persone presented by the inferiour Kirk be juged unabill for the regiment by the lerned. For altogither this is to be avoided, that any man be violentlie intrused[388] or thrust in upoun any Congregatioun. But this libertie with all cair must be reserved till everie severall Kirk, to have thair votis and suffragis in electioun of thair Ministeris. But violent intrusioun we call nott, quhen the Counsall of the Kirk, in the feare of God, and for the salvatioun of the pepill, offereth unto thame a sufficient man to instruct thame; quhom thai sall not be forced to admitt befoir just examinatioun, as befoir is said.
II. Quhat may unable ony persoun, that he may nott be admitted to the Ministerie of the Kirk.
It is to be observed that na persone, noted with publict infamye, or being unabill to edifie the Kirk by hailsome doctrine, or being knawin of corrupt jugement, be eather promoted to the regiment of the Kirk, or yit receaved[389] in Ecclesiasticall administratioun.
Explicatioun.
By publict Infamye we understand, nott the commoun synnes and offences quhilk any hes committit in tyme of blindnes, by fragilite; (gif of the same, by a better and more sober conversatioun, he hath declared him self verielie penitent;) but suche capitall crymes as the civile swerd aucht and may punishe with deith by the wourd of God. For besydis that the Apostill requyreth the lyif of Ministeris to be so irreprehensible, that thai have a gude testimonye from those that be without; we juge it a thing unseimlie and dangerouse, that he sall have publict authoritie, to preiche to utheris the lyiff everlasting, from quhom the civile Magistrat may tak the lyiff temporall for a cryrme publictlie committed: And gif ony object, That the Prince hes pardoned his offence, and that he hes publictlie repented, and so is not onlie his lyiff[390] in assurance, but also that he may be receaved to the Ministerie of the Kirk; we answer, That repentance dois nott tak away the temporall punishment of the law, neither doth the pardon of the Prince remove his infamye befoir man.
That the lyiff and conversatioun of the persone presented, or to be elected, may be the more cleirlie knawin, publict Edictis must be[391] directed to all partis of this Realme, or at the leist to those partis quhair the persone hath bene most conversant: as quhair he wes nurischit in letteris, or quhair he contineuit from the yeiris of infancie and childhood war passed. Strait commandiment wald be gevin, that if any capital crymes wer committit by him, that thai suld be notified; as, gif he hath committit wilfull murther, adulterie, a commoun fornicatour, gif he war[392] a theiff, a druncard, a feychtar, brawlar, or contentious persone. These Edictis audit to be notified in the cheiff cities, with the lyik charge and commandiment, with declaratioun that suche as concealled his synnes knawin, did deceave and betray (so far as in them lay) the Kirk, quhilk is the spous of Jesus Christ, and did communicate with the synnes of that wicked man.
III. Admissioun [of Ministers.]