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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A43314 The government and order of the Church of Scotland Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646. 1641 (1641) Wing H1432; ESTC R221287 31,992 84

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of love joy godly sorrow thankfulnesse and whatsoever may concern them at that time or causeth be read the history of the Passion or some other part of Scripture which may work the same effect After all at the Table have received the Cup they rise from the Table and return in a quiet manner to their places another company cometh to the Table and so a third and a fourth till all have received in the same manner as the first during which time of removing of the one and approaching of the other the whole Congregation singeth some part of a Psalm touching the Passion or the love and kindenesse of God to his people as Psal. 22 or 103 c. After the last company hath received the Minister rising from the Table goeth to the Pulpit where after a short speech tending to thanksgiving he doth againe solemnely give thankes unto God for so great a mercy and prayeth as on other Sabbaths The prayer ended all joyn in singing a Psalm of praise sutable to the occasion and are dismissed with the blessing before which none are to depart unlesse in case of necessity The Communion being thus celebrated in the forenoon the people meet again in the afternoon at which time the Minister teacheth the Doctrine of thanksgiving and closeth the publike and solemn worship of that day from which the people use to depart refreshed with the grace and peace of God and strengthened with new and fresh resolutions to serve the Lord. 4. The order of publike fasting or humiliation SOmetimes the fast or humiliation is of larger extent to be observed by all the Churches in the Kingdome sometime more particular of one or more Congregations Sometimes the fast is kept one day only sometimes all the dayes of the week Sometimes on the Sabbath only especially in the Countrey Churches Sometimes upon some day of the week also as in Cities or Towns They neither make difference of dayes for humiliation nor do they keep any set fasts or feasts all is disposed and done according as the occasions and causes do presse or require as may serve most for the end intended and may best ply with the opportunities and necessities of the Congregation The Sabbath next before the fast notice is given of the Causes of humiliation and of the times to be observed with earnest exhortation to the people to prepare themselves for afflicting their soules and extraordinary humiliation In many places especially in Cities Towns and greater Villages or where the people may conveniently assemble The day before the fast the doctrine of preparation to the fast is taught expressing the nature and use thereof for averting the wrath of God The dayes of the fast from morning to evening are kept holy unto the Lord in the nature of an Extraordinary Sabbath with abstinence from meat and drink from delights and worldly labours with the exercises of reading the Law plain preaching interpretation and particular application deep humiliation and renting of the heart for sin large and hearty confessions of sin fervent supplications and earnest seeking of God by prayer for pardon with singing of penitentiall Psalms after which they have many times found wonderfull deliverances and extraordinary blessings from Heaven 5. The order of marriage ALthough marriage be no Sacrament nor part of the Worship of God yet they conceive that the Matrimoniall conjunction of Christians and members of the Church is most conveniently solemnized in the face of the Congregation with instruction out of Gods Word of the Institution use and ends of marriage and of the duties of married persons and with blessing by the Minister and with the prayers of the Church The parties are contracted before they be married and before they be contracted if there be any suspicion of their ignorance they are examined in the grounds of Religion and in their knowledge of the mutuall duties which they owe each to other Notice also is given of the consent of Parents or vice-Parents and that neither of them is contracted before to any other party nor any impediment from the degrees of Affinity or Consanguinity prohibited The contract and purpose of marriage is also published three severall Sabbaths before the same be solemnized and if there be nothing objected to hinder their marriage then are they solemnly married in the face of the Congregation before the ending of 40 dayes from the time of the contract They require for marriage the free consent of the parties come to the yeers of discretion and the knowledge and consent of the Parents they do not allow of the marrige of Infants nor secret and clandestine contracts and marriages nor do they use any idle rites or superstitious Ceremonies in the time of the Solemnization 6. The Order of Buriall of the dead THough Buriall be no part of the Worship of God nor of the work of the Ministry yet they think meet that an honest and competent number of Christians accompany the Christian friends of the dead unto the Grave that they may confer and comfort one another by the way and to see the Buriall done in a grave and decent manner remembring that sin is the cause of death that Christ hath overcome death and the grave and that they who die in the Lord shall rise again to life everlasting Their Burials are without singing or reading which the superstitious do conceive to be profitable for the dead without Funerall Sermons which do beget superstition and tend to flartery make the Gospel to be preached with respect of persons and are most pressed by such as do least regard Sermons at other times and without Feasting with affectate shews of mourning and any further pomp or Ceremony than civill differences and respects do require They conceive for many reasons that the places of the assembling of the people for the Word and Sacraments ought not to be places of Buriall which is therefore forbidden and for the most part is forborn in that Kingdom Registers are ordained to be kept of the nam●● and times of all that are baptized of all that are married and all that are married IV. Of Doctors and their Office and of Schools THe Church of Scotland hath had no other Doctors but Masters and Professors of Divinity in Universities and Colledges of which some use to be chosen to be Elders of particular Churches and Commissioners to the Nationall Assembly and besides these the Teachers of more private and particular Schools They use to be examined and tried both in their learning and life by the Presbitery and their charge is not only to bring up their schollers in humane literature and liberall Arts but also in Civill Conversation and good manners but especially in the Grounds of Christian Religion by way of Catechisme As the Doctors of Colledges do keep the meetings of the Presbitery and by course do prophesie or make the exercise with the Ministers so also do the masters of private Schooles for the greater part of them who
therefore are a part of the Seminarie of the publike Ministery are numbred among the expectants how soon they are enabled to enter upon the exercise and sometimes are imployed by the Ministers to help them in teaching and Catechising of the people The Universities also use to be visited by Commissioners delegated from the Nationall assembly that there be nothing taught by the Professors and Doctors but what is sound and consonant to the confession of faith and the received doctrine and order of the Church and to see that both Masters and Schollers do their duties diligently especially that their be no scandall nor corruption of maners In like maner the more private schooles are visited by the Presbiteries poore schollers of good ingines and expectation are provided in a great part of their maintenance by places of the foundation of Colledges which are appointed by the Founders or Reformers for that use and others are maintained by Contribution of particular Churches within every Presbitery which the Pastor or Elder bringeth unto them so soone as they are chosen by the Presbitery V. Of Elders and their Office THe Calling Election and admission of Elders is before spoken of The number of Elders in every Parish is not definit but doth vary according to the number and necessity of the people In some parishes ó in some 10 or 12 c. Such are chosen to be Elders as come neerest to the gifts and qualities required by the Apostle and after they are chosen are at all occasions exhorted by the Pastor to be ensamples to the flock and to watch over them faithfully against all corruptions in religion and life And as the Pastor should bee diligent in teaching and sowing the seed so are the Elders desired to be carefull in seeing and seeking the fruits in the people The Elders do attend with the Pastor in Chatechising the people do assist him In visiting the sick In admonishing all men of their duty and if any will not heare them they bring the disobedient before the Eldership In causing the acts of the assemblies as well particular as generall to be put in execution But a principall part of their duty is to joyne alwayes with the Pastor in the particular Eldership and in the other assemblies of the Church as they shall be called for exercising of discipline and governing the whole Congregation VI. Of the Deacons and their Office WHat maner of persons the Deacons ought to be the Scripture is plain and such they make choise of as are so qualified so far as may be The forme of their election is before expressed Their number must be considered of according to the number of the poore and the proportion of the Congregation as we spake before of the Elders Their maine duty is to collect receive and distribute not onely the almes for the poore but the whole Ecclesiasticall goods which are not assigned and appointed for the maintenance of particular persons These duties they must performe at the dscretion and by the appointment of the Pastor and Elders for which cause and not for government they are to be present at the ordinary meetings of the Eldership The meanes for the maintenance of the poore are collected by the Deacons the first day of the weeke and other dayes of the publike assembling of the people to the worship of God at the entry of the Church And if this prove not a competency then do the people either bring in their Charity on such dayes as are appointed by the Eldership or are willing to be taxed according as they shall be judged to be able In some Cities and Parishes where this order hath been carefully observed none have been suffered to beg and none have lacked Their Ministers beside their Gleab and Manse are all provided to certaine and the most part to competent stipends which are paid either in victuall or moneys or in both And if the charge of their family be great and their children put to Schooles or Colledges they are helped and supplied by the charity of the people which useth also to be extended if need be toward their widows and Orphanes after their decease of which the whole Eldership hath a speciall care Every parish almost hath some stock for the reliefe of strangers and for supply of the extraordinary necessities of their owne poore Hospitalls have their owne rents and the publike buildings of the Church are upholden by the Patron and the Freeholders of the Parish unto which if any be unwilling he is constrained by Law to pay his proportion The Second Part. I. Of the Assemblies of the Church and first in Generall NO man here were he never so eminent above others for Piety Wisdome or Learning or doth he never so much arrogate authority to himself hath the rains of Church Government in his hands to determine or to doe what seemeth good in his own eyes But all matters are advised determined and judged with common consent in the meetings and assemblies of the Church which for this end are of foure sorts and degrees which are commonly called by the names of Church sessions or particular Elderships or Consistories Presbyteries or Classes Provinciall Synods and Nationall or Generall Assemblies Each of these assemblies hath a President or Moderator who beginneth and endeth with prayer propoundeth matters to be treated procureth them to be debated if need bee in an orderly way that all may be heard and none interrupted unlesse he speak too much gathereth the voices which are noted by the Clerk and pronounceth the sentence or if there be an equality remitteth it to the greater Presbyterie each of them hath a Clerk or a Notary and a Register of all things debated and done by them especially of such matters as may be of future use None of these assemblies from the least to the greatest are to treat of matters pertaining to the civill Jurisdiction and Magistrate but only of matters Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall that the doctrine and worship may be kept in purity all things be done decently and in order in the particular Churches and that all the members of the Churches may walke worthy of the Gospell The lesser and inferiour assembly is subordinate to the superiour and greater so that if any person shall think himselfe wronged or distressed by the unjust proceeding of the inferiour assembly it is lawfull for him to seek reliefe of the greater providing it be done in an humble and peaceable way and in the right order by proceeding to the next greater assembly and so of the rest if need be taking them in their subordination untill either he be satisfied or which rarely commeth to passe he ascend unto the highest of all In matters difficult or such as belong to superiour assemblies References from the lesser are ordinary but nothing belonging to an inferiour assemblie is brought before a greater til either it cannot be setled or be disorderly done by them or some complaint arise And in that case so