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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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not have been so unwise as to make exchange of it with Prelacy we would have forsaken all things rather then have forsaken it It is more strange that any should have been found amongst them at any time to speak or to do against their own Church But after you have with your reason and minde made a generall survey of all societies there is none more grave more dear then that which each one of us hath with his Countrey Parents are dear Children Friends familiars are dear But our native Countrey alone taketh all these within her compasse for which what good man would doubt to die could his death serve her for good So much the more detestable is their barbarity who have with all kinde of wickednesse rent asunder their native Countrey and both are and have been exercised in overturning her from the very foundation If a Patriote spoke so of his Countrey a Citizen so of his Republike what should the Christian born baptized and bred in Scotland think and say if he have been borne there not only to this mortall but to that immortall and everlasting life No children on earth have better reason to say Wee are not ashamed of our Mother and it were to be wished that the saying were reciprocally true Thirdly having the pattern of all the Reformed Churches before us and this example so neer unto us what need we to stand amazed as not knowing what to choose To abide that which we have been is neither profitable nor possible To conjoyn the two in one is but the mixture of Iron with Clay and must needs make the distemper greater It were well for us and no other well for us can I see that laying aside our high conceit of our selves and the low esteem of other reformed Churches We would resolve to follow them as they follow Christ and not to despise the government of Christ because they seeme to be but Mole-hils But to conforme to them because they are conforme to Christ and to the pattern shewed in the Mountain What reciprocation of giving and receiving in matters of Religion hath beene betweene this and the Scottish Nation may be knowne by the words of Beda but speaking in his own idiome according to the grounds of popery Not long after the Monkes of the Scottish Nation who lived in the Iland Hii with the Monasteries under their power were brought into the rite of observing of Easter and of shaven Crownes The Lord bringing it so to passe he should have ascribed it to another spirit Which certainly was done by the marvellous dispensation of divine mercy that because that Nation who had the science of divine knowledge did willingly and without envy communicate the same to the people of England that the same Nation afterward should by the Nation of the English attain unto the perfect rule of living in these things which they had not before The Governement and Order OF The Church of Scotland A Description and not a Demonstration of the Church of Scotland is intended non jus sed factum their doing simply and not the reason of their so doing is desired The delineation therefore of the face of that Church without artificiall Colours and dispute of her comelinesse and beauty is nakedly expressed in two Parts The one of her Officers the other of her Assemblies The first part I. Of the Officers of the Church BEside the ordinary and perpetuall Officers which are Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons The Church of Scotland hath no other at this time nor did at any time acknowledge any other These being warranted by Christ and his Apostles the extraordinary Ministers unto whom his will was revealed and being sufficient for all the necessary uses of the Churches as Exhortation Teaching administration of the Sacraments Government and distribution The Offices of Apostles Evangelists and Prophets were extraordinary and continued in the Christian Church so long as by the Will of God it was needfull for the well of the Church who although in regard of their order degree manner of Ministration and the places which they did hold which is called successio in gradum eundem They have properly none to succeed them yet in respect of their doctrine holinesse of life and substance of their Ministery which is successio in caput all faithfull Pastors lawfully called to their functions are their successors And in this sense not only their first reformers who had somewhat extraordinary but all their faithfull Ministers since who have laboured in the Word and Doctrine for the planting preserving and purging of Religion to the edification of the Church and no other are successors to the Apostles The Office of a Bishop consisting in power or priority above a Pastor as having no warrant in the Scripture as being a member of the wicked Hierarchy of the Pope for although this priority of Prelates had place in the Church before the Pope ascended to the top of his Ambition yet every corruption in doctrine worship but especially in government which since the mystery of iniquity began to work is retained by the Pope and by his authority is obtruded upon the Church they conceive to be His and as a cursed tree which amongst them hath brought forth no better fruits then heresie and errors in doctrine idolatry and superstition in worship Tyranny and persecution in Government and leudnesse and profanity of life both in Pastors and People They have abjured and removed out of their Church together with all the branches of that Hierarchy and all the offices titles dignities and courts depending thereupon as may be seen in their confession of faith Books of discipline and acts of assemblies of old and of late In the beginning of their reformation they had no constitute Presbyteries nor such provinciall and generall assemblies as they had afterward and upon the other part they had superintendents visiters of certain parts of the Countrey and Commissioners for Provinces But they who desire to know the constitution and condition of that Church must distinguish between her infancy and her riper age between her desires designes and endevours and her attainments proceedings and performances for how soon it was possible for them presbyteries and assemblies which from the beginning had been intended were erected and established And no sooner was this brought to passe But superintendents and all others of that kinde which at first were of necessary use in visiting the Country and in planting of Churches were declared to be neither necessary nor expedient for the Church The Church of Scotland hath been disquieted and much troubled with Episcopacy since the beginning and at last by the ambition of vain men by the power and working of civill authority and by the corrupt assemblies of Ministers had some footing and was in end raised to a great height and did become a mountain And yet the office of a Bishop was never received in that Church But when some Ministers who in regard of their
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