Hello,
I saw a thread recently on church discipline and examining some of the responses I was wondering if this book is relevant? Anyone want to let me know if this is a valid resource used in Presbyterian tradition or not? Also it seems to say that as soon as the sinner repents the Kirk should receive the repentant sinner back into fellowship but it’s not super clear to me so anyone want to help me interpret it? Here it is in entirety:
The seventh head of Ecclesiasticall Discipline.
AS that no Common-wealth can flourish, or long indure, without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same; so neither can the Kirk of God be brought to purity, neither yet retained in the same without the order of Ecclesiasticall Discipline, which stands in reproving and correcting of the faults, which the civill sword either doth neglect, or not punish: Blasphemie, adulterie, murder, perjurie, and other crimes capitall, worthy of death, ought not properly to fall under censure of the Kirk; because all such open transgressors of Gods lawes, ought to be taken away by the civill sword. But drunkenness, excesse, be it in apparel, or be it in eating and drinking, fornication, oppressing of the poore by exactions, deceiving of them in buying and selling by wrang met and measure, wanton words and licentious living tending to slander, doe openly appertaine to the kirk of God to punish them, as Gods word commands. But because this accursed Papistrie hath brought in such confusion into the world, that neither was vertue rightly praised, neither yet vice severely punished, the kirk of God is compelled to draw the sword {15 [51]} which of God she hath received, against such open and manifest contemners, cursing, and excommunicating all such, as well those whom the civill sword ought to punish, as the other, from all participation with her in prayers and Sacraments, till open repentance appeare manifestly in them. As the order and proceeding to excommunication ought to be slow and grave, so being once pronounced against any person of what estate or condition that ever they be, it must be kept with all severity. For lawes made and not kept, engender contempt of vertue, and brings in confusion and liberty to sinne. And therefore this order we thinke expedient to be observed afore, and after excommunication. First, if the offence be secret or known to few men, and rather stands in suspicion then in manifest probation, the offender ought to be privately admonished, to absteine from all appearance of evill, which if he promise to doe, and declare himselfe sober, honest, and one that feares God, and feares to offend his brethren, then may the secret admonition suffice for his correction. But if he either contemne the admonition, or after promise made do shew himselfe no more circumspect then he was before, then must the Minister admonish him, to whom if he be found inobedient they must proceed according to the rule of Christ, as after shall be declared. If the crime be publick, and such as is heynous, as fornication, drunkennesse, fighting, common swearing, or execration, then ought the offender to be called in presence of the Minister, Elders and Deacons, where his sinne and trepasse ought to be declared and aggreged [aggravated, emphasized] so that his conscience may feele how farre he hath offended God, and what slander he hath raised in the Kirk. If signes of unfaigned repentance appeare in him, and if he require to be admitted to publick repentance, the Minister may appoint unto him a day when the whole kirk convenes together, that in presence of all he may testifie his repentance, which before he professed. Which if he accept, and with reverence confesse his sinne, doing the same, and earnestly desiring the Congregation to pray to God with him for mercy, and to accept him in their societie notwithstanding the former offence: Then the Kirk may and ought to receive him as a penitent. For the Kirk ought to be no more severe, then God declares himselfe to be, who witnesses that in whatsoever houre a sinner unfainedly repents, and turnes from his wicked way, that he will not remember one of his iniquities. And therefore ought the Kirk diligently to advert that it excommunicate not those whom God absolves. If the offender called before the Ministerie be found stubborn, hard-hearted, or in whom no signe of repentance appeares, then must he be dimitted with an exhortation to consider the dangerous estate in which he {52} stands; assuring him that if they finde in him no other tokens of amendment of life, that they will be compelled to seek a further remedy. If he within a certaine space shew his repentance to the Ministerie, they may present him to the Kirk, as before is said: If he continue not in his repentance, then must the Kirk be advertised, that such crimes are committed amongst them, which by the Ministry hath bene reprehended, and the persons provoked to repent, whereof because no signes appeare unto them, they could not but signifie unto the Kirk the crimes, but not the person: requiring them earnestly to call to God to move and touch the heart of the offender, so that suddenly and earnestly he may repent. If the person maligne, the next day of publick Assembly, the crime and the person must be both notified unto the Kirk, and their judgements must be required, if that such crimes ought to be suffred unpunished among them; request also should be made to the most discrete and nearest friend of the offender to travell with him to bring him to knowledge of himselfe, and of his dangerous estate, with a commandement given to all men to call to God for the conversion of the unpenitent. If a solemne and speciall prayer were drawne for that purpose the thing should be more gravely done. The third Sonday the Minister ought to require, if the unpenitent have declared any signes of repentance to one of the Ministrie; and if he have, then may the Minister appoint him to be examined by the whole Ministry, either then instantly, or another day affixed to the Consistorie: and if repentance appeare, as well for his crime, as for his long contempt, then he may be presented to the Kirk, and make his confession to be accepted as before is said: But if no man signifie his repentance, then ought he to be excommunicated, and by the mouth of the Minister, and consent of the Ministry, and commandement of the Kirk, must such a contemner be pronounced excommunicate from God, and from all society of the Kirk. After which sentence may no person (his wife and family onely excepted) have any kind of conversation with him, be it in eating and drinking, buying and selling; yea, in saluting or talking with him, except that it be at commandement or licence of the Ministerie for his conversion, that he, by such meanes confounded, seeing himselfe abhorred of the godly and faithfull, may have occasion to repent and so be saved. The sentence of excommunication must be published universally throughout the Realme, lest that any man should pretend ignorance. His children begotten and borne after that sentence, and before his repentance may not be admitted to Baptisme, till either they be of age to require the same, or else that the mother, or some of his speciall friends, {53} members of the Kirk, offer and present the child, abhorring and damning the iniquity, and obstinate contempt of the impenitent.
If any man should thinke it severe that the child should be punished for the iniquitie of the father: let him understand that the Sacraments appertaine to the faithfull and their seed; but such as stubbornly contemne all godly admonition, and obstinately remaine in their inquitie, cannot be accounted amongst the faithfull.
The order for publick Offenders.
WE have spoken nothing of them that commit horrible crimes, as murtherers, manslayers, adulterers; for such, as we have said, the civill sword ought to punish to dead: But in case they be permitted to live, then must the kirk as is before said, draw the sword, which of God she hath received, holding them as accursed even in their very fact. The offender being first called, and order of the Kirk used against him in the same manner, as the persons for their obstinate impenitency are publickly excommunicate. So that the obstinate impenitent after the sentence of excommunication, and the murtherer or adulterer stand in one case, as concerning the judgment of the Kirk. That is, neither of both may be received in the fellowship of the kirk to prayers or Sacraments (but to hearing the word they may) til first they offer themselves to the Ministrie, humbly requiring the Ministers and Elders to pray to God for them, and also to be intercessors to the Kirk that they may be admitted to publick repentance, & to the fruition of the benefits of Christ Iesus, distributed to the members of his bodie. If this request be humbly made, then may not the Ministers refuse to signifie the same unto the Kirk, the next day of publicke preaching, the Minister giving exhortation to the kirk, to pray to God to perform the worke which he appeares to have begun, working in the heart of the offender, unfaigned repentance of his grievous crime & offence, and feeling of his great mercy by the operation of the holy Spirit. Therafter one day ought publickly to be assigned unto him to give open profession of his offence & contépt, & so to make publick satisfactió to the kirk of God: which day the offender must appear in presence of the whole Kirk, with his own mouth damning his own impiety, publickly confessing the same: Desiring God of his mercy & grace, & his Congregation, that it would please them to receive him in their society, as before is said. The Minist. must examine him diligently whether he findes a hatred or displeasure of his sinne, as well of his contempt, as of his crime: which if he confesse, he must travell with him, to see what hope he hath of Gods mercies, & if he finde {54} him reasonably instructed in the knowledge of Christ Iesus, in the vertue of his death, then may the Minister comfort him with Gods infallible promises, and demand of the Kirk if they be content to receive that creature of God whom Satan before had drawen in his nettes, in the society of their bodie, seeing that he declared himselfe penitent. Which if the Kirk grant, as they cannot justly deny the same, then ought the Minister in publick prayer commend him to God, confesse the sinne of that offender before the whole Kirk, desiring mercy and grace for Christ Iesus sake. Which prayer being ended, the Minister ought to exhort the Kirk to receive that penitent brother in their favours, as they require God to receive themselves when they offend. And in signe of their consent, the Elders, and chiefe men of the Kirk, shall take the penitent by the hand, and one or two in the name of the rest shall kisse and imbrace him with reverence and gravitie, as a member of Christ Iesus. Which being done, the Minister shall exhort the received that he take diligent heed in times comming that sathan trap him not in such crimes, admonishing him that he will not cease to tempt and trie by all meanes possible to bring him from that obedience which he hath given to God, and to the ordinance of Iesus Christ. The exhortation being ended, the Minister ought to give publick thankes unto God for the conversion of their brother, and for all benefites which we receive of Christ Iesus, praying for the increase and continuance of the same. If the penitent after he hath offered himselfe unto the Ministerie, or to the Kirk, be found ignorant of the principall points of our Religion, and chiefly in the Articles of Iustification, and of the Office of Christ Iesus, then ought he to be exactly instructed before he be received. For a mocking of God it is to receive them to repentance, who know not wherein standeth their remedie, when they repent their sinne.
Perſons ſubject to Diſcipline.
TO Discipline, must all the estates within this Realm be subject, as well the Rulers, as they that are ruled: yea, and the Preachers themselves, as well as the poore within the Kirk: And because the eye and mouth of the Kirk ought to be most single, and irreprehensible, the life and conversation of the Minister ought to be diligently tryed, wherof we shall speak after that we have spoken of the election of Elders and Deacons, who must assist the Minister in all publick affaires of the Kirk. {55}
I saw a thread recently on church discipline and examining some of the responses I was wondering if this book is relevant? Anyone want to let me know if this is a valid resource used in Presbyterian tradition or not? Also it seems to say that as soon as the sinner repents the Kirk should receive the repentant sinner back into fellowship but it’s not super clear to me so anyone want to help me interpret it? Here it is in entirety:
The seventh head of Ecclesiasticall Discipline.
AS that no Common-wealth can flourish, or long indure, without good lawes and sharpe execution of the same; so neither can the Kirk of God be brought to purity, neither yet retained in the same without the order of Ecclesiasticall Discipline, which stands in reproving and correcting of the faults, which the civill sword either doth neglect, or not punish: Blasphemie, adulterie, murder, perjurie, and other crimes capitall, worthy of death, ought not properly to fall under censure of the Kirk; because all such open transgressors of Gods lawes, ought to be taken away by the civill sword. But drunkenness, excesse, be it in apparel, or be it in eating and drinking, fornication, oppressing of the poore by exactions, deceiving of them in buying and selling by wrang met and measure, wanton words and licentious living tending to slander, doe openly appertaine to the kirk of God to punish them, as Gods word commands. But because this accursed Papistrie hath brought in such confusion into the world, that neither was vertue rightly praised, neither yet vice severely punished, the kirk of God is compelled to draw the sword {15 [51]} which of God she hath received, against such open and manifest contemners, cursing, and excommunicating all such, as well those whom the civill sword ought to punish, as the other, from all participation with her in prayers and Sacraments, till open repentance appeare manifestly in them. As the order and proceeding to excommunication ought to be slow and grave, so being once pronounced against any person of what estate or condition that ever they be, it must be kept with all severity. For lawes made and not kept, engender contempt of vertue, and brings in confusion and liberty to sinne. And therefore this order we thinke expedient to be observed afore, and after excommunication. First, if the offence be secret or known to few men, and rather stands in suspicion then in manifest probation, the offender ought to be privately admonished, to absteine from all appearance of evill, which if he promise to doe, and declare himselfe sober, honest, and one that feares God, and feares to offend his brethren, then may the secret admonition suffice for his correction. But if he either contemne the admonition, or after promise made do shew himselfe no more circumspect then he was before, then must the Minister admonish him, to whom if he be found inobedient they must proceed according to the rule of Christ, as after shall be declared. If the crime be publick, and such as is heynous, as fornication, drunkennesse, fighting, common swearing, or execration, then ought the offender to be called in presence of the Minister, Elders and Deacons, where his sinne and trepasse ought to be declared and aggreged [aggravated, emphasized] so that his conscience may feele how farre he hath offended God, and what slander he hath raised in the Kirk. If signes of unfaigned repentance appeare in him, and if he require to be admitted to publick repentance, the Minister may appoint unto him a day when the whole kirk convenes together, that in presence of all he may testifie his repentance, which before he professed. Which if he accept, and with reverence confesse his sinne, doing the same, and earnestly desiring the Congregation to pray to God with him for mercy, and to accept him in their societie notwithstanding the former offence: Then the Kirk may and ought to receive him as a penitent. For the Kirk ought to be no more severe, then God declares himselfe to be, who witnesses that in whatsoever houre a sinner unfainedly repents, and turnes from his wicked way, that he will not remember one of his iniquities. And therefore ought the Kirk diligently to advert that it excommunicate not those whom God absolves. If the offender called before the Ministerie be found stubborn, hard-hearted, or in whom no signe of repentance appeares, then must he be dimitted with an exhortation to consider the dangerous estate in which he {52} stands; assuring him that if they finde in him no other tokens of amendment of life, that they will be compelled to seek a further remedy. If he within a certaine space shew his repentance to the Ministerie, they may present him to the Kirk, as before is said: If he continue not in his repentance, then must the Kirk be advertised, that such crimes are committed amongst them, which by the Ministry hath bene reprehended, and the persons provoked to repent, whereof because no signes appeare unto them, they could not but signifie unto the Kirk the crimes, but not the person: requiring them earnestly to call to God to move and touch the heart of the offender, so that suddenly and earnestly he may repent. If the person maligne, the next day of publick Assembly, the crime and the person must be both notified unto the Kirk, and their judgements must be required, if that such crimes ought to be suffred unpunished among them; request also should be made to the most discrete and nearest friend of the offender to travell with him to bring him to knowledge of himselfe, and of his dangerous estate, with a commandement given to all men to call to God for the conversion of the unpenitent. If a solemne and speciall prayer were drawne for that purpose the thing should be more gravely done. The third Sonday the Minister ought to require, if the unpenitent have declared any signes of repentance to one of the Ministrie; and if he have, then may the Minister appoint him to be examined by the whole Ministry, either then instantly, or another day affixed to the Consistorie: and if repentance appeare, as well for his crime, as for his long contempt, then he may be presented to the Kirk, and make his confession to be accepted as before is said: But if no man signifie his repentance, then ought he to be excommunicated, and by the mouth of the Minister, and consent of the Ministry, and commandement of the Kirk, must such a contemner be pronounced excommunicate from God, and from all society of the Kirk. After which sentence may no person (his wife and family onely excepted) have any kind of conversation with him, be it in eating and drinking, buying and selling; yea, in saluting or talking with him, except that it be at commandement or licence of the Ministerie for his conversion, that he, by such meanes confounded, seeing himselfe abhorred of the godly and faithfull, may have occasion to repent and so be saved. The sentence of excommunication must be published universally throughout the Realme, lest that any man should pretend ignorance. His children begotten and borne after that sentence, and before his repentance may not be admitted to Baptisme, till either they be of age to require the same, or else that the mother, or some of his speciall friends, {53} members of the Kirk, offer and present the child, abhorring and damning the iniquity, and obstinate contempt of the impenitent.
If any man should thinke it severe that the child should be punished for the iniquitie of the father: let him understand that the Sacraments appertaine to the faithfull and their seed; but such as stubbornly contemne all godly admonition, and obstinately remaine in their inquitie, cannot be accounted amongst the faithfull.
The order for publick Offenders.
WE have spoken nothing of them that commit horrible crimes, as murtherers, manslayers, adulterers; for such, as we have said, the civill sword ought to punish to dead: But in case they be permitted to live, then must the kirk as is before said, draw the sword, which of God she hath received, holding them as accursed even in their very fact. The offender being first called, and order of the Kirk used against him in the same manner, as the persons for their obstinate impenitency are publickly excommunicate. So that the obstinate impenitent after the sentence of excommunication, and the murtherer or adulterer stand in one case, as concerning the judgment of the Kirk. That is, neither of both may be received in the fellowship of the kirk to prayers or Sacraments (but to hearing the word they may) til first they offer themselves to the Ministrie, humbly requiring the Ministers and Elders to pray to God for them, and also to be intercessors to the Kirk that they may be admitted to publick repentance, & to the fruition of the benefits of Christ Iesus, distributed to the members of his bodie. If this request be humbly made, then may not the Ministers refuse to signifie the same unto the Kirk, the next day of publicke preaching, the Minister giving exhortation to the kirk, to pray to God to perform the worke which he appeares to have begun, working in the heart of the offender, unfaigned repentance of his grievous crime & offence, and feeling of his great mercy by the operation of the holy Spirit. Therafter one day ought publickly to be assigned unto him to give open profession of his offence & contépt, & so to make publick satisfactió to the kirk of God: which day the offender must appear in presence of the whole Kirk, with his own mouth damning his own impiety, publickly confessing the same: Desiring God of his mercy & grace, & his Congregation, that it would please them to receive him in their society, as before is said. The Minist. must examine him diligently whether he findes a hatred or displeasure of his sinne, as well of his contempt, as of his crime: which if he confesse, he must travell with him, to see what hope he hath of Gods mercies, & if he finde {54} him reasonably instructed in the knowledge of Christ Iesus, in the vertue of his death, then may the Minister comfort him with Gods infallible promises, and demand of the Kirk if they be content to receive that creature of God whom Satan before had drawen in his nettes, in the society of their bodie, seeing that he declared himselfe penitent. Which if the Kirk grant, as they cannot justly deny the same, then ought the Minister in publick prayer commend him to God, confesse the sinne of that offender before the whole Kirk, desiring mercy and grace for Christ Iesus sake. Which prayer being ended, the Minister ought to exhort the Kirk to receive that penitent brother in their favours, as they require God to receive themselves when they offend. And in signe of their consent, the Elders, and chiefe men of the Kirk, shall take the penitent by the hand, and one or two in the name of the rest shall kisse and imbrace him with reverence and gravitie, as a member of Christ Iesus. Which being done, the Minister shall exhort the received that he take diligent heed in times comming that sathan trap him not in such crimes, admonishing him that he will not cease to tempt and trie by all meanes possible to bring him from that obedience which he hath given to God, and to the ordinance of Iesus Christ. The exhortation being ended, the Minister ought to give publick thankes unto God for the conversion of their brother, and for all benefites which we receive of Christ Iesus, praying for the increase and continuance of the same. If the penitent after he hath offered himselfe unto the Ministerie, or to the Kirk, be found ignorant of the principall points of our Religion, and chiefly in the Articles of Iustification, and of the Office of Christ Iesus, then ought he to be exactly instructed before he be received. For a mocking of God it is to receive them to repentance, who know not wherein standeth their remedie, when they repent their sinne.
Perſons ſubject to Diſcipline.
TO Discipline, must all the estates within this Realm be subject, as well the Rulers, as they that are ruled: yea, and the Preachers themselves, as well as the poore within the Kirk: And because the eye and mouth of the Kirk ought to be most single, and irreprehensible, the life and conversation of the Minister ought to be diligently tryed, wherof we shall speak after that we have spoken of the election of Elders and Deacons, who must assist the Minister in all publick affaires of the Kirk. {55}
