Chapter III: Off the Electioun of Superintendentis

In this present necessitie, the nominatioun, examinatioun, and admissioun of Superintendentis, can not be so strait as we require, and as afterward it must be.

For this present, thairfore, we think sufficient that eather your Honouris, by your selves, nominat sa mony as may serve the fore-written provincis; or that ye gyff commissioun to suche men, as in whome ye suppoise the feir of God [to be] to do the same; and that the same men being called in your presence shalbe by you, and by suche as your Honouris please call unto you for consultatioun in that case, appointed to thair provinces. We think it expedient and necessarie, that als weill the gentilmen, as burgesses of everie diocese, be maid privie at the same tyme to the electioun of the Superintendent, alsweill to bring the Churche in sum practise of hir libertie, as to mak the pastor better favorit of the flocke whome thame selves have chosin. Yff your Honouris can not find for this present sa many able men as the necessitie requireth, then, in our judgementis, more profitable it is that those provincis vaik till God provide better, than that men unabill to edifie and governe the Churche be suddanlie placit in that charge. For experience hath taught us,[433] what pestilence hath bene engendred in the Church by men unabill to discharge thair offices.

[433] In edit. 1621, "hath teached us."

When, thairfore, after thre yeiris any Superintendent shall departe, or chance to be deposed, the cheaf town within that province, to wit, the Ministeris, Elders, and Deaconis, with the Magistrat and Counsall of the same town, shall nominat, and by publict edictis proclame, alsweill to the Superintendent, as to twa or thre provinces nixt adjacent, two or thre of the most learned and most godlie Ministeris within the hole realme, that frome amangis thame, one with publict consent may be electit and appointed to the office then vaiking: and this the cheaf Town shall be bound to do within the terme of twenty dayis. Whiche being expired and no man presented, then shall thre of the nixt adjacent provincis, with consent of thair Superintendentis, Ministeris, and Elderis, enter in into the rycht and priviledgeis of the cheaf town, and shall present everie one of thame one, or two yf thei list, to the cheaf town, to be examinated as the Ordour requireth. As also, it shalbe lauchfull for all the churches of the Diocesye to nominat within the same tyme suche personis as thei think worthye to stand in electioun; which man be put in edict.[434]

[434] In edit. 1621, "Electioun, who all must be put in an Edict."

After the nominationis be maid, publict edictis must be send, first warnyng all men that have any objectioun[435] againis the personis nominatit, or against ony ane of thame, to be present in the cheaf toun at day and place affixit, to object what thei can against the electioun of any one of thame. Threttye dayis we think sufficient to be assigned thairto; thretty dayis, we meane, after that the nominatioun be maid.

[435] In edit. 1621, "sent forth, warning all men that have any
exception."

Whiche day of electioun being come, the hoill Ministeris of that Province, with thre or mo[436] of the Superintendentis nixt adjacent, or that sall thairto be named,[437] shall examyn not onlie the learnying, but also the maneris, prudence, and habilitie to governe the Churche, of all those that ar nominat; that he who shallbe fund most worthye, may be burdened with the charge. Yff the Ministeris of the whole Province should bring with them the voitis of those that war committit to thair caire, the electioun should be the more fre; bot alwayis, the voitis of all those that convene must be requirit.[438] The examinationis must be publictlie maid; those that stand in electioun must publictlie preache; and men must be chargeit in the name of God, to voit according to conscience, and not efter affectioun. Yf ony thing be objectit against any that stand[439] in electioun, the Superintendentis and Ministeris must considder whether the objectioun be maid of conscience or of malice, and thei must ansueir accordinglie. Other ceremonies then scharp examinatioun, approbatioun of the Ministeris and Superintendentis, with the publict consent of the Elderis and People, then present,[440] we can not allow.

[436] In edit. 1621, "with three or foure."

[437] In edit. 1621, "or that shall be thareto nominated."

[438] In edit. 1621, "the votes of them that convene should be
required."

[439] In edit. 1621, "against him that standeth."

[440] Edit. 1621, omits "the present."

The Superintendent being electit, and appointed to his charge, must be subjected to the censur and correctioun of the Ministeris and Elderis, not onlie of his cheaf Toun, but also of the hoill Province over the whiche he is appointed oversear.

Yf his offencis[441] be knawin, and the Ministeris and Elderis of his Province[442] be negligent in correcting him, then the nixt one or two Superintendentis, with thair Ministeris and Elderis, may convene him, and the Ministeris and Elderis of his cheaf toun, (provideit that it be within his awin Province or cheaf toun,) and may accuse and correct alsweale the Superintendent in those thingis that ar worthy of correctioun, as the Ministeris and Elderis for thair negligence and ungodlie tollerance of his offencis.

[441] In edit, 1621, "his offence."

[442] In edit. 1621, "Elders of the Toun and Province."

Whatsoever cryme deserve correctioun or depositioun of any other minister, deserveth the samin in the Superintendent, without exceptioun of persoun.

After that the Churche he establischeit,[443] and thre yeiris be passed, we require that na man be callit to the office of a Superintendent, who hath not tuo yeiris at the leist gevin declaratioun of his faithfull lawbouris in the ministerie of some churche.[444]

[443] In edit. 1621, "Kirk is established."

[444] In edit. 1621, "in the ministrie of the same Kirk."

No Superintendent may be transferrit at the plesour or requeist of ony one Province; no, not without the consent of the whole counsall of the Churche, and that for grave causses and considderationis.

Off one thing, in the end, we must admonische your Honouris, to wit, that in appointing Superintendentis for this present, ye disappoint not your cheaf Tounis, and whair learning is exercised, of suche ministeris as more may proffit be residence in one place, than be continewall travell frome place to place: For if ye so do, the youth in those placis shall lacke the profound interpretatioun of the Scripturis; and so shall it be long before that your gardenis send furth many plantis; whair by the contrarie, yf one or tuo tounis be continewallie exercised as thei may, the Commoun-wealth shall schortlie taist of thair fruct,[445] to the confort of the godlie.

[445] In edit. 1621, "feast of their fruit."

FOR THE SCHOLLIS.[446]

[446] In edit. 1722, "Chap. VII. Of Schools [and Universities.]"

Seeing that the office and dewtie of the godlie Magistrat is nocht onlie to purge the Churche of God from all superstitioun, and to set it at libertie from bondage of tyrranis;[447] but also to provide, to the uttermost of his power, how it may abide in the same puritie to the posteriteis[448] following; we can not but frelie[449] communicat our judgementis with your Honouris in this behalf.

[447] In edit. 1621, "from tyranny and bondage."

[448] In edit. 1021, "in some purity in the posterity."

[449] In edit. 1621, "we can but freely."