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ORD OURE

OF

Excommunicatioun,

And of

Public Repentance:

Uled in the

CHURCH

OF

SCOTLAND,

And commanded to be printed by the GENERAL ASSEMBLIE of the fame, in the Moneth of Junii, 1569.

Matth. XVIII, 17.

If any heare not the Congregation, let him be unto the as an heathen Man, and as a Publican.

EDINBURGH,

Printed by James Warfon, His Majesty's Printer.

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THE

ORDOURE

OF

Excommunicatioun,

AND OF

Public Repentance,

Led in the Church of Scotland, and com manded to be printed by the Generall Affemblie of the fame, in the Moneth of Junii, * 1569.

To the Reader.

A

Lbeit that in the Booke of Difcipline the Caufes als well of publict Repentance, as of Excommunicatioun ar fufficientle expreffed: Tit becaufe the Forme and Ordor ar not fo fet furth, that everie Church and Minifter may have Affurance that they agree with utheris in proceeding, it is thoght expedient to draw that Ordour which univerfal lie within this Realme shall be observed.

This should be Julii.

Chap.

Chap. I.

The Ordoure of fummar EXCOMMUNICATIOUN.

And First we man understand what Crymes be worthie of Excommunicatioun and the Ordoure to proceed thereintill.

IN

N the First it is to be noted, that all Crymes that be the Law of God deserve Death, deferve allo Excommunicatioun from the Societie of Chriftis Church, whither the Offendar be Papift or Proteftant: For it is no Reason that under Pretence of Diverfitie of Religioun open Impiety fhuld be fuffered in the vifible Body of Chrift Jefus: And thair for wilfull Murtherars, Adulteraris, (lauchfullie convic) Sorcerars, Witches, Conjurars, Charmars, and Gevars of. Drinks to deftroy Children, and opin Blafphemars ( as if ony renunce God, deny the Trueth, and the Authority of his holie Word, ray!l aganis his ble fled Sacramentis ) fuch, we say, aucht to be excommunicat from the Society of Chrift's Church that their Impiety may be haldin in greater Horror, and that they may be the moir deiply wounded, perceaving themfelfes abhorred of the godly. Aganis fuch opin Malefactoris the Proceffe may be fummar: For the Cryme being

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knawin, Advertisement aucht to be gevin to the Superintendent of the Diocey, either be the Minifter, or be fuch as can beft geve Informatioun of that Fact. Except in reformed Townis and Luther Places where the Minifterie is planted with Minifter and Eldaris, according to the Act of the Generall Aflembly made the 26 of December 1568. (1) And if there be no Superintendent where Y y

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(i) This is certainly a Miftake: For this Book was written Anno 1 567. byohn Knox, at the Defire of the Assembly; and revised by the Appointment of the Affembly July 1568. and commanded to be printed by the fame Affembly, tho' it was not printed till 1569. by Lekprevik, according to an Appointment of the Aflembly July 1569. The A&t reférred to is in the Manufcript Acts. Aflembly December 25, 1565. which is as follows.

Gif knawin Murtherars or convi&t Adulteraris, togither with fic as committ horrible Crymes, may not, upon the Notorietie of their Fault, be anis denounced excommunicat, for Declaration that the Kirk abhorrs fic Impieties? Anfwer. The Kirk may and aucht to purge hir self of all fic notorious Malefa&toris, provyding the Offendar be lauchfully callit and convict, either be their awin Confeffion, or be Witneffes. The Ordoure to call them for the Sclander (for civil Things we remit to the Magiftratis) we judge to be this, quhenfoever fic feirfull Crymes ar committed, if it be in the Countrie, the Minifter, Reidar or Exhorter of that Place; or if thair be nane, the Minifter of the Place nixt adjacent, aucht to geve Notice of the Fact to the Superintendant of that Diocey, quho without Delay, aucht to direct his Summondis chargand the Perfonis fclandered, to compeir béfoir him at a certaine Day and Place. Or gif it be done in Townis quhair Ordoure is eftablishit, the Seffioun thairof aucht to call the accused Offendaris: Quho gifthey compeir, and either alledge juft Defence, or fhaw themfelfis unfainedly Penitent; than muft the Superintendant, or Minister and Kirk without the Superintendant, difpence fomewhat with the Rigour of the Punishment, fecluding only the Offendar fra Participatioun of the Scramentis, till farder Tryall of his Repentance. And thắc baith their Diligence and Sentence be publicly pronunced in the Kirk quhair the Offence is knawin. Bot gifthe Offendar be stubborne, as gif he compeir not, or fhaw himself litle tuiched with his Offence, than aucht the Superintendant with Advice of the nixt reformed Kirk, to decerne him or them to be fecludit fra all Participatioun of Communi 18 with the faithfull Memberis of Jefus Chrift, and to be given to Sathan for the Deftructione of the Flefhe, quhas Sclavis (be Impietie comit

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