Evangelische Kirchenordnungen des XVI. Jahrhunderts

Frankfurt

The office off preachers and
suche as are lerned in the congregation
The office off preachers and such as are lerned in the
churche is to assiste the pastor in preachinge the
worde, ministringe the Sacraments and in all con-
sultations and meetinges off him and the Elders es-
pecially in causes off Doctrine and also at other ty-
mes, when they shall be required.
The office off Elders
The office off Elders is to be (as it were) censors,
overseers off manners and disorders, and to be with
the pastor in all consultations for the publick order
off the churche, and that all corrections and exerci-

ses off discipline be done with their common con-
saile.
Deacons
Consideringe also the present state off the churche,
it is thought requisite that the Deacons besides the
speciall office appointed in the acts off the Apostells
in caringe and provi- |cxv| dinge for the poore, do
also visit the sick and be assistant in Catechisinge
the youthe, yff they shall be therunto required.
The same order and forme is to be used for re-
formation off offences and crymes in ministers and
Elders, whiche is described for other offenders and
to be donne towardes them rather with more seve-
ritie.

Now folowith the Discipline reformed and confirmed by
the authoritie off the churche and magistrate

1. It is moste cumlie [= comely] and godly, that
Christian people resorte together in place and time
therunto by common consent appointed (yff the
persecution off the ungodly will suffer the same, and
they themselves have no urgent cause to the con-
trary) there to heare the pure doctrine off Gods wor-
de taught, and themselves openly with their pre-
sence and voice to declare the consent off their har-
tes to the same and to confesse with their mouthe
agreablely their belieff and faith upon god and his
holy worde according to the scriptures.
2. The congregation thus assembled is a particuler
visible churche, such as maye be in divers places off
the worlde verye manye. And all theis particuler
churches joyned together not in place (for that is
not possible) but by the conjunction off true doc-
trine and faithe in the same, do make one whole
churche in this worlde. And the electe off God that
be in this whole churche and every parte theroff
with all the elect, that hath byn from the beginninge
off the worlde and shall be to the ende theroff doo
altogether make that holy catholike and Apostolike
churche, the spouse off oure saviour christe whiche
he hathe purified to himselff in his blood, wheroff

mention is made in the creede. I beleve one holie
Catholike and Apostolike churche. But at this pres-
ent oure consideration muste be off the visible and
particuler churche. | cxvi |
3. The signes and notes off a visible churche are
thies: Firste true and godly doctrine. Secondly the
right ministration and use off the Sacramentes and
common praier. Thirdly honest and godly liffe, yff
not in the whole multitude, yet in manie off them,
fourthly discipline, that is the correction off vices,
but the 2 firste notes are suche as without the whi-
che no forme off anie godly visible churche can pos-
sibly be. Wherfore they be the principall and chieff
notes. And therfore we define a particuler churche
visible to be the congregation off Christen men,
whither they be fewe or many assemblinge together
in place and time convenient to heare Christes true
Doctrine taught, to use his holy Sacramentes right-
ly and to make their.common praier together, in the
whiche their appearethe a studie off honest and god-
lye liffe and which hathe in it a godly discipline,
that is to saye ordinaunces and decrees ecclesiasti-
call for the preservation off comely order and for the
correction of vices.

590