DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.30289#0617
16. Old Discipline - New Discipline 1557
The manner of receaving all sortes off persons
into the saied congregation
49. Firste for the avoidinge off all heresies and sectes
in oure churches every one, aswell men as wemen,
which desier to be received, shall make a declaration
or confession off their | cxxviii | faithe before the mi-
nisters and elders, shewinge himselff fully to consent
and agree with the doctrine off the churche and sub-
mittinge themselves to the Discipline off the same,
and the same to testifie by subscribing therto, yf
they can wryte.
50. Item yff anye person so desyrous to be receyved
into the congregation be notoriously defamed or no-
ted off any corrupt behaviour or evill opinion in
doctrine or slaunderous behaviour in liffe, the same
maie not by the Ministers and Elders be admitted,
till he have either purged himselff theroff or ells
have declared himselff to the ministers and elders
penitent for the same.
Off admission to the holie communion
51. Item that none off the youthe be admitted to the
communion till they be able to make profession off
their faithe before the whole congregation and also
to have an honest testimony off towardnes in godly
conversation.
52. Item that none openly noted as an hereticke,
sectarye, Idolater or other notorious offender shall
be admitted to the communion before he either pur-
ge or reconcile himselff publiquely before the whole
congregation, And that every member off the con-
gregation do not refuse to render a declaration off
their faithe before the Ministers and Elders, when
so ever they shall by them be therunto requyred.
Thorder off proceadinge to the execution off
the Discipline and correction off offences
53. For as muche as no churche is so perfect, but
e Diese Passage stammt aus der Old Discipline, siehe
oben, S. 589, vgl. Simpson, John Knox, S. 107.
offences may rise, for godly and charitable redres-
sing and reforming off suche, this order is to be ob-
served, firste, yff anye off the congregation be offen-
sive in manners or doctrine to anie off the brethern,
so that the offence be private and not pu- |cxxix|
blickely knowen, there can be no better order devi-
sed then that, whiche Christe himselff hathe appoin-
ted14, whiche is firste brotherly to admonishe him
alone. Iff that do not prevaile, to calle one or two
witnesses, yff that also do not profit, Then to de-
clare it to the Ministers and Elders, To whom the
congregation hathe geven authoritie to take order in
suche cases accordinge to the Discipline off the
churchee.
54. Item that it maye be the better knowne, what is
ment by this worde discipline, or correction off vice,
we thinke that there be 3 degrees off Ecclesiasticall
discipline, the first, that the offender acknowledg
his faulte and shewe [= show] himselff penitent be-
fore the Ministers and the Seniors, The seconde,
that yff he will not so doe, as well his originall cryme
as also his contempt off the Ministers and Elders,
who have the authoritie off the churche, be openly
declared by one off the Ministers before the whole
congregation, and that he therfore make satisfaction
bothe, for his originall crime and also for his con-
tempt off the Ministers, before the whole congre-
gation and that he be not admitted to the commu-
nion before he have satisfied. The thirde, that yff he
remaine still obstinate before the whole congrega-
tion after a tyme to him by the whole congregation
limited to repentin, he then shall be openly denoun-
ced excommunicate which excommunication, seing
it is the uttermoste penaltie off Ecclesiasticall
power, shall not therfore be executed untill the mat-
ter be hard [= heard] by the whole churche or such
as it shall specially appoint therunto.
55. Item yff anie person shall be a notorious knowen
offender, so as he is offensive to the whole congre-
gation, then shall the Ministers and elders immedia-
tly call the offender before them and travell with
14 Mt 18,15-20.
597
The manner of receaving all sortes off persons
into the saied congregation
49. Firste for the avoidinge off all heresies and sectes
in oure churches every one, aswell men as wemen,
which desier to be received, shall make a declaration
or confession off their | cxxviii | faithe before the mi-
nisters and elders, shewinge himselff fully to consent
and agree with the doctrine off the churche and sub-
mittinge themselves to the Discipline off the same,
and the same to testifie by subscribing therto, yf
they can wryte.
50. Item yff anye person so desyrous to be receyved
into the congregation be notoriously defamed or no-
ted off any corrupt behaviour or evill opinion in
doctrine or slaunderous behaviour in liffe, the same
maie not by the Ministers and Elders be admitted,
till he have either purged himselff theroff or ells
have declared himselff to the ministers and elders
penitent for the same.
Off admission to the holie communion
51. Item that none off the youthe be admitted to the
communion till they be able to make profession off
their faithe before the whole congregation and also
to have an honest testimony off towardnes in godly
conversation.
52. Item that none openly noted as an hereticke,
sectarye, Idolater or other notorious offender shall
be admitted to the communion before he either pur-
ge or reconcile himselff publiquely before the whole
congregation, And that every member off the con-
gregation do not refuse to render a declaration off
their faithe before the Ministers and Elders, when
so ever they shall by them be therunto requyred.
Thorder off proceadinge to the execution off
the Discipline and correction off offences
53. For as muche as no churche is so perfect, but
e Diese Passage stammt aus der Old Discipline, siehe
oben, S. 589, vgl. Simpson, John Knox, S. 107.
offences may rise, for godly and charitable redres-
sing and reforming off suche, this order is to be ob-
served, firste, yff anye off the congregation be offen-
sive in manners or doctrine to anie off the brethern,
so that the offence be private and not pu- |cxxix|
blickely knowen, there can be no better order devi-
sed then that, whiche Christe himselff hathe appoin-
ted14, whiche is firste brotherly to admonishe him
alone. Iff that do not prevaile, to calle one or two
witnesses, yff that also do not profit, Then to de-
clare it to the Ministers and Elders, To whom the
congregation hathe geven authoritie to take order in
suche cases accordinge to the Discipline off the
churchee.
54. Item that it maye be the better knowne, what is
ment by this worde discipline, or correction off vice,
we thinke that there be 3 degrees off Ecclesiasticall
discipline, the first, that the offender acknowledg
his faulte and shewe [= show] himselff penitent be-
fore the Ministers and the Seniors, The seconde,
that yff he will not so doe, as well his originall cryme
as also his contempt off the Ministers and Elders,
who have the authoritie off the churche, be openly
declared by one off the Ministers before the whole
congregation, and that he therfore make satisfaction
bothe, for his originall crime and also for his con-
tempt off the Ministers, before the whole congre-
gation and that he be not admitted to the commu-
nion before he have satisfied. The thirde, that yff he
remaine still obstinate before the whole congrega-
tion after a tyme to him by the whole congregation
limited to repentin, he then shall be openly denoun-
ced excommunicate which excommunication, seing
it is the uttermoste penaltie off Ecclesiasticall
power, shall not therfore be executed untill the mat-
ter be hard [= heard] by the whole churche or such
as it shall specially appoint therunto.
55. Item yff anie person shall be a notorious knowen
offender, so as he is offensive to the whole congre-
gation, then shall the Ministers and elders immedia-
tly call the offender before them and travell with
14 Mt 18,15-20.
597