Thread by @PhilipDerrida

#ProtestantPoliticalTheory from THE FIRST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE (1560) by John Knox (ca. 1514 – 1572), John Winram (ca. 1492 – 1582), John Spottiswoode (1510 – 1585), John Willock (†1585), John Douglas (ca. 1494 – 1574), and John Row (ca. 1525 – 1580)

🧵
0/119

"To the Great council of Scotland now admitted to the regiment, by the providence of God, and by the common consent of the Estates thereof, your honours’ humble servants and ministers of Christ Jesus within the same wish grace, mercy, and peace."

First Book of Discipline (1560)

"From your honours [council of Scotland] we received a charge... commanding us... to commit to writing, and in a book to deliver... our judgments touching the reformation of religion, which... in this realm... has been utterly corrupted."

First Book of Discipline (1560)
2/119

"Upon the receipt whereof [the council of Scotland's command], so many of us as were in this town did convene, and in unity of mind do offer unto your wisdoms these subsequent heads for common order and uniformity to be observed in this realm."

First Book of Discipline (1560)
3/

"Most humbly requiring your honours that... that neither ye admit anything which God’s plain word shall not approve, neither yet that ye shall reject such ordinances as equity, justice, and God’s word do specify."

First Book of Discipline (1560)
4/119

"For as we will not bind your wisdoms to our judgments, further than we are able to prove the same by God’s plain scriptures, so must we most humbly crave of you... that ye repudiate nothing... which ye are not able to improve by God’s... word."

First Book of Discipline (1560)

"By the contrary doctrine, we understand whatsoever men, by laws, councils, or constitutions have imposed upon the consciences of men, without the expressed commandment of God’s word."

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
6/119

"By the contrary doctrine, we understand... [as] vows of chastity, forswearing of marriage, binding of men and women to several and disguised apparels, to the superstitious observation of fasting days, difference of meat for conscience sake"

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
7/

"By the contrary doctrine, we understand... [as] prayer for the dead; and keeping of holy days of certain saints commanded by man, such as be all those that the Papists have invented."

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
8/119

"By the contrary doctrine, we understand... as the feasts (as they term them) of apostles, martyrs, virgins, of Christmas, Circumcision, Epiphany, Purification, and other fond feasts of our lady."

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
9/119

"Which things, because in God’s scriptures they neither have commandment nor assurance, we judge them utterly to be abolished from this realm."

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
10/119

"Affirming further, that the obstinate maintainers and teachers of such abominations OUGHT NOT TO ESCAPE THE PUNISHMENT OF THE CIVIL MAGISTRATE."

First Book of Discipline (1560), I
11/119

"It is to be observed that no person, noted with public infamy, or being unable to edify the kirk by wholesome doctrine, or being known to be of corrupt judgment, be either promoted to the regiment of the kirk."

First Book of Discipline (1560), IV
12/119

"By public infamy we understand not the common sins and offences which any has committed in time of blindness, by fragility... but such capital crimes as the civil sword ought and may punish with death by the word of God."

First Book of Discipline (1560), IV
13/119

"We judge it a thing unseemly and dangerous, that he [minister] shall have public authority to preach to others the life everlasting, from whom the civil magistrate may take the life temporal for a crime publicly committed."

First Book of Discipline (1560), IV
14/119

"If any object, that the prince has pardoned his offence, and that he has publicly repented... we answer, that repentance does not take away the temporal punishment of the law, neither does the pardon of the prince remove his infamy before man."

First Book of Discipline, IV
15/

"If any capital crimes were committed by him [minister], that they should be notified; as, if he has committed willful murder, adultery, were a common fornicator, if he were a thief, a drunkard, a fighter, brawler, or contentious person."

First Book of Discipline (1560), IV
16/

"Rests yet two other sorts of people to be provided for, of that which is called the patrimony of the kirk: to wit, the poor, and teachers of the youth."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
17/119

"Every several kirk must provide for the poor within itself."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
18/119

"For fearful and horrible it is, that the poor, whom not only God the Father in his law, but Christ Jesus in his evangel, and the Holy Spirit speaking by Saint Paul, has so earnestly commended to our care, are universally so contemned and despised."

First Book of Discipline, V

"We are not patrons for stubborn and idle beggars who, running from place to place, make a craft of their begging, whom the civil magistrate ought to punish; but for the widow and fatherless, the aged, impotent, or lame."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
20/119

"Therefore, for such, as also for persons of honesty fallen into decay and penury, ought such provision be made that of our abundance should their indigence be relieved."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
21/119

"How this [aiding the poor] most conveniently and most easily may be done in every city, and other parts of this realm, God shall show you wisdom and the means, so that your minds are godly thereto inclined."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
22/119

"All must not be suffered to beg that gladly so would do; neither yet must beggars remain where they choose; but the stout and strong beggar must be compelled to work."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
23/119

"Every person that may not work must be compelled to repair to the place where he or she was born ... and there reasonable provision must be made for their sustenance, as the church shall appoint."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
24/119

"The order nor sums... cannot be particularly appointed, until such time as the poor of every city, town, or parish are compelled to repair to the places where they were born, or of their residences, where their names and number must be taken."

First Book of Discipline, V
25/119

"Their [i.e., the poor] names and number must be taken and put in a roll; and then may the wisdom of the kirk appoint stipends accordingly."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
26/119

"When... any superintendent shall depart... the ministers, elders, & deacons, with the magistrate & council of the same town-shall nominate and by public edicts proclaim... 2 or 3 of the most learned and... godly ministers within the... realm."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V

"The office & duty of the godly magistrate is not only to purge the church of God from all superstition, & to set it at liberty from bondage of tyrants, but also to provide, to the uttermost of his power, how it may abide in the same purity to the posterity following.”

Scots Con

"God has determined that his church here in earth shall be taught not by angels but by men."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
29/119

"Men are born ignorant of all godliness."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
30/119

"God now ceases to illuminate men miraculously, suddenly changing them, as that he did his apostles and others in the primitive church."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
31/119

"[Parliament must] be most careful for the virtuous education and godly upbringing of the youth of this realm, if either ye now thirst... for the advancement of Christ’s glory, or yet desire the continuance of his benefits to the generation following"

First Book of Discipline, V

"For as the youth must succeed to us, so we ought to be careful that they have the knowledge and erudition to profit and comfort that which ought to be most dear to us-to wit, the church and spouse of the Lord Jesus."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
33/119

"Of necessity therefore we judge it, that every several church have a schoolmaster appointed, such a one as is able, at least, to teach grammar and the Latin tongue, if the town is of any reputation."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
34/119

"If it is upland, where the people convene to doctrine but once in the week, then must either the reader or the minister there appointed, take care over the children and youth of the parish, to instruct them in their first rudiments."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
35/119

"We think it expedient that in every notable town, and especially in the town of the superintendent, there be erected a college, in which the arts, at least logic and rhetoric, together with the tongues, be read by sufficient masters."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
36/119

"[Professors] for whom honest stipends must be appointed; as also provision for those that are poor, and are not able by themselves, nor by their friends, to be sustained at letters, especially such as come from landward."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
37/119

"The fruit and commodity hereof [school attendance] shall suddenly appear. For, first, the youth... shall be nourished and brought up in virtue, in presence of their friends; by whose good attendance many inconveniences may be avoided."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
38/119

"By whose good [school] attendance many inconveniences may be avoided, in the which the youth commonly fall, either by too much liberty, which they have in strange and unknown places, while they cannot rule themselves."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
39/119

"Secondly, the exercise of the children in every church shall be great instruction to the aged."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
40/119

"Last, the great schools, called universities, shall be replenished with those that are apt to learning."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
41/119

"For this must be carefully provided, that no father, of what estate or condition that ever he be, use his children at his own fantasy, especially in their youth; but all must be compelled to bring up their children in learning and virtue."

First Book of Discipline, V
42/119

"The rich and potent may not be permitted to suffer their children to spend their youth in vain idleness, as heretofore they have done."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
43/119

"They [the rich] must be exhorted, and by the censure of the church compelled, to dedicate their sons, by good exercise, to the profit of the church and to the commonwealth; and that they must do of their own expenses, because they are able."

First Book of Discipline, V
44/119

"The children of the poor must be supported and sustained on the charge of the church, till trial is taken whether the spirit of docility is found in them or not."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
45/119

"If they [children of the poor] are found apt to letters and learning, then may they... not be permitted to reject learning; but must be charged to continue their study, so that the commonwealth may have some comfort by them."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
46/119

"For this purpose must discreet, learned, and grave men be appointed to visit all schools for the trial of their exercise, profit, and continuance."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
47/119

"To wit, the ministers and elders, with the best learned in every town, shall every quarter take examination how the youth have profited [from school]."

First Book of Discipline (1560), V
48/119