lesser and inferiour Assembly is subordinate to the superiour and greater so that if any person shall think himself wronged or distressed by the unjust proceedings of the inferiour Assembly it is lawfull for him to seek relief of the greater providing it be done in an humble and peaceable way and in the right order by proceeding to the greater Assembly and so of the rest if need be taking them in their subordination untill either he be satisfied or which rarely cometh to passe he ascend unto the highest of all In matters difficult or such as belong to superiour Assemblies references from the lesser are ordinary but nothing belonging to an inferiour Assembly is brought before a greater till either it cannot be setled or be disorderly done by them or some complaint arise And in that case so farre as may stand with truth and peace the greater Assembly is carefull to preserve the power and authority of the lesser and therefore matters belonging to the inferiour Assemblies are commonly remitted unto them by the greater No one Church be it never so great is to have authority over another nor is it governed by any extrinsecall power but all the particular Churches are of equall power and authority and are ruled and judged by themselves and their own intrinsecall power in Assemblies composed and consisting of their Officers and Commissiâ—ners from them Of particular Elderships in Parishes THe particular Eldership or Church-Session consisteth of one or moe Ministers and of Elders so many in number as the proportion of the Congregation doth require who ordinarily doe meet once in the week The Deacons are alwayes to be present with the Elders not for government but that they may make known the case and necessities of the poore and may consult and receive direction for their supply The Minister of the Parish is alwayes to be Moderator of this Meeting and if there be moe Ministers then one the Moderator is either chosen or they doe moderate by course providing that none be Moderator while any matter is treated which concerneth his own particular The matters treated by this Eldership are such particulars as concern the worship of God in that Church as what dayes of the week are meetest for assembling to the publike Worship if it may be had and be thought necessary what hours on the Lords day before and after noon which are variable according to the length or shortnesse of the day in Summer and Winter what times are fittest for publike Catechising and for visiting of particular Families how often and at what times the Lords Supper is most seasonably to be administred all which are fitting for keeping of order in the Church and cannot be so fitly determined by a superiour Assembly the Elders also do here delate scandalous persons and bring them to publike repentance according to the Forme prescribed in the greater Assemblies but if there be any doubt or difficulty or if the delinquents and obstinacy and impenitency to their fault then are they warned to appeare before the greater Presbytery there to receive order for their censure or to be sent home again to give satisfaction or to make their repentance in their own Church where they have given offence and where the fault was committed For example a man behaving himself scandalously with a woman both unmarried and single persons is first admonished and rebuked if fornication appear he is called before the Eldership brought to the sense and confession of his fault and ordained to make his publike repentance according to the order of the Church and to abstain from all scandalous behaviour afterward But if he prove obstinate he is conveened before the greater Presbytery the matter is examined and either promiseth to give obedience to his own Eldership or in case of continued obstinacy the censures of the Church proceed against him But if there be a scandall of adultery or murder the noise and scandall whereof is far spread and filleth all mens ears round about the parties are brought before the greater Presbytery and the particular Eldership doth before prepare the parties for their appearance before the Presbytery The same faults which are brought before the particular or greater Presbytery in an Ecclesiasticall way are also published by the civill Magistrate and the pecuniall mulct or penalty is given to the Deacons to be kept in the Church treasure for the benefit of the poore or other pious uses Nothing useth to be done by the lesser or greater Presbytery in ordering the publike Worship in censuring of delinquents or bringing them to publike repentance but according to the setled order of the Church and with expresse or tacite consent of the Congregation and if there be any new emergents that cause doubting or haesitation the matter is remitted to the great Assembâ—ies of the Church The order of Excommunicating ALL baptized persons when they come to age and discretion are not admitted to the Lords Table but such onely as either upon examination are found to have a competent measure of knowledge in the principles of Religion doe professe that they are believers and do live unblamedly or coming from another Congregation bring with them sufficient testimony that they are such or are otherwise well known and approved The Ministers and Elders are to use all the meanes in publike and private to bring all others within the Parish to knowledge faith and holinesse of life that they may be fitted for the Lords Table But this not admission to the Communion is one thing excommunication of haynous or obstinate offenders is another thing very different In case of obstinacy and wilfull impenitency even when the offences are not so great and scandalous they proceed to excommunication but with great meeknesse long suffering and by many degrees the censure being so weighty and they desire to gain the sinner to repentance If any person walk unworthy of the Gospel or commit any trespasse he is unlesse the scandall be publike and notorious admonished first secretly by one next by two or three more and thirdly if he contemn both then according to the order prescribed by our Saviour Mat. 18. The matter is brought before the Minister and Elders where he is accused both of the trespasse and of the contempt If he cannot yet be brought to repentance then is the matter in some measure to be made known unto the Congregation and he called before the greater Presbytery where if he give signs of his repentance he is remitted to satisfie his own session But if he persist in his obstinacy then by the Ordinance of the Presbytery the particular Eldership is to proceed against him with the censure of the Church even to Excommunication The matter being thus heard known judged and the whole processe revised by the greater Presbytery the next Sabbath without delay the trespasse and order of admonitions are to be declared to the Congregation and the person without specification of his name admonished yet to satisfie
benefit of the Church this is not done by private transaction and particular agreement of Ministers and Congregations but by the wisdome and authority of the Presbyteries or Assemblies of the Church not is it done by them but upon such reasons as should move that Church wherein for the present he administreth to give her consent for whose supply also either a convenient course is presently taken or the way of supply is seen to be easie The Ministers thus removed from one Church to another receiveth no new Ordination but by vertue of his first Ordination serveth in the place unto which he is called and elected Only at his admission one of the Presbytery who is appointed to preach of the duty of Pastors and people and to pray for a blessing recommendeth him to the Congregation who have before declared their willingnesse and desire to receive him and the Congregation to his care and fidelity and the Pastor if any be together with the Elders with whom he is to sit before the Pulpit take him by the hand Pastors and Ministers of the Word through old age sicknesse or other infirmity being disabled to beare the weight and discharge the duty of their Pastorall charge do notwithstanding still retain the honour of their office and comfort of maintenance during their life time And they performing what they are able in teaching government visitation and catechising others are joyned with them by the Presbytery with the consent of the people to be their fellow-labourers and to undergo charge The same course of election and admission for substance and in forme according to the nature of their office is observed in the calling other Officers as Ruling Elders and Deacons at the beginning and where there be none the Pastor with the gravest holiest and those of the soundest judgement and best affection to Religion doe choose them with the consent of the rest of the people And where particular Elderships are already constitute the Pastor and Elders who are in office doe choose such as are to succeed those who are removed by death or any other way or by vicissitude are to relieve such as are in place and that the election of one or more at first or afterward may proceed with the consent of the people their names are to be published and made knowne to the Congregation by the Pastors that if ought may be objected against any of them why they may not be received to the office of an Elder or Deacon it may be examined and if it be found important others may be chosen When the day of their admission cometh the Pastor having fram'd his Doctrine to the purpose calls them up and remembring both them of their duty in their charge and the people of their submitting themselves unto them they are to be solemnly received with lifted up hands giving their promises to be faithfull Of Elders and their Office THe Calling Election and admission of Elders is before spoken of The number of Elders in every Parish is not definite but doth vary according to the number and necessity of the people In some parishes sixe in some ten or twelve c. Such are to be chosen for Elders as come nearest to the gifts and qualities required by the Apostle and after they are chosen are at all occasions to be exhorted by the Pastor to be ensamples to the flocke and to watch over them faâ—thfully against all corruptions in Religion and life And as the Pastor should be diligent in teaching and sowing the seed so are the Elders desired to be carefull in seeing and seeking the fruits of the people The Elders are to attend with the Pastor in Catechising the people to assist him in visiting the sicke in admonishing all men of their duty and if any will not heare them they must bring the disobedient before the Eâ—dership But a principall part of their duty is to joyne alwaies with the Pastor in the particular Eldership and in other assemblies of the Church as they shall be called for exercising of discipline and governing the whole Congregation Of the Deacons and their Office VVHat manner of persons the Deacons ought to be the Scripture is plaine and such they make choice of as are so qualified so farre as may be The forme of their election is before expressed Their number must be considered of according to the number of the poore and the proportion of the Congregation as wee spake before of the Elders Their maine duty is to collect receive and distribute not onely the almes for the poore but the whole Ecclesiasticall goods which are not assigned and appointed for the maintenance of particular persons These duties they must performe at the discretion and by the appointment of the Pastor and Elders for which cause and not for government they are to be present at the ordinary meetings of the Eldership The meanes for the maintenance of the poore are collected by the Deacons the first day of the weeke and other dayes of the publike assâ—mbling the people to the worship of God at the entry of the Church And if this prove not a competency then do the people either bring in their Charity on such daies as are appointed by the Eldership or are willing to be taxed according as they shall bee judged to be able In Cities and Parishes where this order shall be carefully observed none will be suffered to beg and none lacke Of Church Assemblies in generall NO man were he never so eminent above others for piety wisdome or learning or doth he never so much arrogate authority to himselfe hath the rains of Church-Government in his hands to determine or to doe what seemeth good in his owne eyes But all matters are to be advised determined and judged with common consent in the meetings and assemblies of the Church which for this end are of foure sorts and degrees which are commonly called by the names of Church-Sessions or particular Elderships or Consistories Presbyteries or Classes Provinciall Synods and Nationall or Generall Assemblies Each of these assemblies hath a President or Moderator who beginneth and endeth with Prayer propoundeth matters to be treated procureth them to be debated if need be and in orderly way that all may be heard and none interrupted unlesse he speake too much gathereth the voices which are noted by the Clerk and pronunceth the sentence or if there be an equality remitteth it to the greater Presbytery each of them hath a Clerk or a Notary and a Register of all things debated and done by them especially of such matters as may be of future use None of these Assemblies from the least to the greatest are to treat of matters pertaining to the civill Jurisdiction and Magistrate but only of matters Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall that the doctrine and worship may be kept in purity all things be done decently and in order in the particular Churches and that all the Members of the Churches may walk worthily of the Gospel The
which if he still refuse to do the next Sabbath his name with his offence and contempt are published if he yet continue obstinate then the next which is the third Sabbath is he charged publikely to satisfie for his offence and contempt under the pain of excommunication If now he offer himself to the particular Presbytery then do they at the appointment of the Presbytery give order for his publike repentance the removing of the scandall his reconcilement to the Church otherwise the Minister proceedeth in this order The Sabbath after the third publike admonition the Minister with consent of the Eldership is to make known to the Congregation that such a person is to be excommunicated warning all that have any thing to object against it that they appear the next Session day and for the present that the whole Congregation powre forth their supplications that God would grant him repentance and to come out of the snare of the Divel If nothing be objected or if none for him witnesse any appearance of repentance then is the danger of the person and the weight of the sentence laid open the next Sabbath and he the second time prayed for publikely If at last upon the next Sabbath there be no sign of repentance then is he prayed for the third time and there being no means unassayed nor remedy left to reclaime him he is strucken with the terrible sentence of excommunicating with calling upon the Name of God to ratifie the sentence in Heaven and the people warned to hold him as an Heathen or an Publican and to shun all communion with him except in naturall and civill duties to be still performed by such as are bound It is to be understood that where the crimes are such that they cry to the Heavens for revenge waste the conscience and by the law of God deserve death and the transgressour certainly known the Processe may be more summary and Excommunication more hastened as on the other part of Absolution the time would be longer and the tryall of repentance more exact After excommunication he is permitted to come to the preaching of the Word yet so as it may appear that he commeth as one not having communion with the Church Neither is he debarred from private counsell instruction admonition and prayer that in the end his spirit may be saved If after excommunication the Eldership finde the signs of repentance as the good life and behaviour of the excommunicate declaration of the griefe of his heart and his humble submission to the order of the Church in all things that may reconcile him to God his people they shall with joy of heart make it known to the Congregation by the Minister that they also may have joy over their brother repenting or if they have ought to object against the truth of his repentance they may give notice therof at the next meeting of the Eldership where if nothing be alleaged against him after he hath obeyed the injunction of the Eldership for his further humiliation and the better tryall of his repentance he is either brought before the greater Presbytery as all other penitents for great crimes or by relation from his own Eldership is to give them satisfaction in the signes of his repentance that he may be absolved As all publike penitents are received so is the excommunicate absolved in the face of the Congregation before whom being brought by the Elders at the time appointed he maketh free confession of his sinne and mourneth for it cryeth to God formercy seeketh to be reconciled to the Church and promiseth new obedience with which all being satisfied and willing to receive him into their common and mutuall consolation the Minister who preacheth for that time pronounceth him upon his repentance to be absolved in the Name of Christ from his sin and free of the censures of the Church and have right through faith to Christ and all his benefits and ordinances praising God for his grace and praying that he may be fully accepted to his favour loosed in Heaven and hear the voyce of joy and gladnesse After the sentence of absolution the Minister speaketh to him as a brother exhorting him to watch and pray or comforting him if he have need the Elders imbrace him and the whole Congregation keepeth communion with him as if he had never offended As the Presbytery excommunicateth prophane professours so doth it also depose Preachers if they be teachers of corrupt Doctrine if their lives continue scandalous after admonition if they be busie in renting the Church asunder by schisme and division if they be given to blasphemy profanation of the Lords day simony perjury drunkennesse sighting or any other sinne for which whether in respect of the greatnesse of the sinne or by reason of the contempt and obstinacie when the sinne is not so great private persons are excommunicated and although they be upon their repentance absolved from the sentence of excommunication yet in some cases especially where the crime inferreth a perpetuall infamy are they never readmitted to the Ministery except upon the most unanimous and most earnest desire of the whole Church where they served before Of greater Presbyteries or Classâ—es THe Presbytery or Classicall meeting doth consist of particular neighbouring Churches in such a circuit as many conveniently meet together to the number of 10 16 20 or so many as the vicinity of the places and Parishes may well accommodate It is supposed that the whole particular Elderships cannot well assemble in one place ordinarily neither is it necessary There must be therefore beside the Minister or Ministers of the Congregation who are suposed to be perpetuall members of the Presbyterie some of speciall note choâ—en out of the Elders and by them who receiving from them Commission may represent the whole from each perticular Eldership one of the Elders with the Minister or Ministers repaireth to the place of meeting so that the members of this Presbyteriall meeting are all Ministers within the Circuit one Elder delegated from each particular Eldership None of the Ministers are permitted to be absent unlesse they be detained by necessary impediment or extraordinary imployments And therefore the day of the meeting of the Presbyterie may not be destinate to ordinary preaching Nor are they to wait that day upon solemnizing of marriages The names are called by the Clerke and the absents are noted and examined the next day upon the reasons of their absence and if any happen to absent themselves many dayes without reasonable causes they are set apart and censured as guilty of the contempt or neglect of the Order of the Church But the Elders are not so strictly tied to ordinarie attendance but if there be any matter of great weight to be handled they are all to be warned to be present and if he who was formerly Commissioner may not assist another Commissioner in his place may be chosen by the Eldership It is permitted to the expectants
having entred before upon the publike exercise or prophesie to sit by the Ministers and Elders in the meeting of the Presbytery and to give their judgment of the Doctrine but they have no voice when matters of doctrine or discipline are debated And in the handling of some matters which are thought fit to be concealed and kept secret till they be by common consent published they are to be removed Because the whole discipline in a manner is in the hands of the Presbytery they are to meet once a week or fortnight upon a certain day and in a certain place but in some places through the length and deepnesse of the way in Winter they do not meet so often The subject and matters treated by the Presbytery are all Ecclesiasticall matters of weight which concern the particular Churches there represented as the examination ordination suspension axd depositions of Ministers scandals of Ministers in Doctrine life or any part of their calling the discerning of excommunication references and appellations from particular Elderships and the amending of any thing that hath been negligently or weakly done by them the answering also of questions requests from other Presbyteries Churches or persons or sending of Commissioners in some cases to other Churches or Presbyteries whether to admonish them or to seek counsell from them but so that they have no authority without the limits of their own consociation The Ministers and Elders who are Commissioners together with the expectants and others who are pleased to be present meeting in the place and at the day and hour appointed which useth to be one half hour after nine a clock in the forenoon where of warning is given by the sound of a bell that so all the affaires of that day unlesse there be somwhat extraordinary to hold them longer may be expedited against mid-day do begin with prayer and proceed to the textuall interpretation of Scripture which is done by the Ministers each one in his own place by course or by the expectants whose names are set forth in a Table or written in the Register of the Presbytery for that end after the first speaker some other who followeth in order and is also appointed by the Presbytery the day before speaketh in the second place collecting some doctrine sone or moe upon the text expounded and shewing the use thereof The second speaker having ended about eleven a clock the exercise is closed with thanksgiving by him who spake first The matter of each dayes exercise is some portion of that particular book of the old or new Testament agreed upon in the Presbytery once every moneth some common place or controversie is handled unto which the exercise giveth place for that day The ground is read in Scripture the state of the question propounded the arguments for the truth pressed and vindicated from the sophistication of the adversaries but the arguments contra are left to be proponed in the Presbyteriall meeting by such Ministers as are by the Moderator called to dispute upon the propositions or Theses exhibit the day of the meeting next before by the controversar and are propugned by him the Moderator being prases of the disputation That that the Presbyterie may goe through all the controversies they have also a table wherein they are all digested in order so that each minister or expectant knoweth a moneth before what is next to be treated The exercise or common head of controversie ended in publike the people depart and the Ministers and Elders with others who are permitted to be present go to the private place of their meeting where all being set in order and the Moderator having begun with prayer the doctrine delivered in publike is examined and each one of the Presbytery and Expectants either approveth or in charity and sobernesse of spirit propoundeth his doubt against any point spoken of which being done the speakers for that day are called upon they being apart at this time their interpretation and doctrine approved and they encouraged or if there be cause they are in a brotherly manner admonished The doctrine censured for this is called the censure of the doctrine The matters before mentioned to be the subject of the Presbyteriall jurisdiction are propounded modestly debated and either concluded or taken to further deliberation or remitted to the Synod and so the meeting concluded with prayer The Moderator either continueth in his place between one Provintiall Synod and another or for a shorter time but they think it not fit to change the Moderator at every meeting The Presbyteries also do visit the severall Churches within their bounds either by holding their full meeting at the Churches or by sending their Commissioners thither that they may see how the Ordinances of Christ are used and obeyed by the Minister Eldership and all the Congregation and that if any thing be amisse it may be rectified FINIS