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A90164 The order of choosing church-officers: with a declaration of the calling of the ministers. Also [brace] the elders, and their office. The deacons, and their office. Church-assemblies in generall. Particular elderships in parishes. The order of excommunication. And the greater presbyteries, or classes. [brace] According to the forme of the Presbyterian government. Published according to order. 1646 (1646) Wing O377; Thomason E345_4; ESTC R200983 11,326 18

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THE ORDER of choosing Church-Officers WITH A Declaration of the Calling of the MINISTERS ALSO The Elders and their Office The Deacons and their Office Church-Assemblies in generall Particular Elderships in Parishes The Order of Excommunication And the greater Presbyteries or Classes According to the Forme of the Presbyterian Government Published according to Order LONDON Printed for R. A. 1646. Of the Calling of Church-Officers AS no man ought to presume to enter into any office Ecclesiasticall without an inward calling from God who onely discerneth the intentions and desires of the heart whether they be earthly or heavenly whether they be set upon the glory of God and edifying of the Church or upon the meanes of this life So none are to be admitted without the approbation and judgment of men according to the rules of the Word and the received order of the Church This outward calling of the Officers of the Church doth consist in Election and Ordination after due tryall and examination of their soundnesse in religion and godlinesse of life For the better understanding of the order of the calling of Ministers it is to bee considered That in every one almost of the Classes or great Presbyteries there be Studnets of Divinity wherefore some if they have opportunity of their Studies make their abode within the bounds of the Presbyterie and attend the meetings thereof Others who are the greater part stay at the Universities and in the time of vocation come home and wait upon the Presbytery The abilities of both the one sort and the other are to be tried in private before the Presbytery and how soon they are found fit to come in publike to enter upon the exercise or prophecy with the Ministers of the Presbytery and at sometimes employed and allowed to preach before the people By which meanes their gifts and abilities are known to the people as their manners are manifest by their conuersing amongst them Out of the number of these Proposants or as you may call them Expectants the Pastor is to be nominated to the vacant place by the Eldership and by the Minister if any be with the consent and good liking of the people and if they can pitch upon none within the bounds of their owne Presbytery to have their liberty to make their choice of an Expectant of good esteem and report in some other Presbytery The person thus knowne and nominated is by the particular Eldership to be named to the greater Presbytery and there examined of his skill in the Languages Latine Greeke and Hebrew in his interpreting of Scripture in the controversies of Religion in his gift of exhortation in the holy and Ecclesiasticall Historie and Chronologie And first of all Of his life and manner of conversation wherin if he be found vitious or scandalous he is not to be admitted to ●ny other examination After the people have heard him some Minister of the Presbyterie is to be appointed to preach to that people of the necessity of the Ministery of the excellency of a faithfull Minister of the qualities of a Minister and of the obedience due to the Gospell or of some such Theme And at the same time a publike Edict must be served That if any person or persons have any thing to object against the literature doctrine or life of such a man why he may not be a profitable Minister of such a Congregation They shall appeare before the Presbytery in such a place and at such a time that their objections may be tried and discussed Vpon the time appointed the Doore-keeper of the Presbyterian meeting is to call three severall times if there be any thing to object against the person nominated and if any thing be alledged against him by any of that particular flocke or any other to whom he is knowne it is duly and equally to be pondered by the Presbyterie and if it be found to have any weight or the case be doubtfull the Ordination is suspended to a more perfect tryall otherwise if there be nothing but silence to proceed So that by this meanes no man is obtruded upon the people against their open or tacite consent and approbation or without the voices of the particular Eldership with whom he is to serve in the Ministerie But if the person nominated be a Pastor of some other flock and his faithfulnesse knowne in his former charge this Processe is spared and his Translation more speedily expedited if there be no impediments of another kind Vpon the day appointed for accomplishing his election and for his Ordination which is in due time to be made knowne to the Congregation and agreed upon by them a Fast ought to be ordained to be kept with more then ordinary supplication for the assistance and blessing of God in a worke of so great concernment and one of the Pastors of the Presbyterie is appointed to preach to that People of the mutuall duties of Pastor and People all which being done the partie during the time of the exercise of publike Worship sitting in some conspicuous place before the Pulpit with the Elders and some Ministers of the Presbyterie is to be called and demanded concerning his willingnesse and desire to serve the Lord Jesus for the good of that people with other questions of that kind and the people also are to be demanded whether they will receive him for their Pastor and submit themselves unto his Ministery in the Lord. Both having declared their readinesse and mutuall consent the Minister coming from the Pulpit with so manie Ministers present as may conveniently come neare lay their hands upon his head and in the name of Jesus appoint him to be Pastor of that people praying that from Jesus Christ who is at the right hand of the Father and giveth gifts unto men he may finde the demonstration of the Spirit and the power and blessing of God in his Ministerie to the comfort of that People after which the whole Eldership give unto him the right hand of Fellowship Last of all the Minister going to the Pulpit is to conclude with pertinent Thanksgiving and Prayers and a Psalme being sung the Assembly dismissed with a Blessing The Congregation where he who is presented to serve is called if they have ought to object against his Doctrine or life after they have heard him or that their consent may be had and if he be found Reus ambitus or to have gone about to procure a presentation he is to be repelled and declared incapable of that place No Pastor may thrust himselfe upon a flock nor after his entry desert his charge or remove himselfe to another Congregation at his own pleasure The deserters if any be are appointed to be admonished and in case of obstinacie to be excommunicated If a Minister upon lawfull and urgent causes desire to remove from one Congregation to another for which he is more fit or be called forth upon grave considerations for some publike employment tending to the common