and is to bee removed to another charge hee shall bring a Testimoniall of his Ordination and of his abilities and Conversation whereupon his fitnesse for that place shall bee tryed by his Preaching there and if it shall bee judged necessary by a further examination of him In all which he being approved he is to bee sent to the Church where he is to serve there to Preach three severall dayes and to converse with the people that they may have tryall of his gifts for their edification and may have time and occasion to inquire into and the better to know his life and conversation In the last of these three dayes appointed for the tryall of his gifts in Preaching there shall bee sent from the Presbytery to the Congregation a publike intimation in writing which shall be publikely read before the people and after affixed to the Church door To signifie that such a day a competent number of the Members of that Congregation nominated by themselves shall appear before the Presbytery to give their consent and approbation to such a Man to bee their Minister Or otherwise to put in with all Christian discretion and meeknesse what exceptions they have against him And if upon the day appointed there be no just exception against him but the people give their consent then the Presbytery shall proceed to Ordination Upon the day appointed for Ordination which is to be performed in that Church where he that is to be ordained is to serve A solemne fast shall be kept by the Congregation that they may the more earnestly joyne in prayer for a blessing upon the ordinance of Christ and the labours of his Servant for their good The Presbytery shall come to the place or at least three or four Ministers of the Word shall bee sent thither from the Presbytery of which one appointed by the Presbytery shall Preach to the people concerning the office and duety of the Ministers of Christ and how the people ought to receive them for their works sake After the Sermon the Minister who hath Preached shall in the face of the Congregation demand of him who is now to be ordained concerning his faith in Christ Jesus and his perswasion of the Truth of the Reformed Religion according to the Scripture his sincere intentions and ends in desiring to enter into this Calling his diligence in Prayer Reading Meditation Preaching Ministering the Sacraments Discipline and doing all other Ministeriall duties toward his charge his zeal and faithfulnesse in maintaining the Truth of the Gospel and Unity of the Church against Errour and Schisme his care that himself and his Family may be unblameable and examples to the flock his willingnesse and humility in meeknesse of Spirit to submit unto the admonitions of his Brethren and Discipline of the Church and his resolution to continue in his dutie against all troubles and persecution In all which having declared himself professed his willingnesse and promised his endeavours by the help of God The Minister likewise shall demand of the people concerning their willingnesse to receive and acknowledge him as the Minister of Christ and to obey and submit unto him as having rule over them in the Lord and to maintaine encourage and assist him in all the parts of his office Which being mutually promised by the people the Presbytery or the Ministers sent from them for Ordination shall solemnly set him apart to the Office and Work of the Ministry by laying their hands on him which is to be accompanied with a short Prayer or Blessing to this effect Thankfully acknowledging the great mercy of God in sending Jesus Christ for the Redemption of his People and for his ascension to the right hand of the Father and thence pouring out his Spirit and giving gifts to Men Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors and Teachers for the gathering and building up of his Church and for fitting and inclining this man to this great Work To entreat him to fill him with his holy Spirit to give him whom in his Name we thus set apart to this holy Service to fulfill the Work of his Ministry in all things that hee may both save himself and the People committed to his charge This or the like forme of Prayer or Blessing being ended let the Minister who Preached briefly exhort him to consider the greatnesse of his Office and Work the danger of negligence both to himself and his people the Blessing which will accompany his faithfulnesse in this life and that to come And withall exhort the People to carry themselves to him as to their Minister in the Lord according to their solemne promise made before And so by prayer both commencing Him and his Flock to the grace of God After the singing of a Psalme let the Assembly bee dismissed with a Blessing If a Minister be designed to a Congregation who hath been formerly ordained Presbyter according to the forme of Ordination which hath been in the Church of England which we hold for substance to be valide and not to be disclaimed by any who have received it Then there being a cautious proceeding in matter of examination let him bee admitted without any new Ordination And in case any Person already ordained Minister in Scotland or in any other Reformed Church be designed to a Congregation in England he is to bring from that Church to the Presbytery here within which that Congregation is a sufficient Testimoniall of his Ordination of his life and conversation while hee lived with them and of the causes of his removeall And to undergo such a tryall of his fitnesse and sufficiency And to have the same course held with him in other particulars as is set down in the rule immediatly going before touching examination and admission That Records be carefully kept in the severall Presbyteries of the Names of the Persons ordained with their Testimonials the time and place of their Ordination of the Presbyters who did impose hands upon them and of the charge to which they are appointed That no Money or gift of what kinde soever shall be received from the Person to bee ordained or from any on his behall for Ordination or ought else belonging to it by any of the Presbyterie or any appertaining to any of them upon what pretence soever Thus far the ordinary rules and course of Ordination in the ordinary way That which concerns the extraordinary way requisite to be now practised followeth In these present exigences while we cannot have any Presbyteries formed up to their whole power and work and that many Ministers are to be ordained for the Service of the Armies and Navie and to many Congregations where there is no Minister at all and where by reason of the publike troubles the people cannot either themselves enquire out and finde one who may be a faithfull Minister for them or have any with safety sent unto them for such a solemn tryall as was before mentioned in the ordinary rules especially when there can bee no Presbytery neer unto them to whom they may addresse themselves or which may come or send to them a fit man to be ordained in that Congregation and for that People And yet notwithstanding it is requisite that Ministers be ordained for them by some who being set apart themselves for the Work of the Ministry have power to joyne in the setting apart of others who are found fit and worthy In these cases untill by Gods blessing the aforesaid difficulties may bee in some good measure removed let some godly Ministers in or about the City of London be designed by publike authority who being associated may ordaine Ministers for the City and the Vicinity keeping as neer to the ordinary rules forementioned as possibly they may And let this association be for no other intent or purpose but onely for the work of Ordination Let the like association be made by the same authority in great Towns and the Neighbouring Parishes in the severall Counties which are at the present quiet and undisturbed to do the like for the parts adjacent Let such as are chosen or appointed for the service of the Armies or Navie bee ordained as abovesaid by the associated Ministers of London or some others in the Countries Let them do the like when any man shall duely and lawfully be recommended to them for the Ministery of any Congregation who cannot enjoy liberty to have a tryall of his parts and abilities and desire the help of such Ministers so associated for the better furnishing of them with a Person as by them shall bee judged fit for the service of that Church and People Cornelius Burges Prolocutor pro tempore Henry Roborough Scrib Adoniram Byfield Scrib FINIS
and holy in all manner of Conversation God may bee honoured the Church edified and himself saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Then shall follow the sentence of Absolution in these or the like words Whereas thou N. hast for thy sinne been shut out from the Communion of the Faithfull and hast now manifested thy Repentance wherein the Church resteth satisfied In the Name of Jesus Christ before this Congregation I pronounce and declare thee absolved from the sentence of Excommunication formerly denounced against thee And do receive thee to the Communion of the Church and the free use of all the Ordinances of Christ that thou mayest be partaker of all his benefits to thy eternall salvation After this Sentence of Absolution the Minister speaketh to him as to a Brother exhorting him to watch and pray or comforting him if there be need the elders embrace him and the whole Congregation holdeth communion with him as one of their own Although it be the duety of Pastors and other ruling officers to use all diligence and vigilancy both by Doctrine and Discipline respectively for the preventing and purging out such Errors Heresies Schismes and scandals as tend to the detriment and disturbance of the Church Yet because it may fall out through the pride and stubbornnesse of offenders that these meanes alone will not be effectuall to that purpose It is therefore necessary after all this to implore the aide of the Civil Magistrate who ought to use his coercive power for the suppressing of all such offences and vindicating the discipline of the Church from contempt Of Ordination of Ministers BEcause no man ought to take upon him the office of a Minister of the Word without a lawfull Call therefore Ordination which is the solemne setting apart of a person unto some publick Church office is alwaies to be continued in the Church When he who is to be ordained Minister hath been first duely examined touching his fitnes both for life and Ministeriall abilities according to the rules of the Apostle by those who are to ordaine him and hath been by them approved Hee is then to bee ordained by imposition of hands and prayer with fasting But if any person be found unfit he is not to be ordanied It is agreeable to the word and very expedient that such as are to bee ordained Ministers be designed to some particular Church or other Ministeriall charge Ordination is the act of a Presbyterie unto which the power of ordering the whole worke belongs yet so as that the preaching Presbyters orderly associated either in Cities or in neighbouring villages are those to whom the imposition of hands doth appertain for those Congregations within their bounds respectively And therefore it is very requisite that no single Congregation which can conveniently associate doe assume to it selfe all and sole power in Ordination No Person or Persons may or ought to nominate appoint or choose any man to be a Minister for a Congregation who is not fit and able for that worke And if any unfit man be nominated to the Classicall Presbyterie they are to refuse to admit him When any Minister is to be ordained for a particular Congregation or translated from one place to another the people of that Congregation to which hee is to bee ordained or admitted shall have notice of it and if they shew just cause of exception against him hee is not to be ordained or admitted And in the meane time till one be admitted the Presbyterie shall provide for the supply of the Congregation The Congregation if they conceive themselves wronged by any act of the Presbyterie shall have libertie to appeal to the next Synode which upon hearing of the matter shall judge as the cause shall require The Directory for Ordination of Ministers IT being manifest by the word of God that no man ought to take upon him the office of a Minister of the Gospel untill he be lawfully called and ordained thereunto and that the work of Ordination is to be performed with all due care wisdome gravity and solemnity wee humbly tender these Directions as requisite to be observed He that is to be ordained being either nominated by the people or otherwise commended to the Presbytery for any place must addresse himself to the Presbyterie and bring with him a testimoniall of his taking the Covenant of the three Kingdomes of his diligence and proficiency in his Studies what degrees hee hath taken in the University and what hath been the time of his abode there and withall of his age which is to be four and twentie yeares but especially of his life and conversation Which being considered by the Presbyterie they are to proceed to enquire touching the Grace of God in him and whether he be of such holinesse of life as is requisite in a Minister of the Gospel And to examine him touching his learning and sufficiency and touching the evidences of his calling to the holy Ministery and in particular his fair and direct calling to that place The Rules for examination are these 1. That the party be dealt with in a Brotherly way with mildnesse of spirit and with speciall respect to the gravitie modesty and quality of every one 2. He shall be examined touching his skill in the Originall tongues and the tryall to be made by reading the Hebrew and Greek Testaments and rendring some portion of them into Latine And if he be defective in them enquiry shall bee made the more strictly after his other learning And whether he hath skill in Logick and Phylosophie 3. What Authors in Divinity he hath read and is best acquainted with And tryall shall be made of his knowledge in the chief grounds of Religion and of his ability to defend the Orthodox Doctrine contained in them against all unsound and erronious opinions especially those of the present age of his skill in the sense and meaning of such places of Scripture as shall be proposed to him in cases of Conscience in the Chronologie of Scripture and the Ecclesiasticall History 4. If he hath not preached in publick with approbation of such as are able to judge he shall at a competent time assigned him expound before the Presbytery such a place of Scripture as shall be given him 5. He shall also within a competent time frame a discourse in Latine upon such a Common place or Controversie in Divinity as shall be assigned him and exhibite to the Presbyterie such Theses as expresse the summe thereof and maintaine a Dispute upon them 6. He shall Preach before the People the Presbyterie or some of the Ministers of the Word appointed by them being present 7. The proportion of his gifts in relation to the place unto which he is called shall be considered 8. Beside the triall of his gifts in Preaching he shall undergoe an examination in the premisses two severall dayes or more if the Presbyterie shall judge it necessary 9. And as for him that hath beene formerly ordained a Minister
established in his Church Those being publikely known to the just scandall of the Church the sentence of Excommunication shall proceed according to the Directory But the Persons who hold other errours in judgement about points wherein Learned and Godly men possibly may or do differ and which subvert not the Faith nor are destructive to Godlinesse Or that bee guilty of such sinnes of infirmity as are commonly found in the Children of God Or being otherwise sound in the Faith and holy in Life and so not falling under censure by the former Rules endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and do yet out of Conscience not come up to the observation of all those Rules which are or shall be established by Authority for regulating the outward Worship of God and Government of his Church wee doe not decerne to be such against whom the sentence of Excommunication for these causes should be denounced When the sinne becomes publike and justly scandalous the offender is to bee dealt with by the Eldership to bring him to Repentance and to such a manifestation thereof as that his Repentance may bee publike as the scandall But if he remaine obstinate he is at last to be Excommunicated and in the meane time to bee suspended from the Lords Supper And whereas there bee divers and various judgements touching the power of Excommunication and the proper subject thereof we conceive that for clearing of difficulties avoiding of offences preservation of Peace and such like these following Directions are fit to bee observed In the great and difficult cases of Excommunication whether concerning Doctrine or conversation the Classicall Presbytery upon the knowledge thereof may examine the person consider the nature of the offence with the aggravations thereof and as they shall see just cause may declare and decerne that he is to be excommunicated which shall be done by the Eldership of that Congregation whereof hee is a member with the consent of the Congregation in this or the like manner As there shall bee cause severall publick admonitions shall bee given to the offender if hee appear and prayers made for him When the offence is so hainous that it cryes to Heaven for vengeance wasteth the conscience and is generally scandalous the censures of the Church may proceed with more expedition In the admonitons let the fact bee charged upon the offender with the cleare evidence of his guilt thereof Then let the nature of his sinne the particular aggravations of it the punishments and curses threatned against it the danger of impenitency especially after such meanes used the wofull condition of them cast out from the favour of God and communion of the Saints the great mercy of God in Christ to the penitent how ready and willing Christ is to forgive and the Church to accept him upon his serious repentance Let these or the like particulars be urged upon him out of some sutable places of the holy Scriptures The same particulars may be mentioned in Prayer wherein the Lord is to be intreated to blesse this admonition to him and to affect his heart with the consideration of these things thereby to bring him unto true Repentance If upon the last admonition and Prayer there be no evidence nor signe of his Repentance let the dreadfull sentence of Excommunication be pronounced with calling upon the name of God in these or the like expressions Speak this in the third Person if the party bee absent Whereas thou N. hast been by sufficient proofe convicted of here mention the Sin and after due admonition and prayer remainest obstinate without any evidence or signe of true Repentance Therefore in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ and before this Congregation I pronounce and declare thee N. Excommunicated and shut out from communion of the Faithfull Let the prayer accompanying Sentence to be this effect That God who hath appointed this terrible Sentence for removing offences and reducing of obstinate sinners would be present with this his ordinance to make it effectuall to all these holy ends for which he hath appointed it that this retaining of the offenders sinne and shutting him out of the Church may fill him with feare and shame breake his obstinate heart and be a meanes to destroy the flesh and to recover him from the power of the divell that his Spirit may yet be saved that others also may be stricken with feare and not dare to sinne so presumptuously and that all such corrupt leaven being purged out of the Church which is the house of God Jesus Christ may delight to dwell in the midst of them After the denunciation of this Sentence the people are to be warned that they hold him to be cast out of the communion of the Church and to shun all communion with him Neverthelesse Excomunication dissolveth not the bonds of civil or naturall relations nor exempt from the duties belonging to them This Sentence is likewise to be made knowne Not only to that but to any other Classis or Congregation as occasion shall require by reason of his abode or conversing with them The order of proceeding to Absolution IF after excommunication the signes of Repentance appear in the Excommunicated Person such as godly sorrow for sin as having thereby incurred Gods heavy displeasure occasioned griefe to his brethren and justly provoked them to cast him out of their communion together with a full purpose of heart to turne from his sin unto God and to reforme what hath been amisse in him with an humble desire of recovering his peace with God and his People and to be restored to the light of Gods countenance the communion of the Church He is to be brought before the Congregation and there also to make free confession of his sinne with sorrow for it to call upon God for mercy in Christ to seek to be restored to the communion of the Church promising to God new obedience and to them more holy and circumspect walking as becometh the Gospel He is to be pronounced in the name of Christ absolved and free from the censures of the Church and declared to have right to all the ordinances of Christ with praising of God for his Grace and Prayer that he may be fully accepted to his favour and heare joy and gladues to this effect To Praise God who delighteth not in the death of a sinner but that hee may repent and live for blessing the ordinance of Excommunication and making it effectuall by his Spirit to the recovering of this offender To magnifie the mercy of God through Jesus Christ in pardoning and receiving to his favour the most grievous offenders whensoever they unsainedly repent and forsake their sinnes To pray for assurance of mercy and forgivenesse to this Penitent and so to blesse his Ordinance of Absolution that he may finde himself loosed thereby and that the Lord would henceforth so uphold and strengthen him by his Spirit that being sound in the Faith