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truth_n church_n lord_n word_n 4,134 5 3.9920 3 true
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A36060 A Directory for church-government and ordination of ministers to be examined against the next Generall Assemblie. Church of Scotland. 1647 (1647) Wing D1542; ESTC R34740 14,967 36

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Assemblies respectively are to attend on the appointed dayes of their meetings or to send the reason of their absence to bee judged by the Assembly where they ought to meet The finall resolutions shall be by the Major part of the votes of those members who are present Of Particular congregations IT is expedient that particular Congregations bee fixed both in their Officers and members which are to meet in the same Assembly ordinarily for publike Worship When their number is great that they cannot conveniently meet in one place it is expedient that they be divided according to the respective bounds of their dwellings into distinct and fixed Congregations for the better administration of such Ordinances as belong unto them and the discharge of mutuall duties wherein all according to their severall places and callings are to labour to promote what ever appertaines to the power of Godlinesse and credit of Religion that the whole band in the full extent of it may become the Kingdome of the Lord and of his Christ Parochiall Congregations in this Kingdome consisting of Ministers and People who professe faith in Christ and obedience unto Christ according to the rules of Faith and Life taught by Him and his Apostles and joyne together in the publike Worship of Hearing Praying and administration of the Sacraments are Churches truely constituted If any Person or Persons in the Congregation do not answer his or their profession but by open sin and wickednesse crosse and deny it or if there bee a want of some Officers or a sinfull neglect of Officers in the due execution of Discipline yet this doth not make that Congregation cease to be a Church but requires that there should be a supply of Officers which are wanting and a carefull endeavour for the Reformation of the offending Person or Persons and of negligent Officers by just censures according to the nature of the cause Communion and Membership in Congregations thus constituted notwithstanding the forementioned defects is not unlawfull And to refuse or renounce membership and Church-communion or to separate from Church-communion with Congregations thus constituted as unlawfull to be joyned with in regard of their constitution is not warranted by the Word of God Separation from a Church thus constituted where the Government is lawfull upon an opinion that it is unlawfull and that therefore all the godly are also bound o separate from all such Churches so constituted and governed and to joyn themselves to another Church of another Constitution and Government is not warranted by the Word of God but contrary to it To gather Churches into an independent forme of Government out of Churches of a Presbyteriall forme of Government upon an opinion that the Presbyteriall Government is unlawfull is not lawfull or warranted by the Word of God Nor is it lawfull for any member of a Parochiall Congregation if the Ordinances be there administred in purity to go and seek them elsewhere ordinarily Of ordinances in a particular Congregation ORdinances in a particular Congregation are Prayer Thanksgiving singing of Psalmes reading of the Word Preaching and Catechising administring the Sacraments blessing the People in the Name of God and collection for the Poor As for Discipline wee referre our selves to what wee have elsewhere expressed Of the Officers of a particular Congregation IN the Congregation there must be some who are set apart to bear Office One at the least to labour in the Word and Doctrine and to rule And let others bee chosen ruling Elders to joyne with him in Government When any ruling Elder is to bee chosen where an Eldership is constituted let it bee done by them with the consent and approbation of the people of that Congregation and that not for a limited time Yet the exercise of their Office may be so ordered by the Eldership as that their civill imployments bee least hindered thereby Where there are many ruling Officers in a particular Congregation let some of them more especially attend the inspection of one part some of another as may be most convenient and let them at fit times visit the severall Families for their spirituall good Let there be also Deacons to take speciall care for the relief of the poor who are likewise to be chosen by the Eldership with the consent of the people of that Congregation and the continuance of them in that Office is to be determined by the Eldership with the consent of the Congregation so as may least hinder their civill imployment These Officers are to meet together at convenient and set times for the well ordering of the affaires of that Congregation each according to his Office The number of Elders and Deacons in each Congregation is to be proportioned according to the condition of the Congregation Of Congregationall Elderships or Assemblies for Governing in a particular Congregation THE Congregationall Eldership consisting of the Minister or Ministers and the other ruling Officers of that Congregation hath power as they shall see just occasion to enquire into the knowledge and spirituall estate of any member of the Congregation To admonish and rebuke To suspend from the Lords table though the person be not yet cast out of the Church All which is agreable to the Word of God Although the truth of conversion and regeneration bee necessary to every worthy communicant for his own comfort and benefit yet those onely are to bee by the Eldership excluded or suspended from the Lords Table who are found by them to be ignorant or scandalous Where there are more fixed Ministers then one in a Congregation it is expedient that they moderate by course in that Eldership Of Classicall Assemblies WHen Congregations are divided and fixed they need all mutuall help one from another both in regard of their intrinsicall weaknesse and mutual dependance as also in regard of Enemies from without The Scripture doth hold forth that many particular Congregations may bee under one Presbyteriall Government A Classicall Presbytery is an Assembly made up of Ministers of the Word and other ruling Officers belonging unto severall Neighbouring Congregations and doth ordinarily consist of all the Pastous and Teachers belonging those severall Congregations so associated and of one of the other ruling Officers at the least from every of these Congregations to be sent by their respective Presbyteries Let them meetionce every Moneth or oftner as occasion shall require in such place as they shall judge most convenient And before they sit about other businesse let there be a Sermon or exposition of Scripture made by some Minister of that Classis or Expectant as they shall agree amongst themselves For the more orderly managing of such affaires as come before them let there bee one Moderator chosen by the Classis at every meeting out of the Ministers of the Word who shall continue till the next meeting To the enabling them to performe any Classicall act of Goverment or Ordination there shall bee there present a major part at least of the Ministers