Neal - Houston-Packer Collection BX9333 .N4 1754

Chap. VI. The HIST 0 RY if tbe PuRITANS.' 187 Firfl, " The perfon t? be .ordained mufr apply. to the. pref.b~ter~, K. ~~arles I. " with a teil:imonal of hts tak1ng the covenant, of h1s proficrency m h1s ~. " il:udies," &c. - - Secondiy, " He is then to pafs under an exa{nination as to his religion " and learning, and call to the miniflry." • Then follow rules for examination, as in the appendix. " After examination he fhall receive a public teil:imonial from his ex– " aminers, which {hall be read publickly before the people, and then .fix– " ed to the door of the church where he preaches for approbation, ~' with liberty to any perfon or perfons to make exceptions. " Upan the day of ordination, a folemn fail: fhall be k<:pt by the congre- . " gation, when after a fermon, the perfon to be ordamad fhall make a " public confeffion of his faith, and declare his refolutions to be diligent " and confhwt in the difcharge of his pailoral duty. After which he " {hall be feparated, or fet apart to the pafloral office with a fhort prayer, '' and the layin~ on of the hands of the minifl:ers prefent. After the ordi– ,, nation there IS to be an exhortation to minifier and people, and the ~' wholefolemnity to conclude with a pfalm and a prayer. · It is further declared, " that all ordinations, according to the former Former ordi– " ufage of the church of England, as well as thofe of Scotland, and o- 1tations'Ualid. ~ ther reformed churches, fhall be efieemed valid. " A regiiler is to be kept by every pref.bytery, of the names of the per– " fons ordained by them, of the mini flers concerned, and of the time " and place where they were fettled. No money or gift whatfoever " fhall be received from the perfon ordained, or from any on his behalf, " for his ordination, or any thing relating to it, except for the inilru– ~· ments or teftimonials, which fi1all not exceed ten {billings. Lajl6•, It is refolved, "that all perfons ordained according to this direc– " tory, fhall be for ever reputed and taken, to all intents and purpofes, " for lawfully, and fufficiently authorized minifiers of the church of " England, and as capable of any minifterial employment in the church, ~' as any other pref.byter already ordained, or hereafter to be ordained." To give .a {hort fpecimen. of the debates upon this ordinance; :vhen Debates :tpoii; the paffage 111 <J'zmotby, of laytng on of the hands of the presbyter)', was vo- it. ted a full warrant for pref.byters ordaining without a biihop, Mr. Se/den, Lightjoot, and fome others, entered their diffent, declaring that the im- Lightf. pofition of hands there fpoken, of was only upon the ordination of an el- rem. pref, der; and though elders might ordain elders, it did not neceffaril y follow they might ordain biibops. The independmts m.1intained the right of every particular .congregation "'"'t' h .. d ' ' ffi h' IYI IJ I e IN• to or mu Its own o cers ; t IS was debated ten days; and the arguments dcpendmts. · ~n both fides were afterwa1:ds pupli!h~d by confent of the feveral parties, B b 2 in

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