The Confessions of Faith, Catechisms, Directories, Form of Church-government, Discipline, &c, of Publick Authority in the Church of Scotland: Together with the Acts of Assembly, Concerning the Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government of the Church of Scotland

fending hither that bleffed League and Covenant, which we much defired and longed for, as by our Petitions to the Church and State of our native Kingdom is known unto you; which hath had a wified and gracious Succefs by the Favour and Bleffing of God, accompanying the Pains of these to whom the tendring thereof was intrufted by you. And we conceiving a chief Part of our Mifery to confift in our want of Opportunity to join our felves with the People of God in the forefaid League; efteeming our felves rejected of God, and unfit to be "joined in any comfortable Fellowship in the Gospel with them, when the faid League and Covenant was prefented to the Regiments; We made bold to lay hold upon the Opportunity (though afflicted Abjects) and cheerfully and unanimoufly joined our felves thereunto: That, if we perifh in our Mifery, we may die a cove nanted People; And, if our miserable Life be prolonged, we may find Shelter and Refreshment under the Shadow thereof in our fiery Trials; confidently expecting from the Lord, by our nearer Conjunction with you than before, an Accomplishment of what is agreed to in the Covenant, which ye bountifully expreffed before we were one with you, to your never-dying Commendation*

* See Acts of Affembly 1644. Seff. 2.

FOR M

O F

Presbyterial Church Government,

AND

Ordination of MINISTERS;

Agreed upon by

The Affembly of Divines at Westminster, with Commiffioners from the Church of Scotland, as a Part of the Covenanted Uniformity in Religion betwixt the Churches of CHRIST in the Three Kingdoms of Scotland, England and Ireland.

WITH

An ACT of the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, Anno 1645, Approving the fame: Mentioned as ratified in feveral Acts of Parliament,

Ezek. xliii. 11. And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, fhew them the Form of the Houfe, and the Fafhion thereof, and the Goings out thereof, and the Comings in thereof, and all the Forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof; and write it in their Sight, that they may keep the whole Form thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and do them.

Printed in the Year 1764.

Affembly at Edinburgh, February 10. 1645, Seff. 16. Alt of the General Alfembly of the Kirk of Scotland, approving the Propofitions concerning Kirk-Government, and Ordination of Minifters.

THE

venant;

HE General Affembly, being moft defirous and folicitous, not only of the Eftablishment and Prefervation of the Form of Kirk-government in this Kingdom, according to the Word of GOD, Books of Difcipline, Acts of General Affemblies, and National CoBut alfo of an Uniformity in Kirk-government betwixt thefe Kingdoms, now more ftraitly and ftrongly united by the late Solenin League and Covenant: and confidering that as in former Times there did, fo hereafter there may arife, through the narrowness of Contagion, manifold Mischiefs to this Kirk from a corrupt Form of Government in the Kirk of England: Likeas the precious Opportu nity of bringing the Kirks of Chrift in all the three Kingdoms to an Uniformity in Kirk government, being the Happiness of the prefent Times above the former; which may alfo, by the Bleffing of God, prove an effectual Mean, and a good Foundation to prepare for a fafe and well-grounded Pacification, by removing the Caufe from which the prefent Preffures and bloody Wars did originally proceed: And now the Affembly having thrice read, and diligently examined the Propofitions (hereunto annexed) concerning the Officers, Affemblies, and Government of the Kirk; and concerning the Ordination of Minifters, brought unto us, as the Refults of the long and learned Debates of the Affembly of Divines fitting at Westminster, and of the Treaty of Uniformity with the Commiffioners of this Kirk there re fiding; after mature Deliberation, and after timeous calling upon and warning of all, who have any Exceptions against the fame, to make them known, that they might receive Satisfaction, doth agree to, and approve the Propofitions afore mentioned, touching Kirk-govern ment and Ordination, and doth hereby authorize the Commiffioners of this Affembly, who are to meet at Edinburgb, to agree to, and conclude in the Name of this Affembly, an Uniformity betwixt the Kirks in both Kingdoms, in the aforementioned Particulars, fo foon as the fame fhall be ratified, without any substantial Alteration, by an Ordinance of the Honourable Houfes of the Parliament of England: Which Ratification fhall be timely intimate and made known by the Commiffioners of this Kirk refiding at London. Provided always, That this Act be no ways prejudicial to the further Difcuffion and Examination of that Article, which holds forth, that the Doctor or Teacher hath Power of the Adminiftration of the Sacraments, as well as the Paftor; as also of the diftinct Rights and Interests of Presby teries and People, in the calling of Minifters: but that it fhall be free to debate and difcuffe thefe Points, as God fhall be pleased to give urther Light*.

* See Collection of Afs, &c. No. 23, 45.

The

The CONTENTS.

HE Preface.

THE

Of the Church.

Of the Officers of the Church.

Paftors.

Teacher or Doctor.

Other Church-Governors.
Deacons.

Of Particular Congregations.

Of the Officers of a particular Congregation.
Of the Ordinances in a particular Congregation.
Of Church-government, and the feveral Sorts of Af-
femblies for the fame.

Of the Power in Common of all thefe Affemblies.
Of Congregational Affemblies, that is, the Meeting
of the Ruling Officers of a particular Congrega-
tion, for the Government thereof.

Of Claffical Affemblies.

Of Synodical Affemblies.

Of Ordination of Minifters.

Touching the Doctrine of Ordination.

Touching the Power of Ordination.

Concerning the Doctrinal Part of the Ordination of
Minifters.

The Directory for the Ordination of Ministers.
Acts of Affemblies.

The

The FOR M of

Presbyterial Church Government,

Agreed upon by

The Affembly of Divines at Westminster; examined and approved, Anno 1645, by the General Affembly of the Church of Scotland, &c.

The Preface.

Efus Chrift, upon whofe Shoulders the Government is, whofe Name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace a, of the Increafe of whofe Government and Peace there fhall be no End, who fits upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdom to order it, and to establish it with Judgment and Justice, from henceforth even for ever; having all Power given unto him in Heaven and in Earth by the Father, who raised him from the Dead, and fet him at his own Right-hand, far above all Principalities and Powers, and Might and Dominion, and every Name that is named, not only in this World, but also in that which is to come, and put all Things under his Feet, and gave him to be the Head over all Things to the Church, which is in his Body, the Fulness of him that filleth all in all; He being afcended up far above all Heavens, that he might fill all Things, received Gifts for his Church, and gave Officers neceffary for the Edification of his Church, and perfecting of his Saints b.

a Ifa.

9. 6, 7. 6 Matt. 28. 18,19,20. Eph. 1. 20, 21, 22,23. compared with Eph. 4. 8,11. and Pfal. 68. 18.

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