12. There is at this time (as we humbly conceive) an extraordinary occafion for a way of ordination for the preient lupply of ministers.

IT

The Directory for the Ordination of Minifters.

T being manifeft by the word of God, that no man ought to take upon him the office of a minifter of the gospel, until he be lawfully called and ordained thereunto; and that the work of ordina tion is to be performed with all due care, wifdom, gravity, and folemnity we humbly tender thefe directions, as requifite to be obferved. Firft, He that is to be ordained, being either nominated by the people, or otherwile commended to the presbytery for any place, muft addrets himself to the presbytery, and bring with him a teftimonial of his taking the covenant of the three kingdoms, of his diligence and proficiency in his ftudies; what degrees he hath taken in the university, and what hath been the time of his abode there; and withal of his age, which is to be twenty four years; but especially of his life and

converiation.

2. Which being confidered by the presbytery, they are to proceed to enquire touching the grace of God in him, and whether he be of fuch holiness of life as is required in a minifter of the gospel; and to examine him touching his learning and fufficiency, and touching the evidences of his calling to the holy miniftry, and in particular his fair and direct calling to that place.

The Rules for examination are these;

1. That the party examined be dealt withal in a brotherly way, ⚫ with mildness of fpirit, and with fpecial respect to the gravity, modefty, and quality of every one.

2. He fhall be examined touching his fkill in the original tongues, * and his trial to be made by reading the Hebrew and Greek Teftaments. and rendering fome portion of fome into Latin; and, if he be de*fective in them, enquiry fhall be made more strictly after his other learning, and whether he has skill in Logic and Philosophy,

God had prepared the people for the thing was done fuddenly. 2 Chron. xxx. 2. For the king had taken counsel and his princes, and all the congregation in Jerufalem, to keep the paffover in the fecond month. v. 3. For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had not fanctified themselves fufficiently, neither had the people gathered themselves together to Je

3. ' What

rufalem. v. 4. and the thing pleaf. ed the king, and all the congrega tion. v. 5. So they established a decree, to make proclamation throughout all Ifrael from Beerfheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the paflover unto the Lord God of Ifrael, at Jerufalem : for they had not done it of a long time in fuch a fort as it was write ten.

3. What authors in divinity ke hath read, and is beft acquainted with: and trial fhall be made in his knowledge of the grounds of religion, and of his ability to defend the orthodox doctrine contained in them, against all unfound and erroneous opinions, especially these ⚫ of the prelent age; of his skill in the fenfe and meaning of fuch places of fcripture as fhall be propofed unto him, in cafes of confcience and

in the chronology of the icripture, and the ecclefiaftical history.

If he hath not before preached in publick with approbation of fuch as are able to judge, he fhali at a competent time affigned him, ⚫ expound before the presbytery iuch a portion of fcripture as shall be given him.

5. He.fhall alfo, within a competent time, frame a discourse in Latin, upon tuch a common place or controverfy in divinity as shall be affigned to him, and exhibit to the prefbytery fuch thefes as expreis the fum thereof, and maintain a difpute upon them.

6. He fhall preach before the people, the presbytery, or fome of the minifters of the word appointed by them, being present.

7. The proportion of his gifts in relation to the place unto which ⚫he is called fhall be confidered.

8. Befide the trial of his gifts in preaching, he shall undergo an examination in the premiffes two feveral days, and more if the prefbytery fhall judge it neceffary,

9. And as for him that hath formerly been ordained a minister, and is to be removed to another charge, he fhall bring a teftimonial of his ⚫ ordination, and of his abilities and obfervation, whereupon his fitnefs for that place fhall be tried by his preaching there, and (if it 'fhall be judged neceffary) by a further examination of him.'

In all which he being approved, he is to be fent to the church where. he is to ferve, there to preach three feveral days, and to converse with the people, that they may have trial of his gifts for their edification, and may have time and occafion to enquire into, and the better to know, his life and converfation.

4. In the last of thefe three days appointed for the trial of his gifts in preaching, there fhall be fent from the presbytery to the congrega tion, a public intimation in writing which shall be publicly read before the people, and after affixed to the church-door, to fignify that fuch a day, a competent number of the members of that congregation, nominated by themlelves, fhall appear before the presbytery, to give their content and approbation to fuch a man to be their minifter: or otherwile, to put in, with all Chriftian difcretion and meekneis, what exceptions they have again!t him, and if, upon the day appointed, there be no juft exception against him but the people give their confent, then the presbytery fhall proceed to ordination.

5. Upon the day appointed for ordination, which is to be performed in that church where he that is to be ordained is to ferve, a folemn faft is to be kept by the congregation, that they may the more earnest

ly

ly join in prayer for a bleffing upon the ordinance of Christ, and the labours of his fervant for their good. The presbytery shall come to the place, or at least three or four ministers of the word fhall be fent thither from the prefbytery; of which one appointed by the prefbyte ry, fhall preach to the people, concerning the office and duty of minitiers of Chrift, and how the people ought to receive them for their work's fake.

6. After the fermon, the minifter who bath preached, fhall, in the face of the congregation, demand of him who is now to be ordained concerning his faith in Chrift Jefus, and his persuasion of the truth of the reformed religion, according to the fcripture; his fincere intenti ons and ends in defiring to enter into this calling; his diligence in pray. ing, reading, meditation, preaching, miniftering the facraments, dif cipline, and doing all minifterial duties towards his charge; his zeal and faithfulness in maintaining the truth of the gospel, and unity of the church, against error and ichim; his care that himself and his family may be unblameable, and examples to the flock; his willingness and humility, in meekvefs of spirit, to fubmit unto the admonitions of his brethren, and difcipline of the church; and his refolution to continue in his duty against all trouble and perfecution

7. In all which having declared himself, profeffed his willingnes, and promised his endeavours, by the help of God: the minifter likewife fhall demand of the people, concerning their willingness to receive and acknowledge him as the minister of Chrift: and to obey, and fubmit unto him, as having rule over them in the Lord; and to maintaio, encourage and affift him in all the parts of his office.

8. Which being mutually promited by the people, the prefbytery, or the minifters fent from them for ordination, fhall folemnly fet him apart to the office and work of the ministry, by laying their hands on him, which is to be accompanied with a fhort prayer or blefling to this effect;

• Thankfully acknowledging the great mercy of God, in fending • Jefus Chrift for the redemption of his people; and for his afcention to the right-hand of God the Father, and thence pouring out his Spirit, and giving gifts to men, apostles, evangelifts prophets, paftors, ⚫ and teachers, for the gathering and building up of his church; and for fitting and inclining this man to this great work: To intreat him to fit him with his holy Spirit, to give him (who in his name we thus fet apart to this holy fervice) to fulfil the work of his miniftry in all things, that he may both tave himfelf; and his people commit. ted to his charge.'

9. This or the like form of prayer and bleffing being ended, let the minifter who preached, briefly exhort him to confider of the greatness of his office and work, the danger of negligence both to himself and his people, the bleffing which will accompany his faithfulness in this life, and that to come; and withal exhort the people to carry them. felves to him, as to their minifter in the Lord, according to their fo *Here let them impose hands on his head.

lema

lema promise made before; and to by prayer commending both him and his flock to the grace of God, atter uinging of a pfalm, det the af fembly be ditmiffed with a bleffing.

10. If a minifter be defigned to a congregation, who hath been formerly ordained prefbyter according to the form of ordination which hath been in the church of England, which we hold for fubstance to be valid, and not to be difclaimed by any who have received it; then, there being a cautious proceeding in matters of examination, let him be admitted without any new ordination.

11. And in cafe any perfon already ordained minifter in Scotland, or in any other reformed church, be defigned to another congregation in England he is to bring from that church to the prefbytery here, within which that congregation is, a fufficient teftimonial of his ordination, of his life and convertation while he lived with them, and of the causes of his removal; and to undergo fuch a trial of his fitnefs and fufficiency, and to have the fame course held with him in other particulars, as is fet down in the rule immediately going before, touching examination and admiffion.

12. That records be carefully kept in the feveral prefbyteries, of the names of the perfons ordained, with their teftimonials, the time and place of their ordination, of the prefbyters who did impofe hands upon them, and of the charge to which they are appointed.

13. That no money or gift of what kind foever fhall be received from the perfon to be ordained, or from any on his behalf, for ordination, or ought elfe belonging to it, by any of the prefbytery, or any appertaining to any of them, upon what pretence foever.

Thus far of ordinary Rules and Course of Ordination, in the ordinary Way; that which concerns the extraordinary Way, requifite to be now practifed, followeth.

1. In these present exigencies, while we cannot have any prefbyte ries formed up to their whole power and work, and that many mini- fters are to be ordained for the fervice of the armies and navy, and to many congregations where there is no minifter at all; and where (by reafon of the public troubles) the people cannot either themselves enquire, and find out one who may be a faithful minifter for them, or have any with fafety fent unto them for fuch a folemn trial as was before mentioned in the ordinary rules; elpecially when there can be no prefbytery near unto them, to whom they may address themselves, or which may come or fend to them a fit man to be ordained in that congregation, and for that people: and yet notwithstanding, it is requifite that minifters be ordained for them, by fome, who, being fet apart themselves for the work of the ministry, have power to join in the fetting apart others, who are found fit and worthy. In those cafes, until, by God's bleffing, the aforefaid difficulties may be in fome good

mcature

measure removed, let fome godly ministers in or about the city of London be defigned by public authority, who, being affociated, may or dain ministers for the city and the vicinity, keeping as near to the ordinary rules forementioned, as poffibly they may: and let this affociation be for no other intent or purpose, but only for the work of ordination.

2. Let the like affociation be made by the fame authority in great towns, and the neighbouring parishes in the feveral counties, which are at the prefent quiet and undisturbed, to do the like for the parts adjacent.

3. Let fuch as are chofen, or appointed for the service of the armies of navy, be ordained, as aforefaid, by the affociated minifters of London, or fome others in the country.

4. Let them do the like, when any man fhall duly and lawfully be recommended to them for the miniftry of any congregation, who cannot enjoy liberty to have a trial of his parts and abilities, and defire the help of fuch minifters fo affociated, for the better furnishing of them with fuch a perfon as by them shall be judged fit for the fervice of that church and people.

F IN 1 3.