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nizable by the feffion. They have also a power of receiving and ifsuing appeals from the feffions, and reférences, brought before them in an orderly manner; of examining and licensing candidates for the gospel ministry; of ordaining, fettling, removing, or judging minifters"; of examining, and approving or cenfuring the records of the feffions; of refolving questions of doctrine or difcipline, feriously and reafonably propofed'; of condemning erroneous opi

unto the Gentiles: compared with Acts II. 18. And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, faying, Then hath God a'fo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

V.e Acts 15. 5. But there rofe up certain of the fect of the Pharifees which believed, faying, that it was needful to circumcife them, and to command them to keep the law of Mofes. Ver. 6. And the apostles and elders came together for to confider of this matter. Ver. 19. Wherefore my fentence is, that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are returned to God: Ver. 20. But that we write unto them, that they abftain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things ftrangled, and from

blood.

f Acts 18. 24, 27. And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the fcriptures, came to Ephefus.-And

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i Acts 15. 10. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the difciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to

nions, that injure the purity or peace of the church; for visiting particular churches, to enquire into their state, and redrefs the evils that may have arisen within them'; of uniting, or dividing congregations, at the request of the.. people; and of ordering whatever pertains to. the fpiritual concerns of the churches under their care". And it fhall be the duty of the. prefbyteries to report to the fynod, licenfures, ordinations, the difmiffing or receiving of members, and the removal of members by death.

bear? Compared with Gal. 2. -4, 5.

k Acts 15. 22, 23, 24. Then pleafed it the apofiles and elders, with the whole church, to fend chofen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas: namely, Judas firnamed Barfabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren, and they wrote letters by them after this manner: The apofiles, and elders, and brethren, fend greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Forafmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us, have troubled you with words fubverting your fouls, faying, Ye muft be circumcifed, and keep the law; to whom we gave no fuch commandment.

1 Acts 20. 17. And from

Miletus he fent to Ephefus, called the elders of the church.

Acts 6. 2. Then the twelve called the multitude of the difciples unto them, and faid, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and ferve tables.-Acts 15. 30. So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epiftle.

m Eph. 6. 18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perfeverance, and fupplication for all faints.-Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God.

Sect. VI. The prefbytery fhall meet on their own adjournment: and, when any How to be } convened. emergency fhall require a meeting, fooner than the time to which the ju dicatory stands adjourned, the moderator fhall, with the concurrence, or at the request of two ministers and two elders, the elders being of different "congregations, call meeting of the prefbytery, by a circular letter fent to every minifter, and to the feffion of every vacant congregation having a right to fend a representative to the judicatory, in due time previous to the meeting; which time fhall be ascertained and recorded by each prefbytery, and shall not be lefs than ten days: and nothing shall be tranfacted, at fuch fpecial meeting, befides the particular business for which the judicatory has been thus convened.

Prefbytery.

Sect. VII. At each meeting of prefbytery, a fermon fhall be delivered, if conveOpening of the nient; and every particular feffion fhall be opened and concluded with prayer; The roll fhall be called, and the meeting recorded by the clerk, who fhall enter the names of the members prefent, and alfo of those minifters who are abfent.

СНАР. Х.

Of the Synodical Assembly*.

Sect. I.

Conftituent

A

Sa prefbytery is the convention of the bishops and elders, with-. Members of in a certain district; fo a fynod is a Synod. convention of the bishops and elders, within a larger diftrict, including feveral presby

teries.

Sect. II. Any feven ministers of the fynod, who shall convene at the time and place of meeting, with as many elders as may be prefent, fhall be a quorum to tranfact fynodical business; provided not more than four of the faid minifters belong to one presbytery.

Powers

Sect. III. The fynod have power to admit and judge of appeals, regularly brought thereof. up from the prefbyteries: to give their judgment on all references, and ecclefiaftical cafes, made to them; to review the prefbytery books; to redrefs whatever hath been done by presbyteries contrary to order; to take effectual care that prefbyteries obferve the conftitutions of the church; to make fuch regula. tions for the benefit of their whole body, and of the prefbyteries and churches under their care,

As the proofs already adduced in favour of a prefbyterial: affembly in the government of the church, are equally valid in fupport of a fynodical affembly (fincc a fynod is only a larger prefbytery) it is unneceffary to repeat the fcriptures to which r ference has been made under Cha¡ IX, or to add any other,

as fhall be agreeable to the word of God, and not contradictory to the decifions of the general affembly, and to propofe, to the general affembly, for their adoption, fuch measures as may be of common advantage to the whole church.

CHAP.

XI.

Of the General Assembly†.

Sect. I.

THE

HE general affembly is the highest judicatory of the prefbyterian church; and fhall repreStyle of the higheft Judicatory of fent, in one body, all the particuthe Prefbyterian lar churches of this denomination; Church. and fhall bear the ftyle and title of. of The General Assembly of the Prefbyterian Church in the United States of America.

Sect. II. The general affembly shall confift of an equal delegation of bishops and elders.

†The radical principles of prefbyterian church government and difcipline are;-That the feveral different congregations of believers, taken collectively, conftitute one church of Chrift, called emphatically the church; that a larger part of the church, or a reprefentation of it, fhould govern a smaller, or determine matters of controverfy which arife therein; that, in like manner, a reprefentation of the whole fhould govern and determine in regard to every part and to all the parts united, that is, that i a majority ball govern: And, confequently, that appeals may be carried from lower to higher judicatories, till they be finally decided by the collected wisdom and united voice of the whole church. For these principles and this procedure, the example of the apostles and the practice of the primitive church is confidered as authority-See Acts 15. 1, 2, 4, 6. and from the 24 to the 29th, verfes; alfo Acts 16. 14. and the proofs addu ced under the three laft chapters.

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