תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

"Dutch Church, together with the explanation of "fome points of the aforefaid doctrine made in the "national Synod, held at Dordrecht in the year "1619, do fully agree with the word of God. We "promife therefore, diligently to teach and faithfully "to defend the aforefaid doctrine, without either "directly or indirectly contradicting the fame by our "public preaching or writings. We declare more

[ocr errors]

2

over, that we not only reject all errors that mili "tate against this doctrine, and particularly thofe "which are condemned in the above mentioned Sy"nod; but that we are difpofed to refute and contra"dict them, and to exert ourselves in keeping the "Church pure from fuch errors, And if hereafter "any difficulties, or different fentiments refpe&ting" "the aforefaid doctrine should arife in our minds, we "promife, that we will neither publicly nor pri"vately, propofe, teach or defend the fame, either by preaching or writing, until we have first revealed fach fentiment to the confiftory, claffis, and Synod,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

that the fame may be there examined; being rea"dy always, chearfully to fubmit to the judgment of "the confiftory, claffis or Synod, under the penalty,

in cafe of refufal, to be ipfo facto fufpended from our office. And further, if at any time the confiftory, the claffis or Synod, upon fufficient grounds "of fufpicion, and to preferve the uniformity and "purity of doctrine, may deem it proper to require of us a farther explanation of our fentiments, refpect

[ocr errors]

"ing any particular article of the Confeffion of "Faith, the Catechifm or the explanation of the "national Synod, we do, hereby promife to be al"ways willing and ready to comply with fuch re"quifition, under the penalty abovementioned; re"ferving however to ourselves the right of an ap"peal, whenever we fhall conceive ourselves aggrieved by the fentence of the consistory, the claffis or particular Synod, and until a decifion is made upon fuch appeal, we will acquiefce in the determi "nation and judgment already passed.”

ART. XIT.

Upon fubfcribing the aforefaid formula, a certificate figned by the Prefident shall be given to the candidate; and the Synod, or claffis before which. the examination is held,fhall fix a day for his ordination, and name at least three Minifters to attend, and affist at the fame..

ART. XIII.

The ordination fhall be conducted with proper folemnity. A fermon fuited to the occafion hall be preached by him who is named the moderator for. that purpose; and the promifes, directions, explanations of duty, with the laying on of hands, fhall be

agreeably to the form for that end exprefsly made and adopted.

ART. XIV.

Every Minifter muft confider himself as wholly devoted to the Lord Jefus Chrift in the service of the Church; and fhall faithfully fulfil the obligations of his call, in preaching, catechising, and visiting his flock; and be instant in season and out of feafon ; and by word and example always promote the fpiritual welfare of his people.

ART. XV..

All the Minifters, and Elders regularly deputed, fhall punctually attend the judicatories of which they are members, and for repeated neglect fhall be fubject to a reprimand, or fuch other cenfure as fhall be judged proper; and their respective congregations are to confider themfelves bound to afford them the opportunity of attendance..

ART. XVI.

[ocr errors]

Minifters who by reafon of old age, or habitual? fickness and infirmities, either of mind or body, are not capable of fulfilling the duties of the Miniftry, may upon application and fufficient proof of fuch in-.

capacity being made to the Claffis, be declared Emeriti, and be excufed from all further fervice in the Church during fuch infirmity; referving however to them, the title, rank, and character which before fuch declaration they enjoyed. In all fuch cafes the Claffis fhall make it a condition previous to any Ministers's becoming emeritus, that the congregation enter into ftipulations obliging them to a reasonable, and annual fupport to their pastor who has grown old, or become fick and infirm in their fervice.

ART. XVII.

Minifters declared emeriti fhall be amenable to the judicatories to which they belong; but they may not proceed to the administration of the Sacraments, or celebration of marriage, while they continue emeriti, unless exprefly permitted by the Claffis.

ART. XVIII.

All Ministers of the Gospel are equal in rank and authority; all are Bishops, or Overfeers in the Church; and all are equally Stewards of the myfteries of God. No fuperiority fhall therefore be ever claimed or acknowledged by one Minifter over another, nor fhall there be any Lords over God's heritage in the reformed Dutch Churches.

II.

PROFESSORS OF THEOLOGY.

ART. XIX.

HE diftinction between the first and fecond office.

[ocr errors]

in the Church, that is, between the Minifters of the word and Teachers of Theology, is founded in the nature of the refpective offices. The former are thofe, who by preaching and ruling, in. ftruct, and govern the Church, and are, as fuch dinominated pastors or shepherds of the flock; the latter, are those who are fet a part only to teach and defend the truths of the Gofpel, and for that reafon, are excufed from fulfilling the paftoral duties. This distinction was noted in the early ages of the Chrif. tian Church.* It was attended to at the reforma

*Paflores ac doctores. Affentior Ambrofio, qui hæc quoque munera diftinguit; nam ratio parum firma eft quæ Hieronymum, et Auguftinum movit ut confunderent, nempe, quia copula duntaxit eft interjecta. Fateor tamen Doctorum nomen late patere, ut Cor. xii. Sed tamen apparet aliquod fuiffe difcrimen, quod in ifte Compendio videtur vix locus effe fynonymis. Doctoris igitur munus fuit verbum Domini fideliter explicare, et veluti Scholam ecclefiafticam regere, ut fincera doctrina dogmatum, et veræ interpretationes in ecclefia retinerentur, ficut

« הקודםהמשך »