tion, and was productive of important benefits, efpecially with respect to the education of candidates for the holy Miniftry. The reformed Dutch Church perfeveres in preferving the fame distinction, and determines that the inftructing, and preparing youth for the fervice of the fanctuary, shall not be left indiscriminately to every Minister, or any individual who may choose to affume that office.

ART. XX.

Profeffors of Theology have as fuch, no power, jurifdiction or government whatever in the Church; but as they are Minifters who preach occafionally, they are entitled, when they ftand in connection with any Congregation, equally with other Minifters, to adminifter the facraments, and to a feat and voice in ecclefiaftical affemblies.

docuit Alexandriæ Origines, ut explicatur Niceph. lib. Eccles. hift. v. Cap. 14. At Paftorum (qui et Epifcopi dicebantur, ut i Pet. iii.) munus longe latins patebat, nimirum verbo et oratione vacare, et Ecclefiam fibi commiffam modis omnibus tueri: Exquibus etiam fatis perfpicitur hæc duo munera perpetua effe oportere in Ecclefia Dei. Beza in Epf. ad Ephef. vi. IX.

ART. XXI.

As it is of the laft importance that Profeffors of Theology fhould be found in the faith, poffefs abilities to teach, and have the confidence of the Churches, they fhall always, for the greater fecurity, be chofen and appointed by a majority of votes in the general Synod only. To prevent as far as poffible the unhappy confequences of partiality, hafte, or undue influence in obtaining an office of fuch consequence to the Church; a nomination of one, or more candidates shall be previously made, upon which the Synod fhall fix a day when they will proceed to an election, provided that no appointment of a Profeffor in Theology shall ever be made on the fame day in which he is nominated.-An inftrument certifying the appointment, and specifying the duties of the office fhall be figned in the prefence of the General Synod, by the prefident thereof, and by him be given, in the name of the Church, to the perfon elected.

ART. XXII;

No profeffor of Theology fhall be permitted to officiate until he fhall have fubfcribed the following formula, viz.

"WE the underwritten, Professors of facred "Theology in the reformed Dutch Church, by this

"our fubfcription, uprightly and in good confcience "before God declare, that we heartily believe and "are perfuaded, that all the articles and points of

doctrine contained in the Confeffion and Catechifm "of the reformed Dutch Churches, together with "the explanation of fome points of the faid doctrine "made in the national Synod held at Dordrecht in "the year 1619, do fully agree with the word of "God. We promife therefore that we will diligently "teach and faithfully defend the aforefaid doctrine "and that we will not inculcate or write, either pub"licly or privately, directly or indirectly any thing "against the fame. As alfo that we reject not only "all the errors which militate against this doctrine "and particularly thofe which are condemned in the "above mentioned Synod, but that we are difpofed "to refute the fame, openly to oppofe them, and to "exert ourselves in keeping the Church pure from "fuch errors. Should it, nevertheless, hereafter "happen, that any objectious against the doctrine "might arise in our minds, or we entertain different "fentiments, we promife that we will not either "publicly or privately propofe, teach or defend "the fame by preaching or writing, un<< til we have first fully revealed fuch fenti86 ments to the General Synod, to whom we are "refponfable, that our opinions may in the faid "ral Synod receive a thorough examination, being "ready always chearfully to fubmit to the judgment

D d

"of the General Synod, under the penalty, in cafe "of refufal, to be cenfured by the faid Synod. And whenever the General Synod upon fufficient "grounds of fufpicion, and to preferve the unifor

mity and purity of doctrines, may deem it proper 66 to demand from us a more particular explanation "of our fentiments refpecting any article of the "aforefaid confeffion, catechifm or explanation of "the National Synod, we promise hereby to be al"ways willing and ready to comply with fuch de"mand, under the penalty beforementioned; re"serving to ourselves, the right of re-hearing, or a

new trial, if we shall conceive ourselves aggrieved "in the fentence of the General Synod: during "the dependance of which new trial, we promife "to acquiefce in the judgment already paffed, as well as finally to fubmit, without disturbing the peace of the churches, to the ultimate decifion of the faid General Synod."

66

ART. XXIII.

As no ftudent can be admitted to a public examination before any claffis or fynod, unless he fhall preduce a document under the hand and feal of a profeffor of theology, appointed by the general Synod; (See expl. art. 3.) fo it fhall be the duty of every Profeffor, after repeated private examinations, faithfully and impartially, to certify the progrefs and at

tainments of every ftudent, who has attended the lectures of the faid profeffor for two years,

or

may have studied the fame term, under fome perfon for that purpose expressly named by the general Synod, and who fhall apply to fuch profeffor for a certificate, and recommendation. All regulations refpecting any further term for Atudy, or any particular difpenfation, which peculiar circumstances may render neceffary in the cafe of any students in theology, fhall be formed by the general Synod alone, to which, as well the profeffors, as the claffis or particular fynods fhall fubmit and always conform themfelves.

ART. XXIV.

Every Profeffor of theology fhall continue in his office during life, unless in cafe of fuch misbehaviour as fhall be deemed a violation of the obligations entered into at his appointment; or unless he voluntarily deferts or refigns his profeffion; or from age or infirmities becomes incapable of fulfilling the duties thereof; of all which the general Synod alone fhall judge; and to that Synod a Profeffor of theology fhall always be amenable for his doctrine, mode of. teaching and moral conduct,