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ASSOCIATE-REFORMED SYNOD, at GREENCASTLE,

MAY 31, 1799.

ACT,

Approving an Overture concerning the Government, Discipline, and Worship of the Church.

THE Synod having, at several meetings, maturely considered the Overture concerning government, discipline, and worship, which was published by them in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, and transmitted to the different Presbyteries; and the said Overture having undergone sundry alterations and amendments, the Synod do solemnly receive the form of Presbyterial church government therein contained, and prepared by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, as being, in substance, the only form of government which the Lord Jesus hath prescribed to his church. They do also receive the application thereof in the aforesaid Overture, both to church discipline and to the other practical parts of government, as sound and scriptural, and greatly conducive to the edification of the body of Christ. And they do likewise receive the Directories for the public and private worship of God, contained in the aforesaid Overture, as holding forth such things as are of divine institution in every ordinance of worship. And they do hereby declare, that the aforesaid form of Presbyterial church government, with its said applications, and the Directories for the public and private worship of God to be the true and genuine Government, Discipline, and Worship of the Associate-Reformed Church.

By order of Synod,

JOHN RIDDELL, Moderator.
EBENEZER DICKEY, Clerk, p. t:

THE

GOVERNMENT, &c.

Book I.

OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH

PREFACE.

JESUS CHRIST, upon whose shoulders the government is, whose name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace,a of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end, who sits 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 set him at his own right hand, far above all principalities, and power, 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 his body, the fulness of him that. filleth all in all: He being ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, received gifts for his church, and gave officers necessary for the edification of his church, and perfecting of his saints.b

Chapter I.

Of the Church, its Officers and Judicatories in general, SECTION 1 Of the CHURCH.

1. THERE is one general church visible, held forth in the New-Testament.

2. The ministry, oracles, and ordinances of the NewTestament, are given, by Jesus Christ, to the general church visible, for the gathering and perfecting of it in this life, until his second coming.d

a Isa. ix. 6, 7. 6 Mat. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. Eph. i. 20 to 23.Compared with Eph. iv. 8, 11. and Psal. Ixviii. 18. € 1 Cor. xi 12, 13, 28. d 1 Cor. xii. 28. Eph. iv. 4, 5. with 10-IG.

3. Particular visible churches, members of the general church are also held forth in the New Testament.e Particular churches are made up of visible saints, viz. of such as, being of age, profess faith in Christ, and obedience to Christ, according to the rules of faith and life taught by Christ and his apostles; and of their children.f

SECTION II. Of the OFFICERS of the Church.

1. Christ hath instituted a government, and governors ecclesiastical in the church. To that purpose the apostles did immediately receive the keys from the hand of JESUS CHRIST; and did use and exercise them in all the churches of the world upon all occasions.

2. And Christ hath since continually furnished some in his church with gifts of government, and with commission to execute the same when called thereunto.

3. The officers which Christ hath appointed for the edification of his church, and the perfecting of the saints, are, some extraordinary, as apostles, evangelists, and prophets, which are ceased: others ordinary and perpetual, as pastors, teachers, and other church governors and deacons.

SECTION III. Of ECCLESIASTICAL ASSEMBLIES.

1. It is lawful and agreeable to the word of God, that the church be governed by several sorts of ASSEMBLIES, which are composed of pastors and other elders, and are CONGREGATIONAL, CLASSICAL, and SYNODICAL.

2. The government of the church, by these several sorts of Assemblies, in a just subordination of the congregational to the classical, and of the classical to the synodical assembly, is called PRESBYTERIAL CHURCH-GOVERNMENT; and is the true and only form of Government which the LORD JESUS CHRIST hath prescribed in his word.

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3. The power which, according to the word of God, belongeth, in common, to all the judicatories of the church, is, To call before them every person or persons under their inspection, whom the ecclesiastical business which is before them doth concern.g

To hear and determine such causes and differences as do orderly come before them.

To dispense church censures.

e Gal. i. 21, 22. Rev. i. 4. ii. 1. À 2. with 2 Cor. ix. 13. 1 Cor. vii. 14. g Mat. xxviii. 15, 20.

f Acts ii. 38, 39, 41. 1 Car Rom. xi. 16. Mark x. 14.

Chapter II.

Of Church Officers in particular.

SECTION 1. PASTORS.

THE Pastor is an ordinary and perpetual officer in the church.a

It belongs to his office,

1. To pray for and with his flock, as the mouth of the people unto God. Acts vi. 2, 3, 4, and xx. 36. Where preaching and prayer are joined as several parts of the same office. The office of the elder, (that is the pastor,) is to pray for the sick even in private, to which a blessing is especially promised;b much more, therefore, ought he to perform this in the execution of his office, as a part thereof.c

2. To read the scriptures publicly. For the proof of which let it be observed,

1st. That the Priests and Levites in the Jewish church were trusted with the public reading of the word.d

2d. That the ministers of the gospel have as ample a charge and commission, to dispense the word, as well as other ordinances, as the Priests and Levites had under the law, which is proved from Isaiah lxvi. 21. Mat. xxiii. 34. where our Saviour entitleth the officers of the New Testament, whom he will send forth, by the same names of the teachers of the old. Which propositions prove that therefore (the duty being of a moral nature) it followeth, by just consequence, that the public reading of the scriptures belongeth to the Pastor's office.

3. To feed the flock, by preaching of the word, according to which he is to teach, convince, reprove, exhort, and comfort.e

4. To catechise, which is a plain laying down the first principles of the oracles of God,f or of the doctrine of Christ; and is a part of preaching.

5. To administer the sacraments.g

6. To bless the people from God. Num. vi. 23, 26. with Rev. xiv. 5. (where the same blessings, and persons from whom they come, are expressly mentioned,) Isa. Ixvi. 21, where, under the names of Priests and Levites to be

a Jer. iii. 15. b James v. 14, 15. IXXI. 9 to 11. Neh. vii. 1, 2, 3, 13. Heb. v. 12. g

Mat. xxviii. 19. 1

c 1 Cor. xiv. 15. d Deut. e 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Tit. i. 9. Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, and x. 26.

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