strument of dismission, and consider it as his duty to deliver the same, with a report upon the subject to the Classis; which report and document shall serve as a basis upon which the final dismission and certificate of the Classis shall be founded.

SEC. 19. All Ministers of the Gospel are equal in rank and authority; all are Bishops, or Overseers in the church; and all are equal Stewards of the mysteries of God. No superiority shall therefore be ever claimed or acknowledged by one Minister over another, nor shall there be any lords over God's heritage in the Reformed Dutch Churches.

SEC. 20. Consistories of vacant congregations shall not invite or permit Ministers of other denominations in this country, whose characters and standing are not known, to preach within their bounds, unless they exhibit satisfactory evidence in writing, of a recent date, of their regular authority for that purpose, and their good standing; and in all doubtful cases, such Consistories shall consult a Standing Committee of Classis to be appointed for that purpose.

SEC. 21. The judicatories of the church shall receive no Licentiates or Ministers under their care from any body of professing Christians, who maintain doctrines different from those of the Reformed Dutch Church, without an open and explicit declaration, on their part, that they have renounced such doctrines as contrary to the Holy Scriptures, and the standards of our church. If an application be made for admission of a Minister from a church with which we are in correspondence, it shall be competent for the Classis, in case there be grounds of presumption against his doctrine and morals, to propose such inquiries as shall enable them to proceed with freedom in his case.

SEC. 22. With respect to foreigners, who claim the privilege of preaching the Gospel, no Consis. tory shall be permitted to invite any one of them, of whatever denomination, to preach, before he

shall lay his credentials before the Classis to which such Consistory is subordinate, and be regularly accepted and authorized by them to exercise his ministry within their bounds; and no Classis shall be permitted to receive and accredit such foreign Minister, unless he produce to them, besides ample and regular certificates of his license or ordination, and of his dismission and recommendations, of recent date, from the competent church judicatory, letters of recommendation also from some known respectable character, in the country from which he has emigrated, to his correspondent in this country, stating the authenticity of his credentials, and the good character and standing of the bearer, as a Minister of the Gospel, and that he is an advocate of the doctrines of grace professed by the Reformed Church.

ARTICLE II.

Of Teachers of Theology.

SEC. 1. As it is of the last importance that Professors of Theology should be sound in the faith, possess abilities to teach, and have the confidence of the churches, they shall always, for the greater security, be chosen and appointed by a majority of votes in the General Synod only. To prevent, as far as possible, the unhappy consequences of partiality, haste, or undue influence in obtaining an office of such consequence to the church, a nomination of one or more candidates shall be previously made, upon which the Synod shall fix a day when they will proceed to an election; provided that no appointment of a Professor in Theology shall ever be made on the same day on which he is nominated. An instrument certifying the ap pointment, and specifying the general duties of the office, shall be signed in the presence of the General Synod, by the President thereof, and by

him be given, in the name of the church, to the person elected.

SEC. 2. No person shall be appointed to the office of a Professor, who is not a Minister in good standing, and every Professor of Theology shall continue in his office during life, unless in case of such misbehaviour as shall be deemed a violation of the obligations entered into at his appointment; or unless he voluntarily deserts or resigns his profession; or from age or infirmities becomes incapable of fulfilling the duties thereof; of all which the General Synod alone shall judge; and to that Synod a Professor of Theology shall always be amenable for his doctrine, mode of teaching, and moral conduct.

SEC. 3. No Professor of Theology shall be permitted to officiate until he shall have subscribed the following formula, viz:

"WE, the underwritten, Professors of Sacred Theology in the Reformed Dutch Church, by this our subscription, uprightly, and in good conscience before God, declare, that we heartily believe, and are persuaded, that all the articles and points of doctrine contained in the Confession and Catechism of the Reformed Dutch Churches, together with the explanation of some points of the said doctrine, made in the National Synod, held at Dordrecht, in the year 1619, do fully agree with the word of God. We promise, therefore, that we will diligently teach, and faithfully defend the aforesaid doctrine; and that we will not inculcate or write, either publicly or privately, directly or indirectly, any thing against the same. As also, that we reject not only all the errors which militate against this doctrine, and particularly those which are condemned in the abovementioned Synod; but that we are disposed to refute the same, openly to oppose them, and to exert ourselves in keeping the church pure from such errors. Should it nevertheless hereafter happen, that any objections against

the doctrine might arise in our minds, or we entertain different sentiments, we promise that we will not, either publicly or privately, propose, teach, or defend the same, by preaching or writing, until we have first fully revealed such sentiments to the General Synod, to whom we are responsible; that our opinions may in the said General Synod receive a thorough examination, being ready always cheerfully to submit to the judgment of the General Synod, under the penalty, in case of refusal, to be censured by the said Synod. And whenever the General Synod, upon sufficient grounds of suspicion, and to preserve the uniformity and purity of doctrines, may deem it proper to demand from us a more particular explanation of our sentiments respecting any article of the aforesaid Confession, Catechism, or Explanation of the National Synod, we promise hereby to be always willing and ready to comply with such demand, under the penalty beforementioned; reserving to ourselves the right of rehearing, or a new trial, if we shall conceive ourselves aggrieved in the sentence of the General Synod; during the dependence of which new trial, we promise to acquiesce in the judgment already passed, as well as finally to submit, without disturbing the peace of the churches, to the ultimate decision of the said General Synod."

SEC. 4. No Professor, while in office, shall have the Pastoral charge of any congregation, or be a member of any Ecclesiastical Assembly or Judi. catory; but, as a Minister of the Gospel, may preach, and administer, or assist in administering the sacraments in any congregation with the consent of the Minister or Consistory.

SEC. 5. A Professor shall be at liberty to resign his office, by sending in his resignation to the President of General Synod, on the first day of any regular meeting, and giving six months' previous notice to the said President of his intention to do so.

ARTICLE III.

Of the Offices of Elders and Deacons.

SEC. 1. The office of Elders (besides what is common to them with the Ministers of the Word, expressed in Chapter I. Article 1. Section 13,) is, to take heed that the Ministers, together with their fellow-Elders and Deacons, faithfully discharge their respective duties; and also, especially before or after the Lord's supper, as time and circumstances permit, and as shall be most for the edification of the congregation, to assist in performing visitations, in order particularly to instruct and comfort the members in full communion, as well as to exhort others to the regular profession of the Christian religion.

SEC. 2. The office peculiar to the Deacons is, diligently to collect the alms and other moneys appropriated for the use of the poor, and with the advice of the Consistory, cheerfully and faithfully to distribute the same to strangers, as well as to those of their own household, according to the measure of their respective necessities; to visit and comfort the distressed, and to be careful that the alms be not misused; of the distribution of which, they shall render an account in Consistory, at such time as the said Consistory shall determine, and in the presence of so many of the congregation as may choose to attend. Should more be collected than the necessities of the poor may require, such sur. plus may, with the consent of the Consistory, be devoted to other purposes, connected with the wants of the church.

SEC. 3. In all cases the Elders and Deacons shall be chosen from the male members of the church, in full communion, and in forming now churches, they shall be chosen by the male communicants; at whose election a neighbouring Minister of the Reformed Dutch Church shall pre