Theological School; and during the prosecution of his studies there, shall be subject to the rules and regulations thereof, and when he shall have completed the prescribed course and term of Theological studies, shall be admitted to an examination according to the regulations of the school, as established by General Synod; and if found qualified, shall receive a professorial certificate to that effect, which shall entitle him to an examination for licensure before the Classis to which he belongs.

SEC. 3. In the examination, strict attention shall be paid to the attainments of the Student, not only in the original languages of the Sacred Scriptures, in Biblical literature, in composition, and his method of sermonizing, but he shall be especially examined respecting his knowledge in Theology, his orthodoxy, his piety, and his views in desiring to become a preacher of the Gospel.

SEC. 4. Whoever, upon examination, shall be approved by the Classis, must, before he is licensed, attest his adherence to the doctrines of the Gospel, by subscribing the following formula, viz.—

"WE, the underwritten, testify, that the Heidelbergh Catechism, and the Confession of the Netherland Churches; as also the Canons of the National Synod of Dordrecht, held in the years 1618 and 1619, are fully conformable to the word of God. We promise, moreover, that as far as we are able, we will, with all faithfulness, teach and defend, both in public and private, the doctrines established in the standards aforesaid. And, should ever any part of these doctrines appear to us dubious, we will not divulge the same to the people, nor disturb the peace of the church or of any community, until we first communicate our sentiments to the ecclesiastical judicatories under which we stand, and subject ourselves to the counsel and sentence of the same."

SEC. 5. After subscribing the aforesaid formula,

the candidate shall be entitled to a certificate, or testimonial signed by the President of Classis, before whom the examination is held, containing a license to preach the Gospel.

SEC. 6. A candidate for the ministry is permitted only to preach the word, but he may not, under any pretence whatever, administer the sacraments; nor can he be a delegate to represent a church in any ecclesiastical assembly.

SEC. 7. Every candidate for the ministry is to consider himself under the immediate direction of the Classis which examined him, and subject to the control of the General Synod, and is to visit such congregations, and preach in those places to which the Classis or Synod shall send him but if no particular directions are given, he may preach at his own discretion in any congregation that shall invite him.

SEC. 8. Upon receiving a call from any particular congregation, a candidate shall be allowed time to consider the propriety of his accepting it. If more than one call is before him at the same time, he may determine which he will prefer; but if there be only one, it is expected he will not finally refuse the same, before having first referred his difficulties to the Classis, and obtained proper advice.

SEC. 9. A candidate who has accepted a call, must offer himself to be examined for his becoming a Minister. In this final examination, besides a repetition of his previous trials in composition and sermonizing, the original languages of the Sacred Scriptures, Biblical Literature, and his knowledge of Theology, as well Didactic as Polemic; he shall be interrogated respecting the nature and administration of the sacraments, the duties of the ministry, and his knowledge of Ecclesiastical History, and of Church Government.

SEC. 10. Upon giving satisfaction in the examination, the candidate shall subscribe the following formula, viz.

"WE, the underwritten, Ministers of the word of God, residing within the bounds of the Classis of N. N., do hereby sincerely, and in good conscience before the Lord. declare by this our subscription, 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 Church, together with the explanation of some points of the aforesaid doctrine made in the National Synod held at Dordrecht in the year 1619, do fully agree with the word of God. We promise, therefore, diligently to teach, and faithfully to defend the aforesaid doctrine, without either directly or indirectly contradicting the same by our public preaching or writings. We declare, moreover, that we not only reject all errors that militate against this doctrine, and particularly those which are condemned in the above-mentioned Synod; but that we are disposed to refute and contradict them, and to exert ourselves in keeping the church pure from such errors. And if hereafter any difficulties, or different sentiments respecting the aforesaid doctrine should arise in our minds, we promise that we will neither publicly nor privately propose, teach, or defend the same, either by preaching or writing, until we have first revealed such sentiment to the Consistory, Classis, or Synod, that the same may be there examined; being ready always cheerfully to submit to the judgment of the Consistory, Classis, or Synod, under the penalty, in case of refusal, to be ipso facto suspended from our office. And, farther, if at any time the Consistory, the Classis, or Synod, upon sufficient grounds of suspicion, and to preserve the uniformity and purity of doctrine, may deem it proper to require of us a farther explanation of our sentiments respecting any particular article of the Confession of Faith, the Catechism, or the explanation of the National Synod, we do hereby promise to be always willing and ready to comply with such

requisition, under the penalty above mentioned; reserving, however, to ourselves the right of an appeal, whenever we shall conceive ourselves aggrieved by the sentence of the Consistory, the Classis, or Particular Synod; and until a decision is made upon such appeal, we will acquiesce in the determination and judgment already passed."

SEC. 11. Upon subscribing the aforesaid formula, a certificate, signed by the President, shall be given to the candidate; and the Classis before which the examination is held, shall fix a day for his ordination.

SEC. 12. The ordination shall be conducted by the Classis with proper solemnity, a sermon suited to the occasion shall be preached by him who has been appointed for that purpose, and the promises, directions, explanations of duty, with a laying on of hands, shall be agreeably to the form for that end expressly made and adopted.

SEC. 13. The office of a Minister is to persevere in prayer and the ministry of the word; to dispense the sacraments; to watch over his brethren the Elders and Deacons, as well as over the whole congregation; and lastly, in conjunction with the Elders, to exercise Christian discipline, and to be careful that all things be done decently and in good order. Every Minister must consider himself as wholly devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ in the service of the church; and shall faithfully fulfil the obligations of his call, in preaching, catechizing, and visiting his flock; and be instant in season and out of season; and by word and example always promote the spiritual welfare of his people.

SEC. 14. No person shall be ordained to the ministry of the word, without settling in some congregation, unless he be sent as a Missionary to churches, or employed to gather congregations where none have as yet been established.

SEC. 15. A minister of the word, being once lawfully called, in manner before mentioned, is

bound to the service of the sanctuary, as long as he liveth. Therefore, he shall not be at liberty to devote himself to a secular vocation, except for great and important reasons, concerning which the Classis shall inquire and determine.

SEC. 16. No Minister, relinquishing the service of his own church, or being unattached to any particular congregation, shall be permitted to preach indiscriminately from place to place, without the consent and authority of the Classis; in like manner, no Minister may preach or administer the sacraments in any church, other than his own, without the consent of the Consistory of that church.

SEC. 17. Ministers, who by reason of old age, or habitual sickness and infirmities, either of mind or body, are not capable of fulfilling the duties of the ministry, may, upon application, and sufficient proof of such incapacity being made to the Classis, be declared emeriti, and be excused from all farther service in the church during such infirmity; reserving, however, to them the title, rank, and character, which before such declaration they enjoyed. In all such cases, before the Classis declares any Minister emeritus, they shall require a stipulation in writing from the Consistory to which he belongs, under their common seal, and signed by their President, to pay such Minister annually, in half yearly payments, during his exemption from pastoral service, for his support, such sum as the Classis shall deem reasonable, having due regard to the stated salary of such Minister, and the situation and ability of the congregation.

SEC. 18. For the regular obtaining of dismis sions, when a Minister has received and accepted a call from another place, it is required that a neighbouring Minister of the same Classis to which the congregation belongs, be invited to be present, and superintend the dismission of the Minister from his congregation, countersign the in