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THE

FORM

OF THE

GOVERNMENT AND DISCIPLINE

OF THE

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

IN THE

UNITED STATES or AMERICA.

Philadelphia +

PRINTED IN THE YEAR 1806.

INTRODUCTION.

TH

HE Synod of New-York and Philadelphia, judging it expedient to afcertain and fix the fyftem of union, and the form of Government and Difcipline of the Presbyterian Church in these United States, under their care; have thought proper to lay down, by way of introduction, a few of the general principles by which they have been hitherto governed, and which are the ground work of the following plan. This, it is hoped, will, in fome measure, prevent thofe rafh misconstructions, and un candid reflections, which usually proceed from an im perfect view of any fubject; as well as make the feveral parts of the fyftem plain, and the whole plan perfpicuous and fully underflood.

The Synod are unanimoufly of opinion;

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I. That "God alone is Lord of the confcience; "and hath left it free from the doctrine and commandments of men, which are in any thing contrary to his word, or befide it in matters of faith "or worship" Therefore, they confider the rights of private judgment, in all matters that refpe&t religion,

as univerfal, and unalienable: They do not even wish to fee any religious conftitution aided by the cival power, further than may be necessary for protection and fecurity, and, at the fame time, equal and common to all others.

11. That, in perfect confiftency with the above principle of common right, every Christian church, or union or affociation of particular churches, is entitled to declare the terms of admission into its communion and the qualification, of its minifters and members, as well as the whole fyftem of its internal government which Chrift hath appointed: That, in the exercife of this right, they may, notwithstanding, err, in making the terms of communion either too lax or too narrow: yet, even in this cafe, they do not infringe upon the liberty, or the rights of others, but only make an improper ufe of their own.

III. That our blessed Saviour, for the edification of the visible church, which is his body, hath appointed officers, not only to preach the gospel and adminifter the facraments; but alfo to exercife difcipline, for the preservation both of truth and duty: and, that it is incumbent upon thefe officers, and upon the whole Church, in whose name they act, to cenfure, or caft out, the erroneous and scandalous; obferving, in all cafes, the rules contained in the word of God.

IV. That truth is in order to goodness; and the great touchstone of truth, its tendency to promote holinefs; according to our Saviour's rule, " by their fruits

"ye fhall know them." And that no opinion can be either more pernicious or more abfurd, than that which brings truth and falfbcod upon a level, and reprefents it as of no confequence what a man's opini ons are. On the contrary, they are perfuaded, that there is an infeparable connection between faith and practice, truth and duty. Otherwife, it would be of no confequence either to discover truth, or to embrace it,

V. That while under the conviction of the above principle, they think it necessary to make effectual provifion, that all who are admitted as Teachers, be found in the faith; they also believe, that there are truths and forms, with respect to which men of good characters and principles may differ: And in all these, they think it the duty, both of private Chriftians and focieties, to exercise mutual forbearance towards each other.

VI. That though the character, qualifications, and authority of church-officers, are laid down in the koly fcriptures, as well as the proper method of their inveftiture and inftitution; yet the election of the per- fons to the exercife of this authority, in any particular fociety, is in that fociety.

VII. That all church power, by the body in general, or, in the

whether exercised

way of reprefentation, by delegated authority, is only minifterial.and declarative; That is to say, that the holy fcriptures are the only rule of faith and manners; that no church judicatory ought to pretend to make iaws, to Kk

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