Act exprefsly authorizing Minifters to abfolve perfons in fuch

circumstances.

3. In the preceeding Title there is an edi&t of Excom- Edia of munication mentioned, fo in like manner, and on the fame ground, Abfolutien. there fhould be published an edi&t of Absolution, at least a Sabbath before the fame, that fo the Penitent may be reftored to the apparent and tacite fatisfaction of that Congregation who had fo confented to his feclufion.

$4. The day being come, the Minifter is to preach a Ser- The Mi nifter's Bemon fuited to that occafion; Then, after the ordinary Prayers

haviour and

and Praises of the Congregation are ended, he is to call upon Prayer be the professed Penitent, and make him declare, promife, and call fore abfolu upon God as above: Thereafter he is to defire the Congregati- tion. on to join with him in Prayer to this purpose, that the Lord Jefus Chrift who hath pronounced, that whofoever by his Minifters is bound on Earth, fhall be bound in Heaven; and alfo, that whofoever is loofed by the fame, shall be loofed and abfolved with him in Heaven, would mercifully accept his creature this profeffing Penitent N. whom Satan of a long time hath held in bondage, fo that he not only drew him to iniquity, but alfo fo hardened his Heart, that he defpifed all admonitions, for the which his fin and contempt, they were compelled to excommunicate him from the Society of the Faithful. But now feeing the Holy Spirit hath fo far prevailed, that he profeffeth Repentance for his fin, that it may please God by His Spirit and Grace, to make him a fincere and unfeigned Penitent: and for the obedience of our Lord Jefus Chrift unto Death, so to accept of this poor returning Sinner, that his formerdifobedience be never laid to his charge, and that he may increase in all godlinefs, fo that Satan in the end may be trodden under foot by the power of our Lord Jefus, and God my be glorified, the Church edified, and the Penitent faved in the day of the Lord. $5. After the Sentence of Abfolution is to be Sentence of prayer, nounced in thefe or the like words. "Whereas thou N. haft Absolution been fhut out, for thy Sin, from the Congregation of the Faithful, and haft now manifected thy Repentence, wherein the the Abfolv Church refteth fatisfied; In the Name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, ed. before this congregation, I pronounce and declare thee abfolv.ed from the Sentence of Excommunication formerly denounced against thee, and do receive thee into the Communion of the Church, and the free use of all the ordinances of Chrift, that thou mayeft be partaker of all His Benefits to thy eternal Salvation." After this is pronounced, the Minifter fpeaketh to him as a Brother, exhorting him to watch and pray, or comforting him, if there be need, the Elders imbrace him, and the whole Congregation holdeth communion with him as one of

their own.

pro

§ 6. When the Prefbytery hath given warrant for abfolving

and Exhor· tation to

before Ab folution.

How the the Excommunicate Perfon, he is thereupon materially obfol Excommn ved, and therefore may be admitted to Church Worship, before nicated are he be actually and formally pronounced and declared fuch. prayed for The Church may pray for excommunicate perfons, unless they had certain knowlege, I mean very well grounded, that any of them had committed the unpardonable Sin, and that unto Death, 1 John v. 16.—Mat. xii. 31,32. and when we do pray for thefe Excommunicated, whom we hope not to be fo guilty, yet we do not pray for them as Chriftians, or of our own communion, but as if they were Heathens, for their converfion and Repentance.

Conclufi

$7. The Minifter is to conclude the Absolution with Prayer, on of the thanking God who delighteth not in the Death of a Sinner, but Abfolution rather that he should repent and and live, and magnifying the mercy of God through Jefus Chrift, in pardoning and receiving into his favour the moft grievous Offenders, whenever by his Grace they unfeignedly repent and forfake their fins. Thereafter the Congregation is difmiffed with the Bleffing, after fing; ing a part of fome penitential Pfalm.

End of the Collections.

THE

FORM OF PROCESS PROCESS

IN THE JUDICATORIES OF THE

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND;

WITH RELATION TO

SCANDAL S

AND

CENSURE S.

ARBROATH:

PRINTED BY J. FINDLAY.

1802.

An Act of the General Assembly approving a Form of Procefs, &c.

Edinburgh, April 18th, 1707, Seff. 11th.

HE General Affembly having at this day and at several former Diets had read in their audience the Overtures concerning a Form of Procefs in the Judicatories of this Church, with relation to Scandals and Cenfures, which were transmitted by the late General Affembly to the several Prefbyteries for their Judgement thereupon, and having maturely confidered the faids whole Overtures with the remarks and obfervations of Prefbyteries made upon the same, after full reafoning, both in Committees and open Affembly upon the several particulars contained in the faid Form of Procefs, the General Affembly did by their Votes nemine contradicente, and hereby do ratify and approve the forefaid Form of Procefs as now amended in the whole heads and articles thereof, and appoint and ordain the fame to be obferved and practifed by the refpective Judicatories of this Church, as an Ac and ordinance of Affembly, and as fixed, binding Rules and Directions in the whole matters therein contained, except the 7th 8th and 9th paragraphs of the fourth Chapter and what concerns the preffing of the Oath of Purgation. As to which the General Affembly fupercedes at this time to enjoin the Obfervation thereof as pofitive standing Rules, but they did and hereby do unanimoufly recommend to the several Presbyteries and other Judicatories of the Church, that they regulate themselves according to the advice therein infinuated, as they shall find to tend moft for edification; The tenor of which Form of Procefs follows.

THE

FORM OF PROCESS.

CHAP. I.

Concerning Church Government, Difcipline, Scandal and Cenfures in

general;

UR Lord Jefus Chrift hath inftituted a government, and governors ecclesiastical in his house, with power to meet for the order and government thereof; and to that purpose, the apostles did immediately receive. the keys from the hands of their Lord and Matter Jefus Chrift, and did ufe and exercise the fame upon all occafions, and Chrift hath from time to time furnished fome in his church with gifts for government, and with com miffion to exercise it when called thereunto, and has promifed his prefence. to be with them to the end of the world.

2. It is agreeable to and founded on the word of God, that fome others, befide those who labour in the word and doctrine be church governors, to join with the minifters of the word in the government of the church, and exercife of difcipline and overfight of the manners of the people, which officers are called ruling elders; As alfo, that the church be governed by several forts of judicatorics, and one in fubordination to the other, such as kirk-feffions, prefbyteries, provincial fynods and general affemblies.

3. Church difcipline and cenfures, for judging and removing of offences are of great use and neceffity in the church, that the name of God by reafen of ungodly and wicked perfons living in the church, be not blafphemed, nor his wrath provoked against his people, that the godly be not leavened with, but preferved from the contagion, and ftricken with fear, and that finners who are to be cenfured may be afhamed, to the deftruction of the flesh, and faving of the spirit in the day of the Lord Jesus.

4. Nothing ought to be admitted by any church judicatory as the ground of a process for cenfure, but what hath been declared cenfurable by the word of God, or some act of univerfal custom of this national church agreeable thereto; and the feveral judicatories of this church ought to take timeous notice of all fcandals; But it is judged, that if a scandal fhall hap pen not to be noticed in order to cenfure for the space of five years, it should not be again revived, so as to enter in a process thereanent, unless it be of an hainous nature, or become again flagrant, but the confciences of fuch perfons ought to be seriously dealt with in private to bring them to a sense of their fin and duty.

5. These affemblies or church judicatories before-mentioned have power to conveen and call before them any persons within their own bounds, whom the ecclefiaftic bufinefs, which is before them doth concern, either as party, witness, or otherwife, and to examine them according to the nature of the affair, and to hear and determine in such cases as fall orderly come before them and accordingly difpenfe church cenfures.