for pronouncing that dreadful sentence solemnly in face of the congregation, unless either the party or some for him, signify some relevant ground to stop their procedure. 12. That day being come, it were fit the minister did preach a sermon suited to that solemn occasion, or at least after sermon the minister should shew the congregation what he is going about, introducing the narrative of the process, with a discourse concerning the nature, use and end of church censures, particularly that of the greater excommunication, if he hath not done it fully in his ser mon. 13. The narrating all the steps of the process in order, shewing the church's faithfulness and tenderness towards the scandalous person, and declaring his obstinate impenitency; and that now after all other means were used, there remained only that of cutting off the scandalous person from the society of the faithful, and intimating the church's warrant and order to him so to do. 14. And before the minister pronounce the sentence, he is to pray, and desire all the congregation to join with him therein, that God would grant repentance to the obstinate person, would graciously bless his own ordinance, and make the censure effectual, both to edify others, and to be a mean to reclaim the obstinate sinner. 15. Then after prayer, the minister is, with great gravity and authority, to pronounce the censure; shewing his warrant from our Lord's command, and the Apostle Paul's direction, and recapitulating the presbytery's warrant in obedience thereunto, and resuming the scandalous and obstinate person's behaviour, whom he is to name; he therefore, in the name and authority of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, doth in verbis de præsenti pronounce and declare him or her excommunicated and shut out from the communion of the faithful, debarring that person from their privileges; and in the words of the Apostle, delivering that person over to Satan, which sentence is to be intimate according to the 9th act of the Assembly anno 1704. 16. If after prayer or before the censure be pronounced, the scandalous person do make any public signification of his repentance, and of his desire to have the censure stopt, the minister, upon apparent seriousness in the scandalous person, which he sheweth to the congregation, may thereupon delay pronouncing the sentence, till he report to the presbytery at their next meeting, who are then to deal with the scandalous person as they shall find cause. 17. After the pronunciation of this sentence, the people are to be warned that they hold that person to be cast out of the communion of the church, and that they shun all unnecessary converse with him or her; nevertheless excommunication dissolveth not the bonds of civil or natural relations, nor exempts from the duties belonging to them. 18. Although it be the duty of pastors and ruling elders to use all diligence and vigilance, both by doctrine and discipline respectively, for preventing and purging out such errors, heresies, schisms and scandals as tend to the detriment and disturbance of the church; yet because it may fall out through the pride and stubbornness of offenders, that these means alone will not be effectual to that purpose; it is therefore necessary after all this, to employ the aid of the civil magistrate, who ought to use his coercive power for the suppressing of all such offences, and vindicating the discipline of the church from contempt. CHAP. IX. Concerning the Order of proceeding to Absolution. 1. If after excommunication, the signs of repentance appear in the excommunicated person; such as godly sorrow, for having incurred God's heavy displeasure by his sin, occasioned grief to his brethren, and justly provoked the church to cast him out of their communion, together with a full purpose of heart to turn from his sin unto God through Christ, and to reform his life and conversation, with an humble desire of recovering peace with God and his people, and to be restored to the favour of God and light of his countenance, through the blood of Jesus Christ, and to the communion of the church, and the presbytery upon his application be satisfied therewith, and judge that he ought to be absolved, and thereupon give warrant for his absolution; he is to be brought be fore the congregation, and there also to make free confession of his sin and sorrow for it, to call upon God for mercy in Christ, to seek to be restored to the communion of the church, promising to God through grace, new obedience, and more holy and circumspect walking as becomes the gospel, and that this appearance before the congregation, be as often as church judicatories shall find may be for edification and trial of the professing penitent's sincerity; and being satisfied in this, then the minister and congregation are to praise God, who delighteth not in the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live; as also, for blessing the ordinance of excommunication, and making it effectual by his Spirit to the recovering of this offender, to magnify the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, in pardoning and receiving to his favour the most grievous offenders whensoever they unfeignedly repent and forsake their sins; but before the minister proceed to absolution, he is to pray with the congregation to this effect: "That the Lord Jesus Christ, Prophet, Priest and King of his church, who with the preaching of the gospel hath joined the power to bind and loose the sins of men; who hath also declared, that whatsoever by his ministers is bound on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and also, that whatsoever is loosed by the same, shall be loosed and absolved in heaven, would mercifully accept his creature N. whom Satan of long time hath holden in bondage, so that he not only drew him to iniquity, but also so hardened his heart, that he despised all admonitions, for the which his sin and contempt, the church was compelled to excommunicate him from the society of the faithful; but now seeing the Holy Spirit by his grace hath so prevailed, that he is returned, and professeth repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, that it may please God by his Spirit and grace to make him a sincere and unfeigned penitent, and for the obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ unto death, so to accept of this poor believing and returning sinner, that his former disobedience be never laid to his charge, and that he may increase in all godliness, so that Satan in the end may be trodden under feet by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and God may be glorified, the church edified, and the penitent saved in the day of our Lord." 2. Then shall follow the sentence of absolution in these or the like words: "Whereas thou N. hast for thy sin been shut out from the communion of the faithful, and hast now manifested thy repentance, wherein the church resteth satisfied, I in the name of the Lord Je sus, before this congregation, pronounce and declare thee absolved from the sentence of excommunication formerly denounced against thee, and do receive thee to the communion of the church, and the free use of all the ordinances of Christ, that thou mayest be partaker of all his benefits to thy eternal salvation." 3. After this sentence of absolution, the minister speaketh to him as a brother, exhorteth him to watch and pray, and comforting him as there shall be cause; the elders embrace, and the whole congregation holdeth communion with him, as one of their own; and the absolution should be intimate in all the churches where the excommunication was intimate. END OF THE FORM OF PROCESS. This edition of the "Form of Process" has been carefully collated with the copy in the Acts of Assembly. |