FOrasmuch as it is the Duty and Inte­rest of Magistrates to take Care of the Church and of the Provision of godly and able Ministers for it, Be it enacted, That every Person who shall from and after the fifteénth day of March, One thousand six hundred [Page 4] fifty and nine be presented, nominated, chosen or appointed to any Benefice, formerly called Bene­fice with Care of Souls, or to preach any Publick settled Lecture in England or Wales, shall before he be admitted unto any such Benefice or Lecture, be judged and approved by the Persons hereafter named, to be a Person of godly life and sufficient abilities for the work of the Ministry, and a Per­son ordained thereunto. And that no Person to be presented after the said fifteenth day of March, but such as shall be so approved and admitted, shall be a publick Preacher, or take or receive any such Benefice as aforesaid or the Profits thereof. And be it further Enacted, That Doctor Rey­nolds, Mr Calamye, Mr Manton, Mr Ash, Mr Ha­viland, Mr Jacombe, Mr Jenkin, Mr Cooper, Mr Case, Doctor Spurstow, Mr Bates, Mr Poole, Mr Woodcock, Doctor Drake, Mr Nalton, Mr Whi­taker, Mr Guibon, Mr Carryl, Mr Jackson, Mr Row, Mr Sangar, Mr Sheffeild, Mr Barker, Mr Wat­son, Mr Taylor, Mr Lye, Mr Ralph Breddock, Mr George Griffith, Mr John Meriton, Doctor Ho [...]on, Doctor Annesley, shall be and are h [...]reb [...] nominated, constituted and appointed Commissio­ners for such approbation & admission as is afore­said; And the said Commissioners, or any five or more of them met together in London, are hereby authorized to Iudge and take knowledge of the ability and fitness of any Person so presented, no­minated, chosen or appointed, according to the Qualification above-mentioned; And upon their approbation of such his ability and fitness, to Grant unto such Person admission to such Bene­fice or Lecture by an Instrument in Writing un­der a Common Seal to be appointed by the said Commissioners or any five of them, and under [Page 5] the hand of the Register for the time being to be also nominated by the said Commissioners or the great [...]r number of them; which Instrument, the said Register shall cause to be entred in a Book for that purpose, and kept upon Record.

And it is hereby Enacted, That the said Person so admitted into any such Benefice, shall be Possessor and perfect Incumbent to all intents and purposes of the same, and intituled thereby to all the Profits, Perquisites, Rights and Dues incident and belonging thereunto, as also the Per­son that shall be so admitted to any Lecture as aforesaid, shall be thereby enabled (according to the Establishment and Constitution of such Le­cture) to preach ther [...]in, and to have and r [...]ceive the Stipend or Profits to such Lecture belonging.

Provided alwaies, That no Person who shall be nominated or presented for approbation as aforesaid, shall be concluded by any Vote of the said Commissioners which shall passe in the ne­gative as to his approbation, unless for reasona­ble Cause, and that nine or more of the said Commissioners be pres [...]nt at such Vote; And that the names of the Refusers be registred in a Book to be kept for that purpose, whereunto any Person may resort.

And it is further Enacted, That all Patrons of any Benefices that are now void, shall within six moneths next after the 15^th day of March aforesaid, and of any Benefice that shall hereafter be void, within six moneths next after the avoydance of the same, Present unto the said Commissioners or any five of them, some fit Person to be admitted; and for default of such Presentation within that time, the Presentation for that turn shall devolve by Lapse unto the Chancellor and Scholars of the Vniversities of Oxford and Cambridge respe­ctively, [Page 6] according to the Distribution of the Sta­tute in the Case of Popish Recusants in the third year of the late King James, Chapter the fifth.

Provided that the Patrons, any time before the Vniversity have presented, may have the same Li­berty to present their Clarks after the six moneths Lapse incurred, as according to Law they might have done in former times.

And be it further enacted, That the Patron or Patrons shall have the same remedy against the Commissioners aforesaid, as in like case he or they had against the Ordinary heretofore, and also a­gainst Disturbers; And that in case of suit to be had against the Commissioners, it shall be suffici­ent without naming any Person, to bring such suit against them by the name of Commissioners for approbation and admission of Ministers, and Process against them shewn to, and a Copy thereof delivered by the Sheriff or his Ministers to the Register, be a sufficient serving of such Pro­cess, and shall be a sufficient Warrant for the She­riff to return the Process served.

Provided also, and be it hereby enacted, That she Courts in which such suits shall be, are hereby respectively enabled to award any Writ to the Sheriff of the County where such Benefice or Le­cture shall be for the putting of any Clark into possession, as heretofore they might have done to any Bishop or Metropolitan.

Be it further enacted, That the said Commissi­oners or any nine of them, shall have power by writing under their Seal, to nominate foure or more Persons of known Piety and Learning, for and in every County of England and Wales, who or any threé of them so nominated in their respe­ctive Counties, shall have power to examine such Person as shall be presented or nominated to any [Page 7] Benefice, or is to be admitted to any Lecture with­in the said respective Counties, touching his fit­ness and abilities for the same, and to Certifie in writing with their names subscribed, their Opi­nion and Iudgment thereupon to the Commissio­ners herein named; And in case that Certificate shalbe made of the fitness & ability of such Person, the Commissioners shal proceed thereupon to admit him, as fully to all intents as if that he had been examined and approved by themselves. And it is further Enacted, That during the vacancy of such Benefices, in default of such Presentation, the said Commissioners or any five or more of them, have hereby Authority to sequester the Fruits & Pro­fits thereof, for providing an able and godly Prea­cher to serve the Cure, & giving him a reas [...]nable allowance, rendring the Over-plus to the next In­cumbent. And be it further declared and Enact­ed, That no person shall be admitted unto such Benefice or Lecture, unless hee bring with him a Testimonial or Certificate from three Ministers of the Gospel of known piety and learning, and do also give satisfaction of his fitness to the said Commissioners or any five of them. And where­as for the better maintainance of Preaching Mi­nisters, several Augmentations have been hereto­fore granted, Be it further Enacted, That all per­sons or p [...]rson to whom after the said 15^th day of March any Augmentation shall be granted, before he or they receive the same, shall obtain the approbation of the said Commissioners or five of them as a person qualified, as is before mentio­ned; And in case of approbation, such approbation shall be entred by the said Register, who under his hand shall also signifie the same to such person or persons as are or shalbe authorized to pay such [Page 8] Augmentation, who are hereby required and au­thorized from time to time to pay the person or per­sons so approved, such Augmentation as shall be granted as aforesaid unto him or the place where he preacheth, taking his or their Acquittances for the same. Provided, and it is hereby declared, that this Act, or any thing therein contained, shall not be construed to extend unto any Benefices Ec­clesiastical, that were not presentative before the Ordinance for the Abolition of Bishops, nor to any Lectures preacht or read in any of the Vni­versities or other Colledges.

Provided also, and be it hereby Enacted, That all Ministers having Parochial Charge, do read the Scriptures, Preach, Administer the Sacra­ments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, Cate­chize, and perform all other Duties according to the Directory for the Publick Worship of God, established by Ordinance of Parliament the third of January 1644.

Provided also, and be it hereby Enacted, That the Feés upon every Approbation and Admission, be only Thirteén shillings and Four pence; that is, To the Register, six shillings eight pence only; & the other six shillings eight pence to be disposed of for the defraying of incident Charges, as the said Commissioners or any five of them shall appoint.

And be it further Enacted and Ordained, That such Persons or any five or more of them that the Commissioners in this Act named from time to time according to the Instructions menti­oned in this Act, shall nominate and appoint in the respective Counties of England and Wales for the approving of Preaching Ministers unto Livings, with Cure and Lectures in their respective Counties, shall from time [Page 9] to time have Power and Authority; And are hereby Authorized to ordain Preaching Mini­sters in their respective Counties, according to the Form and Directions of an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons in Parliament As­sembled of the 29. of August, 1648, Intituled, The Form of Church-Government to be used in England and Ireland, So as such Persons, no­minated as aforesaid, be Ordained Mini­sters.

And Be it further Enacted and Ordained, That the publick Professors of Divinity, and the Divinity Lecturers, and the Heads of the Houses respectively, in the respective Vniver­sities of Oxford and Cambridge, or any Five or more of them, being Ministers Ordained, shall from time to time have power and authority, and are hereby authorized to Ordain Preaching Ministers in the said respective Vniversities, according to the Form and Directions of the said Ordinance of the Lords and Commons of the 29 of August, 1648.

And Be it further Enacted, That the said Ordinance of the 29. of August, 1648, Intitu­led, The Form of Church-Government to be used in England and Ireland, shall stand and be in force, and put in Execution. And whereas in the said Ordinance of Lords and Commons, bear­ing Date the 29. Day of August, 1648, there was a Clause inserted for the dividing of the several Counties of England and Wales into distinct Classicall Presbyteries, where they were not already divided, which was not put in Execution accordingly, by reason whereof that work remains yet undone, Be it therefore En­acted, That the several Iustices of the Peace [Page 10] in the respective Counties, Cities, and places, within England and Wales,, or any Five or more of them, of the several Counties of England and Wales, with the assistance of such Ministers and others, as they shall think fit, Do forth­with meet and consider how their severall Counties respectively may be most convenient­ly divided into distinct Classical Presbyteries, where they are not already divided; and what Ministers and others are fit to be of each Clas­sis: And they shall accordingly make such Di­vision and Nomination of Persons for each Classical Presbytery: Which Divisions and Persons so named for every Division, shall be certified by the said Commissioners to the Lord Keeper, or Lords Commissioners for Custody of the Great Seal for the time being. And that the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellors, and Heads of the Vniversities, do likewise consider how the Colledges and Halls may be put into Clas­sical Presbyteries, and do certifie the same up to the said Lord Keeper, or Lords Commissio­ners for Custody of the Great Seal. And that the said Certificate be made before the 29. Day of September next, which the Council of State is required to approve and confirm the same as they shall think fit, immediately upon receipt of such Certificates, and cause the same to be Re­gistred by the Clerk of the Commonwealth in Chancery. Provided, That this Act, and every thing therein contained, shall be and stand in force onely untill the Parliament take further Order.