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 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 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 15th 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 , 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 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 shal be 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 15th 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 shal be authorized to pay such 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 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 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 .