September 1654: An Additional Ordinance to the Ordinance appointing Commissioners for approbation of Publique Preachers.

September, 1654

[2 September, 1654.]

Act of Pardon, 24 February, 1651.; No Admission shal be given to Ministers ejected for Delinquency, until a signification from His Highness and the Council.

Whereas by an Act of Parliament, Entituled, An Act of general Pardon and Oblivion, it is amongst other things provided and declared, That the said Act or any thing therein contained, should not extend to the admitting or restoring of any person or persons to the exercise, having or enjoying of any Profession, Office or Place of Trust, Power, Authority or Government within this Commonwealth, who on the eight and twentieth day of January, One thousand six hundred fifty one, did stand or were disabled, or made uncapable or restrained under a penalty of or for the execution, exercise, having or enjoying of such Profession, Office or Place of Trust, Power, Authority or Government by any Act, Order or Ordinance of Parliament, until by Experience of their conformity and submission to the present Establisht Government, and of their readiness and endeavor to further the Peace and Setlement of this Commonwealth, the Parliament should receive satisfaction whereby to be induced to extend further favor unto them; And whereas divers persons who having for Delinquency been ejected out of several Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions, have by color of the aforesaid Act of General Pardon and Oblivion, or otherwise regain'd the possession of such place, whence they were ejected, or have gotten and do endeavour to get Admission into other places, and thereby to enjoy the Publique Maintenance, without giving any satisfaction of their conformity and submission to the Government; Be it therefore Ordained by His Highness the Lord Protector, by and with the advice and consent of His Council, That the Commissioners for Approbation of Publique Preachers shall not give Admission to any person or persons who have been sequestred from any Ecclesiastical Benefices or Promotion for Delinquency, until by experience of his and their Conformity and Submission unto the present Government, His Highness and His said Council shall receive satisfaction of his fitness to be admitted into Ecclesiastical Promotion within this Commonwealth, and the same shall be signified to the said Commissioners.

Commissioners added.

And be it further Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That Master John Row, Mr. John Bond, Mr. George Griffith of the Charter-house, Master John Turner, and Godfrey Bosvile Esquire, be and are hereby added to the Commissioners for Approbation of Publique Preachers, and are hereby authorized and impowered to do and put in Execution all and every the Powers in the said Act, as fully as any person named in the said Act is impowered to do.