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gations, as one flock, appeareth b.

3. That these many congregations were one church, and that they were under one presbyterial government, appeareth i.

TH

Of Synodical Affemblies.

HE fcripture doth hold out another fort of affemblies for the government of the church, befide claffical and congregational, all which we call fynodical k.

Pastors and teachers, and other church governors (as alfo

Acts xx. 17. And from Miletus he fent to Ephefus, and called the elders of the church. v. 25. And now behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, fhall fee my face no more, v. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. v. 30. Alfo of your own felves fhall men arife, fpeaking perverfe things, to draw away difciples after them, v. 36. and when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. v. 37. And they all wept fore, and fell upon Pauls neck, and kiffed him.

Rev. ii. 1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephefus write, Thefe things faith he that holdeth the feven stars in his right-hand, who walketh in the midst of the feven golden candlesticks, v. 2. I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil; and thou haft tried them which fay they are apoftles, and are not, and hast found them liars, v. 3. and hast born, and haft patience, and for my names fake haft laboured, and haft not

other

fainted. v. 4. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love. v. 5. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. v. 6. But this thou haft, that thou hateft the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which also I hate. Joined with Acts xx. 17, 28. See in letter b.

k Acts xv. 2. When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small diffention and difputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them fhould go up to Jerufalem unto the apostles and elders about this queftion. v. 6. And the apostles and elders came together for to confider of this matter. v. 22. Then it pleafed the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to fend chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas, namely Judas firnamed Barfabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. v. 23. And wrote letters by them after this manner: The apostles, and elders, and brethren, fend greeting unto the brethren, which are of the Gentiles in Antioch, and

other fit perfons, when it fhall be deemed expedient) are members of thofe affemblies which we call fynodical, where they have a lawful calling thereunto.

Synodical affemblies may lawfully be of feveral forts, as provincial, national and oecumenical.

It is lawful and agreeable to the word of God, that there be a fubordination of congregational, claffical, provincial and national affemblies, for the government of the church.

UNDER

of it.

Of Ordination of Ministers.

the head of ordination of ministers is to be cons fidered, either the doctrine of ordination, or the power

Touching the Doctrine of Ordination.

O man ought to take upon him the office of a minifter of the word, without a lawful calling.

Ordination is always to be continued in the church m. Ordination is the folemn fetting apart of a perfon to fome publick church-office n.

Syria, and Cilicia.

1 John iii. 17. John answered and said, a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Rom. x. 14. How then fhall, they call on him, in whom they have not believed? and how fhall they believe on him, of whom they have not heard? and how fhall they hear without a preacher? v. 15. And how fhall they preach except they be fent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things? Jer. xiv. 14. Then the Lord faid unto me, The prophets prophefie lies in my name, I fent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither fpake I unto them? they prophefie unto you a falfe vifion and divination, and a

Every

thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Heb. v. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himfelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

I

m 1 Tim. i. 5. For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst fet in order the things that are wanting and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee. 1 Tim. v. 21. I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the elect angels, that thou obferve these things, without preferring one be fore another, doing nothing by par tiality. v. 22. Lay hands fuddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins. Keep thy felf pure.

n Num. viii, 10. And thou fhalt bring the Levites before the ord, and the children of Ifrael fhall 0

put

their

Every minifter of the word is to be ordained by impofition of hands, and prayer with fafting, by thofe preaching presbyters, to whom it doth belongo.

It is agreeable to the word of God, and very expedient, that fuch as are to be ordained minifters, be defigned to fome particular church, or other ministerial chargep.

He that is to be ordained minister, must be duly qualifi ed, both for life and ministerial abilities, according to the rules of the apoftle q.

their hands upon the Levites. v. 11.
And Aaron fhall offer the Levites
before the Lord, for an offering of
the children of Ifrael, that they
may execute the service of the Lord.
v. 14. Thus fhalt thou feparate the
Levites from among the children of
Ifrael; and the Levites fhall be mine.
v. 19. And I have given the Levites
as a gift to Aaron and to his fons,
from among
the children of Ifrael,
to do the fervice of the children of
Ifrael, in the tabernacle of the con-
gregation, and to make an atone
ment for the children of Ifrael; that
there be no plague among the chil-
dren of Ifrael, when the children of
Ifrael come nigh unto the fanctua-
ry. v. 22. And after that went the
Levites in, to do their fervice in the
tabernacle of the congregation, be-
fore Aaron and before his fons; as
the Lord had commanded Mofes
concerning the Levites, fo did they
unto them. Acts vi. 3. Wherefore
brethren, look ye out among you
feven men of honeft report, full of
the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, whom
we may appoint over this business.
v. 5. And the faying pleafed the
whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen a man full of faith and of
the Holy Ghoft, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor and Ti-
mon, and Parmenas, and Nicoias a

He

profelyte of Antioch, v. 6. Whom they had fet before the apostles; and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them.

• 1 Tim. v. 22. Lay hands fuddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins. Keep thy felf pure. Acts xiv. 23. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fafting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts xiii. 3. And when they had fafted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they fent them a

way.

p Acts xiv. 23. See before. Tit. i. 5. For this caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee. Acts xx. 17. And from Miletus he fent to Ephefus, and called the elders of the church. v. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

91 Tim. iii. 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, fober, of good behaviour, given to hofpitality, apt to teach; v. 3. Not given to wine,

де

He is to be examined and approved by those by whom he is to be ordained r.

No man is to be ordained a minister for a particular congregation, if they of that congregation can fhew just cause of exception against him.

Touching the Power of Ordination.
RDINATION is the act of a presbytery t.

OF

The power of ordering the whole work of ordination is in the whole presbytery, which when it is over more congregations than one, whether thofe congregations be fixed or not fixed, in regard of officers or members, it is indiffe rent as to the point of ordination v.

It is very requifite that no fingle congregation, that can conveniently affociate, do affume to itfelf all and fole power in ordination:

no ftriker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient; not a brawler, not covetous; v. 4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in fubjection with all gravity; v. 5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own houfe, how fhall he take care of the church of God?) v. 6. Not a novice, left being lifted up with pride, he fall into the condem-nation of the devil. Tit i. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou fhouldft fet in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee. v. 6. If any man be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accufed of riot, or unruly. v. 7. For a bishop must be blamelefs, as the fteward of God; not felf-willed, not foon angry, not given to wine, no ftriker, not given to filthy lucre; v. 8. But a lover of hofpitality, a lover of good men, fober, juft, holy, temperate; v. 9. Holding faft the faith

1. Be

ful word, as he hath been taught, that he may be able by found doctrine, both to exhort, and to convince the gainfayers.

71 Tim. iii. 7. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without, left he fall into reproach, and the fnare of the devil. v. 10. And let these alfo first be proved, then let them ufe the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 1 Tim. v. 22. Lay hands fuddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other mens fins. Keep thy felf pure.

S1 Tim. iii. 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, fober, of good behaviour, given to hofpitality, apt to teach. Tit. i. 7. For a bifhop muft be blameless, as the steward of God.

1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was gi ven thee by prophecy, with the lay. ing on of the hands of the prefbytery.

Tim. iv VI

14. 002

See in letter !.

w See

1. Because there is no example in fcripture, that any fingle congregation, which might conveniently affociate, did affume to itself all and fole power in ordination: neither is there any rule which may warrant fuch a practice.

2. Because there is in fcripture example of an ordination in a presbytery over divers congregations; as in the church of Jerufalem, where were many congregations, these many congregations were under one presbytery, and this presbytery did ordain.

The preaching presbyters orderly affociated, either in cities or neighbouring villages, are those to whom the impofition of hands doth appertain, for those congregations within their bounds respectively.

1.

Concerning the Doctrinal Part of Ordination of Ministers.

•No manough O man ought to take upon him the office of a minifter of the word, without a lawful calling w.

2. Ordination is always to be continued in the church x. 3. Ordination is the folemn fetting apart of a person to fome publick church officey.

4. Every minister of the word is to be ordained by impo fition of hands and prayer, with fafting by these preaching presbyters to whom it doth belong z.

5. The power of ordering the whole work of ordination is in the whole presbytery, which when it is over more congregations than one, whether those congregations be fixed or not fixed, in regard of officers or members, it is indifferent as to the point of ordination a.

6. It is agreeable to the word, and very expedient, that fuch as are to be ordained minifters, be defigned to fome particular church, or other ministerial charge b.

7. He that is to be ordained minifter, must be duly quali

w See before in letter 1. * See before in letter m. See before in letter n.

z See before in letter ..
a See before in letter v.
See before in letter p.

fied,

+ See

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