miniftry, 1 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 10. For to one is given by the spirit, the word of wisdom; to another, the word of knowledge by the fame Spirit; to another, faith by the fame fpirit; to another, the gift of healing by the fame fpirit; to another the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, difcerning of fpirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues; and thefe extraordinary minifters confifted of three forts, Apostles, Prophets, and Evangelifts.

The Apostles were the head and chief, as meffengers and am-' baffadors of CHRIST; commiffioned by him to appear boldly, as witneffes of his life, death, and refurrection; to promulge the gospel, to open the mysteries of his kingdom, to plant and govern churches, to direct them in all cafes, being extraordinarily qualified by the HOLY GHOST for this work, to whom CHRIST faid, Acts i. 8. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghoft is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerufalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.

Prophets were thofe, who by divine infpiration, foretold things to come; they had gifts of healing, and fpeaking with tongues, and were fubordinate to the Apoftles in the ministerial fervice, Acts xiii. 1, 2, 3. Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain Prophets and Teachers, &c. as they miniftred to the Lord, and fafted, the Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fafted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they fent them away I Cor. xii. 28. God hath fet fome in the church, first Apostles, fecondarily Prophets, thirdly Teachers. Eph. iv. 11. And he fome Apoftles; and fome, Prophets; and Jome, Evangelifts.

gave

The Evangelifts were infpired minifters, and great affiftants in the work of the LORD. It appears that Philip was an Evangelift, Acts xxi. 8. And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed and came unto Cefarea; and we entered into the houfe of Philip the Evangelift. And likewife Timothy, whom the Apostle exhorts, 2 Tim. iv. 5. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an Evangelift, make fuli proof of thy ministry.

Friendly. Who are the fettled and standing minifters of the church of CHRIST?

Truth. They are Bishops, Deacons, and Elders, Phil. i. 1. Paul and Timotheus the fervants of Chrift Jefus, which are at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons. Acts xx. 17. And from Miletus be fent to Ephefus, and called the Elders of the church. Now

a Bishop is a Paftor, Overfeer, a Prefbyter, or ruling Elder, who is one that has divine and fpiritual qualifications to preach the gospel diftinctly, experimentally, and practically, whom the church has called out and ordained to take upon him the paftoral charge, or the care of the flock of CHRIST, as an under Shepherd under the great Shepherd and Bishop of Souls; whofe immediate concern is then to embrace the flock with double affections, to watch over them as his peculiar charge, and the fheep of his minifterial pasture, to whom he is faithfully and affectionately to preach the word of life, duly to adminis ter all the ordinances of GoD's word, and endeavour to maintain the honour and difcipline of the church of CHRIST, Acts xx. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overfeers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood. As to Elders in a church, they are twofold;

First, There is (or at leaft there ought to be) in every church a teaching Elder, whofe office is to affift the Paftor in teaching and inftructing the church, which office the church has a power to call them to, especially when the absence of their Paftor, or his indifpofition may require it; and likewife to administer ordinances, when there appears a neceffity for it, though his particular office is to give diligence, and wait on teaching, Rom. xii. 6, 7. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith; or miniftry, let us wait on miniftering, or be that teacheth on teaching.

Second, There are likewife in a regular organized church, Ruling Elders, whofe office is to affift the Paftor, in maintaining an affectionate watch over the flock to which they belong, or in cafe the church fhould be deftitute of a Paftor, to go before the church, or be as the church's mouth in receiving members, in admonishing, in excommunication, or in any matter of order and difcipline, as the cafe fhall require; because the church, having any ruling officer therein is organized to act, though not fo compleatly as it fhould be; but where there is one ruling Elder, thefe things may be authoritatively adminiftered, as it is his peculiar office in the church to wait on ruling, and the Apoftle exhorts them to rule with diligence, Rom. xii. 8. and in the 1 Cor. xxii. 28. he calls them belps for government in the church, and withal exhorts them to pay an affectionate regard to them, 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour; especially thef who labour in the word and doctrine: which work the church

has a power to call them to, when they have no Paftor, or Teaching Elder among them. They are likewife to vifit the fick, to pray with them and for them, Jam. v. 14. Is any fick among you? Let him call for the Elders of the church, and let them pray over him.

Friendly. What is the office of a Deacon?

Truth. His office is to attend to the more external things of the church! fuch as providing out of the church's stock every thing decent and orderly for the due administration of the Lord's Supper, and to attend thereat, as thofe that serve the communicants at the table of the Lord, to which office, with communicating to the neceffities of the faints, they are particularly appointed, AƐts vi. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Likewife they are to take care for the due and regular maintenance, and honourable support of their minifter. This work certainly belongs to them, as they collect the church's contributions, and have the church's treasure in their hands, therefore they ought regularly to communicate it to their minifter, as his comfort and fupport depends upon receiving it at his their hands.

Another part of the office of a Deacon is, to be kind to the faints, and to diftribute to their neceffities, Rom. xii. 13. Dif tributing to the neceffities of the faints, given to hofpitality.

Friendly. What is the qualification of a Deacon?

Truth. The Apoftle explains every branch of the character they ought to bear, 1 Tim. iii. 8, 13. Likewife must the Deatons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, nor greedy of filthy lucre, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure confeience. Let thefe alfo firft be proved; then let them use the office of a Deacon, being found blameless. Even fo muft their wives be grave, not flanderers, fober, faithful in all things. Let the Deacon be the bufband of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that use the office of a Deacon well, purchase to themfelves a good degree, aud great boldness in the faith which is in Chrift Fefus.

Friendly. Have the Deacons any to affift them in their

office?

Truth. They may appoint their wives, who being defired by the church, may infpect into the neceffities of the fick and poor, from which office, or being the wife of a Deacon, they are called Deaconeffes, Rom. xvi. 1. I commend unto thee Phebe our fifter, who is a fervant (which fhould be rendered, who is a Deaconess) of the church which is at Cenchrea.

Friendly. Are teaching and ruling Elders always neceffary to the government of the church?

Truth. In a common way, where the church is but small, a fingle paftor may anfwer all the neceffities of the church, for its edification, in the execution of his paftoral office; but if any difficulties arife, or the increase of the church may require greater affiftance in doctrine, rule or difcipline; and if there be any in the church that are meet to afford affistance therein, the church has power to call them out to take upon them thefe affifting offices, Eph. iv. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift.

Friendly. But may a church be duly organized, to act in all offices and difcipline without any ruling or teaching Elder?

Truth. Yes, If the Paftor takes upon him the charge of the people, without requiring thefe affifting officers in the church; he may with only the affiftance of a Deacon, execute all the offices of the church, as the paftoral work contains in it every thing neceffary for teaching and ruling: on this account the Apoftle Peter tiles himself an Elder as well as an Apostle, and exhorts thofe Paftors or Elders, who take the whole paftoral care of the people upon them, to do it chearfully, and of a ready mind, i Pet. v. 1, &c. The Elders which are among you I exhort, who alfo am an Elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Chrift, and alfo a partaker of the glory that fhall be revealed: Feed the flock of God, which is among you, taking the overfight thereof, not by conflraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being Lords over God's heritage, but being enJamples to the flock. But as was before obferved, if through the weaknefs of the Paftor, or the increase of the church, there is occafion for further help, and there are fuch persons within the church that are proper to affift therein, it is the duty and privilege of the congregation to call in and ordain fuch affifting officers for their edification, Eph. iv. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the body of Chrift.

Friendly. What is a regular call by the church to an office therein?

Truth. First, The church is to fet apart a time for folemn feeking to GOD for direction; and when they have pitched upon fome perfon, whom they look upon to have abilities for the work, and a fpirit fuited to discharge the duties of the office they intend to call him to, he must be invited thereunto by the confent of the whole church. Then he is to declare before the whole church his willingness to accept of their call to the office appointed him, provided he be duly ordained therein; for

let it be observed, that a call is not an ordination, neither is any one conftituted a church officer thereby; but that which conftitutes a church officer, whether it be a Bishop, Elder, or Deacon, is the ordination of them to the office; which ordination is a folemn feparation and dedication of them to GoD therein by united prayer, Acts xiv. 23. And when they had ordained them Elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed.

Friendly. From whence are the officers of a church to be.

chofen?

Truth. From among themfelves, and ordained by the church, to which they ftand related; but upon fuppofition that there is no one in the church that is meet or qualified to bear an office, they may invite a fuitable member from a fifter church; but yet they cannot regularly ordain him to bear an office among them until he be difmiffed as a member to them from the church to which he belonged; for it would not be decent and orderly at all to be an officer in one church, and yet a member to another.

Friendly What method must a church take in order to elect and make choice of an officer?

Truth. When met together, after prayers for direction, they muft ftate the queftion fairly, whether fuch a perfon is fit to bear an office in the church? If at least the majority agree in the choice of a perfon, (though the confent of the whole would be beft) either by their voice, or by any other fign, fuch as lifting up their hands, or any decent way, it is a true election, and a church act; but what compleats the act is, the perfon chofen, publickly and cordially accepting the office to which he is chofen.

Friendly. Have the women, who are members, or fifters in the church, a right to vote in all church acts?

Truth. Some think not, and that they fhould only be prefent; but I think, this is depriving them of their right, and making cyphers of church members. And as they enjoy the fane relation to CHRIST, as their Head and King; profefs the fame faith and obedience to him, and are of the fame family, and fellow citizens of Zion, they confequently have an indubitable right to all the privileges of God's houfe, except it be in any office in the church, which is peculiarly appointed for the brethren in the church, and they have and ought to have, equal authority with any of the brethren in the choice of their minifter, ordination of any officer, or any church act whatever.