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is the meffenger of God, he is termed the angel of the churchf. As he is fent to declare the will

of God to finners, and to befeech them to be reconciled to God through Christ, he is termed ambaffador. And, as he difpenfes the manifold grace of God, and the ordinances inftituted by Chrift, he is termed steward of the mysteries of God".

R

CHA P. IV.

Of ruling Elders.

ULING elders are properly the reprefentatives of the people, chofen by them, for Name, &c. the purpose of exercising government and discipline, in conjunction with pastors or minifters. This office has been understood, by a great part of the proteftant reformed churches, to be defignated, in the holy fcriptures, by the

f Mal. 2. 7: Rev. 2. I. Unto the angel of the church of Ephefus, write. Rev. 1.

20.

The feven ftars are the angels of the feven churches. See alfo, Rev. 3. 1, 7.

g 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are ambaffadors for Chrift, as though God did befeech you by us: we pray you, in Chrift's ftead, be ye reconciled to God. Eph. 6. 20.

h Luke 12. 42. Who then is that faithful and wife ftew

ard, whom his Lord fhall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? i Cor. 4. I, 2. Moreover it is required in ftewards, that a man be found faithful.

I a 1 Tim. 5. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, efpecially they who labour in the word and doctrine. Rom. 12. 7, 8.-Acts 15. 25.

title of governments: and of those who rule well & but do not labour in the word and doctrine".

THE

CHAP. V.

Of Deacons.

HE fcriptures clearly point out deacons as diftinct officers in the church", whofe buName, &c finefs it is to take care of the poor, and to distribute among them the collections which may be raised for their ufe". To them alfo may be properly committed the management of their temporal affairs of the church'.

b 1 Cor. 12. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church, first apoftles, fecondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues. See let. a. I a Phil. 1. 1.-1 Tim. 3. 8. to verse 15.

b Acts 6. 1, 2. And in thofe days when the number of the difciples was multiplied, there arofe a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, becaule their widows were neglected in the daily miniftration.-Then the twelve called the multitude of the difciples unto them, and faid, It is not reafon that we

fhould leave the word of God, and ferve tables.

c Acts 6. 3, 5, 6. Wherefore brethren, look ye out a mong you feven men of honeft report, full of the Holy Ghost, and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this bufinefs-And the faying pleafed the whole multitude and they chofe Stephen, a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a profelyte of Antioch-Whom they fet before the apofties: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them,

CHAP. VI.

Of Ordinances in a particular

THE

Church.

HE ordinances, established by Chrift the head, in a particular church, which is reOrdinances of gularly conftituted with its proper the church. officers", are, prayer, finging praises, reading", expounding and preaching the word of God; adminiftering baptifm and the Lord's fupper; public folemn fasting and thanksgiv

Ia I Cor. 14. 26, 33, 40. Let all things be done to edifying. For God is not the author of confufion, but of peace, as in all churches of the faints. Let all things be done decently and in order.

b Acts 6. 4. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the miniftry of the word. I Tim. 2. I.

c Col. 3. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another, in pfalms, and hymns, and fpiritual fongs, finging with grace in your hearts to the Lord.Pfal. 9. 11-Eph. 5. 19.Alfo Col. 4. 16.

d Acts 15. 21. 16, and 17.

Luke 4.

e Tit. 1. 9. Holding faft the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by found doctrine, both

to exhort and to convince the gain-fayers. Acts 10. 42. He commanded us to preach unto the people. See also, Acts 28. 23. Luke 24. 47. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Acts 9. 20.

f Matt. 28. 19 Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptifing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. See ver. 20. and Mark 16. 15, 16.-1 Cor. II. 23. 24, 25. For I have received of the Lord, that which alfo I delivered unto you; that the Lord Jefus, the fame night in which he was betrayed, took bread.-And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and faid, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.-After the fame manner alfo he took the cup,

ing, catechifing", making collections for the poor, and other pious purposes'; exercising difcipline; and blessing the people'.

when he had fupped, faying, This cup is the New l'eftament in my blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Verse 26. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do fhew the Lord's death till he come. Compared with Cor. 10. 16.

g Luke 5. 35. But the days will come when the bridegroom fhall be taken away from them, and then fhall they faft in thofe days. Pfal. 50. 14. Offer unto God thankfgiving: and pay thy vows unto the Most High. Phil. 4. 6.-In every thing, by prayer and fupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. See 1 Tim. 2. I. Pfal. 95. 2.

h Heb. 5. 12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again, which be the first principles of the ora cles of God, and are become fuch as have need of milk, and not of ftrong meat.

i 1 Cor. 16. 1, 2, 3, 4. Now concerning the collection for the faints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even fo do ye.-Upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him

in ftore as God hath profpered him, that there be no gatherings when I come And when I come, whomfoever ye fhall approve by your letters, them will 1 fend to bring your liberality unto Jerufalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they fhall go with me. Gal. 2. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the fame which I alfo was forward to do.

k Heb 13. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and fubmit yourselves: for they watch for your fouls, as they that muft give account: that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is un. profitable for you. I Theff. 5. 12. 13. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonith you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's fake; and be at peace among yourselves.

12 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Eph. 1. 2. Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

CHA P. VII.

Of Church Government, and the several kinds of Judicatories.

Sect. I. T is abfolutely neceffary that the government of the church, be ex

Different

ercised under fome certain and definite Judicatories. forma: And we hold it to be expedient, and agreeable to fcripture and the practice of the primitive Chriftians, that the church be governed by congregational, prefbyterial and synodical affemblies. In full confiftency with this belief, we embrace, in the fpirit of charity, thofe Christians who differ from us, in opinion or in practice, on these subjects".

Sect. II. These affemblies ought not to pofTheir pow-fefs any civil jurifdiction, nor to inflict any civil penalties: Their power is wholly moral or spiritual, and that only minifte

er.

I. a Ezek. 43. II, 12. Shew them the form of the houfe, and the fashion thereof, and the goings-out thereof, and the comings in thereof; and all the forms thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the laws thereof: and write it in their fight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them

This is the law of the houfe.

b Acts 15 5, 6. But there rofe up certain of the fect of the Pharifees which believed, faying, That it was needful to circumcife them, and to command them to keep the law of Moles.-And the apoftles and elders came together for to confider of this matter.

II. c Luke 12. 13, 14. And one of the company faid unto him, Mafter, speak to my brother, that he divide the in

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