"the rule of the church, that all be admonished, instructed, ❝ and exhorted to attend unto their respective duties; not

only publicly in the preaching of the word, but personally, "as occasion doth require, according to the observation 66. which those in rule do make of their forwardness or re"missness in them.

66

4thly, They are to watch against the beginning of any "church-disorders, such as those that infested the church " of Corinth, or any of the like sort; with remissness as "unto the assemblies of the church, and the duties of them, "which some are subject unto, as the apostle intimates, "Heb. x. 25. On the constancy and diligence of the elders

in this part of their work and duty, the very being and "order of the church do greatly depend. The want hereof "hath opened a door unto all the troubles, divisions, and "schisms, that in all ages have invaded and perplexed the "churches of Christ from within themselves. And from "thence also have decays in faith, love, and order, insensibly. "prevailed in many to the dishonour of Christ, and the danger of their own souls. First, one grows remiss in at "tending unto the assemblies of the church, and then ano"ther; first to one degree, then to another, until the whole

lump be infected. A diligent watch over these things, "as to the beginnings of them in all the members of the "church, will either heal and recover them that offend, or "it will warn others, and keep the church from being either "corrupted or defiled: Heb. xiii. 12.

"In the 5th place, It belongs unto them also to visit the "sick, especially such as whose inward or outward condi"tions do expose them unto more than ordinary trials in "their sickness; that is, the poor, the afflicted, the tempt❝ed in any kind. This in general is a moral duty, a work "of mercy; but it is moreover, a peculiar church-duty, by "virtue of institution. And one end of the institution of "churches, is that the disciples of Christ may have all that

spiritual and temporal relief which is needful for them, and "useful to them in their troubles and distresses. And if "this duty were diligently attended to by the officers of the "church, it would add much unto the glory and beauty of "our order, and be an abiding reserve with relief in the "minds of them whose outward condition exposeth them to "straits and sorrows in such a season.

6thly, It belongs to them and their office, to advise "and give direction unto the deacons of the church, as unto "the making provision and distribution of the charity of "the church for the relief of the poor. The office of the "deacons is principally executive, as we shall see afterwards. Inquisition into the state of the poor, with all their cir"cumstances, with the warning of all the members of the "church unto liberality for their supply, belongs to the "elders.

66

"In the 7th place, When the state of the church is such, through suffering, persecution, and affliction, that the poor "be multiplied among them, so as that the church itself is "not able to provide for their relief in a due manner, if any

supply be sent unto them from the love and bounty of "other churches, it is to be deposited with these elders, "and disposed according to their advice, and with that of "the teachers of the church: Acts xi. 30.

"And 8thly, It is of great importance to teaching elders "to be acquainted with their flock, that they may be di"rected in their labours. He who makes it not his busi"ness to know the state of the church which he ministers "unto in the word and doctrine, as to their knowledge, "their judgment and understanding, their temptations and "occasions, and applies not himself in his ministry to search "out what is necessary and useful unto their edification;

he fights uncertainly in his whole work, as a man beating "the air. But whereas their obligation to attend unto the "word and prayer, confines them much unto a retirement "for the greatest part of their time, they cannot by them"selves obtain that acquaintance with the whole flock, but "that others may greatly assist therein, from their daily in"spection, converse, and observation." After which the Doctor subjoins various other duties; and then adds, (p. 300), "It is a vain apprehension to suppose that one or two teaching officers in a church, who are obliged to give them"selves unto the word and prayer, to labour with all their might in the word and doctrine, to preach in and out of "season; that is, at all times, on all opportunities as they "are able, to convince gainsayers by word and writing, "pleading for the truth; to assist and guide the conscien"ces of all, under their temptations and desertions, with

sundry other duties, in part spoken to before, should be "able to take care of, and attend with diligence unto all

these things that do evidently belong unto the rule of the "church."

Since such then are the duties incumbent on the rulers, and since, if the church be extensive or greatly scattered, as is frequently the case, it is impossible for one, or two, or even three teaching elders, though the congregation could support them, faithfully and satisfactorily to discharge these duties, it seems necessary that there should be another class of elders to attend to them. In your societies, if I mistake not, these duties are in general committed to the deacons, who assist the pastor in the superintendence of the flock. Such superintendence, however, is no proper part of the office of a deacon considered as such, and belongs only to those who are appointed as rulers to watch over the church, And though this inspection and superintendence may in some measure be performed likewise by those who are members, as they may communicate instruction also in a manner suited to their particular stations, yet it is plain, that, like the duty of preaching, they belong properly, in all this extent, to those only who are elders and overseers of the flock. But if such an oversight and superintendence be the duty of the elders, and if it exceed the abilities of those elders who teach, and are enjoined to give themselves wholly to their particular calling, does it not follow that there must be an order of elders distinct from them, who are to assist them in governing and watching over the flock?

In the third place, The tendency which in every age, even by the confession of Independents, has been discovered in pastors to assume to themselves an immoderate and unreasonable power over the church of Christ, seems to point out the necessity of a class of elders different from them, who may check these usurpations, and restrain their ambition.

That the ministers of religion, however amiable and venerable their character, are subject to the frailties and imperfections of humanity, and that a desire of undue and extravagant authority has too often been one of these imperfections, is a truth which will scarcely be denied. At the distance of a very few years only from the death of the apostles did this pernicious principle begin to operate, and it gradually produced those assumptions of Episcopacy, and that tyranny of Popery, which so long enslaved the Christian world. And to what cause are we to ascribe the introduction of these evils? If we attend both to the nature of the

thing, and to the representations of the fathers, who wit nessed and deplored them, they were to be attributed in a great measure to the discontinuance of that separate class of rulers who were originally instituted in the Christian church, and whose superintendence restrained the ambition of the pastors. Accordingly, the writer of the Commentaries commonly attributed to Ambrose, in his explication of 1 Tim. v. 1, says, "Wherefore both the synagogue, and afterwards "the church had elders, without whose counsel nothing "was done in the church; which order by what negligence "it grew into disuse I know not, unless perhaps by the "sloth, or rather by the pride of the teachers, while they "alone wish to appear something." Unde et synagoga

et postea ecclesia seniores habuit, sine quorum consilio "nihil gerebatur in ecclesia: quod qua negligentia obsole"verit nescio: nisi forte doctorum desidia, aut magis super"bia, dum soli volunt aliquid videri." And we know that Calvin, from a conviction of these truths, and from a persua sion of the necessity of such an order of elders to prevent those excesses of tyranny which were practised by the Romish clergy at the period of the Reformation, A. D. 1542*, revived these rulers in the Christian church. Were such an order again to be discontinued, and the government again intrusted to the ministers alone, is it not evident that the door would be opened for similar tyranny over the heritage

Though this order of elders, however, was more generally restored by this illustrious reformer at the period referred to, yet it does not appear that it was entirely abolished even in the darkest times of error and corruption which preceded this era. Bucer at least informs us, in his book entitled, Scripta duo Adversaria Latomi, &c. p. 77, that the Bohemian churches, who, alone almost,” to use his expressive words," preserved in the world the purity of the "doctrine and the vigour of the discipline of Christ," had this order amongst them. "Illa certe ratië optima, quam observant fratres Picardi, qui soli prope in orbe, cum puritate doctrinæ, vigorem "etiam disciplinæ Christi apud se retinuerunt, quam laudem ut iis "tribuamus, et Dominum, qui sic in illis operatur, celebremus, res ipsa cogit, etiamsi fratres illi a præpostere doctis nonnullis contemnantur. Ratio vero quam in hac re observant, hæc est. "Præter ministros verbi et sacramentorum habent certum colle"gium virorum prudentia et gravitate spiritus præcellentium, qui "munus obeunt monendi ac corrigendi fratres peccantes, compo "nendi dissidentes, et in causis eorum judicandi. De hujusmodi "senioribus scripsit et divus Ambrosius in Epist. i, ad. Tim, cap. v.. "Unde et synagoga," &c.

of God? The institution therefore of a separate order to restrain these encroachments, and maintain the rights and liberties of the people, seems absolutely requisite for the welfare of the church.

In answer to this, let it not be remarked, that the power of the clergy is equally bounded by the scheme of Independency, which allows them not to establish any of their measures without the previous judgment and consent of the members. It is plain that the clergy could more readily influence a congregation at large, many of whom are unable to judge, and will be disposed to be partial to the opinion of their pastors, than a few of the wisest and most enlightened of the people, who are no less qualified to judge, perhaps, than the ministers themselves. Besides, it has already been attempted to be proved, that such a power of judgment and consent is not granted to the members, and consequently that such a preservative from the assumptions of the clergy is not to be admitted into the church of Christ.

Fourthly, There are many to be found in the church who, though not fitted to be teaching elders, are eminently qualified to be rulers. Most men have it not in their power to attain that learning, and that facility of expression, which are requisite for the former, while many of them have acquired that experience and sagacity which may fit them for the useful discharge of the latter. Shall the church then, because they are not qualified to be numbered among her instructors, be totally deprived of the benefit of their endowments? No, certainly. Does not Paul, when demonstrating that there are to be various offices in the church of Christ, (Rom. xii. 1 Cor. xii. &c.), urge, in proof of it, that he has bestowed upon its members a variety of gifts which qualify them for these offices? But since Jesus has bestowed upon many of the members of his church gifts for ruling, while he has not imparted to them gifts for teaching, if there be no office assigned to them for the exercise of these gifts, how can this reasoning be conclusive? I maintain, therefore, that since Jesus has communicated to many members in his church gifts for ruling, and for that alone, and since we are taught to believe that where he imparts gifts, there is a corresponding office, there must in his church be a class of elders who are to rule and not to teach, as there is a class of elders who are appointed to rule as well as to teach.