Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Chapter 7 – Chapter 9
CHAP. VII. Of ruling elders and deacons.
THE ruling elders office is diſtinct from the office of paſtor and teacher. The ruling elders are not ſo called, to exclude the paſtors and teachers from ruling, becauſe ruling and governing is common to theſe with the other, whereas attending to teach and preach the word is peculiar unto the former. Rom. 12.7, 8, 9. 1 Tim. 5.17. 1 Cor. 12.28. Heb. 13.17. 1 Tim. 5.17.
2. The ruling elders work is to join with the paſtor and teacher in thoſe acts of ſpiritual rule, which are diſtinct from the miniſtry of the word and ſacraments committed to them. Of which ſort theſe be as followeth: 1. To open and ſhut the doors of God's houſe by the admiſſion of members approved by the church; by ordination of officers choſen by the church, and by excommunication of notorious and obſtinate offenders renounced by the church, and by reſtoring of penitents forgiven by the church. 2. To call the church together when there is occaſion, and ſeaſonably to diſmiſs them again. 3. To prepare matters in private, that in public they may be carried to an end with leſs trouble, and more ſpeedy diſpatch. 4. To moderate the carriage of all matters in the church aſſembled; as, to propound matters to the church, to order the ſeaſon of ſpeech and ſilence, and to pronounce ſentence according to the mind of Chriſt, with the conſent of the church.
5. To be guides and leaders to the church, in all matters whatſoever pertaining to church adminiſtrations and actions. 6. To ſee that none in the church live inordinately, out of rank and place, without a ca…ling, or idly in their calling. 7. To prevent and heal ſuch offences in life or in doctrine, as might corrupt the church. 8. To feed the flock of God with a word of admonition. 9. And as they ſhall be ſent for, to viſit and pray over their ſick brethren. 10. And at other times as opportunity ſhall ſerve thereunto. 1 Tim. 5.17. 2 Chron. 23.19. Rev. 21.21. 1 Tim. 4.14. Mat. 28.17. 2 Cor. 2.7.8. Acts 21.18, 22, 23. and 6.2, 3. and 13.15. 2 Cor. 8.19. Heb. 13.7, 17. 2 Theſſ. 2.10.11, 12. Acts 20.28, 32. 1 Theſſ. 5.12. James 5.14. Acts. 20.20.
3. The office of a deacon is inſtituted in the church by the Lord Jeſus; ſometimes they are called helps. The ſcripture telleth us how they ſhould be qualified, — "Grace, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not given to filthy lucre." —They muſt firſt be proved and then uſe the office of a deacon, being found blameleſs. The office and work of a deacon, is to receive the offerings of the church, gifts given to the church, and to keep the treaſury of the church, and therewith to ſerve the tables, which the church is to provide for; as the Lord's table, the table of the miniſters, and of ſuch as are in neceſſity, to whom they are to diſtribute in ſimplicity. Acts 6.3. Phil. 1.1. 1 Tim. 3.8. 1 Cor. 12.28. 1 Tim. 3.8, 9. Acts 4.35. and 6.2, 3. Rom. 12.8.
4. The office therefore being limited unto the care of the temporal good things of the church, it extends not to the attendance upon, and adminiſtration of the ſpiritual things thereof, as the word and ſacramentss, or the like. 1 Cor. 7.17.
5. The ordinance of the apoſtle, and practice of the church, commends the Lord's day as a fit time for the contribution of the ſaints. 1 Cor. 16.1, 2, 3.
6. The inſtituting of all theſe officers in the church, is the work of God himſelf, of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, of the Holy Ghoſt; and therefore ſuch officers as he hath not appointed, are altogether unlawful either to be placed in the church, or to be retained therein, and are to be looked at as human creatures, meer inventions and appointments of men, to the great diſhonor of Chriſt Jeſus the Lord of his houſe, the king of his church, whether popes, patriarchs, cardinals, arch-biſhops, lord-biſhops, arch-deacons, officials, commiſſaries, and the like. Theſe and the reſt of that hierarchy and retinue, not being plants of the Lord's planting, ſhall be all certainly rooted out and caſt forth. 1 Cor. 12.28. Eph. 4.8, 11. Acts 20.28. Mat. 15.13.
7. The Lord hath appointed ancient widows (where they may be had) to miniſter in the church, in giving attendance to the ſick, and to give ſuccour unto them, and others in the like neceſſities. 1 Tim. 5.9, 10.
CHAP. VIII. Of the election of church officers.
NO man may take the honor of a church officer unto himſelf, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Heb. 5.4.
2. Calling unto office is either immediate, by Chriſt himſelf, ſuch was the call of the apoſtles and prophets, this manner of calling ended with them as hath been ſaid: Or mediate, by the church. Gal. 1.1. Acts 14.23. and 6.3.
3. It is meet that before any be ordained, or choſen officers, they ſhould be firſt tried and proved, becauſe hands are not ſuddenly to be laid upon any, and both elders and deacons muſt be of honeſt and good report. 1 Tim. 5.22. and 7.10. Acts 16.2. and 6.3.
4. The things in reſpect of which they are to be tried, are thoſe gifts and virtues which the ſcripture requireth in men that are to be elected into ſuch places, viz. that the elders muſt be blameleſs, ſober, apt to teach, and endued with ſuch other qualifications as are laid down, 1 Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 1.6 to 9. Deacons to be fitted as is directed, Acts 6.3. 1 Tim. 3.8 to 11.
5. Officers are to be called by ſuch churches whereunto they are to miniſter. Of ſuch moment is the preſervation of this power, that the churches exerciſed it in the preſence of the apoſtles. Acts 14.23. and 1.23. and 6.3, 4, 5.
6. A church being free, cannot become ſubject to any, but by a free election; yet when ſuch a people do chuſe any to be over them in the Lord, then do they become ſubject, and moſt willingly ſubmit to their miniſtry in the Lord, whom they have ſo choſen. Gal. 5.13. Heb. 13.17.
7. And if the church have power to chuſe their officers and miniſters, then in caſe of manifeſt unworthineſs and delinquency, they have power alſo to depoſe them: for, to open and ſhut, to chuſe and refuſe, to conſtitute in office, and remove from office, are acts belonging to the ſame power. Rom. 16.17.
8. We judge it much conducing to the well-being and communion of churches, that where it may conveniently be done, neighbour churches be adviſed withal, and their help be made uſe of in the trial of church-officers, in order to their choice, Cant. 8.8, 9.
9. The choice of ſuch church-officers belongeth not to the civil magiſtrates, as ſuch, or dioceſan-biſhops, or patrons; for of theſe, or any ſuch-like, the ſcripture is wholly ſilent, as having any power therein.
CHAP. IX. Of ordination, and impoſition of hands.
CHURCH officers are not only to be choſen by the church, but alſo to be ordained by impoſition of hands and prayer, with which at the ordination of elders, faſting alſo is to be joined. Acts 13.3. and 14.23. 1 Tim. 5.22.
2. This ordination we account nothing elſe but the ſolemn putting a man into his place and office in the church, whereunto he had right before by election; being like the inſtalling of a magiſtrate in the common wealth. Ordination therefore is not to go before but to follow election. The eſſence and ſubſtance of the outward calling of an ordinary officer in the church, doth not conſiſt in his ordination, but in his voluntary and free election by the church, and his accepting of that election; whereupon is founded that relation between paſtor and flock, between ſuch a miniſter and ſuch a people. Ordination doth not conſtitute an officer, nor give him the eſſentials of his office. The apoſtles were elders without impoſition of hands by men; Paul and Barnabas were officers before that impoſition of hands, Acts 13.3. The poſterity of Levi were prieſts and levites, before hands were laid on them by the children of Iſrael. Numb. 8.10. Acts 6.5, 6. and 13.2.3. and 14.23. 1 Tim. 4.14. 1 Tim. 5.22.
3. In ſuch churches where there are elders, impoſition of hands in ordination, is to be performed by thoſe elders.
4. In ſuch churches where there are no elders, impoſition of hands may be performed by ſome of the brethren orderly choſen by the church thereunto. For if the people may elect officers, which is the greater, and wherein the ſubſtance of the office doth conſiſt, they may much more (occaſion and need ſo requiring) impoſe hands in ordination, which is leſs, and but the accompliſhment of the other. Numb. 8.10.
5. Nevertheleſs, in ſuch churches where there are no elders, and the church ſo deſire, we ſee not why impoſition of hands may not be performed by the elders of other churches. Ordinary officers laid hands upon the officers of many churches: The preſbytery at Epheſus laid hands upon Timothy, an evangeliſt; the preſbytery at Antioch laid hands upon Paul and Barnabas. 1 Tim. 4.14. Acts 13.3.
6. Church officers are officers to one church, even that particular church over which the Holy Ghoſt hath made them overſeers. Inſomuch as elders are commanded to feed, not all flocks, but that flock which is committed to their faith and truſt, and dependeth upon them. Nor can conſtant reſidence at one congregation be neceſſary for a miniſter, no, nor yet lawful, if he be not a miniſter to one congregation only, but to the church univerſal; becauſe he may not attend one part only of the church to which he is a miniſter, but he is called to attend unto all the flock. 1 Pet. 5.2. Acts 20.28.
7. He that is clearly looſed from his office relation unto the church whereof he was a miniſter, cannot be looked at as an officer, nor perform any act of office in any other church, unleſs he be again orderly called unto office; which when it ſhall be, we know nothing to hinder, but impoſition of hands alſo in his ordination ought to be uſed towards him again. For ſo Paul the apoſtle received impoſition of hands twice at leaſt from Annanias. Acts 9.17. and 13.3.