mission of men endued with miraculous gifts which have long since ceased.'

II. The ordinary and perpetual officers in the Church, are Bishops or Pastors; the representatives of the people, usually styled Ruling Elders; and Deacons.'

CHAPTER IV.

OF BISHOPS OR PASTORS.

THE pastoral office is the first in the Church, both for dignity and usefulness." The person who fills this office, hath, in Scripture, obtained different names expressive of his various duties. As he has the oversight of the flock of Christ, he is termed bishop.* As he feeds them with spiritual food, he is termed pastor. As he serves Christ

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for we are all partakers of that one bread. See also Eph. iv. 16. Col. i. 18.

'Matt. x. 1, 8. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease, etc. ¿1 Tim. iii. 1. If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Eph. iv. 11, 12. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Tim. v. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor.

Phil. i. 1. To all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

Rom. xi. 13. " Acts xx. 28. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, [bishops] to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Jer. iii. 15. And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. 1 Pet. v. 2, 3, 4.

*As the office and character of the gospel minister is particularly and fully described in the Holy Scriptures, under the title of bishop; and as this term is peculiarly expressive of his duty as an overseer of the flock, it ought not to be rejected.

in his church, he is termed minister." As it is his duty to be grave and prudent, and an example of the flock, and to govern well in the house and kingdom of Christ, he is termed presbyter or elder. As he is the messenger of God, he is termed the angel of the church." As he is sent to declare the will of God to sinners, and to beseech them to be reconciled to God through Christ, he is termed ambassador. And, as he dispenses the manifold grace of God, and the ordinances instituted by Christ, he is termed steward of the mysteries of God.'

CHAPTER V.

OF RULING ELDERS.

RULING elders are properly the representatives of the people, chosen by them for the purpose of exercising government and discipline, in conjunction with pastors or ministers." This office has been understood, by a great part of the Protestant Reformed Churches, to be desig

P 1 Cor. iv. 1. Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Cor. iii. 6. Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament.

1 Pet. v. 1. The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. See also Tit. i. 5. 1 Tim. v. 1, 17, 19.

Rev. ii. 1. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write. Rev. i. 20.-The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. See also Rev. iii. 1, 7. Mal. ii. 7.

2 Cor. v. 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. Eph. vi. 20.

* Luke xii. 42. Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2.-Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.

* 1 Tim. v. 17. Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine. Rom. xii 7, 8. Acts xv. 25.

nated in the Holy Scriptures, by the title of governments; and of those who rule well, but do not labor in the word and doctrine."

CHAPTER VI.

OF DEACONS.

THE Scriptures clearly point out deacons as distinct officers in the Church," whose business it is to take care of the poor, and to distribute among them the collections which may be raised for their use. To them also may be properly committed the management of the temporal affairs of the church."

CHAPTER VII.

OF ORDINANCES IN A PARTICULAR CHURCH.

THE ordinances established by Christ, the head, in a particular church, which is regularly constituted with

1 Cor. xii. 28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles; secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. See letter (u), p. 355.

w Phil. i. 1. 1 Tim. iii. 8 to 15.

*Acts vi. 1, 2. And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables.

Acts vi. 3, 5, 6. Wherefore, brethen, look ye out among you seven men of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we

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its proper officers," are prayer," singing praises," reading," expounding and preaching the Word of God; administering Baptism and the Lord's Supper; public solemn fasting and thanksgiving, catechizing, making collections

may appoint over this business.-And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch; whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

1 Cor. xiv. 26, 33, 40. Let all things be done unto edifying.-For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.-Let all things be done decently and in order.

Acts vi. 4. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 1 Tim. ii. 1.

Col. iii. 16. Teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Psa. ix. 11. Eph. v. 19. Also Col. iv. 6.

• Acts xv. 21. Luke iv. 16, 17.

d Titus i. 9. Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince the gainsayers. Acts x. 42.-He commanded us to preach unto the people. See also Acts xxviii. 23. Luke xxiv. 47. 2 Tim. iv. 2. Acts ix. 20.

Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, etc. And Mark xvi. 15, 16. 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24, 25, 26. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. Compared with 1 Cor. x. 16.

Luke v. 35. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be laken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. Psa. 1. 14. Offer unto God thanksgiving: and pay thy vows unto the Most High. Phil. iv. 6.—In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. See 1 Tim. ii. 1. Psa. xcv. 2.

Heb. v. 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 oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

for the poor and other pious purposes; exercising disci pline; and blessing the people

CHAPTER VIII.

OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT, AND THE SEVERAL KINDS OF JUDICATORIES.

I. It is absolutely necessary that the government of the Church be exercised under some certain and definite form.* And we hold it to be expedient, and agreeable to Scripture and the practice of the primitive Christians, that the Church be governed by congregational, presbyterial, and synodical assemblies. In full consistency with this belief, we embrace, in the spirit of charity, those Christians who differ from us, in opinion, or in practice, on these subjects.'

II. These assemblies ought not to possess any civil juris

1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2, 3, 4. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me. Gal. ii. 10. Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do. 'Heb. xiii. 17. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. 1 Thess. v. 12, 13. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

¿ 2 Cor. xiii. 14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. Eph. i. 2. Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

* Ezek. xliii. 11, 12. Show them the form of the house, 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 sight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them. This is the law of the house.

'Acts xv. 5, 6. But there rose up certain of the sect of the Phari sees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them,