ful, and therein did prefide Well. But at the fame time it was neceffary to Labour for the Converfion of Infidels, of whom it could not be expected, that many of them would come unto the Affemblies of the Faithful. Wherefore to convert these, and spread the Nets of Salvation in the most likely Places for them, which was then very much the Work of the Day, there were those who did Labour with Travelling (which the Word here ufed may import) for the Word and Doctrine, among the Infidels: And every ones fees why fuch Labourers as thefe are judged to be Worthy of a peculiar Honour. As the Bishops and Presbyters in the Scriptures, are evidently the fame, so it appears not, that there were any Presbyters known in the Scripture, who were not fuch as both Preached the Gospel, and adminiftred the Sacraments of it. The Ruling Elders in the Churches of the Reformation, feem to be akin to a fort of Elders among the Jews, who were not Ordained (they fay) by laying on of Hands, but only were Venerable for their Age, Difcretion, and Gravity; and were called Zikne Hafhuk, that is to fay, Elders of the Street, or Vulgar Elders. Great Men, who yet are · Zealous. Maintainers of that Order which goes by the Name of RULING ELDERS [or, Seniors, in the Reformed Churches, are well aware of this. And therefore ftill to preferve this Ufeful Order, they take the Method, which One, who may juftly be called an Eagle Eyed as well as. an Excellent Writer in the Church of Scotland, has at length pitched upon. The Cyprianus Ifotimus of that Marvellous Man, has thefe. Paffages. Thofe

C.

Thofe Elders are the Reprefentatives of the Sa era Plebs or the Church, as fhe is oppofed to, or diftinguished from Church Officers properly fo called; Bishops or Paftors and Deacons: And therefore they are not in a strict Senfe ChurchOfficers. -The Church Priviledges, and the neceffary means to preferve them, muft ftand ón. the fame Foundation. And accordingly Blondel judges, 'tis moft probable that in the Time of the Apoftles, not the whole Multitude, but their Seniors, did convene for their Affairs: He believes, that the Proteftant Churches of France, and Scotland, and Holland, in their fetting up of Ruling Elders, did introduce into the Church, a Practice truly Apoftolic. I can't indeed, during the III firft Centuries, find exprefs mention of these Seniors, or Ruling Elders. Yet I am perfwaded, that there were LaySeniors, that fhared in the Management of Ecclefiaftical Affairs, reprefented the People, and preferved their Liberties. The Writers of the 4th. and 5th. Ages, either exprefly affirm it, or clearly fuppofe it. Ambrofe or Hilary particularly, and Optatus. My Hypothefis disjoins thefe Elders from the Clergy, and makes them the Representatives of the People, and Guardians of their Liberties. Accordingly in the Acts of Purgation of Cæcilian, which are Elder than the Council of Nice, we diverfe times read of the Clergy, and the Elders of the People. This is yielded by Bishop W'bitgift, who fays, I know, that in the Primitive Church, they had in every Church certain Seniors, to whom the Government of the Congregation was committed. And Saravia,"

who

who affents to Hilary's Saying, That the Church bad Elders, or Seniors, without whofe Council nothing was done; and adds, Adjunguntur Paftoribus Ecclefia tanquam Adfeffores et Confiliari ut videant ne forte Poteftate Ecclefiaftica Paftores abutantur. The English Church Wardens, in Voetius's Mind, "are the Veftiges and Rubbish of thofe Ruling Seniors. This moft neceffary Ordinance, has ' in all well reformed Churches been carefully "obferved; and on the other hand moft eagerly: 'impugned by the Papifts; as Schultingius and others cited by the moft learned Voetius. Nor (they are the Words of the fame excellent Perfon) is this a Wonder, fince nothing is more oppofite unto the Papal Monarchy, and Antichriftian Tyranny, than is the Inftitution of RULING ELDERS. Voetius make the Elders a kind of Ephori, that is, Prefervers of the Churches Liberties, and Inpectors over the Paftors. I'll fhut up all (fays Mr. Jamefon) with the Words of the Learned and Venerable Beza; 'Tis the Churches great Concern for the keeping out of Tyranny, that fome chofen out of the People, know what is done in the Confiftories, and Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction. As Anciently at Rome it was provided for the Reftraining the Power of the Senate, that the Tribunes of the People fhould be prefent at it, and have Power of withstanding by a. Negative Voice, the Senates Decrees.

Some of our Churches do yet continue to Elect, and (with Impofition of Hands) co Ordain One.or Two, or, Three Ruling Elders, and apprehend they find their Account in it, and good Services

done

done to the Interefts of Piety. And these we will present with the Exhortation, which PolyCarp gave to the Presbyters in the Church at Philippi. Let the Elders be Tender and Merciful; Compaffionate towards all; Reducing thofe that are in Error; Vifiting all that are Weak; not Negligent of the Widow nor the Orphan, and him that is poor; but ever providing what is honeft in the fight of GOD and Men; Ab-. ftaining from all Wrath, Refpect of Perfons, and Unrighteous Judgment; being far from Covetousness; not haftily believing a Report of any Man; not rigid in Judgment; Knowing that we are all Faulty and Obnoxious to Judg

'ment.

They will alfo think of what Origen, in the third Century, declared then to be used in the Churches; Perfons eftablished to take Notice of the Life and Converfation of thofe, who embrace the Chriftian Religion, and when they committed any Evil Actions, to expel them out of the Congregations; and receive with great Affection, thofe that lived well, and make them better from Day to Day.

§. 2. The Office of DEACONS, to affift and rélieve the Paftors, in all the Temporal Affairs of the Church, is in the New English Churches retained, as was in the Primitive; where we find them Serving Tables; being as Ignatius (if it were be ) Cxpreffes it, ΒΡΟΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΤΩΝ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΙ: The Deacons of Meats and Cups; that is to fay, Those who prepared the Bread and Wine for the Eucharift:

Eucharist and the Difpenfers, as Origen expreffes. it, of the ΤΑ ΤΑΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΧΡΗΜΑΤΑ, Churches Money; (which ought to be) with the Advice of the Pastors.

These are they who in the New English Chur ches, as well as in the Primitive, do as they did in Juftin Martyr's Time, deliver the Sacramental Bread and Wine unto the Communicants: (in which Action they fometimes call for Affiftence from fome other Brethren.) Herewithal they ftand engaged, what they can, to free the Minifter from all fecular Difturbances and Avocations. For indeed, among the Churches in this Coun try Sacerdos in Foro, undergoes the Scourge of the Tongue, as being little better than Mercator in Tem plo. And yet it must be confeffed that fecular Digreffions from their Sacred Imployments, have been too often forced upon their Minifters, by the In gratitude and Parfimony of the People, who have not always done their Duty to put their Minifters in the Condition mentioned by Cyprian when he fays, Qui in Ecclefia Domini Ordinatione Clerica promoventur, in nullo, ab Adminiftratione Di vina avocentur, nec Moleftiis et Negotiis Secularibus alligentur. But our People fhould hear the Father and Martyr fpeaking in plain English. Says he, Those who are promoted to Clerical Ordi nations fhould not be hindred in their Divine Adminiftrations or encumbred with fecular Concerns and Affairs; but, as Levites, receiv ing Subfcriptions from the Brethren, depart not from the Altar and Sacrifices, but Night < and Day attend upon Spiritual and Heavenly Adminiftrations.

Τ

We