under Sin God is the God of Order and not of Confusion in all the Churches of the Saints And how severely did God deal of old with such that meddled with the Priests Work and Office who were not of the Priesthood nor called by him to administer in holy things Of the reception of Members Quest. WHat is the Order of receiving Members into the Church that were no Members any where before Answ. 1. The Person must give an account of his Faith and of the Work of Grace upon his Soul before the Church and also a strict Enquiry must be made about his Life and Conversation but if through Bashfulness the Party cannot speak before the Congregation the Elder and two or three more Persons may receive an account of his or her Faith and report it to the Church But if full Satisfaction by the Testimony of good and credible Persons is not given of the Party's Life and Conversation he must be put by until Satisfaction is obtained in that respect Moreover when the Majority are satisfied and yet one or two Persons are not the Church and Elder will do well to wait a little time and endeavour to satisfy such Persons especially if the Reasons of their dissent seem weighty Quest. What is to be done when a Person offers himself for Communion from a Church that is corrupt or erroneous in Principles Answ. 1. The Church ought to take an account of his Faith in all Fundamental Points and of the Work of Grace upon his Heart 2. And if satisfied then to send also to that corrupt People to know whether they have any thing or not against his Life and Conversation If satisfied in both these respects the Church may receive him Quest. To whom is it Members â—oin themselves is it to the Elder or to the Church Answ. They are joined to the whole Community of the Church being incorporated as Members thereof and thereto abide tho the Pastor be removed by Death The Power of the Keys with Church Discipline and Members Duties one to another 1. WE judg it necessary that a Day monthly be appointed particularly for Discipline and not to manage such Affairs on the Lord's-day which should be spent â—n the publick Worship of God of â— different nature besides such â—hings may on the account of Discipline come before the Church which may not be expedient to be â—eard on the Lord's-day lest it â—isturb the Spirits of any Members and hinder their Meditation â—n the Word which they have â—ewly heard tho in small Congregations perhaps a day in two or three Months may be sufficient 2. The Power of the Keys or to receive in and shut out of the Congregation is committed unto the Church The Political Power of Christ saith Dr. Chauncy is in the Church whereby it is exercised in the Name of Christ having all lawful Rule and Government within it self which he thus proves viz. 1. The Church essential is the first Subject of the Keys 2. They must of necessity to their Preservation purge themselves from all pernicious Members 3. They have Power to organize themselves with Officers Yet I humbly conceive I may add that the Concurrence of the Presbytery is needful hereunto 4. If need be that they call an Officer from without or one of another Church they must first admit him a Member that they may ordain their Officer from among themselves 5. They have Power to reject a scandalous Pastor from Office and Membership ' This Power of Christ is exerted as committed to them by the Hands of the Elder appointed by Christ the due management whereof is in and with the Church to be his Care and Trust as a Steward whereof he is accountable to Christ and the Church not lording it over God's Heritage And that the Power of the Keys is in the Church appears to me from Mat. 18. If he will not hear the Church it is not said if he will not hear the Elder or Elders As also that of the Apostle in directing the Church to cast out the Incestuous Person he doth not give this Counsel to the Elder or Elders of the Church but to the Church so he commands the Church to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly Purge out the old Leaven that you may be a new Lump Of Church-Censures NOW as to Church-Censures I understand but two besides Suspension viz. 1. Withdrawing from a Member that walks disorderly 2. Casting out oâ— Excommunicating such that are eâ—ther guilty of notorious or scandaâ—lous Crimes of Heresy c. oâ— of contemning the Authority oâ— the Church Briefly to each of these 1. Suspension is to be when'â— Member falls under Sin and thâ— Church wants time fully to heaâ— the matter and so can't withdraw from him or cast him out 2. If any Member walks disorderly tho not guilty of gross scandalous Sins he or she as soon as it is taken notice of ought to be admonished and endeavours to be used to bring him to Repentance For we hear that there are some which walk disorderly not working at all but are busy-bodies Such as meddle with Matters that concern them not it may be instead of following their Trade and Business they go about from one Member's House to another telling or carrying of Tales and Stories of this Brother or of that Brother or Sister which perhaps may be true or perhaps false and may be too to the Reproach or Scandal of some Member or Members which if so it is back-biting and that is so notorious a Crime that without Repentance they shall not ascend God's holy Hill Back-biting is a diminishing our Neighbours or Brother's good Name either by denying him his due Praise or by saying any thing to his Charge falsely or irregularly or without sufficient cause or evidence Thus our Annotators But this of disorderly walking does not amount to such a Crime but Evils not so notorious Now them â—â—at are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ that with quietness they work and eat their own Bread They must be admonished 1. An Admonition is a faithful Endeavour to convict a Person of a Fault both as to Matter of Fact and Circumstance and this Admonition must be given first if it be private by that Brother that knows or has knowledg of the Fault or Evil of the Person offending whether the Elder or Member for any private Brother ought to admonish such with all care and faithfulness before he proceeds farther But if it be publick thâ— Church ought to send for the Offender and the Pastor must admonish him before all 2. But if after all due Endeavours used he is not reclaimed buâ— continues a disorderly Person the Church must withdraw from him Now we command you Brethren is the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you withdraw from every Bâ—â—ther that walketh disorderly
Jesus Christ hath born for thee 2. What a Burden thou hast to bear of thine own 3. Mayst not thou in some things be a Burden to thy Brethren 4. Wouldst thou not have others bear thy Burden 5. May not God cause thee to bear a more heavy Burden because thou canst not bear thy Brother's 6. 'T is a fulfilling the Law of Love nay the Law of Christ. XV. The Glory and Beauty of a Congregation is the more manifest when the Authority of the Church and the Dignity of the Pastoral Office is maintained How great was the Evil of the gain-saying of Corah The Apostles speaks of some that are Selfwilled Presumptious who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities God has put a Glory and high Dignity upon the Church and in it's Authority and Power Whom ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Moreover the Pastoral Office is an Office of Dignity they are called Rulers Angels Fathers For any therefore to cast contempt on the Church or Pastor is a great evil and a reproach to Christ and tends to Disorder and Confusion Lastly When Holiness Righteousness Charity Humility and all true Piety is prest upon the Consciences of every Member and appears in the Minister also that all strive to excell therein with their uttermost Care and Diligences The Conclusion KNow my Brethren That God loves the Gates of Sion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob Therefore the publick Worship of God ought to be preferred before private 1. This supposeth there must be a visible Church 2. And that they frequently meet together to worship God 3. That they have an orderly Ministery and one ordained Elder at least to administer all Publick Ordinances 4. Moreover that all Persons have free liberty to assemble with the Church and to partake of all Ordinances save those which peculiarly belong to the Church as the Lord's Supper holy Discipline and days of Prayer and Fasting Then the Church of Old separated themselves from all Strangers Yet others may attend on all other publick Ordinances with the Church as publick Prayer Reading and Preaching the Word and in Singing God's Praises as hath formerly been proved May others my Brethren join in Prayer with us and not praise God with us But O my Brethren let me beseech you to shew your high Value and Estimation for the publick Worship of God Motives hereunto 1. Since God prefers it thus Or has so great Esteem of his publick Worship 2. Because he is said to dwell in Sion It is his Habitation for ever The place where his Honour dwells 3. Here God is most Glorified In his Temple every one speaks of his Glory My Praise shall be in the great Congregation 4. Here is most of God's gracious presence as one observes it 1. His effectual Presence in all Places Where I record my Name thither will I come and there will I bless thee 2. Here is More of his intimate presence Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them He walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks 5. Here are the clearest manifestations of God's Beauty which made holy David desire to dwell there for ever See the appearance of Christ to the Churches Rev 2. cap. 3. 6. In that it is said that those that should be Saved in the Apostles days God added unto the Church 7. Here is most Spiritual Advantage to be got Here the Dews of Hermon fall they descend upon the Mountain of Sion Here God commands the Blessing even Life for evermore I will abundantly bless her Provision and satisfie her Poor with Bread Here David's Doubt was resolved 8. Here you received your first spiritual Breath or Life many Souls are daily Born to Christ. That good which is most Diffusive is to be Preferred but that good which most partake of is most Diffusive O magnifie the Lord with me let us exalt his Name together Live Coals separated soon die 9. Brethren as a worthy Divine observes the Church in her publick Worship is the nearest Resemblance of Heaven especially in Singing God's Praises What Esteem also had God's Worthies of old for God's publick VVorship My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts 10. See how the Promises of God run to Sion or to his Church He will bless thee out of Sion O let nothing discourage you in your waiting at the Posts of Christ's Door David desired Rather to be a Door-Keeper in the House of God than to Dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Yet nevertheless do not neglect for the Lord's sake private Devotion viz. Secret and Family-Prayer O pray to be fitted for publick Worship Come out of your Closets to the Church What signifies all you do in Publick if you are not such that keep up the Worship of God in your own Families O neglect not Prayer Reading and Meditation And take care also to Educate and Catechise your Children and live as Men and Women that are dead to this World and walk for the Lord's sake as becomes the Gospel See that Zeal and Knowledge go together a good Conversation and a good Doctrine go together These Two together are better than One. Brethren he that makes the VVord of God his Rule in whatsoever he doth and the Glory of God his end in what he doth shall have the Spirit of God to be his strength This is like Solomon's Three-fold Cord that will be One or it will be Three it can't be Two not can it be broken The Solemn Covenant of the Church of Christ meeting in White-street at it's Constitution June 5. 1696. WE who desire to walk together in the Fear of the Lord do through the Assistance of his Holy Spirit profess our deep and serious Humiliation for all our Transgressions And we do also solemnly in the Presence of God of each other in the Sense of our own Vnworthiness give up our selves to the Lord in a Church state according to the Apostolical Constitution that he may be our God and we may be his People through the Everlasting Covenant of his Free grace in which alone we hope to be accepted by him through his blessed Son Jesus Christ whom we take to be our High Priest to justify and sanctify us and our Prophet to teach us and to subject to him as our Law-giver and the King of Saints and to conform to all his Holy Laws and Ordinances for our growth Establishment and Consolation that we may be as a Holy Spouse unto him and serve him in our Generation and wait for his second Appearance as our glorious Bridegroom Being fully satisfied in the way oâ— Church-Communion and the Trutâ— of Grace in some good measure upon one anothers
Spirits we do solemnly join our selves together in a Holy Vnion and Fellowship humbly submitting to the Discipline of the Gospel and all Holy Duties required of â— People in such a spiritual Relation 1. We do promise and ingage to walk in all Holiness Godliness Humility and Brotherly Love as much as in us lieth to render our Communion delightful to God comfortable to our selves and lovely to the resâ— of the Lord's People 2. We do promise to watch over each others Conversations and not to suffer Sin upon one another so far â— God shall discover it to us or any â— us and to stir up one another to Lâ—â—â— and good Works to warn rebuke aâ—â— admonish one another with Meekness according to the Rules left to us of Christ in that Behalf 3. We do promise in an especial manner to pray for one another and for the Glory and Increase of this Church and for the Presence of God in it and the pouring forth of his Spirit on it and his Protection over it to his Glory 4. We do promise to bear one anothers Burdens to cleave to one another and to have a Fellow-feeling with one another in all Conditions both outward and inward as God in his Providence shall cast any of us into 5. We do promise to bear with one anothers Weakeness Failings and Infirmities with much Tenderness not discovering to any without the Church nor any within unless according to Christ's Rule and the Order of the Gospel provided in that case 6. We do promise to strive together for the Truths of the Gospel and Purity of God's Ways and Ordinances to avoid Causes and Causers of Division endeavouring to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Ephes. 4 3. 7 We do promise to meet together on Lord's Days and â—â—â—ther times as the Lord shall giâ—◠〈◊〉 Opportunities to serve and glorify God in the 〈◊〉 his Worship to edify one 〈…〉 and to contrive the gâ—â—◠〈…〉 Church 8. We do promise according to our Ability or as God shall bless us with the good things of this World to Communicate to our Pastor of Minister God having ordained that they that Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel And now can any thing lay a greater obligation upon the Conscience than this Covenant what then is the Sin of such who violate it These and all other Gospel-Duties we humbly submit unto promising and purposing to perform not in our own Strength being consciouâ— of our own Weakness but in thâ— Power and Strength of the Blessed God whose we are and whom we desire to serve To whom be Glory now and for evermore Amen FINIS Act. 2.41 42 43 44. Act. 8.14 Act. 19.4 5 6. Eph. â— 1 2. and â— 12 13 19. Col. 1.2 4 12. 1 Pet. 2.5 Act. 5.13 14. Rom. 6.17 Heb. 6.1 2. Rom. 6.3 4 5. 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. Eph. 2.20 21. Col. 2.19 Psa. 66.16 Act. 11.4 5 6 c. 23 24. 1 Pet. 3.15 2 Cor. 8.5 Jer. 50.5 Heb. 13.17 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Of an Organical Church 1 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5 6 7. Tit. 1.5 6 7 8 9 10. Tit. 1.7 Act. 6.6 2 Tim. 5.22 1 Cor. 9.16 17. Act. 20.31 35. 2 Tim. 2.15 2 Cor. 4.1 2. 1 Tim. 3. Jer. 3.15 2 Tim. 4.2 2 Cor. 5.19 Act. 20.20 27. Pro. 27.23 1 Thess. 5.15 1 Tim. 4.12 Jam. 2.4 1 Tim. 5.21 1 Pet. 5.3 and 5.6 The Deacons Work Act. 6.1 2 3 5 7 8 9 10. Acts 5.7 8 9 10. 1 Cor. 16.2 Acts 6.1 1 Thess. â— 25 Heb. 13.18 2 Cor. 2.16 1 Cor. 16.9 1 Tim. 4.3 4 5. 2 Cor. 3.19 20. 1 Thess. 3.13 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.5 17. Jer. 20.10 Zeph. 2.8 2 Cor. 11.21 23. Gal. 6.6 1 Cor. 9.7 8. ver 14. ver 11. Mat. 10.9 10. See Dr. Owen ' s Eshod p. 21 22. 2 Tim. 4.16 17 18. Eshod pag. 27. Act. 14.27 Rom. 12.8 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.5 6 7. Act. 20.17 27 28. Tit. 1.5 1 Cor. 14.40 1 Tim. 3. 1 Cor. 14.33 38. Of the reception of Members into the Church Psal. 66.16 Acts 9.26 27. 3 Joh. 9 10. Rom. 14.17 19. 1 Pet. 3.15 1 Cor. 14.40 Rom. 15.1 2. Acts 11.2 3 4 5 6. To whom Members join themselves Act. 2.47 5.11 15. A monthly day to be appointed for Discipline The Power of the Keys committed to the Church Acts 16.5 2 Thess. 1.3 6. Dr. Chauncy on the Power of the Keys p. 335. 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Thess. 3.6 14. 1 Cor. 5.7 Of Church-Censures 2 Thess. 3.11 12. Psa. 15.1 3. 2 Thess. 3.12 2 Thess. 2.6 Disorderly Members only to be withdrawn from 2 Thess. 2.14 15. Heb. 12.25 Of private Offences between Brother and Brother Mat. 18.15 Mat. 18.16 Dr. Chauncy p. 345. The Sisters are not to vote in the Church The Act of Excommunication or Church-Censure 1 Cor. 5. Pag. 345. Mat. 18.17 Of Scandalous Crimes or Evils The Church Censure on notorious Offenders is the same with that in Mat. 18. Pag. 343. 1. Tim. 5.24 Act. 5.11 Jud. 23. 1. Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 7.11 Numb 12.14 Of dealing with Hereticks See Pool's Annot. on 1 Cor. 11.19 2 Pet. 2.1 Who is an Heretick Tit. 3.10 1 Tim. 1.19 20. What an admonition is The manner of the Reception of a communicate Person Mat. 13.18 2 Cor. 2.6 7. 1 Tim. 5. How to proceed against a Scandalous Pastor â— see not if they have none fitly qualified but the Church may cast him out Relief for a Member unjustly dealt with The cause of Disorders in the Church Rom 6 17. Heb 6 2 3 Dr. Chauncy pag. 337. Phil. 1.27 Tit. 2.10 The great Danger of making a Rent in a Church Rom. 1.31 Acts 2.42 1 Cor. 12.6 14.7.5.1.20 21 25. Heb. 10.25 Jude 19. ☞ ★ Jude 19. 1 Cor. 1.10 3.3 11.18 Heb. 10.22.23 25. Mixt Excommunication Rom. 19.17 18. 2 Thess. 3.6.14 15. Jude 12. Let none call the Church a Prison since all do voluntarily Covenant with it and 't is dangerous to break Christ's bonds 2 Timo. 2.23 2 Thess. 3.14 Prov. 6.16 Of a Letâ—er of Reâ—ommendaâ—ion Rom 16.1.2 Acts 18.27 Mat. 18.15 Disorders Corrected Removed Iohn 13.12 17 Eph. 4.3 Heb. 13.1 Eph. 4.31 32. cap. 5.2 Psal. 132.1 Jam. 3.16 Acts 5.3.8 Levit. 19.17 Acts 4.23 Pet. 2.2 Acts 9.27 Mat. 18.15 Psal. 63.1 Cant. 7.12 Mark 16.1 1 Cor. 1â— 25. Romans 16.17 2 Tim. 2.25 Jude 19. Jam. 3.14.16 Cant. 4.12 Rom. 1.29 1 Tim. 6.4 Zech. 7.10 1 Tim. 5.19 1 Timo. 5.19 1 Cor. 8.14 â— Cor. 16.2 Math. 18. Ier. 20.10 1 Tim. 5.19 Isa. 55. â— Acts 2 1 2. Acts 10 33. Ioel 2 1â— What tends to the Glory of a Church of Christ. 1 Cor. 3 4. Isa. 28.16 Isa. 28.16 1 Pet. 2 5 6. 1 Kings 6 7. Eph. 2.19 20 21. 1 Pet 1 16 Psalm 93.5 Cant. 1.9 Eph. 4.3 Exod. 20.24 Mat 18 20 1 Cor. 5.5 6.7 2 Cor. 8.14 Tit. 3.2 Eccl. 19.8 Apoc. 3 Iohn 9 1â— Gen. 9.22 Gal. 6.2 2 Gal. â— â— Rom. 3.10 Iude 11. Numb 22.7 21. 2 Pet. â— 10 Rev. 2.1 1 Tim. 3.5 Act. 23 5. Psal. 110.3 1 Pet. 1.25 Psal. 87.2 Neh. 1.2 How should Sinners else be Converted and the Church increased Psal. 132.13 Psal. 26.8 Psal. 29.9 Exod. 20.24 Mat. 18.20 Rev. 1.13 Psal. 27.4 Acts 2.47 Psal. 132.3 Psal. 130.15 Psal. 73.16 â—7 Psal. 87.5 Psal. 34.3 Psal. 84.1 2. Isaiah 35. Psal. 128.3 Isai. 51.3 Prov. 8.34 Psal. 26.14 Psal. 87.4 Mat. 6.6 Jer. 10.25 Eph. 6.4 Phil. 1.27 Eccl. 4.9.10.11.12.13 Ezek. 16.6 8. 2 Cor. 8.5 Hos. 2.23 2 Cor. 6.16 Church-Communion proved Exod. 26.3.4 6. Isa. 62.5 Psal. 122.3 Eph. 2.23 Eph. 4.16 1 Pet. 2.5 Psal. 93.5 Isa. 55.8 Luke 1.74.75 2 Cor. 7.1 1 Tim. 6.11 2 Pet. â— 6 7. Act. 20.19 Phil. 2.3 Ioh 13 34 and 15 12 1 Pet 1 22 Lev. 19 17 Heb 10 24 25 1 Thess 5 14 15 Rom 15 Eph. 6.18 Iam. 5.16 Col 4 12. Gal 6 2 Heb 12 12 Heb 13 31 Rom 12 15 2 Cor 11 29 1 Iohn 3.17 18 Gal 6 1 1 Thess 5 14 Rom 15 12 Eph 4 31 32 Iude v 3 Gal 5 1 Tit 3 9 10 2 Iohn v 10 Heb 3 10 and 10 25 Mal 3 16 Rom 14 18 and 15 16 〈…〉 26 â— Cor 9 7 â— 9 -12 13 Gal 6 6
THE GLORY OF A TRUE CHURCH And its Discipline display'd Wherein a true Gospel-Church is described Together with the Power of the Keys and who are to be let in and who to be shut out By BENJAMIN KEACH Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven LONDON Printed in the Year 1697. To the Baptized Churches particularly to that under my Care My Brethren EVery House or Building consisteth both of Matter and Form And so doth the Church of Christ or House of the Living God The Matter or Materials with which it is built are Lively Stones â— e. Converted Persons Also the Matter and Form must be according to the Rule and Pattern shewed in â—he Mount I mean Christ's Institution and the Apostolical Churches Constitution and not after Mens Inventions Now some Men because the Tyâ—ical Church of the Jews was Naâ—ional and took in their Carnal Seed as such therefore the same Matâ—er and Form they would have under the Gospel But tho a Church be rightly built in both these respects i.e. of fit Matter and right Form yet without a regular and orderly Discipline it will soon lose its Beauty and be polluted Many Reverend Divines of thâ— Congregational way have written most excellently it is true upon thâ—â— Subject I mean on Church-Discipline but the Books are so voluminouâ— that the Poorer Sort can't purchasâ— them and many others have not Timâ— or Learning enough to improve them to their Profit and our Brethren thâ— Baptists have not written as I caâ— gather on this Subject by it selfâ— Therefore I have been earnestly desired by our Members and also by onâ— of our Pastors to write a small and plain Tract concerning the Rules 〈◊〉 the Discipline of a Gospel-Church that all Men may not only know our Faith but see our Order in this casâ— also True this tho plain is biâ— short but may be it may provoke somâ— other Person to do it more fully Certainly ignorance of the rules of Discipline causes no small trouble and disorders in our Churches and if this may be a Prevention or prove profit able to any let God have the Glory and I have my End Who am Yours Aug. â—â— 1697. Benj. Keach The Glory of a Gospel-Church and the true Orderly Discipline thereof explain'd Concerning a True and Orderly Gospel-Church BEfore there can be any Orderly Discipline among a Christian Assembly they must be orderly and regularly constituted into a Church-state according to the Institution of Christ in the Gospel 1. A Church of Christ according to the Gospel-Institution is a Congregation of Godly Christians who as a Stated-Assembly being first baptized upon the Profession of Faith do by mutual agreement and consent give themselves up to the Lord and one to another according to the Will of God and do ordinarily meet together in one Place for the Publick Service and Worship of God among whom the Word of God and Sacraments are duly administred according to Christ's Institution 2. The Beauty and Glory of which Congregation doth consist in their being all Converted Persons or lively Stones being by the Holy Spirit united to Jesus Christ the Precious Corner-Stone and only foundation of every Christian as well as of every particular Congregation and of the whole Catholick Church 3. That every Person before they are admitted Members in such a Church so constituted must declare to the Church or to such with the Pastor that they shall appoint what God hath done for their Souls or their Experiences of a Saving work of Grace upon their Hearts and also the Church should enquire after and take full satisfaction concerning their Holy Lives or Good Conversations And when admitted Members before the Church they must solemnly enter into a Covenant to walk in the Fellowship of that particular Congregation and submit themselves to the Care and Discipline thereof and to walk faithfully with God in all his Holy Ordinances and there to be fed and have Communion and worship God there when the Church meets if possible and give themselves up to the watch and charge of the Pastor and Ministry thereof the Pastor then also signifying in the name of the Church their acceptance of each Person and endeavour to take the care of them and to watch over them in the Lord the Members being first satisfied to receive them and to have Communion with them And so the Pastor to give them the right Hand of Fellowship of a Church or Church Organical A Church thus constituted ought forthwith to choose them a Pastor Elder or Elders and Deacons we reading of no other Officers or Offices abiding in the Church and what kind of Men they ought to be and how qualified is laid down by Paul to Timothy and to Titus Moreover they are to take special care that both Bishops Overseers or Elders as well as the Deacons have in some competent manner all those Qualifications and after in a Day of solemn Prayer and Fasting that they have elected them whether Pastor c. or Deacons and they accepting the Office must be ordained with Prayer and laying on of Hands of the Eldership being first prov'd and found meet and fit Persons for so Sacred an Office Therefore such are very disorderly Churches who have no Pastor or Pastors ordained they acting not according to the Rule of the Gospel having something wanting Of the work of a Pastor Bishop or Overseer 1. THe work of a Pastor is to preach the Word of Christ or to feed the Flock and to administer all the Ordinances of the Gospel which belong to his Sacred Office and to be faithful and laborious therein studying to shew himself approved unto God a Work-man that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth He is a Steward of the Mysteries of God therefore ought to be a Man of good Understanding and Experience being sound in the Faith and one that is acquainted with the Mysteries of the Gospel Because he is to feed the People with Knowledg and Vnderstanding He must be faithful and skilful to declare the Mind of God and diligent therein also to preach in season and out of season God having committed unto him the Ministry of Reconciliation a most choice and sacred Trust. What Interest hath God greater in the World which he hath committed unto Men than this Moreover he must make known the whole Counsel of God to the People 2. A Pastor is to visit his Flock to know their state and to watch over them to support the weak and to strengthen the feeble-minded and succour the tempted and to reprove them that are unruly 3. To pray for them at all times and with them also when sent for and desired and as Opportunity serves and to sympathize