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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42358	A treatise of ruling elders and deacons In which, these things which belong to the understanding of their office and duty, are clearly and shortly set down. By a Minister of the Church of Scotland.	Guthrie, James, 1612?-1661.	1690 (1690)	Wing G2265A; ESTC R215845	24,270	96

love patience meekness CHAP. V. Of the duties of their Calling which are more private THe duties of their Calling are these that belong to their watching over and ruling of the flock and they be of two sorts some that they are to perform by themselves alone and so may be called More private duties others that they are to perform jointly with the rest of the Over seers of the House of God and may be called more publick The duties of their Calling that be more private are all these that private Christians are bound to perform each of them unto another by the Law of charity and love and these are first to instruct one another Joh. 4. 29. Acts 18. 26. Secondly to exhort and stir up one another to provoke unto love and good works Heb. 10. 24 25. Thirdly to admonish and rebuke one another Levit. 19. 17. First privately and if they will not hearken then before Witnesses if yet they will not hearken then to tell the Church and if they will not hear the Church then to tell the Church and if they will not hear the Church then let them be unto us as Heathens and Publicans Math. 18. 15 16 17. Fourthly to comfort the afflicted and to support the weak 1 Thess. 5. 11. Fifthly to restore those who are fallen Gal. 6. 1. Sixthly To reconcile these who are at variance Math. 5. 9. Seventhly To pray one for another Jude 20. Eighthly To visit the sick and those who are in bonds and distress Math 25. 36. All these duties Elders are to perform to the several Members of the Congregation by vertue of their Calling The Scriptures do expresly mention some of them as incumbent unto them to wit admonishing these over whom God hath set them 1 Thess. 5. 12. visiting and praying over the sick Jam. 5. 14. feeding the flock by Instruction Exhortation Rebuke and Comfort in such a way as is competent to their station Act 20. 28. The rest we may warrantably gather by analogie and proportion from these If privat Christians be obliged thereto much more are Christian Elders who have the charge of Souls in a special way obliged thereto These things are well expressed in the sixth Chap. of the second Book of Discipline As the Pastors and Doctors say they should be diligent in teaching and sowing the ●eed of the Word so the Elders should be careful in seeking of the fruit of the same of the People It appertains to them to assist the Pastor in Examination of them that come to the Lords Table Item in visiting the sick they should cause the Acts of the Assemblies aswell particular as general to be put in execution carefully they should be diligent to admonish all men of their duty according to the rule of the Evangel things that they cannot correct by privat admonition they should bring to the Eldership From what hath been said concerning these duties of Ruling Elders these three things follow First that they ought to be men of such ability as are in some measure able to instruct exhort admonish rebuke comfort pray and do these duties now mentioned Secondly That it is needful for them not only to have some measure of ability for these things but also to have some measure of dexterity wisdom experience tenderness in following the same Thirdly That they be well acquainted with the condition of the Congregation and the Members thereof and therefore be careful to observe their carriage and frequently to visit and take inspection of Families that they may instruct the ignorant exhort the negligent admonish the sloathful and rebuke those who walk disorderly comfort the afflicted establish those who waver visit the sick encourage these who do well and see piety and godliness promoted in Families and every one edifying another in love walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Ghost CHAP. VI. Of these duties which are more publick and which they are ●o perform joyntly with others THe duties of Elders which are more publick and which they are to perform joyntly with others are these which ly upon them in the Assemblies or Courts of the Church which are made up of Preaching Elders Teaching Elders and Ruling Elders These Assemblies are in our Church of four sorts either they are of the Elders of particular Congregations which is the Church Session or of the Elders of moe Congregations than one lying near together which is the Presbyterie or of the Elders of moe Presbyteries then one which is the Provincial Synod or of the Elders Commissioners from all the Presbyteries in the Land which is the General or National Assembly To these we may adde a fifth sort to wit that which is made up of Elders from all or diverse Nations professing the Faith of Jesus Christ. Whilst we speak of Elders of which the Assemblies of the Church are made up we mean all sorts of Elders Ministers Doctors and Ruling Elders It is true that in the Congregations of our Church because of the want of maintenance there be few or no Doctors or Teaching Elders distinct from Pastors or Ministers who perform the duties both of the Preaching Elder and of the Teaching Elder only in the Schools of Divinity are such In all Assemblies of the Church Ruling Elders being therto rightly called have power to sit write debate vote and conclude in all matters that are handled therein Acts 15. 2. and 6. 22 23. The things which be handled in the Assemblies of the Church be either matters of Faith matters of Order matters of Discipline or that which concerneth the sending of Church-officers according to which they have a fourfold power 1. That which is called Dogmatick whereby they judge of Truth and Error in points of Doctrine according to the Word of God only 2. That which is callee Diatactick by which they discern and judge of the circumstances of these things that belong to the worship of God as Times Places Persons and all such particulars in Ecclesiastick Affairs as are not determined in the Word according to the general Rules thereof concerning order and decency avoiding of scandal doing all to the glory of God and to the edifying of the Church 3. That which is Critick or Corrective by which Censures are exercised upon the scandalous and obstinate and such as are penitent again admitted to the Ordinances Fellowship Society of the Church 4. That which is called Exousiastick by vertue of which they send authorize and give power to Church officers to serve in the house of God All these Assemblies are not to exer cise all these powers but to keep themselves within their due bounds the Inferior leaving these things that are of more common concernment to the Superiour but in all these Powers Ruling Elders have a share and do put forth the same in exercise according to the measure that belongs to the Assembly whereof they are Members Acts 15. 6. 22 23. Howbeit the

in to swarthy a temper If we might find grace in the Lords sight to be throughly convinced of this great Church-evil whence many Church evils flow and be brought with some measure of sincerity to endeavour the remedy thereof what a branch of hope might it be that our reproach should be taken away and we become a People instructed in the way of the Lord and walking to the Praise and Commendation of the Gospel which is now evil spoken of because of the ignorance and loose conversation of many among us Therefore am I bold as pressed in spirit albeit one of the weakest and most unworthy to offer this little Treatise with an eye upon this end And let me without offence beseech all the Ministers Elders Deacons Congregations Presbyteries and Assemblies of this Church in the bowels of the Lord Iesus Christ yea let me ob●est them by the blood of the everlasting Covenant by their Zeal of the Lord's honour by the credite of the Gospel by their love to souls and by the sury of the Lord which he hath caused to rest upon us because he purged us and we would not be purged and as they desire the Lord should bring us again and cause us stand before him and leave us a remnant and give us a nail in his holy place that they would each of them in their stations endeavour to take forth the precious from the vile and purge the Lord's house in this Land from corrupt Officers and corrupt members Oh will we not be made clean When will it once be To the CHRISTIAN READER THe inducements that perswaded me first to write and then to publish this little Treatise of Ruling Elders and Deacons were chiefly these 1. The sensible Impression that the Lord hath made upon my Spirit as also I know upon the spirits of the godly of the Land of the great prejudice that comes to this poor Church by a multitude of men in these offices who neither know their duty nor make conscience to perform it 2. The vindicating the Doctrine of our Church concerning these Church-Offi●ers that the mouths of such who speak evil may be stopped and others who stumble may be satisfied 3. The pressing desire of Brethren Ministers and Elders in the Presbytery and Congregation where the Lord hath set me all which did receive some spirit and life when I found my Name among those to whom the Gen. Assembly of this Church did commit and recommend this work long ago I have endeavoured to handle it with as much plainness and evidence of Truth and as shortly without wronging of the matter as I could It is not unlike that some may think that I have done no great business because I have brought no new thing I acknowledge that it is so what I have said is for the matter I trust and in many things for the words too the Doctrine of the Scriptures and of Protestant Divines and of our Church in the Act s and Policy thereof I have but put together in one and digested into some Method what was lying scattered of before that these who either could not or would not be at the pains to search for such things may now have them at their hand Others may look upon this Treatise as not plain enough or as not so exact full and perfect as it ought to be with these I shall not contend I have done what I could at least what I conceived best in order to the ends I propounded to my self If others shall find favour of the Lord to do better I shall blesse his Name on their behalf and receive and make use of their pains with thankfulness And some may happily think that there is here too much laid upon Ruling-Elders more nor they shall be able or willing to undertake yea more than the Lord doth require of them most of the things that are mentioned by us being incumbent to Ministers rather than to Elders It is true what is said of the Elders duty is also the duty of Ministers for what soever the Elder ought to do by vertue of his Calling that also ought the Minister to do and somewhat more but so far as we know nothing is spoken here of the Elder that doth not belong to him if through ignorance or want of abilitie or neglect or custome Elders have not done these things it is that which ought to be helped it is now high time for them to awake and to know and owne and follow their duty and for the Church of God in Scotland to know how much she hath smarted under the hands of ignorant and slothful yea and scandalous men we would not alwayes satisfie our selves with disguised and histrionical men puffed up with Titles or with Idols dead in sins to be Elders but would seek after holy men who being endued with faith in God and walking in his obedience God authorizing them and the Church his Spouse choosing them and calling them undertake the Government thereof that they may labour to the conservation and Edification of the same in Christ Neither needs the qualification or multitude or difficulties of the particulars here spoken of discourage or scarr any It is not so much the measure as the truth of the thing that is to be looked at We have set down what a Ruling Elder ought to be in regard of the whole extent of his Charge sundry particulars whereof the most part of Ruling Elders are seldom called to exercise and if they be in some measure fitted for these parts of the charge which God calls them to exercise and follow the same with singleness of heart they may believe that they shall be assisted and accepted of God in Iesus Christ the Imployment is not theirs but the Lords from whom they may expect both their furniture and also their reward let them arise and be doing and the Lord shall be with them A Short TREATISE OF Ruling Elders CHAP. I. Of their Names WHat is necessary to be understood concerning Ruling Elders may be taken up in the explication of these four 1. Their name 2. Their institution 3. Their Calling 4. Their Qualification and Duty The word Elder in the Scripture doth signifie divers things 1. It signifieth old men or men come to age 1 Tim. 5. 1. Rebuke not an-Elder but intreat him as a father and the younger men as brethren 2. It signifies those who have lived in the times of old Mat. 15. 2. Why do thy Disciples transgress the tradition of the Elders 3. It is taken for honourable and worthy men Isa. 3. 2. The Lord of Hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and Judah the Prudent and the Ancient 4. It is the name of a Spiritual Officer in the house of God Acts 14. 23. And when they had ordained them Elders in every city In this last signification it is taken in this place for these who bear Rule in the House of God who are called Elders because