Concerning the Doctrinal Part of the Ordination of Ministers.

are given by Jesus Christ to the

ters.

THE FORM OF PRESBYTERIAL

CHURCH-GOVERNMENT.

THE PREFACE

JESUS CHRIST, upon whose shoulders the government is, whose name is called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace ;* of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no end; who sits upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and justice, from henceforth, even for ever; having all power given unto him in heaven and in earth by the Father, who raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand, far above all principalities and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all: he being ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, received gifts for his church, and gave officers necessary for the edification of his church, and perfecting of his saints.†

Of the Church-THERE is one general church visible, held forth

in the New Testament.

The ministry, oracles, and or. dinances of the New Testament,

*Isa. ix. 6, 7.

† Matth. xxviii, 18, 19, 20. Eph_i. 20, 21, 22, 23. Compared with Eph. iv. 8, 11. and Psal. Ixviii. 18.

VOL. I. SEPT. 1831.

gathering and perfecting of it in this life, until his second coming.

Particular visible churches, members of the general church, are also held forth in the New Testament. Particular churches in the primitive times were made up of visible saints, viz. of such as, being of age, professed faith in Christ, and obedience unto Christ, according to the rules of faith and life taught by Christ and his apostles; and of their children.

Of the Officers of the Church. The officers which Christ hath appointed for the edification of his church, and the perfecting of the saints, are, some extraordinary, as apostles, evangelists, and prophets, which are ceased.

Others ordinary and perpetual, as pastors, teachers, and other church-governors, and deacons.

Pastors. The pastor is an ordinary and perpetual officer in the church, prophesying of the time of the gospel.

First, it belongs to his office,

To pray for and with his flock, as the mouth of the people unto God, Acts vi. 2, 3, 4. and xx. 36. where preaching and prayer are joined as several parts of the same office. The office of the elder (that is, the pastor) is to pray for the sick, even in private, to which a blessing is especially promised; much more therefore ought he to perform this in the publick execution of his office, as a part thereof.

read the scriptures publickTo ly; for the proof of which,

1. That the priests and Levites in the Jewish church were trusted

with the publick reading of the word, is proved.

2. That the ministers of the gospel have as ample a charge and commission to dispense the word, as well as other ordinances, as the priests and Levites had under the law, proved, Isa. lxvi. 21. Matth. xxiii. 34. where our Saviour entitleth the officers of the New Testament, whom he will send forth, by the same names of the teachers of the Old. Which propositions prove, that therefore (the duty being of a moral nature) it followeth by just consequence, that the publick reading of the scriptures belongeth to the pastor's office.

To feed the flock by preaching of the word, according to which he is to teach, convince, reprove, exhort, and comfort.

To chatechise, which is a plain laying down the first principles of the oracles of God, or of the doctrine of Christ, and is a part of preaching.

To dispense other divine mys. teries.

To administer the sacraments. To bless the people from God, Numb. vi. 23, 24, 25, 26. Compared with Rev. xiv. 5. (where the same blessings, and persons from whom they come, are expressly mentioned, Isa. lxvi. 21. where, under the names of Priests and Levites to be continued under the gospel, are meant evangelical pastors, who therefore are by of fice to bless the people.

To take care of the poor. And he hath also a ruling power over the flock as a pastor.

Teacher or Doctor-The scripture doth hold out the name and title of teacher, as well as of the pastor.

Who is also a minister of the word, as well as the pastor, and hath power of administration of the sacraments.

The Lord having given different gifts, and divers exercises according to these gifts, in the ministry of the word; though these different gifts may meet in, and accordingly be exercised by, one and the same minister; yet, where be several ministers in the same congregation, they may be designed to several employments, according to the different gifts in which each of them doth most excel. And he that doth more excel in exposition of scripture, in teaching sound doctrine, and in convincing gainsayers, than he doth in application, and is accordingly employed therein, may be called a teacher, or doctor, (the places alleged by the notation of the word do prove the proposition.) Nevertheless, where is but one minister in a particular congregation, he is to perform, so far as he is able, the whole work of the ministry.

A teacher, or doctor, is of most excellent use in schools and universities; as of old in the schools of the prophets, and at Jerusalem, where Gamaliel and others taught as doctors.

Other Church-Governors.-As there were in the Jewish church elders of the people joined with the priests and Levites in the government of the church; so Christ, who hath instituted government, and governors ecclesiastical in the church, hath furnished some in his church, beside the ministers of the word, with gifts for government, and with commission to execute the same when called thereunto, who are to join with

the minister in the government of the church. Which officers reformed churches commonly call Elders.

Deacons. The scripture doth hold out deacons as distinct officers in the church, whose office is perpetual, to whose office it belongs not to preach the word, or administer the sacraments, but to take special care in distributing to the necessities of the poor.

Of particular Congregations.It is lawful and expedient that there be fixed congregations, that is, a certain company of Christians to meet in one assembly ordinarily for publick worship. When believers multiply to such a number that they cannot conveniently meet in one place, it is lawful and expedient that they should be divided into distinct and fixed congregations, for the better admi. nistration of such ordinances as belong unto them, and the discharge of mutual duties.

The ordinary way of dividing Christians into distinct congregations, and most expedient for edi. fication, is by the respective bounds of their dwellings.

First, Because they who dwell together, being bound to all kind of moral duties one to another, have the better opportunity there. by to discharge them; which moral tye is perpetual; for Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it.

Secondly, The communion of saints must be so ordered, as may stand with the most convenient use of the ordinances, and dis. charge of moral duties, without respect of persons.

And likewise it is requisite that there be others to take special care for the relief of the poor.

The number of each of which

is to be proportioned according to the condition of the congregation.

These officers are to meet together at convenient and set times, for the well ordering of the affairs of that congregation, each according to his office.

It is most expedient that, in these meetings, one whose office

is to labour in the word and doc. trine, do moderate in their proceedings.

Of the Ordinances in a particular Congregation.-The ordinances in a single congregation are, prayer, thanksgiving, and singing of psalms, the word read, (although there follow no immediate explication of what is read,) the word expounded and applied, catechising, the sacraments admi. nistered, collection made for the poor, dismissing the people with a blessing.

Of Church-Government, and the several sorts of Assemblies for the same.-Christ hath instituted a

government, and governors ecclesiastical in the church: to that purpose, the apostles did immedi. ately receive the keys from the hand of Jesus Christ, and did use and exercise them in all the churches of the world upon all

occasions.

And Christ hath since continually furnished some in his church with gifts of government, and with commission to execute the same, when called thereunto.

It is lawful, and agreeable to the word of God, that the church be governed by several sorts of assemblies, which are congrega. tional, classical, and synodical.

Of the Power in common of all these Assemblies.-It is lawful, and agreeable to the word of God, that the several assemblies before mentioned have power to convent, and call before them, any person within their several bounds, whom the ecclesiastical business which is before them doth concern.

They have power to hear and determine such causes and differ ences as do orderly come before them.

It is lawful, and agreeable to the word of God, that all the said assemblies have some power to dispense church-censures.

(To be continued.)

EXTRACTS

FROM THE

HISTORICAL PART

OF THE

REFORMATION PRINCIPLES

EXHIBITED BY THE

REFORMD. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES.

New York: Hopkins & Seymour. 1807.

PREFACE, PAGE 7.

The historical part is a help to

understand the principles of the testimony. It is partly founded upon human records, and there. fore not an article of faith; but it should be carefully perused as an illustration of divine truth, and instructive to the Church. It is a" helper of the faith." HISTORY.

"After mature deliberation, the presbytery resolved to exhibit their sentiments to the world in the most simple form. They were unanimous in opinion, that the church should be one in every nation under heaven, and that the subordinate ecclesiastical standards should also be one. They were certain this could not be the case if any thing local or peculiar to any one part of the world were admitted into these standards. Such an admission would necessarily prevent the unity of the church. Truth is not local. Abstract principle is universally the same in every part of the world. The particu. lar application of this one system, however, should be left to each part of the church, and should be regulated by local circumstances. This application should be plain, pointed, and argumentative, adapted to convince, to persuade, and to confirm. The presbytery expected that a period would come in which the Reformed Presbyterian Church would be found in the different nations of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. It was their intention, in exhibiting a testimony for truth, and against error, to render it such as might be acceptable to Reformed Presbyterians in Italy, Tartary, as well as in Great Briand in Egypt, in India, and in tain, or in the United States of America. They ordered a mem