one that helpeth with us and laboureth," 1 Cor. xvi. 15, 16. This spirit of fubjection to the elders, and to one another, is perfectly confiftent with the church not being the fervants of men, and where this fpirit does not fubfift, religion must be at a low ebb.

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Should an elder act improperly, it is the duty of the church to admonish him. This we find exprefsly commanded in Scripture : Say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou haft received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it," Col. iv. 17. By becoming an elder, a man is not raised above the laws of Chrift, and the precept, Matt. xviii. 15, 16. is equally applicable to elders as to any others.

The deacons ought also to be highly respected in the church. They devote a portion of their time to the care of the poor, and to other good works, and their characters are fuch as entitle them to much confideration. Their office gives them no authority to rule * in the church, but as they are peculiarly engaged in the Lord's work, they are entitled to special regard.

Befides the fupport of the poor, various expences are incurred by a church. The support

Attempts have been made to fupply the want of a pref bytery, by the deacons acting in fome refpects as elders; but this is unfcriptural and diforderly. The duties of every office are clearly pointed out in the word of God, and where that word in all its parts is attended to, there will be no need of any inter

of the elders, the bread and wine for the Lord's fupper, &c. All these come within the province of the deacons, and therefore they must be men of irreproachable character, poffeffing the full confidence of their brethren.

Great care is neceffary in the choice of pastors and deacons. This, and every thing elfe in a church, ought to be done with much prayer to Jefus for direction, and none are to be chosen but those who have given proof of their fidelity and ability *.

Although the fame jealousy or feclufion of females does not prevail with us as did formerly, and still does in Afia, yet the importance and propriety of fuch aged women as thofe mentioned 1 Tim. v. for watching over and instructing their own fex, are by no means fuperfeded. Where there are widows answering the description there given, thus employed, they must prove eminently useful. It gives lefs offence to the world to fee women converfing with their own fex, and they are better calculated to be useful to them. The united brethren commonly called Moravians, have long employed females in this way, and have found great benefit arifing from it.

Proper deaconeffes may be procured in al

*The apostle, speaking of the deacons, fays, "Let these also first be proved." The elder must not be a novice, or a new convert, (VEO@UTOS) but must have given proof of his fitness for the work. This was neceffary alfo in the deacons. How little regarded is either of these precepts!

moft every church. It is as evident that this office existed in the apoftolic churches as that of the deacon. It is evident how useful they may be amongst the female members. They know better what women stand in need of when fick, they can inquire more minutely into their circumstances, and, by making known and relieving the wants of the members, they connect the church more clofely, and thereby increase love, and promote all the ends of fellowship.

Thefe offices ought certainly to be revived and adopted in Chriftian churches, and, like every other divine ordinance, we fhall find them profitable. The world, while wearing a form of godliness, may laugh; but are they our masters? All fpiritual things are foolishness to them. Custom alone prevents them from ridiculing other ordinances. Had baptifm and the Lord's fupper fallen into difufe, what a fund of entertainment would they have had by feeing them obferved for the first time! Let us not be afraid of the reproach of the cross.

But women it is said may attend to their own fex, they may teach and inftruct them, or vifit the fick, without being officially employed. True; and it is alfo the duty of every member to look after poor brethren, and to watch over them in love; but the Lord has feen good to appoint that certain offices fhould fubfift in his church for these purposes, while he has enjoined

We fee that the apoftolic churches had deaconeffes and female teachers. We may be fure they were very useful; and if we follow the directions left for making a proper choice, we shall doubtless experience the good effects of it. But let us always imitate the apoftolic churches, not only in their offices, but in the manner in which they obtained them. When a church was gathered, the apoftles did not ordain elders and deacons immediately. They gave them time to become acquainted with the endowments of the members, and to obferve whom the Lord pointed out for the work. A church might be fome time without elders, nor were they to be chofen till the Lord bestowed fome measure of the neceffary gifts. "If any be blameless," fays Paul, "the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot, or unruly," &c. &c. Titus i. 6. This reminded the churches of their dependence on Chrift, it would excite them to prayer, and would cause them with much joy to receive those perfons whom he qualified, without whom they had been incomplete. In like manner let us prefs forward; let us never be satisfied, nor give the Lord any rest, till we come behind in no gift, and enjoy all the advantages of his institutions.

CHAPTER VIII.

OF ORDINATION.

WE have already noticed the unfcriptural

and pernicious distinction which has prevailed between clergy and laity. To preserve this distinction, the term ordination, frequently used in Scripture, has been much misapplied. In the word of God, to ordain means in general to appoint. We find in the New Teftament it was common to lay hands on a person appointed to a particular office or work. This was probably derived from the Old Teftament. Mofes laid his hand on Joshua, his fucceffor. Laying on of hands was not however confined to appointing to an office. It was obferved alfo in healing the fick, Acts xxviii. 8. and in communicating the Holy Ghoft by the apostles*.

When Paul and Barnabas were fent by the

*It should feem that laying on hands was an ancient practice, not only among the Hebrews, but also in Greece, when bleffings were pronounced, or prayers offered respecting the perfons on whom hands were laid. Xenophon fays that Abradates, θίγων αυτής της κεφαλης, touching or laying his hands on the head of Panthea, his wife, and looking up to heaven, prayed, O great Jupiter, grant me to appear worthy of fuch a wife, and of such a friend as Cyrus.' Cyri Inftitut. edit. Hutchinson,