The call of an ordinary pastor to his work ought to be two-fold. (1.) A divine call, which consists in God’s inwardly inclining his heart to it in an humble manner, and by regular means; and which is often attended by a train of providences shutting him up to it, exclusive of any other. (2.) An ecclesiastical call, which consists in the election of the Christian people to whom he is to minister, and the ordination of the presbytery. That adult Christians have a right from Christ to choose their own pastors, is evident: (1.) The church being a voluntary society, none imposed upon her members by men, can be related to them as their pastor. (2.) None can so well judge what gifts are best suited to their spiritual edification as Christians themselves. (3.) If men may choose their servants or physicians, why hinder Christians from choosing the servants and subordinate physicians of their souls? (4.) The scripture allows the election of pastors in ordinary cases to adult Christians, and to none else, Acts i. 15-26. vi. 1-6. xiv. 23. (5.) Christ requires his people to try the spirits, which supposes their ability to do so, and their power to choose such only as they find most proper to edify their souls, and to refuse others, 1 John iv. 1. (6.) The introduction of ministers into their office by Patronage, of whatever form, has its origin from Popery; tends to establish a tyranny over men’s consciences, whom Christ has made free;—to fill pulpits with naughty, impious, and indolent clergymen;—encourages simony, sacrilege, and perjury;—and effectually gives Christ the lie, modelling his kingdom after the form of those of this world, Ezek. xxxiv. 2-4. Isa. lvi. 9-12. John xviii. 36.—The ordination of candidates chosen for the ministerial office is not the work of the people, but of the presbytery, 1 Tim. i. 14. 2 Tim. i. 6. ii. 2. Acts xiii. 1-3. xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 21, 22.

The work of pastors, when ordained, is, (1.) With much inward compassion and zeal for the welfare of their hearers’ souls, to feed them with the truths of Christ, according to their different necessities, both publicly and privately, whether in the form of sermons, lectures, catechising, or exhortation, when sick, &c. 1 Pet. v. 3. 2 Cor. v. 11. 1 Cor. ix. 16. Phil. i. 17, 24, 25. 1 Tim. vi. 20. iii. 15. iv. 15, 16. 2 Tim. iv. 2. Gal. vi. 6. Heb. v. 11, 13. 1 Cor. iii. 1. Acts xx. 20, 21, 27, 28, 31, 35. xxvi. 17, 18. Ezek. xxxiv. 1-16. iii. 17-21. xxxiii. 1-20. Col. i. 28, 29. Isa. xl. 11. l. 4. 1 Thess. ii. 2-12. v. 12. James v. 14. 2 Cor. xi. 28, 29. (2.) To administer the sacraments, in a proper manner, to proper persons, Matt. xxviii. 19, 20. vii. 6. 1 Cor. xi. 23-29. (3.) To rule over their people with impartiality, zeal, meekness, and prudence, censuring offenders, and absolving penitents, Heb. xiii. 17. 1 Tim. v. 20, 21. i. 20. Tit. iii. 10, 11. Rev. ii. 2, 14, 20. 1 Cor. v. 4, 5. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7. (4.) To care and provide for the poor, Gal. ii. 9, 10. 1 Tim. vi. 17, 18. 2 Cor. viii; ix. (5.) To give themselves habitually to effectual fervent prayer for the church of Christ in general, and especially for those of their particular charge, Acts vi. 2, 4. Eph. iii. 14-19. i. 15-20. Gal. iv. 19. Col. iv. 12. (6.) To exemplify their doctrines and exhortations, in an eminently meek, humble, holy, and edifying conversation, 1 Thess. i. 10. 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8, 12, 16. vi. 11, 12. 2 Tim. ii. 1, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23. iii. 14. Tit. i. 7-9. ii. 7, 8. Matt. v. 16-48.

II. It is plain from scripture-declarations, that Christ has appointed rulers in his church that are not appointed to preach the gospel, Rom. xii. 7, 8. Heb. xiii. 7, 17. Different gifts qualify men for teaching and for ruling, Eph. iv. 7. Such rulers are necessary for the assistance of pastors, Gal. ii. 9, 10. Acts vi. 2-4. Exod. xviii. 17-23.—The complete form of every Christian congregation requires several elders, Acts xx. 17-38. xiv. 23. Christian churches have courts similar to those Jewish ones, which had the power of excommunication; and which consisted of elders ruling as representatives of the congregation, Matt. xviii. 15-17. Num. xxxv. 24. Deut. xix. 12. Josh. xx. 4, 6. Exod. xii. 3, 21. by comparing of which texts we find that congregation denotes rulers of it. The SEVENTY use the very word ECCLESIA which is translated church in Matt. xviii. 17.—But the divine appointment of ruling elders is still more evident, (1.) From Rom. xii. 5-8. where we find in the one body of the gospel-church PROPHESYING, which includes teaching and exhortation, which may correspond with teachers and pastors, Eph. iv. 11. and MINISTRY, answerable to the deacon that gives out the church’s charity, and shews mercy in visiting the sick and imprisoned,—and to the elder that rules with diligence. Here different gifts, given to profit withal, infer different offices, Eph. iv. 7-11. 1 Cor. xii. 7, 8. Here is one that rules, characterized by different gifts and different work. (2.) From 1 Cor. xii. 28. where we find GOVERNMENTS, that is, governors, even as MIRACLES denote workers of miracles,—set by God in the Christian church. While they are represented as different from HELPS or deacons, Acts vi. 1-6. their designation of governments marks that their office is chiefly, if not solely, executed in ruling. It much more properly denotes them rulers of church-members, than mere managers of church-money.—It is further observable, that God has set SOME, not ALL, governments or governors in the church. (3.) From a Tim. v. 17. where some elders are represented as worthy of double honour, though they do no more than rule well, while others are represented as more worthy of double honour, because they not only rule well, but also labour in word and doctrine.—All which elders belong to the church, Comp. chap. i. 19. iv. 14. iii. 15.—Kopiontes, labouring, doth not denote uncommon diligence, but the common duty of all gospel-ministers, 1 Cor. iii. 8. 1 Thess. v. 12. John iv. 38.—Malista, especially,—always in the New Testament distinguishes persons or things of the same general class, one from another, Acts xx. 38. xxiii. 26. xxvi. 3. Gal. vi. 10. Phil. iv. 22. 1 Tim. iv. 10. v. 8. 2 Tim. iv. 13. Tit. i. 10. Philem. 16. 2 Pet. ii. 10. Not only do most of the chief Fathers in the Christian church declare for ruling elders; but even Papists and Episcopalians, who inveigh against them, have a shadow of them, in their chancellors, officials, commissaries, wardens: and bishops having no care of souls, are lay elders, properly so called.—Independents also manage most of their congregational affairs by a few of their number.

The necessary qualifications of ruling elders are, (1.) True piety, 1 Tim. iv. 12. 2 Tim. ii. 21, 22. (2.) Capacity for judging causes, 1 Chron. xii. 32. Deut. i. 13. 1 Kings iii. 5-15. Isa. xi. 2-5. Numb. xi. 16, 17. (3.) Wisdom, prudence, and uprightness of conduct, connected with a good report from others, 1 Tim. iii. 1-8. Psalm ci. 2-8.—Their ordination ought to be transacted in much the same manner as that of teaching elders or pastors.—Their duty in general is to rule well; particularly, (1.) In judging the agreeableness of doctrines to the word of God,—judicially declaring what seems good to the Holy Ghost and to them, in controverted points of principle or practice, Acts xv. 28, 29. xvi. 4. Rev. ii. 2. Acts xx. 17-31. (2.) In admitting persons to church-fellowship on proper qualifications, Matt. xvi. 19. (3.) in directing or encouraging church-members to observe Christ’s laws, for the honour of God and their own mutual edification, Heb. xiii. 7, 17. (4.) In taking care, that all the ordinances of the gospel be duly preserved in their purity and perfection, Song i. 7, 8. (5.) In carefully watching over the moral behaviour of church-members,—instructing, admonishing, exhorting, comforting, or rebuking them, as they find cause, Heb. xiii. 17. (6.) In visiting the sick in body, or distressed in mind, Jam. v. 14. (7.) In making provision for the poor, or other expences necessary for promoting the spiritual welfare of the congregation, Acts xi. 27-30. (8.) In judging the case of offenders and penitents, in order to censure the former, and absolve the latter, Matt. xviii. 15-18. xvi. 19. (9.) In regulating diets of fasting, thanksgiving, the Lord’s supper, &c. 1 Cor. xiv 26, 40.

III. The divine appointment of Deacons in the Christian church, is beyond dispute, Acts vi. 1-6. 1 Tim. iii. 8-11. Rom. xii. 8. 1 Cor. xii. 38. Phil. i. 1.—They ought to be men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom, 1 Tim. iii. 8-10. Acts vi. 3.—Their election and ordination ought not, in its manner, to differ from that of elders, Acts vi. 1-6.—Their work is to manage the temporal affairs of the congregation relative to the table of the poor, the table of ministers, and the table of the Lord, Acts vi. 2. 1 Cor. xii. 28. No other work is annexed to their office in scripture. Hence though some of the first seven deacons, becoming evangelists, might preach and administer sacraments, yet none, as deacons, have any right to do so.

There is no hint in scripture, that the offices of RULING ELDER and DEACON were designed to be temporary. Both of them were appointed on moral grounds and necessities respecting every church and period. The rules concerning them both are to be observed till the end of the world, 1 Tim. vi. 13, 14. No congregation can therefore answer to Jesus Christ, for dropping of deacons, any more than for the dropping of ruling elders.

Brown’s system.