and Heathens, and yet not neceffary to be ufed in every folitary or perfonal Prayer. The laying on the Hands on another Perfon, when we are praying for a Bleffing on him, feems to be of the fame Kind, (viz.) a Sort of natural Rite or Gesture, much used in the Old Teftament and the New; and tho' it is not plainly made neceffary on every fuch Occafion, yet it must be ftill acknowledged it was often, if not always, used in the primitive and inspired Times, when either Gifts or Offices were conferred by fome particular Perfons upon others.

And it certainly adds a Sort of Solemnity to the Work; and it has fo much of Countenance from Scripture, that I think it cannot be called a mere human and arbitrary Invention of Men.

This is certain, that fuch Perfons were to be trained up in a Succeffion for this Service in the Chriftian Churches. Timothy was required to commit to faithful Men the Things that be bad heard and learnt of St. Paul, that they might be able to teach others alfo. 2 Tim. ii. 2. And these Perfons were to give up themselves continually to the Word and Prayer, as the Apostles did, Acts vi. 4. and to excite and ftir up their Talents for Inftruction and Edification, to give Attendance to Reading, to Exbortation, and Doctrine; to meditate upon thefe Things, and give themselves wholly to them, that their profiting might appear to all.

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For if this be required of fo extraordinary a Perfon as Timothy, 1 Tim. iv. 3. much more reasonably is it required of those who have no extraordinary Gifts.

I might further add, that these Teachers and Minifters of the Gofpel are required in the New Teftament to be faithful, diligent, and zealous in the Work of Christ, willingly taking the Care, or Overfight, of the religious Concerns of the People, in inftructing and overfeeing the Flock, and watching over them for their fpiritual Good, as well as going before them in all Acts of Holinefs, and being Examples to all other Chriftians in Word, in Converfation, in Faith, in Charity, and in Purity from all Sin. Ver. 12.

SECT.

SECT. III.

A brief Enquiry how far the Modes of the Miffion, or Ordination, of primitive Minifters, are our Rule

now.

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PON this fhort Survey of Things, under this Head, give me Leave first to make one Obfervation, and then confider the Enquiry propofed.

The Obfervation is this: Various were the Affairs and Regulations of the primitive Churches, relating to their feveral Officers, whether Apostles, Evangelifts, Bishops, Paftors, Teachers, Prophets, Elders, &c. and in the Nomination of thofe Officers, whether by Jefus Chrift himself, by Prayer and Lot, by Infpiration of the Spirit, by Prophecy, by Gifts of difcerning Spirits, or by the Choice of the People, &c. And in their Ordination, or Miffion, by Fafting, and by Impofition of Hands, as well as Prayer: And whether this were performed by the Apostles, Prophets, Prefbyters, or Elders, or Evangelifts

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gelifts, &c. Now all these Things at that Time were fo very much directed, governed, influenced, determined, and transacted by extraordinary Gifts, and the infpired Perfons who poffeffed them, that I cannot find, in the New Teftament,any one Inftance of the Choice and Miffion, Appointment or Inveftiture, of any ordinary Officer in the Church, by any other Officer, or Officers, who were not of the extraordinary Kind; and therefore these Things cannot, in every Point, be Rules or Patterns for all following Times.

If any one here object, that if we fuppofe the Formation, Ordination, and Miffion of Minifters, to be fo defcribed in the Acts of the Apostles, as not to give following Ages an exact Rule or Pattern for their ordinary Practice; why may we not alfo fuppofe fome of the Doctrines and Duties of perfonal Chriftianity described in the Gofpel, to belong only to extraordinary Times?

The Answer is eafy; (viz.) That Mankind are to be faved through all Ages of Christianity in the fame Way, by the fame Gospel, the fame Doctrines and Duties. But the Preachers of this Gospel may not be furnished nor ordained the fame Way, when extraordinary Commiffions, extraordinary Gifts, and Powers, are ceased: For it is apparent, that these extraordinary Preachers and Governors of the Church mingled the Ex

ercife of their extraordinary Powers with some of their ordinary Ministrations.

Hence it comes to pafs, that it is fo difficult a Question, and fo exceeding hard to affirm with Exactnefs and Certainty, how many of thefe Officers, and of thefe folemn Rites and Actions, were defigned by Chrift to be. continued in the following ordinary Occafions of the Churches, when extraordinary Gifts fhould ceafe; and how many of theje Forms are to be practifed in all fucceeding Ages. Most of the learned and inquifitive Men who have written fince, have greatly differed in their Opinions of this Matter, and left many Things therein difficult, or dubious, after all their laborious Comments.

Let us enquire then what there is of all thefe Things, that is certain and neceffary in our Age, and is not fubject to this Occafion of doubting which I have mentioned.

(1.) This feems certain by the Light of Nature and Reafon, that Chriflian Affemblies, as well as any others, in ordinary as well as extraordinary Times, fhould have a Teacher, to inftruct the Ignorant in Knowledge, and make known to the Church the Mind and Will of God in his Word: They should have an Exhorter, to ftir up the People to the Practice of their Duty; a Man of Prayer, to addrefs God in their publick Devotions; an Overfeer, or Bishop, to take Charge of the Flock, to infpect the Manners of the People, D 3

and