152 THE OFFICE OF DEACONS. colour given to it by some examples or expressions in scripture, where we cannot certainly prove that extraordinarygifts were conferred, we leave every church, and every elder, to their own liberty of opinion and practice ; and those that will impose hands in such a way of benediction, upon any chosen officers in a church, shall never be censured by me, nor Clare I pronounce it idle or unlawful. Yet still I think, if there be any elder or elders, in that particular congregation towhich theybelong,these are the most proper persons to perform such a ceremony. I would add here, that as there were many sorts of conse- cration of old in Jewish times, by washings, sprinklings, water, fire, &c. In theNew Testament things are said to be sanctified by the word and prayer; 1 Tim. iv. 5.. And therefore some useful instructions and exhortations from the word of God, seem very proper at the consecration of a bishop, or of a deacon, as well as prayer. Let us proceed to the II. Second thing expressed in the text ; that is, to spew how the persons ordained may attain to a good performance of this office of a deacon. Then a man uses the office of a deacon well, when, 1. He does it with sincere design for the honour 'of God, and zeal for the good.of, the church. This single eye, this sin- cere aim, ought to attend every action of a Christian, and espe- cially every part of the practice of a church officer, whose busi- ness has a more direct design of this end, and should have a more immediate and manifest tendency toward it. Simplicity and godly sincerity should run through the whole courseof services in a church, without fleshly wisdom and carnal interests. 2. With diligence and care: When Artaxerxes the Icing gave command to the treasurers of his state, whichare much the same as deacons in a church, to assist Ezra the priest in building the temple, he charges them, " Whatsoever is commanded by . the God of heaven, let it be diligently, done for the house of the Godof heaven ;" Ezra vii. 23. Let this be a reproof to each of us, when we are negligent about any thing in the church of God. Deacons should not only supply those wants that aremade known to them, but be careful in enquiring into the necessities of the church, whether such persons may not want relief, who are too modest to burden the church, or ask support of the public. Whether Onesiphorus was adeacon or no, is not certain, but he fulfilled the office of a deacon, lotsovos, both in Ephesus and at Rome, when " he sought out Paul diligently, and often re. freshed him, and ministeredunto him in many things.; 2 Tim. i. 18-1S. Thenumber of deacons is not determined in scripture, but so manyought to be chosen, whose due diligence, according to their circumstances, mayanswer the necessities of the church without being overburdened themselves.
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