DISCOURSE II. 155 faith of Christ more publicly, and have taken a good degree, or a good step, towards the office of a ruling, or a teaching elder, in the church. And this is avery properexpression concerning those times, when christian churches were the only schools for the education of ministers ; and the exercise of gifts, in and for the serviceof the church, was one chief means of their preparation for it. I confess in our day, sincewe have many outward advantages for the education of ministers in learning, and their improvement in knowledge, and in all gifts, it is not so usual, nor so neces- sary, that a deacon should grow up into an elder, or bishop. Yet in some churches, such persons have been found in late years, who have been deservedly called to the office of the mi- nistry, by the great improvement of their; gifts in the church, their uncommon degree of knowledge and grace, and the pecu- liarblessing of God. . After all, this is certain, that those that grow old in such an office, well performed, grow honourable in the sight of Godandman ; for God isnot unrighteous, my friends, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have sheaved toward his name.; in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister, and we desire that every one of you wouldshew the same diligence unto the end; Fhb. vi. 10-12. Inferences. I. We may see something of the beautyof gospel-order, in the several offices of a church of Christ; but I shall now remark it only in these two respects L That as the visible church here on earth, and the members of it, have many bodily necessities and conveniences to be supplied, as well as their souls to be instructed and edified ; so there are distinct persons of divine appointment commissioned to manage these affairs, and fulfil these services, viz. pastors and deacons. -2. Another part of the beauty of that order consists herein, that the one is to act in subordination to the other ; the deacons are chosen for the assistance of the elders, and thus acting together by a sweet concurrence, the church is preserved in peace, the necessities of it are supplied, and the gospel honoured. II. See here the tenderness of Christ, the great head of the church towards his ministers, andhis poor: He has instituted officers to take care of their outward subsistence, as well as re- quired the church to contribute for that end. Hereby the poor will not be left to perish, nor ought they to beexposed toextreme hardships, it the church can "prevent it: Hereby ministers are secured from a too great solicitude about their own maintenance, and from interruptions in their more proper work, as well as from the malicious censures of the world, which would fall upon them, if they were over-burdened with secular cares and concerns, either for the church, for the poor, or for themselves. III. Learn from my text, that the services which are done oa
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