SECTION III. 19 quired of those who have no extraordinary gifts. I might fur- ther add, that these teachers and ministers of the gospel are required in the NewTestament to be faithful, diligent, and zea- lous in the work of Christ, willingly taking the care, or oversight of the religious concerns of the people, in instructing and over- seeing the flock, and watching over them for their spiritual good, as well as going before them in all acts of holiness, and being examples to all other Christians in word, in conversation, infaith, in charity, and in purity from all sin ; verse 12. SECT. III._4 brief Enquiry howfarthe Modes ofthe Mission, or Ordination of Primitive .Ministers, are our Rule now. Upon this short survey of things, under this head, give me leave first to make one observation, and then consider the en- quiry proposed. The observation is this: Various were the affairs and regulations of the primitive churches, relating to their several officers, whether apostles, evangelists, bishops, pastors, teachers, prophets, elders, &c. and in the nomination of those . officers, whether by Jesus Christ himself, by prayer and lot, by inspiration of the Spirit, by prophecy, by gifts of discerning, spirits, or by the choice of the people, &c. And in their, ordina- tion, or mission, by fasting, and by imposition of hands, as well as prayer: And whether this were performed by the apostles, prophets, presbyters, or elders, or evangelists, &c. Now all these things at that time were so much directed, governed, influ- enced, determined, and transacted by extraordinary gifts, and the inspired persons who possessed them, that I cannot find, in the New Testament, any one instance of the choice and mission, appointment or investiture, of any ordinary officer, or officers, who were not of the extraordinary kind; and therefore these things cannot, in every point, be rules or patterns for all follow- ing times. If any one here Object, that if we suppose the formation, ordination, and mission of ministers, to be so described 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 also sup-. pose some of the doctrines and duties of personal christianity described in the gospel, to belong only to extraordinary times? The answer is easy : viz. That mankind are to be saved through all ages of christianity in the same way, by' the same gospel, the same doctrines and duties. Butthe preachers of this gospel may not be furnished nor ordained the same way, when extraordinary commissions, extraordinary gifts, and powers, are,ceased : For it is apparent, that these extraordinarypreachers and governors of the church mingled the exercise of their extraordinary powers with some of their ordinary ministrations. Hence it comes to pass, that it is so difficult a question, and so exceeding hard to affirm with exactness and certainty, how a2
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