SECTION II. 17 prophecy, or by the gift of discernment of spirits, by the apos- ties, or other inspired men, in that day, as Timothy was pointed out by prophecy, to be an evangelist; 1 Tim. i. 18. and iv. 14. And in this sense the apostles and evangelists, Paul and Bar- nabas, Timothy and Titus might perhaps, by the direction of the Holy Spirit, nominate thepersons lit to be ordained elders in the churches, and, upon the consent of the churches, might ordain or appoint them for that purpose; Acts xiv. 23. 1 Tim. v. 22. Tit. i. 5. And perhaps this is the reason why it is said of the elders of Ephesus, that the Floly Ghost had made them overseers; Acts xx. 17, 28. But it is hardly to be supposed that any persons weremaderulers, teachers or overseers of any church of serious christians without the consent of the society, who were to be taught and governed by them in matters relating to their eternal interests. Even when an apostle was to be chosen in the room of Judas, the hundred and twenty disciples, of whom eleven were apostles, joined in the choice of two persons, out of which the lot determined one to be anapostle. Acts i. 15, 23.. Deacons, who manage the secular affairs of thechurch, were chosen by the people. Acts vi. 3. And still more reasonable it is, that elders, or bishops, who have the care of their souls, should be chosen by them who want and desire their instructions in such important concerns. In following ages, when these extraordinary gifts ceased in the churches, it is more evident from the histories of those times, that their overseers, or bishops, were chosen by the people. And the characters of them are given us at large, and very particularly, in two places of scripture. 1 Tim. iii. 1 -13. and Tit' i. 5, 6. And certainly this is left upon record, that we might be directed in such a choice to the end of the world, as well as to give directions to Timothy and Titus in the perfor- mance of their extraordinary office at this time. As for the investiture of men with this office, the New Tes- tament gives us some notices that they were set apart by solemn prayer and fasting., and generally with laying on of the hands of the persons who were inspired, or possessed of some superior character. Whether this rite were designed to communicateany new gifts, or to pronounce an inspired and effectual. blessing on their ministrations; or whether it was only retained in the chris- tian church as it liad been an ancient rite, used almost from the earliest ages of mankind, on several occasions, particularly in the solemn benediction of a person, or in the prayer for a blessingon him, or appointment of him to any special service, I amnot able are among you, 7 exhort, who am also an elder; feed the flock of God, taking the over- sight thereof, the bishopric thereof, cmcxax 1 :ç. But our Eugtish t ranslators have generally taken care to keep the word a bishop" for the most part out of sight, where it is applied topresbyters, or eldèrs, in the Greek. VOL. 1P. B
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