24 A CHRleTIAN CHURCH. it seems more regular, according to scripture, to have usually theactive concurrence and assistance of some elders therein : and where their assistance may be obtained, I cannot call ita regular ordination without them. 8. And in the last place, I would say, that since there are some texts in the New Testament, wherein single persons, either apostles, as Paul and Barnabas, ordained ministers in the churches or evangelists, as Timothy and Titus ; and since other missions or ordinations are intimated to be per- formed by several persons, viz. prophets, teachers, elders, or a presbytery ; as in Acts xiii. 1. and 1 'Tim: iv. 14. Since there is sometimes mention made of the imposition of hands in the mission of a minister, and sometimes no mention of it ; and since it is evident, that in some cases popular ordinations are, and must be, valid, without any bishop or elder ; 1 think none of these differences should be made a matter of violent contest among christians ; nor ought any hard words to be pronounced against each other by those of the episcopal, Pres- byterian, or independent way. Surely all may agree thus tar, that various forms or modes, seeming to beused in themission or ordination of ministers in primitive times, maygive a reasonable occasion, or colour, for sincere and honest searchers after truth to follow different opinions on this head ; and do therefore de- mand our candid and charitable sentiments concerning,those who differ fromus. And indeed, the chief ground of the differences between all christians in matters of ordination, is that wherewith I began this section; viz. that it is an uncertain thing, whether several of these particular modes and actions, in the furni- ture, mission, or ordination of a minister, which are mentioned in the books of the New Testament, do really belong only to the extraordinary days of inspiration, or whether they must be imitated as our example, in all ordinary occurrences of the church ; always supposing and maintaining, that none of these ceremonies or assistances from other ministers or elders, are al- ways and absolutely necessary to the mission or ordination of a new minister ; since there may be seasons wherein the concur- rence of good bishops, ministers, or elders, cannot be obtained ; at, least, not with any tolerable conveniency, or without sending abroad to far distant nations. SecT. IV. --The Rest of the Instances wherein Reason and Revelation, are in Matters of Social I orship. But it is time now to proceed to the eighth instance of church-affairs, and show how far the common sense and reason of mankind concur with the revelation of the New Testament in tills' matter.
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