of a vifible Church of Chr fl. 35- Tit. i. 5. compared with ever. 7. Firft Deacons, whole Office is to take care of the Poor, to fee that they do not want, _cis vi. t, z, 3. and alto that they are diligent in their Calling, to do what they can towards their own Main- tenance, that no unneceffary Burden may come on the Church : for he that will not work, muff not eat, that is he mutt not be maintained out of the Churches Stock, z T'hJ iii. so. They are to receive the Collection of the Church, and to ftir up fuch as are backward to their Duty, that fo one be not burdened and another eafed. Now the Choice of the Deacons is in the Power of the Church, .gas vi. 5. The Church being exhorted by the Apoftles, they chofe leven Men for this Undertaking. Ohjed. But fome may fay, Though the Church chofe them, yet the Apoftles referved to themfelves the Power of Ordaining them, vet., s. Whom we may appoint over this Work. To this I anfwer, (t.) It is obferved by thofe that un- derfiand the Greek, that the Word that is here tranfiated appoint, is a different Word from that, At?s xiv. z3. that is there tranfiated ordain; fo that for Apoftles to appoint, and Churches to ordain, are two Things (2) To appoint may fignify the giving Rules to be ob- ferved in the Management of fome Work or Bufinefs, how a Perfon ought to proceed in it. And fo the Word appoint is to be taken, Tit. i. 5. That thou fhouldJl ordain Elders in every City, as I had appointed thee. The Apoille had given him Rules how to proceed, and now he minds him of it, Olaf he might keep clofe to them. And in this Senfe I take the Word appoint, Ae7s vi. 5. as much as if the Apofile had faid, Do you choofè out Men to whom we may give Rules to be obferved in the Management of this Bufinefs. My reafòn is, becaufe the Effence of Ordination confìfts in the Eleétion of the Peopte, and the Acceptation of the Choice by the Perfon or Perfons fo chofen. This is clear, Mis xiv. 23. When they had ordained them Elders in all the Churches by Eletdion. There lies the Effence of Ordination. Prayer and Fatting are but Concomitants : Now this Choice in which the Effence of Ordination lies, was put into the Hands of the Church by the Apoftles; therefore the Ef- fence
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