44- The Infiitution and Government Objea. 8. But fome may fay, that Timothy was enjoined by the Apoftle to commit to faithful and able Men, the Things that he had heard of him, that fo they might teach others, z Tim. ii. z. therefore Timothy was to ordain them. I anfwer, T. If this were granted, yet it would not fol- low that ordinary Elders might do the like : For, (t.) Timothy was an Evangelifl, z Tim. iv. S. he had his Commiffion antecedently from the Apoftle, and that ordi- nary Elders cannot plead. (z.) Timothy was a fingle Perlon, he was not a Prefby- tery. This is no Precedent for Prefbyterian Ordination, which mull be done by a Plurality of Elders or Prefbyters, for that is the Ordination that our Brethren do plead for. (3.) What is there in this Text that looks like Ordina- tion ? the Text faith, The Things that thou haft heard of me among many Witneffis, the fame commit thou to faithful Men,. that 'hall be able to teach others. This is Matter of Inftruc- tion that Timothy is charged withal, not Matter of Ordi- nation : he was to acquaint Tome particular Men, of whom he had fome Experience, both in refpeEtt of Abilities and Faithfulnefs too, with the DoEtrine that Paul had preached, both in the hearing of Timothy and others too, that fo they might be furnilhed with Matter to teach others. Here is not a Word of Ordination, nor is Ordination neceffary to the teaching of others, I mean antecedently neceffary. It is the Duty of every Man, as he hath re- ceived the Gift, fo to adminifter the fame : He that /peaks, let him fpeak as the Oracles of God; fo faith Peter. The Brethren that were fcattered upon the account of the Per - fecution that arofe concerning Stephen, preached the Word, and the Hand of the Lord was with them, h's xi. yet they were not ordained. (4.) The Things that were written to Timothy that refpeEt- ed the Church, were written to him to he communicated unto the Church, that fo it might be done by them, and not to be done by Timothy himfelf; the Apoftle writes to him . about the Maintenance of Elders, t Tim. v. 17. Let the Elder that rules well be counted worthy of doulle honour,. that
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