of a vi/îble Church of Chrifl. 45 that is, Maintenance, as appears in the following Verfes. But mull Timothy maintain them, or the Church ? I think if thofe Elders that have a mind to ordain Elders in other (Churches, were bound to maintain them too, they would UM be ib forward as they are to ordain. Nor do I find that thole that contend for the Authority of Timothy's Ordina- tion, do appropriate this Charge of the Maintenance of Elders to Timothy and his Succeffors. I have now anfwered all the Objet1ions that I re- member are made againft the Power of the Church, to ordain their own Elders and Deacons. I (hall in the next Place make a brief Difcovery of thofe Qualifications that Churches fhould have an Eye to in the Choice of Officers, both Elders and Deacons. And firil of Elders. I. Negatively : he mull not be a Novice, t Tim iii. 6. Net a Novice, left being lifted up .with Pride, he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil. By a Novice here we are not to underftand a young Man ; but a young Chriftian, one newly converted to the Faith : for Timothy was but a young Man, when he krfl entred upon the Work of the Minii'try ; but he was of confiderable Standing in Chrift's School, having known the Holy Scriptures from a Child. The Reafon why he fhould not be a Novice is, lea_`t he fhodd be lifted up with Pride ; and I think that Experience may acquaint us, that young Chriftians are more apt to be proud of their Abilities, than when they are of longer Standing,efpecially being called out to the publick Exercife of them, whereby there is Food adminiitred for Pride to feed upon. The more Experience a Chriftian hath, the more he feeth his own Inabilites, and that will help to keep down his Plumes. 2. He mutt not be given to Wine, no Drunkard, nor mull he be inclined to thofe intoxicating Liquors : he mull not be of a quarreling Spirit, no Striker, nor yet a Brawler; nor mutt he be greedy and a covetous Man, t rim. i. 3. Tit. i. 7. Secondly, I (hall fpeàk to it pofitively. i. He mutt be the Hufband of one Wife, i Tim. iii, z. that is, of one Wife at one. Time. This doth not prohibit the Choice of him that bath no Wife, nor yet the Choice MER,eP... a.
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