3. Of Church Officers and their Election

Of Ministers and Their Election What Things are Chiefly Required in the Pastors and Ministers

First, let the church diligently consider that the minister which is to be chosen (Acts 1:21-23; Acts 13:2-3; Acts 14:23) be not found culpable of any such faults which St. Paul reprehends in a man of that vocation, (1 Timothy 3:2-7, 2 Timothy 2:5-6; 2 Timothy 4:5, Ezekiel 33:7, Jeremiah 3:15, John 21:17, Isaiah 62:6, 1 Corinthians 9:16; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23) but contrariwise endowed with such virtues, that he may be able to undertake his charge, and diligently execute the same.

Secondly, that he distribute faithfully the word of God, and minister the sacraments sincerely, (2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 2:14-16; 2 Timothy 2:23-25, 2 Corinthians 4:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:17, Matthew 26:26; Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Corinthians 1:17-18; 1 Corinthians 1:21-24) ever careful not only to teach his flock publicly, but also privately to admonish them; (Acts 20:28; Acts 20:31, 2 Timothy 4:2) remembering always, that if any thing perish through his default, the Lord will require it at his hands. (Ezekiel 3:18-21, Ezekiel 2:1-10, 1 Corinthians 9:16) Of Their Office and Duty

Because the charge of the word of God is of greater importance than that any man is able to dispense therewith; (1 Corinthians 9:16, Acts 6:2; Acts 6:4, Luke 12:14) and St. Paul exhorts to es-teem them as ministers of Christ, and disposers of God’s mysteries; (1 Corinthians 4:1, 2 Corinthians 4:1-2; 2 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Corinthians 4:10) not lords or rulers, as St. Peter says, over the flock; (1 Peter 5:2-8, 2 Corinthians 1:24, Matthew 20:25-26) therefore the pastor’s or minister’s chief office stands in preaching the word of God, and ministering the sacraments. (Matthew 26:26 ff; Matthew 28:19-20, Malachi 2:6-7, 1 Peter 4:10-11, Acts 3:2-3; Acts 3:5; Acts 16:10; Acts 16:17, 1 Corinthians 1:17 ff.) So that in consultations, judgments, elections, and other political affairs, his counsel, (Acts 20:28, 2 Corinthians 4:2; 2 Corinthians 4:5) rather than authority, takes place. And if so be the congregation, upon just cause, agrees to excommunicate, then it belongs to the minister, according to their general determination, to pronounce the sentence, (1 Corinthians 5:1 ff.) to the end that all things may be done orderly, and without confusion. (1 Corinthians 14:33; 1 Corinthians 14:40) The Manner of Electing the Pastors and Ministers The ministers and elders at such time as there wants a minister, assemble the whole congregation, (Acts 14:23, Titus 1:5, Acts 1:15-26) exhorting them to advise and consider who may best serve in that room and office. And if there be choice, the church appoints two or three, upon some certain day, to be examined by the ministers and elders. First, as touching their doctrine, (1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 3:6, Titus 1:9) whether he that should be minister have good and sound knowledge in the holy scriptures, and fit and apt gifts to communicate the same to the edification of the people. For the trial whereof, they propose [to] him a theme or text to be treated privately, whereby his ability may the more manifestly appear unto them. Secondly, they inquire of his life and conversation, if he has in times past lived without slander [scandal], and governed himself in such sort, as the word of God has not heard evil, or been slandered through his occasion. (Romans 2:19-24, James 1:26-27, 1 Samuel 2:17; 1 Samuel 2:24, 1 Timothy 5:17) Which being severally done, they signify unto the congregation, whose gifts they find most excellent and profitable for that ministry: appointing by a general consent, eight days at the least, that every man may diligently inquire of his life and manners. At the which time also, the minister exhorts them to humble themselves to God by fasting and prayer, (Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23, Luke 2:37) that both their election may be agreeable to his will, and also profitable to the church. And if in the mean season anything be brought against him whereby he may be found unworthy by lawful probations, then is he dismissed and some other presented. If nothing be alleged upon some certain day, one of the ministers, at the morning sermon, presents him again to the church, framing his sermon, or some part thereof, to the setting forth of his duty.

Then at afternoon, the sermon ended, the minister exhorts them to the election, with the invocation of God’s name, (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17, Matthew 9:37-38) directing his prayer as God shall move his heart. In like manner, after the election, the minister gives thanks to God, (1 Thessalonians 5:18, Colossians 4:2, Ephesians 5:20, Php 1:3) with request of such things as shall be necessary for his office. After that he is appointed minister, the people sing a psalm and depart. Of the Elders, and as Touching Their Office and Election The elders must be men of good life and godly conversation, (Numbers 11:16 ff. Acts 14:23; Acts 16:4; Acts 20:17 ff. Romans 12:8Ephesians 4:11-161 Corinthians 12:28James 5:141 Peter 5:1-3) without blame and all suspicion; careful for the flock, wise, and, above all things, fearing God: whose office stands in governing with the rest of the ministers, in consulting, admonishing, correcting, and ordering all things appertaining to the state of the congregation. And they differ from the ministers, in that they preach not the word, nor minister the sacraments. In assembling the people, neither they without the ministers, nor the ministers without them, may attempt anything. And if any of the just number want, the minister, by the consent of the rest, warns the people thereof, and finally admonishes them to observe the same order which was used in choosing the ministers. Of the Deacons, and Their Office and Election The deacons must be men of good estimation and report,(Acts 6:1-6, 1 Timothy 3:8-13) discreet, of good conscience; charitable, wise, and finally adorned with such virtues as St. Paul requires in them. Their office is to gather the alms diligently, and faithfully to distribute them,(Romans 12:7-8) with the consent of the ministersand elders; also to provide for the sick and impotent persons; having ever a diligent care, that the charity of godly men be not wasted upon loiterersand idle vagabonds. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12) Their election is, as has been before rehearsed in the ministers and elders. Of Teachers or Doctors

We are not ignorant that the scriptures make mention of a forth kind of ministers left to the church of Christ, which also are very profitable, where time and place do permit. But for lack of opportunity, in this our dispersion and exile, we cannot well have the use thereof; and would to

God it were not neglected where better occasion serves. These ministers are called teachers or doctors, (Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28) whose office is to instruct and teach the faithful in sound doctrine, providing with all diligence that the purity of the gospel be not corrupted, either through ignorance, or evil opinions. Notwithstanding, considering the present state of things, we comprehend under this title such means as God has in his church, that it should not be left desolate, nor yet His doctrine decay for default of ministers thereof. Therefore to term it by a word more usual in these our days, we may call it the order of schools, wherein the highest degree, and most annexed to the ministry and government of the church, is the exposition of God’s word, which is contained in the Old and New Testaments. But because men cannot so well profit in that knowledge, except they be first instructed in tongues and human sciences (for now God works not commonly by miracles), it is necessary that seed be sown for the time to come, to the intent that the church be not left barren and wasted to our posterity; and that schools also be erected, and colleges maintained, with just and sufficient stipends, wherein youth may be trained in the knowledge and fear of God, that in their ripe age they may prove worthy members of our Lord Jesus Christ, whether it be to rule in civil policy, or to serve in the spiritual ministry, or else to live in godly reverence and subjection. The Weekly Assembly of the Ministers, Elders, and Deacons To the intent that the ministry of God’s word may be had in reverence, and not brought to contempt through the evil conversation of such as are called thereunto, (Romans 2:19-24, Ezekiel 36:22-23, Isaiah 52:5) and also that faults and vices may not by long sufferance grow at length to extreme inconveniences; (2 Timothy 2:1-26) it is ordained that every Thursday the ministers and elders, in their assembly or consistory, diligently examine all such faults and suspicions as may be espied, (1 Corinthians 5:1-13) not only amongst others, but chiefly amongst themselves, lest they seem to be culpable of that which our Saviour Christ reproved in the Pharisees, (Matthew 7:3, Luke 6:41, Romans 2:17-24) who could espy a mote in another man’s eye, and could not see a beam in their own. And because the eye ought to be more clear than the rest of the body, (Matthew 6:22-23, Luke 11:34) the minister may not be spotted with any vice, but to the great slander of God’s word, whose message he bears: therefore it is to be understood that there are certain faults, which if they be deprehended in a minister, he ought to be deposed: as heresy, Papistry, schism, blasphemy, perjury, fornication, theft, drunkenness, usury, fighting, unlawful games, with suchlike. Others are more tolerable, if so be that after brotherly admonition he amends his fault: as strange and unprofitable fashion in preaching the scriptures; curiosity in seeking vain questions; negligence, as well in his sermons, and in studying the scriptures, as in all other things concerning his vocation; scurrility, flattering, lying, backbiting, wanton words, deceit, covetousness, taunting, dissolution in apparel, gesture, and his other doings; which vices, as they are odious in all men, so in him that ought to be as an example to others of perfection, (Matthew 5:13, Mark 9:50?) in no wise are to be suffered; especially, if [it] so be that, according to God’s rule, being brotherly advertised, (Matthew 18:15-17, Luke 17:3, James 5:16; James 5:19-20) he acknowledge not his fault and amend.