Two ways is the meetness of any one made known and to be judged of : — 1. By an evidence given of the qualifications in him • before mentioned. The church is not to call or choose any one to office who is not known unto them, of whose frame of spirit and walking they have not had some experience; not a novice, or one lately come unto them. He must be one who by his ways and walking hath obtained a good report, even among them that are without, so far as he is kaown, unless they be enemies or scoffers;
THE OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH. 65
and one that hath in some good measure evidenced his faith, love, and obedience unto Jesus Christ in the church. This is the chief trust that the Lord Christ hath committed unto his churches; and if tliey are neghgent herein, or if at all adventures they will impose an officer in his house upon him without satisfaction of his meetness upon due inquiry, it is a great dishonour unto him and provocation of him. Herein principally are churches made the overseers of their own purity and edification. To deny them an ability of a right judgment herein, or a liberty for the use and exercise of it, is error and tja-anny. But that flock which Christ purchased and purified with his own blood is thought by some to be little better than a herd of brute beasts. Where there is a defect of this personal know- ledge, from want of opportunity, it may be supplied by testimonies of unquestionable authority. 2. By a trial of his gifts for edifica- tion. These are those spiritual endowments which the Lord Christ grants and the Holy Spirit works in the minds of men, for this very end that the church may be profited by them, 1 Cor. xii. 7—11. And we must at pres.ent take it for granted that every true church of Christ, that is so in the matter and form of it, is able to judge in some competent measure what gifts of men are suited unto their own edification. But yet, in making a judgment hereof, one direc- tive means is the advice of other elders and churches; which they are obliged to make use of by virtue of the communion of churches, and for the avoidance of offence in their walk in that communion.
II. As to the nature of this election, call, or choice of a person known, tried, and judged meetly qualified for the pastoral office, it is an act of the whole church ; that is, of the fraternity with their elders, if they have any; for a pastor may be chosen unto a church which hath other teachers, elders, or officers, already instated in it. In this case their concurrence in the choice intended is necessary, by way of common suffrage, not of authority or office-power ; for election is not an act of authority, but of liberty and power, wlierein the whole church in the fraternity is equal. If there be no officers stated in the church before, as it was with the churches in the primitive times, on the first ordination of elders among them, this election belongs unto the fraternity.
III. That, therefore, which we have now to prove is this, that it is the mind and will of Jesus Christ that meet persons should be called unto the pastoral office (or any other office in the church) hy the election and choice of the church itself whereunto they are called, antecedently unto a sacred, solemn separation unto their respective offices; for under the old testament there were three ways whereby men were called unto office in the church : — 1. They were so extra- ordinarily and immediately, by the nomination and designation of God himself: so Aaron was called unto the priesthood; and others
56 TEUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
afterward, as Samuel, to be prophets. 2. By a law of carnal generation : so all the priests of the posterity of Aaron succeeded into the office of the priesthood without any other call. 3. By the choice of the 2^eople, which was the call of all the ordinary elders and rulers of the church: Deut. i. 13, ^^2 ^-?, " Give to yourselves." It was required of the people that they should in the first place make a judgment on their qualifications for the office whereunto they were called. Men known unto them for wise, understanding, righteous, walking in the fear of God, they were to look out, and then to present them unto Moses, for their separation unto office; Avhich is election. It is true that, Exod. xviii. 25, it is said that Moses chose the elders; but it is frequent in the Scripture that where any thing is done by many, where one is chief, that is ascribed in- differently either to the many or to the chief director. So is it said, " Israel sent messengers," Num. xxi. 21. Moses, speaking of the same thing, says, " I sent messengers," Deut ii. 26. So, 1 Chron. xix. 19, " They made peace with David and became his servants; " which is, 2 Sam. x. 19, " They made peace with Israel and served them." See also 2 Kings xi. 12, with 2 Chron. xxiii. 11; as also 1 Chron. xvi. 1, with 2 Sam. vi. 17; and the same may be observed in other places. Wherefore the people chose these elders under the conduct and guidance of Moses: which directs us unto the right in- terpretation of Acts xiv. 23, whereof we shall speak immediately.