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Show • The Duties of Ruling Elders. Chap. 2., ufurpation; The power of the [word is Princely, !-"rdly; But. t~e power of the Kepis onely Stew:ord!J and Minijfmafl; For fo lt IS (aid,rheKeyoftbe.Houfo of David toEliak.f.m, lfa.22.22. And, he wa1over the Houfo, Ver. I5· Which phrafe of being over the Houfo, is tranflated properly, Gm. 43. I 9· Stward of the Houfo. Seeing then the Kingdome ofChrifr is JPirittttJll, and not worldb·, and the Govemment of his Kingdome is not Lord!J, but Stew!R'dlj and Minift.ria/J, evident it is that thefe Ruling Eldert in the Church, may onely attend to works of JPirilloU and minijfcriall J{ule: And fi1rther, becaufefuch aces of JPiritua/1 Rule'· as are difpenced in tht pre.1ching of the Word, the Rz1ling Eldm are I)Ot-called to attend unto, but that worke is left unto P aj/or 1 and !eacbfl'i ; Therefore plaine it is, that what atl:s•foever of JPiritualJ Rt~le and Government, Chrifr hath committed to his Chnrch ovet• and ;~hove the Minijfery of tf,. Word and Sacraments : All fuch atl:s of J(pk are committed to the fulling Elder!, and none but li1ch. To lnfrance then in the particular duties of the Ruling Eldtr1 Office: The Ruling Elt!m having received the keys of Chrifis Houfe, as his Stewards; it doth belong to their Power. J, To open md Jhut the duoret ofChrijlt Houfe or Church; thati~, to admit and reeeive all members and Officers into place in the Church, (with theconfent of the Church) and to. keepe out the unworthy: Hence Minifiers are faid to be ord:~ined and admitted into office bl.th7l~ying on oft.he h~nds of the ~resbytery, I Tim. 4· ~ 4· And it Mmifiers be admitted through their hands into of· ticc; in the Church, how much more private members after due tryall. ~ •. I~ they have power to open the doores of the Church, by ~mnnng officers and other members into the Church, and keep· mg out tlte unworthy, (!hutting the doores againfr thenl) Then they have a][o power (with the confent of the Church, and their fello~-~dtr.r, as in th: fanner) to cajl out oft he Church by Excommmzzcatwn fuch as full mto fcandalous offences within the Church, a~ d~ perfifr therein; For Ejufdem potejfatn tjl dejfituere, cujiW ~~ znjfitum, The fame keys that have power to open the doores, have power to !hut it:. · • 3· As itistheofficeofaStewardina family,fo itisoftheFJderJ m the Church, To fee that none live Inordinately, without a cal· ling, Setl:. z. ling, or idlely in a calling, but every one imployed and fet a worke to his Lords advancage,2 7b<J. 3· w, II, 12. 4- As a S tr"'ard in the family is not to fuffer any members in the family to hinder his fellows in his Lords work , (o neither ought the Ruling Elder to fuffer any to walke fcandalouily in the Congret; ation ; for that hinderetlt edification, which is the worke that each one in his place is to fer forward in the houfe of God : And the Church-Rulers are to attend to fee it done accord-ingly.• • 5~ It is the futli.ng Elder.r office to prepare matters for the Congregation, as mu~h as may be, to prevent their trouble, by keeping outfuch complamts, and other matters, a! are not yet ripe for the Churches cognizance ; And by ordering fuch things as are to be prefcnted to them ; P atll confulteth with the Eldert as well as with the Apofrles at Jerufolem, before he prefented himfelfe to the agitation of the Church, All. 2I. I 8. to 24. 6. It belongeth to .the &t!ing Elder .r ( as well as to the Teachm) to moderate the carnage of all matters in the Congregation A!: fern bled, as to c.tll on Strangers of other Churches or members to f~k upon occafion, All. 13. I5· And fuch as may call men fortli te (peaK,.milly call for filence when fpeech is unfeafonable. 7· Thofe Elder.r ofEphefm,. whom Faul fentfor to wit both the Teaching and Ruling Eldm, ( Atl:s 20. I7 .) thofe' he com~1ands to f~ the flock of God, ver. 2~. which implyeth they fhould be able; n?t on ely-to rule, .but to m~tuB: the .people, though not by · ~ttendmg to a word of &hllY't"tzon, (which is the P ajlors office) nor by attending to a word of dotlrine, (which is the Teachert office) yet by attending to a word of .Admonition ; For the Apofrle maketh .Admonitim theworke of them that are over the Church in th~ Lord, 1 T.hef. ~. I 2. tbatis, that Rule over them." The fame word whichisafcribed toRuli1zg Elder.r, (1 Tim.)· I7·) whom he -joytleth ~th thofe that !abour in word and doctrine in both plates. And tndeed Rule wuhont counfell and in !l:ruEtion is dumbe. Thus allE1derr areapttoteach,according to I Tim. 3· 5· 8. It is a part of theit· office (though it be not theirs alone) to vi!it the fick,( efpecially when they are Cent for )and together with fom~ coo~ fell. a.nd admonition tp pray fur them, and to helpe for-ward their fpmtuallefiatc ;as ]atiJ. 5· 14, I), I6. - Wee |