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the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him," ver. 38; after which Philip "was found at Azotus; and passing through he preached in all the cities," ver. 40. This surely is decisive evidence to prove the deaconship a sacred order of the ministry.

4. The qualifications required for a deacon are nearly the same as for bishops, and are expressed in nearly the same words, 1 Tim. iii. 8-12; and the conclusion cannot reasonably be avoided, that the diaconate is also a spiritual office. They are not to be "double tongued," not to be deceitful and inconsistent in their words, ver. 8. They are to "hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience," ver 9; that is, both to profess the true doctrine, and to maintain a pure conscience; and before admission to the office they must "first be proved," ver. 10; examined and put to the proof whether they are sound in the faith, and irreproachable in conduct. All these particulars show that it was the part of a deacon not only to believe the mystery of the faith, but to communicate it; they are all characteristics of a spiritual function, for the discharge of which they are represented as indispensable; but they are such as it cannot be thought St. Paul would insist upon for the appointment to a mere civil office.

5. The apostle says, "They that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree," 1 Tim. iii. 13; viz. an honour

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able step to further promotion; meaning, of course, in the ministry; for this part of the epistle relates to the ministers of the church. Both the context, and the exact philological import of the term ẞalμòv, rendered "a good degree," demonstrate the meaning to be, that those deacons who use their office well purchase for themselves promotion to a higher rank in the same ministry, namely to that of bishops or presbyters. This is acknowledged by almost all the best commentators; but, should it be interpreted, as the Dissenters recommend, of an honourable rank and distinction in the Church; yet, the church being a spiritual society, any eminence or higher degree in it must be of a spiritual description, and therefore the diaconate being a step to it must likewise be a spiritual office.

6. Of this there is this further proof, that the diaconate is described as attached to those who were unquestionably preachers and spiritual persons. Such are the instances of Stephen and Philip above-mentioned; Timothy also is described as being a deacon as well as a bishop: for in 1 Thess. iii. 2. he is called "a minister of God," which in the Greek is "God's deacon;" and the Apostle's admonition to him is, "make full proof of thy ministry," in the Greek "fulfil thy office of deacon.” 2 Tim. iv. 5. St. Paul was put into the diaconate, 1 Tim. i. 12., where, though rendered in the standard version "putting me into the ministry," the original is "into the

diaconate ;" and the apostolate in Acts i. 25. according to the Greek text is called "a diaconate." Surely then it would be unreasonable to doubt the spiritual character of the office, when we find it combined with, or rather included under, ministers of an acknowledged sacred order.

The conclusion now established has an important bearing upon the present controversy. Nonconformists acknowledge only two orders of ministers, presbyters and deacons ; and believe the office of the former to be strictly spiritual, that of the latter avowedly temporal; but if this view is erroneous, if deacons are a spiritual order, and can both exercise, and are recorded to have exercised, a spiritual function, there must be at least two orders of spiritual ministers. Hence, as they admit only one, their ministry cannot be constituted according to the ordinance of Christ; and not being so, their ministrations must be defective; their whole system consequently totters, being founded upon a species of church administration decidedly unscriptural.

7. It has been debated whether the offices of the ministry conferred by a due call and commission are perpetual or temporary; that is to say, whether they may be resigned or taken away at any time afterwards. As the Scriptures. do not furnish any particular directions on this point, it is a question involved in considerable difficulty; yet when it is considered that so solemn a dedication to the service of God, can

not, except under very peculiar circumstances, be renounced without impiety; that as the authority conveyed by the ministerial commission comes from God, it cannot be forfeited or taken away, except by the same power which gave it; that the ministerial office implies a renunciation of secular avocations, and the devotion of the entire heart and soul to the discharge of its duties; that it is undertaken under something like a vow to devote a man's whole power and ability to the service of God, which cannot but include the whole life; and that, as far as appears, neither the apostles nor the ministerial orders under them, ever put off their orders;-it seems most consistent with the sacred character, with the nature of a holy function, and with the service with which they are engaged, to believe that the ecclesiastical offices conveyed by ordination can only terminate with life.

CHAPTER IV.

CHURCH AUTHORITY.

1. One of the stoutest champions of dissent avers that the controversy "turns upon the single point of the 20th Article, viz. That the church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies, and authority in matters of faith. For if the church hath really this authority and power, then all objections of Dissenters about sponsors, the cross in baptism, kneeling at the Lord's supper, and every other thing, are impertinent and vain : the church having this authority ought to be reverently obeyed '." A plain acknowledgment this, that those who agree with the fundamental articles propounded by the church, cannot justify their secession, except by denying her right to propound them. Yet, so inveterate is prejudice,

1 Towgood, Dissent, &c. p. 2.

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