As touching Deacons, they were ordained by the Apostles for collecting receiving, keeping, and distributing of Ecclesiastical goods, for maintaining of Ministers, schools, Churches, the sick, stranger, and poor. The Popish and Prelatical Deacons have no such office, but an office which the Apostles never appointed to them; for ⟨p. 80⟩they had no preaching nor baptising Deacons. Philip preached and baptised, not as a Deacon, but as an Evangelist, Acts 21.8. Besides at the time of his preaching and baptising, he could not have exercised the office of his Deaconship, by reason of the persecution, which scattered rich and poor and all, Acts 8.1. that which Steven did, Acts 7. was no more then every believer was bound to do, when he is called to give a testimony to the truth, and to give a reason of his faith and practice. 4. Others of the faithful, besides the Ministers of the Word, have been admitted unto Councils and Synods by many Christian Churches throughout the World, as is well known; and this is a manifest foot-step of the government of ruling Elders. 5. Nay in the Church of England it self, at this day, there are foot-steps of ruling Elders, else what meaneth the joining of Lay-men with the Clergy in the high Commission to judge of matters Ecclesiastical? S•ravia saith,1 the Churchwardens which are in every Parish of England, have some resemblance of ruling Elders, whose change appointed by law, he saith, is to collect, keep, and disburse the goods and revenues of the Church, to preserve the fabric of the Church▪ and all things pertaining ⟨p. 81⟩thereto sure and safe, to keep account of baptisms, marriages, and burials, to admonish delinquents & other inordinate livers, to delate to the Bishop or his substitutes, such as are incorrigible, & scandalous, being sworn thereto: also to observe who are absent from the prayers in the Church upon the Lords days, & upon the holy days, & to exact from them the penalty appointed by law, and finally to see to quietness & decency in time of divine service.
As touching Deacons, they were ordained by the Apostles for collecting receiving, keeping, and distributing of Ecclesiasticall goods, for maintaining of Ministers, schooles, Churches, the sicke, stranger, and poore. The Popish and Prelaticall Deacons have no such office, but an office which the Apostles never appointed to them; for ⟨p. 80⟩they had no preaching nor baptising Deacons. Philip preached and baptised, not as a Deacon, but as an Evangelist, Acts 21.8. Besides at the time of his preaching and baptising, hee could not have exercised the office of his Deaconship, by reason of the persecution, which scattered rich and poore and all, Acts 8.1. that which Steven did, Acts 7. was no more then every believer was bound to doe, when he is called to give a testimony to the truth, and to give a reason of his faith and practice. 4. Others of the faithfull, besides the Ministers of the Word, have beene admitted unto Councells and Synods by many Christian Churches throughout the World, as is well knowne; and this is a manifest foot-step of the government of ruling Elders. 5. Nay in the Church of England it selfe, at this day, there are foot-steps of ruling Elders, else what meaneth the joyning of Lay-men with the Clergy in the high Commission to judge of matters Ecclesiasticall? S•ravia saith,1 the Churchwardens which are in every Parish of England, have some resemblance of ruling Elders, whose change appointed by law, he saith, is to collect, keepe, and deburse the goods and revenues of the Church, to preserve the fabricke of the Church▪ and all things pertaining ⟨p. 81⟩thereto sure and safe, to keep account of baptismes, mariages, and burials, to admonish delinquents & other inordinate livers, to delate to the Bishop or his substitutes, such as are incorrigible, & scandalous, being sworn thereto: also to observe who are absent frō the praiers in the Church upon the Lords dayes, & upon the holy dayes, & to exact from them the penalty appointed by law, and finally to see to quietnes & decency in time of divine service.
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