The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

12. WHEREAS, there may be, and oft-times is but One Teaching-Elder, Pastor or Teacher in a Church, upon his Death or Removal, it is the Work and Duty of these Elders, to preserve the Church in Peace and Unity; to take care of the continuation of its Assemblies; to prevent Irregularities in any Persons or Parties among them; to go before, to direct and guide the Church in the Call and Choice of some other meet Person or Persons in the room of the deceased or removed.

THESE few instances have I given of the Work and Duty of Ruling Elders. They are all of them such as deserve a greater enlargement in their Declaration and Confirmation, ⟨p. 177⟩than I can here afford unto them. And sundry things of the like nature, especially with respect unto Communion with other Churches and Synods: But what hath been spoken is sufficient unto my present purpose. And to manifest that it is so, I shall add the ensuing Observations.

1. ALL the things insisted on, do undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto the Rule and Order appointed by Christ in his Church. There is no one of them, that is liable unto any just Exception from them by whom all Church Order is not despised. Wherefore where there is a Defect in them or any of them, the Church it self is defective as unto its own Edification. And where this Defect is great, in many of them, there can be no Beauty, no Glory, no Order in any Church, but only an outward show and appearance of them. And that all these things do belong unto the Duty of these Elders, there needs no other Proof nor Confirmation, but that they all undoubtedly and unquestionably belong unto that Rule and Order, which the Lord Christ hath appointed in his Church, and which the Scripture testifieth unto, both in general and particular. For all the things which belong unto the Rule of the Church, are committed to the care of the Rulers of the Church.