Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

They will also think of what Origen, in the third Century, declared then to be used in the Churches; Persons established to take Notice of the Life and Conversation of those, who embrace the Christian Religion, and when they committed any Evil Actions, to expel them out of the Congregations; and receive with great Affection, those that lived well, and make them better from Day to Day.

§. 2. The Office of DEACONS, to assist and relieve the Pastors, in all the Temporal Affairs of the Church, is in the New English Churches retained, as was in the Primitive; where we find them Serving Tables; being as Ignatius (if it were he) expresses it. ΒΡΟΜΑΤΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΤΩΝ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΙ: The Deacons of Meats and Cups; that is to say, Those who prepared the Bread and Wine for the ⟨p. 129⟩Eucharist: and the Dispensers, as Origen expresses it, of the ΤΑ ΤΑΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΧΡΗΜΑΤΑ, Churches Money; (which ought to be) with the Advice of the Pastors.

These are they who in the New English Churches, as well as in the Primitive, do as they did in Justin Martyr's Time, deliver the Sacramental Bread and Wine unto the Communicants: (in which Action they sometimes call for Assistance from some other Brethren.) Herewithal they stand engaged, what they can, to free the Minister from all secular Disturbances and Avocations. For indeed, among the Churches in this Country Sacerdos in Foro, undergoes the Scourge of the Tongue, as being little better than Mercator in Templo. And yet it must be confessed that secular Digressions from their Sacred Employments, have been too often forced upon their Ministers, by the Ingratitude and Parsimony of the People, who have not always done their Duty to put their Ministers in the Condition mentioned by Cyprian, when he says, Qui in Ecclesia Domini Ordinatione Clerica promoventur, in nullo, ab Administratione Divina avocentur, nec Molestiis et Negotiis Secularibus alligentur. But our People should hear the Father and Martyr speaking in plain English. Says he, Those who are promoted to Clerical Ordinations should not be hindered in their Divine Administrations or encumbered with secular Concerns and Affairs; but, as Levites, receiving Subscriptions from the Brethren, depart not from the Altar and Sacrifices, but Night and Day attend upon Spiritual and Heavenly Administrations.