ging of the mentioned
qualifications, the Christian multitude, entirely of their own accord,
chose Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and
Nicolas. These they presented to the apostles, who immediately ordained
them by prayer, and imposition of hands, Acts vi. 1-6. Here, by inspired
appointment, the people had the whole power of electing their deacons.
If they have the power of electing one ordinary officer, why not of all?
If in the case of deacons they can judge of the qualifications of
_honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom_, what hinders them
to judge of these and the like of ministers? If Jesus and his apostles
argued from the less to the greater, Matt. vi. 30,1 Cor. ix. 10, who can
forbid us to argue so? If it be right and equal for the Christian people
to choose deacons who take care of their sacred alms, is it not much
more right and equal that they have the choice of their pastors, who
take the oversight of their souls?

A third instance of the Christian people electing their ecclesiastical
officers, relates to the joint travels of Paul and Barnabas at Lystra
and places around, Acts xiv. 23. These two divinely directed messengers
of Christ, having ordained (or, as properly translated from the Greek,
_through suffrages or votes constituted) them elders_ (presbyters) _in
every city, and prayed with fasting, commended them to the Lord_. Here
it is plainly marked that these elders, _presbyters_, were chosen by
_suffrages (votes)_ in order to ordination. This the Greek word in our
version, by the fraud of the English bishops rendered _had ordained_,
plainly imports. The root of this word is borrowed from the custom of
giving votes at Athens and elsewhere in Greece, by lifting up of the
hand. Wherever it is used in the Greek Testament, and for anything we
know in every Greek author, not posterior to Luke, the writer of the
Acts, it constantly implies _to give vote or suffrage_. In the text
before us it agrees with Paul and Barnabas; because they presided in the
choice, and finished the design of it by ordination. Here, moreover, it
is evident that the persons chosen for elders _(presbyters)_ were set
apart to their office, not by a hurried prayer and riotous banquet, but
_by prayer and fasting:_ and this manner of choice and ordination was
used in every church. The very performance of the work of ordination in
public conjunction with the church tacitly infers their consent.

Christ's