vide, what the eternal salvation of my soul is so nearly connected
with, better than myself, if taught of God?

By patronage how oft the honor of Christ and the souls of men are
betrayed into the hands of their declared enemies! If the patron is
unholy, profane, how readily the candidate he prefers is too like
himself! If a candidate be faithful, be holy, how readily, like Ahab in
the case of Micaiah, he hates, he sends not for him! The complaisant
chaplain, who almost never disturbed the family with the worship of God;
who along with the children or others took off his cheerful glass; sung
his wanton song; attended the licentious ball, or play-house; connived
at, or swore a profane oath; took a hand at cards; or ridiculed the
mysteries, the experiences, the circumspect professor of the Christian
faith, is almost certain to have the presentation: perhaps he covenanted
for it as part of his wages. For what simony, sacrilege, and deceitful
perjury, with respect to ordination vows, patronage opens a door, he
that runs may read. Shocked with the view, let us forbear!

* * * * *

N.B. The London ministers in the preceding treatise have a large note
respecting the election of ministers, which does not fully invest this
right in the people. The editor, therefore, omitted that note
altogether, and has inserted this number, extracted from Brown's
Letters, in the place of it, as better adapted to the nature of the
gospel church, and to that liberty wherewith Christ has made his people
free.

NO. V.[124]

_Of the Ordination and Duty of Ministers._

That the ordination of pastors is an ordinance of Christ, the sacred
volumes clearly prove. Through election by suffrages (or votes) Paul and
Barnabas ordained _elders_ (presbyters) _in every church_, Acts xiv. 23.
By Paul's inspired orders Titus was left at Crete to ordain elders
(presbyters) in every city, Tit. i. 5. By the laying on of the hands of
the presbytery was Timothy himself ordained: he was apostolically
authorized and directed to ordain others; and informed that these
directions are to be observed, _till the day of Jesus Christ_, 1 Tim.
iv. 14, 15.

That not election, but ordination, confers the sacred office is no less
evident. Election marks out the person to be ordained; ordination fixes
the relation of a candidate to a particular congregation, upon receiving
a regular call; while at the same time it constitutes him a minist