HEB. 13: 17. They watch for your souls as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy and not with grief.

2 COR. 2: 15. For we are unto God a sweet savor of Christ, in them that are saved and in them that perish; to the one we are a savor of death unto death, and to the other of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

VIII. Officers of Secular Affairs.

ACTS 6: 1. And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, whom they set before the Apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

PHIL. 1: 1. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.

1 TIM. 3: 8. The deacons must be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers; sober, faithful in all things.

IX. False Teachers.

MAT. 7: 15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly, they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ACTS 19: 13. Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them, which had evil spirits, the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye And the man in whom the evil spirit was, leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus: and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

?

20: 29. For I know that after my departure, shall grievous wolves enter in among you not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall

men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 2 COR. 11: 12. But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion: that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false Apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. I say again, let no man think me a fool: if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

T 2 TIM. 4: 3. For the time will come, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers; having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

JER. 23: 1. Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and I will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. — 10. For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and their course is evil, and their force is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the

darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evil-doers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say_still_untothem that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, no evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? Who hath marked his word, and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.

2:8. The priests said not, Where is the LORD and they that handle the law, knew me not. The pastors also transgressed against me.

5: 30. A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so.

6: 14. They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

EZEK. 13: 10. They have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace. One built the wall, and lo, others daubed it with untempered mortar.

22: 26. They have put no difference between the holy and the pro

fane, between the unclean and the clean.

ISA. 28: 7. The priest and the prophet have erred through wine, and through strong drink, they are out of the way.

EZEK. 13: 19. Will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley, and pieces of bread?

Mic. 3: 11. The priests teach for hire, and the prophets divine for money... Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field.

TI. 1: 10. There are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped; who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

MAL. 2 7. The priests' lips should keep knowledge; and they should seek the law at his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way. Ye have caused many to stumble at the law: ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

not, that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company with fornicators. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters: for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such a one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? but them that are without God judgeth, Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked per

son.

2 COR. 2: 5. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part that I may not over

OF THE CHURCH.

what Nature.

2 COR. 10: 8. Our authority the LORD hath given us for edification, and not for destruction.

For

1 COR. 5: 1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, to deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye

and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him: for to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ: lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed; yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

ACTS 15 1. And certain men which came down from Judea, taught the brethren, Except ye be circumcised, after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 6. And the Apostles and elders came together to consider of this matter. 22. Then pleased it the Apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch, with Paul and Barnabas ; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief among the brethren: and they wrote letters by them after this manner.

men

"The Apostles, and elders, and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of he Gentiles, in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain, which went out from us, have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment: it seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well."

So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle. Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation. And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in peace from the brethren unto the Apostles. Notwithstanding, it pleased Silas to abide there still. Paul

also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

1 COR. 14: 33. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak: but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. -40. Let all things be done decently and in order.

GAL. 6: 2. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

TI. 3: 10. A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition reject: knowing that he that is such, is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself.

Includes the adjustment of business.

MAT. 5: 40. If any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also.

ROM. 12: 17. Recompense to no man evil for evil. ... Avenge not yourselves; but rather give place unto wrath.

1 COR. 6: 1. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more, things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame! Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you! no not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren! But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers! Now therefore, there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren!

II. Rule or Process of Discipline.

MAT. 18 15. Moreover, if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. Verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

JOHN 8 3. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst

T MAT. 7: 1. Judge not that ye be not judged for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine

own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote, out of thine eye; and behold a beam is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite! First cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

LUKE 6 89. Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

ROM. 2 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest also thyself: for thou that judgest dost the same things.

GAL. 6 1. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault; ye that are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself lest thou also be tempted.

III. Discipline does not extend to Conscience or Faith.

2 COR. 1: 24. Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy; for by faith ye stand.

1 PETER 53. Neither as being Lords over God's heritage; but being ensamples to the flock.

ROM. 14: 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. For one believeth that he may eat all things; another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth : for God hath received him. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth: yea, he shall be holden up for God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above another another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written,

As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

And every tongue shall confess to God.