The churches glory, or, The becoming ornament being a seasonable word, tending to the provoking, encouraging, and perfecting of holiness in believers ... : whereunto is added, A glasse for the unconverted ... as also, several articles of faith briefly laid down for the further establishment and confirming of the faithful / by Josias Bonham, sen. of Byfield in Northamptonshire.

Seaventeenth.

It is the order of Christ, and the liber∣ty and priviledge of Christian Congre∣gation so gathered, so constituted as a∣foresaid, to elect their Church-Officers, men approved for gifts and qualifications sutable to the rule of truth, as near as they can, and to ordain them into Office by a solemn ordination of fasting, prayer, and laying on of hands of the Eldership, for the better promoting of the interest of divine worship, and that order of govern∣ment that Christ hath left unto his Church upon Gospel-record, and for converting of the unconverted, and per∣fecting of the Saints in the Knowledge, Faith, and Obedience of Christ their King.