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Here we have two farther instances and evidences of the apostles' care of these new-planted churches; and the first was, to settle them in church order, ordaining elders in every church, to be the guides and teachers of the rest, and this with fasting and prayer, in regard of the great solemnity and importance of the work.
Hence learn, That ordination of ministers is a ministerial act; the officers of the church, and not of the people, must separate and set apart, consecrate and ordain, the persons who are to attend upon God and his church in holy things. When they, that is, Paul and Barnabas, had ordained them elders in every church.
Learn, 2. That this solemn action ought to be very solemnly performed by fasting and prayer: They ordained elders in every church, and prayed, with fasting.
The second instance of this apostolical care was, their, commending them to the Lord on whom they had believed. That is, they committed them as young converts to the power of Christ, to strengthen and confirm them, and they committed them as their treasure to the care of Christ, to preserve and keep them. The greatest and best thing that the ministers of God can do, either present with, or absent from their people, is to commit and commend them to the power and care of Christ, who is able to keep them from falling, and to present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.