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■i THE© LOGICS
COLLECTION OF PURITAN AND ENGLISH THEOLOGICAL LITERATURE
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LIBRARY OF THE THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY
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TREATISE
OftheNatureofa
MINISTER
In all its Offices.
To which is annexed an Anfwer to Do&or Forbes concerning the neceffity of Bi(hops5 to Ordain* /
. ■—
Which is an Anfwer to a Queftion5propofed in thcfelate unhappy times, to the Author,
WbatisaMinijler*
LONDON
Printed by Thomas Ratcliffe for the Au< thor 5 and are to be fold by Ed- ward Man at the fign of the Swan in the Strand near TorJ^Houfe. i 6 7 o.
To my ever moft dear and now on Brother Francis hucy> Efy
My moft dearliBntbtr,
Send you here no new Prefent, but fuch^as you have been long acquainted with ; anddidfirft by fending me the Quejlion in the Title, occasion my Wri- ting : and what I remember St. Bafil faith in his Epiftle ad Amphilochium, in putting the Queftion, you taught me. For although a ftu- dious man cannot but read ofthefe things here difcujfed, yet I am confident they had never by me been digefted into Method, and by that been fo conclufive to mine own and other mens judg- ments, without your fatisfa&ion had provoked it. Indeed in thofe fad times when this was writ, there was a rebellion aoainft virtue it felf, and mens friend/bip was extirpate, Root and Branch*-, For the communication of friends,
* 2 fcatter 4
The Epiftlc Dedicatory.
fcatterd about the Kingdome^ was broken by the intercepting^ yea, the betraying of Letters to the Writers prejudice, which I felt \ but yet ive l\ept an intercowrfe by that dumb wans lan- guage^ of inviting, as oft as we could with fafe- ty\ and communicated our thoughts by Letters when we could not per fonally meet. Ton were tyed to live ///London, by a neceffary duty you had to a very near and dear friend of ours, who was committed to your carcjat a parochial charo to attend my flocl^, fo long as I could in that timc\ How were my thoughts perplexed for you when thofe accurfed Oaths (for which with their dependencies I hnow the Land ought to mourn or elfc I fear will fuffer more ) flew about fearing by fome furprifejou might beenfnared to a5i that-) which your foul abhorred* I was of- ten fatisfed by letters of your freedom 5 yea fometimes by the qnejiions you fent me about thefe inquiries which were then farted'. As my fears were great before^ fo my joy in your inte- grity was high afterwards^ as my admiration^ how it could be:But do you praife God daily for that r whofe Providence invifibly looked over and protected you from thofe evils. And trnji in him^ who will always preferve you loving and fearing him } Amongfi others th'k was one que-
flion
The Epiftlc Dedicatory.
fion, you enticed me to write about , which , a? fitch leafure, as I could Jleal from Domejiique troubles, I anfweredin a treaiife : Ton writ to me to Trint it\ I knew not, nor could remember any fitch things which I medledwith\ when I came to London, youjhew'dit me, I knew my good freind Mr. Thomas Otwayes hand, who tooh^thc pains to transcribe it for me', read ity and l^new mine own Notions fome of them, and fo gave way to the Prcfs: If there be any thing which adds to the common Notions of Scholars, let the Reader thank^you,who were the occafion and informer of my fludies in if, and not fo on- ly, but a preferver of it\ In the firft,you were a Father \\n the fecond,aFoJier to it and by this o- ther men may takg notice of our mutual hj.nd- neffes and wherein our friendship didconfijl in thofe times', When men could [carceknow, how to live^our thoughts were imployd about think- ingjhow to live for e<ver.Farewel,Godbfofs yon ymt, is the hearty Prayer of him, who is not more truly your brother, than *
\ Moft dear Brother
Your Moft Real and Hearty Servant WILLIAM S\ DAVID'S,
TO
iiiiili811:iiIiiSil§
To the Reader.
Redder,
Here are fome things which I thought fit to acquaint youwith; firft, with my felfwhoam here ftiled a Bifhop , and fo may be miftrufted to fpeak, as a man bi- affed in the caufe, writing for my felf,andour Orders but although I am one, yet when this was writ, I was none ; but a Presbyter only, and never thought to be a Bifhop, or to fee one in England ,nor could junlefs I could have forefeen fuch a miraculous deliverance, as it pleafed God to give the King} for which his Name ought always to be magnified}fothat the writer, {hould not prejudice the Caufe, being then impartial.
The next thing is concerning my medling with Mr. Thomas Hooker of New England in this controverfy, which I cannot call to mind by what reafon : But this I remember, that there was aClergy-man of mine acquaintance, who warping that way, highly commended that Author, and had fome Conference with
me
The Epijile to the Reader. 31
me about his Book,and it was much h^g^^<6' /<,, ' ed by a friend of mine in London , wh<3^<$^ ^©^ * cafioned my buying of it, an ingenious ^^^^ /q^ he was, with a very Logical and Methodical 4 m
Headjbut fo overcome with his own opinions; that even oppofite expreffions appear to him, as if they were for him, as will appear in per- ufing the Treatife.
My way of writing was to follow my bu- fineffes, as they lay before me; not confining my felf to any othersMethod,who had treated of fuch things ; Many times you may find me writing the fame things,which twenty be- fore me have done, Aliter non fit Avitalibev it mufi: needs be fo} but fometimes again you may be rewarded with fuch notions, as are not ordinary ; without which, a Book is but repetition,but in all you (hall find mine own manner of expreffions, which may poffibly meet with fome^underftanding moreagreeing- ly 3 than others have done ; and fo may be profitable to the quieting of different judg- ments, the greateft and moft Noble work of any mans induftry,and if I have done it,but in part, I am fatisfied and God fhould be glori- fied, which is all the endeavour of your Bro- ther in Chrift Jefus.
WILLIAM St.DAVID'S.
An Anfwer to a Queftion propofe*
in thefe late unhappy times to the Author, What is a Minifler ?
CHAPTER I.
What the word Minifter fignif.es.
N this Que Aion firft we rauft clear the guii N minis, and thendifcourfeoftheEflence of it.
Firft,inthe cjra^this word A/anov/oc in its own genuine fignification is properly rendered fome Serving work , or Induftri- ousferving, fo Luke 10.40. Martha wot cumbreimth muchferving •, the word <fl./<x« Kov/av is there rendred ferving. The places which would illu- ftrate this truth might be exceeding many, but, as needieffc, I let them paffe -, from hence it comes, that femetimes this word is ufedintheNew Teftamcnt forfuch Service as is done about Spiritual things, by fuch as aredeftined to that work : fo Saint Paul, 2 Cor. 3.7,8. If the Miniflration of Death Voas glorious, how flail not the Miniflration of the Spirit be rather gloriom t and fo likewife in the 9. verfe. In all which is fignified under this word <A/oKowa, the whole Negotiation that Spiritual Offi-
* S
cer*
What the rvord Minifter fignifies*
cers perform for the Spiritual good of men. Again, it is ufed for a particular Office, which was allotted to the taking Care of the poor • thus ye may find it, Alls 6.1. In thofe dayes there arofe a murmuring of the Grecians aganfi the Hebrews , becaufe their widowes were negletted in the dailj Minifiration ; there is the fame word again- and upon th.it ground the Apoftles iniututed iheOffkeof a Deacon, as you may fee afterwards, and for that reafon becaufe of their Minifiration they were called a/anow/ that is, as we ufe to call them, Beacons, but indeed is Minifiers Again, from hence it comes, that this Office being the loweft' and the foundation of the Ecclefiaftical Hierarchy, becaufe all that ferve God for the good of mens Souls, are at the leaf! Dea- cons or Minifters: That this word is fometimesin its general Notion applied to the very Apoftlefhip, Arts 1. 17. fpeaking of Judas who was one of the 1 2. Apoftles, He obtained fart 'of this Mmflry: and verfe the 25. fpeaking of him whom God fhould cnoofe that he may take fart of this Miuifiry and Afofiltfhip from ^hveh, &c. where you fee the Apoftkfiip called Miniftrl to hkcwifc 2 Cor. 11.23. Are they Minifiers of Chrifi t I fpeai as afoot, I am more, fpeaking of the Apoftles, I am more more Mimfterial, more induftrious. Thus, as we may fay a man is a vegetable Creature, which is the remote (7«w,7oare thefe faid tobi Minifiers % but lean never obferve, thatinanv particular Application, this word Minifter is ufed for that fe- cpnd Order of Presbyter either in Scripture or Antiquity as in this corrupt Age by uferpation it is abufed . But I think in this queftion you underftand by it the whole body of the Clergy by what Titles foever, and in that fenfe I mean tofpeakofic and fo addrefTe my felf to the confiderationofwhat a Minifter 1$, and I conceive that I may thus define him.
A
C HA P. II. What a Minifter />, in his Definition.
Minifter is an Officer opined by God to do fomethin2 conducing to the falvation of mens Sou!< In the firft place, Ms Gtnm is an officer, which nature he hath
in
What a Minifter w, /// his Definition.
in Common with multitudes of others, who are fuch, either Ma- gi ft rati cal or Servile. I need not difcourfe now of that, itisfo apparent; Secondly, in his Difference : theftrft phrafeis, or- dained by God-, that is, by the Commindor Inftitution of God : There are many Officers that are inftituted and ordained by men, who have power from God to do this Ad of Jnftituting Officers • but a Minifter is an Officer inftituted by God : from him he hath power in Divine things, thefe no man can have power over, but he who hath this Authority granted him from God, and that is it which St. Vanl affirms, Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honor to himfelf but he \\>ho is called of God, a* was Aaron. Nay prefently after he affirraeth of Chrift, that he aflumed the Priefthood not of himfelf, but from the Father ; fo then this Minifterial Function requireth Gods Ordination : but by the word Ordination I not only conceive an Inftitution of God, but like wife fome Duty commanded which God orders thereunto ; So that by giving this Order ({0 the School, and we in EngUJhfidW thefc holy Functions ) God exadb a Duty in thefe men who exercife it : For the graces given thefe men being fuch as the School calls gratis data , not fandifyingtheperfon who hath them, but fuch as are for the fan&ification of others, God who gives nothing in vain, will require an Account of thefe gra- ces and abilities. And to this purpofe St. Paul, 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a manfo account of as as of the Minifter s of Chrifi , and Dif- fenfators or Stewards cfthe myfieries of God; Verf. 2. Moreo- ver , it Is required in Stewards that they fhould be faith- full ; that is , to lay out the moneys according to their Lords appointment and direction, according to the Lords Ordinance ; but there is more intimated in this word Ordinance, to wit, an enabling the perfon who is ordained to do fome fuperna- tural Work, but the enabling muft be underftood in Atlu pri- mo, not fecundo, that is, he is enabled with Authority to do that is required. A man gives his keyes to his Steward, bids him fearch fuch Rooms, fuch Boxes for fuch occafions as he hath need-, here he hath C^em, the Authority and right pow- er to do this Duty to open the doors in Acluprimo , but per- haps his hands are weak, he cannot turn the key, or he is igno- rant ,he knows not how to do it,yet what he doth i$ regular, he hath Power and Authority to doit, and fhould another who
A 2 hath
The Definition explained^ per partes.
hath more ability, do it in the fecond Ad, and riot inthefirft, he doth it like a Thief, not like a Steward : Thisfirft right is certainly Conveyed by the Ordinance of God with holy Or- ders, but not the fecond : and they who do thefe duties without this Authority given them from Chrift, are therefore c died by Chrift Thieves and Robbers, John 10. i. He that entreth not by the door into the Sheepfold, but climbeth up another wajy he is a Thief and a Robbery they are Thieves, but they who come by the door, by Authority from Chrift, are the right Shepherds, and have Authority to go into the Fold and do their Duty there; fo that though a Minifter have Authority given him to do holy Things, yet he may not have the Science or Integrity to do ac- cordingly , but what he hath, fo far is ratifyed by God, but others who have not this Authority, though they do the fame things, yet they are refponfible for a prefumption • as may ap- pear out of Atls 19. v. 1 3 . where certain Exorcifls took upon them the power Divine ofCafting out Devils, which was Apo- ftolical ^ but they ftole the keyes of this power , had them not given them, and the Devils rent and tare them: from all which it appears, that the enabling with this power fuch as may be juftifyed, comes from a Divine Ordination, and not elfe. The next Term is, Todofomething conducing to the Salvation of mens Souls : I put thisphrafe ( to dofomething) more largely than the Schools, and the great Confent of the Church of Rome ufeto do, who reftrain it only to the holy Communion- as if holy Orders were only referred to that Myfterie , and fo with wrefting , bring in thofe little Ecclefiaftical Officers into the Number >9 but we may obferve, that for ought I find, a Deacon by his Inftitution or Praftice at the firft in theNew Teftament had nothing to do with the Communion, nor indeed hath more now than to aftift with the Cup : And the great Power of the Keyes toucheth not the Ad of Communion immediately, but by reafon of admiffion or prohibiting fuch as (hall or fliallnoc Communicate : I choofe therefore this phrafe ( to dofomething) which comprehends all, even that and Preaching, and whatfo- ever elfe conduceth to mans Salvation, but yet wemuft apply this to what went before likewife, and take all together • there are many Afts done by men, who are not Minifters, which con- duce to others Salvation, and are very ufefull, and commenda- ble
The Definition explained^ per partes.
ble in them, nay are done out of Duty, as the Example of a good life, difcreetadmonifhingmenofcheir faults, incouraging others to virtue, and the like, which are all Ads of Duty from one Chriftian man to another, but not Ads of Ofrice • Ads of Charity as they are Chriftians, not as they are this or that fore of men.
We muft therefore recall the firft Term, ( that they muft do fomething Conducing to the falvationofmen. ) This phrafemuft be a little farther cleared likewite. There are things which Conduce accidentally to the Salvation of others, as perfecution, affliction ^ foit was with St. P<*/*/- fometime^afiiftinginviJlany, which Harts up fome Divine Speech or Adion^ fo thofe wicked perfons, who afiifted in the Crucifying of our Saviour, their Wicked Ad made them Spedators and Auditors of thofe fuper- natural words, which then declared him to be God, and made them receive that Faith in him, and confefTe that he was the Son of God; But thefe perfons are in themfelves the Devils Minifters, though Gods almighty power and providence Conjured them about, as he will the very Devils themfelves, and draw his ho- nour out of their WickednefTe, his light out of their DarknefTe • Thefe Ads in themfelves Conduce to Hell, but God wrought them miraculoufly about to Heaven , and therefore not under- ftood here, but fuch as in themfelves are difpofed to it^ and be- caufe Heaven is not a refult or an E fifed naturally arifing out of our Works, but ablefiing beftowed upon the Workers accor- ding to their Works , for Chrifts fake , therefore thofe things which Conduce to Heaven in themfelves muft be fuch as God is pleafed to Covenant with us, that upon them and the doing of them he will give this Salvation •, for no man can obtain that by Fraud or Violence, and therefore it muft be on fuch Terms as he Covenants for : And thefe things are thofe of the Word and Sacraments, (as the whole Chriftian World hath named them, though they have no fuch name given them in the New Teftament ) to wit this : God harh provided Salvation in Hea- ven for his Servants, the Means for them to get this Heaven is by thefe Covenants, Sealing thefe Deeds, obeying thtfe Ordi- nances of his for which he hath appointed Officers, and given them Power and Authority toadminifter thefe Covenants, (Let- ters ofAtturnev, for it is a Legal, Juridical bufmefTe, and a le- gal.
Thcfe Powers Muft be given by God.
gal phrafe befits it ) to ad thefe things betwixt him and men , and teach them his Lawes and will, by which they (ball be Sha- rers of this blefling, and they who have an Office, ) and from that Office Authority to do Allor Some of thefe things, are the Mimfters we fpeak of : And I think this may fuffice to fpeak, what a "Minifter is- How he is ordained, and who they are, will follow.
SECT. II.
Thefe Towers muft be given by God.
TO underftand thefe heads, we muft firft conceive , that a man can receive or affume no fuch power (that is effectu- al) to himfelf, unlefle it be given him from Heaven, as St. John fpeaks, John 3. 27. Heaven being Gods gift, the powers , the Covenants which bring men thither , muft be by his Appoint- ment, and the Officers who work and effeA thefe powers muft be by him authorized likewife •, I write thefe Condufions briefly, being of great Evidence in themfelves, and for ought I know denyed by none.
SECT. III.
The way to underftand who thefe are.
AN D now, in my Coaceit, the readied way to clear this truth, will be, to fhew what Officers Chrift hath appoin- ted to this purpofe , and this muft be done two wayes : Firft, to (hew Hiftorieally what was done ^ and Secondly, to (hew how thatHiftory (hall agree with the Defign it had to bring men to Heaven , and how unfit other pretentions are to it. The Hiftory I (hall divide into two parts- Firft, to lay the Foun- dation of this glorious Building, to (hew what our Saviour aft- ed himfelf in it, what the Church Difcipline was in Embrione , in Ovo, in the Foundation, then to (hew what Superftru&ures the Apoftles built upon it, what it was in the birth when it was
a
What Chrift himfclf did.
a Chick. The firft muft be fought out of the Gofiells, or the beginning of the -Atls, where the Story of our Saviours imme- diate Commerce with this World both in his life, and after his Death, is fet down for us : The fecond part muft be cleared from the later pirt of the A ft s and the E fifties-, and thus my defign is layd.
CHAP. III.
The EleSlion of the Apoftles^ and what to do.
THE firft remarkable bufinefs in the Gofpel, is the Ele- ction of the Apoftles, which we may find recorded in the 3d. of St. Markov. 13. and the 6th. of St. Luke v. 1 3 . In St. Mark^ we may obferve that he ordained Twelve, that they fhould be with him , and that he might fend them forth to f reach •, and in St. Luke we may note, that he gavethefe Twelve the Name of Afoftles ' out of this we may Confider, that our Saviour having many Difciples fuch as had leaned and liftned to his Doctrine, hechofeout of them Twelve, which he gave par- ticular Favours to, and gave them that name of Office to be Apoftles ; That there was fome Myftery in that Number of Twelve I am perfwaded, becaufe that after the Apoftacy of fudas, in the 1. ohhtAfts, v.22. St. Peter faith, That accor- ding to the prophet David, Pfal. 1 09* 7. another fhould take his Office : It was neceffary another (hould fucceed him in that Mi* niftry, and they chofe one and no more to Compleat the Num- ber. What that Myftery is, is not fo apparent : That which fits my Apprehenfion is this , That our Saviour did, in very many things , lay the platform of his Ecclefiaftical Govern- ment according to the pattern of the Jewifh Polity, and in this particular he refembled the Twelve Patriarchs- but this he laid as Pillars only or a foundation, intending it only to fupport the reft, not to figure out the Number of thefe Officers which were afterwards to be , a Number I know by none pretended to : but yec they then were fo many pillars to fupport this building,
and.
8 The Number of the Apojiles^ and their Office.
and whatsoever Structure fhould be raifed mud be erc&ed up- on thefe : But befides their Number we may mark their Of- fice, which was two-told, about our Saviour, and about the Church, or other men • about our Saviour, that they fhould be with him hearing and learning his Doctrine, fpeftators of his Miracles, and mod exemplar manner of Life, that fo they being to bear Witnefle of him and his Actions afterwards, might the more Conftantly and Confidently do it, when they had in fuch a manner been Converfant with him. That which con- cerned other men,was,That he might fend them forth to preach. Here was an Office Inftituted, as St. Mark^ records it, and to have power to heal ficknefTe,e£v. This Gift of Miracles was not the Office it felf, but a fign and token by which men might know that they were fent from God- for they taking upon them a new Office, and pretending that they received it of God, exe- cuting it for him, it was neceffory that they fhould bring with them fome evidence that they had it from him, and this evi- dence or fign of it was this power of Miracles, which accora- panyed them. Thus St. ^r^hath defcribed the Office, and becaufe men fhould not be miftaken in thefe Officers, St. Mar\ and St. Lake have fet down the particular Names and Characters ofmanyofthem^ upon which I infift not, as not material to my work. But then itmuft be marked farther, that St, Lu\e fets down the Name of the Office, as well as the Officers, and faith the Name was impofed by Chrift , Vehich he called Jpoftles , which Name is derived from ocrrcsiKKto , which is mitto , to fend, and an Apoftleisw///^, one fent ^ thus the general na- ture of the word fignifies, and fo the word is ufed John 13. 16. Neither is he that is fent greater than he that fent him-, 9Ajt6$oKoq9 he that is fent,but in this place it is perpetually put for the Name of this Office ^ and to the fame fenfe is that word Angel , which with Apoftle, Ameny and divers other words, all languages ob- ferve and derive from the Original ; Angel is derived ftom <xy- >etac, which is Nuntius, a Meflenger to relate fome Affairs to others, nowtheApoftles received this Name as men fent about the mod excellent Errand that ever was; the MefTengers , the men fent. In a word, we fee there were a certain Number of men^chofen, they are fet down what they are, what their Names were, and the Number of the Committee , and we fee the
names
The Mijfion of the A po files.
names of their Office, as hkewife what their Authority hither- to was, that is, to preach. No doubt but Beza's word which he interpofeth, (to preach the Gefpel) is a good giofTe, though I think it not the right Text. But although they have Ele&ion into an Office provided for them, and a power and Authority to exe- cute this Office, when they are fent, yet they muft not go before tey are fent -, we will confider therefore cheir Million in the next place,
SECT. IL
How and to whom the Apofiles were fent.
AND for that we muft come to St. Matthew 10. i. and eo St. Luke 9. 1. there we may obferve , in either place, that as before they had the power given them, fointhefe places they were Commanded to execute this power. In St. Adarl^ it is faid, that he ordained Twelve, that they might be Vcith him, that he might fend them forth to p reach • ready they were for the bu- neffe, they lacked nothing but Million, and that they had in the former places. In St. UMatthew, 10. 5. we may obferve thefe Twelve fent forth, we fhall fee there the place where they were to execute the Commiffions defcribed •, \ iril, negatively , verfe the 5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Samaritans enter ye not : then pofitively, bat rather go ye to the lofl Sheep of the houfe of Ifraet, verf. 6. Not that our Saviour would forbid Salvation to any Soul in the World, for others be- sides 7«p/ were Converted- [ but accidentally J the Office of the Apofties, in our Saviours time, was while he lived r eft rained to them; And therefore we may obferve, that St. Peter him- felf, intheioth.ofthev^?/, until he was admonifhed by a Vi- fion of his Errors, was of Opinion, that it was not law full for a fety to have any Communication or keep Company with a Gentile, as he exprefleth it to Cornelius , verf. 28. So then you fee their Commiffion retrained in place ; and, Secondly, you m*y ob- ferve their Commiffion explained, what they were to preach.
B SECT.
I o What the Apoftlcs were to p reach,
SECT. III.
What they were to preach.
BEfore, they had Commiilion to preach, now a Command what to preach, St. Luke the 9th. ver. 2. to f reach the kingdom of God • St. Matth. 10. 7. The kingdom of heaven is at hand'y the kingdom of God, and the kingdom of heaven, are the fam-, called from God as the King-, as we may fay Cafars Kingdom or Empire, called from Heaven as the place, the Em- pire of Rome, the Kingdom of Jerufalem: Now this Kingdom is from the Eminencyof it called the Kingdom oj Heaven, be- caufe there is as it were the Court where Gods Glory is moll manifeftly apparent, that is called his Kingdom, as Rome * but though his Court be there, his Kingdom is on Earths though Heaven be the Court, yet Earth is the Country of this King- dom-, though Heaven be his Throne, yet Earth is his Foot-ftool: So then, by his Kingdom, or , the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, is meant, that Chrifts Kingdom was comming near- That now the time was Comming, in which he fliould conquer the Devil, and lead Captivity captive^ now the time was Comming in which he (hould Settle his Dominions in the World : A nd this was much the fame with the Subject of St. fohn Baptifi his Ser- mons, Mat. 3.2. Repent ye, for the Kingdom of God is at hand • nor indeed could other Doctrine be preached, forChrift had not yet Conquered the Devil , nor fetled his Government, and therefore, as their Commiffion was fetled and reftrained to a place-, fo it was in the Dodrine much unlike what it afterwards came to. Thus you fee that the Apoftles had now at the laft, a Commiffion to preach -, you fee their Diocefle, to the Loft Sheep of the houfe oflfrael-, you fee likewife what they were to preach. The next thing to be Confidered, will be, what other Officers our Saviour Inftituted, and what Enlargement he gave to this Commiflion, whether any or no.
SECT.
Of the Seventy Difciples, their Commijpon , &c. 1 1
SECT. IV.
What other Commijpon our Saviour gave to other men.
TO underftand this, let us confider Luke 10. I. where we (bail find that our Saviour called and fent Seventy , or Se- venty and two other Difcipl.es befides thefe Twelve before na- med : the diverfe Lection of the Number is not material to any thing in hand; but we may obferve, firft,that there was the fame bufineffe, in which they were employed, as the very Apoflles were, out of the 9th. verfe, where they were commanded to preach the fame Doctrine : The Kingdom {of God is come nigh unto yon : That they had the fame Affiftance for their preach- ing, the power of Miracles ; That they had the fame way of Congratulating Cities or houfes, whither they came ^ That there was the fame Curfe upon them that received them notj that they were fo to demean themfelves both to the receivers and them who did not receive them : But herein we fee fome difference; the Apoflles were firft ordained, and then fent- thefe ordained and fent together. Secondly , the Apoflles were taken into a Near attendance about Chrift, and from that had a more Inti- mate Acquaintance with both his Life and Dodrine ^ and from thence,although thefe were fent equally with them in all refpe&s, yet they only had the Name of Apoflles, given them by a prero- gative Eminence, which throughout the Gofpel is not attribu- ted to thefe later Difciples- Befides thefe, I read not of any perfons which had any Million from Chrift to do thefe great Works concerning mans Salvation. But hitherto we find onely the Authority of preaching given. We will therefore in the next place Confider who were made Minifters of thefe Cove- nants of Heaven, called Baptifm, and the Lords Supper ; whe- ther thefe, all thefe, or other befides them.
B 2 S E T C.
12 Who were made Mimficrs of the Sacraments.
SECT, V.
Who were made Minijicrs of the Sacraments.
TO begin with Baptifm : that Baptifm was inftituted in our Saviours life time, is very evident out of the 3 d. of St.Jobn, v. 22. w* ere it is faid, That our Saviour camo intofudea, and there tarried frith them, and baptized^ that's expounded Chapter 4. v. 2. that he did not baptise jbut his difciples : out of which it is evident, befides the Conference he had with Nicodemtts in the beginning of the 3 J. Chapter, That there was aBaptiim ufed and inftituted by our Saviour, and they who were the Mi- nifters of it were his Difciples • But now, when it was inftituted, and what it was that was Inftituted, are mighty difficulties, not fully cleared : For the firft part, I leave all thofe parties which fix it to any times, which are thefe two, either when St. John bapti- zed our Saviour, of which we may read Afat.$J$. or elfe in his Conference with Nicodemm, John 7,. 5. where he uttered thefe wordsj Except a man be born again of Water and the holy Spirit , he cannot enter into the kingdom of ' Heaven;} can confent to neither of thefe : Not to the firu\for we find nothing like an Ordination; but indeed by thedefcendingoftheHoly Ghoft, and the voice from Heaven, a foundation for an Ordinance, but not an Ordi- nance it felf : Not the fecond, for it was a private Conference between our Saviour and that man, wherein he might well de- clare that there had been fomefuch Thing, or that there fhould befuch a power given; but this did not fettle anyluch power, nor any form or Minifter of it : I conclude therefore, that as many things were done, without doubt , which are not written, as St. John fpeaks in the laft Chapter of bis Gofpel, and the laft verfe : fo amongft many things this is one , which yet was done, we may fafely Conclude , becaufc it would be a mighty prefumption for the Difciples, to -ufurp a power of baptizing without a Commiffion, and that they did baptize is apparent, 1 therefore Conclude that it was done, but when is not apparent : and now let us examine what was done.
SEC T.
Whether Chrifts and Johns Baptifm one, &>c. i 3
SECT. VI.
Concerning Baptifme.
THis Queftion feems to me to be very unfatisfafiorily hand- led by thofe who have treated of it. Tounderfland whac can be comprehended in it, conceive with me, that there coraes a three-fold Baptifm in Confideration in this Queflion : the Baptifm which we are baptized with, which in expreffe terms was ordained by our Saviour after his refurre&ion- the Baptifm of fohn Baptifi •, and the Baptifm of the Difciples of our Saviour in the time of hisrefidence upon Earth: the Baptifm of f$hny and the Baptifm of our Saviour, have been difputed with a great deal offvehemency betwixt Calvin and the Church of Rome, whether it were the fame with our Saviours or no } and I am in this Conclufion againft CViw*, and do think that hecauilefly rejects the Fathers with a Height in bis Inftitutes, when certain- ly in it felf the Queftion is of no great ufe to any Defign of faith or piety -y I will not trouble the Controverfie now, but fhall be ready to give an Account of it to any man that fhall require it-, But hint out to the Reader that one place Afts 1 9. 2. Where St. Paul finding Difciples at Ephefus , asked them , whether they had received the Holy Ghefi f They anfwered^ that they had not fo much as heard that there -was an Holy Ghcfi : and he replying, to what Were ye then baptized ? they an f were d; unto Johns Bap- tifm: Then in the 4th. verfe, St. Paul tells them, that John indeed baptized "With the baptifm of repentance, faying unto the people, that theyfhould believe on him who (bould come after him9 that is, on fefns Chrifi. when they heard this, they Veer e baptized in the Name of the Lord fefw : Obferve, that it could not be the fame which wasinftituted by our Saviour, becaufe they had not heard of the Holy Gh©(t, which is an exprefle phrafe appointed by our Saviour -, and then, that they were baptized by St. Paul, which was a fign the firft; was not perfect -, This particular is miferably fliftedoflf by Beza, and that (hift wonderfully extol- led by C homier, when the Text is evident that they were re- baptized.
SECT,
*4
Whether the Apojiles Baptifm and Johns one
SECT. VII.
Whether the Baptifm of the Difciples before Chrifts deaths Wcvs the fame with Johns ?
THere is a fccond Controvcrfie , whether the baptifm of the Difciples before Chrifts Death, differed from Johns f fure it feems to differ • becaufe Johns Difciples came to him in the 3d. otjohn, v. 26. and told him how Chrifl baptized, and feemed envioufly to clamour, that he and his baptifm was fol- lowed more than St. Johns • which, if it had been the fame, they would never have done : becaufe by that their own Church was encreafed^ but wherein this Difference was placed, we can hard- ly difcern, by the Gofpel^ for, as I have (hewed, their Doctrine was the fame, that the Kingdom of God was at hand, and they could not go further but as Prophets, for yet it was not Come, but Comming. Now there could be no baptifm into any other Faith , than that was taught : Thus briefly of that fecond Queftion.
SECT. VIII.
Whether our Sacramental Baptifm be the fame with that before Chrifts death ?
NOW the third, may be betwixt that Sacramental Baptifm, which we have, and that which they sdminiftred before our Saviours death, whether they are the fame ? lor my part [ am againfl it, and not I alone, but mi'ny more, hnrh Ancient and later Writers. Iirft, becaufe that preaching the Word, was only out of Office to be done to the Jews, and they retai- ned Circumcifion flill, the legality of the Ceremonial Law be- ing not yet abolifhed, untill our Saviour put a period to it with his Confttmntatum efi : It is finilhed, at his Death • for although there might be an ufe of both together, yet both could not be fifed Sacramentally ± and although Baptifm might have an n.
ftitution.
Whether the Apoflles Baptifm ^ &>c. 1 5
ftitution, and have Laws made and Diredions for it before, as muft needs almoft be in the Making of any Laws, yet thefe t?,ws had not their legal force till the execution was ordained, which could not be untill the Abolifhing of the old, which was not (as I fay) untill our Saviours Death ., So Heb. 9. 16. For 'tohere a Teftament is, there muft be the Death oftheTeslator-, for a Tefiametit is of force after men are dead, othcrwife it is of no force, tvhile men are living. Now although Chrift might make thefe Covenants, and this Will and Teftament, in his Life, yet it is of no force, untill after his Death. Again, the figniri- cation and myftcry of Baptifm, which it imparts to every bap- tized Man, is not, nor could be before his Death • for as St. Paul fpeaks, Rom. 6. 3 . Knoty you not , that as many of m as Veere baptized into Jefns Chrift, were baptized into his Death : ( bapti- zed into Jefns Christ ) that is, by Baptifm Incorporated into his myftical body, or as he fpeaks, planted, verfe5. (were bap- tized into /;«Dw^/bythefamephrafe incorporated into his Death, dead with him , and this enforceth the 4th. verfe; there- fore we are buried with him by baptifm into Death : If we be in- corporated into him by Baptifm, if incorporate into his Death by Baptifm, then we muft be buried with him , and then we mud be raifed with him : Now this myftery could not be ef- fected untill our Saviours Death and Refurredion ., For, al- though I doubt not that the Death of Chrift was powerfull to the faving of believers, which believed in his Death to come, be- fore it came-, yet it was a diverfeway of Faith which looked upon Chrift to Come, and Chrift already Come. And again, as the Faith was diverfe, fo the Means to get this Faith and the Covenants, by which Chrift was imparted, were diverfe. Now this Baptifm looks upon Chrift dead ; it could not therefore in this Notion fee applyed to them before his Death, andafterhis Death too, And to Confirm tbis,we may obferve , that the-very Apoftles themfclves were flow in the belief of this Fundamental Truth, the Death and Refurredion of Chrift, untill after it was done, as you may obferve Luke 24. 25* where our Savour chides their flownefle of belief in thefe Articles : Now if they had not a Strong Faith in thefe Articles themfelves, it is not rea* fonable to believe that they preached them to others, and then xrot baptized others into it Thefe rcafons are not obferved
1 6 The Apojiles Baptifm^ &>c.
by Beflarmine, or Gamacbew, or Eftiits, or any others I meet with who handle this •, Gamacheusy in general, affirmeth fome- thing to this laft Argument , that Chrifts Death was powerfull to the fdlvation of Souls even before it was, which I grant ( but not by that meanswhich takes his Death , tor a Pattern or a Stock, in which it muft be grafted ; for the Graft fuppofeth the Stock and the thing drawn the pattern ) to fuch means as are Types or Figures ofChrift to Come, notlmprefiions or Signs of Chriit already Come.
Again, he anfwers, that it were enough without his Death, if he inllitute fuch a power . but it muft be proved then , that he did inftitute fuch a power : for it is moft certain, that whatsoe- ver Covenant God makes, that he will perform ; and fince God hath pleafed to make fuch Expreflions ofthisBaptifm as have their foundation upon his Death, it is not probable, nor cin we • be eafily induced to think that he ftiould do it without his Death.
Another Anfwer he hath, which bears fomefriew of profe- cution of the firft Argument : that although Baptifm was not Compleat omni ex p Arte , in all Ciriumftances, in refped of its re- mote Effect, which is to open the Gate of Heaven, untill the refurredionofChrift, yetitwaseffentially perfed to the pro- duction of Original Grace , which is its neareft and formal Effed.
I reply : Neither could it do this 5 For fince Circumcifion was yet on foot, which had that Lffed proper to it, thefe two had not both the feme Operation at the fame time- and again, fince the Introdudion of Original or any Grace muft be by the Death and Merit of Chrift , men muft receive this blef- fing by that, and that communicated by Baptifm >y for although thefe mercies were given by other Covenants before his Death, which related to his Death to come, yet not by thofe which referred to his Death paffed , as this Complanting by Baptifm did, Gamach. in 3. quaft. 66, c*f. 4,
SECT.
Another ObjeSlion anfwcred. \ j
SECT. IX.
Another Qbje&ion anfrvcred.
BUT wh.it I find not Ob je&ed by them troubled me more than their Arguments, untiil J ftudyed the reafon ofit, which was, What meant all our Saviours Covenants and Promi- fes concerning Bapcifm before his Death, which are underftood by all Conient [O be applicable to our Baptifm which we uie , if then this Sacrament was not ordained to be exhibited > And to this we (hall find this Anfwer ( I think ) moft reafonable : That our Saviour did fettle Laws, and Rules and Covenants for Bap- tifm in his life, which had not their Life and Operation till his Death, when he fetled the frame and manner of it. So you may find the Do&rine, and Law and Covenant concerning eating his body and blood delivered in the 6th. of St. Johns Gofpel, ver0 26, 48, &c. which yet had not its truth and force untiil the In- ftitution of the Communion, and Commiflion to Celebrate : So likewife for the power oftheKeyes, Matth. 18.27. 21^ the Church, which could not be in force till Churches were fetled, and fo muft needs thefe places be underftood. I will examine one, John 3.5. Except a man be born of Water and the Sprit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God : this cannot be underftood at that Inftant according to that Generality, a man, any man in general , which muft be taken indefinitely , as the Context doth mightily evince, becaufe in the 3 d. verfe preceding it is faid , except a man be born again, which hath an indefinite truth : fo likewife in the following 6th. verfe, That -which is bom of Flejb is Flefb, that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit ; this in- volves all that are in the World. Flefi and blood cannot inherit the kjngdem of God j therefore that which is not born again, and fo not of Water and the Spirit : Now this cannot have this Ex- tent at this time, for, as I faid before, Circumcifion was not yet abolifhed : for it was impoflible that this Law could at this time be divulged and communicated to men , and therefore it was impoflible,' that a Law made in a.Corner without publicati- on of it could exact an obedience •, and therefore it could not be
C but
1 8 The Laws of Baptifm not in force , &ct
but like other Laws, it was then made, Chrift taught Nicode- mnt the Doftrine which afterwards fliould have its force and vigor, when the time came, that it fhould be divulged and taught. Well then, out of this that hath be^n faid , it may ap- pear, that although there might be an Inftkution of this Sacra- mental Baptifm , wh.ch we now ufe by the Mercy of God for our Admittance into the Church, for our Incorporation into his body, although this might be inftituted, and many Laws con- cerning it made in his life , yet thofe Lawes were not of force till after his death, and the promulgation of them then. We will in the next place Conflder the Communion , and examine what Minifter was appointed for that in the Gofpel, for we find none for Baptifm yet in Chriflslife.
CHAP. IV.
What Minifler was appointed for the Commu- nion.
THis Communion was Inftituted by our Saviour a little be- fore his Death, in thofe famous places of three of the Evangelifts, (for only three mention it) Mat. 26. 26. Mark, 14. 22. Luke 22. 19. to fpeak ©f which, is only pertinent to the thing in hand The two firft Evangelifts affirm, that only his Difciples were with him • fee Mat. 26. 19. The difciples came and /aid to him j fo Mark, the 14- 16. The difciples went forth), but St. Lake comes more ciofe, and in the i4th.verfeof the 22. Chapt. faith, And when the hour VvM come, (that was to eat the PafTeover ) he fat down With the Twelve Apoflles : So then, here we have them who were with him, not intimated only by their general name of Difciples, which they had in common with the Seventy, but the name of their particular Office, which was ap- propriate only to them : St. Luke doth particularize in the Cafe of thefe men fent into the Town, St. Matthew verf 1 7. where before, leaves it at large. That he fent Difciples, but how ma- ny, or who, is not discovered by him, St, Mark. Chap. 14. v.
13. punftu-
■■■ ' ■ ■ ■ - II ■ I ,
Who k the Minifter of the Communion. 19
1 3 . punctually fees down the Number, he fent two of his Difci- ples; But St. Luke, 22. 8. tells who they were, James and John. I put down this, to (hew the punctuality of that Evangelift in his Defcription, who writing after the other, fecms more particu- arly to fet down fome things than the other did; efpecially in this Story. WeH, we fee who they were that were with our Sa- viour at the Celebration of his laft Pafleover, and the laft indeed that ever was, or could be exacted of the Jews : That at the Ce- lebration of it, and fo like wife at the Inftitution of the Lords Sup- per, his Twelve Apoftles were thofc that were with him. Now they being at Supper, in the places before alledged, you may obferve, that he took^ bread, &o. But in the ioth. of the 22. of St. Luke, at the later end of the verfe, he kid ,this do in remem- brance of me ; this do, hocfacite, do this thing, this thing ye fee me do : It cannot relate to their own Actions, which were only eating and drinking, which could in no refemblance Commu- nicate the Death of Chrift ; But Confecrate the Bread and Wine with a Benediction with this Expreffion, this is my body, this is my blood , and fo in ray place diftribute this in Commemoration of me; for although in St. Luke this very phrafe, do this y is on- ly applyed to the Bread, yet St. Pant, according to what he had received from the Lord, 1 Cor. 11. 25. faith, thatheufed the fame to the Cup likewife, this do ye as oft as ye drinkjt, in re- membrance of me ; and indeed, St. Luke doth moft punctually imply the fame, although not exprefly enforce it, in verfe 20. lifyvrife alfo the Cuf after Suffer, faying. This HkeVrife refer- ring, as Sr. PWexprefleth , to the Conclufion of the 19. verfe, Do this likewife in remembrance of me ; he faid the fame likewife ter the fame manner concerning the Cup. Well , you fee both of thefe how they are to be celebrated according to Chrifts In- ftitution; now there is aQueftion raifed, which I do not find from Chrifts time downward, until! now, Who is the Minifter of this Sacrament ?
C 2 SECT.
2 0 Who the proper Minifter of this Sacrament ?
SECT. II.
Who the proper Minifter of this Sacra went ?
THcre are many difputcs, I grant, but moved newly therein (as I hear, though I read it not ) a Queftion , Whether there be any proper Minifter, or no, of the Communion ? Con- fider therefore with me this Text : There were none with our SaviouF but the Twelve Apoftles, it is faid to thefe, Bo thU\ from that Time downward, it hath been held, that none but Apofto- lical men, Succeflbrs of them, fhould do it : Jt is a Thing of the grcateft and higheft Concernment to a mans Soul that ever was, Heaven or Hell is at Stake upon it, if we mifle. Confider, it is a kind of lifting up a Creature beyond its Nature, Bread and Wine to the body and blood of Chrift , it is no matter which way, one way or other •, it is a Command given to a fele&ed Num- ber of men : Thefe are defcribed by that Office , not by a Ge- neral Notion , to be the men are fpoken to- who then can con- ceive butfo great a power, with fo great able fling, fhould be Committed tofuch men ? Well then, I think it clear, here was a Covenant inftituted, what it was, is in other places and Laws of our Saviour defcribed, and belongs not to my bufineffe^ this only appertains to my bufinefle, That the Apoftles were Inftitu- ted, and they only the Minifters of it ; only this little I will adde, left fome mens obfervation may ftagger at \u
SEC T. III.
The Communion was Inftituted before our Sa- viours Death.
T Hat though our Baptifm may, perchance , appear to take its force from fome Command of Chrifts after his Death, .yet this of the Lords Supper was now inftituted before, and yet doth relate to his Death ^ Firft, becaufe Circumcifion was not
determined,
Gods Met hod for Mans Salvation. 2 i
determined , but the Pafleover was, which prefigured the Lords Supper^ and this which he now celebrated , and had finiflied, was the laft which by Gods Command (hould be celebrated among the ferves ; Secondly, becaufe the Death of our Saviour was ac hand, fo near, that there could be no Communion inter* pofed betwixt this and that •, and therefore it was, as it were, ' given in the very Nick of time; and, as while the paifeover was on foot,no Communion could be expected ; to; as foon as that is expired, no Interim betwixt this and that. This mu^ appear in its Inftitution : 1 have done with this : I only Confider, that as in humane Affairs, he that fliould take upon him the Kings perfon, to ad as he, without he make him Chancellor, or Judge, enters into an high preemption ; fo, and much greater muft his pride be; that dares to aft Chrift in the Sacrament, to call for a Sacramental Virtue to the Elements without his Authori- ty, which feems to be granted only to this Sort of men, and to none other , thus I think you fee the full Commifiion of the Apoftles, until now retrained to the Jews% and they wereinfti- tuted as yet Preachers of the Kingdom of God to come •, At this Inftitution of the Communion the Celebraters of that • That they and the other Difciples did baptize , before is evident ; That they did not do it without a Commifiion, in honour to them and their piety, I amrefoiveditcould not be; But what that Baptifm was,,orwhen, or how farr they had a Commiffi- * on I find not, and therefore dare determine nothing.
CHAP. IV.
Gods Method for Mans Salvation.
WHen our Saviour was Dead, and had fuffered for the Sins of Mankind , he then brake down the partition wail that was betwixt the fe\\> and Gen- tile-, he then, as he fuffered for the Sins of the whole World : fo he took Care how all the World (hould be partakers of thefe Sufferings of his ;' he could by Divine power have ftamped their Souls with infufed Graces, and by Compulfion have forced
men
22 Gods Method for Mans Salvation.
men to that Faith which fhould be faving • but then Heaven and Hell had not been prdtmium & poena » he took therefore fuch a Courfe as might mod ordmately bring men to his Service, without Compulfion •, and fmce he was to leave the World himfelf, he took Order with his Servants to Ad as if he were prefent, and Negotiate the great Work of Salvation of Souls by a Delegate power from mm. Therefore in the l6th. of St, Mark, v. 14. you may obferve, that he appeared to the Eleven, that is, to the Eleven Apoftles , for one of them, Judas , had apoftatized, and had hanged bimfelf • and in the 15 th verfe, he gave them Commiflion, Go ye into all the w "or -Id, and preach the Go ff el to every C reature, that is, to every Creature that is Ca- pable of it, &c. there was their CommiiTion. The fame Story is thought by many to be a little more fully defcribed by St. fohn, Chap. 20. 21. after he had appeared to them as before, he faid, Peace be unto you, at my father fern me, fofend I jon , and then he breathed on them the Holy Ghoit. Mark this phrafe, As my father fent me •, It is a particular phrafe not u- fed elfewhere , and therefore intimates fomc extraordinary matter. God had fent many men before, but never any befides Chrifl: with the fulnefle of Authority, as it is defcribed Mat. 28. 18. All power is given me in Heaven and Earth. All pow- er was never given to any before : I fend you therefore with all power, as my Father fent me ; So the power then of Gi- ving powers to others, which was never given before but to my felf • and therefore in that place of St. Matthew before ci- ted, in the laft verfe too, Jam with yon to the end of the World, with you teaching, baptizing, giving Orders to others, for that is mightily enforced out of the word Stent , as my father fent me •, and, indeed, elfe he could not be with them in their perfons to the end of the World, but in their Succeflion, by which means he might well be faid to be with Jthem to the Worlds end. Having now touched upon thefe places, I will Colled this, here was in the 28 of Matthew, verf. 19. Baptifm Jnftitn- ted, Matter, and Form ; In the Name of the father, of the Son, and of the Holy Qhoft, which we read not prefcribed before : we fee the Officers appointed, thefe Eleven in their perfonal bodies, orfucceffion^ wee fee their Diocefle enlarged, preach to all Nations, and as preaching, fo baptizing as large, they go
together
Whether the power of preaching^ &>c. 2 3
together-, we Tee the Subjects of their Sermons enlarged, be- fore Chrifts Death. When they had to do with the Jews only, it was, the Kingdom of God is at hand: Now it is, toobferve alt things that I have commanded you -, <fe that then we fee, firft, be- fore oar Saviours Death two forts of Officers, Apoftles, Dif- ples, their Office at the firft, limited to preaching, and that to the Ifraelites -, that they did baptize we are affared, but not in what .Form , nor by what Commiffion, untill after our Savi- ours Death-, then we have feen the Holy Communion Inftitu- ted juft before his Death in Matter and Form, and Commiffio- ners appointed to Celebrate it , to wit, the Apoftles • we fee after his Death a full and Abfolute Commiffion (granted to thefe perfons, to whom the Communion was committed, to do all things , Baptife , preach "t celebrate, forgive Sins , to choofe and fend forch others ; and for ought I can colled in this Story, the whole Minifterial power inverted in them ^ But becaufe fomething may be objected againft this which hath been delivered, which I take to be the foundation of what ftiall follow, I will clear thofe ob jedions which feem moft trouble- fom to me, and fo proceed to (hew how the Apoftles managed this Stewardftiip committed to them.
SECT. II.
Whether the power of preaching was given only to the Apoftles?
Firft, It may be queflioned, whether the power of preach- ing was given to the Apoftles, and them only ? To under, ftand this, we muft look back and remember, that the Seventy likewife were fent, but that was to the Ifraelites only, their Comrrifsion extended no farther , before our Saviours Death; and after his Death we find no Commifsion given, but to the Apoftles, and what Authority they, or any elfe could have to preach the Gofpel, it muft be from them ; let no man trouble this or any other put of ray difcourfe with that frivolous Ob- jection which is often intruded into thefe Controverfies • We
read
7 a Whether the poiver of pr 'caching, <&c.
read not that thefe, or thefe men, that thefe Presbyters recei- ved new Commifsions from the Apottles 9 and yet rind them p-eaching-, for Anfwer, once for many other limes in which it may be needfull • it was impofsible chat the Atls or Epiftles could keep a Regifter of all chat were ordained by the Apo- ' files, or Bifhops in their Age • ir is enough for us to know, that all power for thefe things was given to the Apofllcs, and we may reafonably think, that of thefe 70. which were chofen by our Saviour , fiich as proved worthy, (hould be Commifsioned by the Apoitles, and fuch as were unworthy, ( ?s fume were ) fhould be fufpended ab Officio : but for thefe particular Regi- fters, and how and when ..each man was, is not apparent, nor to be expected. Well then, now it feems theApoftles had all the power of preaching, none others being feat in this tmbaffy to the World but themfelves. But, could none elfe preach ? not gifted men? Confider thefe men, never any fo Extraordinarily gifted as thefe were, yet fee (as I obferved) they preached not, without an outward Calling, by Chrift, nor then untill he fenc • them. Again, it is obfervable, that by his outward Word, he directed their Doctrine to the fews, that they fhould f reach the Kingdom of God wot at hand j and to the Gentiles, Mat. 28. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things rvhatfoever I have Com- mandedjou >, So then, chrift had given them Command before what they fhould preach. I do not find, no not in thefe, yet any infpired Sermon, but upon Direction • and although thefe men had (no doubt) the mod immediate Call that ever any had , and the molt extraordinary Gifts , in the moft extraordinary way, yet for to enable them for their preaching , they had Conven- tion with Chrift, which doth the moft refemble the mod Indu- bious life of Studious Scholars, which in Books Convcrfe with God, as pofsibly a thing can do : fo that in that time, in the time of our Saviours Life, and untill his Afcention, we can find no place for inward Calling, without an outward, nor an out- ward execution, withont means to enable them for this great Miniftry of preaching, but throughout a molt Methodical Courfe.
SECT.
Whether thefe ^ and thefe only^ &c.
SECT. III.
Whether thefe, and thefe only were Commiffio- nedfor Baptifm ?
THE next thing to be looked upon , is, Whether thefe and thefe onely had the power of baptizing? No doubt we may fay of this, that they had the Duty only, none other ;ob!i- ged to either, but they-, and when I have named the Duty, I think I may juilly adde the e|ssY<x, The right and Authority will go along, for it feems to be a branch, and a main one, of that Great Commiffion, Mat. 28. and, without doubt, a great piece of the Power of the Keyes, John 20. Now then, they and they only, that we read of, had from Chrift this Commiffion ; thofe Queftions come not to be handled, whether Bifliops, Prieflf, or Deacons have this power ? there was yet no fuch diftin&ion of them, as I find, but whether the Apoftles only or no, I do not find any other ^ the Seventy had a Commiffion to baptize among the Hebrews y as well as they, their Commiffion of prea- ching and baptizing, equal, but what that was I know not,; but here all the power is granted to the Apoftles. In whom and whom alone, I can difcern all the Minifterial power belonging to mens Souls- fo that they, or men fent by them, have this power or none i I know there is a great difpute, whether Laymen can baptize ? and the Church of Rome is mightily offended with Calvin, for faying they cannot • but I do not find the leaft Ar- gument out of Scripture to confute him, and certainly this place of CM at. 28. feems exceeding ftrong for his Caufe, and they themfelves grant, that the ordinary Minifler of Baptifm is St- eer dos , by which word they underfhnd Bifhop and priefr- that in their Abfencc a Deacon may, and fo go on to the little Or- ders, but in extremity a Layman: For my part, I grant for cer- tain, that the Apoftles were the only men Ordained for it; I conclude, that baptifm is neceffary, and that it is a great Mercy of God to the Children of believing parents, that they are ca- pable of it -y that baptifm is neceffary, is evident out of the Dia-
D logue
Whether theft yand theft only^&c.
flbgue betwixt our Saviour and Nicodemtts, John 3.3. Except a man be hern again he cannot enter int§ the Kingdom of God, v«rC J. Except aman be born of iVtter and the Spirit, he cannot, &c. verf. 6. A reafon is gi yen, That ^hich is born of the Flefh is Flefh, as if he {hould fry , nothing can work ultra ffharam^ Flefh therefore cannot inherit more than Flefh, nor be in a better thanFlefhlyertate, and that is not the State of Heaven; there, fore there mufi be fome way by which that which is flefh and h'cod may become rpirkual, which done is by baptifm. That which Calvin mod jrgenionfly urgeth, That Children which £ e lincireumcifed are not to be judged damned, may thus be Z.iiwe ed , That iheir bond of Circumcifion was dated the cightL d y, and therefore not due before the date •, but ours of baprifm, being without date, is due prefently * So that then ours is like the Sta:e of thofe who were not Ci xumcifed the eighth day, when Circumcifion was due, nor of thofe before the eighth day^ when it was not due : Now upon this reafon, the Care of the Church layd a mighty Charge upon all preachers, to be diligent, to preach all dangers which mi^ht furprife Children before they come to do their Duty. Now although I place fuch a necefiuy as that we fee no ordinate means, without it, of Af- furance of Heaven, yet t will not defpair of Gods mercy to fuch, who adde not evil of their own A&ing which (hould hinder the ErTed of Chrifts Death, and the daily prayers of the Church for all men \ And therefore, with Calvin, I think it a rafh adven- ture of any man to open the Gate of Heaven, whohathnot the key committed to him, which was not given tohim^ yet Iqueftt- onjit he hath :urned the key in the Lock, whether it do not open the door, although he hath not the legal power, which Calvin cannot deny, but that it hath been an univerfal Opinion of the Church ; and for all I fee. in his 18th Setlio* of his 4th. Book of his Infihhtes, he doth not deny but it is valid; and I believe he would not allow to re-b^ptize fuch a Child which heknew had true baptifm according to matter and form ^ but I am confident, no man ever had this power given him from God, but the A po- tties, and therefore it muft needs be a mighty prefu motion in ihat Man, who without Authority s iven him, fhould dare to put Gods Seal toanv Article or Covenant, by which he might be obliged to any Duty,
SECT.
Whether the Power of the Keyes was given ^c. 2 j
SECT. IV.
Whether adminijiring the Communion was ap- propriated to the Apojiles0 in our Saviours life?
TH E next thing to be examined would be, Whether tn his Life-time our Saviour did appropriate the Admini- ftration of the Communion to the Apoftles only ? and becaufe we fee that Commiffion only given to them, nor ever femblance of any thing to the Contrary, becaufe it is a Work of fo great height in its fc If ^ becaufe, as the other, fo this Sacrament Con- veys with it a Covenant on Gods part ; and becaufe front Chrifts time downward the right of Confecrating was never pretended to by any Man untill now, I cannot but think it a monftrous pride, in fuch men, who having no Authority from the Apoftles (hould dare to undertake it K and although I have heard of fuch an Opinion, yet I never heard or read any rea» fon for it.
S E C T. V.
Whether the "Power of the Keyes was given to them only ?
AN D then next I will examine , Whether the power of the Keyes was given to them, and them only ? by vhich power, I underftand the power of binding and loofinp , .he power of Government and ruling in the Church, and ^h:rch Affairs. Here are two pretenders ^ the on?, thatic was given to St. Peter only s the orher, that it was given to che whole Church. I will examine both. Firft, for St. Peter ■, this Con- trovert betwixt the Church of Rome and Us, bath been fo vaftly handled in fuch large Volumes, as it would bw alitneim-
D z pud t nee
2 8 Whether thepoirer of the Keys was given fac.
pudencc to offer at it in thefe few fheets, and to flop my intend- ed Courfe with tedious difputes, which have fo often been re- peated and Canvafed by others • only I will point my finger ac that which I think may Occafion a Reader in Studying this Controverfie totixhimielf upon what is pertinent, and to take notice of fuch Things as may eafily induce him to the Trut^ for though I am perfwaded I could adde fomething, at leaft illu- ftrations to fomc Arguments which are DifcufTed in this Con- troverfie, yet that would drive me from fatisfyingyour doubt, and make my few lines fwell to a Volume. I only fay thus much, That in all thofe places, Mat. 18, 19. John 21. 15, 16, 17. which are the main pillars upon which St. Peters pre- rogative is fetled, no man living can (hew me other power, which a man can Conceive reafonably to be Conferred on him, than on the whole body of the Apoftles- In thofe two places, 28 Mat. 1 9. &c. and 20 John 21. if we fhould underftand him a Reck in the 1 6. of St. MattheVv, which yet without Partiality a man cannot do •, But rather think that St. Peters Confeffion was that Rock, upon which the Church was built, or that our Saviour, who by bis Confeffion was acknowledged the Son of God,., was that Rock, hath with fome a great Confent of An- tiquity ; yet fhould we grant him ther^ to be termed a Rock, yet it muft be no otherwise than derivative y fecondarily, Chrift is the Chief Corner Stone, the Spiritual Rock, 1 Cor. 10, 4. and then there was no more (aid to him, than St. Paul expounds of them all, Efhef. 2.20. and are built uf on the foundation of the Afcfiles and Prophet t9 Jefus Chrifl him/elf being the Chief Cor- ner Stone to them all ; the Apoltles were fecondary foundati- ons and Rocks as well as he, were that place to be underftood to call him a Rock : Nor can there be any ftronger foundation af- firmed of him, either in perfon, or Succeflion, than of the reft, MM. 28. / will be with you to the end of the World -, that is 9 a f- fifling them in executing their Duty. For the fecond place, Mat. 16. 19. J^iH give thee the K eyes of Heaven , it is but a promife, and he performed it to him and the reft , Johnzo. 22. For the Third, Feed my Sheep, it is a poor Argument drawn from a meer Simile of paftorizing • but let it be what it can, there can be no more in it, but preach, baptize, give the Com- •aumion , give Orders, govern the Church • all which are in- volved
How it is to be underftood, that the PowerPC 1 9
volved in thofe two places infixed upon before • and therefore I defift from further difcourfe of them • andfuppofing that the Apoftles had equal Authority tominifter Divine My H cries to the whole World with St. Peter , we will now come and en- quire, whether any other men had any fuch Commifiion given thesi byChrift, or not?
SECT. VF;
How it k to be undzrftood , that the Power of the Keyes vs given to the Church:
THe Chief place, if not the only, which I haveobferved in the Gofpel, pretended to be wrefted to any fuch Intent, is Mat. 1 8 . 1 7 . If he fall neglcft to hear them, tell it to the Churchy Thence it is by fome enforced, that the Church is made the Judge in Ecclefiaftical Dtfcipline -, and by the Church they will. underftand others befidesthe A pottles. To apprehend which, conceive with me : Firfl, that this was one of thofe things which our Saviour delivered for a Rule, to govern the Church and C Ha- itian men by; not at that prefent, but afterwards, when Church Difcipline wasfetled, for asyet there was no fuch Thing as any Difcipline fetled, but like a Commonwealth in the Framing by degrees, Laws projected, yea Contrived and enafted, which might take their rife and force afterwards , when eftablifhed. It is a poor Conceit ( mechinks ) of Bez,* on tf is place, who would have it underftood of the feWifi Synagogue , fincehe himfelf Confeffeth that the word Church is no where elfe ufed for the Synagogue, nor indeed can it be, and why it fhould be forced to that meaning here I fee no reafon ; and therefore the true underftanding of it muft be taken , from thofe ietled Laws which our Saviour made after his Death , of which I have dif- courfed : Now that this Law could not extend to any other men, butthefe Apodles, who had all the powers given them, as I have explained, will appear firft ; Firft, becaufeitfeemstobe a Juridical way of proceedings- and it is impoflible that the mul- titude (houldbave Juridical Difcretion to make a man as an Hea- then 1
30 The Apojiles Authority, &c.
then or a Publican, being many of them illiterate men, and wc fhould confine the limits of Chriftian men and Religion in much too narrow bounds, to fay it belongs only to the learned, or men enabled for fuch or fo high a work. But there muft be Officers in a Church tohearmd judge of fuch a Caufe, which Officers we underftood by the Church, and although this Cen- fure ought to be done in publick in the face of the Church 9 or the Court, where fuch Matters aredifcuflfed, yet it is not ne- ceffiry, nor can have a face of reafon with it, that every one of the Church fhould be there prefent, or they who are prefenc fhould have the Nature of Judges, only fuch Men as are Offi- cers erabled to ad: in this power ^ then if Officers, thefe men who had the power given them in the 20th. of St. fokn9 are thefe which are here in the iStb verfefaid to bind and loofe^ So that then, I can fee nothing that can hinder us from agreeing, that after our Saviours Death all Ecclefiaftical power was feated in the Apoftles-, how they understand it, we fhall Confider, in the fu« ture Difcourfe, by their Actions fct down to us, which muft be our next undertaking.
SECT. VII.
The Apojiles Authority 5 and Management of it.
NO W we fee the Eleven inthroned in the Chair of Ecclefia- ftical power- They andchey only having Intereft in it, but yet they had only power, the right and Authority-, they received cAuya/wv, the vertue and qualities , enabling them to execute this power according to the Extent throughout the world afterwards, when the power of Tongues w^s given them, jitts 2. 4. and you may find this word Jlui'a4u/c ufed for this vir- tue, AElsxhz 1. v. 8. where it is promifed ; fo that they hai all Power and Authority before, but this Eaculty of Tongues they had not untill then , and this will be of little ufein our Difcourfe, being a Giftofnoconflant Succeffion in the Church, but only thofe Authorities of A dminiftring the Sacraments, of Preaching, of Giving Orders, of Governing . thefe will always
be
What Additions were made to the Apoftles. g 1
— ■ ' """^ * • ■'»> '
be ncceffary in the ChurchT and therefore muft be infifted upon. For this therefore •, the firft thing we find them ASing in this Jtind, was to fettle their own Society, andCompleat the Num. fcer of Twelve, and this you may find recorded in the 1. of the Atts9v. 1 j. wherewfemayobferve firft, that they referred the Election of this Apoftle to God by carting Lotts, they Chofe two,. Barf abas and Matkias, and referred it to Divine Electi- on -, the reifons of which , guefTed at by Divines, rather than demonftrated, I omit-, But now there are Twelve A poftles, Bi- (hops; for if Judas was a Bi (hop, by being an Apoftle, (as he is termed, verf. 20. )the reft likewife were, or Twelve Deacons or Minifters , for that phrafe is affirmed of Judas in regard of bis Apoftleftup, verf. 25.
S E C T. VIII.
What Additions rvem made to the Apoftles.
BUT yet we muft not leave them, but examine, Whether there were any Addirion made to thefe Apoftles, and what that was ? To underftand this : We may rind St. /Win abun- dance of places called an Apoftle • inftead of many, take this one Inftance, Galit. t. i. Paulan Apofiie not of men, neither by man^ but by J ef us Chrift ^ An ApoPrle^otofmen, not by man, that is, who received my Apoftlefhip not from the Authority given to men as before, when Chrift lent his Apoftles, as his Father fent him with power to give thefe powers, John 20. As my Fa- ther fent me rfo fend I yon >, not ihen, of men ; thst is, from this Authority given to them ; n&r by man^ chat is, by any Minifte- rial Aft of mans. He received his tfap'ifm by the Miniftery of m?n, as you may find AEtsy. 18. Futhis Apoftiefhip he recei- ved ofGod, and by God, as the otber Apoftles did, by the im- mediate Ordination of Chrift 5 and tn this I fhould place the Dif- ference betwixt thefe Apoftles and others, That they are made fuch by an Immediate Ordination of Chrift •, fork is not enough that (fome fay) tjbe an Apoftle, was to be fuch a Minifter as converfed wkh Chrift in his humanity, or fawhim infche Flefb# for this did all the Seventy, which yet were not called Apoftles •
What Additions were wade to the Apofllcs,
nor is it fufficient, which others fay, they were fuch whofe Of- fice extended to the whole world • for fo we (hall find in the Atls almofl none Confined to any place, but chat others as weH as Sc. PWhadaCareofall Churches . but upon this a man may juftly enquire, why St. Paul fhould in fuch diftind: Terms (not efmen, nor by man) defcribefcimfelf, fince it fetms every Apo- it!e was fuch. To clear this, and giveturcher llluftration to this Truth, Obierve, that others befidesthefe were called Apoftles, fo you may find firft Barnabas, as well as St. Paul, Ads 14. 14. which Vohen the Apofiles Barnabas and Paul heard, &c. Apo- files, in the plural Number- fome have thought that this Barna- bos was the fame with Barfabm, who Atls 1. 23. was Compe- titor with Mathias, for the Apoftlefhipj but ( methinks ) mif; flag the place then, it were ft range he fhould be called an Apo- flle afterwards • and indeed their Namesdiffer, their Original Names and their Additional Names, for Atls 1 his Name was fofeph called Barf abas firnamed fufius ; but in Alls 4. 36. in- ftead of fofeph is fofes, and inftead of Bar/abas is Barnabas, but befideshim, we read Rem. 16.7. of Andronicus and funia, of whom St. Paul faith, that they were his kinfmen^ his fellow prifi- ntrt and of Note among the Apofiles : which words, although tbey have received a double fenfe, either that they were Emi- nent perfons among the Apoities, orelfe efteemed and noted by them to be fuch perfons of Efteem; yet rhere are many both ancient and Modern Writers, both fuch as are for and againft Bifhops, that agree they were Apofiles, as the words very na- turally bear it ; and to take away the Scruple , both the Centu- ries and Baronins agree upon it, which if there were fcruple they would not have done : then turn to Phil. 2. 25. there you (hall find St. Paul calling EpaphroAitus my brother, and Compani- on in labour , and fellow fouldier, but your Meffenger. Here I cannot but wonder at our Tranflators, who renderit Meffenger% fuch a mean phrafe intimating any common or trivial man, who is fent on an errand : Beta did much better, who called him Legatum, an Embaflfador, a nobler phrafe ; but indeed the word is ocwosohov, jour Apofile •, and fo thofe h'pithetes before exprefs him, my brother, &c. This may likewife be (hewed out of the I Cor. 4. 9. God hath fet forth us the Afofiles I aft , the Tranfla- tion here likewife is notgoodj for it is not, he hath fet forth us
lair,
What Additions were made to the Apoftles^ &c. 3 3
laft, but us laft Apoftles, us that were the laft: Apoftles, who arc they ? in particular, verf. 6. he names Apollo , thefe things I have in a figure tranferibed to my felfand to Apollo, that ye might learn of us, not to thinkjofmen above that which is written. Now then, although he may mean others befide himfelf and Apollo, yet it is fit to conceive that he fliould be in the number of thofe arc called Apoftles, becaufe he is one of thofe from whom they muft learn, not to thinly of men above what is Written ; and among other Arguments, this is a main one, That we the laft Apoftles, Apollo and ray felf, and perhaps more, are unhappy wretched people marked out for mifers, to be made a fpe&ade of con- temptible people, to the World% to Angels, and men. I could herelikewife treat of Gal. 1. 19, where fames the brother of the Lord is called an Apoftle, who by many is thought, and from good reafon, to be none of the two fames'* which were of the Twelve, but a third who was made Rifhop offerufalem-, but Idefift : it is evident out of Scripture, that the holy Writmen- tioneth more Apoftles befides the Twelve and St. Paul ; and if befides the Scripture, any mans Language may be heard, confi- der that of Ignatius , who was Contemporary ( as he fpeaks ) with the Apoftles, Paul, fohn and Timothy, in his Epiftle to the Ephepans, who there fpeaks in the language of the times, and by that language calls Timothy an Apoftle.
SECT. IX.
A Reafon of this.
NOW then, to draw this Difcourfe to fomc period, there 'were other Apoftles befides the firft Twelve , and St. Paulthe Thirteenth, butwhy fo? becaufe, as T&^Wortf fpeaks, upon Phil. 2. 25. in the cafe of Epaphroditus before handled, that he was called their Apoftle, to whom the Care of them was Committed. And again, upon the 1 Tim. 2.1. Heretofore they called Presbyters Eijhops, and thofe Vp hie h we call Bifiops, they called Apoftles •, bat, faith he, inprocejfe of time they left the name of Apoftles to them who were, truly Apoftles, and they gave the name of Bijbops to thofe which were formerly called Apoftles : So
E iikewifc
34 ^)e Extent of the Apojlolicai power.
iikewife St. Hurome, on Gal. 1.9. Procedente Tempore & alii ah his cjitesDom'wtosdegeratordinatifiim j4poJioli', Inprogeffe •of time other Apoftles fyere ordained by thofeVphtch the Lord h*A Chofen, and this is the reafon why St. Pauly where before Gal. 1, 1. fifth, he Vcaf an Apoftle not of men f mr by man, but by fefta Chrift ; to dili inguifli him from thofe others, who were Apoftles by Conftitution of Apoftles, not immediately by God: and to the fame purpofe may that be underflood of St. Pautr 2 Cor. 1 1 . 5 . I f tiff of e I ^ as not a whit behind, or leffe, or infe- "riour to the Chiefeft Apoftles. Amongft the A potties the Twelve, there were not fome Chief, and fome Inferior but the Twelve were the Chief, and the reft Inferiour. Now he having his calling and enabling from Chrift immediately, was not infe- riour to them. And though I read, I know not where, the Au- thority ofTheodoret flighted, yet I do not remember what Satis- faction is given to bis Reafon : Nor can well Conceive how thefe Scriptures can in any other fenfe be reafonably ex- pounded.
CHAP. V.
The Extent (if the Apofiolical Power.
AN D now ( me-thinksj I fee the Apoftles in the Church, as Divines fay, Adam (if he had lived innocent) and his pofterky would have been in the World, they had been Em- perorsof the whole World, and all the World would have been svery mans ; yec being in their Integrity, would have fo enjoy'd all, thaf it (hould have been to the good of all, and hurt of none : So thefe holy men were Bifhops , Apoftles of ail the World, all the Churches throughout the World, had abfolute, cot order only, as the School fpeaks, to give holy Sacraments to any any where, but Jurifdi&ion to Govern and rule all. That which Eafebhu faith, hath fome truth, That they divided them- felves into feveral parts of the World, but not appropriating to shemfelves any piece,, nor exduding? any other from that Share
Of
L*.
How the Jpojiolical Power was Communicated. 3 $
or portion which they fuperjntended, but rebounding back of- ten where they had b^en before > and diverting asOccafions offered themfelvesinto other Prccinds: this they did, and might do, by that vaft Authority Wis given them; Go preach to all Na- tions : and by that power Equalling their Authority which was Conferred at the Pentecofi^ but it was not with other men, that univerfal Authority would not befit the meaner powers of thofe who were to faceted and to follow them ♦, and therefore we will, in the next place, Confider in what proportions they Communicated thefe Authorities to others.
SECT. II. ■
How the Apoftolical Power was Communi- cated.
TH E virtue of which Communication we enjoy at this day, fome for place, fome for Authority, fomeinprt, Tome in the Lump. For the firft , we (hall for place Confider, that their SuccefTors were confined in place, TitnsinCreet, Timothy in Epbefus, Epaphroditmm Philippic not that hey were Con- fined or pegg'd here immovably, ( SohnoBifhopinhia Dio~ cefle, no not quoad Officium^ as if hi* holy Du ies which he performed out of h,s DiocefTe were invalid, or of no ? cev for without doubt, if a Bifhop bapuze, preach, celebrate the Com- munion, give Holy Orders, fecundum materram & formam % Canonically, according to Matter and Form,ou<. of his i noteiTe, they are firm and good to the receivers , although perhaps without leave, or extreme neceilky, they are not Commenda- ble- Nay, without doubt, if either Bifhop or Presbyrr remove to other Dioceffe or Parifli he takes not a new Ordination, but an acceptation or juft Election to that place fufficeth. ) Now bis Confining to that place, is to reftrain the Minifi.ringof his Office out of Duty there •, fo that he is out of Dury to have a Care of that place, and to look to that flock which is Commit- ted to his Charge, which is parr, not the whole as it was Com- mitted to the Apoftles-, and no doubt (that which Dr. Field hath learnedly difcourfed upon this fubjed) in Ancient limes
E 2 Bifhops
3 6 How the Apoflolical power was divided, &*c<
Bifhops were the Paflors of their Dioceflfe folely, Presbyters their Affiftantsand AffocUtes, as the A pottles with that almoft itn men fe. power were made Bifhops of the World, yet being men with Confined bodye?, were forced to ufe Deputyes, and the kelp of other men in their Charge even whiltt they lived-, and cer- tainly die Church was better Governed by that Subordination, than if every one who hath not Apoflolical Integrity fhould af. fume Apoflolical Authority - fo it was by thefc , they had great Dioceffes committed by the Apoftles, and (as I (hall (hew anon) they had many Inferiors Affifting them •, but thefe were their places over which they were made Overfecrs, and they had not Authority of Jurifdidion over others ^ Thus I could fet down bow almoft all the World was divided in the Apoflolical Age ; but I let this alone.
SECT. in.
How the Apoflolical Tower was divided to ¥ articular s \ and concerning the Office of Deacons.
NExt we will Confider, how the very Office of the Apo- ftleftiip was divided r And the firft thing that comes into our Con/ideration ( to begin at the foot, and dimb upward) will be the Office of Deacon; in handling which I find fome matter of Difpute : Firft, about the InfHtution ofhim, when this Functi- on was firft erected : There is a general Claim to Atts6. the Story may thus be obferved • In the Infancy of the Church, when- it pleafed God by the preaching of the Word to encreafe the Church beyond the expectation of men, or leffe power than Apoflolical , there were many poor among the Difciples; but the piety of the Chriftians was fuch, as you may read ABs 4. 5« in ver. 34. of the 4th. Chapter, there was no lack, faros many 4U were poJJ effort of lands or houfesy fold them, and brwght the price and cafi it at the Apo/llesfeety and Barnabas is prefently particularly inftanced in; but in the 5th. Chapter we read the ieirfuU Story of Ananvu and Safpkira, who would feem righto
v__ ,-.—■■
Keafons ivhy the Office^ &>c. 3 7
ous, to do as the fafhion of Godly men was ^ bat being hypo- crites, were punifhed for their hypoenfies. Now thefe Sales bringing in great fums for the relief of the poor, the Apoftles, as itfeems, were troubled with ;c, and the Care to relieve the poor took them ofFfrom attendance upon that mighty work of planting the Gofpel , this was the racherawakened, by a mur- muring of the Grecians againft the Hebrews-, that is, either fuch Grecians as were mide Profdytes, or clfe fuch Hebrews as lived, and perhaps were born amongft the Greeks, (for as yet the Apo- ftles had no Communication with the Gentiles, ) now thefe Gre- cian Jews murmured, becaufe it feems the Apoftles (as I can guefs) had left theadminiftrationofthis Charity to fome who had dealt partially^ for I am confident they themfelves would not •, wherefore they Convented the Difciples together, and bid them with all Care (who mult needs know the Integrity of mens conventions better than the Apoftles., who could not fearch hearts ) feleft fome men fit for fuch a purpofc, and ap- pointed the Number of Sev:n ; the Difciples did accordingly, and they chofe Stephen^ and Philip, &c. as you may read in the 5. vcrf. of the 6. Chap, andfet them before the Aposlles ; when the Apoftles hadprajed, they laid their hands upon themy no doubt, rectifying their Choice, and Authorizing them to the work :, Thus we fee thefe men receiving Title to execute this O ffice.
SECT. IV.
Reafons why the Office ef a Deacon- was n&t Iuftitnted, A&s 6.
BUT for my part (falvc femper melion judicio ) I cannot conceive how this fhould prove that Minifterial Office of a Deacon, which was afterwards ufed in the Church, from this place, for thefe reafons •, Firft, becaufe this was an Occafionat Office, neceflary for that Time, in which there being many poor, which lived under the correction, and rod, and perfecti- on of the politick Magiftrate, no legal Courfe could betaken for the relief of them, but fuch as came by Charity out of the bowels of their own Fraternity^ to wit from Chriftians, who
might
>' \
38
Reafons why the Office, <&c.
might be perfwaded, not compelled to that Duty- and by reafon of this, there was a necefiicy to have fome Officers chofen Over- feersofthe Poor, which by a Religious Tie, where could be no legal, fhould be bound to the Execution of this Duty, for which they infticured this Office 5 but why thefe fhould be called Dea- cons,that Minifterial Office ufed in the Church, I fee neither Au- thority nor Ground in the Scripture for it. That they fhould not be annual Officers, as our Overfeers of the poor , lean fee no reafon • or why in a fetled Commonwealth, where the poli- tick Lawes provide for the poor, and Law tmkes fuch Charity a Duty to the Commonwealth, there is no Ground. It is true, in the Times of perfecution thefe things are necefTary , as there is often mention both in St. Pauls Epiftles and the EcdefiaiHcal Story j and Julian the Apoftatc himfelf, in an Epiftle to Arfa- lius, the Heathen Pontifex ,or Chief Prieil ofGalatia, The wic- ked Galileans, faith he, ("under which name he vented his malice againft, theChriftians) relieve net their own poor only, but ours, with a Counterfeit bolinejfe^ There he acknowledged the Chri- ftians abundant Charity in thofe dayes, when he made all Chri- ftians poor ^ and becaufe he would not be out-a&ed in a Work of fo much piety, he gave that Piieft the Colle&ion of vaft fums towards the relief of neceflkous people. This was necefTary in Time of perfecution =, but what further ule is there ofit in parti- cular Churches, than thofe Collectors for the poor which we have, and Charity and Sweetneffe preached to men, whereby they may be fpurred on to enlarge their hearts, beyond the Exa&ions of Statme-Duties, to the overflowing of Charity. Now then, becaufe it was an Occafional Office necefTary then and there, at fuch times in fuch places, we cannot conceive why it fhould enforce fuch an Office perpetual in the Church, and univerfally in all places or Churches.
SECT.
A Third Reafon^ &>c. 2p
SECT. V.
Another Argument to prove the former Con- clufion.
SEcondiy, Confiderthe bufineflfc they were defigned to , we fliall not find that afcending to thefe Mi nifte rial Duties , k being only to relieve the body, not the Soul, to take Care of the Tables, to look that the Grecian widows, and poor be not defpi- fed, in Confideration of che Native fews ; I know it is ob je&ed by Catforive, that thefe Tables there fpoken of, was the Lords Table, and the Miniftration they were imployed abour, was the Communion i but thefe phrafes of Daily Miniftration , and the muv mure of the Grecian, do inforce the other : for if they had a daily Communion, it is not to be imagined the Apoftles would be ftanders by at fo heavenly a Duty ^ and if they were a&ors, it cannot be thought that any (hould be negle&ed in it : I there- fore, with a mighty Confent of Writers, Conclude, that it was an Ad mini (1 ration of Temporal Things • but the Adminiftration of fuch maketh not to that Miniftry we fpeak of, which concerns things fo Spiritual as afTeft the Soul immediately with fome Di- vine blefiing, when thefe immediately only concern the body and Temporal Things, and therefore could not belong to our Miniftry.
S E C T. VI.
A third Reafonfor the former Conclufiou.
A Third Reafon may be drawn from the perfons which were elected into the Office, which were (as Efifhanins reports in the end of his 20. Chapter ofhi9 firft Rook, Contra Htrefes ) of the Seventy two Difciples, of which Number there he reckons many more of equal rank , if not an higher efteem than thefe. Now thenif they were of thofe Seventy two r it is
not
^
Ao Sowe of thefe were Preachers.
not reafon to think that they (hould be Ordained into an Infcri- our Order of Clergy, and the loweft of all ; for all hold that they were Presbyters at the lead, either by their firft Ordinati- on from our Saviour, when he fent them to preach, and baptize the loft Sheep of the houfe of Ifrael^ or elfe by a Confirmation from the Apoitles, after they were inverted with the whole Ec- clefiaftical power in tLemfelves, by that Grand Charter, As my Father fentme,&c. Now then, this had been a difparagemenc to Presbytery. But left any man fliould doubt, whether thefe were Presbyters or no ? let him Confidcr that extraordinary work of St. .Stephen, who went up and down (as you may read in the latter part ofthe6th. Chapter of the A&s , doing Mira- cles, and difputingand preaching ( I dare call itfo,fay Mr. Tho- mas Hooker whzthz cm) withfucha Spirit as they could not refift. But Mr. Thomas Hooker , in his Survey of Church Difci • fline% Part 2. Chap. 2. pag. 36. denyes St. Stephen to be a Preacher, and that moft Sermon-like difcourfe ( I am fare) of his AEts 7. he calls an Apology, not a Sermon . truly, I fee little of Apology in it, and I know fome have drawn a little Body of Divinity out of it; and I know that verf. 51. he drawt a moft powcrfull inveftive againit their manners, which colt him his prefent life in this World. If Mr. Hoo^r will not allow this to be a Sermon, he can find few in the whole New Teftament.
SECT. VII.
Some of thefe were Preachers.
BU T he (hall not efcape me fo : Though this propagation of the Gofpel will not be allowed to be a Sermon , becaufe I cannot find an expreis Term,fo phrafing his difcourfe,i will (hew him another of thefe Deacons in the next Chapter, Aft s 8. whofe difcourfes to this purpofe are called preaching, & that is of Philip, Atls8.$. Then Philip went down to the City of Samaria , and preached Chrifi to them : The very word ufed for preaching in Englifh as well as the Original is there placed ; H*oker himfelf , where before alledged, although he omits this verfe,yet cites the 38th verfe of that 8th. ( hap. where Philip is faidto baptize the Eunuch; therefore more than a Deacon by his Doftrine : but in
vain
Whether Philip -were an Evangelifl ^ <&o. 41
vain that, as I (hall fhew hereafter. But now I will examine Ws Anfwer.
SEC T. VIII.
Whether Philip rvere an Evangelifl y and what an Evangelifl ?
PHUip ( faith he ) wat an Evangelifl , and fo appointed by God, as afterwards appear*, and by virtue of that, and not ofhisDeaconfhip, he did baptize. Indeed he is called an Evangelift,y#fr 2 1 .8. And left we might think them two Philips, the Text faith, he was one of the Seven; that is, oneofthofe Seven was chofen, Afts 6. to take Care of the Poor, (but by the way confider, that neither then or elfewhere in Scripture are thefe Seven called Deacons J Well, firft Confider , here was a great fpace of time betwixt the 8. and the 2 1. Chapt. he might be an Evangelifl long after, and not one then ^ Degrees and dig- nities came by fteps, not the higheft at firft • but fuppofe he were, and fuppofe he was one before he was made Trcafurer or Overfeer of the poor, and fuppofe I conceive an Evangelifl did preach the Gofpel, might baptize ; then I Conclude that fuch a man was at the leafl a Presbyter, and that he was as it were de- graded in being made fuch a Deacon, by hisConfent a Deacon hath nothing to do with Spiritual things, but only the Treafure of the Church : And therefore it is ftrange, that both he and mf lord Say, and Nathaniel piennes , in their Speeches at the beginning of this Parliament , affirmed, That becaufe the ApoRles would not have Ecdefiaftical men meddle with Tempo- ral thing?, they inftituted a new Office out of their rank for the performing even thefe Duties of Charity, which in nothing a- grees with the Text • for it feems, at the firft, the Church layd all the burthen upon the Apoftles, when they put it off, then they chofe Ecclefiaftical men again, and fuch as were next them ei- ther of the Septuagint, or elfe Evangeli^ certain we may be, famous Churchmen, St. Stephen, Philip, and the reft, who have honourable mention in Ecclefiaftical Story.
F SECT.
An ObjcSlion anfwered.
SECT. IX.
An ObjeStim anftvcred.
BUT before 1 Conclude this Argument, I will frame one great Objection, Ads 6. 2. The A f oft les {aid, it is not rea- fon we JbouU leave the Word of God, andferve Tables-, was it not reafon that they fhould, and why fhould others do it ? Yes 9 much difference : one Sermon of the Apoftles and prayer of theirs, is of greater power and force with God than twenty others ^ they out of Duty mutt travell through the whole world, they cannot attend the Care of the poor in a particular City, the others, though being Evangelifts, may upon particular Occafi- ons be called ofTfrom their place, yet they (hall return again and overview their Charge, the people- therefore, when they could not have their particular eyes over that blcfled work, took thofe that were next them in that dubious time, to take Care of the poor, and thefe men could not therefore be chofen to an Inferiour Conftant Office, fuch as they feign their Deacons to be, becauferhey were men of higher Employment and grea- ter Concernment in the Church, but were chofen for that Occa- sion ( how long I know not } to attend that Duty.
SECT. X.
Another Argument for the former Concluficn.
A Fourth reafon may be drawn from the Defign which Mr. Booker takes for this Office, which is fuch as would make any Nation tremble to think upon, an Erection of the greateft Tyranny which ever was exercifed in any Commonwealth; you fliall find it defcribed in the 36, 37 pages where before ; For fir', he is Treafurer ; this may be without exception. Second- ly, he muft addreffe himfelf to receive what is brought into the Treafury, but mark, not what is, but what ought to be brought into the Treafury,, to be committed to his Trun\ for this (briefly
. I will
The oppofwg Arguments anfrvered. 43
tfwill fct down his fenfe ) pnrpofe he muft inform himfelf, by advice and counfel from the body, what every mans Free- will Offerings fhould be-, this upfhot refultsourofhisDifcourfes, that only Free-will Offerings fhould be accepted ; yet beaufe the maintenance of Church and poor mull: not be arbitrary, they muft underftand mens Eftates as well as they c«n , if tb*y be negligent, admonifh them, then if they ftirr nor, goto vhrifts Discipline, tell the Church : and fo upon contempt of that, to Ecclefiaftical Cenfure. To this purpofe he cites two places, Dent. 16. 10. and Lcvit. 22. 18, 19. In both which places, if he had tranferibed the words without further trouble there could have no more appeared , but that men fhould bring their Free- will O flferings, and then do thisor this, but the Sin lay upon him who was to bring it in, he was not to be compelled to it, nor do they, perhaps they will fay ; but I will reply, Ecclefiaftical Cen- fure of putting out of the Church, making a man an Heathen, is the greateft Compulsion in the World, and as they order it up- on the Confutation and Advice ofthe Deacon ( it will arife to be upon the Imagination of the Deacon ) and inftead of his Judge- ment, perhaps oftentimes, unlefTe they be better than thofe the Apoftles ufed before this election, the partial Affe&ion ofthe Deacon, which would betray Souls to a moft unhappy and ar- bitrary Government for Religion, for Eftates.
SEC T. XL
The oppofwg Arguments anfrvered.
UPon thefereafons I am perfwaded, that the Office of a Deacon was not ?ftablifhed inthatof^f&f 6. to be as a rule for all Churches, but onh? thefe Eminent Men Chofen out of and Authorized in thisgreat Exigence toexercifethat duty in the Church at that time^ and thus I have difproved thofe An- fwers which Mr. Hooker fcems to frame to my reafons^ his Ar- guments for confirmation of his Jaufc I fhall undertake in a more proper place prefently •, yer leaft men may think I intro- duce a new Opinion into the world , know, that this was the Opinion of St. Chrjfcfto/n, ana Oecumenitts ; i^'/*/ in 4 Sent, di ft.
E z 24, Seel,
* ' ■■ ■
a a Whether there befuch an Office, &>c,
24. Se&. 18. obferves as much ; and for OecnmentH*, throws him out with Cftjtu Authority non ita magni eft momenti -, For St. ChrjfoFiom (it is in his 1 4 Homily upon the Alls , about the middle) he faith, it is fo obfcurc, that it may be fufpe&ed of Corruption I anfwer, it is very clear, and no man will corrupt a Father without a defign , which cannot appear in this what it fhould be ; but rather than yield , he will charge the reft of his Do&rine, becaufe, faith he, he affirms, non fnijfe Efifcopos tunc in kccltfta, when Alls I. it isfaid, let another take his Bifioprickj To this I reply, that he faith not there were no Bi- (hops, but Apoftolosfolos^only the Apoft/es, and this is true, nor Pxesby ter neither yet, as will appear hereafter. But now it may be enquired, Was there no fuch Office as that of a Deacon pre* per to the Church?
SECT. XII.
Whether there be fuch an Office as a Deacon proper to the Chwrch ?
YEs, without queftion, in the r o(Tim. 3.8. St. Panl de- icribesatlargetheQualificationsoffuchaman who rnuft be chofen to that Office. I (hall need no proof of it, becaufe all confent to this Conclufion • but ifa mart fhauld enquire when and where he was Ordained, I muft anfwer, I know not •, nor do I fincknyRegifterofitintheNewTeihment^ nor amongft any learned men any Confcnt; the greateft is upon that place in the 6. of the Alls, which feems to me to be built upon weak grounds- the Church of Rome in general makes all their feven Ordes to be erefted at the Inftkution of the Communion by our Saviour- but I leave that imagination as of no moment, iince there is no word in Scripture which feems to countenance it, and twill pafle from this Queftion to the other ^ What his Office wasiodo?
CHAP,
\
Mr. Hookers Opinion^ &Cu examined. 45
C H A P. ViL
What is the Office of a Deacon.
THE Office what it was, receives the greateft . Migration from his Name, which iignifies.a.Minifier, a Servant to the Eccleflaftical Officers, Biihop$ or Presbyters-, fo that as when a man is known to be a Minifter or Servant to another, he is by that made apparent to dofuch things as Conduce to the affilhnce of him who is his Superiour or prelate in his Office, fo do thefe in refpeft of their Superiours, Bifhops andPresby- • ters. I do not find one word in Scripture letting down what their Office was , we can therefore have no knowledge of it, but from the Hirtory of the Church, from which we receive, that their Office was to Baptize, to affiTt at the Communion with delivering the Cup, and fometimes the Body; but not to Confecrate ; fo likewife to a/filt in the Divine Service ; fome other things we find various, according to the Cuftoms of Chur- ches, but all thefe are fubordinate and minifterial Offices ; like- wife they had power to preach upon particular occafions and licenfes given, to wit, by that Order they had a qualification to receive a Licenfe-, thefe things I can particularly give an Account to be the fenfe of the Ancient Church, if any man re- quire it, but are loath, alfo to lofe Time about it^ only I will now undertake Mr. Hooker.
SECT. IX.
Mr. Hookers opinion concerning a. Deacon examined^
HE therefore, Part 2- Chap. 1. falfly printed, for Chap. 2I Page 33- in his third Acception of his Deacon, defines Kim thus,
Laftly, when it ( that is, this word Deacon ) is taVen (hortly, and as it concerns our purpofe in hand, it fetsout fuch.Qfficers
who-
a 6 Mr. Hookers opinion, &>c. examined.
who are defigned by the Church, to difpofe the State and Trea- sures, to thofe feveral purpofes for which God hath appointed them, as theoccafions and necefiitiesof the body, and any mem- ber thereof may require.
This is his definition, or rather defenption at large of a Dea- con, which I conceive to be very fhort, becaufe ic touchech but the poor- concerning whofe Care I acknowledge, that in the primitive Time there were certain perfons employed, becaufe thofe times were times of perfecuaon , and the poor of the Church could not exift without fome fuch Collections by Church Officers to take care of them ^ but that this was the fole Office of a Deacon I deny. He proves it thus . Rowans 12. 8. He that diftribntes, &c. Here ( faith he ) the Apoflle reckons thefe as a diftind kind from thofe that went before. In our Tranflation it is, he thatgiveth ^ or in the Margent , imparteth and that moft naturally* but to make it an Office, he changeth the phrafe : Well , from hence, in this place, he thus argues. Here, faith he , the Apoftlc reckons thefe as diftinft Offices. This Term ( thefe ) might well relate to Prophefy, to Mini- ftry, in the 7th. verfe, as well as the red, which is the moft ge- neral way with the Ancient Fathers difcourfe upon that Text^ but he explayned himfelf before in the firfb Chapter of this 2d. part, pag. 8, 9. That Prophefy is a Genu* to Teaching and Ex- hortation , and thefe two diftinft Offices under that one head, of which I ftiall difcourfe hereafter, (God willing^ • but giving , or, as he calls it, diftributing, ruling, (hewing mercy, are three diftindt Species's or feveral Officesunder dl/anovia, or Miniftry : fo then this word (thefe) muftbeby him applyed only to thefe five at the laft named; which expofition hehrd, as he acknow- ledgeth, from Bez,at and before him, as I find, none. For Cal- vin himfelf, upon that place, feems to make allthef* diftind Gifts ^ but I pafTc by this, and will examine his Ground upon which he builds. [ It being ( faith he ) the Apoftles aime by a Similitude drawn from the body, vtr.j.. to difcover feveral parts, by the Adions.which were in a peculiar manner appropriate to them • as there are many Members in the body, and all have not one Ofnce or Adion, To in the Church there be many Mem- bers, but their feveral Offices appropriate to them. ] Whereas, werethisaChriftian Duty common to all, he fliould overthrow
his
Rom. i a. 8. Expounded. aj
Bis own purpofe ^ for he fhould have fhewed things agreeing to all alike, whenheftiould have (hewed that fome things are peculiar. Thus I have let down his words , and the Argu» ments, as by him usged.
SECT. III.
Rom. 12. 8. Expounded.
HEre he puts me to a great deal of Trouble to enlarge my felf in expounding this place, which I intend to do, and Ihew what I conceive of it, and then refute his imagination, and (hew how inconfiftent ic is with thefenfe of thefe words0 He begins his Expofition from the 4th, verfe of the iz. Chap. to the Romans ; but he that will expound it aright muft go fur- ther, becaufe that verfe begins with a For, and that relates to the 3d. verfe, and that likewife begins with another For9 which muft look upon what went before. Let us therefore firft exa- mine the firft verfe -, I befeechyau, &c, prefent your bodies, &<;. which is yourreafonablefervke-, verf. 2. Be not conformed, &c. but be transformed y&c. that y on may prove what Is that good, that acceptable and perfeEb will of God : The prefenting the body a facrifice, the not conforming to the world, the transforming by renewing the mind, all tend to this, that we may pr&vs yphat is that good and acceptable, &c. that is, have fome Arguments by which you may know it ; he that doth thus mortify, &c. and prefents his body thus, that doth transform and eonforra his mind, (hall find Arguments to prove what is Gods will for him to do- verf. 3d. For I fay unto- you \ &c. you ought to know this, becaufe ye ought to perform this will of God -, therefore do thefe things which may make you prove it. Now this good and acceptable will of God, is, that y$u do not thinkjoo highly , for higher,) for this phrafe (ofhimfelf) is a Gloffe of our Tran- slators, not the Text- and indeed this fame too high thinking, whether it concerns a mans felf, or his work he hath to do, isthat which difturbs a man in his duty, whatsoever he is, or it is; as if he think himfelf too good to be an hearer only, it makes him thruft himfelf into the preachers office • or when be hath
that
4$ No Argument can be enforced^ &c.
that Office , he thinks too highly of bimfelf , that he is too £Ooifor it; or when he thinks too highly of that Duty which he doth, it makes him,with the Pharifec, defpife his brothc^wh© is not excellent or eminent in that way • fo thar this fame high thinking puts a man befides the way of Gods will • and there- fore he adds, but to think, foberiy, temperately, modeftly • he muftnot yln* fapere^ think more or higher than his Condition, but he mud think foberlv, be lowly in his own eyes, not to in- trude into others bufinefTe, or go beyond his own salification, according as God hath dealt to every man the meafure of FMth : By Faith I conceive as moft do, Fidelky ^ that is then, accor- ding as he is intruded by God , according to that meafure of truft which God hath layd upon him • there will not be diffe- rence, I gueffe, about that, and therefore I let it parte j verfe 4. For as Vve have many members in one body, and all members have net the fame office ; fo We being many areoneb&dyin Chrifiy and every one members one of another.
SECT. IV.
No Argument can be enforced from a Simile, farther than the Para/ell leads.
HEre we fee all Chriftians are one body, of which Chrift is the head ; that as they have a duty towards the head , of obedience, fo they being fellow members, one towards another, have that duty one towards another as fellow member, not to- think too highly, but to confider their mutual afliftance each ought to give to the other. Here now, if I would flop, let us Confider, how it were poffible to urge me farther : Compan- ions are not to be haled and pulled farther than the Letter, there may be more in one part, than another-, but an Argument can- not be drawn farther than the Comparifon leads. It is true, St. Paul faith, in the 4th. verfe, that all members have not the fame office • but can I force that to the parallel, when St. Paul doth not mention it? We may find the like in many places of Scrip- ture, as that parable of our Saviour of the Sower of the Tares, Mat. 13. where our Saviour expounds pieces of the parable ;
we
Diverfe Gifts and Offices , &>c. aq
we may according to thofe pieces, from thence draw Argu- ments in Queftions of Religion ; but from the reft, which he expounds not, the Arguments will be but probable; fo here! may fay, Mr. Hookers Argument is weak, becaufe members have diverfe offices in the natural body ; and St. Paul faith, we area body, and one anothers members, like the other fo far , but lea- ving out the reft, and diverfe Offices diftind •, might I not fay, that this doth not enforce it. But let us go on : I will not fay fo; for although I think this Text doth not enforce it , yet I think it true Doctrine, That there are diverfe Offices in the body of the Church, like diverfe members in the body-, An/elm, H. Ra- bantu Manrns^ with others, have parcelled them in their Com- ments on this Text, Let us now go on.
Although it betrueDodrine, that as in the body many mem- bers have diftind offices *and abilities to perform their dutyes, which are not competible to other : fo it is in the Church, there are diverfe Members, which have diftind Offices, and thofe Of- fices affifted with diverfe Graces peculiar to them, and not to o- thers; yet this Text goes, nottodifcourfe of the diftindion of Officers, but of the Manage of them : It never parallels that, ( and all Member t have not the fame Office ) but only that (Yte art one body \ and one another s Members.)
S E C T. V.
Diverfe Gifts and Offices.
HAving then, &c. I will ftand upon no Criticifm here , to talk of an Hebraifm without neccflity ; methinks the Text is full; having then diverfe Gifts ; mark, diverfe Gifts: there are many Organical members , which have befides jtheir Offi- ces, Abilities and Gifts, as beauty, ftrengtb, and the like, which arepowcrfull Kftibznts ad bene oferandum% to do their Office more dexteroufly and commendably ; Now then as we find amongft us there are diverfe Officers, and diverfe Gifts amongft thefe Officers, Abilities of utterance, of knowledge, and the like, fo may in thefe men here fpoken of •, but indeed, the very Au- thority is a Gift of God, to do thefe things of God, and thefe
G Autho-
£jo Diver fe Gifts and Offices,
Authorities or Gifts wh.ufoever are diftinguifhed by the Grace of God that is given us, not our own Merits, but his Favour and Grace, both gives the Gift and the Difference • but fince it is a Gift of a Member, therefore it muft be ufed to the good of the Members, and not for our own private ends : and here the Apo- ftle doth not make that divifion of Gifts fo contradiftind, that they cannot come together . but faith, that whatfoever Gift any man hath of doing good, as he muft acknowledge it the Gift of God, fo he muft ufe it to the good of his Neighbour, whether Prophefy or Minifiry : that this is the fenfe, appears out of that claufe in the Similitude not parallel'd. So we fee it doth by this Inftance made by the Apoftle, where is no oppofidon in the perfons, but only a difference in Gifts, which may well be in the fame Office, without any inconfiftency orreludancy. If any man will fee this Difcourfe more fully, let him read the fame Apoftle i Cor. 12.4. There Are diverfities of Gifts , but the fame Spirit; then go to verfe 9, 10. To one is given bj the Spirit the word of vnfdom, &c. Ler any man perufe them all, and fee whether they were Offices or Gifts, and the fame word is ufed for thofe Gifts there as here, which is x^-'O"^ and in the 12. verfe, to make thefc places meet, he deduceth the fame Simile out of thefe premiffes of thefe Gifts, as in this Text hededuceth the Condition or Scope of the Gifts from that Simile : fo that then I conclude fome of thefe Ciks being the fame, are ufed there, the word the fame that is ufed there , and it is im- poffible to force thofe to Offices • therefore it fhould be a vio- lence to force thefe : let U9 come to the particulars, whether Prophefy ,&c. Whether this be an Office, or no, is hard to deter- «ine, lamfureitismemionedamongft thofe were no Offices, 1 Cor. 12. 10. But let us conceive what it is? It is poflible that it was the Gift of Prophefy to foretell the will of God concern- ing things to come, of which there were diverfe in the firft Age of the Church ; or elfe by Prophefy may be meant preaching, which expounds the will of God revealed in Scripture: of both which I may juftly affirm that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. 3. He that frophefjeth Jpeakjth unto men to Edificatkn., and to Exhortation and Comfort.
SECT.
A Conceit offome Commentators refuted. $ i
SECT. VI.
A Conceit offome Commentators refuted.
NOw fee here the Conceit of Beza, Tolet the Jefuit, ( I know not which had it from the other ) Cornelius a La- fide^ with other late Writers upon this place of my Text in hand; fee how vain their Conceits are who make Prophefy here a Ge- nt** of Teaching and Exhortation, becaufe they would make them two rorts of Officers; and Prophefy only a general name pre- dicated of them ; when St. Paul makes Edification, which is the fame with Teaching and Exhortation, to be Gifts or qualities of a Prophet, both belonging to the fame Offices.
Concerning Prophefy.
prophefy, if you will, is a Gift fometimes as well as an Office, every Office is a Gift, but not every Gift an Office; but whether Prophefy be taken for a Gift, or an Office; it is not a(7r- niu to the other two, but the other are rather Integral parts or qualifications belonging to it : and therefore I wonder at thefe men, that they expound this Text to fuch an impofTible Senfe, Hooker gives this reafon, becaufe% faith he, #*&?/<? (Trophefie he means,& W\imfity)werefeveraifunclionj9theit there (tiould be [even ; what if there were feventeen ? If there be fo many , what is that to the purpofe ? this hefpeaks, Chap. i. of his fecond Book, p. 10. Well, but what faith the Apoflle? He frith not this is a diftind Office, as the Eye in the body, but drives at the main, that tve are one another* members ; that this man muft not rhink too highly, but follow his 'bufineffe •, let him prophefy accor- ding to the proportion of Faith : what that is , I will not exa- mine , it is fomething for the good of others., who are his fellow Members.
Concerning MMfiry.
The fecond is : Or Mlniflrj ; let us Voait on onr Minifirj : Hath a man received the Gift of Miniftry •, Here a man might
G z have
t2 A Conceit offome Commentators refitted.
have looked for a Deacon , for the very word is put} but be- caufe the word is not to his fenfe, he lets that flip, and takes his fenfe without his word. And it is worth any mans marking, that in his treating of the Office of a Deacon, which begins Chap. I, page 32. he firft fets down the Acceptation of the Word, and page 33. he explains the word ftri&ly as it concerns our purpofe, but (hews not one place , where this word isufed to his Senfe, and indeed he cannot • he had (hewed Phrafes in the Scripture for the other, but not for this ^ but in this very place the Word is ufed according to his fenfe, for the Gennt of three Officers, but another for his Office. Well, let us examine it 1 this is the general Nature (faith he) to a fort ofMiniftring Officers, which come after ^ he faith fo, what proof ? none but his own Authority •, and then ask him, where it hath that re- trained fenfe to thefe three Officers, he cannot (hew it in Scrip- ture, nor Beta, nor Tolet, nor any other; St. C 'hrjfo ft om upon the place, faith, it fignifies all Miniftration, even Apoftlefhip- avL&OecHmentM, with Theofhylatl, is to the fame fenfe, and An- feim fomcthing like it, five habentes Minifteriumjicut Diacontts ut mimftremns facris Altaribm^ vel Minifierinm^ ut terrenaali- menta Sanftis miniftremHs. Now confider the meaning : If you have received the Gift of Miniftry , in what kind foe ver, ufeit asaMemberofthatbody, think not fo highly ofyourfelf, to fee too good for that Office which God hath enabled you for, butferveinit: I go on.
Concerning Tt aching and Exhortation.
Or he that teacheth ok teaching : Here now the Authors be- fore mentioned will make this a Species ofPropkefy; but this and Exhortation are not Species's of Prophefy , but Parts, En- dowments, Qualities, for there can be no Prophet without thefe powers and ads, nor can they be fevered ^ the fame man that teacheth a Doftrine, in that exhorts to a Duty ; fuppofe it the moft fpeculative in the World, the Doftrine of the Trini- ty, he that teacheth, when he teacheth it, exhorts to the Ado- ration of each perfotyand fo for Fxhortation,no man can exhort, but upon Grounds of Doftrine,he exhorts foolifhly elfe^ therfore fcbey cannot bediftind Offices, but parts or Gifts in the fame
Office;
Hps Deacon^ hence enforced^ Confuted. 5 3
Office •, for one Preacher may have a greater power in Logick to prove his Do&rine or Conclufion , and another in Rhetorick to perfwade the praftife, and thefe diverfe abilities and Gifts bc- ftowed upon thofe men by the Grace of God: and therefore in thefe, as in the other, have you the whole Gift of Prophecy, ufe it as a Member, not thinking too high r but ufeitfor the good of your brother, who is your fellow Member : fo Kkewife the Spirit isgiveninmeafure, one excdlsin one piece, another in another, do all like fellow Members •, but no one word , that thefe are diftind Offices, as that of the hand, or the eye, or the tar, that piece was not parallels, nor is exemplified.
And therefore thefe Sentences cannot be enforced for two Of- fices, but two Qualities of the fame Office, which may and mud be in fom who is a prophet- but becaufe they may accord- ing to their Eminency well be fevered, one may have one emi- nently, and not the other, and like wife becaufe they cannot be both actuated at the fame inftant; therefore directions are gi- ven either to the diverfe perfons or to the feme man of his fede- ral feafons to do both thefe.
S E C T. VII.
His Deacon^ enforced hence , Confuted.
NOW we come to that, which he makes a Deacon : He whogiveth in Simplicity (he who diflributeth he reads it,) But why he and Beza (hould do fo, fince they pretend nothing out of the Original to force it, (but their own Conceit only of making this a Sp ecies of the Minifter or Deacon before fpoken of) and all Antiquity, both Greeks and Latine Fathers reading it otherwife, and no one that1 1 can find putting in one word to this purpofe, is a ftrange Conceit; I cannot Conceive why, un- Icffe it be a too much love of their own newly hatchM Opini- on. But fee what weight Mr. Hookers Opinion hath : By this is meant a Deacon ; what word (hews it ? he faith it is but a Sf ecies of that Deacon before fpoken of; and if that Deacon which was before mentioned be the name, then the two other Species mult be Deacons as well as he, which he will deny, as you
fhall
t^A What is meant 5 &c,
(hall fee hereafter ^ then, that this is a dift in& Office of a Dea- con, that is, was an Office fpoken of, no man can prove, but a pious duty, which God gives men gifts to do for others good, and therefore no word of diftinftion here, but without all que- ftion a Prophet may do this, a Minifter or Deacon, a Doctor or Exhorter ; yea, it will be a good Argument in Exhortation, to do as I have done my felf. I fhould go on with the next , but I referve that for another time , and the rather ltayed fo long up- on this, becaufe in part I (hall flop two Gaps with one Bufh -, but I will leap to the laft, which is, ( He who fbeVvs mercj, let him do it with chearfulnefs.
What is meant by He that ilieweth mercy.
WHat a deal of doo Bf za , and he, and Lafide the Jefuic have, to make an Office of this? They make it to be the Widdow ; He, Matters of Hofpitals : when Antiquity infifts chiefly upon the Inward Aft of Mercy, which is larger than gi- ving ; Mercy is in forgiving, as well as giving, and the like : but what one word is there all this way, of diftinftion of Offices? not one ; but of Gifts , which like members of the fame body, muft with lowlinefle of mind be ufed to the good of our fellow Members.
Now I having (hewed what appears to me to be the meaning of the Text, and although by this his fenfe is already Confuted^ yet in a Logical manner I will now undertake it again.
SECT. VIII.
The firjl Confutation of his Conchtfon out of this Text.
THatSenfe muft not be wrung out of the Text, which the Text in nothing invites to. But his fenfe is fach. Ergo,
His fenfe is : That by this ( that diftributes, ) is meant an Office, defigned by the Church to difpofe the State and Trea- sure
Another Argument. 5 cj
fure of the Church , &c. and fo pag. 33. But pag. 9. he faith, Thofe feveral (meaning thefe Offices exprefled in this Text) are fet forth by way of oppofition, and contradiftindr one to ano- ther, and therefore cannot be fubordinate, and meet in onefub- jed, where they fliould be both formally afted. A ftrange kind ofdifcourfe to deceive men with (as itfeems tome) by great words j for firft, the parts in the Text he makes fubordinate , to wit, teaching and exhorting, to Prophefy •, fecondly , diftribu- ring, ruling, having mercy, to Miniftry : And again, thefe things which are fubordinate are in the fame fub je&, as Animal and Corp Hi are in Homing. But that they are not oppofed , or diftind, or any way inconfiftent, will appear prefently.
To prove my Minor then 1 Firft, whereas he faith this phrafe (he that distributes ) doth fignifie an Office, I can deny the words, and fay, they are not found in that place. Secondly , I fay, that thofe words there do not fignifie an Office, no more than thofe about them, but a Gift, as it is called by the Apo- ftle. Where he faith it is that Office called Deacon , he himfelf difprovesit, fince it is diftind and inconfiftent with the Mini- fter or Deacon, which is both one. Thirdly, whereas he faith it is an Office to difpofe the State and Treafurc of the Church, Is there the leaft mention made of Church, or Treafure of it ? not a word : this word Gift would import otherwife.
SECT. IX.
Another Argument.
NO W to this laft, in page the 9th, I frame this Syllogifm s Thofe Gift9 which have been, and are many time9 in the fame, are not fo Contradiftinft as they cannot fubfift in the fame Subjeft.
But many of thefe Gifts in the Text have been, and often arc in the fame Subject-, Ergo*
My Major is clear from the Aft : that which hath been, and is, is poffible, and crofTech not the nature of any thing.
My Minor may be proved in the Lump: Firft, 1 doubt not to &y, that the Apoftles had all thefe s for they were Prophets,
£ 6 His Second Argument anfwered.
they were V infters , they were Dodors, Teachers, Exhorter*, did give to the poor, did rule, had bowels of mercy, with all the requisites.
Take Prophefy for Preaching, many a man now hath all thefe in the fame Lump.
Secondly, Teacher and Exhorter cannot be fevered : This Gentleman ftiles himfelf, Paftor of the Church of Hertford upon ConntBicHtt, in N. EngUndy Mr. Cotton Teacher of Bcflon in N. England^ both of them have written concerning thefe bufi- neffes. If a Pallor be an inconfiftent Office with a Teacher, why doth Mr. Hooker teach, and fo Logically endeavour to prove his Do&rine ? and Mr. Cotton the Teacher , ufe Rhetorick to per- fwade? Thefe things feemto rae inconfiftentT a Teacher, and not an Exhorter, or an Exhorter, and not a Teacher : fo farre they are from being inconfi (lent one with the other, that they cannot exift well one without the other •, and for this particular phrafe, Diftribttter, or Giver,, neither one nor other be good men, unleffethey be both > the Clergy mult not be altogether tapon the receiving hand, there is time and place for them to give, as well, yea rather than others, and take Care of the poor, and have bowels of Compaflion towards them , and by their* good Example exhort others to do as they do. I have been fomethrng too tedious here^ but this will fave future labour.
SECT. X.
His Second Argument refuted.
HIS Second Argument to prove his kind of Office, is drawn from the! i Tim. tl 8. where the Defcription how he muft be qualified, is fet down : I grant it , but is it fet down, that he is an Officer to difpofe Church Treafure, and nothing elfe, which hedifputcs for? For he offers atfucha thing, and therefore that place, in his own Judgement, can fpeak nothing, for it proves only, that there is fuch an Office as a Deaco^ and how he fhould rbe qualified, but no one word what the duty of that Office is, and therefore he draws no Argument from it, but
o only
His fir ft Argument y &c. anfwered. t j
only fets it down with a figure of 2. for his fecond Argument, although he argue nothing from it.
His Third Argument refuted.
His Third Argument is drawn from the place before hand- led, A&s 6. to which I have (I doubt not J fpoken e- nough s but that it may appear wherein he and 1 agree, and wherein differ, inthispointi Confidcr with me, that he faith, that this was a publike Office-, I grant it. Secondly , that this fervice was about Tables : I grant it. Thirdly, page 3 5, that the full and carefull attendance upon this work, could not ftand with carefulLconftant,and confeiencious Attendance upon the Miniftry of the Word, as the Office of a Minifter fo employed did require -9 This I deny : becaufe I have proved they were Minifters of the Word, and have before anfwered his Argu- ments drawn from the Apoftles, It u not meet \&c. verf. 3. and donowadde^ It is one thing to fay, It is not meet-, another to fay, It is inconfiftent, it cannot ftand with it. Again, many things might be and were fit for Inferior Minifters, which were not fit for the Apoftles : It is not meet ^ was truly faidby the Apoftles ; But now I doubt, whether this Office was for this occafien only, or for their lives. 1 2dly. affirm, as before, that thefe men were Minifters. And 3%, I deny that this was of that Deacon St. Paul fpeaks of, and was after ufed in the Church. His continued Difcourfe is but a repetition , only a paffionatc expreffion or two, that we moke a Deacon halfaPrieft, or a Preparation to it, and he faith, that this was the firft In-let into . theUfurpationofBiihops. I let thefe things pafTe, and come to hisDifputeagainftus.
His Firft Argument from Keafony Anfwered.
THat which is made by Chrift a diftinft Office from Pa- ftor and Teacher, that cannot be any part of either, or a preparation to either. But fo the Office of a Deacon is.
H I
^8 His ad. and 3d. Arguments anjrvered.
I anfwcr : That, Firft, I deny that ever the Office of a Dea- con was inftituted by Chrift • but by the Apoftles. Secondly, although I grant that the Apoftles inftituted this 03 ce diftind: from them, yet k may be a preparation or part of either • for that which is a preparation , is diftind from that it is prepared for, and although all the parts united together do not differ re- ally from the whole, yet any one part doth. And Thirdly, I fay, that although it were neither part nor preparative, yet it may be fubfervient to them , in which Confifts the Office of a Deacon.
His Second Argument from Keufon^ anjwered.
His Second Argument : That Office which is to attend Ta- bles, hath nothing to do with Paftors, or Dodor*, &c.
But this Office is to attend Tables.
To the Major : That Office may do both, thofe in the Atts did.
To the Minor h I deny that the Office of a Deacon is folely to attend Tables • but if he leave out that word folely y his whole Argument is larae : that which he urgeth out of v#7.f 6. is not to the purpofe, for as I may deny them to be Deacons, becaufe never fo called in the Scripture : fol do deny them to be thofe Deacons St. P^/dire&s, 1 Tim. 3.
His Third Argument anjwered.
His Third Argument : If the Apoftles who were extraordi- nary perfons, could not, (hall men of ordinary Abilities be fufricient ?
I have anfwered this before. It is no where faid, that they could not, they could without doubt have done much more- but as they were men of extraordinary abilities, fo they were men of extraordinary employments •, and it was not meet, that that employment fhould be impeded by any of thefe leffe affairs. Again, we deny that the Office of a Deacon exafts the duty of a
Pafto**
•i .Tir^w ■■ .-a.: *- ■ i --
Of a Ruling Elder, ^ y
Paftor from him, but only that he fhould minifter to the pallor, which he may do well with fuch a Charge upon him.
Page 36. Number 3. I nnderftand not thofe Figures • He faith fomewhat that would be anfwered,
Another Argument from 1 Tim. 3. 8. anfwered.
THE Gifts of Deacons which are required by the Apoftle, are fuch as will not furnifh a man to be a Minifler ; ( he means a Presbyter, I think) for fuch fhould be Apt to teach : to be a teacher, an8 not apt to teach, i* to be a Bell without a Clapper.
I could anfwer this in his own Coyn, but I love not fcurrility and fharpnefle inthefe Grave and Serious things; they tafte not of that lowlinefle of mind which fhould be amongft fellow Members.
I anfwer therefore • That the Gifts of Deacons are not fuch as qualifie a Bifhop, of which St. Paul (pake there ; but I will tell you, very like them; and as that Claufe is not inferted to a Deacon, that he fhould he apt to teach : fo it is not required of him^ but when he is found fit toteach,anditisrequired,hemay: I think I have fpoken enough to him. If I knew any more of this kind, I would not account it loft time to handle it, aJthough tyred with this.
CHAP. VIIL SECT. I.
Of a Ruling Elder.
TH E next particle or Branch of Ecclefiaftical Authority which I will undertake to handle, is that they call a ru- ling Elder, or a Lay Elder : he is called an Elder, but I am confi- dent that the Name is new, and the Office not known in the Pri- mitive Church ; nor hath any mention in Scripture, but by phan-
H 2 fy.
60 What tbofeLay Elders are, &c>
fy. Now to underftand this, I (hall firft (hew, what manner of Office this man is imagined to have, and then anfwer fbch Argu- ments as are brought for him 5 and fo Conclude, with mine own reafons againft him : Firft, the Examination of his Office, what it is to do, is fet down by Mr. Hooker, Part 2. Chap. 1. pag. 16. I will not tranferibe all he faith, but fct down the heads.
SECT. II.
itfhat thofe Lay Elders are, according to Hooker.
BEfore the Aflembiy meet, he is of the Common Council, and his voyce is to be taken in with the reft in the Confultation and Confideration of the bufineffe, ( by which, I think, he means the bufineffe fliould be agitated that day ) Here he ciphers out 3. places of Scripture, I think to no fach purpofe • read them he that will, Heb. 13. 17. 1 Cor. 12. 28. ^#/20. 28.
When Offences- are to be brought to the Congregation, it be- longs to them to ripen and prepare the bufineffe, by way ofprae- confideration, to ftate the Caufe right, &c.
Thirdly, when the Church is met, he may interpofe his Judg- ment, without asking leave.
Thefehehathin Common with other Elders : what he hath peculiar to himfelf, i$j
Firft, vifiting the Sick, and fach as are any way under Spiri- tual wants, thefe men (houid fend for thefe Elders, and they (hall be the phyfitians of their Souls i for this he quotes fames 5. 14. but no word there, of a Lay Elder.
Secondly, by the fame reafon he (hould feek out fuch, and vi- fit them.
Thirdly, He is to make peace amongft Members.
Fourthly, If there be a Fame of* Member, that he misbe- haves himfelf to wards fuch as arc without, (that is, I think, not of their Church) by which the Church may be fcandahzed, he is to enquireof the Truth, and ( I think) inform, or elfe a41 is in vain.-
Fifthly, He istoConfider of the perfons that are. to be ad*
mitted
Whether any fuch Elders, &c. 6 1
mkted into the Church , and to pronounce Excommunicati- ons.
Thus, in general, we fee what manner of Office this is ; let us now examine , whether there be fcmblances of any fuch thing in Scripture, which they pretend fhould be the Guide in thefe Affairs. And Firft, I will begin where I left; for that, in the firft place, he cites Romans 12.8. Ashe found a word for his Deacon, He that diflributes : fo he hath another for his Elder, He that r filet b9 with diligence.
SECT. III.
Whether any fuch Elders truly in Scripture.
THis Queftion Mr. Hooker enters upon in the fame 1 ft. Chap, ter o?the 2d. Part, pag. 8. Here he faith, he hath nothing to doe but with the Hierarchical party, whofe main Arguments are, a Purfuivant , and a Prifon , armed with Authority of aa High Commiflion. This man, ( I obferve ) though civil in ma- ny places to others , yet very paffionately bitter, when any thing crofles him, to fpeak againft thatCaufe which I conceive right, and do not doubt but I (hall prove it. Firft, he under- takes to prove this Office, that there is fuch an Office, from the former place; but goes now fomewhat higher, Rom. 12. 7. He argues for it firft, thus; The Gifts here mentioned and conside- red, are not fuch as have reference to a Civil, but to an Ecdefi- aftical Condition; fo the words, verf. 5. we are one body in Chrift. This is po ftrong Argumenr,we are one body in Chrift, therefore that which is fpoken of that body or members, muft be Eccleliaftical, not Civil. In the fame body , confifting of the members of Chrifts Church, his my fticalbody* there are many Civil Duties, even as they are Chriftians,exa&ed from them^and 2s members of that body : Duties of Kings to Sub jeds, of Sub- jects to Kings, Husbands to Wives, and theirs to their Husbands, betwixt Mafters and Servants, and fo they mutually-, a iittfe of this Divinity will make all things Eccleilaftical, and reduce all Obedience for Chrifts fake to a Paftor or Teacher, an Elder or Deacon, Secondly, the Operations which iflue from thefe
Functions -
(S i An Argument anfwtrttL
Functions evidence as much, Prophefjing, &c. Exhorting^&c. I would be had put in {hewing mercy too, but we fee they do not • /hewing mercj, giving, ruling, may relate to any member of this body. There is nothing therefore in thefe Arguments that enforce, thefe fhould be Ecclefiaftical duties of members in the myftical body of Chrift.
He hath another Figure of 2, I think he means by' it another Argument for the Caufe, that is, pag. 9.
An Argument of bis anfrvered.
Gifts here, are not fuch as are Common, and belong to all Chriftians,as Faith, Hope, Charity, &c.
What if they are not ? are they Ecclefiaftical Orders ? that will never follow ^ but he proves it, although to no purpofe, if it were proved.
Fir ft, thofe Gifts are here meant , by which the Members of the body are diftinft one from another, and have feveral Ads appropriate to them. He proves that, becaufe verfe 4. t<x /Ue\n ir&DTOLt&c. all members have not the fame office ^ this, I have faid, is not parallel'd in the Simile, and therefore not to be urged fur- ther • But, faith he, Common Graces are not fo diftincl, for in them they do agree. I anfwer, thefe are not Coenmon, nor yet Ecclefiaftical only, nor the duties required, witnefTe this one whichisinftancedin, He that ruleth with Diligence : To be a Ruler, is not only in Ecclefiaftical Affairs, but Civil* andhethat ruleth in Civil affairs, is to do it with diligence ; fo Origen upon this very place : fo St, Ambrofe, St. Hierom, Theophjlacl, dn- felm, H. Rabanus Maurus, out of them- all of which ufe phrafes to this purpofe, qui prteft velfr ambus vel Ecclefi*. So that by this, although there is not a Common Grace that is univerfal to all Chriftians, yet it is fo Common, asthatitbelongeth to all Governors whether Lay or Ecclefiaftical, nemine contradicente, luit thefe late men • andthedutyenjoyned, is as Common as the Grace given, to wit, to govern or rule, not barely, but with dili- gence. So that this Conclufion is Confuted out of this very In- ftance, and may as eafily out of any other, but Prophefy, and teaching and exhorting, although, perhaps, fomething of this
fcnfe
Another Argument anfwerecL 6 3
fenfe may be affirmed of them. Again, he urgeth the Empha- fis of the phrafe Sift 0 JUJWk&v, &c. The weight (faith he) of the phrafe having the Article in that manner added, notes not every member, butfomeby way of Eminency, to whom thefe appertain; it is true, and fo doth this Inftance; He who ruleth, notes not all men, but Rulersoniy • but doth it note by thefe Ca- veats a Lay- man, ruling in Ecclefiaftical Affairs? or if it fhould, why not a Chancellor ? that were a fearfull Expofition.
His 3d. Argument, drawn from the Diftindion mentioned in the 4th. verfe, is abundantly anfwered before, andhisnew divifion of thefe Offices; I come therefore to his 2d. Argument, to prove that there is fuch an Office.
Another Argument ofhvs anfwered.
THis is drawn from 1 Cor. 12.28. where the Apoftle expref- fing many other Ofricesor Gifts which God hath given to his Church, he names Governments, or, as we read it, helps in Governments •, or as JBeza and he, helps Governments : I (hall not trouble my felf with that phrafe much, herehelayes this Foundation, That the Apoftle names here fo me ordinary, fome extraordinary Offices^ amongft thofe ordinary ones which are to laft in his Church, he reckons (what he pleafeth, and how) Teachers, Helps, which were Deacons, Governments which were Elders^ were all this granted, will all this prove them Lay Elders f I can grant likewife his fecond Foundation that he requires, That the Gifts themfelves are put in the Abftraft, yet the per- fons who were pofFeffors of them were underftoodin the Con- crete } by thefe abflrad PhrafesI can grant his third Foundation likewife ; which is, That although fome, as the A potties, had all thefe Gifts, yet they might formally be in fome Subje&s, as appointed by Chrift to that purpofe. I deny not this •, but be- caufe they might be, will it follow affirmatively , therefore they were ; certainly a ptentia ad Aclum valet Argumentvm negative, It cannot be, therefore it is not ^ but not affirmative- ly, It may be, therefore it is.
Now let us Confider his Arguments: As the Apoftles, Pro- phets and Teachers were diilind, fo are helps and Governments
diflinft :
5 4 Another Argument anfwered,
diftin&j for the Apoftle puts them in the fame rank ^ I deny that, for they are put in diltinft ranks, firft, fecond, third, and then thefe Phrafcs put (after that) then, (then) and no diftin- c*Hon betwixt Gifts of Healing, Helps, Governments. I could here (hew the Expositions of St ChrjfofiomyAmbrofe, Theophy- lacl, Anfclm, St. Hierom, in no one of which do I find a Lay Elder underftood, by this phrafe Governments, I could (hew you the Expofitions of others , fome making him an Arch- lvoacon, fomeaParochian; but I ftudy brevity where there is no proof, and I willadde but one thing, which \ rind obferved by none, which ;is, That, as if the Apoitle would prophetically in his manner of writing, as well as the words he writes , Confute this man, and this fide of men, if they prove fuch an Office from this place, thef muft prove, that this phrafe Government (ignifies a diftind Order, and that this phrafe (ignifies that thing they in- tend it for^ this latter is againft Antiquity, and hath no colour for it The former, upon which the latter is grounded, he thinks he hath proved, becaufe that Apoflles and Prophets, &c. were di- ftinft Offices or Gifts in diftind: perfons. I anfwer, it follows not ; for St. Paul in the two following verfes, 29, 3 o. reckoning up a difhndion of the other Gifts, Are aU Apoflles, are all Pro- phets,&c* doth never fay, are all Helps, are all Governments? but doth reckon that which comes after this, Doalljpeak^ with tongues ? So that methinks the Apoftle doth, as it were ofpur- pofe, to make this not appear a diflinft Office from the reft, In- deed all the other are helps, and mod of them Governments, and therefore he could notufe this phrafe to them, are allhelps,&c. ? as he did to the other . but he ftands not much upon this , thefe are too weak Grounds to fupport thisnew Building : The Achil- les which is exulted of follows, and that is taken out of ( as Mr. Hooker calls it ) that Famous place I Tim. 5.17. this is, pag.i 1. where before. Here he fpends a great deal of Rhetorick in Com- mendation of this place to his purpofe, and in Scorn and Con- tempt, and vilifying his Adverfariet , which might have been better fpared, and he immediately fallen to his bufinefTe, as I will.
SECT.
H'ps Argument from I Tim. 5. 17. anfwcred. 65
SECT. IV.
Hh Argument from 1 Tim. 5. 17. anfrvered.
TH E words of the Text, arc, Let the Elders Vvhich rule we//, bt worthy of honour, especially they w ho labour in the Word And Dotlrine. \ irft, we may obierve, that from hence is pre- tended no lnfl itution of fuch an Order, Secondly, that there is not pretended any Demon ftration, that there was any fuch Of- fice executed with the Approbation of the Apoftles-, for thac although the Inftitmion were not regiftred, .yet it would Argue there, was fuch an Office, without which they could not execute the Office -y but the force of Argument is only drawn from thi?, that the Apoftle fhould here name two diftinft Officers, one, whofe Office was to rule onely, and another, to labour in the Word and Do&rine. l will firlt endeavour to expound the Text, and then fatisfie the Objections ; In the Expofition I find thefe pieces neccflary to be opened •, who are meant by this word (Elders-, ) 2dly. what is meant by ( ruling well; ) 3dly. what by (double honour J 4ly. what by {labour in the Word and Do&rine-, ) laflly, what by (ejpeciallj.) I irft , this word Ekler isdiverflyufedinthefe Epiftles, and in this very Chapter, ei- ther for a man of ancient years, which is its genuine fignificati- on, or elfe for an Officer in the Church, and of the Church- for there may be Officers in the Church concerning politique Affairs, which muft have a Difcipline^n the Church ; of this Sort are all Officers in a Chriftian Commonwealth, which are Officers in the Church, but not of ic ; but an Elder is taken for an Officer in and of the Church, having to meddle in Ecclefiaftical Aflairs; and this latter is a borrowed fenfe of it, becaufethat Gray hairs are flayed and Judicious, which are Attributes belonging to the Office of a Presbyter ; therefore they have their denomination from that. In the firfl fenfe it is taken in the 1. verfe of this Chapter, by the Confent of all, whereitisfaid, rebuke not an £ ldert but intreat him as a father •, there the Elder in Age is un- derftood, as ail agree, both antient and later Writers : this
I word
66 That Elder here fignifier^ &>c.
word is again ufedinthis Chapr. a little after this Text, verfe I 9. Against an Elder receive not an Acctifation, but before tvfo cr three jvitneffes • Kow an Elder is underltood here, is difputa- ble : The Grecians i Sc. Chryfofiome, TheopbyUtl, Oecumenitu, imderftand an Elder in Age only, as £f** obferves ^ but it is not fo univerfally true, as he affirms ; for Theodoret upon that place expounds it of a Presbyter by Office^ and the Latines , St. Ambrofe, &c with one Confent fuppofeit an Office. Here is a difference , and the Arguments of no moment that arc brought of one fide or the other, nor much material •, for the Doctrine 15 true of the lead Elder, there is Capitis reverentia Cam, fomc Civility to be paid to Gray hairs ; fuch men fhould not fo eafily beaccufed, or if they be, Accufations not fo eafily entertained, as thofe are made againft others •, but I have writ this , to fhew that this word Elder is not alwayes taken for an Officer, no not in this Epiftle, in this Chapter ; yet here I doubt not but it is ta- ken for an Ecclefiaftical Officer, both becaufe of the word rule, as likewife labour in the word-, but whether two Officer* or one, will be quellioned.
SECT. V.
That Elder here figmftes but one Office.
Frft, no man can (hew anywhere in the NewTeftament any ufage of this word, but either for a meer Senior in Age, or this one Presbyter, which is the Ecclefiaftical Officer ; and befides this place,they themfelvcs will Confefs, that no ftrong Argument can be produced, it were hard then, if there were no- thing elfe, that thi9 word here fhould enforce it. Again , this word Elder is ufed but once, which hath influence upon both thefe Aftions of ruling and labouring, which were not proper in Speech , if they were two Offices, without fome Term of Diftihftion^ for it would be more rightly and figrrificantly pur> an Elder that ruleth, and an Elder that laboureth- but this word Elder being named but once, it fhould feem to enforce but one Office, with diverfe A&ions:, for there are bnt two forts of El- ders, as I find ; either that Lay Elder, which is an Elder by Age,
^r
What Ruling well, labouring, &c. imports. 6j
or an Ecclefiaftical Elder, who is defcribed how he fhould be quaiifyed, either in the 3d. Chapter of this Epiftle, or thefirft vfTitHi •, but the firft fort are not pretended to here, nor the fecond as they pretend ; forae other word then muft afford ir, not this word Elder.
SEC T. VI.
What Ruling well inrports.
THe next is, rule tye/l, that is, certainly, Govern his flock Committed to him; now this word will imply no diftin- dion from the other, presbyter, by their own Confent , this is a part of that other teaching Elder, he is a Ruler too ; and if a Ruler, then no doubt, if a good teacher, he rules well -9 orelfeas may happen out, he may be a good Teacher, and a weak Ruler , and again, a good Ruler, and a weak Teacher : So that if Ruling do not make a diftin&ion in the Office, ruling well doth not; for Offices are not difhnguiftied by the diligence or qualities of their Officers, the men that ufe them, but their Officers, the men that ufe them, by their Offices ; there are good and bad in every Office, and fo in the Miniftry, but hisgoodncfTeor badnefTe in Execution of his Office makes a Man a good or bad Officer, but not of another kind of Office. By this phrafe then, that m- leth well, cannot be underftood any thing which can enforce a new Office , r will therefore remove to the 3 d. phrafe, ( labour in the Word and Deftritte.
SECT. VIL
What w Labouring in the Word.
AND certainly, this phrafe yields no matter for an Argu- ment againft the unity of this Office * for he nor they cannot deny, but that both thefe are joyned in one,that the fame man who is a Labourer in the Word, is a Ruler ; but let us ob- ferve, that this word Labour fignifies an induftrious and pain-
I 2 full
s.
62 Hie force of the word Efpccially.
full doing that he labours for •, fo that it is more than an ordina- ry profecuting his undertaking : Now both thefe,phrafes being affirmed of that one word Elder, they cannot fignifie diverfe ■Officers, but diverfe performances in that Office- that one man is more carefull in Ruling, another in Teaching; the one rules well, the other labours welL
SECT. VIIL
What Double honour fignifies.
WE willpafleto the 4th. (Doubt* honour,) that is by all underftood to be a double proportion, or much larger maintenance than that of Widows • 1 will not trouble it there- fore ^ but confidering that it is but once ufed, though in two places applyed, as double honour to Rulers well, and much ra- ther to Labourers, it being the fame word and fenfe in both, and in both applyed diftinftly where diftin&ly put, and implyed- fy where implyedly put, as the fame word Elder is exprefly or implicitely deliyered ; that therefore cannot enforce a Diffe- rence ; if ic be any where, it mud be in [etfccMlty.l
SECT. IX.
The force of the word Efpectally.
BUT neither doth that do it-, for that addes but an Encreafe of the Debt, when ma]vu & minus non variant Jpeciem ■ it is due to one, but rather there is a greater Obligation to the other, not another due • or if there were another Debt, yet that would not prove another kind of Office, but moreobliging Ads of that Officer. It is then, as if we (hould fpeak of Shep- herds • that Shepherd deferves bis wages who takes care of his flock, even he that (hall fold them at night carefully, and let • them out in the morning, and do many Shepherdly duties • but when there are diverfe Shepherds belonging to the fame flock, lie (hall bed or chiefly defer veir,. who having Cunning to-do k,
(hall:
The Arguments anfwered* 6$>
fiiall induflrioufly, and with great labour of his owrx, car«thek Difeafes, and heal them, and both thefe may be Shepherds, and deferve their wages, but efpecialiy the latter, and yet not diftinft Offices >y and the firit fort may grow up to the latters abilities, and then as well deferve as he; or as we may fey of a Privy Counfellor, he hath a two-fold relation, to the Subject and to the King - he deferves his honor well, that rules well ; but efpe- cialiy he that advifeth his King well : yet thefe are not two Offi- ces, but two dutyes of the fame Office, and, as we have feen, di- lund Abilities have^hewn themfelves in thefe diverfeErTe&s- This is the fenfe of the Text, there are two duties in thefe El- ders, to rule, tolabour in the Word and Do&rihe • they that rule well, anddothat piece well, are worthy of double honour, but efpecialiy they that labour in the Word andDodrine, thek flock ought to have a more particular Care of them * thus the Text being explained, as appears to me clearly , the next thing to do, will be to vindicate it from fuch Arguments which feem to be deduced out of this Text, for that Imaginary Office which isfomuchboanedof, to be already with great Evidence con- firmed by it.
S E C T. X.
i The Arguments anfwered.
MR. Hooker, where before, Parti. Chap. 2. p. 13. thus layes his Foundation : the words carry a diftribution, o/^tv, 0/ cfte, oi^aKisot <ftt, (neither of which are in the Text, but [akKisoc of, but 1 let paffe thefe things, as.'miftakesinhira, though a moft fupine negligence. ) And^thk/faith he.) Traft*- tnr C ollatione imfarmm a Mn^oribns. All this 1 can gftant , 1)BC the Imparity mult be in the Execution of the Office, onegdothic better, or more mduftrioufly than another.
The Summe ( faith he ) of theverfeisexprefled inadifcreet Axiom, the Arguments are Conrparata imparia, the things compared are the performs, a Ruling Elder, a Teaching Elderr J will not cavill at the phrafe, the Angular number forthe plural > it is Ruling-Elders, and teaching Elders*,: bmldenytharjpiopcv
fltlOBi
jo The Argument anfrvered.
ficion abfolutely,. It is nor a ruling Elder and a reaching Elder, but fuch ruling Elders and fuch Teachen, which labour not in the Word ; There is a great difference in this frnfe, it is a Ulacy a bene fonjunttis ad male divifa : fee it explained, every Elder is a ruling Elder, but if he rule ill, he is not worthy of Double ho- nour, no, he deferves reproof j It was a mighty falacy put up- on the Reader, to fay the Companfon is made between ruling Elders and preaching : when the words of the Text fay , k is fuch as rule well, and Teaching Elders are not the (e- cond branch, Extemporary preachers have nothing to do with it, but fuch as labour and take pains in the Word, as St. Chry. fofiom rnoft excellently defcancs upon chat place • and the very letter introduced] it Komocd, from whence K07r/£mc> here ufed, fignifieth as much asone that with great labour and pains effect - eth what he doth ^ not the Sweat in the Pulpit but the Study, as may be more apparent, is it, which makes him capable of this Double honour. I wonder much at the Write* therefore , not that he was deceived, for \hzx.\$ humamm y fubjed to humane nature ^ but that he who feemsfo punctual in Logiek, ftiould offer fuch a fallacy, the fraud whereof is fo manifeft; but he goes on, and J.
It is (faith he) cfpecially to be obferved, that their Works are not the Things compared, but theperfons notified by the kind of their Works ^ for the words are not, the Elders becaufe they rule well, and becaufe they labour , but thofe Elders that are ruling, thofe Elders that are labouring in the Word.
See again, what a mift he layes before the Readers eyes, in hi* Exception, he puts thephrafe aright in the firft place, It is not becaufe they rule well, Rule well is thephrafe of the Text; but in his affirmative it is (thofe Elders that are ruling) there that em- phatical Epithete (well) is left out. And then again in his fecond Exception , That it is not becaufe they labour -9 there ( in the word ) is left out- but in his Affirmative it is put in , ( but thofe Elders that are labouring in the word. ) This is mcer Jugling-, but to his Senfe. I grant that the perfons are notified by their Works, although not by fuch kind as he exprefTech ; The per- fons I grant diftincT, but the diverfe perfons, and the fame Of- fice, the Office is not diftinft.
He proceeds to this Senfe, that their phrafes are the Sub/eft
of
The Argument anjwered* y I
of the proportion only, and therefore the perform and Officers being the Thing* compared, k is certain they muft be diftind perfons. This is the very phrafe , he names here only diftinc% perfons, which I grant , but dedueeth this Concefiion oat of that Addition of Offices to perfons, but I will grant they are di- *ftind Officers w>o ., but .not diftind: Offices, which is the Queftion.
He goes on : Firft, thofe Conceits vanifh, that Elders are not attended for their holineffe or private Converfation, I grant it, but for their demeanour in the Church. Secondly , ( faith hej nor will the Conceit hold, which faith, there be not diverfe El- ders, but divers works of one Elder attended, when w y&v 5 cAe^ are perfons compared, not Ads, Thefe phrafes, Sija.iv 8/ M, are not in the Text , or if they were, it would but inforce diverfe men, or diverfe Officers, not diverfe Offices, which hernuft prove, or lie proves nothing to the purpofe ; but Confider how fallacioufly he deals >y now belabours to prove thence diverfe perfons, which is granted ; then diverfe Officers, which is gran- ted, under thefe notions hoping to beguile the heedlefle Rea- der ; when he never comes elofc to prove diverfe Offices , which is his only Work.
Afterwards he comes to difcourfeofthe Confequent , as he calls it, (let bimcall it what he will) I will follow him : The Confequent part (faith he) of this difcreet Axiom, is, The firft Elder is worthy of this Double honour, the Second Elder is wor* thy of Double honour, but with this difference, it is chiefly his due, (the fecond he means) Firft, in the Order to be attended* 2dly. in meafiire , more of it is due and debt to him. Now -(faith he) it is well known, it is required that the two parts of a difcreet Axiom be not only difcreet , but true in themfelves % I eonfent *, let us fee what he deduceth.
Whence (faith he) again that Conceit utterly vaniiheth, which makes the Comparifon to be betwixt the two Ads of one man, namely, the well ruling ofaPaftor is worthy of Double honor,., be it alone in itsfelf confidered-, which is an Aflertion grofly croffe to the rule of Divinity, as the former was to the rale ofLogidc
What the Logick of hisdeduftion is, I have (hewed, what the Divinity, will appear anon^ hefeemstoprove it againft DivK sitythus. £ha£
75
Neither ruling nor preaching^ &c.
That Interpretation which make9 the performance of the leaft part of a Paftoral Calling, though it be with the negled of the grcatefl: Work, worthy or Double honour •, that is grofly contrary to the mind of God , and the verdid of Scripture, &c, rather a double Wo is to be denounced • againfl them, than a dou- ble honor beftowed upon them.
Eut this Interpretation doth this. £rgoy
SECT. XL
Neither ruling nor preaching are more excellent absolutely 3 bnt in relation to circun/Jiances.
I Will difcourfe firft upon his Major: Suppofewe now, which is molt true, that there are diverfe duties In a paftoral U.at ge, Preaching, Adminiftring Sacraments, Ruling, Guiding his Hock, put the queft ion which of thefe. is molt excellent, take theradi- ftinft /»j^»/#^m/0,onlyinthernfelves , without Confideration of times and perfons, andwhofoever (hall affirm either of thefe moft excellent or ufefull for the Church, (hall be Confuted by another, who will fay that at fuch a time or to fuch perfons the other is moil: neceflary , molt honourable : without queftion to Heathen people that have not htard of Chrift, preaching is mod neceflary, No man can come to God, nnleffe he believe that he #, and that he is a re^arder of them that feek. him diligently , Heb. 1 1. 6. But faith comes (?) hearing, Rom. 10. 14. So then, to that State of men in that Condition preaching is moft neceflary to generate Faith, and lay the Seeds ©f Religion j but when men are Converted to a belief in the Principles of Religion , fo that they are ready to cry out with the Converted people fn Atls 2. 3 7. Men and brethren^ whatfba/l Voe do * then is neceffary and ufefull that which the Apoftles did with them ^ Baptize, them after Converfion by preaching,. Baptifm is neceflary, then the holy Communion tbconfirrnand ftrengchen them in all godli- neffeandrighteoufnefle. Now it is poflible that a Soul , after he is Converted, andftudious, himfelfmay perfevere inGod- lineffe, and improve ( no doubt of it ) without hearing more Sermons, but by Study and Contemplation , as in the Times
of
Neither ruling nor preachings &c. 73
of perfection mulcitudesdo, and in thofe places where they are perfecuied, yet their Obedience to Church-difciphne and the Canons of Ecclefiaftical Government, fuch as concern fuch per- fons, areneceffry ; yea, becaufe many ad minifter Sacraments who cannot have the oportunity of Preaching, therefore things maybe necelTary then and there, and more neceflary than the other, as likevvife in the Cafe of dying men; not the Do&or and Difpucer in the myfteries of Divinity , nor their Lay Elder , (whofe duty they make it to vifit the fick , and not to authorize to preach) are the welcome men- but he chat can bring the Seals of Gods Covenants by Abfolutionby the Communion, is ne- celTary. Ccnfider again, Such a Church ( as many there have been ) which is furnifhed with learned Preschers abundantly, in fuch a Time a man with difcretion of ruling may be moft: accep- table • and his endeavours applyed that way will be more grate- full, and better to Gods Church, than his preaching, where is no need : and as the ufe of thefe things is in differing places and oc- c^fions moft neceflary, fo the Application oi men to ihem (fup- pofing all thefe belonging to every Officer,) in their feveral tic occafions, deferves Double honour, although they do neglect that which is moft excellent. It is the moft excellent endow* ment for a man to be a Scholar, and learned, and the greareft ex- cellency mans foul is capable of- yet he is an honeft man and de- ferves honour, that applyes himfelfr to Husb ndry, and a Confci- encious Manage of a Trade, although he negfecT the heft -, a man is not bound to be beft, but to be good-, to rule well, not beft^ co labour in the Word, not to be molt excellent : vea, in fuch Ca- fes, it is betcer for fuch a mm to apply himf If co ru'ing, than, preaching, that being more needful!. And ag:in, that ord to mglect the better, which is inferted in his Maj r, is ©0 harfh to be applyed upon fuch occafions • for, that is barter for one, which is not for another, at one tim:in one place, .vhich is not at another, in another; where there is preaching abunda ■, .nd many fuch as abound in Divine Eloquence, there prudence of ruling is more neceflary 3 the beft preachers are not alwayes the wifeft men. Again, where the Abilities of a man are more fitted to the one, than to the other, there he ought principally to apply his Endeavour : fothatifhis Abilitiesin ruling be grea- ter, he ought to apply himfelf to that moft, and not force him-
K felf.
7 a Another Argument anfwered.
felfto that which his Difpoficion is not fo fit for. Again, as I faid, to dying men, who can teed their Souls with that Store of Dodrine which they had ftored themfelves with before, but lack the Seals of Gods Covenants, thefe are molt neceffary. but I wonder what a Lay Elder (hould do with them, who muft nei- ther Preach, nor apply Gods Seals to any ? Again, we may oh- fcrve out of the Text, that it is not faid, Doth noc preach, the negative isnot there^ yes he will object, becaufe it is oppofed to thofe that labour in the Word; It is true: but there is a diffe- rence betwixt thofe who do not bbour in the Word, and thofe who do not Preach - Labouring, as I have (hewed, fignifiesone jnduRrioufly doing it, fpending his main fource and bent to it; Now they, who finding their Abilities and the neceflities of the Times and places in which they Converfe, requiring Ruling from them, rather than Preaching, do noc bend their Endeavours to preaching, but to ruling, and yet may fometimes preach like- wife ; as St. Pdttly who was the molt glorious preacher in the World, yet took fometimes from preaching to bellow upon ru~ ling : fo may they likewife, who give their labour and endea- vour to ruling well, take off fome time from it, and give it to preaching, and yet not be K07n<£v7ec, men labouring in the Word.
S E C T. XII.
Another Argument anjrvertd.
SO then, to his Argument •, having layd thefe premifles, thus Expounded, Ianfwer, That labouiing in the Word is not abfolutely greater to all per fons at all times, in all places, at all ©ecafions. If he urge the Text, that becaufe there is efpecial Honour due to thefe Labourers , therefore their Labour defer- ved it. I anfwer, in the dayesof St. Paul, at the planting of. the Gofpel , it was raoft neceffary 5 but fince not in fuch places &here it is planted, zly. I deny that upon fuch oecafions, as L have faid, it is his duty, who finds great abilities in himfelf for ruling, to labour in the Word, but to labour in that by which Jie may do moft good, which is ruling. If he Ob;e& , that to
Convert
Another Argument anfrvered. J 5
Convert Souls, is the beft Work, which is the proper Effect of Preaching. I anfwer, yet when men are Converted, keeping them in Ecclefiaftical Difcipline is morqbencficial. And again, although it be the beft Work for him that is excellently Gifted, yet it is not for him who hath greater Abilities for others, and kfo for :ic •, and therefore, although he may be more excel- lent, whoasSt.P**/himfelfdid,canrulewell, and labour in the Word likewife, yet he may well deferve double honour who rules well, and more feldom preachctb •, but if he can do both, have this word efpecially added to his double honour.
SEC T. XIII.
Another Argument anfvpered.
BUT Pag 14. be hath another of the fame, the fame Argu- ment framed another way with this phrafe , or thus I may reafon ; If the Apoftle in this Text doth not fpeak only of El- ders, Preachers, then hefpeaks of Elders no Preachers.
But the firft is true : (what the firft is, I know not, for there is no fecond, it being but one propofttionj He fpeaks in the place of fome Elders, which are no preachers, which is thus proved.
If he fpeak only of Preachers , then there were fome Prea- cher*, who preached not at all ^ but there be no Preachers who preach not at all.
The fecond part is pafi: denyal; The Confequence is proved.
If thefe Elders who are molt worthy of double honour are faid but to labour in the Word : Then they who are accounted but worthy of, &c. did not labour in the Word, but &c.
I have put down his Argument verbatim word for word , that the whole force of it may appear , as well as the weaknefTe fliall be manifeft : And I anfwer in a word, It is one thing not to la- bour in the Word, and another not to preach it all. To labourt as I have faid and (hewed out of the Word, is todoitinduftri- ouQy, with his chief endeavour and mighty which doth not im- ply that he doth it not at all, yea rather that he doth it, and that he cannot rule well if not preach at all, but not with hi? might
K 2 and
j6 A Digrejfion concerning Preaching.
and main. I will retort this Argument. If none may preach bur Clergy Elders, then ic feems here , that thefe muit be Clergy not Lay Elders, which rule well • for the Text that fay es the one labours in the Word, implycs with that, that the other doth it, but not induftriouflf, and therefore mu ft be fuch Elders who may preach, and would have more honour if they did it labors oufly, or rather that honour more due.
S E C T. XIV.
A DigreJJion concerning Preaching.
BUT becaufe tbefe men feem to place the whole work of the Miniftry in preaching, I would learn from fome of them, whac this preaching is, which they magnifiefo much, which I could never know to be fo defined, as to make a peculiar Work of a Minifter, fo that it fhould, as they make it, fwallow up his run&ion, and belong to none but fuch as they call Ecclefiaftical Presbyters. I hope it will not be unukful to the Explication of the Text, nor unprofitable nor unpleafant to the Reader, if I, be- yond the bounds of an Anfwer digreffea little, to difcourfe of thisTheam -9 Labouring in the Word^ is not only labouring with the Word in the pulpit, but an Indubious and fludious Endea- vour ^ and therefore, in the 4th. Chapter of this Epiftle,verf. 1 3 . headvifethT*W0^, to give himfelf unto readings that is, Study- ing, Exhortation, Do&rine •, and verf. 15. Meditate on thefe things, this is labouring in the Word, and this labour is fuch as isexpreffed, liKeanOxe, as he expreffethit verf. 18th. of this Chapter, Thou [bait not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that tread- eth out the Corn: it muft be as much, or greater, or elfe his Ar- gument would not hold ; It is the labour of the mind by day and night, reading, meditating.
And fuch are worthy in an efpecial manner of double honour 3 but becaufe the Apoftle advifeth to Exhortation and Doctrine, and every Ecciefiaftick Officer is not for himfelf, but for the Church, this reading and meditating, muft not be for his pri- vate Contemplation, but for the publique, to teach him to rule well, upon Occafionsto exhort to all piety , to teach the Truth
of
A Digrefpon cone em i ng F re aching. 77
of Gods will, both to believe, and to do all thefe at their feverai Occafions, not only in the pulpit, but in Writings, and in Con- ferences : Every man who is fit to be a Presbyter, is not cut ou: for a popular Auditory, he may have Gifts of an higher ftrain, and they ought to beftow their pains upon thofe greater dutyes : As I have heard it was anfwered Erafmus, when he fcrupled to receive a Benefice in England, becaufe he had not that Language to teach the people , You teach their Preachers , which is more thin to teach themv fo may we fay of thefe, that they may te?ch Preachers, which is a greater Work : Preach to them in Confe- rence, preach to them in their Writings. I have known in mine experience a learned man, who had not himfelf the Faculty of palpit-preiching, yet did more good by directing and teaching others to preach, and advanced the Caufe of Chrift more than Twenty peeachers could have done : Did not this Man labour in the Word think you ? Others again who have not that Conve- nience of doing it by Conference, have written learned books for Preachers to ftudy, and by them Preachers preach : Did not thefe men labour in the Word ? It is reported ofSalvianiu, that he wrote and penned Homilies, which others preached and re- peated, which of thefe (think you) was the Preacher ? I think both : and both took pains, and did their utmofl endeavour, and laboured in the Word and Do&rine ; perhaps, one could not pen . exa&Jy, perhaps the other could not Orator, like deliver- or, perhaps ,. and it is likely, S^lvianta could do both- but his Ser- mon might ferve both places, and did good and was applauded,, in both his own Church and his that preached his Sermon ; he preached, perhaps, in two places at once, and both thefe put. their Talents out toufe^ and I doubt not but they may hear Well done , good and faithfu/l Servant , thou haft ken faith full in a. little, I will make thee Lord over much. But Jet us a little. Confir 4sr what Preaching is,
SE C T>
j
y% What Preaching is.
SECT. XV,
What Preaching is.
o
I Can think it noching but teaching the Gofpel of Chrifr, that is, his Life for Example, hisDoclrinefor Precepts, and his Death and Refurre&ion for our Meditation ; now then this is done by words written or fpoken, either of thefe a man preach- eth by : He preachech, that writeth fuch Arguments as Convince or perfwadc, as well as he that fpeaks them-, yea, perhaps, doth more by that, and makes an Everlafhng Sermon, like a perfume when the body is gone, yet there is a fweetnefTe remaining be- hind, which is gratefull to all fuch as Converfe with it ; fo, the Preacher being dead, the Sermons yet lire-, the fruit remains, when the Tree is felled. That this is Preaching, is moft evident, becaufc thefe teach the truth of Do&rine, and thefe perfwade to Godlinefle, Again, it is preaching, and he preacheth, whou- fing others words and matter in the Pulpit, perfwades the Audi- tory either to Chriftian faith or manners, this is preaching •, and for my part, I conceive the faying or reading a Godly Homily, to be preaching, and more ufefull than thofe vain Sermons which Trivial Presbyters and proud men utter, even in pulpits with you in London ; f call them proud, bacaufe many take upon them to preach, who fcarce ever did read a Body of Divinity, nor are able toballance the Dodrine they deliver , by the Analogy of Faith, oriftheycoulddoitby leafureandfludyi take not time to doit, being alwayes preaching, but never learning j thefe men, if they were humble, would content themfelves either with fuch Sermons* as .are penn'd by the Church to be read or got without book ; or with fuch excellent Sermons which St. Chrj- foftome, Bazil, Gregory ; or the like made, as the whole Church of the Mfifcovites do ^ for by that means both the people fhould be inftru&ed in the fundamentals of Faith and Life, and ihey fe- cured from that fearfull preemption, of undertaking to teach, being not t?ught, and that vanity of being uneftabliftud in the Faith, and being carryed about with winds of Do&rine, and that other pride offeeking their own vain-glory ^ truly thefe
thoughts
What F reaching k. 79
thoughts have often made me itartle, when I go about to ftudy a Sermon, and not dare to adventure on any thing which I have not carefully Confidcred on. To repeat another* Homily or Sermon is preaching, it is teaching the people the Gofpei of Chrift- for it is not material who penned it, fothe Meffage of God be delivered : and becaufe Nihil diclum cjhod non fnit dtttum prim , I know not why men fhouid be fo fqueamifh of it.
But I will ftoop one degree lower, fincc Preaching is Evange- lizing, and that is teaching the Gofpels, who can fay, that read- ing the Scripture in a known Torgue is not preaching, which teacheth the people out of Scripture all that they ought ro know concerning their Souls Good. Let no man trouble this Dif- courfe with St. Pauls faying , i Cor, 9. woe u we if I f reach not the Gofiel, and then GloiTe upon it, that St. Paul meant none of thefe preachings I have named • it is true , he did not • but yet Cenfider, that Sr. Pauls preaching was infallibly in- fpired, and there he might have full affuranceof what he delive- red with Eafe , without Pre-thought what he -(hould deliver , which we have not without mighty pains and ftudy j therefore his preaching was by the power of his utterance : and yet he, Sr> rattle did not only ufe vocal preaching, but writing, andthofe Sermons he wrote have ben, I dare fay, more beneficial to the Church than thofe he preached ,, a-nd then we read thofe very Sermons which he wrote ,• HisEpiftlesare very Sermons, we have the fame, and there is reafon, if we be not felf- conceit- ed, that they (hould do as much good amongft us, as the Ro- mans, Corinthians, Galathians, &c. If they be hard to us in many places, I doubt not but they were hard to them , and we- have befides thefe, Expositions of the Fathers in the Ancicnn Church, by which Souls were directed to heaven, and all that have been faved thefe 12. or 1 3 00 years have been faved by them, unleffe feme few of late, who have found a new Road to Heaven.
Well then, to end \ This is a low degree of preaching , but k- preiching, and preaching the Gofpei : Thefe are Sermons which St. /Wand the Church thought fit to be divulged, for the Sal- tation of men,
SEC T,
8o To n>bat Preachings &c.
SECT. XVI.
To rrhat Preaching every Presbyter is bound.
IHave expounded what preaching is •, now let us fee to what preacHng every Presb) ter is bound. Firft, without Que- fUon, every Presbyter ftiould be a ruler - fo St. Paul in the 3d. Chapter oi: this Epiftlc, verfe 5. For if a man know not hw to rule his own houfe3 how (hall he take &are to rule the Church of God? there he fuppofeth , That he muft be a Ruler • otherwife his Conclufion were nothing , drawn from the Governing his own fooufe. There ruling is neceffry in aBifhoporPresbyrer, for you will fee hereafcer , that thefc Offices had one name , and in many things agreed. Now there you fee ruling is required in a Presbyter, and he himfelf will no: fay that this was a Lay Presby- ter- Butthen Confider, that in this whole Character of a Pres- byter, there is no one word of preaching, although there is of ru- ling, and can you think if a Presbyter were chofen, fuch as St. Paulhere nominates, itwereamifTe? But it is objecled,Tit 1.9. there it is required, that he fhould be holding f aft the faithfull ■word at he hath been taught, that he may be able by found Dcclrincy to exhort and convince the Gainfajers.
I may well think this to be a Caution of Advice, not neceflity : But if Timothy had chofen and ordained fuch as were prefcii- bed him, they might hive been men futficiently qualified, yec ex abundanti , if this might be h d in another Condition, al- though that were well, yet this would be better - there is a lati- tude in Good, though not in Truth; butthen let let u< fcan the Text, fuppofe it be a requifue. I irft, let usobferve, that[^ muft hold \j aft the faithfull w or d^\ that is, the word, 1 conceive, of the Gofpel; hold faft, that is, apprehend it ftrongly, adhere dofe to it, as he hath learned, fo we in our Tranflation^ or in learning, as the Margent •, or fecundum BoElrinam Strmonisy as Beza\ the bufineffe will not be much. It muft either be holding faft that Doftrine which he hath learned, heretofore, and then there will be little left for new Invention-, orelfe it muft be, he muft hold the faithfull word in his teaching ^ and then I anfwer, this
will
•— ■ - ▼ — — ■ —
To what Preaching, &<c. g i
will be made good in the reading the Scriptures , in the reading or repeating. Homilies ; The next Ciaufe is; [ That he may be able to exhort and convince Gainfajersy ] This Iikewife will be acted in the other ; But Confider firft, Can any man think, that this ability muft be underftood in fuch a vail Capacity , as that every Presbyter muft be able to Convince all ill Opinions of Gentilifm, Judaifm? Surely, 1 believe not^ Iffo, i dare fay, nor he , nor any Fellow he hath is a Pre«byter. I remember once in a Conference with a Gentleman of his mind, a Presby- ter, I propofed to him an Old Hcrefie which I had newly light- ed on, and thofe Arguments were made for it, he was forced to Confefle an inability for that time, and yet a man of as great a Name as any in England of that Side. Well then, what muft it be ? that there muft be fome Capability to this purpofe, upon ©ccafions, not pulpit work, but by difcourfe, when any fuch thing (hall be objected, and that fuch men fhould endeavour to improve themfelves in their Abilities to this purpofe; fo that here is a great Latitude, and Mens abilities in all Elections and Ordinations fhould be considered, how far they extend to this purpofe : but 1 perceive not here that kind of preaching which is now fo magnified, at all exacted. So the Herefie be convinced, fo the men be exhorted to piety, whether by an Homily out of fome Ancient Father, or fuch which the wifdom of the Church prefcribes, or a Declamation of a mans own penning, it is not material ^ for alchough thofe who have leaft Abilities, common- ly do moft magnifie the latter, and practife It, yet without que- ftion the former is much fafer, both for the Strong Convincing of ancient Herefies, and Iikewife for fure Grounds of Exhor- tation. Put the Cafe that it were as it was in Queen Elizabeths dayes, that there was fuch a Reformation, as abundance of lear- ned men would not yield to, but rather leave their Benefices than fubferibe, it is neceffary that tbofe Churches fhould have each a Presbyter in them, you will have men gifted with abilities to preach, and make Sermons of their own invention, I prefume there were not then an hundred fuch in all England. St. Paul had then provided ill for this Church, who fhould require as ne- ceffary, fuch Conditions as could not be found • Put the Cafe as it is, that there be four or five hundred, yea a thoufand, two or three thoufand, that have abilities fit to be licenfed to
L preach
8 a What peculiar Intcrejl^ &>c.
preach Sermons of their own miking, it is a mighty matter, yet what are they amongft tbofe multitudes of Churches and pandi- ts, certainly but an handfull, the Parifhes are 9284.
It cannot be then, that there is a neceflity of more abilities to a Presbyter than to do thefe Duties in that general way, which 1 havedifcourfed, and foto endeavour in and by fuch means to inltrud otters, and upon Study and Induftry either from himfeif? or more learned men , upon the ftarting any new Doubt, by Study convince the Gainfayers, it is not required he ftiould do it ex tempore.
SECT. XVII.
What peculiar Intercji a Presbyter bath in this hjind of f reaching.
HAving thus Confidercd Preaching in its latitude, it will new be worth our Thoughts to refled upon this Officer called a Presbyter, and fee what peculiar Intereft he hath in it, diftinft from other men. Firft then, without Queftion, fuch a preach- ing as is Occafional, by private Conference, or in publike Af- femblies, when in publick Opportunity is offered to manifeft the Glory ®f God, or Convert or Confirm by Conference anyfoit to or in the Chriftian Religion, or GodlinefTe of living , which indeed is a g-eatpartofChriflianity, when upon occafions of Didcourfe or otherwife, Opportunities fliall begranted to any man, he may, if he have abilities, loConferre, as to perfwade men to a newneffe of life ; and this is preaching in its latitude, it is preaching the Gofpelof Chri'r, and each man that hath abi- lities ought to do it, but each man is not bound to have abilities*, a private mans ftrength is chiefly difcerned in holding faft the Word of Truth, that fo he be not carryedaWay with the Veind of Dotlrine : he hath other Offices which are his Duties, and in which he ought to expend his Studies and Endeavours- but to have abilities, or to endeavour to have fome Abilities for this purpofe, is the Duty and Office of a Presbyter. It is the Duty <&f the Shepherd to tzke care of hit Matters flieep r but it is a
comely
Who is authorised to Preach. 83
comely Charity in every Servant, though he be not the Shep- herd, when he finds his Matters fhecp run allray, or ready to ftarve, to throw them a lock of Hay, or call them back to the fold ; Nay it is his Duty out of Charity , though not out of Of- rice 3 but to take upon him the Office when he is not Authori- zed to it, would be Intrufion, and it would bring a great Con- fufion into the Church, as it would into a great Family, where every mm, or every man that would, might take upon him the Manage of any Office he would. Sr. Pant therefore faith of fuch, Horvfiail he preach, unlefie hebefent ? that is, how fhall he ukc upon him the Office of doing it, unleffe he be authorized for it ^ let us then Coniider who is authorized.
SECT. XVIII.
Who is authorised to Preach.
THat this Authority mutt be joyned to every Presbyter that hath power to adminifter the Sacraments, preaching muft be taken in a large fenfe, for reading Homilies , for reading the Scriptures in known languages^ for it is not poflSble to find men of Abilities to do the other, in fuch a Nation as ours is , and yet it is neceflary that they fhould have thefe Sacraments, becaufe by them men receive the Covenants of God concerning their Souls, which to teach and incourage us to, i$ the chief Duty of preach- ing •, and this is done ([ am perfwaded) more fecurety , by the other way projected before- but then if we will have menpreach nothing but what they make themfelves, there had need be a mighty ability for a Weekly Preacher to do that, and fuch in- deed as cannot be expected from every Presbyter that may be fit for the other •, and therefore, that way of penning their own Sermons, is not, nor can be exacted from every presbyter : And to preach Sermons not penned , although upon urgency there hath been or may be fuch a Thing, yet it is nothing but lazinefs and fupinc negligence, and underva'uing of that great Work ( by thofe to do it Conftantly ) and not worthy the thought of Chrifuans. But whether Tresbyters alone may do this , is a Queftion ftarted in this Age, but was difputed long fince by
L 2 learned
8 4 Who vs authorised to preach.
learned men, and how determined 1 will fet down , with mine obfervations uponir, TheStor;' is thus- Origin, a man moft eminent for learning of any man Hi that Age, both for humanity and Divinity, and indeed fuch as may not only be accounted fo for that Age in which he lived, but deferved to be placed in the firlt rank of Scholars, both of his own or any other Age, when he lived at Cefarea, by Authority given him from the Biihops of jMf/?>tf ^interpreted the Scriptures publikely in the Church when he was not a Presbyter, nor, that we know of, had received any degree in Ecclefiaitick Office ^ Demetrim theBifhop of Alex- andria, who envytd the deferved glory ofOrigen, and that ho- nour which rather as a debt was paid to, than given him, for his Excellency in Preaching, inveighs bitterly againft him, and ha- ving little elfc to be offended with him for5 iaith, it was an un- heard of thing that a Layman (hould preach, and writes to the Bifhops of j3 'ale Bine about it^They patronage that excellentWork of their own, and gave htm Inftance in three or four that they knew of ^ and no doubt, (fay they) there were more which had •been licenfed by Bifhops todofo, and did preach even before them, I could have wifhed that the difpute had been larger fee down, that fo the Arguments from Scripture or reafon might have been fee down for our Inftru&ion, but for defence of him, who it is pity did not write his own Apology. If any man ob- ject St. Pauls HoVvcanbepreathunleffehebefent ? Iihall an- fwer, he was fent, and by that power that had Authority to fend, that was th^ Bifhops in that Province in which he lived, who -had authority to delegare as Apoliles, ("of which Khali treat hereafter) by our Saviours Charter, As mj Father fern me, fa fend Lyon, to fend others, notwithaplenipocency, but as they Aw expedient with divided powers, to baptize and no more, to adminifter the Sacraments and no more, and why not preach and no more; this way of preaching; penning, and contriving Ora- tions to the people, requires great abilities inherent, acquired by mighty induftry and pains- and when men are found fo Gift- ed and enabled, although they think themfelves not worthy to take a Paftoral Charge upon them, or to adminifter the Sacra- ments ; yet when they find abilities for-this, and their Bifhop think fit; why (hould they not preach? but not without the Bilhop • he is the Supream Paftor, he may, if he find an Inferi- or
Hit Argument anjwered. 85
onr fit for that place, give him Authority to feed, or fold, or drive his Flock, and no more •, and he that is authorized by the Supreara Paftor, may do it, and others who without his leave undertake to do it, are Intruders • bat he being fo authorized doth it orderly, lawfully •, thus did Origen, who had he lived in our Age, could have difcourfed much more powerfully to this Theam- and I can guefle , that this may fatisfie molt ofthat which many in our Age object concerning their Gifts. If they are Gifted, let their Gifts be examined, and if he (theBifhop) find them to be fuch as can enable them for fuch a Work , let them be licenfed, otherwife not.
CHAP. XIX. Hk Argument anjwered.
I Have been over tedious in this Difcourfe. Here you may difcern the vanity of his Argument from that Text, if prea- ching be taken in that late fenfe, as 1 have expounded it, I deny that there are any Presbyters which are not Teachers. If Prea- chers be taken in this ftrid fenfe for fuch as preach Studied Ora- tions, I fay that there are many Presbyters which arc not Prea- chers, and do not labour in the Word in that fenfe, and yet there are no Presbyters which have not the power of Adminiftring the Sacraments.lt is very weak that he faith .tfure muft be Preacher?, which are no Preachers- for Presbyteryk doth not depend upon preach ing in this kind,nor doth the name orofficefignitie aPrea- cher^ but if he will, there may be preachers who do not labour, •make it their Chief pains to preach • there may be differences \n the Induftries of men, and induftrious men may be induftrious in one piece of their Office, and not in another, 1 Gor. 15. 10. St. Paul faith, he laboured more than they ally that was, without *doubt, in preaching , aud yet 1 Cor. 1. 14. he baptized but a few, induftrioufly attending one, and not fo much the other- but the fenfe of the Text isapparent, I think, and do you forgive jny tedious digreffion.
But heurgeth, that the Bifhops Factors provide ill for them-' .for.bythe Apoftiestdecerrain^ion^ themeaneft Minifter that is
confei-
86 St. Ambrofe Expounded.
confcientious and laborious in preaching ffaould have more re- foedl than his Diocefin, who fits, &c. but hbours not to feed them with the Word of Life.
The Text doth not fay the meaneft eonfeientious Minifter,cVc. but faith, that ihofe who rule rvetly and labour in the Word like- wife, are more deferving that honour, than they that rule well only. It may be it is fpoken only of Bifhops • howfoever it is only an Addition of the obligation to him who labours • and truly I think that Bifhop who doth not labour in the Werd is wor- thy of little^ but I confine not labouring in the fVordio preaching only ftudyed Sermons • but to infirud Preachers, to write, to overthrow ill opinions, and the like , and this is labouring in the Word and Dodnne.
SECT. XX.
St. Ambrofe Expounded.
LAfHy, he hath found a piece of an Antient and truly to be honoured Father of the Church, St. Ambrofe , which he rejoyceth in, like one that had met with fome unexpected blef- fing- fee how he commends it ; It carries (faith he) an Amazing Evidence, and again afcer the place quoted, The brightneffe and patenefTe of the Witneffe is fuch as though it had been writ with a beamoftheSun, anddazles the Eyes ofalmoft Envy it felf. But obferve this one thing, as he and that fort of Writers when they will urge Scriptures which they cannot find to make any thing for them,they put not down the words but Ciphers: So here the words feem to ferve his turn, but the place where they are put overthrows it- (but it is not fet down by him)l have hunt- ed it out, and itisupontbefirftverfeofthe i Tim. 5. the words are thefe. Apud onsnes ubique G erttes htnorabilit eft Senetlus, unde & Sjnagcga &pofiea Ecclefva Stniores kabuit, fine quorum Confilio nihil agebatur in Ecclefia , quod quk negligentia obfo- teverit, ntfcio, nip forte Deft or urn defidia9aut fotius fuperbta, dum feli volunt aliquid videri. Now confider, this is Writ up- on the firft verfe before. The Words he comments on are thefe, Rebuke not an Elder, but entreat him at a Father , and the
younger
St. Ambrofe Expounded. 87
younger men as brethren. St. Ambrofe, with all Commentators f even Beta) doth acknowledge this word Elder to fignifie an Elder in Age^ St. Ambrofe his words before thefe written down are, Propter honorific entiam atatis major em natu, cam manfnetu- dine adbonnmoput provocandum. And upon that he brings the words cited, Amongfl all Nations old Age is honourable • and this word is as it were put of purpofe to overthrow thofe men, he ufeth Senetlus, not Presbyter, which word Seneclus was ne- ver ufed for an Officer- fo then what doth St. Ambrofe mean, but that in tb&ftVrifi Synagogue and in the Church, they .ufed grave men to aflift and counfell, without whofe Advice no- thing was done in the Church •, j grant it $ but thefe men were not your Elders,but grave and learned men to advife with; I will put in, it is fit to be fo Itill • and for that reafon Chancellors, men learned, ufed to fit in the Confiftory. But he gives two cautions pag. 1 5. wherefore let him know, (that i$9 the Reader) that the Elders mentioned by Ambrofe , were fveh that their places and offices Veere almofi worn cut; ( I agree ) butfuch were not the prea- ching Elders, (I agree to that likewife-, ) but fay withal! , that thefe men were not fuch Elders who had Office in the Church, but were Counsellors, as he faith.
His fecond Obfervation upon St. Ambrofe, is, That the defa- cing of the power and Rule of thefe E tiers, came, as he conjeclttres^ by the (loath, efpecially by the Pride of the Teachers , becaufe they? alone might be lifted up. The word in St. Ambrofe was Do&c- rum, of Doctors, which was aphrafe applyed to Bifliops, who in his time were the only Preachers, as appears in the famous- Story of St. Attftin, who when he was a Presbyter, was fain to have a licenfe to preach , now then, why he fhould fay the floath of the Bifliops, I cannot tell, for (loathfull men are willing to have others joyned in Commiffion with them, thatfo others may ad what through lazinefTe they are unwilling to meddle with-, but what he faith of pride may have fom< colour, that they would Ael all alone, andfo have all the Curchy and Appli- cation made to them ; therefore they would admit none of thefe Lay Counfellors with them. Here is the drift of his Speech , and what word in all this tends to the Addition of any Ecclefiaftical Officer? much leflc by a Divine right which is pretended to, iaa only fome Chancellor, as I have iaid, to advife with^ and now
fuppo£
88 St. Ambrofe Expounded.
fuppofe, I fay, clean contrary to him, that the floruh and pride of Bifbops put all bufinefsupon thefe Lay men,fo that indeed in our Times they are more Bilhops than the Bifhops, and all through their (loath, becaufe they would not ad inbufinelTe, and pride, becaufe they difdained to ftoop to petty occafions, I doubt I fhould fay true, and yet neither his Saying nor mine make one word for their Elders fure Divino j the reft that he faith vani- fheth of its felf : thus they would make themfdves eminent, by the difannulling the honor of others places, they could not be fuch as were of c^eir own rank, or did polTds any of their places, I grant it, neither werejehey fuch Elders aswefpeakof, nor you.
Thus nowis apparent, I hope, how weak his Arguments are, and what he faid of that place of St. Ambrofe, that it had an ama- zing kind of difcovery with it, I may fay of this whole difcourfe* that it hath an amazing kind of difcovery- but what itdifcovers, is the ftrangenefTe of thefe men, who oppofing a known truth", and the univerfal pra&ife of the Chriftian world from Chrifts time downward, dare urge thefe places for their Conceits, which had very little femblance for them, although they had been ex- pounded by praftife\ but having none but great words and commendations of their own to that purpofe, it will eafily per- fwade men that they made firft their Form, and then hunted for fomething to infinuate a belief, that they were induced by Scriptures ^ and thinking with my felf upon what defign they fhould introduce this kind of Miniftry, I could imagine no rea- fon, but as when cunning people would change a Monarchy in- to an Ariftocracy, or Oligarchy, they have no way to divert the people from their old obedience, and introduce it to themfelves, but by making them believe they fhould have fome (hare in that Government which was ingrofTed by one. So thefe men breaking from Epifcopacy, would perfwade the people from the old to the new yoak which they would impofc, that they had a Share in Ecclefiaftical Government, and that they (hould fend out of them into the Confiftory their Lay Elders, which would wonderfully provide for their Security and good, much better than before, with other Things of the like Nature of which I may fpeak hereafter 5 but indeed their hopes arc fruftrateinall this defign, for they could never fet up any thing more Tyrannical or Arbitrary than this, CHAP.
What a true Yrcsbytcr is. 8^
CHAP. VII. SECT. I.
What a true Presbyter is. The Name firji Expounded.
I Have done now with their Presbyter , of which I fee no footing in the Word of God, or Antiquity-, I now come next to treat of our otyn Presbyter 7 what he is : and firft, that we may avoyd all Equivocations anddoubtfull Interpretations of Scripture^ we will difcourfe of the guid no-minis , what is meant by this and other Phrafes which are ufed in Scriptur* to intimate this Office.
Firft, he is called a Presbyter, which as it naturally fignifies an Elder in Age, fo from that analogy it fignifies a grave and reve- rend Man ; another word is Bijhop , which we alwayes render for ,£7n<rao7r©-'5 and fignifies alwayes a Superintender , and it is applyed to Presbyters , who have a Particular Charge to over, look and fee to. I ftay little upon this , becaufe it hath received very little Controverfic • but yet fay fomewhat of it, becaufe it will illuftratc fome future paffages ; They are like wife called Pa - flors or Shepherds, becaufe when they are in a Charge they look over it , as a Shepherd over his flock, to govern or rule, to feed them, and do fuch Duties ; They are called DoBars and Tea- chers\ becaufe they inftru& the people in the Myfteries of God- lineffe, although perhaps this word may be extended farcher than to them ; but thefe were the Chief names by which that fuperiour Order which fucceeded the Apoflles were called in the Primitive Church, in the writings of the Apoftles and after^ and this is the Senfe imply ed by thefe names*
M SECT.
5>o Certain Concefla by all, &>c.
S- E C T. II.
Certain Conccffa by all who have engaged in this Controverjie.
BUT now to fever Granted Truths from Queftioned, and not to waft my time in unneceflary difcourfes, It is granted by all that I have feen, that thefe all were ordained by the Apoftles to do thefe Duties, to adminifter the Sacraments of Baptifm and the Communion, to preach the Gofpel » although, I think, no man can (hew me any place of Scripture exprefting fuch a Ca- non, which (hall enable fuch men bearing fuch names, under fuch Titles to be authorized to fuch Duties, but only a Con- ftant practice of it •, but it being fuppofed that they were au- thorized to do this Duty, we may find rules directing how thefe fhould be performed by them ^ I let that paffe therefore', and (hall now enter the lifts againft two Opinions which I oppofe, one which makes Paflors and Teachers two Offices-, a fecond which makes nodiftinftion amongft thefe.
SECT. III.
Mr. Hookers d/JiinSlion of Pajiors and Tea- chers handled.
FOR the firft^ Mr. Htxtfyr difpnees in his Book before ci- ted, Part 2. Chap. i. pag. 19, 20. And firft to under- ftand his Opinion, Confider, that he makes two forts of Te+> ehi&g Elders, one he calls Paflors^ and the other Teachers •, the fcopeof the Paflors he defcribes with a great deal ofhandfom Circumlocution, exceeding fine expreflicms of the Rhetorical perfwafive part of a Preacher,, the refult of all which is , to perfwade by fuch Arguments as have power over the Will and the Affections, asitispag. 19. The Teachers Office u to lay *& f**d*mtnul pi*ts ofChrifiian Faith, the Principles ofReli-
Mr. Hookers clijiin&ion of Paftors^ &c. 91
gion, as he expreffeth it in the bottom of Page 21, and the top of 22. Theie two parts he makes diftind Offices in the Church, both of them being ruling Elders as well as teaching, and both of them having power to adminilter the Sacraments • but in their preaching the one is to bend his force, his endeavour, to the Teaching and informing the Undemanding, the other to the perfwading «nd moving the Affection • the firft he calls Teach- ers, the fecond Paftors : Look for a reafon for this diftindion unheard-of till of late • I find none but in a reply to Mr. Rutter* ford, pag. 7. where it feems Mr. Rutterford urged, that thefe formal Objects of thefetwo Offices (Information of the Judge- ment and Exhorting) are not fo different as that they ftiould be incompetible, pag. 7. Chap. 1.
To this he replyes, that in them/elves, and full breadth , ( that is his phrafe ) thefe are notfo incompetible, but look^at the fyeciaU ty of the Gift that fits for one , and which fur nifheth for the other te attend mainly and chiefly upon each according to the Gift, they Will prove inconfifient •, Thefe arc his words, and thefe imply, that where there are diftinftions of Gifts and they diverfly to be endeavoured , there fhould be diverfe Offices, or dk I fee no force in this Difcourfe -? but this hath no probability of colour for it ; Confider Civil Offices, a fufiiceef Peace, onejuftice hath a great Cunning in the Statutes, in rendring them to a legal fenfe, he applyes himfelf and endeavours to that mod ^ another hath a great ability in reconciling and taking up Quarrels, and perfwading men to friendfhip , he endeavours that mon\ and perhaps did either of thefe by framing himfelf to endeavour what he were lead fit for, leffe attend what he were more dexterous in^ he might attend his Office in general, but the leffe profita- ble way, and thefe are both one Office, though in it diverfe Gifts or Abilities , which cannot both be attended with any mans utmoft endeavour, paffe from Civil to Eccleftaflical Of- fices, and this very bufineffe : Among Presbyters preachers, one hath great Excellency in giving the Grammatical fenfe of the Text, another in expounding it Scholaflically , a Third in the Hiftorical part of Divinity ; and thefe are feveral Gifts or Abilities, and men according to them apply their utmoft en- deavours , but thefe make not diftind Offices, but feveral Gifrs and Abilities in the fame Office, which is juft the fame with
M 2 thefe;
52 M*\ Hookers diUmStion ofPajlors^ &c.
thefe; and as there is no foot-ftep in the Hiftorical pan of Di- vnaty, to (hew any one prefident : fo is there no colour of rea- fon for k ; Bat he quotes Scripture. The rlrft is chat place fo largely difcourfed of before, Rom. 1 2. 7, 8. He that teacbeth, on teachings he that exhort eth, on exhortation. This place I have at large fhewed in the Cafe of their Beacon^ not to figiifie diilind Ortices, but diverfities of Gifts, and it imports no*more, than that he who finds in himfelf Abiliti s of Teaching or Exhorting, fhould ufehis Talent as a meenber of the fame body, to the good of his brother. But I wonder, why they fhould not rather di- Itinguifh thefe Offices by the Names of Teacher and Exhorter, becaufe thefe N;mes in this place fignihediftinft Abilities and Endeavours, in thofe two waves which they intend them to- but there is nothing in either word which intimates the nature of a Paftor, which istogoveru|nswe!lasfeed; But thefe words arc found Eph. 4. 1. where the words Paftor and Teacher are ufed; and are urged for this diftinction in his Treatife of the Preachers Office, Part 2. Chap. i„ pag. 20. but how unluckily, let any man Confider : The words are thefe, And he gave fome Apoftles, and fome Prophets, andfome Evangehfts, andfome Pa ft or s and Teachers \ let any man Confider this place, and think whether ehe Apoftle fhould put thefe as diftinft ~ Thofe which are di- flindr, he diftinguifhes with this phrafe, ( fome Apeftles, fome Prophets, fome Evangelifts , fome Paftors ; now mark, he doth not fay, feme Teacher x, but fome Paftors and Teachers ; Coup- ling thefe together as one, not diftinguifhing themastheother; and therefore, let him not dare to fever thera whom God hath joyned*
But he cites Beza upon this place to anfwermine Argument which he toueheth; let us examine therefore what he far \ / ajfent, (faith he) to Ambrofe, rtho makes theft Offices diftintl^for ratio parum firma eft \ for (faith he) the reafonisnot firm rrhich moved Hierom and Auftin to Confound them; that is, becaufe the Copula is put without the Article, he faith it is not firm, but he offers no reafon why it is not firm •, the Apoftle dimngui- fheth the reft, with Tic <Ae and joyns thefe with, 7roi^i\;ocg m) *J\/cA<xc\<aAa?, then jcai, and, is put to joyn thefe together , can any man imagine thefe to be fevered , he names Hierome and Auftinz. but he