Part 19
2. As many officers are necessary for the growth, &o., of every member in particular, so for the public managing of common affairs amongst them, for every charch is a body, a commonwealth, a city, &., which, by virtue of . their combination, will, as all societies, have many businesses in common that will concern the whole, every church will have their ra agi dye, as the apostle speaks of the affairs of the church of Philippi, Philip. 1i. 20, church businesses, as corporations have common town businesses ; and as he intimates there, there had need be some to take care of them, to prepare them, to contrive them, to study them, to manage them. These common businesses are, admission of members, excommunications, and to examine witnesses in case of scandal, to judge of the cause, to give a just weight to the sin secordingto the balance of the sanctuary.
It was an especial office of the Priests under the law, to teach the people to discern between the clean and | unelean, Ezek. xliv. 28.
And in all these things, not only is it requisite, simply for order's sake, that some do in the name of the reat propound, discuss, &., but also for the ease of the whole; and not only so, but for the ' better managing and dispensing all things, when men shall make it their business to study church affairs, as men in authority do those of their commonwealth ; and, lastly, it conduceth to the more faithfnl managing of them.
For otherwise, that which is every man's business is no man's ; and common businesses, ifnot committed to the especial care of some, are ordinarily neglected, and misearry, as we see in ordinary experience.
8. It is necessary that there should be many officers in every church, unto whom the exercise of church power may be especially committed, though the power itself be wholly in the church itself, whose servants and helpers they are, 1 Cor. i. 24, and not lords over them ; and it is fit these officers should be constantly the same, because the fellowship is to be constant
(as was shewed), and through long experience they will be better exercised in such affairs as they give themselves wholly unto.
Lastly, it was for the great honour of Christ and of his church to have such officers as servants to attend his royal spouse, and queen, and children.
Princes, you see, have for every small business that belongs to them an officer on purpose, because their persons are so great that no business might be forgotten or neglected that concerns them.
Nowsuch provision hath Christ made for his church, that as princes, children, and wives have their courts apart and officers apart, so hath the church whilst here below ; yet she keeps
Caar. V.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
| a court, and hath servants to attend her. You may read, Esther ii. 2, 8, how officers were appointed to gather fair virgins for the king out of all provinces,
| and how Hege with others were to purify them for his bed.
So did Christ appoint his apostles and their successors his officers, as children of his bridechamber (as, Mat. ix. 11, he calls them), who should purify and adorn his spouse for him ; and they are jealous over them with a great jealousy, to present them as a pure virgin unto Christ, 2 Cor. xi. 2.
In like manner, in the type, for the honour of the temple, and the service of it, were there so many sorts of officers and attendantsto watch, &c, when there was no need; and go it is reckoned up amongst Christ's honours, Ps. xlv, that as his queen stands at his right hand, so that there are honourable women, king's daughters, that are hers and his servants, ver 9, to bring her to him and her virgins, ver. 14.
From the necessity of them to us, we will descend to the institution ofthem by God, which dependeth only on God's will.
I shall now then discourse of the institution of these officers by God, which depends only on God's will, which is our rule in this case.
It is God that hath set the members of the body as it pleased him ; and as of the members of the body it is said that they are set down in his book, Ps. cxxxix. 16.
It is all one here, for in like manner it is said, God hath set in his church some apostles, some prophets, &c., as principal members of that his church, and in his book we must find them all written too.
Our parents, who yet are the fathers of our bodies, cannot say how their children should be formed, what members they would have added, nor do they contribute anything to the ardering or placing of them ; but God's pencil secretly draws and limns them ; nay, we ourselves cannot make a hair black or white,or add a cubit to our stature, can much less add a member which God hath not written in his book; so wonderfully and fearfully are we madein the lower parts of the earth ; and shall we think that any, though spiritual fathers, can dispose of the members of the body of Christ, yea, of that body which, Eph. iv. 12, is called Christ's? And speaking of officers, 1 Cor. xii. 28, he says he hath set apostles, &c. Tho word iésro is the same in both, dnd it implies, he hath done wisely to an end, deliberately, and not at random, but in a wise and orderly manner.
Authors of the gifts of the members in the church, all will confess they are not.
They are yoplouara, gifts; andif that be not enough, xard ri» xaen, according to grace, as the fountain of them; and if that be not enough, dwésicas uh, given us, Rom. xii. 6. And authors of the success of those gifts, and the operation of them, men will acknowledge they are not.
Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God must give the increase, 1 Cor. iii. But yet men think they may appoint officers, how these gifts may best be improved, according to their discretion and intention ; but what says the apostlein the chapter afore cited, 1 Cor. xii.4—6? As hemakes the same Spirit author of all the diversities of gifts, ver. 4, and the same God author of the several operations of these gifts, ver6, in like manner the same Lord
Christ anthor of all the administrations or offices in the church, ver. 5, which is set between both, as whereby those gifts should be successfully employed in the church.
And nothing is more ordinary than the word daxwia, used there to signify the office or ministry, as daxovie of the apostleship, Bom. xi. 18, of evangelists, 2 Tim. iv. 5, &.
And as gifts are there united and ordained to offices, and stand in a fitness for them, so both of them for operations through God's blessing, even as media and means suitedto such an end.
Now it is the same power that appoints the end that must appoint also the means, and here in this case especially, seeing the effects always of these means dependeth on God's blessing.
If man therefore would undertake to appoint THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VL & new office, he must be able to give new gifts, and to give a success;but 80 he is not.
As Moses then blessed the tabernacle, Exodus. xxxix. 48, when he saw all made according to the pattern or will of God, so God will accompany his own institution only with a blessing; nor can any promise themselves a blessing farther.
And so as the apostle makes an enumeration of several gifts as ordinary, ver. 8, and extraordinary, 9, 10, dve.,so after an illustration from the several offices of members in the body from ver. 12, he shews, ver. 28, these several offices God hath set in the church both extraordinary and ordinary ; and the reason of it is because,
1. The three persons, as was said, sharing the glory between them, to make Christ to have a less hand in his share and allotment, and proper work, than the other two in the other, how dishonourable were it for him !
As it were sacrilege for any Simon Magus to think to bestow at his pleasure the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and dishonourable to the Spisit, so as dishonourable is it to Christ, to think at pleasure to appoint officers in the church ; and as great sacrilege every way, especially seeing Christ challengeth it as his own prerogative, and thatas the lord, king, and raler of his chureh, he reserves the power of instituting and appointing what ministries ehall be in his church.
Every king will challenge it as his prerogative to appoint what officers shall have his power imparted to them, as the elders had from Moses.
Though the people chose the men, yet Moses made them rulers, Dent. i. 18; and God gave them of Moses' spirit, Num. xi. 17, 1 Cor. ii. 18.
And allegiance is sworn to the king as supreme, or unto inferior governors as sent by him, as having his power imparted to them; thus supreme are kings often. And shall not Christ the Lord be thus supreme ? And there is as much reason fot the one as the other, and more; for as the businesses of a kingdom are the king's matters, and so called,
2 Chron. xix. 11, so the matters of the church are the Lord's matters, and so called there in that place.
2. The second reason is, because every officer in the church hath the power of Christ imparted to it, and he must communicate it.
I have all power in heaven and earth, says Christ, and he bids them go and teach; and this he speaks to all that should teach to the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 18.
Christ's power is a part of his image, and it is high treason in man to stamp ' it upon any but by his authority.
It is trae that officers in civil things men may appoint; which officers (and not their laws) as the coherence shews, are therefore called, byway of distinction, cvdpamivy xrior¢, human creation or institution, thereby to distinguish them from divine institution, which officers in the church are; and every such officer is xrioic, a creature, and a power must go to make it; but it issuch a creature as all the powerof men and angels cannot make, none but this Lord from heaven.
'A man can receive nothing,' says John, speaking of power in things spiritual, and of Christ's ministry, except it be given him from heaven, John iv. 27; and the like
Christ again intimates of John's ministry, Mat. xxi. 25.
The baptism (says , he), that is, by a synecdoche, the whole ministry of John, was it from heaven or from men? whereby he expresseth it to be unlawful if from men.
And the like Paul says of his ministry and apostleship, Gal. i., that as he had Christ's fall call to it, it was not given of man, that is, it was not merely human.
And if it be said that these things are true of such extraordinary callings, the answer is, that, Eph. iv. 11, 12, and 1 Cor. xii. 28, ordinary and extraordinary are made alike in this respect, that Christ gives them; and so 1 Cor. xii. 28, where hetella us that God sets them in the chareh, he reckons up both ordinary and extraordinary.
No, Christ is the Lord, and appoints his own administration here on earth; he is Lord over his own aa.
Crap. V.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. house, Heb. iii., and fit it is he should appoint by what kind of officers his house should be governed: Luke xii. 42, ' Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion in due season?'
Mark it, itis whom the Lord shall make.
Now, such great officers are ministers, 1 Cor. iv.
1; Moses and all the apostles were but servants, as it is there, and did all by appointment.
He built not the house there, ver. 4, nor added anything of his own head. ill officers in that house, and their distinction then, was according to the pattern, but Christ is Lord; Timothy, an evangelist, he must take rules how to behave himself in the house of God, 1 Tim. iii. 15, having mentioned officers to be ordained in the verses before.
80, then, Christ is to give orders for God's house; and as he is the Lord, the houseis his own; and he is afaithfal Lord, much more than Moses; and he as a Lord built the house, ver. 2-4, and so as faithfully, as a Lord, hath appointed all offices in it, and things pertaining to it, as Moses, whose faithfulness lay in doing by pattern.
It was part of his last work mainly after his resurrection, Acts i. 2,8.
Then he spake of things pertaining to his kingdom; and it is observable that it is placed at the beginning of that work called the Acts of the apostles, shewing the ecope and argument of what should follow to be, especially those things which concerned his kingdom; and that book contains not so mach the doctrine as example of the apostles in ordering churches.
But if it be said such institations as these are such potty matters of his kingdom, as he reserves them not to himself, bat leaves the disposing of them to men, the answer is, he is Lord in respect of administration, and so, asLord, hath reserved them to himself.
And, secondly, to appoint what officers are in a kingdom, is a main appurtenanes of it; and if the Lord so ordained in all churches for the maintenance of these officers, 1 Cor. ix. 14, v. 4, then what the officers should be, much more.
For men to appoint officers of the church, is to make Christ a servant and themselves lords, and the institutions then would not be perpetually binding ; but as they are from Christ, they are of eternal obligation.
For, 1. They proceed from Christ as a King and Lord, as that place shews, Mat. xxviii. 19, where he mentions his kingly office as the foundation of sending them apostles; and, Eph. iv. 11, the entrance into his kingly office, by his ascension into heaven, is made the cause of giving gifts, when his priestly office is subjected to his kingly, as afore his kingly was to his priestly.
Now, his other offices remain for ever, and the laws of them all are the same.
In his priesthood, Heb. x. 14, he consummated for ever, with one oblation, all that are sanctified; and his prophetical office gives rules of faith but once for all, Jade 8, and why should not the institution of his kingly office also be thus? Heb. xii. 26, 27, 'Yet onee more I shake not the earth only, but heaven also.
And this word, Yet once more, signifies the removing of these things that are shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.'
* And we have received a kingdom cannot be shaken,' and so the means of his kingdom are unchangeable.
He had spoken of the change of those who are servants and officers under the law; but the kingdom we have received, or do receive (so that he speaks not of that state in heaven, but of that under the gospel, which is called the kingdom, in whieh kingdom there should be no more such change), the offices now are unchangeable, and so is the work.
And therefore in the closure of that epistle to Timothy, wherein he had discoursed of the ordinary officers of the church, he sets an apostolical seal upon it from him, and all his successors in him, which was never to be violated or — broken up: 1 Tim. vi. 18, 14, 'I charge thee to keep this command to the day of Christ's appearing,' &c., that is, all the commands of this epistle, for THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI.
| else he should not be blameless.
And though here he says commandment, in the singular, yet chap. v. 21, where he makes the like observation, he says these, in the plural.
His way of expression is observable, he says, 1. I charge, not counsel, as leaving to liberty.
2. It is a commandment, not a permission.
8, He mentions a living God, and our confessing Christ to our latest breath ; they are such truths as we should be willing to lay down our lives for.
4. Hotells us that they are to be kept without spot, not in the least part neglected.
"te is such an epiphonema as that Rev. xrxii., 'I testify to him that shall | hear the words of this book, that if he add or take from,' &e.
And here, to keep the commandment blameless is all one as not to add or detract, and it is the same power to add as to detract; and man must do neither.
And he | speaks this as toTimothy, so to all whose duty as Timothy's is spokenof in this epistle.
As also Mat. xxviii. 20, and elsewhere, ho says of his apostles, in the name of their successors, I am with you to the end of the world.
It concerns us thereforeto have a warrant for the officers we choose rightly grounded on the word, and withal we may detest the sin of those who are like Jeroboam, 1 Kings xii. 81, who appointed priests which were not of the sons of Levi; and yet his variation was not of the office so muchas ofa qualification of the officer God appointed.
And therefore since we live amongst these that are guilty of that sin, let us do as these of Judah when they were to fight againat them, 2 Chron. xiii. 9-11, So God shall be with us, and against them, as ver. 12.
To add is as great a sin as to take away; 80 John, Rev. rxii., threateneth the same curse to both, for both equally detract from the power and wisdom of God.
CHAPTER VL That particular congregations are each of them to have more elders than ons set over themfor the public administration of their worship and government.
Not only the'synagogues among the Jews, to which congregational churches bear a resemblance, had more elders than one in each of them, but the churches constituted under the gospel had so too.
So these churches, Acts xiv. and Titus i. (which we have proved to be congregational churches), were constituted; for the apostles ordained elders to them in every chureh, &.
It is expressed elders, not elder.
Obj. The exception that some have made against this is, that this manner of speech might be used though there were but one elder in each church; as in like phrase of speech, if it were said the king appointed mayors in every incorporation, there would be no incongruity in such # speech, though but one mayor were in each town.
Ans. To which we answer, 1, That it were somewhat an hard phrase of speech to mean church in the singular number, and yet to say, Kar' éxxAgesar, which is equivalent to Kad' ixxAnsiay, to every church; and it is uncouth, too, to say elders, in the plural, as respectively to every one ofthese churches, and yet to mean but one elder in every of these churches.
But, 2, to follow the example given: if some of those towns in the supposition had more mayors at once than one jn them, though some others of them had each but one, then to speak uniformly of all alike in the plural were not so distinct; much more if the king should give direction (as Paul
Cuar. VI.) THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. doth here to Titus) in such a way of speechto appoint mayors in every incorporate town; and yet his meaning be in someto have more than one, and in others but one, how would this direction be understood if he speakin the plural of each? Now, so is the case here; for that the apostle planted more elders than one in some churches may be evidenced, and we suppose will not be denied ; much less can it be affirmed that there should be a confinement unto the number of one elder in each church, and so there was left a privilege and liberty of having more.
Yea, if there be two kinds of elders, teaching and ruling, and of teaching two kinds also, pastors and teachers, there may be three in each congregation.
So as if we consider' that elders in the plural are mentioned, and that they are expressed to be in every church in the singular, who will not conclude the Holy Ghost's intent to have been that elders, and not an elder only, should be in each church?
Yea, surely his meaning would be so understood of any that should read it, unless it can ~ be shewed by some other place that his appointment was to define that but one elder should be in each church.
8. It is especially remarkable that he adds (Acta xiv. 28) duro% to xar' ixxAgciay, which imports that he chose and ordained elders in every church to them.
He satisfies not himself to haye said in every church, but adds, to them also, to show that he meant not elders to many churches in a common and indefinite phrase of speech, but proper to them in each church ; not in ove church one elder, and another in another, and ao elders in every church, speaking collectively, but by way of further appropriation, elders to each,
4. The comparing these phrases together, elders in every city, and elders in every church, evidently argues the eame thing.
For when he says elders tn every city, Titus i. 6, he certainly means more elders than one in each city; yea, and e sufficiency of elders for number to rule and govern (or else an episcopal government of one elder alone in each city must be asserted); and therefore, why should not elders in every church have the same construction also? That is, that there should not be only one elder in a church, . bat more; yea, and a company of elders sufficient to rule and govern that eharch ?
5. We never read church and elder mentioned, but church and elders, either when spoken of in the abstract indefinitely, orwhen mention is made of any particular church; so as either congregational churehes are nowhere intended when church and elders are mentioned, or they had more elders than one over them in relation to them as their elders.
Thus it is expressed, James v. 14, 'Send for the elders of the chureh,' not elder, but elders; and these not elders of s presbyterial church in common, but euch'which are properly the elders of that congregational church, unto which the sick person does belong, who are elders to him.
For it cannot be supposed the duty of all the elders that make up a presbytery over many congregations, to visit the sick of all those congregations, and to be sent for, but the duty is incumbent on the elders appropriated to that congregation.
Also, when all sorts of obedienee to officers is called for, it is still in the plural, 'Obey them that have the rule over you,' &c., Heb. xiii. 7; it is spoken in the plural, not him only, in the singular.
Also when the apostle writes to Philippi, he writes to 'the bishops and deacons,' not to one bishop, Philip. i.1.
Peter speaks answerably, 1 Peter v. 1, 2, 'I say to the elders that are among you, So at Ephesus, Acts xx. 17, Paul 'sent for the elders of the church.'
6. As his own example was, Acts xiv. 22, that 'he ordained elders in every church,' so he enjoined Titus to do the like; 'to ordain elders,' as he
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boor VI. had appointed him, Titus i. 4.
This argues that he appointed it so to be, and so hath left it unto us, and that it was made an institution.
| 7. In Colossus, there was two teaching ministers :Epaphras, of whom the apostle saith, 'Epaphras, who is a faithfal minister for you, who is one of you;' and Archippus, of whom he saith, 'Say to Archippus, Take heed of thy ministry,' &c.; Col. iv. 12, 17.
8. In Philippi, which was a church in the beginning of the gospel (so he calls it, Philip. iv. 14), there were bishops and deacons, Philip. i. 4.
9. As the nataral body consists of more sorts of members than one, that are public organs for the use of the body (as the apostle reasons, Rom. xii.), so a church organical should have more officers and elders than one, or of one sort, as the apostle also doth there exemplify.
That the Lord Jesus Christ hath not only appointed many officers td be in every particular church, but hath assigned offices of different kinds, which ' they ought to discharge, Rom. xii. 8-8.
We have seen in general, 1, the necessity of officers; and, 2, that they | are to be only such officers as God hath appointed, and no other.
Now, 8, let us inquire particularly what are these several officers Christ hath appointed in his church. I will not much trouble you with the distinction of the extraordinary and ordinary; they are the ordinary which we here inquire after.
1.. Who are the successors of the extraordinary; not in their office, in that degree, and manner, and authority in the church; yet in respect of the essential things administered, they perform the same to the church now that | the extraordinary did of old: 2 Tim. ii. 2,' The things thou hast heard of | me amongst many witnesses, the same commit to faithful men, that shall be able to teach others also.'
And so when he sent them ont, Mat. xxviii., he eays, 'Lo, I am with you to the end of the world.'
Even as when God first blessed those creatures then existent, in those words, ' Increase and multiply,' he in them blessed all that were to grow up in their name for ever, Gen. i.
2. They are so sometimes put into the catalogue with the extraordinary promiscuously, and the ends of both made one and the same; because the ministry is of the same use and necessity to the churches in these times, in that way, as that of the extraordinary was in theirs, so Eph. iv. 11, 12, and | 1 Cor. xii., xxviii. 8-10.
And the best way to distinguiah the one from the | other in such promiscuous enumerations, and to discern'which aro ordinary, which are not, is to consider what gifts are still in the church, and what are ordinary standing necessities of the church, and what not, and so we shall discern them, as in the places cited.
As in the church we find still gifts of teaching in different ways poured out on men, and abilities with spiritual discretion and authority to guide and govern others, more eminent in some men; and bowels and helpfulness in others to administer to the necessities of poor saints; but we find apostles' gifts of miracles and tongues ceased, and so we may in those places mentioned distinguish the one from the other, and may thereby know which of these officers here mentioned are to remain, which not; for God gives gifts in relation to administration.
So as there doth remain these ordinary sort of officers, God continuing no gifta in vain, but fitting the one to the other, as 1 Cor. xii. 5, 6, and Rom. xii. 6-8, evidently implies.
In this inquiry, we will consider, 1, how an officer differs in general from Caar. VII.) THE OHUROHES OF OHRIST. an ordinary member; then, 2, what these officers are, and how differing among themselves.
As to the first, he is a servant of the whole, separated to some special work, with special authority in the name of the whole.
1. He is a servant of the whole, so Rom. xvi. 1, and 2 Cor. iv. 6; not . simply a member to serve one another occasionally, but more, he ceaseth to be sui juris, as servants do.
Of Epaphras he says, not only that he is 'one of you,' Ool. iv. 18, but, chap. i. 7, 'who is for you a faithfal minister of Christ.'
All his strength, pains, and abilities are theirs, and to be laid out for their service, to spend and to be spent: Philip. ii. ver. 17, ' Yea, and if I be offered up upon the sacrifice and service of their faith, I joy, and rejoice
2. Separated to some special work; so the deacons, Acts vi. 8, ' whom we may appoint over this business.'
As the apostles chose other ministers, to 'give themselves continually to the word and prayer,' ver. 4; so as though & private member doth the same work, yet ho but occasionally, the other makes it his business, his calling, his employment. A brother, when he sees his brother want, is to distribute to his necessities, but a deacon's office is to seek out who want, and in discretion to distribute the alms of the church ; that as the Sabbath day differs from other days, that on other days ye are to perform holy duties occasionally, but the Sabbath is set apart for nothing else, so do private members differ from an officer; it is the value of the day, it is the season of it, so in some special service it is work and employment.
Archippus must take heed to fulfil his ministry, Col. iv. 17; every private member is to advance his brother, but it is an elder's work to do it.
8. He is invested with special authority, and an authority of right, to do that lawfally in some things which in others he could not.
Let a man so account of us as particularly privileged and authorised to be the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God, 1 Cor. iv.1.
Some things they are so stewards of, that they are kept under lock and key, and without them the church cannot come to them (as the sacraments are continued to be) ; and other things they do administer which others may, which are yet administered by them in a more special authoritative way, not simply out of gifts, as when they teach or admonish, but out of a special authority of Christ withal, as ambassadors, as if Christ did admonish and beseech, and not @ brother only, 1 Cor. ii. 5, ver. 20.
And though, to admonish, others' gifts might serve as well, yet, the dispensation is not from inherent gifts so much as an interested power authorising, virtute officii, by virtue of office; thus a college seat cannot be set unless they have a governor (because an exercise of power is necessary), though the fellows may have power to choose and instal that governor.
John, speaking of Christ's power to baptize, says it was a special power from heaven given, John iii. 26, 27.
And in the name of Christ and the church, the act of an officer is as the act of the whole in administering, &c.; not so as to the acts of private members, not so as to every administration of a private brother.
Now, 2, more particularly to inquire into the offices themselves.
1. They are not only many, but diverse; so we find almost everywhere where we find them spoken of: 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 'There are diversities of gifts and administrations ;' so Rom. xii. 6, 'having gifts differing,' he says not greater or lesser, but differing, &0. Which gifts and offices are not only different in nature, but in the person also; that is, that several persons have several gifts and several offices, for so 1 Cor. xii. 8. 'To one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge' ; and, 1 Cor. vii. 7, every
THE GOVERNMENT OF (Boos VI.
' one hath his proper gifts, one after this manner, another after that.
And so much as to the scope of this similitude, drawn from the body, as he brings it; for in the members all have not the same offices or action, ver. 4, so as his
. meaning must be, that several gifts, and so offices, do belong to several persons.
And the preface the apostle makes, Rom. xii. 8, is, that every man is to think soberly, or within his own compass, of that measure God hath given him; every man hath but his part, not all. The word translated sobriety, swpgovis, signifies a sound mind. A sound member ewells not, so a8 all are-to keep within the compass, neither thinking too highly of their gift
: or office, nor stretching themselves to an higher or other calling than is given them; for, says he, the members in the body have not the same office, &c., and then, yers. 7, 8, mentioning these offices, he doth it not simply by naming several works, as teaching, exhorting, but as relating to several persons designed to these works, he that teacheth, he that exhorteth. As if he
| should say of the members of the body, Let that which heareth hear, that | member which seeth see, a8 having several functions, so as there are several
| and distinct offices in several persons. And the reason why God hath many, | and those distributed offices severally, and a several part to be performed by | them, is because God would have no one do all, but keep all in sobriety
| (seeing he hath but his measure), and in mutual ease and charity, that (a8 | 1 Cor. xii.) one member should 'not say to another, What need have I of | thee? that all might both partake and communicate; as also, because the several works in offices would be too much for one, those master builders needed helps, Rom. xvi. 8. And it is for ornament unto the church too, which _ eriseth out of such a variety. And another reason of it is, that so each work might be the better and more thoroughly done, when every one should, according to his gifts, have a several part given him, which he was whollyto give himself unto.
In arts, and sciences, and professions, none prove emi- | nent, neither are they advanced and promoted, but such as give themselves
\ wholly unto some one science; and it is the wisdom of the Jesuits, in disposing of their followers in several professions.
And this wisdom and care God hath taken for his church, as a great man, that would have his children educated in several professions, sets over them not one, though somewhat seen into them all, but procures the most eminent in all kinds wherein he would have them instructed, one to read philosophy, another tongues,
2. That therefore which is chiefly to be done is, as to inquire how many there are, so also especially what the diversity or difference is; to seek out the formal distinction between office and office, which is a matter every way of exceeding great moment.
That confusion in the offices, and the performance of them, should be avoided, which God hates, being the God of peace and order, and also that God's own institution be rightly kept. We see how strict God was in keeping the bounds of difference between the priests and Levites, they being distinct offices: Num. iii. 10, 'Thou shalt keep the priest's office, and the stranger that comes nigh shall be put to death ;' and by stranger there he meant not only their brethren the people, but even the Levites their fellowofficers, Num. xvi. 40.
And God requires the choosers that they take a right estimate of men's gifts and offices, and suit them according to their proper difference and distinction, that a man's gifts, like waters, may have their natural current to ran in, and so as they shall not need to use art to force the streams another way, Philip. ii. 20, 1 Peter v. 2, that go they may naturally take care to feed the flock, not in any the least way of constraint, no, not in respect of their gifts, to which a violence is offered when they are not rightly placed.
And so their gifts are to the Cuar. VII.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST. utmost improved, and their work the better done, for the edifying of the church. It isan error (as the author of the Trial of Wits in his preface complaineth), and a great error, like that which Solomon complains of, Eccles. x. 6, 7, in disposing of dignities unsuitable, that in commonwealths there is
| not a suiting of natural endowments and callings, to the great detriment of it ; ( there being no man's natural parts, if rightly placed, but would prove emi- \ nent; and the like error, if committed in churches, is much greater, by how mueh the gifts and callings therein are more precious.
Let us therefore inquire into what these are, and wherein their diversity | consists, which is eminently the proper scope of Rom. xii.
That epistle is, of all epistles, written in a system and form of wholesome words methodically ( composed, as might be shewn. Credenda, or matters of faith, he had handled in the eleven first chapters;and then factenda, or matters of practice, from the 12th to the 16th chapter (which he spends in salutations). The instructions concerning their practice are as methodical as the other, and are either their duties as members of the church, in chap. xii., or as members of the commonwealth, chap. xiii., and both in a like method: 1, what the duties
| of members and officers are in that church, to ver.9; 2, what the duties of them as saints towards their brethren, and also all saints, in the following verses of chap. xii. As the like, chap. xiii.: first, their duty unto officers in the commonwealth, from the 1st verse to the. 8th; then towards all men, from the 8th verse to the end; and then chaps. xiv., xv., how to behave themselves in the special controversy of those times about the ceremonies, &c.
1. In that chap. xii., wherein he sets rales to them in their church and saint relation, and doth it most completely, I begin, 1, with their service and worship
\ they offer up inpublic; andhe exhorts that it beholyand spiritual, and Aoyixy) rare, that is, word-service, squared wholly by the rules of the word: for so the word is used, 1 Pet. ii. 2, Aoyixdy AdcAov ydra, 'the sincere milk of the word,' opposed to the fatal corruption of worship lying in addition and carnal rites and ceremonies.
Or Acy:# may signify spiritual worship in the mind, opposed to bodily service.
As the best preservative of their worship spiritual, and prevention of formality and human addition, he exhorts them not to be conformed to the world, &.
The Holy Ghost foresaw that the worship and service in the chureh, and that especially of Rome, would be corrupted by the conforming of it to the rites and ordinances of the world, heathenish and Jewish ; and the government of the church shaped and configured to that of the empire, in all their officersand members, as many have excellently shewn in all particulars, and was foretold, Rev. xiii. 15.
The Holy Ghost foresaw that the pope should set up the image of the first beast, that is, of Rome heathenish, a religion like theirs, and a government like theirs.
Item, the apostle exhorts them negatively also, not to conform themselves to tho world: uA cvsynuariets, ne vos configurate, ' do not shape yourselves,' as noting an outward conforming, shaping themeelves to their external worship, &., to that external form in worship or government, as thinking it to be but used among the heathens and Jews in externals, in which they might take a liberty.
And because the spiritual government of a church, and the spiritual worship of it, requires as much as any other truths whatever
8 spiritual heart, which they are most suitable unto; and that carnal mind or wisdom which is in all men is most opposite thereto, and would frame it its own way; therefore he exhorts them to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, wrrapoppoict, &o. As the other word notes out an external configuration, which he forbade, so this an internal formation in the mind or judgment (for that is the difference between forma' andfigura), which might square with the word and suit with it, having their minds cast in the mould
THE GOVERNMENT OF (Boor VI. of doctrine, as Rom. vi. 17, that so they might approve and discern that will, vd SéAnuae +d cyabdr, that is, good in this particular, with an emphasis, which, is not only good in itself to you, as the only means to build you up, and only acceptable unto God, but so perfect in itself, as it hath been committed to you, that it needs not much wisdom at alltoadd anything unto it, neither in ceremonies nor offices.
Then he comes to the particular duties: 1, of governors and officers, ver.
8; 2, of every believer in common, ver. 9, &c.
1. To the officers, who had received gifts and functions for the edification of the whole, and who were the principal members of the body, and more eminently unto them, his exhorta- ! tion, ver. 8, is principally directed, as appears by the instances brought, ver.
6, 7, where he applies and brings home that rule in particular unto all and every one; and though the words might seem to be general to every one in that charch, ver. 8, 'I say to every man,' &c., yet the phrase there used, dr: iy tua, ewistenti, points at those eminenter, and in place amongst you.
He says not simply rns inav, but tvr:év iuw; that is, to those eminent amongst you in place and authority; who, because they were somebody, were apt to ' think too highly of themselves. And now, when he comes to give officers their charge, observe his preface: 'I say, through the grace given to me.'
He speaks modestly, yet lays a command from his apostolical authority, which heaverreth and allegeth; for so grace is used by him to express his apostolical office, Rom. i. 5, and makes it sanctione apostoliod, but to put the more weight upon the exhortation, and also to own and warrant their institutions and rales about church government to be apostolical and perpetual.
Now, ) the rule itself which he gives in general, and then appoints and brings home to all the officers of the church in particular, is, as we translate it, ' Not to \ think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but to think soberly. according as God hath dealt to every man a measure of faith;'whichof all rules else, in the latitude of its meaning that could be given, is to church officers the most pertinent and fit, the most full and comprehensive, both tying them to the diligent performance of their several duties, and confirming them within the proper bounds of their function. And it is the best prevention of all confusion, innovation, or addition, and exorbitancy in chureh offices, and likeliest preservative of that primitive purity which was established, and wherein also the Holy Ghost (as in the former about worship) strikesat the y root of that corruption of pride and ambition, and stretching themselves beyond their line and authority, which was that troe main reason of all
| transcendent usurpation which, in fature times, officers of the Roman church especially took upon them, and after their example all other churches.
So as both this rule, and that exact platform and enumeration of all offices, with their bounds and distinction, was the most seasonable and necessary for this chureh {which was foreseen to be the mother of abominations) of any other, which is the reason (happily) why the apostle is more distinct in it than in any other epistle.
We have first the rule, ver. 8; and then, 2, an illustra- | tion and demonstration of the equity of it, by a similitude between a nataral body and the members thereof, and a spiritual body and the members thereof; and, 3, application of that rale and form of that similitude to all chureh off- | cers in particular, which, to that end, we on purpose mention, with their distinction and diversity.
We will, first, inquire into the trae and proper seope and meaning of the rule, which we ehall find to fall full and close with the particular duties of church officers.
It hath two parts we see: 1. Forbidding vice, that we : should not think too highly above what we ought.
2. Commanding of a virtue, but to rule ourselves with sobriety in such .
| Car. VII.] THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
The word is govt, which we translate here, to ' think of a man's self ;' upon the opening of which word, which is used thrice in composition, in this short sentence, doth the whole depend.
It is of a larger extension than any one word either in Latin or English is able to express, and that which is : translated is the least thing intended.
1. It hath relation to knowledge, and sapere, not to be wise above what is meet, which is § most pertinent direction to the chiefest of church officers, not to affect curiosities of knowledge, falsely so called, above what is written, as those, Col. ii. 18, that intruded into things they had not seen, or above the reach oftheir own gifts, but to keep both to the measure of their own faith and knowledge, and also to the analogy of that faith once delivered to the saints ; and the like also is required in those that rule, in whom, a8 godly wisdom is as requisite as any other grace, so affected wisdom, and to : semthemselvesmore wise, to control and meddle in everything, is as unsuitable.
Bat I think it hath not mainly a relation to knowledge, for he says not, Be wise not above what licet, is lawful, as having relation to unlawful objects forbidden to be known; but not above what oportet, is meet for his place, or becomes a man's place and gifts.
Therefore, 2, dgors signifies also curare, carefully and heedfully to mind and regard what belongs to him ; whence gpévrn,* cura, and is all one with that phrase of ours, he minds his business ; it signifies intention, and what the mindis taken up about. So Rom. viii. 5, we trauslate it, ' those that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.' The word is the same; so as it hath special relation to what isa man's duty and place, which is given him to mind and to regard.
And then the first part of the exhortation is, 4) Urspppovh, not to mind or take upon him what is above him; or, as David speaks, not to exercise a man's self in things too high for him (as Ps. cxxxi. 1), for hie place, calling, function, gifts; or, as Paul saith (2 Cor. x. 1), notto stretch a man's self beyond his own measure, not into another man's line, nor to thrust his sickle into another man's harvest.
And then, 2, that other particular commanding » virtue, whieh we have here translated, to 'think of himself soberly,' should be translated, soberly to keep himself and his intention too within his calling, and function, and duty, as he ought. wag' é 3% geod, is to do what is his proper duty in his place, and to keep to it, and to spend all his intention thereupon, and not G?orpemioxors, not meddle with other men's or officers' matters, as the apostle elsewhere forbids, 1 Peter iv. 15.
He therefore is overwise above what he ought, that exeseds the measure of his place; and to be wise to sobriety, is to keep within a man's compass.
So that it is not a mere repetition, but implies that as he ought not to exceed, so also that he ought to mind his own place and duty.
And then the word s¢ rd owpgoniv is an exhortation to both; it is to have a sound mind, a comparison taken from the body, which is then said to be sound, and a member sound, when it is kept in ite natural equal and due temper, and every part performs its own office, swells not above its compass, exceeds not in heat and humours, nor is defective in what belongs to it.
So when a member of the church swells not above his rank and place, but executes what belongs to him, then he is said to be sober, and of a right temper in his place.
And so, then, that which follows, * according as God hath dealtto every man the measureof faith,' directs and shews men what it was every man was to put forth in his place, viz., that measure of spiritual gifts which God had parted diversely among men, which gifts are to be suited to offices, as we shall see anon.
For by faith here, he * Qu. deere F—En, THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI. means not primarily justifying faith, but spiritual gifts for the good of the church, superadded to faith, which yet he calls faith, because they are not natural, but had some work of faith as their foundation, whether saving or temporary, as 1 Cor. xii. 12.
This the apostle plainly intimates, when he shews that those spiritual gifts they had not among them, till they were converted to the faith, but then were endued with them.
When you were led after dumb idols, you had none of these gifts, but you had them by a work of the Holy Ghost, enabling you to say and assert, and believe that Jesus
: was the Lord; which assertion was the foundation of all those spiritual gifts that follows, and go here called faith ; as also because that, in the exercise of them, faith should be the director of them to the good of others.
And then, 8, the words may withal be interpreted as they are translated, as aimed against pride and overvaluing a man's gifts, which the apostle also aims and strives at, as the root of all that ambition and affectation of preeminence in church officers; and so issgpgors will also bear that sense.
And 80, to be wise to sobriety, is fora man to give a due estimate to his ifts, and put them forth accordingly; and hence humility is fully defined
) 'as here), & sobriety or moderation of spirit, which only keeps a man within his compass, and the contrary swells him to matters above a man's calling and compass ; and therefore David joins them both together: Ps. cxxii.,
' My heart is not haughty, neither did I exercise myself in things too high for me.'
And the drift of the reason implied in the following words, argue this to be his scope.
1. It is God that guides those gifts, and that of grace, ver. 8 and 6; and why should thou boast of what is received?
; aime Thou hast not all the gifts, juigor, he doth part them; we have gifts fering.
8. Of that very gift which thou hast received, thou hast but a measure, a portion, nor that in the fulness of it.
4. Others have gifts as well as thou; yea, every member hath gifts.
God hath dealt to every man, so as thou cannot eay thou hast no need of others.
So as his scope is at once to beat down pride.and ambition, as the cause and affection of pre-eminence, the sin of Abiram, Dathan, and of Korah, who, being children, affected the priesthood; and also he meant to keep every man to his own calling and place, diligently to execute it to the goodof others, wherein, how did the Holy Ghost (in writing to the chureh of Rome) strike at the very sin which he saw then working in that church, which corrupted and perverted all the officers in the churches of Christ, evena8 he foresaw superstition would corrupt the worship, as was observed in the former verses. ey:
The root of that mystery of iniquity, and foundation of it, was laid in church officers' asserting of pre-eminence, the lower officers assuming what belonged to the higher, as the deacons did; and then the higher taking upon them all the power of the inferior ; yea, and of the whole church itself, a8 to admit members, to excommunicate, to ordain, to rule and govern, and 80 to thrust out deacons and roling elders as unnecessary, and those it left continuing to make them shadows; and then these greatened officers presumed farther to extend their power over other congregations besides eir own.
The bishops of Rome began from thence to challenge universal power over all churches, and from being an ordinary officer, to challenge that ertraordinary power of apostles themselves, and to sit in the temple of God as gods; and not to be content with spiritual power neither, but to challenge temporal also, to dispose of crowns, curb, restrain, and cut short the spirit of princes;
| Our. VII.] THE UHUROHES OF CHRIST. and his bishops also began, and have continued, to intermeddle in affairs of \ state.
That ever of so small an egg as a poor pastor of that.church, so foal and monstrous a crocodile should arise, so great # prince, is that great mystery which all the world may wonder at, as it did indeed admire his
How seasonably therefore was this rule given to prevent ensuing mischief ; and how necessary was it also, in the application of this rule, to give a complicate and exact platform of church officers, and their true bounds and distinction of their places to this church above all other, who was to become the mother of abominations!
How seasonable was it to leave this apostolical canon in her archivi, in her records, to discover the falsehood of those which she boasts, and to shew all the world in after times, how much she was swerved from her original, and likewise to enjoin the observance of these institutions, with an apostolic charge, as his preface shows, Rom. xii. 8, 'I say, through the grace given me'!
The scope therefore of that which follows, is to illustrate this rale, and to shew the equityof it, from a smilitude drawn from the body, and then to apply and bring it home to every officer amongst them; that as his charge was to every man, he says not omnibus, but cuique, in particular, ver. 8, 60 his application is to every one of them in particular, ver. 6,7.
I will not much insist in opening the similitude, only observe for a foundation to what follows, that this comparison here, as it is between the body and such members as have general offices for the whole, so the church he here compares the body unto is an instituted church, whether among them, or wherever else.
1. It is a church he speaks of, for it is a bodyin Christ, non in Cesare, not a civil body, that is put as a note of difference; for as not only
; Many are requisite, so they are considered not as scattered saints, but as making one body, and so knit ;and then the members of this body, to whom the similitude is after applied, are officers of a church, and those ordinary officers also, for those that follow, ver. 6, 7, are the members.
He speaks of eminently gifted members here in general, there particularly, and with application.
Now we may take this for a rule, that wherever the ordinary Officers that are the proper organs of a church as instituted (are spoken of], there the church or body spoken of is principally meant a church instituted; and of the officers of it he speaks indefinitely and universally, 'we being many,' &c., not particularly only you, because his scope was to lay down indefinitely a general platform of all other, as well as of this, unto which they were already moulded, and always to be framed.
Now then, the fandamental terms of the comparison being thus suited, his similitude hath two main parts, fitted to infer those two parts of that rule delivered.
1. That as in the body many members make one body, and so become members to the whole, and also one to another, for one another's good, ver. 4, so in this instituted body, every one the eminentest and most gifted is a member of another, ver. 5; that is, are ordained for their best profit, and good, and safety, as of themselves and the whole, so of every member, to intend the good of the whole. And of every member in particular, they are to use their gifts with consideration of co-members; and therefore co-membership should oblige church officers, of whom he speaks here, especially to have a care to use and improve their gifts, with diligence in their places, for the good of the whole; and not only so, but also to consider every part in particular, and perform a duty to it, which by their office they are to do diligently.
The eye sees not for itself, but for the whole; yea, for the foot, the hand, and every member in particular as occasion is, so as diligence in their office, which is one part of his rule and canon, is hence inferred and argued.
THE GOVERNMENT OF [Boox VI.
But yet, 2, they are to consider withal, that every member hath not the same office; yea, so far from having the same office, that they have not the same action.
So as though every officer and principal member is to be diligent [for] the good ofthe whole, yet not to usurp over the offices ofanother, not to do that which is proper for another to do; one member is not to invade the room of another ; the foot is not to undertake to see, nor the hand to walk.
Thus to do would be for the confasion of the whole, and an injury to that member whose office is assumed, and to whom it is proper, and its honour to perform it; and the member who usurps another's office would be less usefal to the whole, and injurious to itself, in perverting its proper gift and office to what it is not fit, and so to do it untowardly. And this is the second partof that rale given clearly, proven from this similitude. Now then, in the 6th and 7th verses, he goes on at once, both to amplify that last part of the comparison, that as in the body, every member hath not the same, office,
| so that in this instituted body we are members, having gifts differing (enumerating all the particular offices), and also he in the strength of that similitude urgeth and applies, and brings home both parts of the rule in each particular officer, which he enumerates. I say, first he goes on to amplify and enlarge that last part of the similitude, by a distinct enumeration of all particular ordinary officers, needfal to such a ehurch for ever. And so the coherence of the words most fitly joints this verse with the former, for terse, we having, &c., refer to tousy in the former verse, the apostle not beginning
; 8 new entire sentence, as usually it is read, but continuing these words to the former, as not having made up his comparison complete.
That as he , had said, 'so we being many are one body,' &&., so we are withal, having differing gifts also, &c., which answers to that part of the comparison, ver. 4, as all members have not the same office.
And yet withal they are a strange inference, wherein the apostle brings home and applies both those duties in his rule, ver. 8, to every officer which he enumerates, and that in the strength and force of the similitude; so as that rule given afore should be
| put into every particular, and therefore in the original there is an sAA/jis, 8 \ chink and void space left for the reader to put it in, as in those words, first,
' whether prophecy, let us prophesy,' those words, let us prophesy, are not in the original, but applied by the translators to make up the sense; whereas that which in general the apostle had said, ver. 8, is to be inserted in that, and all the other particulars, and therefore doth best make up the sense, a8 whether prophecy, let us soberly mind our duty therein, and not be over-wise, or beyond what is above us, or not ours to meddle in, but keep to the bounds of that office and duty, which is the dvadoy/a of faith; and so in that other ministry (let us wait on, is not in the original), but that which he said is to be supplied, let us soberly mind our duty in ministering, and not be overwise to meddle with what is not our office, but keep to ministering, and s0 of the rest. 0 as he doth at once both exhort every one to diligence in their particular office, set him for the good of all, and also dehort him from meddling with what belongs not to him, sends a man to his own body to learn these lessons.
All which considered gives a most just and full account and reason why the apostle doth here more distinctly, exactly, and completely reckon up all particular offices in this epistle, which we find not 20 fally in any other; for it agreed with, and was more requisite every way to, this scope in hand.
For, 1, the making up the similitude entire in the reddition of it, required it. He had said, ver. 4, that in the natural body every member had not the same office (and what are the offices of each member, nature taught).
Caar. VII.) THE CHUROHES,OF CHRIST.
Then in the reddition and making up of this similitude he shews, in this instituted body, all had not the same offices, by enumerating all the particular offices themselves, and their diversities, which was proper to do, and also was necessary to do, because they wholly depend upon apostolical institution and God's will, and otherwise were not known.
And, 2, his scope was to bring home that rule delivered in general, ver. 8, by way of application, as in an use of exhortation or reproof, a man doth a general doctrine, by naming all and every of those sorts of men he would apply it unto; and, ver. 8, he, in laying down that exhortation, in his preface to it he had said, 'ThisI sayto every man,' not omnibus, or to all definitely, but every man particularly, as Musculns observes, as intending to bring it home particularly to every sort of men which he meant and spake unto.
And, 8, one and the main part of his exhortation being, that officers should keep to their bounds, so it was peculiarly necessary, as to apply it to particulars, so to enumerate all and every particular, so to distinguish them, and set them their several bounds, that every one might for ever know his duty, and not transgress, And, 4, the epistle containing matter of doctrine, wherein he had handled
8 perfect platform of all other epistles methodically eomposed, it suited with ' his seope, that in mentioning the officers of the church also, he should be as complete and distinct, and set down the exact catalogue and table
And, 5, being written to the Romans, whose eminent sin, in after days, was the corrupting of all offices in the church, and introducing new, which God never instituted, and excluding those he had ordained, or perverting them, the complete catalogue of all offices, their bounds, and terms of their duties and distinction, was most seasonable and proper to them, as to prevent aforehand, so to convict that whore of her abominations and usurpations herein in after ages.
And, 6, to add weight to all, and to confirm these canons of his to all : ages inviolably, it was requisite he should set to his apostolical authority and seal, which in the preface he doth; ' This I say by the grace given me': and this (as it were) in opposition unto, and to weigh down, in after ages, that false counterfeit apostolical authority usurped, in that see, which would make other canons and constitutions clean differing and opposite to these.
His scope, therefore, being to enumerate all officers, and to distinguish them and their duties, which is the thing we seek, let us go on to observe how artist-like, exactly and folly and methodically, he doth it every way, as he had done all else in this epistle.
He proceeds, 1. By a dryorousa, or general divisionof all offieers into two general ranks and orders.
2. By a subdivision, containing all the particulars of that general division, and, to prevent mistakes, lest that becanse seven are mentioned, that therefore so many particular offices should be meant, as some have understood them, whereas he intends but five.
Therefore the first two, to shew they are but a general division of these five that follow, are expressed in the abstract, prophecy, ministry ; but the five partieulars in the concrete, ' he that teacheth,' 'he that exhorteth,' &c., varying his expression, to make evident the difference.
(1.) There is a general division of all officers into two ranks or orders.
| {1.] Such whose duty, and the exercise of their office, lieth in simple ministration, in instruction in the word; the other, of discipline, is that whose work lies in raling men's lives and bodies.
Prophecy hath relation —_ I THE GOVEENMENT OF [Boox VL by knowledge to instruct the mind ; daxov/a, to ruling and ordering the outward man; and although there were in the primitive times prophets of extraordinary gifts, both in foretelling persecutions to befall the church, as Agabus and others, who also by extraordinary revelation opened difficult scriptures; and who are in other places ranked among the extraordinary officers, as Eph. iv. 11, and 1 Cor. xii. 28; yet here prophets of ordinary gifts are meant, because he prescribes for their rule the draAcyia of faith to bound them with.
Which rule, the extraordinary assisted infallibly by the Holy Ghost in their prophesyings, need not to be regulated by no more than apostles themselves, the revelation of the Spirit being an infallible guide and rule unto them; and also he commands them to abide in that calling, and confine themselves unto it.
By prophesying, therefore, is meant, that speaking out of the wordto men's instruction, ag 1 Cor. xiv. 8, prophecy is taken in opposition to gifts extraordinary, vers. 1-8 compared, where he defines it to be a speaking unto men to edification, and exhortation and comfort, and is put for the ordinary expounding of the Scriptares, which, 2 Peter i. 20, is called a word of prophecy, and so is taken often in Scripture ; as Mat. xiii. 57,
' A prophet hath honour but in his own country ;' and so in that speech, ' He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet,' Mat. x. 41; that is, any teacheror instructor out of the word, to prophesy not being always taken to foretell, bat declare, as, Exod. vii. 1, God tells Moses that Aaron should be his prophet, that is, a declarer of his mind for him. So to open the revealed will of God is prophesying.
So as by prophecy here, their office is understood whos office it is to open and apply the word according to the dvaAoyta of the doctrine of faith, and the proportion of their own gifts, and so is distinguished from dsaxovia, which includes all external ordering and watching over meo, but without labouring in the word; d:axona, which comparatively is » more ministerial and external work, this more internal and noble.
~ And so now under that general head of prophecy is contained these two first offices mentioned, teaching and exhorting ; and under the other, dxovla, is comprehended the other three more external and ministerial fonetions.
Giving is the deacon's office, ruling the elder's, shewing mercyis the widow's.
So as, though d&axoria is sometimes taken more largely forall offices whatsoever, as 1 Cor. iii. 5, ' What is Paul, what is Apollo ? diaxem, ministers, by whom ye believed ;' and also more strictly, for that most ministerial inferior office of taking care of the poor, as Acts v. 8, 4, and 1 Cor. xvi. 15; yet here, it being made a contradistinct member, it is judged to be taken in a middle sense between both.
For all those are ministerial fonctions which meddle not with the word and prayer, not « officio, so as prophets express a higher rank ofofficers, that, Acts vi, gv? themselves to the word and prayer especially; and ministry expresseth thst lower rank of external government, either over the lives or livelihoodsof men, as the raling elder and the deacon.
The office even of ruling elder, when compared with that of prophecy, takes place rather with deacons, and is reckoned with that inferior classis rather than with the prophets; sd unto this division other scriptures seems to give light and warrant, as ths!
1 Poter iv. 11 maketh it also clear, 'Let him that speaketh, speak as the oracle of God,' which is all one with prophesying here; by the analogy of faith, there is prophecy mentioned; then follows, ' if any man minister (the word is the same that here), let him do it as.God giveth «liberty.
There their deacons are a contradistinct division to prophecy.
The like I tate the meaningof 1 Tim. i. 8,where mention is only made of two officers, bishops and deacons; the question hath been, Under which of these twothe
Caur. VIL.) THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
I answer, Under deaconin that division ; for bishops there must be didaxeixo/, apt to teach, which in an elder is not so necessarily required, many having raling gifts in private that have not teaching gifts in public; and that also which sways me so to think, is because the qualifications of deacon here are such as qualify a ruling elder, as gravity and ruling their own house well, &.
And according to the dvadcy/a of these places, that of Philip. i.
1 may, in ~ like manner, be understood.
To the bishops (that is, the pastors, and teachers) and deacons; that is, both elders and deacons (strictly so called).