him before, and seen his works, and other arguments of his Divinity, whereby they might be
taken for sufficient Witnesses. And therefore at the election of a new Apostle in the place of
Judas Iscariot, S. Peter saith ( Acts 1. 21, 22.) Of these men that have companyed with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the Baptisme of John
unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a Witnesse with us of his Resurrection: where, by this word must, is implyed a necessary property of an Apostle, to have companyed with the first and prime Apostles in the time that our Saviour
manifested himself in the flesh.
Matthias made Apostle by the Congregation.
The first Apostle, of those which were not constituted by Christ in the time he was upon the
Earth, was Matthias, chosen in this manner: There were assembled together in Jerusalem
about 120 Christians ( Acts 1. 15.) These appointed two, Joseph the Just, and Matthias (ver.
23.) and caused lots to be drawn; and (ver. 26.) the Lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbred with the Apostles. So that here we see the ordination of this Apostle, was the act of the
Congregation, and not of St. Peter, nor of the eleven, otherwise then as Members of the
Assembly.
Paul and Barnabas made Apostles by the Church of Antioch.
After him there was never any other Apostle ordained, but Paul and Barnabas; which was done
(as we read Acts 13. 1, 2, 3.) in this manner. There were in the Church that was at Antioch, certaine Prophets, and Teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of
Cyrene, and Manaen; which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. As they
ministred unto the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate mee Barnabas, and Saul for
the worke whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted, and prayed, and laid their
hands on them, they sent them away.
By which it is manifest, that though they were called by the Holy Ghost, their Calling was
declared unto them, and their Mission authorized by the particular Church of Antioch. And that
this their calling was to the Apostleship, is apparent by that, that they are both called ( Acts 14.
14.) Apostles: And that it was by vertue of this act of the Church of Antioch, that they were
Apostles, S. Paul declareth plainly ( Rom. 1. 1.) in that hee useth the word, which the Holy
Ghost used at his calling: For hee stileth himself, An Apostle separated unto the Gospel of God; alluding to the words of the Holy Ghost, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, & c. But seeing the work of an Apostle, was to be a Witnesse of the Resurrection of Christ, a man may here aske,
how S. Paul, that conversed not with our Saviour before his passion, could know he was risen.
To which is easily answered, that our Saviour himself appeared to him in the way to
Damascus, from Heaven, after his Ascension; and chose him for a vessell to bear his name
before the Gentiles, and Kings, and Children of Israel; and consequently (having seen the Lord after his passion) was a competent Witnesse of his Resurrection: And as for Barnabas, he was
a Disciple before the Passion. It is therefore evident that Paul, and Barnabas were Apostles;
and yet chosen, and authorized (not by the first Apostles alone, but) by the Church of Antioch;
as Matthias was chosen, and authorized by the Church of Jerusalem.
What Offices in the Church are Magisteriall.
Bishop, a word formed in our language, out of the Greek Episcopus, signifieth an Overseer, or Superintendent of any businesse, and particularly a Pastor, or Shepherd; and thence by
metaphor was taken, not only amongst the Jews that were originally Shepherds, but also
amongst the Heathen, to signifie the Office of a King, or any other Ruler, or Guide of People,
whether he ruled by Laws, or Doctrine. And so the Apostles were the first Christian Bishops,
instituted by Christ himselfe: in which sense the Apostleship of Judas is called ( Acts 1. 20.) his Bishoprick. And afterwards, when there were constituted Elders in the Christian Churches, with charge to guide Christs flock by their doctrine, and advice; these Elders were also called
Bishops. Timothy was an Elder (which word Elder, in the New Testament is a name of Office, as well as of Age;) yet he was also a Bishop. And Bishops were then content with the Title of
Elders. Nay S. John himselfe, the Apostle beloved of our Lord, beginneth his Second Epistle
with these words, The Elder to the Elect Lady. By which it is evident, that Bishop, Pastor, Elder, Doctor, that is to say, Teacher, were but so many divers names of the same Office in the time of the Apostles. For there was then no government by Coercion, but only by Doctrine, and
Perswading. The Kingdome of God was yet to come, in a new world; so that there could be no
authority to compell in any Church, till the Common-wealth had embraced the Christian Faith;
and consequently no diversity of Authority, though there were diversity of Employments.
Besides these Magisteriall employments in the Church; namely, Apostles, Bishops, Elders,
Pastors, and Doctors, whose calling was to proclaim Christ to the Jews, and Infidels, and to
direct, and teach those that beleeved we read in the New Testament of no other. For by the
names of Evangelists and Prophets, is not signified any Office, but severall Gifts, by which severall men were profitable to the Church: as Evangelists, by writing the life and acts of our
Saviour; such as were S. Matthew and S. John Apostles, and S. Marke and S. Luke Disciples, and whosoever else wrote of that subject, (as S. Thomas, and S. Barnabas are said to have done, though the Church have not received the Books that have gone under their names:) and
as Prophets, by the gift of interpreting the Old Testament; and sometimes by declaring their
speciall Revelations to the Church. For neither these gifts, nor the gifts of Languages, nor the
gift of Casting out Devils, or of Curing other diseases, nor any thing else did make an Officer in
the Church, save onely the due calling and election to the charge of Teaching.
Ordination of Teachers.
As the Apostles, Matthias, Paul, and Barnabas, were not made by our Saviour himself, but
were elected by the Church, that is, by the Assembly of Christians; namely, Matthias by the
Church of Jerusalem, and Paul, and Barnabas by the Church of Antioch; so were also the
Presbyters, and Pastors in other Cities, elected by the Churches of those Cities. For proof whereof, let us consider, first, how S. Paul proceeded in the Ordination of Presbyters, in the
Cities where he had converted men to the Christian Faith, immediately after he and Barnabas
had received their Apostleship. We read ( Acts 14. 23.) that they ordained Elders in every Church; which at first sight may be taken for an Argument, that they themselves chose, and
gave them their authority: But if we consider the Originall text, it will be manifest, that they
were authorized, and chosen by the Assembly of the Christians of each City. For the words
there are,
that is, When they had
Ordained them Elders by the Holding up of Hands in every Congregation. Now it is well enough known, that in all those Cities, the manner of choosing Magistrates, and Officers, was by
plurality of suffrages; and (because the ordinary way of distinguishing the Affirmative Votes
from the Negatives, was by Holding up of Hands) to ordain an Officer in any of the Cities, was
no more but to bring the people together, to elect them by plurality of Votes, whether it were
by plurality of elevated hands, or by plurality of voices, or plurality of balls, or beans, or small stones, of which every man cast in one, into a vessell marked for the Affirmative, or Negative;
for divers Cities had divers customes in that point. It was therefore the Assembly that elected
their own Elders: the Apostles were onely Presidents of the Assembly to call them together for
such Election, and to pronounce them Elected, and to give them the benediction, which now is
called Consecration. And for this cause they that were Presidents of the Assemblies, as (in the
absence of the Apostles) the Elders were, were called
and in Latin Antistites;
which words signifie the Principall Person of the Assembly, whose office was to number the
Votes, and to declare thereby who was chosen; and where the Votes were equall, to decide the
matter in question, by adding his own; which is the Office of a President in Councell. And
(because all the Churches had their Presbyters ordained in the same manner,) where the word
is Constitute, (as Titus 1. 5.)
For this cause left I
thee in Crete, that thou shouldest constitute Elders in every City, we are to understand the same thing; namely, that hee should call the faithfull together, and ordain them Presbyters by
plurality of suffrages. It had been a strange thing, if in a Town, where men perhaps had never
seen any Magistrate otherwise chosen then by an Assembly, those of the Town becomming
Christians, should so much as have thought on any other way of Election of their Teachers, and
Guides, that is to say, of their Presbyters, (otherwise called Bishops,) then this of plurality of
suffrages, intimated by S. Paul ( Acts 14. 23.) in the word
: Nor was there
ever any choosing of Bishops, (before the Emperors found it necessary to regulate them in
order to the keeping of the peace amongst them,) but by the Assemblies of the Christians in
every severall Town.
The same is also confirmed by the continuall practise even to this day, in the Election of the
Bishops of Rome. For if the Bishop of any place, had the right of choosing another, to the
succession of the Pastorall Office, in any City, at such time as he went from thence, to plant
the same in another place; much more had he had the Right, to appoint his successour in that
place, in which he last resided and dyed: And we find not, that ever any Bishop of Rome
appointed his successor. For they were a long time chosen by the People, as we may see by
the sedition raised about the Election, between Damasus, and Ursicinus; which Ammianus Marcellinus saith was so great, that Juventius the Præfect, unable to keep the peace between them, was forced to goe out of the City; and that there were above an hundred men found
dead upon that occasion in the Church it self. And though they afterwards were chosen, first,
by the whole Clergy of Rome, and afterwards by the Cardinalls; yet never any was appointed
to the succession by his predecessor. If therefore they pretended no right to appoint their own
successors, I think I may reasonably conclude, they had no right to appoint the successors of
other Bishops, without receiving some new power; which none could take from the Church to
bestow on them, but such as had a lawfull authority, not onely to Teach, but to Command the
Church; which none could doe, but the Civill Soveraign.
Ministers of the Church what:
The word Minister in the Originall
, signifieth one that voluntarily doth the businesse
of another man; and differeth from a Servant onely in this, that Servants are obliged by their
condition, to what is commanded them; whereas Ministers are obliged onely by their
undertaking, and bound therefore to no more than that they have undertaken: So that both
they that teach the Word of God, and they that administer the secular affairs of the Church,
are both Ministers, but they are Ministers of different Persons. For the Pastors of the Church,
called ( Acts 6. 4.) The Ministers of the Word, are Ministers of Christ, whose Word it is: But the Ministery of a Deacon, which is called (verse 2. of the same Chapter) Serving of Tables, is a service done to the Church, or Congregation: So that neither any one man, nor the whole
Church, could ever of their Pastor say, he was their Minister; but of a Deacon, whether the
charge he undertook were to serve tables, or distribute maintenance to the Christians, when
they lived in each City on a common stock, or upon collections, as in the first times, or to take
a care of the House of Prayer, or of the Revenue, or other worldly businesse of the Church, the
whole Congregation might properly call him their Minister.
For their employment, as Deacons, was to serve the Congregation; though upon occasion they
omitted not to Preach the Gospel, and maintain the Doctrine of Christ, every one according to
his gifts, as S. Steven did; and both to Preach, and Baptize, as Philip did: For that Philip, which
( Act. 8. 5.) Preached the Gospell at Samaria, and (verse 38.) Baptized the Eunuch, was Philip the Deacon, not Philip the Apostle. For it is manifest (verse 1.) that when Philip preached in
Samaria, the Apostles were at Jerusalem, and (verse 14.) when they heard that Samaria had
received the Word of God, sent Peter and John to them; by imposition of whose hands, they
that were Baptized, (verse 15.) received (which before by the Baptisme of Philip they had not
received) the Holy Ghost. For it was necessary for the conferring of the Holy Ghost, that their
Baptisme should be administred, or confirmed by a Minister of the Word, not by a Minister of
the Church. And therefore to confirm the Baptisme of those that Philip the Deacon had
Baptized, the Apostles sent out of their own number from Jerusalem to Samaria, Peter, and
John; who conferred on them that before were but Baptized, those graces that were signs of
the Holy Spirit, which at that time did accompany all true Beleevers; which what they were
may be understood by that which S. Marke saith (chap. 16. 17.) These signes follow them that beleeve in my Name; they shall cast out Devills; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall
take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; They shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall recover. This to doe, was it that Philip could not give; but the Apostles could, and (as appears by this place) effectually did to every man that truly beleeved;
and was by a Minister of Christ himself Baptized: which power either Christs Ministers in this
age cannot conferre, or else there are very few true Beleevers, or Christ hath very few
Ministers.
And how chosen.
That the first Deacons were chosen, not by the Apostles, but by a Congregation of the
Disciples; that is, of Christian men of all sorts, is manifest out of Acts 6. where we read that the Twelve, after the number of Disciples was multiplyed, called them together, and having
told them, that it was not fit that the Apostles should leave the Word of God, and serve tables,
said unto them (verse 3.) Brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report, full
of the Holy Ghost, and of Wisdome, whom we may appoint over this businesse. Here it is
manifest, that though the Apostles declared them elected; yet the Congregation chose them;
which also, (verse the fift) is more expressely said, where it is written, that the saying pleased the multitude, and they chose seven, &c.
Of Ecclesiasticall Revenue, under the Law of Moses.
Under the Old Testament, the Tribe of Levi were onely capable of the Priesthood, and other
inferiour Offices of the Church. The land was divided amongst the other Tribes (Levi excepted,)
which by the subdivision of the Tribe of Joseph, into Ephraim and Manasses, were still twelve.
To the Tribe of Levi were assigned certain Cities for their habitation, with the suburbs for their
cattell: but for their portion, they were to have the tenth of the fruits of the land of their
Brethren. Again, the Priests for their maintenance had the tenth of that tenth, together with
part of the oblations, and sacrifices. For God had said to Aaron ( Numb. 18. 20.) Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part amongst them, I am thy
part, and thine inheritance amongst the Children of Israel. For God being then King, and
having constituted the Tribe of Levi to be his Publique Ministers, he allowed them for their
maintenance, the Publique revenue, that is to say, the part that God had reserved to himself;
which were Tythes, and Offerings: and that is it which is meant, where God saith, I am thine
inheritance. And therefore to the Levites might not unfitly be attributed the name of Clergy
from
, which signifieth Lot, or Inheritance; not that they were heirs of the Kingdome
of God, more than other; but that Gods inheritance, was their maintenance. Now seeing in this
time God himself was their King, and Moses, Aaron, and the succeeding High Priests were his
Lieutenants; it is manifest, that the Right of Tythes, and Offerings was constituted by the Civill
Power.
After their rejection of God in the demanding of a King, they enjoyed still the same revenue;
but the Right thereof was derived from that, that the Kings did never take it from them: for the
Publique Revenue was at the disposing of him that was the Publique Person; and that (till the
Captivity) was the King. And again, after the return from the Captivity, they paid their Tythes
as before to the Priest. Hitherto therefore Church Livings were determined by the Civill
Soveraign.
In our Saviours time, and after./Mat. 10. 9, 10.
Of the maintenance of our Saviour, and his Apostles, we read onely they had a Purse, (which
was carried by Judas Iscariot;) and, that of the Apostles, such as were Fishermen, did
sometimes use their trade; and that when our Saviour sent the Twelve Apostles to Preach, he
forbad them to carry Gold, and Silver, and Brasse in their purses, for that the workman is
worthy of his hire: By which it is probable, their ordinary maintenance was not unsuitable to their employment; for their employment was (ver. 8.) freely to give, because they had freely
received; and their maintenance was the free gift of those that beleeved the good tyding they carryed about of the coming of the Messiah their Saviour. To which we may adde, that which
was contributed out of gratitude; by such as our Saviour had healed of diseases; of which are
mentioned Certain women (Luke 8. 2, 3.) which had been healed of evill spirits and infirmities; Mary Magdalen, out of whom went seven Devills; and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herods
Steward; and Susanna, and many others, which ministred unto him of their substance.
After our Saviours Ascension, the Christians of every City lived in Common,2 upon the mony
which was made of the sale of their lands and possessions, and laid down at the feet of the
Apostles, of good will, not of duty; for whilest the Land remained (saith S. Peter to Ananias Acts 5. 4.) was it not thine? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power? which sheweth he needed not have saved his land, nor his money by lying, as not being bound to contribute any
thing at all, unlesse he had pleased. And as in the time of the Apostles, so also all the time
downward, till after Constantine the Great, we shall find, that the maintenance of the Bishops,
and Pastors of the Christian Church, was nothing but the voluntary contribution of them that
had embraced their Doctrine. There was yet no mention of Tythes: but such was in the time of
Constantine, and his Sons, the affection of Christians to their Pastors, as Ammianus
Marcellinus saith (describing the sedition of Damasus and Ursicinus about the Bishopricke,) that it was worth their contention, in that the Bishops of those times by the liberality of their
flock, and especially of Matrons, lived splendidly, were carryed in Coaches, and were
sumptuous in their fare and apparell.
The Ministers of the Gospel lived on the Benevolence of their flocks./1 Cor. 9. 13.
But here may some ask, whether the Pastor were then bound to live upon voluntary
contribution, as upon almes, For who (saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 9. 7.) goeth to war at his own charges? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milke of the flock? And again, Doe ye not know that they which minister about holy things, live of the things of the Temple; and they
which wait at the Altar, partake with the Altar; that is to say, have part of that which is offered at the Altar for their maintenance? And then he concludeth, Even so hath the Lord appointed,
that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. From which place may be inferred indeed, that the Pastors of the Church ought to be maintained by their flocks; but not that the
Pastors were to determine, either the quantity, or the kind of their own allowance, and be (as
it were) their own Carvers. Their allowance must needs therefore be determined, either by the
gratitude, and liberality of every particular man of their flock, or by the whole Congregation.
By the whole Congregation it could not be, because their Acts were then no Laws: Therefore
the maintenance of Pastors, before Emperours and Civill Soveraigns had made Laws to settle
it, was nothing but Benevolence. They that served at the Altar lived on what was offered. So
may the Pastors also take what is offered them by their flock; but not exact what is not
offered. In what Court should they sue for it, who had no Tribunalls? Or if they had Arbitrators
amongst themselves, who should execute their Judgments, when they had no power to arme
their Officers? It remaineth therefore, that there could be no certaine maintenance assigned to
any Pastors of the Church, but by the whole Congregation; and then onely, when their Decrees
should have the force (not onely of Canons, but also) of Laws; which Laws could not be made, but by Emperours, Kings, or other Civill Soveraignes. The Right of Tythes in Moses Law, could
not be applyed to the then Ministers of the Gospell; because Moses and the High Priests were
the Civill Soveraigns of the people under God, whose Kingdom amongst the Jews was present;
whereas the Kingdome of God by Christ is yet to come.
Hitherto hath been shewn what the Pastors of the Church are; what are the points of their
Commission (as that they were to Preach, to Teach, to Baptize, to be Presidents in their
severall Congregations;) what is Ecclesiasticall Censure, viz. Excommunication, that is to say, in those places where Christianity was forbidden by the Civill Laws, a putting of themselves out
of the company of the Excommunicate, and where Christianity was by the Civill Law
commanded, a putting the Excommunicate out of the Congregations of Christians; who elected
the Pastors and Ministers of the Church, (that it was, the Congregation); who consecrated and
blessed them, (that it was the Pastor); what was their due revenue, (that it was none but their
own possessions, and their own labour, and the voluntary contributions of devout and gratefull
Christians). We are to consider now, what Office in the Church those persons have, who being
Civill Soveraignes, have embraced also the Christian Faith.
That the Civill Soveraign being a Christian hath the Right of appointing Pastors.
And first, we are to remember, that the Right of Judging what Doctrines are fit for Peace, and
to be taught the Subjects, is in all Common-wealths inseparably annexed (as hath been
already proved cha. 18.) to the Soveraign Power Civill, whether it be in one Man, or in one
Assembly of men. For it is evident to the meanest capacity, that mens actions are derived from
the opinions they have of the Good, or Evill, which from those actions redound unto
themselves; and consequently, men that are once possessed of an opinion, that their
obedience to the Soveraign Power, will bee more hurtfull to them, than their disobedience, will
disobey the Laws, and thereby overthrow the Commo