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ASSERTION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, IN THE POINTS OF RULING ELDERS, AND OF THE AUTHORITY OF PRESBYTERIES AND SYNODS. By George Gillespie.
Adhibete conclericos et seniores plebis ecclesiasticos viros, et inquirant diligenter quæ sint istæ dissensiones.—Gesta Purgat. Cæcil & Felic. Quorum (conciliorum) est in ecclesia saluberrima auctoritas. August., epist. 118. |
C O N T E N T S.
Of the words, Elder, Lay Elder, Ruling Elder.
Four significations of the word elder in Scripture.—Of the nickname of lay elders.—That the popish distinction of the clergy and the laity ought to be banished.—Of the name of ruling elders, and the reason thereof.
Of the function of ruling elders, and what sort of officers they be.
Of the distinction of pastors, doctors, elders, and deacons.—Of the behaviour and conversation of ruling elders.—Of the distinction of the power of order and of jurisdiction.—That the ruling elder's power of jurisdiction is to sit and voice in all the consistories and assemblies of the church.—That his power of order is to do, by way of authority, those duties of edification which every Christian is bound to do by way of charity.
The first argument for ruling elders, taken from the Jewish church.
That we ought to follow the Jewish church in such things as they had not for any special reason proper to them, but as they were an ecclesiastic republic.—That the elders among the Jews did sit among the priests and voice in their ecclesiastic courts, according to Saravia's own confession, but were not their civil magistrates as he allegeth.—Bilson's objections answered.
The second argument, taken from Matt. 18.17.
What is the meaning of these words, Tell the church?—Why the presbytery may be called the church.—Our argument from this place for ruling elders.
The third argument, taken from Rom. 12.8.
The words, Rom. 12.8, expounded.—That by him that ruleth is meant the ruling elder.—The objections to the contrary answered.
The fourth argument, taken from 1 Cor. 12.28.
That by governments the Apostle meaneth ruling elders.—Two glosses given by our opposites confuted.
The fifth argument, taken from 1 Tim. 5.17.
Our argument from this place vindicated against ten false glosses devised by our opposites.
The testimony of Ambrose for ruling elders vindicated.
No certain ground alleged against the authority of those commentaries upon the epistles ascribed to Ambrose.—Other answers made by our opposites to the place upon 1 Tim. 5. confuted.
Other testimonies of antiquity.
Testimonies for ruling elders out of Tertullian, Cyprian, Epiphanius, Basil, Chrysostom, Jerome, Eusebius, Augustine, Origen, Isidore, the first council of Toledo.—Other testimonies observed by Justellus and Voetius.—Bilson's answer confuted.
The consent of protestant writers, and confession of our opposites for ruling elders.
Citations of sundry protestant writers to this purpose.—This truth hath extorted a confession from Whitgift, Saravia, Sutliffe, Camero, and Mr. Jo. Wemyss of Craigton.
Dr. Field's five arguments against ruling elders answered.
His first reason,—that no footstep of ruling elders for many hundred years could be found in any Christian church,—answered five ways.—Footsteps of ruling elders in the Church of England.—His second reason answered.—That we ought to judge of the officers of the church, not from 1 Tim. 3. only, but from that and other places compared together.—His third reason answered by the certain bounds of the power of ruling elders.—His fourth reason answered by the distinction of the ecclesiastical sanhedrin of the Jews from their civil sanhedrim.—His last reason, concerning the names, holdeth not.
The extravagances of Whitgift and Saravia in the matter of ruling elders.
The one alloweth of ruling elders under and infidel magistrate, but not under a Christian magistrate.—The other alloweth of them under a Christian magistrate, but not under an infidel.—That ruling elders do not prejudge the power of the civil magistrate, but the Prelacy doth, which confuteth Whitgift.—That Christian magistrates are not come in place of the Jewish seniors, which confuteth Saravia.
Whether ruling elders have the power of decisive voices when they sit in presbyteries and synods.
The affirmative proved by nine reasons.—Two objections to the contrary answered.—The place 1 Cor. 14.32, explained.
Of the ordination of ruling elders, of the continuance of their office, and of their maintenance.
That the want of the imposition of hands in ordination, the want of maintenance, and the not continuing always in the exercise of the office, cannot be prejudicial to the office itself of ruling elders.
Of popular government in the church.
That the question is necessary to be cleared, before the question of the authority of assemblies.—That jurisdiction ought not to be exercised by all the members of a congregation, proved by three reasons.—Objections answered.—The controversy reconciled.
Of the independency of the elderships of particular congregations.
Dr. Field's question, whether the power of jurisdiction belongeth to the eldership of every congregation, or to a common presbytery made up out of many congregations, answered by an eight-fold distinction.—A three-fold conformity of those parishional elderships to the primitive pattern.
Of greater presbyteries, which some call classes.
Three false glosses on 1 Tim. 4.14, confuted.—That the Apostle meaneth, by the presbytery, an assembly of presbyters, whereof also fathers and councils do speak.—The warrant and authority of our classical presbyteries declared both by good reasons, and by the apostolical pattern; for assertion of the latter it is proved, 1. That in many of those cities wherein the apostles planted Christian religion, there was a greater number of Christians than did, or could ordinarily, assemble into one place; 2. That in these cities there was a plurality of pastors; 3. That yet the whole within the city was one church; 4. That the whole was governed by one common presbytery. From all which a corollary is drawn for these our classical presbyteries.
Of the authority of synods, provincial and national.
That the power of jurisdiction in the synod differeth from the power of jurisdiction in the presbytery.—The power of jurisdiction in synods is three-fold—dogmatic, diatactic, and critic.—Whether the decrees of a synod may be pressed upon such as profess scruple of conscience thereanent.
The first argument for the authority of synods, and the subordination of presbyteries thereto, taken from the light of nature.
That the church is a certain kind of republic, and in things which are common to her with other societies, is guided by the same light of nature which guideth them.—Of this kind are her assemblies.
The second argument, taken from Christ's institution.
The will of Christ for the authority of synods is showed two ways: 1. Because else he hath not sufficiently provided for all the necessities of his church; 2. He hath committed spiritual power and authority to the assemblies and courts of the church in general, yet hath not determined in Scripture all the particular kinds, degrees, and bounds thereof, and that for three reasons.—The particular kinds of synods appointed by the church according to the light of nature, and general warrant and rules of the word, are mixed, though not mere divine ordinances.
The third argument, taken from the Jewish church.
That there were, among the Jews, at least two ecclesiastical courts—the synagogue and the sanhedrim.—That the power of the synagogical consistory was not civil but spiritual, proved against Sutliffe.—That the Jews had a supreme ecclesiastical sanhedrim distinct from the civil sanhedrim, proved against the same Sutliffe, both from the institution thereof, Deut. 17; and from the restitution, 2 Chron. 19; and from the practice, Jer. 26.—The consequence our argument proved against such as deny it.—That we ought to follow the Jewish church in those things which it had, not as it was Jewish, but under the common respect and account of a political church.
The fourth argument, taken from Acts 15.
That we find, Acts 15, a synod of the apostles and elders, with authority imposing their decree upon many particular congregations.—Four answers made to this argument found not to be satisfactory.
The fifth argument, taken from geometrical proportion.
This argument, from proportion, doth hold whether we compare the collectives of churches among themselves, or the representatives among themselves, or the representatives and collectives together.
The sixth argument, taken from necessity.
That without the authority of synods, it is impossible to preserve unity, or to make an end of controversy.—Other remedies declared to be ineffectual.
Objections made against the authority of synods answered.
The place, Matt. 18.17, discussed.—That one visible political church may comprehend many congregations, proved.—That the authority of presbyteries and synods doth not rob the congregations of their liberties, as the Prelacy did.—A visible church may be considered either metaphysically or politically.—This distinction explained, serveth to obviate sundry arguments alleged for the Independent power of congregations. Other two objections answered, which have been lately made.
TO THE READER.IT is high time for those who have been long praying for the peace of Jerusalem, and with bleeding hearts have beheld the sorrows of Sion, now to bestir themselves with an extraordinary diligence, and to contribute their most serious and incessant endeavours for the settling of these present commotions about church affairs, in such a manner, that the sacred twins, Truth and Peace, may both cohabit under one roof; and that this great and good work of reformation may not be blasted in the bud, nor fade in the flourish, but may be brought forward to that full maturity which shall afford a harvest of joy to us, and to all the churches of God.
One controversy there is about the government of the church, and it is of such consequence, that were it well resolved upon, and rightly agreed, it should facilitate a right resolution in other matters which are in question. Now, because longum iter per præcepta, breve per exempla, 'the way is long by precepts, short by platforms;' therefore I have carefully observed the policy and government of other reformed churches. And because the nearness of relation swayeth my affection at least half a thought more unto that which is Scotland's (cæteris paribus) than unto that which is more remote from us, therefore I was most solicitous to see a delineation of the government of that famously reformed neighbour church, which, when I had read, and read over again, I did conclude with myself, that if these two points at which most exception is taken, I mean the office of ruling elders and the authority of presbyteries and synods, which also are things common to the other reformed churches, could be upon good grounds maintained, there is no other thing of any moment to be objected against it.
And with these thoughts I was so tossed, that I could not rest satisfied with the quid without the quare, but did conceive as great languor and desire for a demonstration of that form of church government, as before I had for a declaration of the same. Whereupon I have purchased to myself from Scotland, this ensuing treatise, which, having fully satisfied my own mind in the asserting of those most controverted points, I have resolved to communicate and publish the same unto others, for the reasons following:
First, for the satisfaction of such as do, through ignorance or mistaking, stumble at such a form of ecclesiastical government: I do not much {v.b.} marvel to see those that are of a simple understanding, so far conquered, as to scruple the office of ruling elders,1 having heard the big words and lavish expressions of some opposites against the same; yet a poor piece it is which one of them would usher in with a tinkling epistle, in which
Projicit ampullas et sesquipdalla verba.
He maketh offer to forfeit his life to justice, and his reputation to shame, if any living man can show that ever there was a ruling elder in the Christian world, till Farell and Viret first created them. I shall not desire to take him at his word for his life, but if he be not able to give a satisfactory answer unto that which is here said, both from Scripture, and from antiquity, for ruling elders, then hath he given sentence against his own reputation for ever. And so much the more, that having in that Assertion of Episcopacy boldly averred [pages 208, 209, 211], that the name of the elders of the church, in all antiquity, comprehendeth none but preachers and divines; and that therefore none but they may be called seniores ecclesiæ, though some others happily may have the title of seniores populi, because of their civil authority; notwithstanding the reading of the observations of Justellus, and of both the Casaubons, hath now so far changed his tone, that in his late answer to Smectymnuus [page 146], he acknowledgeth that besides pastors and doctors, and beside the magistrates or elders of the cities, there are to be found in antiquity, seniores ecclesiastici, ecclesiastical elders also, only he allegeth they were but as other church-wardens, or rather as our vestry-men; whereas, indeed, they were judges in ecclesiastical controversies, and (in some sort) instructors of the people, as shall be made to appear. Meanwhile we do observe what trust is to be given to this bold speaker, who hath been forced to yield what he had before, with high swelling words, denied.
Another instance of the same kind is to be noted in his Remonstrance, when he speaketh of the prescript forms of prayer, which the Jewish church had ever from the days of Moses, wherewith also Peter and John, when they went up into the temple at the ninth hour of prayer, did join; to make good his allegiance, he addeth [page 11], {vi.a.} "the forms whereof are yet extant and ready to be produced." Yet this he handsomely eateth up in his Defence [page 17,18]; where he gives us to understand, that those set forms of prayer are indeed specified by Capellus, a writer of our own age, but that the book itself which contained these prayers, is perished a thousand years ago. Well, he is now content to say, that once those forms were extant; and this, forsooth, he will prove from a certain Samaritan chronicle in the custody of his faithful friend the Primate of Armagh, wherein he hath found a story which transporteth him as much as the invention of the demonstration did Archimedes, when he cried, 'I have found it, I have found it.' Yet, credat Judæus Apella, non ego. But this lieth not now in my way. Only (till a full answer be ready), I thought it not amiss to give some taste of the man's vain arrogant humour, whose best weapons are great words. As for his last record which he fetcheth from Abrahamus Scultetus, against ruling elders; all that, and much more, hath been, and here shall be, abundantly confuted.
Others there be who call in question the power and authority of ecclesiastical presbyteries, and of synods, against which also some few pens have been put to paper, and have passed a censure no less hard than unseasonable, which, methinks, might well have been spared, unless there had been stronger and more convincing reasons for it. These I shall beseech, that with minds void of prejudice, they take into consideration the second part of this treatise, written with no heat nor sharpness of word, but with plainness, and strength of reason: and, withal, I shall expect that they will not think the worse of the author for being ready to answer him that asketh a reason of him, or for writing a justification of the government of the Church of Scotland, to such as did desire to be more thoroughly resolved concerning the same, but that rather they will make use hereof, as a key by Divine Providence put into their hands, to open a door unto further light.
Secondly, There is so much the more reason for asserting these two points, by how much they have been mainly opposed by Satan; for he it was whose cunning conveyance of old made the office of ruling elders to come into dissuetude, through the sloth, or rather the pride, of the teachers, as Ambrose [on 1 Tim. 5.] complaineth; and yet time hath not so obliterated that ancient order, but that the footsteps of the same are yet to be seen in our officials, chancellors, commissaries, church-wardens and high-commission men, yea, at Rome itself, in the cardinals. The same old serpent it was whose instigation made Licinius, whilst he did intend the total ruin of the church, to fall upon this as the most effectual means for his purpose, that he should straightly inhibit all councils, meetings and conferences concerning the affairs of the church, by which means the Christians of his time were drawn into one of two snares. Aut enim legem, &c.: "For (saith Euschius) {vi.b.} either it behoved us to be obnoxious to punishment by violating the law, or to overthrow the rites and ordinances of the church, by giving obedience in that which the law did command; for great and weighty deliberations, undertaken about things controverted, cannot proceed in any other manner or way, but by the right managing of councils." The Arminians, in the Netherlands, found out another of Satan's wiles; they were not able to hinder the assembling of a free and lawful synod, but, for their next best, they required of the synod of Dort twelve conditions, and the ninth was, that there should not be in that synod any determination or decree concerning the matters in controversy, but only an accommodation or conference, and that still it should be free to the particular churches to accept or to reject the judgment of the synod. This was a way of endless controversy, and justly cried down in the synod.
Moreover Satan, ever wise in his own principles, finding the church of Scotland like an invincible Samson, by reason of such a constitution and government, as being preserved in integrity, could neither admit heresy nor schism, did make use of the prelacy as his traitorous Dalilah to betray that Samson into the hands of the now adverse Philistines the Papists, by stealing away both their ruling elder, and the authority of their presbyteries and synods; for he had well observed that, in these two things, did their great strength lie, and that without these two, the ministers of the word being like so many scopæ dissolutæ, both sparsed, and by themselves alone, might easily by brought under the yoke. When thus the Romish-affected Dalilah had taken away their strength from them, she was bold to utter her insulting voice in the Service-book and book of Canons, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson—The Papists be upon thee, Scotland. In this case they did not (as Samson then) presume that the Lord was with them as at other times—they knew he was departed from them—they cried out, "Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted," Psalm 80.14,15. They did again "ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten," Jer. 50.5. And now (glory be to the great name of God in the church throughout all generations) they have, by his healing hand, quickly recovered their strength. Strength I may well call it, for, saith a learned divine, as in things which are done by bodily strength, so in things which are managed by councils, vis unita fortior, power being put together is the stronger; and in this he doth agree with Bellarmine, that though God, by his absolute power, can preserve his church without synods, yet, according to ordinary providence, they are necessary for the right government of the church. The interweaving and combining of strength, by {vii.a.} joining the ruling elders of every congregation, with the pastor or pastors thereof, into a particular eldership, by joining also commissioners, pastors and elders, from many particular elderships, ordinarily into a classical presbytery, and more solemnly provincial synod. Finally, By joining commissioners, pastors and elders, from many classical presbyteries into a national assembly, this doth indeed make a church "beautiful as Tirza, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners," Cant. 6.4.
It is not to be expected but this form of church government shall still be disliked by some (whose dislike shall notwithstanding the more commend it to all pious minds), I mean by profane men, who escape not without censure under presbyteries and synods, as they did under the Prelacy, by heretics who cannot find favour with a national synod of many learned and godly men, as they did with a few popish prelates, by Machiavellians also, who do foresee that presbyterial synodical government, being conformed not to the Lesbian rule of human authority, but to the inflexible rule of divine institution, will not admit of any innovations in religion, be they never so conducible to political intentions.
Some there be "who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words." (Psalm 64.3.) They would wound both the office of ruling elders, and the authority of presbyteries and synods, with this hateful imputation, that they are inconsistent with the honour and prerogative of princes. Sure I am, when our Saviour saith, "Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matt. 22.21), he doth plainly insinuate that the things which are God's need not to hinder the things which are Cæsar's. And why shall it be forgotten that the prelates did assume to themselves all that power of determining controversies, making canons, ordaining, suspending, deposing, and excommunicating, which now presbyteries and synods do claim as theirs by right? To me it {vii.b.} appeareth a grand mystery, and worthy of deliberation in the wise consistory or Rome, that the power of presbyteries and synods being merely ecclesiastical, being rightly used, and nothing encroaching upon the civil power, is, notwithstanding, an intolerable prejudice to kings and princes. But the very same power in prelates, though both abused and mixed with civil power, is not, for all that, prejudicial to sovereignty.
Yet if the fear of God cannot mollify the tongues of these men, one would think that they should be bridled with respect to the King's most excellent majesty, who hath been graciously pleased to approve and ratify the present government of the Church of Scotland, perceiving, I trust, that God's honour and his honour, God's laws and his laws, may well subsist together.
Lastly, As, in publishing this assertion, I intend to satisfy the scrupulous, and to put in silence the malicious; so also to confirm the consciences of such as are friends and favourers to the right way of church government. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14.23), saith the Apostle, yea, though it be in a matter otherwise indifferent, how much more is it necessary that we halt not in our judgment concerning the government of the church, but walk straight in the plerophory and full assurance of the same, from the warrants of the word of God—I say again, from the warrants of the word of God—for as it is not my meaning to commend this form, because it is Scotland's, so I hope assuredly that my countrymen will not despise God's ordinance, because it is Scotland's practice, but rather follow them insofar as they follow Christ and the Scripture. This, therefore, I pray, that thy love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment, that thou mayest approve the things that are excellent (Phil. 1.9.) "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things." (2 Tim. 2.7.) Amen.
A S S E R T I O N
OF THE
GOVERNMENT OF THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND, &c.
THE FIRST PART.
CONCERNING RULING ELDERS.
CHAPTER I.OF THE WORDS ELDER, LAY ELDER, RULING ELDER.
THE word elder answereth to zaken in the Hebrew, and presbuteroV in the Greek. It hath four different significations: (1.) It noteth age; (2.) Antiquity; (3.) Venerability; (4.) An office. In the first signification, elder is opposed to younger, as 1 Tim. 5.1, "Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father, and the younger men as brethren." 1 Pet. 5.5, "Likewise ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder." In this sense was the apostle John called the elder, because he outlived the other apostles, 2 John 1.; 3.1. In the second signification, elder is opposed to modern, Matt. 15.2, "Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?" that is, of them of old time, Matt. 5.21. In the third signification we find the word, Isa. 3., where the Lord saith, that he would take away from Israel "the prudent and the ancient," vezaken; that is, the worthies among them, and such as were respected for wisdom. The same word (and peradventure, in the same sense), is turned elder, Exod. 2.16, Eth-zikne Israel, the elders of Israel. So the Spanish seijor, the French seigneur, the Italian signore, all coming from the Latin senior, signify a man of respect, or one venerable for dignity, gifts, prudence, or piety. Contrariwise, men of no worth, nor wisdom, men despicable {9.b.} for lack of gifts and understanding, are called children, Isa. 3.4,12; Eph. 4.14. But it is the fourth signification which we have now to do withal, and so an elder is a spiritual officer, appointed by God, and called to the government of the church, Acts 14.23, "When they had by voices made them elders in every church." They have the name of elders, because of the maturity of knowledge, wisdom, gifts, and gravity, which ought to be in them: for which reason also the name of senators was borrowed from sense.
Before we come to speak particularly of those elders of which our purpose is to treat, it is fit we should know them by their right name, lest we nick-name and miscall them. Some reproachfully, and others ignorantly, call them lay elders. But the distinction of the clergy and laity is popish and antichristian; and they who have narrowly considered the records of ancient times, have noted this distinction as one of the grounds whence the mystery of iniquity had the beginning of it.2 The name of clergy appropriate to ministers, is full of pride and vain-glory, and hath made the holy people of God to be despised, as if they were profane and unclean in comparison of their ministers. Gerhard3 likeneth those who take to themselves the name of clergy, to the Pharisees, who called themselves by that name: for that their holiness did separate them from the rest of the Jews: for this etymology of the name Pharisee, he citeth Tertullian, Origen, Epiphanius, Ambrose, and confirmeth it from Luke 18.10. Hence was it that some councils discharged the laity from presuming to enter within the choir, or to stand among the clergy near the altar.4 Two reasons are alleged why the ministers of the church should be called klhroV. First, Because the Lord is their inheritance: Secondly, Because they are the Lord's inheritance. Now, both these reasons do agree to all the faithful people of God; for there is none of the faithful who may not say with David, Psalm 16.5, "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance;" and of whom also it may be said, that they are the Lord's inheritance, or lot; for Peter giveth this name to the whole church, 1 Pet. 5.3. Where (if it were needful) we might challenge Bishop Hall [Of Episcop. by Divine Right, p. 212.], who borroweth a gloss from Bellarmine and Gregorious de Valentia, telling us, that Peter chargeth his fellow-bishops not to domineer over their clergy, so shutting out of the text, both the duty of pastors (because the bishops only are meant by elders), and the benefit of the people, because the inferior pastors are the bishop's flock, according to this gloss; for Peter opposeth the lording over the klhroV, to "being ensamples to the flock." Surely, if this popish gloss be true, Protestants, in their commentaries and sermons, have gone wide from that text. But Matthias, the apostle, was chosen by lot, Acts 1.26. What then? By what reason doth the canon law draw from hence a name common to all the ministers of the gospel? [D. 21, ca. Cleros.] Let us then banish from us such popish names, and send them home to Rome. Bellarmine [De Cleric. lib. 1., cap. 1.] thought we had done so long ere now, for he maketh this one of his controverted heads, Whether we may rightly call some Christians the clergy, and others the laity, or not, ascribing the negative to Protestants, the affirmative to the Church of Rome.
Yet beside the clergy and the laity, Papists hold that there is a third sort in the church distinct from both, whom they call regulares. [Bell. Præ Fat. ante Lib. de Cleric.] These are such of their religious orders as are not taken up with contemplation alone (like the monks) but with action, such as the Dominicans, Franciscans, &c., [Bell., lib. 2.; do Mon. cap. 1.] who help and assist the clergy in their ecclesiastical employments, though they themselves be not admitted into any particular charge in the church. Now he who will needs side with the Papists in the distinction of clergy and laity, may also with them admit a third member of the distinction, and make ruling elders of that sort, especially since the reason why the regular canons are assumed as helpers to parish priests, is, propter multitudinem fidelis populi, et difficultatem inveniendi curatos sufficientes et idoneos, saith Cardinal Cajetan [In. 2.2.4.88. art. 4.], adding further, male consultum populo Christiano invenitur sine hujusmodi supplemento. Which reasons agree well to ruling elders; for, (1.) Parishes contain so many, that the minister cannot oversee all and every one without help. (2.) Sufficient and fit ministers shall hardly be everywhere found. (3.) It is found by experience, that sin and scandal are never well taken heed to, and redressed, where ruling elders are not. To let all this pass, if any man will needs retain the name of lay elders, yet, saith Gersomus Bucerus [De Gub. Eccl. p. 28.] What aspersion is that to our churches? Is it any other thing than that which Papists object to us for admitting laymen into councils? They who have place in the highest and most supreme assemblies of the church, wherein the weightiest matters are determined, ought much more to be admitted into inferior meetings, such as presbyteries are.
But if we will speak with Scripture, we shall call them ruling elders, Rom. 12.8, "he that ruleth;" 1 Tim. 5.17, "elders that rule well." They are called ruling elders, non quia soli sed quia solum præsunt. Pastors rule the church even as they do; but pastors do something more, from which they may be designed; whereas the elders of which we are to speak, have no other employment, which can give them a designation, except the ruling of the church only. That wicked railer Lysimachus Nicanor, who assumed the name, but forgot to put on the visor of a Jesuit, in his Congratulatory (I should say calumniatory) Epistle, p. 61, allegeth that they are called ruling elders, because the ministers are their ruled elders. If he were a Jesuit, he may remember {11.a.} that in their own society, besides their priests, doctors, preachers, confessionaries, &c., they have also rectors or regents,5 whose office it is to see the rules of their order kept, to observe the behaviour of every one, and, when they perceive any seeds of heresy, to signify the same to the provincial, and he to the general. Yet are these rectors among the lowest ranks of their officers, so that Jesuits need not stumble when we call our elders ruling elders.
CHAPTER II.OF THE FUNCTION OF RULING ELDERS, AND
WHAT SORT OF OFFICERS THEY BE.Notwithstanding all the multiplicity of popish orders, yet Peter Lombard [Lib. 4. dist. 4.], treading the vestiges of the primitive simplicity, did observe that the apostles left only two sacred orders to be perpetual in the church, the order of deacons and the order of elders. The administration of deacons is exercised about things bodily; the administration of elders about things spiritual. The former about the goods; the latter about the government of the church. Now, elders are of three sorts: (1.) Preaching elders, or pastors; (2.) Teaching elders or doctors; (3.) Ruling elders. All these are elders, because they have voice in presbyteries, and all assemblies of the church, and the government of the church is incumbent to them all; not only to the pastor and elder, but to the doctor also. The bishop of Doune, in his Examen Conjurationis Scotica, p. 35, allegeth that our Church of Scotland did never yet determine whether doctors and deacons have right of voicing in the consistories and assemblies of the church. But had he read our Book of Policy, he might have found that it excludeth deacons from being members of presbyteries and assemblies, cap. 8, but admitteth doctors into the same, cap. 5, "The doctor being an elder, (as said is,) should assist the pastor in the government of the kirk, and concur with the elders, his brethren, in all assemblies, by reason the interpretation of the word, which is only judge in ecclesiastical matters, is committed {11.b.} to his charge." But they differ, in that the pastor laboureth in the word of exhortation, that is, by the gift of wisdom applieth the word to the manners of his flock, and that in season and out of season, as he knoweth their particular cases to require. The doctor laboureth in the word of doctrine, that is, without such applications as the pastor useth; by simple teaching he preserveth the truth and sound interpretation of the Scriptures, against all heresy and error. The ruling elder doth neither of these, but laboureth in the government and policy of the church only. The Apostle hath distinguished these three sorts of elders, 1 Tim. 5.17, "Let elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." Where, as Beza noteth, he distinguished the word, which is the pastor's part, from doctrine, which is the doctor's part. Even as Rom. 12.7,8, he distinguisheth teaching from exhortation; and 1 Cor. 12.8, putteth "the word of wisdom," and "the word of knowledge," for two different things. Now, besides those elders which labour in the word, and those which labour in doctrine, Paul speaketh to Timothy of a third sort of elders, which labour neither in the word nor doctrine, but in ruling well. Hence it appeareth how truly the Book of Policy, cap. 2, saith, That there are four ordinary, perpetual, and necessary offices in the church, the office of the pastor, the doctor, the elder, and the deacon; and that no other office, which is not one of these four, ought to be received, or suffered in the church.
But when we speak of elders, Non personatos, &c.—'We will not have disguised and histrionical men, puffed up with titles, or idols dead in sins, to be meant, but holy men, who, being endued with faith in God, and walking in his obedience, God authorizing them, and the church, his spouse, choosing and calling them, undertake the government thereof, that they may labour to the conservation and edification of the same in Christ,' saith Junius [Eccles., lib. 2., cap. 3.]—A ruling elder should pray for the spirit and gifts of his calling, that he may do the duties of his calling, and not be like him that played the souldan, but a souter; he must do this office neither upokritikwV and pro forma, he himself being parcus deorum cultor et {12.a.} infrequens; nor eristikwV, doing all through contention and strife about particulars. Si duo de nostras tollas pronomina rebus, prælia (I may say jurgia) cessarent, pax sine lite foret; [Meum et Tuum] nor despotikwV, empiring and lording among his brethren and fellow-elders, "Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant," Matt. 20.26,27, saith the only Lord and Head of the church; nor yet agaphtikwV, setting himself only to do a pleasure, or to get preferment to such as he favoureth; nay, nor nomoqetikwV, only by establishing good orders and wholesome laws in the church, but he must carry himself uphretikwV, serviceably and ministerially; for as his function is officium and jurisdictio, so it is munus, a burdensome service and charge laid upon him.
That a ruling elder may be such an one as he ought to be, two sorts of duties are requisite, namely, duties of his conversation, and duties of his calling. The duties of his conversation are the same which the apostle Paul requireth in the conversation of the minister of the word, that he be blameless, having a good report, not accused of riot, or unruly; vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, a lover of good men, just, holy, temperate, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, not self-willed, not soon angry, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection, with all gravity, one that followeth after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness, &c. 1 Tim. 3.2-7; 6.11; Titus 1.6-8. These and such like parts of a Christian and exemplary conversation being required of pastors, as they are elders, belong unto ruling elders also. This being plain, let us proceed to the duties of their calling.
For the better understanding whereof, we will distinguish, with the schoolmen, a twofold power, the power of order, and the power of jurisdiction, which are different in sundry respects: (1.) The power of order comprehendeth such things as a minister, by virtue of his ordination, may do without a commission from any presbytery or assembly of the church, as to preach the word, to minister the sacraments, to celebrate marriage, to visit the sick, to catechise, to admonish {12.b.} &c. The power of jurisdiction comprehendeth such things as a minister cannot do himself, nor by virtue of his ordination; but they are done by a session, presbytery, or synod, and sometimes by a minister or ministers, having commission and authority from the same, such as ordination and admission, suspension, deprivation and excommunication, and receiving again into the church, and making of laws and constitutions ecclesiastical, and such like, whereof we boldly maintain that there is no part of ecclesiastical jurisdiction in the power of one man, but of many met together in the name of Christ. (2.) The power of order is the radical and fundamental power, and maketh a minister susceptive and capable of the power of jurisdiction. (3.) The power of order goeth no farther than the court of conscience; the power of jurisdiction is exercised in external and ecclesiastical courts. (4.) The power of order is sometime unlawful in the use, yet not void in itself. The power of jurisdiction, when it is unlawful in the use, it is also void in itself. If a minister do any act of jurisdiction, as to excommunicate, or absolve without his own parish, wanting also the consent of the ministry and elders of the bounds where he doth the same, such acts are void in themselves, and of no effect; but if without his own charge, and without the consent aforesaid, he baptize an infant, or do any such thing belonging to the power of order, though his act be unlawful, yet is the thing itself of force, and the sacrament remaineth a true sacrament.
Now to our purpose. We aver that this twofold power of order and jurisdiction belongeth to ruling elders as well as to pastors. The power of jurisdiction is the same in both; for the power and authority of all jurisdiction belongeth to the assemblies and representative meetings of the church, whereof the ruling elders are necessary constituent members, and have the power of decisive voicing no less than pastors. Howbeit, the execution of some decrees enacted by the power of jurisdiction belongeth to ministers alone, for pastors alone exercise some acts of jurisdiction, as imposition of hands, the pronouncing of the sentence of excommunication, the receiving of a penitent, &c. Are not these things done in the name and authority of some assembly of the church, higher or lower? Or are they any other than the executions of the decrees {13.a.} and sentences of such an assembly wherein ruling elders voiced. The power of order alone shall make the difference betwixt the pastor and the ruling elder; for, by the power of order, the pastor doth preach the word, minister the sacraments, pray in public, bless the congregation, celebrate marriage, which the ruling elder cannot; therefore it is falsely said by that railing Rabshakeh (whom before I speak of), Ep., p. 7, That the ruling elders want nothing of the power of the minister, but that they preach not, nor baptize in public congregations; yet other things, which the pastor doth, by his power of order, the ruling elder ought also to do by his own power of order. And if we would know how much of this power of order is common to both, let us note that pastors do some things by their power of order, which all Christians ought to do by the law of charity. Things of this sort a ruling elder may and ought to do by his power of order, and by virtue of his election and ordination to such an office. For example, every Christian is bound in charity to admonish and reprove his brother that offendeth, first privately, then before witnesses; and if he hear not, to tell it to the church, Lev. 19.17; Matt. 18.15-17. This a ruling elder ought to do by virtue of his calling, and with authority, 1 Thes. 5.12; private Christians ought in charity to instruct the ignorant, John 4.29; Acts 18.26; to exhort the negligent, Heb. 3.15; 10.24,25; to comfort the afflicted, 1 Thes. 5.11; to support the weak, 1 Thes. 5.14; to restore him that falleth, Gal. 6.1; to visit the sick; Matt. 25.36,40; to reconcile those who are at variance, Matt. 5.9; to contend for the truth, and to answer for it, Jude, verse 3; 1 Pet. 3.15, all which are incumbent to the ruling elder, by the authority of his calling. To conclude, then, the calling of ruling elders consisteth in these two things: (1.) To assist and voice in all assemblies of the church: which is their power of jurisdiction; (2.) To watch diligently over the whole flock all these ways which have been mentioned, and to do by authority that which other Christians ought to do in charity: which is their power of order. And the elder which neglecteth any one of these two whereunto his calling leadeth him, shall make answer to God for it; for the word of God, the discipline of this kirk, the bonds of his own calling and covenant, do all bind sin upon his soul, if {13.b.} either he give not diligence in private, by admonishing all men of their duty as the case requireth; or if he neglect to keep either the ecclesiastical court and consistory within the congregation where his charge is, or the classical presbytery and other assemblies of the church, which he is no less bound to keep than his pastor, when he is called and designed thereunto.
CHAPTER III.THE FIRST ARGUMENT FOR RULING ELDERS
TAKEN FROM THE JEWISH CHURCH.Having showed what ruling elders are, it followeth to show Scripture and divine right for them. Our first argument is taken from the government and policy of the Jewish church thus: Whatsoever kind of office-bearers the Jewish church had, not as it was Jewish, but as it was a church, such ought the Christian church to have also. But the Jewish church, not as it was Jewish, but as it was a church, had elders of the people, who assisted in their ecclesiastical government, and were members of their ecclesiastical consistories; therefore such ought the Christian church to have also. The proposition will no man call in question; for quod competit alicui qua tali competit omni tali,—that which agreeth to any church as it is a church, agreeth to every church. I speak of the church as it is a political body and settled ecclesiastical republic, let us see then to the assumption: The Jewish church, not as it was a church, but as it was Jewish, had an high priest, typifying our great High Priest Jesus Christ. As it was Jewish, it had musicians to play upon harps, psalteries, cymbals, and other musical instruments in the temple, 1 Chron. 25.1, concerning which hear Bellarmine's confession, de Bon. Oper., lib. 1., cap. 17, "Justinus saith that the use of instruments was granted to the Jews for their imperfection, and that therefore such instruments have no place in the church. We confess, indeed, that the use of musical instruments agreeth not alike with the perfect, and with the imperfect, and that therefore they began but of late to be admitted in the church." But as it was a church, and not as Jewish, it had four sorts of ordinary officer-bearers, priests, Levites, doctors, and elders, and {14.a} we conformably have pastors, deacons, doctors and elders. To their priests and Levites Cyprian doth rightly liken our pastors and deacons, for howsoever sundry things were done by the priests and Levites, which were typical and Jewish only, yet may we well parallel our pastors with their priests, in respect of a perpetual ecclesiastical office common to both, namely, the teaching and governing of the people of God, Mal. 2.7; 2 Chron. 19.8; and our deacons with their Levites, in respect of the care of ecclesiastical goods, and of the work of the service of the house of God in the materials and appurtenances thereof, a function likewise common to both, 1 Chron. 26.20; 23.24,28. The Jewish church had also doctors and schools, or colleges for the preservation of true divinity among them,6 and of tongues, arts and sciences, necessary thereto, 1 Chron. 15.22,27; 2 Kings 22.14; 1 Sam. 19.20; 2 Kings 2.3,5; Acts 19.9. These office-bearers they had for no typical use, but we have them for the same use and end for which they had them. And all these sorts of office-bearers among us we do as rightly warrant from the like sorts among them, as other whiles we warrant our baptising of infants from their circumcising of them, our churches by their synagogues, &c.
Now that the Jewish church had also such elders as we plead for, it is manifest; for, besides the elders of the priests, there were also elders of the people joined with them in the hearing and handling of ecclesiastical matters, Jer. 19.1, "Take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests." The Lord, sending a message by the prophet, would have a representative body of all Judah to be gathered together for receiving it, as Tremellius noteth. So 2 Kings 6.32, "Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him." We read, 2 Chron. 19.9, that with the priests were joined some of the chief of the fathers of Israel, to judge ecclesiastical causes and controversies. And howsoever many things among the Jews in the latter times, after the captivity, did wear to confusion and disorder, yet we find, even in the days of Christ and the apostles, that the elders of {14.b.} the people still sat and voiced in council with the priests, according to the ancient form, as is clear from sundry places of the New Testament, Matt. 16.21; 21.23; 26.57,59; 27.1,12; Mark 14.43; Luke 22.66; Acts 4.5. This is also acknowledged by the Roman annalist Baronius [Anno. 58, n. 10.], who confesseth further, That as this was the form among the Jews, so, by the apostles, was the same form observed in their times, and seniors then admitted into councils. Saravia himself [De. Divers. Grad. Minist. Evang., cap. 11], who disputeth so much against ruling elders, acknowledgeth what hath been said of the elders of the Jews: Seniores quidem invenio in confessu sacerdotum veteris synagogæ, qui sacerdotes non erant,—'I find, indeed (saith he [p. 108]), elders in the assembly of the priests of the old synagogue, which were not priests.' Et quamvis paria eorum essent suffragia et authoritas in omnibus judiciis, cum suffragiis sacerdotum, &c.—'And although (saith he [p. 118.]) their suffrages and authority in all judgments were equal with the suffrages of the priests,' &c. But what then, think ye, he hath to say against us? He saith [p. 108,118] that the elders of the Jews were their magistrates, which, in things pertaining to the external government of the church, ought not to have been debarred from the council of the priests more than the Christian magistrate ought now to be debarred from the synods of the church. Now to prove that their elders were their civil magistrates, he hath no better argument than this: That the Hebrew word zaken, which is turned elder, importeth a chief man, or a ruler. We answer, first, This is a bold conjecture, which he hath neither warranted by divine nor by human testimonies; secondly, Zaken doth not ever signify a ruler, or a man in authority, as we have shewed before; thirdly, Let us grant zaken to be a name of dignity, and to import a chief man; yet a chief man is not ever a magistrate, nor a ruler. It would only follow that they were of the chief of the fathers of Israel that were joined with the priests in the sanhedrim, and so it was, 2 Chron. 19.8. Non herele de plebe hominum lecti sed nobilissimi omnes, saith P. Cunœus [De Repub. Jud., lib. 1., cap. 12.] They were, saith Loc. Theol., {15.a.} tom. 6., sect. 28: Proceres tribuum qui allegabantur una cum sacerdotibus et scribes in sacrum synedrium. Fourthly, They who were so joined in council with the priests, 2 Chron. 19.8, are plainly distinguished from the judges and magistrates, ver. 11; and so are the princes and rulers distinguished from the elders, Acts 4.5; Judg. 8.14; Deut. 5.23; Josh. 8.33. Fifthly, We would know whether he thought that all the magistrates of the Jews sat in council with the priests, or some of them only—if some only, we desire either proof or probability, who they were, and how many—if all, then should we, by the like reason, admit not the supreme magistrate alone (which he seemeth to say) into the synods of the church, but all magistrates whatsoever, and what a confusion should that be? Sixthly, Those elders that sat in the civil sanhedrim were rulers by their sitting there; but the elders which sat in the ecclesiastical sanhedrim, either were not civil magistrates, or at least sat not there as magistrates. So do our magistrates sometimes sit with us, as members of our assemblies, not as magistrates, but as elders. Of the distinction of those two courts, which every one observeth not, we shall speak more afterward.
We have said enough against Saravia, but Bilson doth better deserve an answer, who allegeth more specious reasons to prove that the elders of the Jews were their civil magistrates. He saith, There was no senate nor seniors among the Jews, but such as had power of life and death, of imprisonment, confiscation, banishment, &c., which he maketh to appear thus: In the days of Ezra, the punishment of contemners was forfeiture of their substance, and separation from the congregation, Ezra. 10.8; the trial of secret murder was committed to the elders of every city, Deut. 21.3,4; they delivered the willful murderer unto the avenger of blood, to be put to death, Deut. 19.12; they condemned a stubborn son to death, Deut. 21.19; they chastened a man who had spoken falsely of his wife, that he found her not a virgin, Deut. 22.15,16,18. Answer. First, If it should be granted that the elders, spoken of in these places, were civil magistrates, this proveth not that there were no ecclesiastical elders among the Jews. Justellus, in his Annotations upon the Book of the Canons of the African Church, distinguisheth betwixt the {15.b.} civil elders mentioned,7 can. 91, who were called seniores locorum, or urbium, and the ecclesiastical elders mentioned, can. 10, who were called seniores ecclesiæ and seniores plebis: the former name distinguishing them from the civil elders; the latter distinguishing them from preaching elders. So there might be the same two sorts of elders among the Jews. And what then? It is enough for us that we find, in the Jewish church, some elders joined with the priests, and employed in things ecclesiastical. The elders and priests are joined together, both in the New Testament, as Matt. 26.59, "The chief priests and elders;" so in other places before cited. And likewise in the Old Testament, Exod. 21.1, "Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel;" Deut. 27.1, "Moses with the elders," compared with ver. 9, "Moses and the priests;" Zech. 7.26, "The law shall perish from the priest, and council from the ancients;" Jer. 19.1, "Take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests." We find, also, the commandments of God first delivered to the elders, and by them to the people, Exod. 12.21,28; 19.7,8. It is said, Deut. 27.1, "Moses, with the elders of Israel, commanded the people." Upon which place Hugo Cardinalis saith, Argumentum, &c.—'Here is an argument that a prelate ought not to command anything without the council of the elders.'
Secondly, But it cannot be proved that these elders, in the places objected, were judges or magistrates; nay, the contrary appeareth from other places, which we have before alleged for the distinction of elders from magistrates or judges; whereunto we may add, 2 Kings 10.1, "Unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children;" and ver. 5, "He that was over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children;" Ezra 10.14, "The elders of every city, and the judges thereof."
Fourthly, We read of threescore and seventeen {16.a.} elders in Succoth, Judg. 8.14, whereas the greatest number of judges, in one city, among the Jews, was three for smaller matters, and three-and-twenty for great matters. This objection Bilson himself moveth, but answereth it not.
Fifthly, As for the places which he objecteth against us, the first two of them make against himself. In Ezra 10.8, we find not only the civil punishment of forfeiture, but also, as Pellicanus on that place, and Zepperus, de Pol. Eccl., lib. 3., cap. 7, do observe, the ecclesiastical punishment of excommunication, or separation from the congregation: the former answering to the council of the princes, the latter to the council of the elders. The place, Deut. 21.3,4, maketh against him in three respects: First, The elders of the city did but wash their hands over the beheaded heifer, and purge themselves before the Lord from the bloodshed, which was a matter rather ecclesiastical than civil. Neque enem, &c.—'For there was no need of a judge here, who should be present formally as judge,' saith Benfrerius, the Jesuit, upon that place. Secondly, The controversy was decided by the word of the priests, ver. 5. Thirdly, Tostatus thinketh that the elders and the judges are plainly distinguished, ver. 2, "Thy elders and thy judges shall come forth." Quæras hic, &c.—Thou mayest here ask (saith Pelargus) why the elders of the people, and the judges, were both together called out,—I answer, because God will have both the magistrate and the subjects to be innocent, &c. As for the other places, that which seemeth to prove most for the civil power of the Jewish elders, is Deut. 22., yet hear what that famous commentator, Tostatus Abulensis saith on that place: Quando talis, &c.—'When such a cause was to be judged, because it was very weighty, the elders of the city did meet together with the judges thereof; for, in such facts, there is some place for conjecture, and the elders, who are the wiser sort, can herein be more attentive than others.' So he noteth upon Ruth 4.3, that the elders sat in the gate about the controversy betwixt Boaz and the other kinsman, not as judges, but as witnesses and beholders, that the matter might be done with the more gravity and respect, which doth farther appear from ver. 9,11. In like manner we answer to Deut. 21.19, the judges decided that cause with advise and counsel {16.b.} of the elders; and so the name of elders, in those places, may be a name not of office, but of dignity, signifying men of chief note, for wisdom, gravity, and experience. In which sense the word elders is taken, Gen. 50.7, as Tostatus and Rivetus expound that place. In the same manner we say of Deut. 19.12; and, in that case, it is farther to be remembered, that the cities of refuge had a kind of sacred designation and use, for the altar itself was sometimes a place of refuge, Exod. 21.14; and when the six cities of refuge were appointed, they were of the cities of the Levites, Num. 35.6; that by the judgment and council of the Levites, who should best understand the law of God, such controversies might be determined, as Pellicanus on that place saith well; for this cause some read Josh. 20.7, "They sanctified Kedesh," &c. Besides, if it be true that these causes were judged, not in the city where the murder was committed, but in the city of refuge, as Serrarius [In Jos. 20., quæst. 3.] holdeth with Masius and Montanus, and allegeth for it some very considerable reasons, then doth Bilson's argument, from Deut. 19.12, fail also in this respect; for the elders there mentioned are the elders of the city where the murder was committed.
CHAPTER IV.THE SECOND ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM MATT. XVIII. 17.
Our second argument we take from Matt. 18.17, "Tell the church." Let an obstinate offender, whom no admonition doth amend, be brought and judged by the church,—where, first of all, it is to be condescended upon, That though he speaketh by allusion to the Jewish church, as is evident by these words, "Let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican," yet he meaneth of the Christian church, when he saith, "Tell the church," as may appear by the words following, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth," &c., which is meant of the apostles and ministers of the gospel, John 20.23; so that he did not send them to the sanhedrim of the Jews, when he bade them "Tell the church;" nor, (2.) Doth he mean of the church universal, for then we should have none of our wrongs redressed, {17.a.} because we cannot assemble the church universal, nay, nor the representative of it, which is an œcumenic council; nor, (3.) Can we understand it of the collective body of a particular church or congregation; for he who is the God of order, not of confusion, hath committed the exercise of no ecclesiastical jurisdiction to a promiscuous multitude; nor, (4.) Can it be taken of a prelate, who, being but one, can no more be called "the church," nor one can be called many, or a member be called a body. Non enim una persona potest dici ecclesia, saith Bell., de Eccles., lib. 3., cap. 17, Cum ecclesia sit populus et regnum Dei. It is plain that the church there spoken of is a certain number met together, "Where two or three are gathered together," &c.; nor, (5.) Can we, with Erastus and Bilson, expound it of the Christian magistrate [De. Guber. Eccles., cap. 4, p. 70,71.], which exposition, beside that, in a new-fangled language, it calleth the magistrate the church, and goeth about to overthrow all ecclesiastical jurisdiction, It is also utterly contrary to the purpose of Christ, and to the aim of that discipline which he recommendeth to be used, which is the good of our brother, and the gaining of him from his offence, whereas the exercise of civil jurisdiction of the magistrate is not intended for the good of the offender, and for the winning of him to repentance, but for the public good of the common-wealth, and for the preservation of peace, order and justice, therein according to the laws. Wherefore, by the church whereof our Master speaketh, we must needs understand such a representative meeting of the church, wherein a scandalous and obstinate person may and ought to be judged. And what is that? Collegium presbyterorum, saith Camero [Prælect. tom. 1., p. 23.] The presbytery whereof mention is made, 1 Tim. 4.14, "Tell the church;" that is, proedroiV kai proestwsi, saith Chrysostom, expounding the place,—he meaneth the presbytery made up of pastors and ruling elders. And so Zanchius [In 4 Præcept., col. 741.] and Junius [Contr. 3, lib. 2., cap. 6.] expound him. The pastors were proedroi, because of their presiding in the consistories of the church; the ruling elders were proestwteV, because of their ruling the flock. Whitgift saith [D. of Tract. 17, cap. 2, div. 4.], "Truth it is that {17.b.} the place of Matthew may be understood of seniors, but it may be as well understood of any other, that, by the order of the church, have authority in the church." His confession, in behalf of seniors, we accept, but that he maketh this scripture like a nose of wax, and the government of the church like the French fashion, that we utterly abhor. But how is the presbytery called the church, and why? First, Even as the body is said to see, whenas the eyes alone do see: so saith Camero [Ubi supra, p. 26.] The church is said to hear that which they alone do hear who are as the eyes of the church. Secondly, It is a common form of speech to give the name of that which is represented to that which representeth it. So we commonly say, that this or that is done by the State of Holland, which is done by the senate at Hague. Now, though bishops or pastors alone cannot represent the church, because hearers also belong to the definition of the church, yet the presbytery can well represent the church, because it containeth, beside those who labour in the word, ruling elders put in authority by the church for the government thereof, as Gerhard rightly resolveth. [Loc. Theol., tom. 6., p. 137.] Our divines prove against Papists, that some of these, whom they call laics, ought to have place in the assemblies of the church, by this argument, among the rest, because otherwise the whole church could not be thereby represented. Thirdly, The Lord commanded that the children of Israel should lay their hands upon the Levites at their consecration, and that the whole congregation should be brought together for that effect, Num. 8.9,10. This, as some have observed out of Aben-Ezra [Treat. of Eccles. Discip., p. 87.] cannot be so understood, as if the many thousands, which were then in the host of Israel, had all laid their hands upon them, but the elders of Israel only representing them. So the Lord saith, "Speak to all the congregation of Israel," &c., Exod. 12.3-21; but the execution of this command is expressed thus: "Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them," &c.; so Josh. 20.6. Fourthly, Pastors and elders, as they are the ministers of Jesus Christ, so are they the ministers and servants of his spouse the church, 2 Cor. 4.5. From that which hath been said, we may draw our argument in this form: Whatsoever courts do {18.a.} represent the church, these are made up of ruling as well as teaching elders.
But presbyteries, and all assemblies of the church, are courts which represent the church, therefore &c. The proposition is proved thus: Whatsoever courts represent hearers as well as teachers, and the people as well as the ministry, these are made up of ruling as well as teaching elders.
But whatsoever courts do represent the church, these represent hearers as well as teachers, &c. It is plain enough that the church cannot be represented, except the hearers of the word, which are the far greatest part of the church, be represented. By the ministers of the word they cannot be represented more than the burghs can be represented in parliament by the noblemen, or by the commissioners of shires; therefore, by some of their own kind must they be represented, that is, by such as are hearers, and not preachers. Now some hearers cannot represent all the rest, except they have a calling and commission thereto; and who can those be but ruling elders?
CHAPTER V.OUR THIRD ARGUMENT, TAKEN FROM
ROMANS XII. 8.Our third argument is grounded upon Romans 12.8. The Apostle hath declared before, that, as there are many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, for the office of the eye is to see, of the ear to hear, &c., so are there gifts given to the several office-bearers of the church, wherewith every one in his own office may glorify God and edify the church, verse 4, with verses 5, 6. These gifts, he saith, are differing, according to the grace given to us; that is, according to the holy charge and office given unto us by the grace and favour of God: so verse 3, "Through the grace given unto me," saith Paul, that is, through the authority of my apostleship, which by grace I have obtained. Now, whiles he exhorteth every one to the faithful and humble use of his gift which he hath received for the discharge of his office, he illustrateth his exhortation by the enumeration of the ordinary ecclesiastical offices, ver. 6-8. And as Beza, Piscator, and {18.b.} Junius, do well resolve the text. [In illum locum Eccles. lib. 2., cap. 1.] First, he maketh a general division of functions in the church, making two sorts of the same prophecy, whereby is meant the faculty of expounding Scripture; and ministry comprehending all other employments in the church. Prophesying, the Apostle subdivideth into teaching, which is the doctor's part; and exhortation, which is the pastor's; ministry he subdivideth in giving, which is the deacon's part; ruling, which is the ruling elder's part; and showing mercy, which pertained to them who had care of the sick. Against this commentary which we have made upon the Apostle's words, Sutcliffe [De Presbyt. p. 87] objecteth a double injury which we do to pastors. First, if these our elders be the rulers here spoken of, then pastors ought not to rule; as if, forsooth, elders could not rule except they rule alone. Next, he saith, we make these elders as necessary to the church as pastors; so that a church cannot be where there are not ruling elders, even as there is not a church where there are not word and sacraments. Surely a church may happen to want pastors, and so too want both the preaching of the word and the use of the sacraments for that time; and so may it want elders and still remain a church, but defective and maimed. Howbeit, the pastors are more necessary than the elders, because they do not only rule but preach beside.
But to pass this, there are other things which better deserve an answer; for one might object, (1.) That the Apostle seemeth to speak of several gifts only, not of several offices. (2.) If he speak of offices, by what reason make we prophecy and ministry general kinds, and all the rest particular offices? (3.) Why would the Apostle put the deacon before the elder? (4.) Bishop Andrews, in his Sermon of the Worshipping of Imaginations, maketh a fourth objection, that by our interpretation of this place, we make qui miseretur to be Latin for a widow.
To the first of these we answer, The Apostle's protasis speaketh of several offices, not in the same, but in several members: how then should we make his apodosis to speak of several gifts in the same, and not in several office-bearers of the church: wherefore, as seeing, hearing, tasting, {19.a.} &c., do differ subjectively in respect of the members which do see, hear, &c., so speaketh the Apostle of teaching, exhorting, ruling, &c., as they are in different office-bearers. It is least of all credible which Bilson saith, De Eccles. Gubern. cap. 10, p. 186, 187, that the Apostle speaks not of the gifts of office-bearers, but of gifts distributed unto all the members of Christ's mystical body, even unto women. He had showed us a great secret, if he could have made it appear that all who are in the church, women and all, may both prophesy and rule. In this he shall have the praise of outstripping the Separatists. We know that private Christians may teach and exhort one another, but they do not so devote themselves thereto, as altogether to wait upon teaching and exhorting, which is the case the Apostle speaketh of.
To the second we say, that prophecy and ministry are put in abstracto, and joined with a plural econteV; but teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and showing mercy, are put in contreto, and to each of them the single article prefixed, which is a sufficient warrant to expound prophecy and ministry, as genera, and the rest as species. Chrysostom, considering the word ministry, saith, Rem hic generalem ponit.
To the third we answer, He which is first named, hath not always some prerogative or dignity above him which is last named; else do the Papists rightly argue that Peter was the chief of all the apostles, because they find him named before all the rest, Matt. 10.2; Acts 1.13. The Apostle intended to reckon out all ordinary offices in the church; but he intended not the precise order. Chrysostom, upon this same place saith, Vide quomodo ista indifferenter ponat quod minutum est primo: quod magnum est posteriore loco, Eph. 4.11; he putteth pastors before teachers: here, to the Romans, he putteth teachers before pastors.
To the fourth we answer, That though it be ordinarily most convenient that the office of attending the sick be committed to women, yet it is not essentially necessary to the office. And as Aretius noteth upon the place [Loc. Com. class. 4, cap. 1, p. 746.], we may under elewn comprehend not only widows appointed to attend the sick, but old men appointed to receive and entertain strangers; which is also judiciously {19.b.} observed by Martyr. Besides, when the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5., teacheth what is required in widows, who should be made deaconesses, this he requireth among other things, that they be not such as live in pleasures and idleness, and take not care to provide for their own houses, ver. 6,8, ei de tiV; which, though Erasmus and Beza turn in the feminine, quod si qua, yet our English translators, and many good interpreters, turn it in the masculine. "And surely it shall have more weight if it agree to men as well as women," saith Calvin upon that place. Now, they who read in the masculine that which the Apostle saith there of widows, will not, we suppose, blame us for reading Rom. 12.8 in the masculine also, "He that showeth mercy." We conclude our third argument thus:—
Whatever office-bearer in the church is different from pastors and teachers, and yet ruleth the church, he must needs be a ruling elder.
But o proistamenoV, mentioned Rom. 12.8, is different from pastors and teachers, and yet ruleth the church. Ergo.
CHAPTER VI.ARGUMENT FOURTH, FROM 1 COR. XII. 28.
Our fourth argument is drawn from 1 Cor. 12.28, where we find again an enumeration of sundry offices in the church (though not so perfect as that Rom. 12.) and amongst others, helps, that is, deacons; and governments, that is, ruling elders; where we cannot enough admire how the authors of the new English translation were bold to turn it thus, "helps in governments," so to make one of two, and to elude our argument. The original hath them clearly distinguished, antilhyeiV, kubernhseiV. And I find some late editions of the English translation to have it as it is in the Greek, "helps, governments." How this change hath been made in the English Bibles, I know not. Chrysostom, expounding this place, doth not take helps and governments to be all one, as Bilson hath boldly, but falsely averred. [De. Gub. Eccl. cap. 10, p. 204.] Nay, Chrysostom maketh the meaning of antilhyeiV to be ut paupers suscipiamus: and the {20.a.} meaning of kubernhseiV, he expounded to be præesse ac curam genere et res administrare spirituales. The former belongs to deacons, the latter to ruling elders. Two answers are made to this place.
First, Dr. Field answereth [Of the Church, lib. 5., cap. 26.], That both here and Romans 12.8, we reason a genere ad speciem affirmative; because the Apostle mentioneth governors whom he requireth to rule with diligence, therefore they were such elders as we plead for. Whitgift saith [Answer to the Admon. p. 114,115.], the word governors, 1 Cor. 12.28; and rulers, Rom. 12.8, is general and may either signify Christian magistrates, or ecclesiastical, as archbishops, bishops, or whatsoever other by lawful authority are appointed in the church.
We reply, first, If the Apostle had mentioned rulers or governors alone,8 then might we have indeed guessed that he meant a general kind only, and not particular species: but since he hath enumerate so many species, as apostles, prophets, teachers, gifts of miracles, gifts of tongues, &c., surely they did either most ignorantly or most maliciously err, who tell us, that the Apostle putteth a genus in the midst of so many species. Secondly, The Apostle speaketh only of ecclesiastical officers, "God hath set some in the church," &c. What meant Whitgift to extend his words to the civil magistrates? T.C. answered him, that he could not distinguish betwixt the church and the commonwealth, and so betwixt the church officers, and the officers of the commonwealth. He replied, that he could not put any such difference betwixt them, that the one may not be comprehended under the Apostle's word, as well as the other. "For I utterly renounce (saith he) that distinction invented by Papists, and maintained by you, which is, that Christian magistrates govern not in the respect they be Christians, but in the respect they be men; and that they govern Christians, not in that they be Christians, but in that they be men; which is to give no more authority to the Christian magistrate in the church of Christ, than to the great Turk." Let our opposites here go by the ears among themselves: for Mr. {20.b.} John Wemys holdeth [De Reg. Prim. p. 123.], that all kings have alike jurisdiction in the church, infidels as well as Christian kings. We hold that Christian magistrates govern their subjects, neither as Christians, nor as men, but as magistrates; and they govern Christian subjects as Christian magistrates. In like manner, Christians are governed by magistrates, neither as they are Christians, nor as they are men, but as they are subjects, and they are governed by Christians magistrates, as they are Christian subjects. And we all maintain, that a Christian magistrate hath great authority over Christian subjects in things pertaining to the conversation and purgation of religion, which the great Turk, nor no infidel magistrate hath, or can have, except he become Christian. But what do I digressing after the impertinencies of a roving disputer? for what of all this? Let Christian magistrates govern as you will, will any man say that his office is ecclesiastical, or to be reckoned among apostles, prophets, teachers? &c. Wherefore,
Let us proceed to the other answer, which is made by Saravia [De Diver. Grad. Minist. Evang. cap. 11, p. 115.]: he saith, that though the Apostle, 1 Cor. 12.28, reckon out different gifts, we need not for that understand different persons, nor make different orders and officers in the church, of the gifts of miracles, healing, tongues, and prophecies, which might be, and were in one man. Whereupon he resolveth the text thus: That, first, Paul setteth down three distinct orders, apostles, prophets, and teachers; then he reckoneth forth these common gifts of the Holy Ghost (and the gift of governing amongst the rest) which were common to all the three. The Apostle saith not governors, but governments, saith Sutcliffe [De Presbyt. p. 87.], to show that he meaneth of faculties, not of persons. So saith Bilson [De Perpet. Eccles. Guber. cap. 10, p 190,191.] in like manner.
For confutation of all this, it is to be remembered: First, That the gifts spoken of by the Apostle, are given of God for the common good and edification of the church, "And God hath set some in the church," &c. Secondly, These gifts the Apostle considereth not abstractive a subjectis, but as they are in men endued with them, as is plain; for he had before reckoned forth the gifts themselves, verses 8-10, and {21.a.} if here he did no more but reckon them over again, this were actum agere. He is now upon the use and exercise of these gifts by the officer-bearers of the church, verses 27,29. And though the Apostle, verse 28, speaketh concretively only of these three, apostles, prophets, and teachers, yet the rest must be understood in the same manner, per metonymiam adjuncti, as when we speak of magistracy and ministry, for magistrates and ministers; yea, the Apostle, verses 29,30, so expoundeth himself, where he speaketh concretive of the same things whereof he seemed before to speak abstractive. He speaketh of them as they are in different subjects, which is most evident, both by his protasis, wherein he did again press the same simile of the several offices, not of the same but of several members of the body; and likewise by the words immediately subjoined, "Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers?" He would have stood here and said no more, if he had meant to distinguish these three orders only, as Saravia expoundeth him. But now to make it plainly appear that he spoke of the other gifts also, as they are in different persons, he addeth, "Are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" Where we may supply, Are all for helps? are all for governments? But can it be for nought that the Apostle omitteth these two, when he doth over again enumerate all the rest? verses 29,30. It is as if he had said, There are some who have none of those special, and (for the most part) extraordinary gifts. All are not apostles, all are not prophets, &c., for some have but common and ordinary gifts, to be deacons or elders for government.
There is a great controversy betwixt the Jesuits and the Doctors of Sorbon, about the meaning of this place which we have now expounded. The Jesuits, in their Spongia, cap. 5, sect. 50, written against the censure of the university of Paris, contend, that by helps the Apostle meaneth the regular canons who help the bishops and the priests in preaching, ministering the sacraments, and hearing confessions. By governments they say he meaneth secular priests, whom they call parochi. And because he putteth helps before governments, they infer that regular canons are of an higher degree in the hierarchy of the church than secular priests. This they {21.b.} maintain (good men) for the credit of their own polypragmatic order, and not for the credit of other regular canons, you may be sure. The Doctors of Sorbon, in their Vindiciæ Censuræ, p. 378, 380, written by Aurelius, considered that they could not maintain the meaning of the Apostle to be only of different gifts (which no doubt they had answered, if they had thought it to carry any probability), therefore they acknowledge that under these gifts are contained also the degrees of the hierarchy. And that the Apostle's words do partly belong to the common gifts of the Spirit, as powers and interpretation of tongues, partly to the hierarchy: of this latter sort, p. 362, &c., they make helps and governments; and by "the helps" they seem to understand archdeacons and curates.
But now, to conclude this argument also, thus it is: They who have the gift and office of governing the church, and are different from them who have other gifts and offices in the church, can be no other than the ruling elders, which we plead for.
But these kubernhseiV, spoken of 1 Cor. 12.28, are such. Ergo.
CHAPTER VII.ARGUMENT FIFTH, FROM 1 TIM. V. 17.
Our fifth argument is taken from a clear place, 1 Tim. 5.17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." Hence we reason after this manner:—
These churches which had some elders that laboured not in the word and doctrine, yet were worthy of double honour for ruling well, had the very same ruling elders we plead for.
But the apostolic churches had some elders that laboured not in the word and doctrine, yet were worthy of double honour for ruling well. Ergo.
The argument riseth from the plain text, than which what can be clearer? But there are some who would darken light, and lighten darkness.
Dr. Field [Of the Church, lib. 5, cap. 26.] propoundeth three glosses upon this place for the frustration of our {22.a.} argument, First, That the guides of the church are worthy of double honour, both in respect of governing and teaching, but especially for their pains in teaching; so that the Apostle noteth two parts or duties of presbyterial offices, not two sorts of presbyters. This is manifestly against the text, which speaketh of officers, not of offices; of persons, not of duties; for it is not said, especially for labouring, &c., but, "especially they that labour," &c.
Secondly, he saith, Among elders some laboured principally in governing and ministering the sacraments, some in preaching. So Paul showeth that he preached and laboured more than all the apostles, but baptised few or none, 1 Cor. 15.10; 1.14. And when Paul and Barnabas were companions, and their travels equal, yet Paul was the chief speaker, Acts 14.12; so that though both were worthy of double honour, yet Paul especially. But for answer to this. First, We would gladly know what warrant had he for expounding Paul's more abundant labouring than all the apostles, of his preaching alone? Secondly, What warrant for such a distinction of elders, that some laboured principally in governing, some in preaching? Because Paul preached and did not baptise, and because he was the chief speaker when he and Barnabas traveled together: therefore some elders laboured in governing, some in preaching; good logic, forsooth. Thirdly, Thought he that the Apostle did ever account such ministers as do not mainly labour in preaching to be worthy of double honour? nay, it was never the Apostle's mind to allow any honour, far less double honour, either to non-preaching or to seldom-preaching ministers. Ut quid enim doctor appellatur nisi ut doceat? saith Chrysostom [Hom. 15, in 1 Tim.] Fourthly, Tell me whether is preaching a duty belonging to all the ministers of the gospel or not? If it be not the duty of all, then it is the duty of none, but a work of supererogation or some such thing; for if some be not bound to preach by their presbyterial order and vocation, what is there that should bind others to preach? The order and calling of a presbyter is alike common to all. Now, if all be bound to preach (which Field himself seemeth to say in his first glass, when he calleth pains in teaching a part or duty of the presbyterial office no less than governing) {22.b.} how shall those presbyters be worthy of double honour, who do not the duties of their presbyterial office, but leave the one half of them undone?
Thirdly, saith Field, There were some that remained in certain places for governing of those who were already won by the preaching of the gospel: others traveled with great labour, from place to place, to preach Christ to such as had never heard of him. But these were worthy of double honour, but especially the latter, who did not build upon another's foundation, nor govern those whom others had gained. The poet would here answer:—
Non minor est virtus quam quærere parta tueri.
A physician would haply say, that to prevent the recidivation [falling back] is as much worth as the cure. But I answer, (1.) There is no such opposition in the text, but a subordination rather: for elders who labour in the word and doctrine, are not contra-distinguished from elders that rule well, but are declared to be one kind of elders that rule well. (2.) Though the apostles and evangelists traveled from one country to another, to preach Christ to such as never heard of him; yet where hath he read that some of these who were mere presbyters (for of such speaketh the text in hand) did so likewise? It rather appeareth from Acts 14.23; Titus 1.5, that elders were ordained in every city, there to remain at their particular charges, and no elders find we ordained by the apostles ordinatione vaga.
We have heard Dr. Field's three glosses upon this place in question. Sutcliffe [De Presbyt. cap. 12.] hath given us other three, which are no better. First, he saith, That if there be here any distinction of ruling elders, it is betwixt those that labour more abundantly and painfully, and betwixt those that labour not so much. This gloss is also received by Saravia [De Diver. Grad. Minis. Evang, cap. 13.], by Tilen [Paren. cap. 11, p. 38.], by Bishop Hall [Episcop. by Divine Right, p. 219.] in his Assertion of Episcopacy by Divine Right. They tell us, it is one thing to preach, another thing to labour in the word and doctrine. Answer (1.) It is not the ministry of the word, but the ministry of ruling which here the Apostle maketh common to both. (2.) This exposition alloweth not only honour, but double honour; yea, a high {23.a.} degree of double honour to such as take no pains in preaching, but are sparing therein. (3.) It maketh the Apostle's speech not to grow, but to fall: for to kopian when they have stretched it to the full, noteth only great labour, whereas to rule well, importeth both great labour and great prudence, dexterity, faithfulness, and charity, beside. (4.) It maketh the last part of the speech, "in the word and doctrine," to be superfluous; for they hold that all the difference here, is in the measure or manner of labour, and no difference in re subjecta. (5.) All who have any charge in the ministry are called kopiwneV, 1 Thes. 5.11. If they be at all faithful, and worthy of honour, then do they labour, 1 Cor. 3.8, yea, in labouring, watch, as they that must give account, Heb. 13.17. (6.) The Rhemists do interpret the Apostle in the same manner, 2 Cor. 11.27: 1 Thes. 2.9. But Cartwright answereth them: If he had meant any extraordinary labour, he would rather have said mocqounteV than kopiwnteV: for otherwhere he useth mocqoV, as a degree of painful travel above kopoV, which is put for common labour, Rom. 16.12.
But, it may be, the next commentary shall be better. The words, saith Sutcliffe, are to be rendered thus: "Let elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, labouring greatly in the word and doctrine:" so that the latter part of the speech is added exegetically, to show who they be that rule well, namely, these who labour greatly in the word and doctrine. That the words are so to be understood, he undertaketh to prove from the text itself: for, saith he, one who purposeth to say in Greek, especially they who labour, will not say, malista oi kopiwnteV, but malista oi kopiosi. Thus changing the participle into a verb, and the prepositive article oi, which is written with an aspiration alone, into the subjunctive, oi, cum accentu gravi, for this answereth to the relative who, which the prepositive article doth never. Moreover, saith he, if the Apostle would have distinguished elders into these that preach, and these that preach not, he would have added the adversative particle de after malista: for malista de signifieth indeed especially, but malista alone without de, signifieth greatly or much, as here it doth. Answer (1.) This reading of his is very harsh, and had need to sound better before it contradict both the English translators and {23.b.} the common current of Protestant interpreters. (2.) He is not so very well skilled in the Greek as he boasteth to be, unless he maketh the Apostle Paul a great ignoramus in that language. For he putteth a participle with the prepositive article for a verb and a relative, Philip. 4.7, Kai h eirhnh tou Qeou, h uperecousa panta noun,—"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding. So Eph. 4.22, Tou palaion anqropon, ton fqeiromenon,—"The old man which is corrupt;" and verse 24, Ton kainon anqrwpon, ton kata Qeon ktisqenta,—"The new man which after God is created." 1 Thes. 5.12, Eidenai tous kopiwntaV en umin,—"To know them which labour among you." If Sutcliffe's rule hold, we may not read it so, but thus, To know them labouring among you. So Rev. 7.14, Outoi eisin oi ercomenoi ek thV JliyewV thV megalhV,— "These are they who came out of great tribulation." Many places of this kind there are, which I need not cite. (3.) An ellipsis of the particle de is no error, no not in members of an opposition, as Col. 2.23, much less in the distinction of a species from the genus. (4.) Malista without de, is put for specially, as well as when it hath de, 1 Tim. 4.10, "Who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe, malista pistwn." This skilled Grecian would have us to conceive it thus,—God is the Saviour of all men who believe much; and so it shall be comfortless text for those of little faith.
Surely this man had need to be more happy in his third exposition; and now let us know what it is? He saith, That though we could evince that the Apostle here speaketh of some other elders besides the ministers of the word, yet we shall have no advantage for our ruling elders; for the Apostle being to prove that the ministers of the word ought to be maintained, why might he not, saith he, use this general proposition, That all rulers, whether public or domestic, whether civil or ecclesiastical, are to be honoured? When the Apostle speaketh of the choosing of deacons, he will have them to be such as have ruled their own houses well. This is his last refuge, and how weak, let any man judge. We have heard of many sort of rulers, but who did ever hear (before Sutcliffe told it) of domestic or civil elders that rule well. Had not the word elders been in the text, but the word proestwteV alone, he might have {24.a.} been the bolder to have given this sense; but since the Apostle speaketh not generally of them that rule well, but of elders in the church that rule well, this marreth his gloss altogether.
Bilson [De Perpet. Eccl. Gub. cap. 10.] giveth yet another sense, That there were two sorts of elders, some who laboured in the word and doctrine, some who had the care of the poor; both were worthy of double honour; but especially they who laboured in the word. Answer. Deacons are distinguished from elders, Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; 1 Tim. 3, and by all antiquity. If we make deacons to be elders, and the care of the poor to be an act of ruling, then let us make what you will of the plainest scriptures.
I find in Didoclavius [Altar Damasc. cap. 12.] three other interpretations beside the former: First, Bridges saith, That by elders who labour not in the word and doctrine, are meant rulers or inferior magistrates, chosen for compounding of civil controversies. Answer (1.) This is a strange language, to call civil magistrates by the name of elders. (2.) The Apostle is speaking of ecclesiastical, not of civil office-bearers. (3.) This exposition maketh pastors who labour in the word and doctrine to be a sort of civil magistrates, because they are a kind of elders that rule well.
Next, Bishop King expoundeth this place of old and infirm bishops, who cannot labour in the word and doctrine. Answer (1.) The Apostle speaketh of presbyters, not of prelates. (2.) To rule well importeth as great labour as preaching, and somewhat more, as I showed before, so that they who cannot labour in preaching, cannot labour in ruling neither. (3.) They who have eviscerate and spent themselves in the work of the ministry, who have been (as long as they could stand upon their feet) valiant champions for the truth, against the enemies thereof, who have served their time according to the will of God, without the stain of heresy, schism, apostacy, or unfaithfulness, when they become old and infirm, they ought not to be the less honoured (as the impious verdict of this prelate would have it) but so much the more honour ought to be given to their hoar heads, found in the way of righteousness.
Another gloss is given by the same King, namely, that the Apostle would have ministers, {24.b.} not only to live well, but to feed also by the word and doctrine. Answer (1.) The rising of the Apostle's words doth not concern duties, but persons, as we have said before. (2.) To live well is not to rule well, unless we will make all who live godly, to rule well. (3.) This gloss doth still leave a double honour to ministers that live well, though they do not preach.
We see now, our opposites have been trying all winds to fetch upon us: but here we leave them betwixt wind and wave; for this our last argument carrieth us away with full sail.
CHAPTER VIII.THE TESTIMONY OF AMBROSE FOR RULING
ELDERS VINDICATED.If we look back beyond the times of declining unto the first and purest times of the church, we shall find ruling elders to be no new-fangled device at Geneva; but that the primitive government and policy of the church hath been in them restored. There is one place of Ambrose which cleareth it sufficiently. He, writing on 1 Tim. 5.1., "Rebuke not an elder," saith, Unde et synagoga, &c.—'Wherefore, both the Jewish synagogue, and after the church had senior or elders, without whose council nothing was done in the church, which, by what negligence it grew out of use, I know not, except perhaps by the sloth, or rather by the pride of the teachers, whilst they alone will seem to be something.' This sentence is also cited in Glossa Ordinar., and it showeth plainly that, as the Jewish, so the Christian church had some elders, who, though they were not teachers of the word, yet had a part of the government of the church upon their shoulders. But that this came into disuetude, partly through the sloth of the teachers and ministers of the word, whilst they were not careful to preserve the ordinances of God, and the right way of governing the church, and partly through their pride, whilst they would do all by themselves, and have no consorts,
Utinam modo nostra redirent
In mores tempora priscos.But let us hear a triple divination, which the non-friends of ruling elders give forth {25.a.} upon this testimony [Episcop. by Div. Right, p. 226.] First, Bishop Hall telleth us that it is not Ambrose, but a counterfeit who wrote that commentary upon the epistles, and for this he allegeth our own Parker against us. The truth is, Bellarmine and Scultingius taught him this answer. The place of Parker he citeth not in the margin, but I believe the place he meaneth of is de Polit. Eccles., lib. 2. cap. 13, where he holdeth, indeed, that the author of these commentaries was not Ambrose, bishop of Milan, but showeth withal that he nothing doubteth of the catholic authority of the commentaries themselves: Hoc vero, &c.—'This (saith he) may befall the best author, whosoever he be, that some may ascribe his works to another. But that he lived before the Council of Nice, this addeth weight to his testimony of the seniors.' These commentaries are commonly cited by our divines as Ambrose's. I find them in Erasmus's edition, both at Collen, 1532, and at Paris, 1551, acknowledged to be the genuine works of Ambrose, only the prefaces before the epistles are called in question. They are also acknowledged in the edition of Costerius at Basle, 1555; Sixtus Senensis ascribeth them to Ambrose in like manner; the edition of Collen, 1616, hath an observation prefixed, which repudiateth many of his works, and these commentaries among the rest. Yet the last edition at Paris, 1632, hath expunged that observation, which they had not done if they had approved the same: howsoever that same observation maketh those commentaries to be as old as three hundred and seventy-two, or three hundred and seventy-three. Parkins, in his preparative before his demonstration of the problem, calleth in question the commentary upon the Hebrews, but no more. Rivet showeth [Critic. Sacr., lib. 3, cap. 18.] that these who reject them do neither give good reasons for their opinion, neither yet do agree among themselves; Bellarmine ascribing them to Hilarius Diaconus, Maldonat to Remigius Lugdunensis, the censors of Lovaine to the author of the questions of the Old and New Testaments. I believe that Cook, in his Censura Scriptorum Veterum, p. 134, hath touched the true cause why these commentaries are so much called in question, which is the perfidiousness of Papists, who, when they find anything therein, which they imagine to be for their {25.b.} advantage, then they cry, Saint Ambrose saith thus: but when they find anything therein which maketh against them, then they say, as Hall doth, It is not Ambrose, but a counterfeit. I must confess that Hall is wiser in disclaiming the same than his fellows in acknowledging them, yet because he found that the testimony may be of force, though not Ambrose's, and, beside, had no proof for this allegiance, he durst not trust to it, but thought upon another answer.
To proceed, then, to their next conjecture, Bilson, Sutcliffe, and Dr. Field tell us,9 that Ambrose meant of bishops who excluded other clergymen from their consultations; and that by the name of teachers he might fitly understand the bishops, seeing none but they have power to preach in their own right, and others but only by permission from them. This is a most desperate shift for a bad cause. For, first, There is no warrant, neither from Scripture nor antiquity, to distinguish bishops from other ministers of the word, by the name of teachers. Secondly, As for that reason alleged, that none but bishops have power to preach in their own right, it is contrary to that which Field himself saith in the very next chapter, where he holdeth that presbyters are equal with bishops in the power of order, and that they may preach and minister the sacraments, by virtue of their order, as well as bishops. Thirdly, Neither did the advising of bishops with presbyters cease in Ambrose's time. For, as Field himself noteth out of the Fourth Council of Carthage, cap. 27 (which was holden shortly after Ambrose's writing hereof), all sentences of bishops were declared to be void, which were not confirmed by the presence of their clergy. Let us also hear Jerome and Chrysostom (who lived both in the same age with Ambrose): "What doth a bishop (saith Jerome [Epist. ad Evag.]), ordination excepted, which a presbyter may not do?" "By ordination alone (saith Chrysostom [In 1 Tim., hom. 10.]) are the bishops higher, and this only they seem to have more than presbyters;" which were not true, if bishops had then governed the churches by themselves, excluding the council and advice of presbyters. Yea, though ordination was the only one thing which {26.a.} made the difference, Ephes. 4, Ambrose himself showeth that presbyters in Egypt did also ordain when the bishop was not present.
We have heard Sutcliffe and Dr. Field, but Saravia, and after him Tilen, and after them both Hall, hath forged another gloss upon the place of Ambrose.10 They boldly aver that the elders, without whose council, Ambrose saith, nothing was done in the church, were elders by age and not by office. We reply, First, Falsehood cannot keep its feet. Before we heard Saravia maintain that the seniors among the Jews, who sat in ecclesiastical assemblies with the priests, and had equal suffrages therein with the priests, were their rulers and their magistrates,—now he telleth us they were old men, elders by age only, not by office. Secondly, In his defence of that same twelfth chapter against Beza, he acknowledgeth that the Christian church had other elders by office besides the ministers of the word: "The church (saith he) hath had elders, some by divine institution, as the pastors of churches, and ministers of the word of God, others by condition of age or office, or estimation, or learning and experience." How could he, then, restrict the words of Ambrose to elders by age only? Thirdly, Where was it ever read or heard that old men, who had no ecclesiastical office, were taken into the assemblies of the church, so that nothing was done without their counsel? Fourthly, The elders, of whom Ambrose speaketh, are opposed to the teachers, therefore they are not elders by age, for such are some of the teachers themselves. Fifthly, Ambrose, indeed, in his preceding words, had expounded the place of the Apostle (1 Tim. 5.1.) of elders by age, but thereupon he took occasion to speak of elders by office also. Sixthly, That the elders, which we read to have been in the Jewish church, were not elders by age, Basil showeth plainly,—whose testimony we shall hear by and by.
CHAPTER IX.OTHER TESTIMONIES OF ANTIQUITY.
Thus having cleared the place of Ambrose, come we now to other testimonies of {26.b.} the ancients. Tertullian, in his Apologetic against the nations, cap. 39, speaking of the meetings and assemblies of Christians, showeth that, besides other things done therein, they had also corrections, censures and excommunications, and that in the exercise of this discipline, Præsident probati quique seniores, honorem istum non pretio sed testimonio adepti,—'With us do sit all the approved seniors, as presidents or rulers, having obtained this honour not by price, but by a good testimony.' Cyprian, in his Epistles,11 doth often protest that, from the beginning of his bishopric, he did all things by common consent and advice, both of his clergy and people. Will any man think that, in ordination, excommunication, reconciliation of penitents, and such like things, whereof Cyprian speaketh in these places, he sought the council and advice of the whole congregation, and of all and every one therein? or rather that the people gave their counsel and consent by the eldership representing them? Surely this doing of all things with the advise and counsel of the whole, both clergy and people, he otherwhere showeth to have been nothing else but the doing of all things by the advice and counsel of the presbytery,—which had not been so if there had not been in the presbytery some of all sorts to represent the rest: Omni actû (saith he [Lib. 3., ep. 11.]) ad me prelato placuit, contrahi presbyterium, &c. ut firmato consilio quid observari deberet consensû omnium statueretur.
Epiphanius, writing to John, bishop of Jerusalem, concerning the tearing of a veil which he had seen in the church of a village called Anablatha, with the image of Christ, or some saint, upon it, and concerning another veil which he had sent for it, entreateth him to give order to the elders of that place to receive the veil from the bearer. It is not to be thought there were many preaching elders in a small village, he speaketh in the plural, Precor ut jubeas presbyteros ejusdem loci, &c.
Basilius Magnus, in his commentary upon Isa. 3.2, where the Lord threateneth to take away from Israel the ancient, or the elder, showeth from Num. 11.16, how warily such elders were to be chosen, and that their gifts, not their age, made them elders, he proveth from Dan 13.50 (which is the {27.a.} history of Susanna), where the Jewish elders at Babylon say to young Daniel, "Come sit down among us, and show it us, seeing God hath given thee the honour of an elder." Then he addeth, Ad hunc, &c.—'After this manner sometimes it happeneth that youths are found in honour to be preferred to those elders who slothfully and negligently lead their life. These elders, then, among the Jews, were falsely so called; for God took away, as the man of war and the prophet, so the elder from the people of the Jews. Therefore let the church pray that the elder, worthy to be so called, be not taken away from herself.' The whole tenor of his discourse importeth that the Christian churches had such elders as we read to have been in the Jewish church, whereof Daniel was one. And of them he seemed to mean a little before, Habet, &c.—'The church also hath judges, who can agree brother and brother.'
Chrysostom [In 1 Tim., hom. 10.] compareth the church to a house, because, as in a house, there are wife, children, and servants, and the care or government of all is incumbent to the master of the family, so is it in the church, wherein, beside the ruler of the same, nothing is to be seen, but as it were wife, children, and servants, Ei de koinwnouV ecei thV archV o thV ekklhsiaV proestwV, ecei kai ekei o anhr thn gunaika—'But if the government of the church (saith he) hath fellows or consorts in the government thereof, so hath the man also the wife to be his consort in the government of his house.' If it be said that, by the ruler of the church, he meaneth the bishop, and by his consorts, preaching presbyters, who are the bishop's helpers in the government of the church, I answer—If we understand by proestwV, the bishop, then we make Chrysostom contradict himself; for in his next homily [Hom. 11.] he showeth plainly that presbyters have prostasian thV ekklhsiaV, the ruling of the church as well as bishops, and that the whole purpose of his former homily agreed to presbyters no less than bishops. Now, then, who were the consorts which pastors of churches, or preaching elders, had in the government of the church? Could they be any other than ruling elders?
Jerome, upon that place of Isaiah, saith, Et nos habemus in ecclesia senatum nostrum, cœtum presbyterorum: cum ergo {27.b.} inter cætera etiam senes Judea perdiderit, quomodo poterit habere concilium quod propriè seniorum est? And what sense shall we give to these words, unless we say it is imported that both the Jewish and the Christian church had such an eldership as we plead for, else why did both he and Basil make such a parallel betwixt the Jewish and the Christian church in the point of elders? Surely, if we understand by the elders of the Christian church, whereof they speak, the ministers of the word alone, we must also understand, by the elders of the Jewish church, whereof they speak, the priests, which no man will imagine.
Eusebius, in his History, lib. 7., cap. 23, citeth Dionysius Alexandrinus, relating his disputes with the Chiliasts after this manner: "When I was at Arsenoita, where thou knowest this doctrine first sprung, &c., I called together the elders and teachers inhabiting those villages, there being present also, as many of the brethren as were willing to come, and I exhorted them publicly to the search of this doctrine," &c. By the teachers here are meant the pastors or ministers of the word, who are most frequently called by the fathers, teachers or doctors; neither can it be supposed that there were any teachers besides the pastors in these rural villages, which, notwithstanding, we see had, beside their pastors or teachers, elders also.
Augustine writeth his 137th epistle to those of his own church at Hippon, whom he designed thus: Dilectissimis fratribus, clero, senioribus, et universæ plebi ecclesiæ Hipponensis, cui servio in dilectione Christi.—'To my well-beloved brethren the clergy, the elders, and the whole people of the church at Hoppon, whom I serve in the love of Christ.' He putteth elders or seniors in the middle, betwixt the clergy and the people, as distinct from both, and yet somewhat participant of both.
Isidorus Hispalensis [Sent. lib. 3., cap. 43.], speaking of the prudence and discretion which pastors should observe in teaching of the word, giveth them this advice among others, Prius docendi sunt seniores plebis, ut per eos infrà positi facilius doceantur.—'The elders of the people are to be first taught, that, by them, such as are placed under them may be taught the more easily.'
Origen [Contra Cels., lib. 3.], speaking of the trial of such as {28.a.} were to be admitted members of the church, saith, Nonnulli præpositi sunt, &c.—'There are some rulers appointed, who may inquire concerning the conversation and manners of those that are admitted, that they may debar from the congregation such as commit filthiness.'
In the acts of the 5th Council of Toledo, according to the late editions, cap. 1, we read that Cinthila (whom others called Chintillanus) came into that council cum optimatibus et senioribus palatii sui. But Lorinus hath found, in some ancient copy [In Act 4, 5.], Cum optimatibus et senioribus populi sui,—'With the nobles and the elders of his people.' I would know who were these elders of the people distinguished from the nobles.
These things may suffice from antiquity to give some evidence that the office of ruling elders is not Calvin's new-fangled device at Geneva, as our adversaries are pleased to call it: but for further confirmation of this point, Voetius, disp. 2, de Senio, and before him Justellus in Annot. et Notis in Cod. Can. Eccles. Afric. can. 100, hath observed sundry other pregnant testimonies from antiquity for ruling elders, especially out of these notable records Gesta Purgationis Cæciliani et Fælicis, to be seen in the Annals of Baronius, anno 103, and in Albaspinæus' edition of Opatus. These testimonies I have here set down.12 {28.b.}
From which passages it is apparent, that in the days of Ambrose these seniors were neither in all places, nor altogether grown out of use, but that both in the eastern and western churches, manifest footsteps of the same remained: neither is his testimony, before alleged, repugnant hereunto: for we may understand his meaning to be, either that in some places, or that in some sort, they were grown out of use, because peradventure, the teachers began to do some things without their counsel and advice, which in former times was not so. Bilson [De Gubern. Eccles. cap. 11, p. 215.] answereth two ways to the testimony, from the 137th epist. of Augustine, and belike he would have answered in the same manner to these other testimonies. He saith we may understand by these seniors either the better part of the clergy, or the senators and rulers of the city. That they were neither bishops nor preaching presbyters, nor deacons, it is manifest, for they are distinguished from all these, in Act. Purgat. Cæcil. et Fæl., and they are called by Isidore and Purpurius, seniores plebis. Besides, it were strange if Augustine, bishop of Hippo, writing to his clergy, should distinguish either the deacons from the presbyters by the name of clergy, which was common to both, or some preaching presbyters from other preaching presbyters, by the name of seniors. On the other part, that they were not magistrates of cities, it is no less plain, for they are called seniores ecclesiæ, and ecclesiastici viri: they instructed the people, and had place in judging of causes ecclesiastical.
But elsewhere Bilson taketh upon him to prove [Ibid. p. 253.], that those of the clergy who were by their proper name called presbyters, were also called seniores, as those who came nearest to the bishop in degree, wisdom, and age. And this he proveth by a testimony of Ambrose [Offic. lib. 1. cap. 20.] Viduarum ac virginum domos nisi visitandi gratia juniores adire non est opus, et hoc cum {29.a.} senioribus, hoc est cum episcopo, vel si gravior est causa cum presbyteris.
Answer. (1.) Here the seniors are the bishop, which is neither good sense, nor anything to his purpose. (2.) He hath left out a word, without which the sentence cannot be understood, and that is vel: Ambrose saith, Hoc est vel cum episcopo, &c., and so the words may suffer a threefold sense: for either seniores is here a name of age or of office. If it be a name of age, as may be presumed by the opposition thereof to juniores, then the meaning of Ambrose is, that young men should not go into the houses of virgins or widows, except it be with some men of age, and these to be the bishop or the presbyters. If it be a name of office, then may we either understand, that by the presbyters he meaneth ruling elders; and by the bishop, the pastor of any particular church, [Controv. 3. de Concil., quæst. 3.] (for if Whitaker be not deceived, pastors have the name of bishops, not only in Scripture, but in the ancient church also): or that he comprehendeth under the order of elders, not only the preaching presbyters, but the bishop also, who was chief among them. By the first sense Bilson doth gain nothing; by the other two he hath worse than nothing; for any of them destroyeth his chief grounds.
CHAPTER X.THE CONSENT OF PROTESTANT WRITERS, AND
THE CONFESSION OF OUR OPPOSITES FOR
RULING ELDERS.The office of ruling elders is not only maintained by Calvin, Beza, Cartwright, Ames, Bucer, and others whom our opposites will call partial writers, let him who pleaseth read the commentaries of Martyr, Bucer, Gualther, Hemmingius, Piscator, Pareus upon Rom. 12.8; 1 Cor. 12.28; Aretius on Acts 14.23; Zeperus de Polit. Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 1,12; Bullinger on 1 Tim. 5.17; Arcularius on Acts 14.23; Catal. Test Verit. col. 103; Osiand. cent. 1. lib. 4. cap. 11; Chemnit. Exam. part. 2. p. 218; Gerhard, Loc. Theol. tom. 6. p. 363,364; Muscul. Loc. Com. de Eccles. cap. 5; Bucan. Loc. Com. loc. 42; Suetonius, de Discipl. Eccles. part 4, cap 3; {29.b.} Polanus, Synt. lib. 7. cap. 11; Zanchius, in 4 Præcep. col. 727; Junius, Animad. in Bellarmine, cont. 5. lib. 1. cap. 2; Danæus, de Polit. Christ. lib. 6. p. 452; Alsted, Theol. Cas. p. 518,520; Sopingius, ad Bonam Fidem Sibrandi, p. 253, &c.; the Professors of Leyden, Synt. Pur Theol. disp. 42, and sundry others, whose testimonies I omit for brevity's cause, it is enough to note the places. The author of the Assertion for True and Christian Church Policy, p. 196,197, citeth for ruling elders, the testimony of the Commissioners of King Edward VI., authorised to compile a book for the reformation of laws ecclesiastical; among whom were the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of Ely. They say, "Let the minister, going apart with some of the elders, take counsel," &c. Voetius citeth to same purpose, Marolat, Hyperius, Fulke, Whitaker, Fennor, Bunnius, Willet, Sadeel, Lubbertus, Trelcatius (both the one and the other), yea, Socinus and the Remonstrants.
Besides, we have for us the practice of all well reformed churches, and the Confessions of the French, the Belgic, and the Helvitic churches, to be seen in the Harmony of Confessions.
But what will you say if the adversaries of ruling elders be forced to say somewhat for them? Whitgift [Def. Tract. 17, cap. 1.] confesseth not only that our division of elders into preaching elders and ruling elders hath learned patrons; but also that the Christian church, when there was no Christian magistrate, had governing seniors: and elsewhere he saith [Answer to the Admonit. p. 114.], "I know that in the primitive church they had in every church seniors, to whom the government of the congregation was committed." Saravia [Ubi Supra, cap. 9, p. 104.] lendeth them his word likewise, Quod a me, &c. —'Which is not disputed by me in that meaning that the Belgic churches, or any other which do with edification use the service of these elders, should rashly change anything, before that which is better be substitute.' Again, speaking of the government of ruling elders, he saith [Ib. cap. 11, p. 118.], Quod ut, &c.—'Which as I judge profitable and good to be constitute in a Christian church and commonwealth, so I affirm, no church, no commonwealth, to be bound thereto by {30.a.} divine law: except, perhaps, necessity compel, or great utility allure, and the edification of the church require it.' Lo, here the force of truth struggling with one contrary minded. He judgeth the office of ruling elders profitable and good, yet not of divine right; yet he acknowledgeth that necessity, utility, and the edification of the church, maketh us tied to it even by divine right. But if it be profitable and good, why did he call in question the necessity, at least the utility and the edification of it? Can one call in question the utility of that which is profitable? He would have said the truth, but it stuck in his teeth, and could not come forth. Sutlivius, de Concil. lib. 1. cap. 8, saith, that among the Jews, seniores tribuum, the elders of the tribes, did sit with the priests in judging controversies of the law of God. Hence he argueth against Bellarmine, that so it ought to be in the Christian church also, because the privilege of Christians is no less than the privilege of the Jews. Camero tells us [Prælect. tom. 1. p. 24.], that when the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6., reproveth the Corinthians, for that when one of them had a matter against anot