Jew sayth he nor Greek there is neither bond nor free there is neither male and female that is nor female where and coupleth in the last place male and female not as of one kind but divers and meaneth the same that nor did before The very like phrase and elegancie useth he here Eph. 4. 11. as any that favoureth the language and purpose of the Apostle may perceive and this is plainly confirmed by the Syriak which speaketh of the two last as of the former saying and some Pastors and some Teachers It is also manifested by Paul himself elswher distinguishing these two offices as 1 Cor. 12 8. to one is given the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge and Rom. 12. 7. 8. or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation And if in one place he putteth a difference we should not think that in another he takes it away And there is no playn doctrine set down in scripture but may be corrupted by such violent expositions as Mr. Smyth maketh of this place Lastly sayth he if al the Elders have the pastors gifts and the works of the pastor and the pastors ordination then they have al the pastors office But al the Elders have the pastors gifts viz. the word of wisdome or the gift of exhortation Tit. 1. 9. and therefore the pastors work as Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. which is feeding or exhorting and so the same ordination Act. 14. 23. Therfore al the Elders have the same office of the Pastor and so are al of one sort The second part of this reason is deceitful for though in some sort and common mesure al the Elders have the pastors gifts ordination and doe the pastors work being al Bishops that is careful lookers to and feeders of the flock yet in special manner measure they differ in al. Otherweise we may also confound other offices as Apostles and Evangelists the Evangelists and the Pastors For Paul an Apostle sayth of Timothee an Evangelist he worketh the work of the Lord even as I. Had these two therfore one office Agayn Timothee and Titus Evangelists and the other pastors of the churches had the same gifts namely the word of wisdom to exhort 1 Tim. 6 2. Tit. 2 15. with Rom. 12 8. and therefore the same work as these scriptures alleged shew and the same ordination by imposition of hands of the Apostle and Eldership 2 Tim. 1. 6. 1 Tim. 4. 14. with Act. 14. 23. Wil M. Sm. hereupon conclude therfore al pastors have the same office with the Evangelists If he acknovvledge an error in that so may he doe in this For it is the special excellencie of the gifts of exhorting teaching ruling which causeth the pastors teachers rulers to be designed unto several works and offices For it were vanitie to suppose that the teachers mought be without the word of wisdom at all or Pastors without the word of knowledge or rulers without both Everie Levites lips were to preserve knovvledge for the people to seek the lavv at his mouth as at the preists Deut. 33. 8. 10. Mal. 2. 7. yet vvas ther difference in the office So in Christs Church vvhere gifts are bestovved in varietie he that excelleth in the vvord of vvisdome and exhortation more then doctrine is being lavvfully caled thereto a pastor and he that excelleth in doctrine more then in exhortation is a teacher and they that excel other brethren in discretion gravitie c. though they have not meet gifts for pastors or teachers are being caled thereunto Elders or governours to assist the other in guiding the vvayes of the church And needful are they unto the same for one man may vvel teach an hundred but tvvo men vvil scarse govern half so many in peace and order so great a difference there is betvveen the knovvledge of the truth and the due vvalking and practise of the same Whereas therfore M. S. gives al the Elders the word of wisdome and so the pastors office meaning strictly and properly he contraryeth the Apostle vvho sayth there are diversities of gifts and to one is given the word of wisdom and to another the word of knowledge and agayn speaking of office he mentioneth distinctly teaching exhorting ruling not in one person but in sundry Although sometime speaking of the Eldership in general he ascribeth the same vvork in general thereto as in Tit. 1. Act. 20. and other like places Of the ordination Act. 14. vve spake before Novv after al these reasons M. Sm. thus concludeth Hence this conâ—ectorie sayth he ariseth that the Eldership consisting of three sorts of Elders is the invention of man having both an antichristian ministerie and goverment in it And therfore when the popish prelacie was supprest and the triformed presbyterie substituted one antichrist was put down and another was set up in his place c. vvith other like contumelies But the falshood and vanitie of his reasons having been manifested al these reproches do turn into his ovvn bosome and in him is fulfilled the word of the Prophet whiles like the raging sea he thus casteth up mire and dirt For God having given to his church diversities of giftes diversities of administratioÌ„s or offices and diversities of operations some for to teach some to exhort some for to rule and having evidently distinguished between Teachers and Governours between those Elders that rule wel and those that labour in the word doctrine it must needs be the spirit of Antichrist and of Satan that thus despiteth Christs holy ordinances which this adversarie himself sometime acknowledged and walked in and now hath forsaken without ground of truth But he hath more yet to say in answering the obiections for 3. sorts of Elders which he thus layeth down The first objection 1 Tim. 5. 17. In this place the Apostle maketh two sorts of Elders 1. those that rule onely 2. and those that teach and rule And Ephe. 4. 11. he maketh 2. kindes of those that teach Pastors and Doctors Therefore there are 3. kindes of Elders formally differing each from other Mr Smythes answer The Apostle to Timothee teacheth that Elders are to be honoured for 2. workes wel ruling and laborious or painful teaching and the place dooth not import a distribution of Officers but a commendation of several workes of one office and the specialty consisteth not in the workes of ruling teaching which are common to all Elders but in the qualitie of the works viz. wel ruling and painful teaching as if th' Apostle should say Elders are to be had in double honour for wise government but much more are they to be honoured for their laborious and painful teaching Replie If emptie words mought cary away matters it were woe with the truth of religion for ech spirit of error would bear it down A doctrin most playn set forth in evident words is here turned aside with a
be honoured for wise government but much more for their painful teaching confirmeth not his doctrine by any circumstances of this scripture but citeth others saying Answer That this is so see Tit. 1. 9. and 1 Thes. 5. 2. 1 3. with 1 Tim. 3. 1. 4. In Timothee the Apostle sayth every Bishop must be didacticos and proistamenos and therefore that some Elders are onely didacticoi and not proistamenoi is contrarie to the Apostles intent Further in Titus the Apostle expoundeth didacticos to be able to exhort with wholsom doctrine and to convince the gainsayers how then shal some of the Elders be rulers onely Replie That al Bishops must be didacticoi that is apt and ready for to teach reprove c. I grant yet that they must therfore hav al one office Ideney For Apost prophets Evangelists c. were al didacticoi yet differed in office But how then shal some of the Elders be rulers onely I answer even Ruling Elders are to be didacticoi and yet have the office of ruling onely For every one set over others to teach or inform them in faith or maÌ„ners must have aptnes to teach the things perteyning to their office and convince the contrarie or els they are unfit for the place But have they not then the teachers office No for this aptnes to teach is common to al offices of government but in several sorts according to every mans function For example an Apostle must be apt to teach as an Apostle and though a man have aptnes to teach as a pastor yet hath he not therefore aptnes as an Apostle For the office is greater and requireth greater gifts So a ruling Elder must be apt to teach as a ruler yet hath he not therfore aptnes to teach as a pastor in whom greater skil is required Let us see this in Israel Aptnes to teach was to be in al the Governours in the whole tribe of Levi generally Deut. 33. 10. in the preists of Levi more specially Mal. 2. 7. Deut. 24. 8. in the judges of Israel also according to their office Deut. 1 13 16. with Exod. 18. 15 16 21 22. For this cause God gave the 70. Elders the spirit of prophesie Num. 11. 17. 25. And in the reformation by K. Iehoshaphat we find not onely preists and Levites but other Princes of the king sent for to teach the people 2 Chr. 17 7 8. 9. These al were didacticoi apt to teach but in several respects and measures and in several offices Otherweise if one wil understand aptnes to teach strictly as in the pastors office then are Pauls words to be taken figuratively the whol for a part or general for a particular as a Bishop that is a teacâ—hing Bishop must be didacticos And thus the scripture somâ—â—me speaketh as Deut. 33. 8. 10. of the whol tribe of Levi it is sayd they shal teach they shall put incense c. when as though al were to teach yet all were not to burn incense but the Preists onely Also in Deut. 10. 8. of the Tribe of Levi in general it is sayd God separated them to bear the ark to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to blesse in his name Yet were there special things about blessing bearing the ark and other ministration which belonged to the Preists of the Levits in particular Even so Paul writing to Timothee and Titus of the Eldership in general may note some things which more specially perteyn to some onely in particular Touching the word Proistamenos Provost or Ruler although I wil not deney but every Elder may be so called in a large sense yet specially it is the title of Ruling Elders onely And it is an oversight in M. Smyth to write that th'Apostle sayth Every Bishop must be proistamenos for that word hath relation to the ruling of his owne howse which every Bishop must be able wel to do but in relation to the Church the governing elders onely are called proistamenoi and it is their peculiar titie even as Pastors and Teachers are peculiar titles to others and the name BISHOP and ELDER common to them all In the last place M. Sm. repeateth his former reason from Ephes. 4. how the Apostle sayth not some Pastors some Teachers but Pastors Teachers copulatively But that is before answered and the playne meaning of Paul manifested to be some Pastors and some Teachers as the ancient Syriak speaketh and other reasons from that and the like scriptures do confirm The 2 obiection 1 Cor. 12. 5. 8. 28. The Apostle sayth ther are diversities of ministeries namely one that hath the word of wisdom another that hath the word of knowledge another that hath government vers 28. Therefore the Eldership consisteth of three sort of Elders c. Mr Smythes answer First it is granted that there are diversities of ministeries as Ephe. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 3. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 1. namely Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Deacons Yet it foloweth not hereupon that elders are of divers sorts as is pleaded see vers 28. Agayn the word diaconia signifyeth sometime any spiritual work proceeding from any member or officer of the Church as 2 Cor. 8. 4. almes is caled diaconia 1 Pet. 4. 10. diaconein signifieth any work that proceedeth from any gift So it may signify here and all the works that follow almost may be referred thither Onely there are certaine energemata mentioned in vers 10. Replie I perceive though the light shineth in darknes yet the darknes comprehendeth it not especially when men doe wink with their eyes least they should see The sun shineth not clearer at noon then the truth shineth out of this scripture with M. S. seeks to darken with a clowd of deceit The Apostle teacheth first that one and the same spirit of God bestoweth on the Church diversities of gifts to one the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. Secondly that one and the same Lord Iesus Christ giveth to his Church diversities of ministeries or offices that so the divers gifts may be ministred to the people doctrine by the teacher exhortation by the exhorter or pastor government by the ruler c. Thirdly that one and the same God the father of whom are all things worketh or effecteth diversities of effects or operations in the Church by those divers gifts and divers ministeries For example as Christ is given for Prophet Preist and King of the Church a Prophet to work upon the knowledge of men that they may discern syn and righteousnes a Preist to work upon the will and affections killing them as sacrifices that a new and reasonable creature may be given up to GOD asking that the things taught by prophesie and applied by preisthood may be orderly practised in life preserved from all adverse power and in the end perfected even so in his Church besides extraordinarie
deceitful glosse contrary to the tenour of the text Two several works he acknowledgeth ruling and teaching yet two several men for these workes he wil not admit of But had he learned the Apostles word who is sufficient for these things he mought have seen a reason of the counsel of God in adding helps to the teachers of the word For if the Apostles those excellent master builders had need of supply for want of sufficiencie how much more need have wee weaklings It is Gods usual administration in his church for several works to appoint several persons so to Moses he committed the goverment political to Aaron the ecclesiastical To Moses he adjoyned 70. ancients of Israel besides the ordinarie inferiour governours to Aaron he gave for a gift the whole tribe of Levi. The Levites had also their special distributions some helping the Preists in sacrificing c. some tending to song and musik some warding the Tabernacle some looking to the treasures al joyntly the Ministers and teachers of the church Deut. 10 8. 33. 10. Christ also providing for the good of his church as he hath diversities of operations or effects to work in the same so hath he given diversities of gifts and these to diverse persons and also with diversities of ministeries or offices some to teach some to exhort some to distribute some to rvle that that gift which is dimm in one man may shine clear in an other and the church have the use and benefit of al. Now comes M. Sm. and he not being able to deney the diversities of works and operations required in the church yet dareth deney the diversities of offices and wil have one man in one limited office of the Pastor to do al that perteyneth to exhorting teaching and governing of the church though the scriptures doe so plainly distinguish And if men excelling in the gift of exhortation be chosen to attend unto that ministration or office of exhorting and others excelling in the gift of teaching others in governing be chosen to execute their gifts in the teachers and governours offices this he exclaymeth to be Antichristian for one office he thinks must doe al. To this end wresteth he these words of Paul The Elders that rule wel are worthy double honour specially they that labour in the word doctrine The specialtie sayth M. S. consisteth not in the works of ruling teaching but in the qualitie of the works viz wel ruling fupainll teaching I deney this violent construction and affirm the specially here added of Paul to respect a special distinct person in and for his work as may thus be manifested The Apostle treateth of honour and unto whom it belongeth Honour widowes sayth he which are widowes in deed Give double honour to the Elders that rule wel speciallie to them that labour in the word As honour double honour respecteth several persons in their several estates and imployments so double honour and special double honour respecteth several persons in and for their several works and imployments some ruling wel othersome labouring in the word Thus the scripture is plain But M. S. will have the specialtie to consist in the qualitie of the work viz wel ruling and painful teaching As if Paul would have double honour given to them that rule and teach but specially if they rule wel teach painfully But thus he neither speaketh nor meaneth For al rule is either wel or yll but ill rule deserves no honour therfore it were unmeet to appoint double honour in this respect where open rebuke rather is due and where losse and dammage followeth because the work must burn 1 Cor. 3. 14. 15. But take it as the Apostle speaks and intends widowes indeed are to have honour the wel ruling Elders are to have double honour thus it is meet and the meaning evident Now the specialtie cometh after wel ruling and respecteth an other work labouring in the word where the former word wel is again to be understood For false teachers laboured in the word to seduce and deceiv such were to have no special double honour but their mouths stopped and to be turned away from though they creep into howses though they use fair speech and flattering though they take such pains as they compasse sea and land to make one of their profession Again the word labouring makes not the specialtie as M. Smyth interpreteth it painful teaching for labour is a common dutie lying upon al church officers whose office is not in idlenes None can rule wel but with labour none can teach well but with labour and therefore PAVL useth this word of all the officers 1 Cor. 16. 16. So the specialty here is not for labour simply but for labour in the word doctrine which some Elders did differing from labour in government which othersome did as is evidēt both by this other scriptures as 1 Cor. 12. 28. thirdly teachers after that governours and Rom. 12. 7. 8. he that teacheth on teaching he that ruleth with diligence Thus several men were imployed in these several labours or works and in respect of the persons imployed is the word specially added and purposly put between rulers teachers as if the Apostle should say they that labour in ruling are worthy of double honor specially they that labour in teaching And that this is Pauls mind his plain words shew when he sayth they that rule and they that labour where this word they leadeth to diverse persons as in other scriptures they that have doon good and they that have doon evil they that weep and they that rejoyce and innumerable such speeches Agayn the word specially being put between them that rule and them that labour confirmeth this yet more for it increaseth the distinction as when Paul in the same Epistle sayth God is the saviour of al men specially of the faithful the word specially distinguisheth the faythful from other common men of the world who have not fayth in God and yet are saved or preserved by him that is the preserver of al his creatures and saveth man and beast So to Titus he sayth there are many deceivers of minds specially they of the circumcision where the word specially distinguisheth those of the circumcision from other deceivers and meaneth not the same but different persons And if here we take it not so for several persons where wel ruling is first set down and specially comes after for such as labour in the word and doctrine we overthrow the force and grace of Pauls gradation or stepping to his specialty And if he had meant as M. S. takes it for the qualitie of the works doon by the same persons it should be as otherwhere Paul writeth they that labour much or labour more then the rest but he speaks not so here M. S. expounding the place of the same persons to
19. 27. Apoc. 14. 9. 10. 11. Loe here the truth which I defend confirmed by my adversaries owne penn for this is the onely thing which I plead that Christ ruleth his people onely by his own lawes and officers as mine opposite himself granteth yet see what an outcrie he maketh against me as teaching such Antichristianisme as was never heard of before But by his former dispute against the Presbyterie himselfe is found to be one of those enimies that wil not have Christ to reign over them by his own offices and lawes Wheras he putteth the question thus how farr the sheep must obey the Elders which ar shepheards that is not the point between Mr. Bern. and me neyther medle I with it yet if any be desirous to know my mind in general it is So farr as the shepheards doe teach rule and direct the sheep in the wayes of Christ by his owne word and lawes so farr at they al jointly and every one severally bound to obey and submit to their shephards and no further For although this be the ordinary way of teaching and governing the Church yet if extraordinarily it fal out that the shepheards walk and lead awry and the sheep go aright then is neyther the whol flock nor any one sheep to follow or obey them unlesse they wil fall togither into the ditch Neyther wil that reason which M. Sm. so laboureth about namely that the Ministery is not by succession but by election of the church make ought against me unlesse the man thinketh this consequence good If Elders be chosen by the Church then are they not to teach and rule the Church by Christs word and lawes The contrary rather is true For if the Church be authorized and commanded of Christ to chose and set Elders over them for to teach and rule them by his own word and lawes and are also commanded to obey and submit themselves unto their Elders then are the Elders to teach rule them by Christs word and lawes and the Church is therin to obey But the first is true as the scriptures and reasons forealleged prove Therefore alsothe latter No more wil that similitude of a body which as all parables will easily be perverted being streyned beyond the purpose of the holy spirit help ought against the truth I defend For as God hath disposed the members every one of them in the body at his own pleasure given them severall faculties so as all the members have not one work and as the eye for seing the ear for hearing the mouth for speaking c. doo administer not for particular mebers onely but for the whol body even so the Church hath many members with diversities of gifts and diversities of offices or ministeries which they are to attend unto and execute for the whol body the whol not the particular members onely as this man fansieth are to obey and submit unto these distributions administrations being al of the Lord as the Apostle teacheth And as al the members of the body have not the gift of speaking seeing smelling c. but these are bestowed on special members for the use of al so in the church al are not prophets or al teachers or al governours c. but to one is given the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge c. unto the administration of which gifts by the due offices or members al the body is to submit and obey in the Lord. So that a wonder it is any man should have the face to blame me with Antichristianisme for disclayming that position which M. Bernard imputed unto us namely that the power of Christ that is avthoritie to preach to administer the sacraments and to execute the censures of the church belongeth to the whole church yea to overy one of them or for affirming some special authoritie to be committed to the Elders for reaching and ruling the church by Christs own word and lawes unto whom the other brethren are to obey alwayes in the Lord. What would it be but a mere confusion and abuse of the holy ordinances of the gospel if every one in the church should administer perform the works of al Christs ministers which they may if the power and authoritie perteyneth unto them for who may abridge the saincts of these things And most strange it is that M. S. if any thing may be strange in him would thus inveigh against me when in handling this very poynt against M. Bern. he writeth thus Wherefore I say unto you that the gifts of preaching administration of the sacraments and governing are given unto some men but the offices and officers indued with these gifts are given unto the church c. If but some men in the church have the gifts of preaching administration of sacraments governing wil M. S. blame me for deneying this position of M. Bernard that Christs power and authoritie to preach administer the sacraments c. belongeth to every one in the church Have they authoritie to preach or govern which have not the gifts of preaching or government I leave the judgment of this controversie to every wise hart And this I hope may suffice for clearing my self of Antichristianisme in that which I wrote about church goverment being the mayn thing which M. Sm. hath wrested against me Other things there are which he girdeth at breifly and which I omit to strive with him about whom I see to be set upon debate And how adversarylike he dealeth with me in mangling corrupting and depraving my answers for his advantage they that compare them with his book may see Let this one be an instance To an objected error against us I thus answered Neither is this position set down in our words to my knowledge neither doth Mr. Bernard take away but confirm rather the thing that we hold for he granteth that they offend God which may and doe not ordinardie having meanes offred live in a church rightly constituted we grant that many of Christs subiects for want of meanes doe not live in a true constituted church If therfore he were not a caviller he would not have reckned this among our errors This my answer M. S. of his liberalitie hath set down in his book thus M. Ains answering M. Bern. pag. 173. vseth these words Neither is this position set down in our words to my knowledge if therfore M. Bern. were not a caviller he would not have reckned this among our errors Thus having dealt more injuriously with my words then the unjust steward did with his Masters reckning in abating more then half of my writing without so much as any note or mark to intimate of further matter in my answer which he maketh almost senselesse he procedeth to charge me with forsaking the defence of the truth and then runns on to justifie that he had written to Mr. Bernard which I knew not of But for his