of in the opening of the words as also the method they observed in the Calling and Ordaining of Persons to this Work it was done as Clemens saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Church giving their consent and approbation And by their appointment it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Ep. that when the Officers ordained by themselves were dead other approved Men should succeed in their room unto whom the Administration of Holy Things in the House of God was committed and by whom the Instruction and Government of the Church should be duly provided for We have both the continuance of these Officers and the reason of it asserted Ephes 4. 11 12 13. And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers For the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ Till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect Man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ These last words are manifestly extended to the compleating of the intire Mystical Body of Christ and so to the period of the dispensation of Grace in this World till there shall no longer be a Church on Earth And altho ' some of those Offices and Gifts mentioned in vers 11. be now ceased yet it is evident others of them must continue to the end until that whereunto a Gospel Ministry is designed be perfectly accomplished And it very well agrees with the scope of the Apostle's discourse in this place to make a joint mention of extraordinary and ordinary Ministers since they are all given by Christ for one and the same end viz. the perfecting of his Mystical Body which affords a good Argument for the Union of Christians in their different measures of Attainment which the Apostle is here pressing them to The Apostles Prophets and Evangelists were of necessity to be imployed in the laying of the Foundation of Gospel-Churches and the continuance of Pastors and Teachers is no less necessary for the continuance and carrying on of the Spiritual Building of the Church to the end of the World And there is no reason of concluding that all these Officers must always be in the Church because they are here mentioned together no more than there is to affirm that the power of working Miracles should never cease because the promise of such a Power to some Believers is indefinitely given out with the Promise of Salvation by Faith in Christ which branch of the Promise is certainly extended to all Believers in all Ages Mark 16. 16 17 18. Now as it is de facto evident that Miracles were for the confirmation of the Gospel in the first promulgation of it and are now ceased so it is as plain That the Office and Gifts of Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists were for the first planting of the Churches and no longer to continue than till their Order was fully setled and the Revelation of the Mind of God in the New Testament perfected and then the Wisdom of Christ saw it best to leave the Churches to the Rule of his Written Word and the guidance of their ordinary Officers according thereto The Officers which we are now treating of that are in our Text called Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Adverte eundem Gradum idemque Officium significari a Paulo nomine Presbyteri nomine Episcopi Neutrâ—m siquidem horum est nomâ—n ordinis sed potius officii Cajetan in locum in the very next words stilled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or Overseers the like application of both these terms to the same Persons and Office you may observe in Act. 20. and in the Ephes Pastors and Teachers And it is evident the Holy Ghost intends no distinction or preeminence of Office among those that bear these Characters by any of these different Terms but they are all suited to the same Office in its different respects These Ministers are sometimes called Elders because of their gravity and precedency in the House of God perhaps with some respect to the Paternal Authority and Preeminence of the Heads of Families and Elders of the People amongst the Israelites of old and at other times Bishops or Overseers because their Work is to take the oversight 2 Pet. 5. 2. of the Flock and to acquit themselves as faithful Watchmen who watch for the Souls of the People committed to their Trust that they may give an account of them to the great Shepherd with joy and not with grief And because it is incumbent Heb. 13. 17. on them to feed the Church with the Words of Eternal Act. 20. 28. Life and to open the Mind of God to them from the Scriptures that they may by their Ministry be instructed unto his Kingdom they are also stiled Pastors and Teachers Our way being thus far prepared by this general Account of the Office of Eldership and the necessary continuance of it in the Church many things do readily offer themselves as proper to be discoursed of under this Head but omitting others I must at present confine my self to a brief enquiry after these two that follow 1. The Qualifications requisite in the Person that performs this Office 2. The Relative Duties of an Elder and the People that he ministers to First As to the necessary Qualifications of an Elder or Bishop they are particularly and fully described to us in this of Tit. 1. 6 7 8 9. compared with 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5 6 and 7 verses The first thing required in both places is That he be blameless not absolutely without sin for there are none such in the World but free from any notable blemish or scandalous offence in his Life a Man whose general carriage and deportment is to the adorning of that Doctrine which he professeth himself and must teach to others And then the Husband of one Wife It is not required that he be a married Man but supposing him to be so it is necessary that he have been the Husband but of one Wife viz. at one time for tho' he had repented of his Polygamy yet the note of his former incontinency would stick upon him for Polygamy had no good hearing even amongst the civilized Heathens and it was meet that a Bishop should have a good Report of them that are without lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil And this doth also include such as had put away their Wives and married others which was a thing that both the Jews and Gentiles used to do and was utterly forbidden by Christ except in the case of Fornication In like manner his Children if he have any and their course of Life under his Family-discipline must be considered they must be faithful not living still in Idolatry and Gentilism but of a sober well-governed Life being in subjection to him with all gravity for if
it is an examination and tryal of the Persons to be chosen by this Rule which the Apostle intends in the next words ver 10. And let these also first be proved then let them use the Office of a Deacon being found blameless And this I the rather mention that I may rectify a Mistake which I think many have taken up from a misunderstanding of this Text wherein they suppose that the Apostle requires that a Trial should be made of Elders and Deacons in the discharge of the proper Work of their Office before they are ordained to that Office But this way of Trial is as forreign from the Text as the notion asserted is inconsistent with it self for observe He doth not say Try whether they use the Office of a Deacon well which how can they do before they have it and then let them be ordained if for some time they have acquitted themselves well in it But the Trial he requires is antecedent to their using the Office of a Deacon and is no other than a diligent comparing of the Qualifications of the Persons with the Characters of one meet for such an Office which he had before set down This I take to be the plain sence of the words And if this be not admitted we must suppose the Rule of one Apostle to contradict the practice of others acting by the same infallible Guidance as he wrote which is absurd For it is plain in this of the Acts that they were directed to examine and look into the Qualifications and fitness of the Persons to be chosen for Deacons before they made choice of them and that the Apostles did by a solemn Ordination vest them with their Office before they acted in it or used the Office of a Deacon Fourthly As to the Work of a Deacon The Care of the Poor is their special Charge And in order hereunto the Contributions and Alms of the Church are to be deposited with them and intrusted to their distribution as particular Cases may require I shall now draw to a close of this Point and pass on to what remains when I have spoken a word or two 1. To those who are this day ordained and appointed to the Office of Deacons 2. To the Congregation that hath called them to this Office First To the Deacons There are four things that I shall recommend to you as necessary in the discharge of that Trust that is committed to you viz. Faithfulness Compassion Prudence and Diligence 1. Faithfulness You have a Trust committed to you viz. the Alms and Contributions of the Church which are indeed a kind of hallowed or dedicated things and this is a considerable Trust yea the poor Members of Christ which are dear to him as the Apple of his Eye are committed to your Care so far as conceres their Relief and Succour in outward things and this is a greater Trust you are in these things Stewards for the Church yea Stewards for Christ and it is required of a Steward that he be found faithful consider therefore the Duty of your Places and make Conscience of a faithful discharge thereof as knowing you must give an account to Christ who hath appointed you to this Service and with him there is no respect of Persons 2. Compassion Your Business and Employment is to relieve the Necessities of the poor Saints and this you can never do with a right Spirit unless you have a fellow-feeling with them in their Necessities and do by a gracious Sympathy as it were put your selves in their stead He that gives must do it with chearfulness and that he will never do if Compassion have not first filled his Heart Remember that this Office in the Church is a Fruit of Christ's Pity and Compassion for the Poor and it is your Duty to make your distributions in that manner as may best represent the pity and tenderness of him whom you serve in this Work 3. Prudence Your Pity must be guided by Discretion And as it is required that a Deacon should have a plentiful anointing of the good and benign Spirit that he may be kind and affectionately tender towards his Brethren so it is no less necessary that he be full of Wisdom also that he may rightly discern of the Case and Circumstances of those that are to be relieved by him And that he may carry an equal ballance in his Ministration between the encouraging of Idleness on the one hand and neglect of the real Distresses of any on the other both these are extreams to be avoided And it is certain that there is so great a difference in the temper of Persons that there will be need of diligent enquiry after the necessities of some whose modesty would hide them more than is meet while the unreasonable importunity of others needs a prudent check 4. Diligence It is a Service for Christ that you are imployed in and the Work of the Lord must not be done negligently your Heart must be in your Work and you must not do it tanquam aliud agens as by the By with a slight and indifferent Spirit But as Hezekiah did the Work of God in his place whose Encomium is That in 2 Chron. 31. ult every Work that he began in the Service of the House of God and in the Law and Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his Heart And know that your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord for there is no Service except that which immediately respects the saving of Mens Souls more acceptable to Christ than that which you are engaged in Secondly To the Congregation It is your Duty to give respect to your Deacons as esteeming their Service in the Church useful and honourable For he that useth the Office of a Deacon well 1 Tim. 3. 13. purchaseth to himself a good degree and great boldness in the Faith which is in Christ Jesus But especially your Duty is to incourage them in their Work by a free and plentiful contribution to the Poor that out of the abundance of those that enjoy plenty they may always have a sufficiency to provide for the relief of those that suffer want Many things might be urged for the opening of your Hearts to so good a Work But my present time will not admit of enlargement on this Head I shall now proceed to the next thing that lies before us viz. The ordaining of Elders in every City or Church which was particularly given in Charge unto Titus Bishops or Elders are ordinary Officers in the Church of Divine Right and Appointment and are to be continued therein to the end of the World Their Office is superior to that of Deacons as more nearly concerning the Good and Edification of the Church by so much as the care and conduct of Mens Souls doth transcend the care of the outward Man and supplies of temporal Life The care which the Apostles took for this Provision in the Church we have seen something
it do not appear that he rules his own House well how shall he be esteemed fit to take care of the Church of God He must also be vigilant careful and diligent in his Work and Duty in the station wherein he hath been otherwise he will be very unmeet for a Pastoral Charge which requires perpetual watching sober and of a temperate Life adorned with Modesty and Moderation and of a good behaviour full of gravity and humanity in all his Deportment not self-willed proud and heady no striker nor soon angry but a Man that hath good Government of his Passions and whose meekness disposeth him to instruct and exhort Men with all Long-suffering and Doctrine He must not 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. 4. 2. be given to much Wine but set in himself an Example of Mortification to sensual Delights and utterly detest all unjust and sordid ways of heaping up or keeping Riches for himself as not given to filthy Lucre nor lyable to just suspition that he undertakes his Charge from a base covetousness of any outward Emoluments belonging thereto but of a ready Mind and sincere Love to Christ and the Souls of Men and he must be given to Hospitality that so he may go before others in all Offices of Kindness and Charity towards the Saints no brawler litigious or contentious Man but furnished both with Abilities and a ready Mind to teach and instruct others and therefore he must be well furnished with the Knowledg of the Mysteries of God himself and one that holdeth fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the Gain-sayers In a word He must be a Man Holy and Just himself and a lover of all that are so yea one whose vertues Time hath proved and made conspicuous a steady and well-setled Man Not a Novice or new Convert lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil This is the Rule of Trial that all Churches are bound to have in their Eye and diligently to attend to in their Election of Elders and when they do so Christ approves their choice and the Holy Ghost Act. 20. 28 makes their Overseers for both the Gifts Grace and Authority of a Gospel-Minister are from him and no Man or Society of Men under Heaven can de jure make him a Minister that Christ hath not qualified for such a Service for the validity of all Church Acts depends upon and is determined by their conformity to the Rule of Christ's Holy Will and Testament And as these Gifts Graces and Vertues ought to be in some good degree visible in him that is ordained to Eldership before that Charge be committed to him so after his Ordination it behoves him perpetually to endeavour the giving of a more abundant proof of them in himself by a daily increase in their Exercise But to proceed Secondly The Relative Duties of an Elder and the People are to be considered The due handling of this would require a just Treatise but it cannot be expected that I should enlarge upon Particulars nor indeed so much as touch upon many things that do properly belong thereto But all that I can do is briefly to speak to some things of a general and comprehensive nature with some inforcement of what may be especially seasonable at this time And First We shall speak to the Duty of an Elder in his place which is either more publick or more private for in both these respects he is under a bond of Duty to Christ and the Souls of the Members of that Church which he ministers in We shall begin with those Duties which are more publickly to be discharged by him And they are 1st To stand in some respects and to act in some things as a middle Person betwixt God and the People Mistake me not He is not to be a Mediator between God and the Church or in his own Interest to interpose himself betwixt God and the People for the procuring of their acceptance with him such an Office and Service for the Church no Man on Earth nor Saint or Angel in Heaven is capable of The Glory of it is Christ's peculiar As there is but one God so 1 Tim. 2. 5. in this regard there is but one Mediator betwixt God and Men the Man Christ Jesus But in two respects a Minister stands between God and the People 1. As he is to be the Mouth of the People unto God and to go before them in the Exercise of those Gifts and Graces which Christ hath furnished him with in conceiving and pouring out the publick Prayers of the Church to the most High And by some this is taken to be the special import of that saying of the Apostle's in Act. 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually Assidui erimus tum in praecundo plebi in precibus ad Deum â—um in Plebe instituenda Grot. in locum to Prayer and to the Ministry of the Word They seem equally to respect in both viz. Prayer and the Ministry of the Word the publick discharge of their Office in the Church and there is no doubt but what is here mentioned continues to be the Duty of ordinary Ministers in their Station as much as it was theirs And the Scripture knows no other Provision for the orderly and profitable performance of this Service in the Church than what Christ hath made by enduing Persons with those Gifts and such an anointing of his Holy Spirit as may enable them to go before their Brethren therein It would be very sad to have the Souls of Men committed to the care of such as are so unacquainted with or insensible of their Spiritual Concerns as not to be in some good degree prepared for this part of their Work to be the Mouth of the People in pouring out their solemn publick Prayers unto God 2. As he is to be the Mouth of God to the People to deliver his Message from God and speak to them in his Name It is eminently the Work and Business of a Pastor To preach the 2 Tim. 4. 2. Word to be instant in season and out of season to reprove rebuke and exhort with all Long-suffering and Doctrine They are Ministers of the New Testament and God's Ambassadors unto Men who are to dispense the Mysteries of God to his Church and they ought to exercise all diligence herein Studying to approve themselves VVorkmen 2 Tim. 2. 14 15 that need not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth And woe will be to him that undertakes this Charge and preacheth not the Gospel which is the sincere Milk and Spiritual Food that the Souls of his Flock ought continually to be fed with This Duty is so earnestly pressed upon all Occasions Oportet Episcopum praedicantem mori where these Things are treated of in the Scriptures that there is no need of any other Arguments to