in his Apology to Antonius, call the TроeσT@Tа any other, than the Pastor and Teacher of the Congregation. Moreover, the defence of Lay-Elders out of this present text of St. Paul is contrary to the signification of the word Presbyter; which, when it is used concerning the polity of the New Testament, doth always signify the Ministers of the Word: Acts xi. 30. They sent their collection to the Elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul; that is, to the Ministers, of whom it is said, Acts xiv. 23. xeiρотovýσavтes dè. They ordained them Elders in every Church: and, Acts xv. 2. a main question of faith is propounded to the Apostles and Elders of Jerusalem; but, what! to be decided by Lay-Men? For the Elders met with the Apostles, to consider of this matter; Acts xv. 6. And the Presbyters are joined together with the Apostles, v. 22. and are distinguished from the whole Church; as also v. 23; and chap. xvi. 4. Again, in the xxth. of the Acts, the Elders of Ephesus, v. 17. are said to be made Bishops, to feed the flock of Christ, v. 28. And, in Acts xxi. 18. and the verses following, the Presbyters or Elders of Jerusalem instruct the Apostle Paul what he is to do; and, therefore, were no Lay-Men. In this very chapter, when Timothy is commanded to receive no accusation against an Elder, the Elder there is a teacher; as shall be shewed in the next chapter. Tit. i. 5. that thou mayest ordain Elders in every city: what kind of Elders? surely, teachers; for he adds, If any be blameless &c, for a Bishop must be unreproveable &c. And, James v. 14. the sick are bidden to send for the Elders of the Church, that they may pray over, and anoint the sick with oil in the name of the Lord; which is no Lay-Man's duty. 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. The Elders I exhort, who am also a fellow-Elder; feed the flock: how is he a fellow-Elder, but because he is a teacher, as they? and they are charged to feed the flock; therefore, Pastors. 2 John i. and 3 John i. John, the Apostle, without all question, is called an Elder. Ignatius makes often mention of Elders or Presbyters, in his Epistles; but never of Lay-Elders. And, in his Epistle to those of Tarsus, describing the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy of his time, he saith, di πреσВÚτεро, "Let the Presbyters be subject to the Bishops, and the Deacons to the Presbyters, and the Lay-Men to both Deacons and Presbyters." And, to the Magnesians; "As the Lord," saith he, " doth nothing without the Father, so neither do you without your Bishop; neither Presbyter, nor Deacon, nor Laica:" where observe, that the very Deacons did not sit in the Presbytery Apostolique; much less Lay-Men. Thirdly, the defence of Lay-Elders out of the 17th verse of ch. v. of the 1 Tim. is against the perpetual doctrine of St. a See note, p. 214 of this vol.-H. Paul: for, to give honour to the Presbyters or Elders, is to honour them with maintenance, out of the public stock of the Church; for so the Apostle, before, commands those that are indeed widows to be honoured, that is, to be designed to public attendances and allowances. And the reason, which the Apostle gives, confirms this explication of the honour required; when he saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox, that treadeth out the corn. And, in Matthew, the honour of parents is chiefly to be taken of meat and maintenance: which signification is very familiar and proper to the word Kabud, used in the Fifth Commandment; and so the word is expounded by Mark, vii. 12. But maintenance, out of the stock of the Church, the Apostle would not have to be given, even to such poor widows, as could be otherwise provided for; as, before, verse 16: and he himself laboured with his own hands, that he might not be burdensome to others; much less would he have the chief of the laity, who abound with wealth, to be maintained of the common store, and that more liberally than others. For if, by those that rule well, you shall understand both LayElders and Sacred also, you must needs conclude, that they are all worthy of double honour, both those which rule, and those which labour in doctrine: which conclusion the Apostle is against elsewhere; whilst he saith, Those, which serve at the altar, must partake of the altar and the Lord himself, who hath appointed, that those, which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel; 1 Cor. ix. 13, 14. Whereupon Jerome, in the same place; "He would," saith he, "have them to yield carnal things to those, of whom they receive spiritual things; because they, being taken up in teaching, cannot provide necessary things for themselves." Yea, I say yet more, if St. Paul had, by those that rule, understood LayElders, certainly he would somewhere have put them in mind of their duty, or at least have made mention of them, 1 Tim. iii. where he doth not omit to give charge even of Deacons and Deaconesses: but he doth neither of the two; but, presently after the mention of Bishops or Presbyters that were Pastors, he falls into the speech concerning Deacons and their wives: so as it is a plain proof, that Lay-Elders were utterly unknown to him. : Fourthly, the defence of Lay-Elders out of this place is utterly against the judgment of the Fathers, so many as ever have expounded this text of the Apostle. Neither, indeed, is there any necessity at all, that, because the Apostle saith, those especially that labour in word and doctrine, therefore we should devise new Elders, to be taken out of the common people: for it was well known, that those of the Clergy, which are over the Lord's flock, have their distinct offices and employments. There are of them, which administer sacraments, make public prayers, privately admonish faithful people, and withhold them from sinning: there are others, which, being endued with excellent gifts of speaking, employ themselves in being teachers and guides to men's souls in the way to heaven: and the labours of these men, which are taken by them, in word and doctrine, are justly preferred before the service of them, which administer the Sacraments, and make prayers for the Church; even by the testimony of the Apostle himself, who saith, Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel; 1 Cor. i. 17. He was sent for both purposes; but the chief end of his mission was, the preaching of the Gospel. Whosoever, therefore, thus rule the people, whether they do administer the sacrament, or only preach the word, or whether they do both, are worthy of double honour: where a certain number is put for an uncertain; double honour, that is, greater and more than others. Although some are of opinion, that here, by apostolic authority, there is a greater portion assigned to the governors, than to others that appertain to the Church; others interpret it of that double honour, which is fit for governors to have: one, of an awful reverence and command; the other, of more largeness of maintenance; that they be, both observed and respected above others, and that they have a more liberal provision of necessaries for their livelihood. But the first of them is the more simple exposition of the words. He, therefore, holds those, that are set over the people, worthy of double honour. And why double? A little before, he had given them order about the honouring, that is maintaining of their widows, at the charge of the Church. From the widows, he passeth to the Elders or Presbyters; whom, if they rule well, he would have honoured with a double allowance, that is, greater than that of the widows, both by reason of their office and by reason of their family; and, amongst those that rule, yet again, he would have those most regarded, who are employed not so much in administering the Sacraments, as in preaching the Word. I doubt not but this is the most true explication of this place. VOL. X. Bb |