to prove by this text, or Eph.4 11. But without fuccefs; neither are they, nor any of their partizans like to be fucceffeful: in it till it fhall be Scripturally evidenced, that Chrift did Commiflionate diftinct orders of Church-officers; and did not an apo appoint every of them their proper and diftinct works, which if proved, will deftroy the very nature and effence of order, which confifts in the distinct and separate works, or trufts committed to the ordained. And as for the Wight Divines allegab tion of the aforesaid Eph. 411. in proof of their notion, we hope enough hath been, and will be faid in this, and the following reafons, why the Evangelizate was neither a distinct order, or degree of, and in Ecclefiaftical offices, to convince any impartial Reader, of its unaptness to maintain their cause, or differve our opinion, Fifthly, When any fetled Church fent forth any of her off s.When cers to conftitute a new Church, fhe kept others of the fame fome officers order at home to preferve her felf. Thus the other Apoftles went abroad fent forth St. Peter, and St. John to fettle a Church at Sama- to conftitute a new church, ria, among Philips converts, themselves remaining and con- others of the tinuing in the mean time at Jerufalem: Act. 8. 145 155 Thus fame orders, Lucius, Simeon, and Manaen,emitting St. Paul and Barnabas, to ftaid at home Evangelize to the Gentiles, themselves ftaid at home with the to preferve Church at Antioch Act. 13. 1, 2,3. The ground of this practise is the old one. evident in reason, for otherwile the Church would be alwaies? planting, never planted, the enchurching of one would be the unchurching of another people. Chriftian religion (as 'tis faid of the Sea) would loofe as much at one place,as the gained at another. A planted Church muft have her officers conftantly refiding, to dress, feed, and govern her; that vineyard would be foon over-run with weeds, if at any time fhe wanted thofe fpiritual Husbandmen. A propagated Church must allo have her affixed officers; but they are not of as différent kind from officers in constituted Churches because the ministry is but one, & new Minifters are made by old ones,is virtue of Chrifts promife fucceffively to continue the fame Miniftry unto his church. Whence it follows,that the minifters whether in a conftituted, or propagated Church are both of one order, and nature, because both are derived from one original, but being of different growth's, they fall under anfwerable denominations. These are hopeful grafts, while they are fruit-bearing trees; thefe Apoftolize,or Prophesy,they feed, thefe Elangelize,they teach, their root is one,their fruit one,but their plantations are several. H Sixthly, 6. Bullinger reduceth the three firft terms to one order, and Sixthly, Bullingery as hath been inftanced, faith the three› first ↑ titles are names of one function, which must be the Apostolate, fince the Apofties are first named, the Presbyterate of the other two, may not be queftioned,-fince the Apostle comprehends both tin der the one name of Teachers. Cor. 12. 28. Suffice this in deSt. Paul re- monftration of the reafons, why the five terms do not comprether two unto hend an equal, number of Church-officers of feveral orone other or- ders. duceth the o der. 2. Neg. feveral de ર degrees. The. Abfurdity WM Secondly, Negatively, The five terms do not conftitute, a like number of degrees, or dignities, of officers of fewer orders. よ The affirmative is Calvins, and the general Presbyterian opion. But therein their wariness, or (fhall I call it) their wilithey were not ness is remarkable; to call them feveral orders, would too grofly exceed the number of Chrifts inftituted orders, and too fuddenly engage them upon the difpute of the nature, and differences of thofe orders (the affured break-neck of their caufe) but to call them feveral degrees, or dignities, would furnish impudent wranglers with a fophiftical diftinction to oppo e truth, and perfwade eafie and tractable Readers, that there is fome notorious official difference betwixt the past, and prefent Church-officers, because their leaders fay, one is of one degree or dignity, the other of another, and because themfelvesknow not what degree, or dignity means, or wherein' their divérɓtie from order confifts. But Calvin, and the rest, inftead of avoiding, rush at another door into the fame inconvedience of exceeding the number of Chrifts inftituted orders For when order and degree, are ufed of men in focieties (as hieve concerning their functions, employments, or honours, differencing them one from another, they import one, and the felf fame thing, who is fo of a different degree, is alfo of a dif ferent order, ando contrariwife, hence the promifcuous ufe of these two words, for one and the fame thing, is very frequent in moft polite and accurate authors. I am well acquainted with the nfually aligned difference, betwixt order and degree, Order being referred to a distinct power in fpecial acts, degree to fuperiority without power. But thofe Figleaves will not cover the Definers nakedness, becaufe though they call the Evangelizate a degree, yet they allow the Evangelift diftinct acts of office, as the vicariate charge of all. Churches, ordination of Minifters, exercifer of Cenfures in, and over all, or many Churches. Whereby as they make the cffice a diftin& order, fo it is a Vid. Ciceronis opera Paffim. Dange rouine's of the affirma tive. quefton queftion not caffly refolved, whether they might not more fafely, and agreably to their own principles," have called Apa Atles, Prophets, Evangelists, &c. several orders rather then fever ral degrees, extend they degrees, either, to fomewhat differ rent from order, or to an higher ftep in the fame orderT If they accept it in the former latitudes och her Then Chrifts Legiflative power is impaired, and the new-vinc. Teftament Church-fate is not introduced by one Legiflavo but by many Legislating Commiffioners; Because the Evangebot istroo er o lift,who according to Beza, Faius,and Spanhemius, founded, or constituted Churches, were not of the fame order with the A poftles, and confequently acted under another order and comm miffion, then that which Christ gave to his Apoftles. ortodas If they take degree in the latter fignification. Then, nursť First, the Apoftolate (to which the firft word in the cata logue or Apostles appertaineth) was both the higheft order and degree in the Church but if Prophetying, Evangelizing, Teaching, and Feeding, altered the degree or order of those who difcharged them, then the Apoftles fo oft as they wrought any of thefe works, defcended into a lower fate or condition, then that wherein Chrift had conftituted them.nd pend Secondly, all the former Definitions are faulty, and vicious in the non-affignation of the Evangelifts order, whether it were the Apoftolate, of the Presbyterate; wherein his de gree C differed from other officers of the fame order, sysgong ed Thirdly, the diftine and Teparate Definition of the Evangelift, as neither an Apoftle nor a Presbyter, but inferior to the one, and fuperiour to the other in Office-works, is introductive of a third order, for fuch inferiority, and fuperiority are the plaineft, and moft vifible characters of order and fubordination. Hence the Wight Divines tell us roundly, that Evangelizate was a diftinct office? Dar.02 21.82. Fourthly, the Diana of Presbyterianisme, or the parity of all officers of the fame order is incdanger to be defpiled, and her nagnificence deftroyed, for every degree hath refpect to firpe riority, and inferiority. This is not only ours, but the joynt opinion of Calvin, and Aretius, who fay, The Evangelifts were inferiour unto, and less then the Apostles. The five teader is now expectant to hear what we think of thefe ད five terms and wills us vour his fatisfaction, upon condition he do not condemn our labours till himself have done better, and allow as probability unto our opinion till he give us one more probable. Upon thofe terms we fay, odtis 29gnnab vel bust Thirdly. Pofitively they were feveral denominations conferred upon, or taken by Church officers, relatively to their la3. Pofitive-bourlifeveral parts, and places of the Catholick Ghurch. ly, they were Theist concern Church officers, because none elfe could ons conferred be Apoftler, Prophets Evangelists, & They muft denominate, upon, or ta- not conftitute officers, because all fo denominated (except 4ken by poftles, which term is primitive) were in orders before. The Church-off- first Apostles, Prophets, Evangelifts, Paftors, and Teachers in the ly to their la Catholick Church, were Apofties, and Elders in the Church at bours in feve- Jerufalem. They were conferred upon them, or taken by them, ral parts, or relatively to feveral performances of the fame work in divers places of the places: Becaufe 'tis one Chrift preached, the fame Sacraments adminiftred, the like orders of officers ordained, in a conftitused, or to be conftituted Church. cers, relative Catholick Apoftles who. The Apostle in this Text affignes three works to the Miniftry, or perfecting of the Saints, work of the Ministry, and edifying of the body of Chrift. These refer to a treble Minifterial act of office. • basales) sua voisinha here iFink, Church propagation, and Governments-mg cok mi Secondly, due confideration, and refpect to the fubject so to be propagated and Governed, a soit padto mortis.be Thirdly, the confervation of both in order and unity. 03 ૐ D All these are link't one within another, and orderly draw the interpretation of the five titles mentioned in that Text after them.qu bas vizchasini do not wobro Eida sloerißub That the Church be propagated, and Governed, presuppofeth according to Ghrifts promifed perpetual prefence with his Miniftry,Mat.28. 19, 20. and St, Pauls affignation of the end of the gift, and continuance of the Miniftry, Eph, 4.13. Till 01. B22 me all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son tomit to of Gad unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the ftature of the fulhness of Chrift. That there be a Power in old officers to derive their order unto fucceffors in planted Churches, to preserve ་་, 8. The The Church is a building of God, her materials are Jews Peophoto; and Gentiles, firft Jews, then Gentiles, the converfion and enchurching of the Jews in a Gofpel-ftate, tacks the Prophet to the Apofles. The Jews were acquainted with many Prophefies, forerunning, and pointing at the prefent difpenfation. A Meffiah even when he came they did earnestly expect. Joh. 1. 21. And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias ? And be faith I am not. Art then that Prophet ? And be answered no: But the Mefias being come, they were prejudiced against him, becaufe the humility of the Carpenters Son did not answer to their carnal, and pompous expectation of the Son of David; Those high thoughts his Ambaffadours must bring down; the readiest way to do which, lay in a right expofition of old Teftament Propheties, and folid proof of their accomplishment in Chrift. upon this account John the Baptift is called a Propbet. Luk. 1. 76. Mat. 11. 9. Luk.. 26. Befides, the Apoftles receiving the gift of Tongues, Act. 2. 4. maintain it to be an accomplishment of an old Teftament-prophefie, relating to the dayes of the Meffias, and enabling them to Prophefie. A&t. 2. 18. And on my fervants and bandmaids, I will pour out in thofe dayes of my Spirit, and they shall Prophefie. That is, as their following difcourfe interprets it, not foretel fome new thing, but evidence Chrift already come, to be the promised Saviour. Act. 2. 22. ad fin. 36. Thus Judas and Sylas, fent by the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Jerufalem, with decrees for determination of the queftion about the abolition, or retention of Mofaical rites and ceremonies, are called Prophets, Doctores in while exhorting the people (who before fcrupled it) to con- ecclefia Hierofent to the abrogation of fome of them, and obfervation of o-folymitana a thers, according to the tenour of thofe decrees. A&t. 15. 32. qua mittebanAnd Judas and Sylas being Prophets alfo themselves, exhorted the tur cum manBrethren with many words, and confirmed them. Beza upon the muneri convedatis ipforum Text obfervably faith, They were teachers of the Church at Je-nientibus.Bez. rufalem, by whom they were fent with inftructions fuitable to their ad Att. 15. work Aretius faith, They were able interpreters of Scripture,because 32. Prophet is not only a foreteller of future things, but an interpreter Idonei fcriptuof y Prophets appofitely teaching, and expounding Scriptures.ra interpretes non folum is eft, qui vaticinatur, fed prophétarum interpres, appofite docens, & enarrans nam propheta feripturas fecerunt autem hoc,non femel aut iterum, fed diu multumque, nam de illis dicit, quod illic commorati funt, non alia de caufa, quam quod feditionem, & defidia orta ex illa queftione componerent, quod & feliciter effecerunt. Aret. in loc. |