^■Bl ^f^-< ^^. Q '^Jmentaires: L'lnstitut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a 6t6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exempiaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mAthode normale de filmage sont indiqute ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checlced below/ Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagAes P«ges restored and/oi Pages restaurAes et/ou pelliculAes Pages discoloured, stained or foxet Pages dicoiories, tacheties ou piqu6es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachdes Showthrough/ Transparence Quulity of prir Qualit^ in^gaie de I'impression Includes supplementary materia Comprend du mat6riel supplimentaire Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible I — I Pages damaged/ I I P«ges restored and/or laminated/ rri Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ rri Showthrough/ I I Quulity of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ I I Only edition available/ Th to Th pa of fill Or be th( sic oti fin sic or Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6X6 filmtes ^ nouveau de fapon 6 obtenir la meilleure image possible. Th shi Til wf Mi dif en be rig rei mi 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X 30X 1 y 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X 1 The copy filmed h«r« haa baan raproducad thanka to tha ganarooity of: Library of tha Pubiic Archivas of Canada L'axampiaira filmA fut raproduit grAca h la gAnAroaitA da: La bibiiotiidqua das Arctilvas pubiiques du Canada Tlitti imagaa appearing hara ara tha baat quality posaibia considaring tha condition and iagibility of tha original copy and in kaaping with tha filming contract spacif icationa. Laa imagas suivantas ont 6t6 raproduitas avac la plua grand aoin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattati da l'axampiaira film6, at en conformity avac las conditions du contrat de filmaoe. Original copiaa in printed paper covera ara filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illuatrated imprea- sion. or tha beck cover when eppropriata. All other original copies ara filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illuatrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impreaaion. Tha last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain tha symbol -^^ (meening "CON- TINUED"), or the fcymbol 7 (meening "END"), whichever applies. IVIaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too lerge to be entirely included in one expoaura are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many framea as required The following diagrams iiiuatrata the method: Lea axempleires originaux dont la couvarture an papier est imprimte sont filmte en commen9ant par la premier piet et en terminent soit par la darniAre page qui comporte une empreinte d'imprassion o'l d'HIustretion, soit per le second plat, salon le caa. Tous las autres axemplsires originsux sont filmfo en commenpant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'HIustretion et en terminont par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un dea symbolea suiva:its apparattra sur la derniire image de chaoue microfiche, selon le caa: la symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ". le symbols V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre film^s A des taux da rMuction diffirants. Loraque la document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul ciichA, 11 est fiimA A partir de I'angia supArieur gauche, de gauche A droits, et de haut an baa, en prenant la nombre d'images nAcessaire. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 'f 1 1 ^■ ^i?; <■; 't .'^S^: I' r €7, LINCOLN'S INN FIELT-S. •I THE AUtHORITY or A THREEFOLD MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH, BISHOPS, PRIESTS, AND DEACONS, PROVED FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT. By WILLIAM -HBY, Esq., F.R.S. LONDON: Printedfor the SOCIETY FOa PKOMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; S*LP AT THE DEPOSITORY, OR£AT aVXHAr street, ICINCCLN'B IVJ riSLQB ; AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. N«. 464ui 5 ,- see is^m :% ' '* mil fi .*- jr-i- if ■i' ' S :? # »saias8is?S:^. THE AUTHORITY OF A THREEFOLD MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH, BISHOPS, PRIESTS, AND DEACONS, PROVED FROM THK NEW TESTAMENT. 1^ By WILLIAM HEY, Esq., F.R.S. MEMBEK OP THE ROYAL COLLEGE OP SURGEONS IN LONDON ; HONORARY MEM- BER OP THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND, OF THE ROYAL :;i£DI JAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH, OP THE LITERARY AND PHILO- SOPHICAL SOCIETY OP MANCHESTER; AND LATE SENIOR SURGEON OP THE GENERAL INFIRMARY AT LEEDS. ■\ NEW EDITION, Adapted to the Use of the Society. LONDON: Printed for the SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE; SOLD AT THE DEPOSITORY, GREAT QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS; AND BY ALL BOOKSELLERS. [464] 1837. f ,'W'' "■■;r ^ .>. » I .V •li -A J • \k *3 Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, f^in. -■♦■^■^.XlM THE ''Of* n. %% AUTHORITY, Sfc, General Rejleciions on Church Government *. 1. It appears, from various declarations of our Sa- viour and his apostles, that the Christian Church will never cease to exist in the world. We may, therefore, fairly conclude, that the directions which are given in Holy Writ for the formation of t'^e Church in the time of the apostles, are to be applied to the same society in all aget ; allowance being made for the cessation of those miraculous powers which were granted to the first Christians, and for the unavoidable disturbance to which the regular order of the Church may be exposed in times of per- secution. What the inspired apostles considered as important in the formation of the Church, ought not to be considered by us as of little import. The Church must be formed after some model ; and we have no authority to deviate from that model which inspiration dictated, unless it be in such things as are, by a change of circumstances, rendered imprac- tical le. It is not a sufficient objection to say, — the •^'^os did not declare, that this order was to be ^ ual. Such a declaration was unnecessary. A ■^ ' ' '■'.'■' » Written about the year 1789. * ^^^ ' A 2 m j 4 TJiree/old Ministry ^ regulation appointed by divine authority, in a so- ciety that was designed to continue to the end of time, bears the stamp of perpetuity upon the face of it. It should become impracticable, before it should cease to be practised by those who take the Word of God for their guide. All laws which are not expressly made for a limited time, are of course perpetual, until they are abrogated by an authority equal to that by which they were enacted. Christians of all persua- sions seem to agree in these sentiments ; for they either profess to form their Church government on what they conceive to be the primitive model, or attempt to support, by the authority of Scripture, that order which they have adopted for accidental circum- stances. 2. The commands relative to Church government, like those which relate to many other duties, are partly positive, and partly discretional. In this case we are as much bound by the positive declarations, as if nothing had been left to our dis- cretion. General directions are also given for the regulation of those circumstances which aid comm't- ted to our discretion. We stand in the same pre- dicament with relation to other duties. Alms-deeds, for instance, are positively enjoined, but no specific proportion of our wealth is directed to be set apart for this purpose. Yet we have general directions to guide our conduct in this discretional circum- stance. It is our duty to collect those particulars which the apostles clearly enjoined, by precept' \Ii example, in the formation of the Christian Church, as far as they are applicable to a settled state of the Church. Such injunctions we are bound to follow. No private opinions of what is best, can authorise us to depart from them. In all matters left to our dis- cretion, we must conduct ourselves by those general rules which the Scriptures afford for the guidance of that discretion. If it should appear, for instance, that the apostles appointed different orders of mi- 11 a so- end of face of should Vord of :pressly il, until til at by persua- )r they lent on •del, or re, that :ircura- nment, es, are lositive ur dis- br the )mm't- e pre- deeds, lecific apart ctions cum- cular« pt-4i lurch, )f the 3ll0W. ise us ' dis- jiieral ice of ance, ■ mi- provcd from the Neto Testament, 5 nisters in the Church, but did not appoint a particu- lar mode of conducting public worship ; the Christian Church is bound to retain those orders of ministers, but may exercise its discretion with respect to the mode of worship, provided the general rules given for the guidance of that discretion are observed. Or, if the apostles have marked out with precision the du- ties of an officer of great consequence in the Chris- tian Church, whose continuance in the Church was necessary for the execution of that plan of Church government which they, by Divine inspiration, had appointed, and yet have left no directions how this officer should be elected in future ages ; we are bound to consider the office as perpetual, but the mode of lection to that office as discretional. 3. Some persons have imagined, that if matters relative to Church government had been of import- ance, they would have been more clearly revealed. Such imaginations are highly improper, if Divine revelation has given any directions relative to this subject. We must not pretend to dictate to the all- wise God, how he shall reveal his will to us. If he has revealed it in any way, this ought to be consi- dered as sufficient to command our obedience. That excellent writer, Bishop Butler, has observed, that a preponderance of argument in favour of any duty requires our obedience, as well as a more clear and explicit revelation. Let it be granted, for sake of argument, that no particular form of Church government is commanded in Scripture ; yet, we cannot thence conclude, that all Christian Churches have equally the support of Divine autho- rity. For the inspired apostles formed the first Christian Church after a particular model ; and if any modern Church has the example of the apostles on its side, ail other things, being by the supposition equal, this Church has a preponderance of argument in its favour. 4. But the example of persons acting by Divine A3 6 Tlireefold Ministry, authority, not only affords a preponderance of argu- ment in favour of any branch of conduct, in which they may be imitated ; but it is expressly proposed in Holy Scripture, as a model of our conduct. The apostle Paul says, " Walk so as ye have us for an example ;" and no good reason can be given why liis example should be followed only in things per- taining to ])rivate life. His example, as a superin- tendent of the Christian Church, calls for imitation. We may, therefore, rank among the number of Di- vine precepts, such rules as he prescribed for the formation and government of the Christian Church, as far as they relate to it in a settled state, in which no miraculous powers were to exist, nor special inspira- tion to direct its governors. 5. Though the Scriptures are our only sure guide with respect to Christian doctrines and practice, yet, if it should appear, that the Scriptures are silent with respect to a matter of fact, well known to those whom the apostles addressed in their Epistles ; we seem to be directed in this particular to the first writers in the Christian Church, who have mentioned the fact concerning which we are enquiring. If, for instance, an officer of some consequence in the Christian Church is frequently, mentioned in the New Testament, in the choice of whom great care was to be observed, and yet the Sacred Writings are silent with respect to the duties of his office ; we are evi- dently led to inquire of the first Christian writers what these duties were, and to acknowledge them to be the proper duties of the office. 6. It has been considered by many as a sufficient proof of the rectitude of the government subsisting in any Church, that the labours of its ministers have been beneficial to mankind. If these have turned sinners unto righteousness, they are regardtu' as possessing a sure testimony of the Divine approba- tion of their conduct. The conversion of sinners has perhaps never been effected by any who have Xtroved from the New Testament* 7 opposed, or neglected, the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel ; but success in this important concern wili not prove that a minister is altogether right in his sentiments or conduct. The differences which subsist among pious and successful ministers of differ- ent persuasions must convince us, that errors to a certain degree arc not inconsistent with success. Yet wc should always keep in mind, that a wilful neglect of any Divine command can admit no apology. We must not argue, that, because our obedience is strict in matters of great concern, we may allow our- selves to depart from the Gospel rule in matters of inferior moment. We should always keep in mind the declaration of our Saviour when comparing the tithing of mint, anise, and cummin, with the weightier matters of the law ; " These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the others undone.'' We may not be aware of the injury which religion, in a course of time, may sustain, by a departure from that order in the Church, which Divine authority has established : nor are we allowed to weigh the consequences of dis- obedience, with the view to satisfy ourselves in the neglect of any divine command. One general command respecting Church govern- ment is, " Let all things be done decently and in order ;" and if success is to be considered universally as a proof of right conduct, then no one was ever in- strumental in turning a sinner from the error of his way, who, in that part of his conduct which proved beneficial, was guilty of a breach of this command. I will not at present consider what decency and order require, but will, in this argument, leave every one to his own judgment. I will only appeal to the con- science of every reader, whether he is persuaded, that the spiritual good above-mentioned was never effected by Jfc J one, while departing from such conduct as decency and order required. Again; the same conduct ciay do good in one respect, and mischief in another. If we are to regu- a4 8 Threefold Ministry, II' I !1 ' late ourselves by events, and not by Divine com- mandsy we must first know whether the conduct in question will do more good or harm. This rule is very uncertain, and must always be superseded ty the authority of a Divine command. It can only be called in aid in matters of which the consequences are doubtful, and of such is are left entirely to our own discretion- If even greater good should appear to be done, for a time, by following our own plans ; yet a conduct net regulated by Divine authority, may bring on a course of events attended with irreparable mischief^ far outweighing the present temporary advantage. Further, when we allow ourselves to break through the order of Divine appointment, with the prospect of doing a greater good, we depart from that subor- dinate station in which Divine Providence has placed us. We take upon ourselves to direct, where we ought to obey. We disregard that express Divine prohibition of doing evil that good may come ; and forget that sentence which the apostle has pronounced upon all who conduct themselves by such a principle, " whose damnation is just." 7. The charge of uncharitableness seems to deter many from entering upon the inquiry, whether any mode of Church government has exclusively the stamp of Divine authority. They see good men of all persuasions, and therefore think it needless to inquire, which form of Church government is most conformable to the plan laid down in Holy Scripture. They are also deterred from this investigation by the idea, that a claim to Divine authority in an affair con- cerning which good people are so much divided, would imply an uncharitable censure upon all who differ from ourselves. True Christian charity will never deter ui from the most strict inquiry into our duty. We are not to guide ourselves by the conduct of others, who have no greater claim to inspiration than ourselves. proved from the New Testament, 9 The unerring word of God, the Bible, is our rule of faith and practice. " Let God be true, and every man a liar/' It is our duty to examine the word of God carefully, that we may regulate our conduct aright in every particular. We shall not be excused in any neglect or error, concerning which Divine authority would set us right, by pleading the ex- ample of others. Nor does it necessarily follow, that we must condemn others, who profess to follow the same guide as ourselves, because we may differ in our interpretation of some things contained in Divfne revelation. On the Orders of Ministers in the Christian Church and the manner of their Appointment, When our blessed Redeemer took leave of " the eleven disciples," he commanded them to teach all nations, and promised to be with them, *' always, even to the end of the world * :'' but he gave no instruc- tions respecting the different orders of ministers in his Church, nor the manner of their appointment. This promise, however, implied that there should be a succession of ministers in the Christian Church to the end of the world. And as our Saviour also pro- mised to instruct his apostles by his Holy Spirit, and to guide them into all truth, we must look into the acts of the Apostles, and their Epistles, to discover the will of our Lord on this subject. The question tu be investigated in these observa- tions is this, — What instructions have the apostles given, either by example or precept, respecting the different orders of ministers, in a settled state of the Church, after their departure? I say, in? settled state of the Church, after the departure of the 1 Matt, xxviii. 20. A 5 10 Threefold Ministry^ apostles : because its first state was so extraordinary, and so fraught with miraculous powers, that a perfect imitation of it cannot be adopted. This original state of the Church is thus described bj the apostle Paul. " God hath set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that mi- racles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, di- versities of tongues^." Apostles and prophets are gone : gifts of healing, and diversities of tongues have ceased. We must be content with teachers and go- vernors. Let us inquire what the Scripture has said concerning these. This list is a little varied in the Epistle to the Ephesians, where it is said, " He gave some, apos- tles ; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers *." What the word evangelist means, if it implied a distinct order, can- not be collected from Scripture. It is but mentioned in two other places, viz. Acts xxi. 28. " We en- tered into the house of Philip the evangelist." And 2 Timothy iv. 5. *' Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry ►" The word literally means a preacher of the Gospel. The use of it in any other sense must be conjectural. The titles appropriated to ordinary teachers in the Church of Christ, are bishops, presbyters or elders, and deacons. Perhaps w^e shall discover another order to which the Scriptures have given no exclusive title, except in the Book of the Revelations. It may be proper to remark, for the sake of those readers who are not acquainted with the original language of the New Testament, that the terms of presbyter and elder are strictly synonymous ; the former being oi^ly 1 1 Cor. xii. 28. *^-^ 2 Epii. iv. 11. — Prophets are so clearly distinguished, in both these passages, from pastors and teachers, that we cannot, by any just rea- soning, consider the conduct of the former as conveying a direction for that of the latter. ^ - .. , . _ ,j.v.m.^.., _ proved/rom the New Testament. 11 \}i a Greek word with an English termination, and the latter, a translation of that Greek word into pure Eng- lish. To avoid confusion, I shall only use the word presbyter, as having less ambiguity. It seems that presbyters were the ordinary mi- nisters of the Church. Paul and Barnabas, in their first tour from Antioch, ordained them presbyters in every church \ Paul being in haste to be at Jeru- salem on the day of Pentecost, determined to sail by Ephesus, and called the " presbyters of the Church %" giving them his parting advice, as to ordinary minis- ters of the Church. Paul left Titus in Crete, to " or- dain presbyters in every city'*." The business of ruling and teaching the flock belongs to them. " Let the presbyters that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine *.'' The terms bishop and presbyter ^ are used in the New Testament for the same kind of minister. There are fisQ passages from which this appears to be the case. When St. Paul sent from Miletus for the presbyters of Ephesus, he commanded them " to take heed to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers^ (it is^ the same word in the original, which is elsewhere translated bish&ps^ to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood ^" St. Paul says to Titus, " For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain presbyters in every city, as I iiad appointed thee. If any be blameless, the hus- band of one wife, having faithful children, not ac- cused of riot or unruly; for a bishop must be blame- less V* &C' In these two passages, tlie terms are iiearly synonymous. The same apostle addressed his Epistle to the Philippians, " To all the saints in Christ Jesus, 1 Actsxiv. 23. * 1 Tim. V. 17. 2 Acts XX. 17. 5 Acts XX. 28/ A6 3 Titus i. 5. 6 Titus i. 5—7. •■Vi 12 Threefold Ministry, which are cf Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Can we suppose, that there were many bishops, and no presbyters at Philippi; or that St. Paul would omit mentioning these, while he addresses the dea- cons ? These suppositions are so improbable, that I can entertain no doubt of the term bishop being here used for presbyter. Again ; the apostle, in his first Epistle to Timothy, chapter iii., gives particular directions respecting the character of those who were to be admitted to the offices of bishop and deacon, but does not in that chapter make mention of presbyters. The passage is natural and void of difficulty, if, by the term bishop, we understand j5r^«%ter: in any other sense, the omission of the term presbyter is unaccomitable ; since Timothy was left at Ephesus, as Titus was in Crete, for this purpose, among others, of ordaining presbyters. Lastly : St. Peter, in his first Epistle, chapter v. says, " The presbyters, who are among you, I ex- hort, who am also a presbyter," (for though the apostles were superintendents of other ministers, they still fulfilled the office of ordinary preachers of the Gospel,) " feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof," (or, as it might be rendered, " executing the office of a bishop,") " not by constraint, but willingly *," &c. From these passages it is plain, that the terms bishop and presbyter were used as synonymous by the writers of the New Testament ^ 1 1 Peter v. 1, 2. 2 No difficulty can arise from the application of the term bishop, to ordinary presbyters, if we take into consideration the original meaning- of the word, and the manner in which it is applied in the Scriptures. The word in the original signifies an overlooker or overseer, and is thus properly translated in the English Testament. Acts xx. 28. ?or tlie presbyters were the overseers of the flock of Christ ; and it is with relation to the flock, and not to other ministers, that the presbyters are called bishops : as in the passage last quoted ; " Take heed to the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers" or bishops. So also in 1 Peter, chapter v. •' Feedthe/ocA of God which is among you proved from the New Testament. 18 Before I proceed to inquire whether the Scriptures have given us any intimation of a church officer, superior in rank to that of a presbyter, let us hear what is said respecting deacons. No instructions are given to Titus respecting this office ; but in the first Epistle to Timothy, the same character for piety and good conduct is required in deacons as in presbyters. Nay, it is added, " Let these also first be proved, then let them use the office of a dea- con, being found blameless:" chapter iii. 10. Yet this office seems to have been probationary with re- spect to a higher office, for it is said, " They that use the office of a deacon well, purchase to them- selves a f/ood degree,^"* lb, 13. But wherein did the office of a deacon consist? The Scriptures have not informed us. Some readers may be surprised at this assertion, and ask, Were not seven deacons ap- pointed to take care of the public stock in the church *? It is true, that " even men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom," were chosen by the people, and appointed by the apostles to take care that no partiality should be shown in favour of the Hebrew women, in distributing the daily portion of food provided by the Church ; but these men are not called deacons, except in the running title of our Bibles. The text does not give them that name. Indeed, if it did, we should gain but little informa- tion as to the perpetual office of a deacon ; for the employment imposed upon them was local and tem- porary, a*id has long since ceased to exist. In no part of the New Testament, that I recollect, is the office of a deacon described. Though the office of a deacon is not described in the New Testament, it must have been perfectly taking the oversight thereof," &c. Whereas, superintendents, as the apostles, and by delegation from them, Timothy and Titus, were over- seers or bishops of other pastors, as the Epistles to Timothy and Titus abundantly prove. * Acts vi. ^w^mfgrn^^ 'V I h ! 14 Threefold Ministry, understood, not only by Timothy, to whom minute directions were given for the choice of proper persons to fill that office ; but also by the Christians of that period, among whom the duties of the office were daily exercised. The Christian Church of modem times ought, therefore, to search out the nature of the office in those ecclesiastical writings which ap- proach the nearest to the times of the apostles. Two properties of the office may be collected from the Scriptures. First, that it was an office, which, in point of importance, was similar to that of pres- byter; for the same marks are laid down for the guidance of Timothy in the choice of deacons, as in the choice of presbyters. They were to be men of similar piety and good conduct in every relation of life. And, secondly, the office is described as pro- bationary. It was designed to be a step to some- thing higher. The rest must be supplied from the stores of ecclesiastical history. We proceed then to inquire, whether the apostles did appoint any officer in the Church, of a degree superior to that of a presbyter ; such an officer as would now be called a bishop \ That we may, with greater certainty, discover the truth in this investi- gation, let us first state what is the peculiar office o( a bishop, considered as superior to a presbyter ; and then inquire, whether the apostles appointed any such officer in the Church. The peculiar office of a bishop consists in these four particulars. 1 . In ordaining presbyters and deacons. 2. In superintending the doctrine of these minis" ters. * The reader must not understand me as hinting, that this appro- priate use of the word bishop is of modern date. By consulting eccle- siastical history he will find, that it was used in this appropriate sense by those who had been contemporary with the apostle John, and that the Christian Church continued to use it in this sense after the death of the apostles. But my observations are confined to the account which is given of the Christian Church in the New Testament. ■ ip .' .. ' ' "»* f •a;^ ^J^' ,: rf proved from the New Testament. 15 3. In superintending their conduct. 4. In regulating those matters in the Church, which are not settled by Divine authority. Now these duties of a superintendent or bishop, were committed by the apostle Paul to Timothy and Titus. 1. They were appointed to ordain other ministers, as the apostles had done before them. " For this cause,'* says the apostle to Titus, " left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain presbyters in every city, as I had appointed thee ;" chapter i. 5. So, likewise, special directions were given to Timothy respecting the choice of those whom he should or- dain presbyters or deacons \ Of these directions I shall have occasion to speak hereafter. 2. They were appointed to superintend the doc- trine of these ministers. So says the apostle to Ti- mothy : " I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine ^." 3. They were appointed to superintend the conduct of other ministers. " Against a presbyter receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses \" He who is authorised to receive accusations, and hear tmtnesses against any person, is authorised to be the judge of that person. 4. They were appointed to regulate such matters in the Church, as were not settled hy express divine command, " For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting;" that are left undone, as the margin ex- presses it*. This was a branch of apostolic au- thority which is here delegated to Titus, as appears from 1 Corinthians ii. 34. For, when the apostle Paul had rectified the erroneous manner of receiv- ing the Lord's Supper, into which the Corinthians » 1 Tim. iii. 3 1 Tim. V. 19. 2 1 Tim. i. 3. * Titus i. 6. f ll 16 Threrfold Ministry^ had fallen, by stating to them the nature of that or- dinance according to its original institution, he adds, that he would regulate inferior matters when he should be present with them. " And the rest will I set in order when I come." Some other peculiarities of the office of superin- tendent might perhaps be collected from the New Testament : but these will suffice to show, that there was an office in the Church, superior to that of presbyter (but including it) though no name is given in the New Testament, except in the Revelations, to the persons who were to fill that office by delegation from the apostles. The office itself, however, is de- scribed with great clearness; and two persons are mentioned to whom that office was delegated by the apostle Paul. We will now consider what was the mode of ap- pointing presbyters and deacons ; and to whom was the choice of persons, to fill those offices, com- mitted. The persons chosen were solemnly set apart by prayer and imposition of hands, in which (if we may form a judgment from one instance) the presbytery joined with the apostle. In the first epistle to Ti- mothy, the ajDostle Paul says, ** Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery ;" chapter iv. 14, In the second Epistle, speaking as it seems, of the same transaction, the apostle says, *' I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands ;" chapter i. 6. These passages are of equal authority, and therefore prove, that the pres- bytery joined with the apostle in the imposition of hands, when Timothy received the gift of God, what- ever that gift implied. Supposing, then, the expres- sion to refer to the ordination of Timothy, and sup- posing this ordination to be a specimen of all other ordinations, it will then follow, that the presbytery rrr:!^:- " *Vt.-fc -^. ► .*->* proved from the New Testament. 17 t to Uion de- are the joined with the apostle, or some delegated superin- tendent, in the imposition of hands ; but no mention is made in the New Testament of any ordination to the ministry by presbyters, without the presence of an apostle, or some superintendent delegated by an apostle. But to whom was the choice committed of persons who were to fill the office of presbyter or deacon ? To the persons who were delegated by the apostles to execute the office of superintendent or bishop, for thus nms the apostolic injunction respecting ordination : " The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thoti to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also ^" When the " daily ministration'* of the food provided for the widows was conducted with partiality, the apostles desired the people ** to look out among them- selves seven men of honest report, whom they ap- pointed to serve the tables.'' Or when the charitable contributions of the Corinthians was to be earned to Jerusalem, St. Paul tells them, " that whomsoever they should appoint, them would he send to bring their liberality to Jerusalem '." But I recollect no instance of the people choosing either presbyter or deacon. The seven men chosen to serve the widows, as I have already observed, are not called deacons in the Acts of the Apostles. After the traitor Judas had destroyed himself, the disciples, by the direction of Peter, appointed two persons out of the number of those who had accompanied our Lord through the whole of his ministry, that one might " be ordained to be a wit- ness," with the other apostles, " of his resurrection." The choice of this person was submitted to the Al- mighty, by the intervention of the lot. " They prayed, and said. Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen,^^ - > 2 Tim. ij. 2. 2 1 Cor. xvi. 3. !•! 18 Threefold Ministry^ This was a singular case, and was not considered by the apostles, or their delegates, as a precedent for future ordinations. Some persons have been of opinion, that the origi- nal word, used to express the ordination of pres- byters by Paul and Barnabas *, implies, that it was done with the suffrage, or voting, of the people. As this word has been thus paraphrased by an excellent writer on the New Testament', I shall subjoin a remark or two on this paraphrase. The word in this passage, translated ordained^ does undoubtedly imply a choice or election, and did in its primary sense, I believe, express the election by lifting up of hands. But every person conversant in the ori- ginal language of the New Testament must know, that it often signifies choice or election, simply, without voting ^ Now since this is the case, as is allowed by the author to whom I allude, it is impos- sible to prove that the votes of the people had any thing to do with these ordinations, merely from the use of that Greek word, unless the context had given some intimation, that the votes of the people directed the choice of the apostles. But no such hint is given in the context. The most fair method of discover- ing the meaning of an author in any doubtful word, is to examine how he uses that word in other parts of his writings. Now the word here supposed to imply the votes of the people, is used but once be- sides, I think, by St. Luke ; and there it could not imply any voting, or other interference of the people, for it is used to express the choice of God himself. ** God showed him openly ; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God*." St. Paul does not use this Greek word when he commands . * XiipOTOvriaavTtQ 5e avroig irpio^vrt^ovQ. Acts xiv. 23. * Dr. Doddridge. " Family Expositor," vol. iii. page 228. * The reader may see many instances of this collected by Dr. Ham- mond, in his note on the text in question. * llpoKixii^oTovriittvoiQ hiro tov Qeov, Acts x. 41. 1 - V- ■-^^•, -H^' proved from the New Testament. 19 (Titus to ordain presbyters chapter i. 5. '), but ano- ther word, which has no relation to the suflVage, or other interference of the people ; and which is properly translated ordain (/. e, constitute or appoint) presbyters. There is abundant proof, that the election of the presbyters and deacons was to be made by tho superintendents who were appointed to ordain them: For what end does the apostle Paul give Timothy and Titus such minute directions respecting the character of persons to be ordained by them, if these directions were not to guide their choice ? After all these directions, Timothy is commanded to use great caution in his choice ; in scriptural language, to "lay hands suddenly on no man." If the choice was not committed to him, and his business was only to lay hands upon those whom the votes of the people pre- sented to him, it was no matter how suddenly he laid his hands upon them. Though these consider- ations seem quite sufficient to produce conviction, yet the evidence is not exhausted ; for the apostle expressly says, that the directions which he gave to Timothy concerning the character of the persons to be ordained, were designed to guide his conduct. "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly ; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God ^" The persons who filled the office of superintendent or bishop, were chosen by the apostles themselves ; and allowing that no delegation of their power to choose successors is positively mentioned in the New Testament; yet the office having been established without any limit as to its continuance, the Church of Christ can only be supposed to be left to 'its own discretion with respect to the manner of continuing it. * KaTahesus il had igel of I Apo- tus to resby- egula- fe. It lid be L Asia, ristian ' those ly and id the these irches, ties to ention le per- eprooi, execu- of the lear a i, as is ined in ngel of proved from the New Testament. 9l the Church of Ephesus was the superintendent of other ministers, than the notice which is taken of his authority to try the pretensions of those who laid a claim to the highest office in the Christian Church. " Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars ^" The angel of this Church had exercised his superintc i- ing authority with zeal and discretion, and now fc« ceives the approbation of his conduct from the great Head of the Church, through the hands of the apostle. The same authority is recognised with respect to the angel of the Church at Thyatira, but in a way of reproof, instead of commendation. For, after the apostle had expressed our Lord's approbation of his faith and patience, &c., it is added, " Notwithstand- ing I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman, Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess, to teach," &c. Now it could not have been the subject of blame in the angel of the Church in Thyatira, that he suffered this pretended pro- phetess to exercise her talents among the Christians in that city or district, unless he had possessed the authority of examining the pretensions of those who laid claim to the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of silencing improper teachers ; which, as hath been already shown, were the functions of a superintendent ; that is, of a minister in the Christian Church, who, ever since the apostolic age, has exclu- sively received the title of bishop. From these passages of Scripture I am convinced that Diocesan Episcopacy^ was established by /)/- vine authority in the Christian Churches in Asia, before the death of the apostle John ; and I can find no reason from Scripture to think that the govem- ,*Rev. ii. 2. - '" ^5 w, , ^ By Jjiocesan Episcopacy, I mean the, government of the church by superintendents -or bisliops> each presiding over his own district, though, subject to a general synod of bishops and presbyters. Acts xv. 6 ; xvi. 4. ••«. 28 TJireefold Ministry, 8$c, I ment of the Churches in Asia differed from that of other Christian Churches. They were all under the care of the same persons^; matters of great concern, respecting them universally, were determined by a synod of the apostles and presbyters at Jerusalem^; and the decrees made for the government of the Churches were distributed by Paul and Silas, as they went about preaching the Gospel*. My duty to the great Head of the Church compels me to respect that authority which appears to me so clearly to have been established by his direction ; and I pray God, that his authority may always be exercised for the benefit of his ** Church, which he liath purchased with his own blood f that it may be presented to Him at length, " a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but holy and without blemish*." > " That which cometh upon me daily, the care ofaWthe Churches." 2 Cor. xi. 28. 2 Acts XV. 6. 3 " And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and presbyters which were at Jerusalem.'* Acts xvi. 4. * Ephes. V. 27. :*■■ -'■ r« •■; '•".■■ ' -: ; ■ THE END. W:'V ':■■:. •vV-.,-''. ■ Gilbert & Rivington, Printers, St. John's Square, London. U^ ■"-f^Ji.Jir'- MM Hi^ -«L .!■, # ■ >■■] I, /*,V- '■■■ ■ • ■■:^,r'v^ TRACTS PrinttA for the ^ . SOCIETY FOR PROMOTINQ. dktaSTUNKVfOWJsEDGEt SOLD AT THB DEPOSITORY, GREAT aUBBN STRB8T, UNOOLN's INN IIEIDS. The CHURCH <* The KURSINO MOTHER of her People." A CHURCH ESTABLISHMENT LAWFUL, ■' ,. Scriptural and Necessary. In Six Dialogm.. BY THE REV. SAMUEL CHARLES WiXfi, M.A. ^^v — p' ^ %*APQSTOLlCAt COMMISS&N considered, , • with reference to the* Authority of the Clergv of the Church of England. S Extracted from a Sermon* iSY THE RIGHT REV. DANIEL WILSON, D.D. Lord BisWp of Calcutta. ; An ANSWER to the QUESTION, WHY ARE You A ChUBCBMAN ? BY THE REV. THOMAS GRIMWOOd' TAYLOR^ M.A. »;5iATUR5 and GOVERNllENT of the Church, ai[i4 tii^gyhorityof^e Christian Ministry; "fr A Tiy^ATISE of thr NATURE and CoNstmnni^ of the CniisTiAN CHuaft^^jiiilieifein S are set forth thye Form of its Goveiiiment, . Extent of its #oi7eti}> «ind the-Li^its of our • ",;' ^^ ..^-C)he