A Christian Plea, Treatise 3 · Chapter 5
CHAPTER V. Touching the diſtinction of the Paſtors and Teachers offices.
VVHether vve should not (in*I ſpeak not here, of Schooles or Vniverſities in particular, the church) put difference betvveen the Paſtors and Teachers offices.
I. Becauſe the Paſtors and Teachers now in the church, are anſvverable to the Prieſts and†The Leviticall teachers. Levites in Iſraell, for ſundry things of perpetual equitie and moralitie: and are ſometimes by the Prophets accordingly ſtyled and ſignified by their names. Eſa. 66, 21. compared with Epheſ. 4, 11, 12. Rom. 12, 7, 8. & 15, 16. 1 Cor. 9, 13, 14. And al acknowledge that the Prieſts and Levites had not the ſame peculiar office and function, nor the ſame or like equall authoritie in the church of Iſrael, and in the adminiſtration of the holy things of God. Num. 16, 8, 9, 10, 40. and 18, 1, 2, 3. vvith 3, & 4 chap. 2 Chron. 29, 16, 34.
II. Secondly, the Offices of the Paſtors and Teachers, are themſelues divers functions, giuen to the church by Chriſt the Lord; and accordingly had in the Primitiue churches. Eph. 4, 11. 1 Cor. 12, 5, 8. with Rom. 12, 7, 8.
Object. But the Apoſtle in Epheſ. 4, 11. ſeemeth rather to joyne them together as one, by the conjunction copulatiue KAI, And: then to diſtinguish them, as being ſeverall, the one from the other.
Anſw. This conjunction alſo is ſometimes uſed for a diſcretiue, in diviſions, and in the shutting up of diſtributions. As the ſame Apoſtle uſeth it otherwhere Gal. 3, 8. when he ſaith, There is neither Jew, nor Greek, there is neither bo…d nor free, there is neither male nor female, &c. vvhere vvord for word it is, neither male and female: But [and] is uſed here diſtributiuely: and ſo is underſtood and tranſlated, neither male nor female, according to the diſtributions uſed before in the ſame ſentence. And thus in the place to the Epheſians, the Syriack tranſlation (vvhichwhich is moſt auncient) uſeth a diſtributiue particle: diſtinguishing aſvvell between Paſtors and Teachers, as between Apoſtles, Prophets, and Euangeliſts. Ephe. 4, 11, in Syri…. tranſlat. Not to ſpeak of the Hebrew conjunction VAU, And: which the Scripture alſo oftē uſeth for a diſcretiue, as in Exo. 21, 15, 17. Deu. 17, 9, 12. Beſides that the like maner of ſpeach is uſed, in Gen. 1.14. and Hoſ. 3, 4. &c.
III. Thirdly, the holy Ghoſt (beſtowing the gifts of God, and dividing them to every man ſeverally, as he vvill diſtributeth divers & diſtinct gifts unto men, for the performance of the dueties of theſe offices aforeſaid. 1 Cor. 12, 4, 8, 11.
IIII. Fourthly, God worketh diverſly by theſe offices and gifts, beſtowed on his church. 1 Cor. 12, 6, 7, 11, 18, &c.
V. And Chriſt the Lord, layeth divers vvorks and adminiſtrations upon theſe offices and miniſters themſelues: beſides the duties that are cō mon to them both. viz. VponUpon the Paſtors, that they should in their miniſterie more particularly uſe the ſpeach of vviſedome, & together vvith doctrine exhort, rebuke, comfort, and vviſely apply the vvord of God (as there is occaſion) to the divers uſes, neceſſities, and conditions of the church and people; that they should alſo adminiſter the Sacraments and ſeales of Gods grace annexed to his word and promiſe; execute the cenſures and ſanctions of his vvord and judgments; and alvvaies ſtirre up al, of all ſorts, to godlines, righteouſnes, and ſobrietie; and defend the truth of God againſt all adverſaries; and finally to governe the Church in all things (according to the duetie of their calling) carefully, vviſely, and faithfully, under Ieſus Chriſt, the Lord and Archpaſtor of his church and people. 1 Cor. 12, 5, 8. with Rom. 12, 8. Epheſ. 4, 11, 12. with Eſa 66, 21. 2 Chro. 13.10, 11. and 15, 3. 1 Cor. 10, 16, 21. and 11, 23 — 26. with Mat. 26, 26, 27, 28. & Eze. 44, 15, 16, 23, 24. Lev. 10, 9, 10. Num. 6, 23 — 27. Joh. 20, 19 — 23. with Mat. 16, 19. and 23, 34. and 24, 45. and 28, 18, 19, 20. Epiſt. to Timoth. and Titus. Heb, 13, 7, 17. … Pet. 5, 1 — 4. Rev. 1, 12, 13, 16, 20. and 2, 1. &c. All vvhichwhich things may well be included and compriſed in the verie name of a Paſtor. Which is the more to be obſerved, both for the ſimilitude of the Shepheards, whence it is taken; and becauſe the names of Offices uſed in the Scripture, doe fitly note out the nature & dueties of the Offices themſelues, ſometimes in one reſpect, ſometimes in another.
VponUpon the Teachers alſo the Lord hath laid, that they should in their miniſterie ſpecially uſe the ſpeach of knovvledge, and inſtruct the Church out of the vvord of God; interpreting the Scriptures, teaching the knowledge of the truth, vvhichwhich is according to godlines, catechizing the people, elder and younger (as there is occaſion) confuting errours, convincing adverſaries, & performing all thoſe things that more ſpecially perteyne to the delivering and defending of the doctrine of God faithfully and ſyncerely, under Chriſt the great Prophet and Teacher of his church and people. 1 Cor. 12, 5, 8, 28, 29. with Rom. 12, 7. Eph. 4, 11, 12. with Eſa. 66, 21. and 30, 20. Neh. 8, 8, 9. Deut. 33, 8, 10. vvith Num. 16, 8, 9, 10. Gal. 6, 6. Prov. 22, 6, 20, 21. Eſa 28, 9, 12. Heb. 5, 12. and 6, 1, 2. Matth. 13, 52. and 23, 34. Luke 2, 46. and 4, 16 — 24. and 5, 17. and 13, 33. vvith Deut. 18, 15 — 22. Act. 5, 34. and 8, 30.31 — 35. and 13.1. and 15, 35. 1 Tim. 1, 3, 4, 7. and 2, 7. and 3, 2. and 5, 17. 2 Tim. 1, 11, 13. and 4, 1, 2, 3. Tit. 1, 5, 9. &c. And theſe things may vvel be implied in the name of a Teacher.
But whether more is to be required of them as they are Teachers, may further be conſidered. As alſo that of old in the Church of Iſraell they might hauehave Teachers, vvho vvere not Sacrificers: and vvhether likewiſe they might not hauehave Teachers, that were not Rulers or governours among they unles they vvere alſo choſen to government beſides. Deut 33.8, 10. Neh 8, 8, 9. vvith Numb. 16, 8, 9, 10. and 18, 1 — 7. 1 Chron. 6, 48, 49. Amo… …, 12 — 15. Mat. 13, 52. and 23, 34. Luke 2, 46. and 5, 17. compared with 2 Chron. 17, 7, 8, 9. Iohn 3, 1, 10. and Act. 5, 34.
Finally, for the diſtinction betvveen the Paſtors & Teachers office, obſerue hovv Ambroſe, repeating the place of Epheſ. 4, 11. ſaith thereon: I doe neither challenge the glorie of the Apoſtles; for who will doe that, but thoſe whom the …me of God himſelf choſe? nor the grace of the Prophets, nor the vertue of the Euangeliſts, nor the circumſpection of the Paſtors; but I deſire onelyonly to obteyne intenſion and diligence about the divine Scriptures: which the Apoſtles placed laſt among the offices of the Saints: and …n this that ſtudying to teach, I may learne, Ambroſ. off. l. 1. c. 1. For which alſo ſee, Gregor…e Nazianzen de mod. And, Ierome, who likewiſe diſtinguish the Paſtor & Doctor, Eph. 4, 11.
And among the later Writers, Calvin in his Inſtitutions treating of the miniſters of the church, and on Epheſ. 4.11. after he hath ſpoken of the Apoſtles, Prophets, Euangeliſts, comming to ſpeak of the Paſtors & Teachers, ſaith thus: There followe the Paſtors and Teachers, whom the church can never want: among whom there is this difference, that the Teachers are not ſet over the diſcipline, nor the adminiſtration of the Sacraments, nor admonitions or exhortations; but over the interpretation of the Scripture, that the doctrine may be kept ſyncere and ſound among the faithfull. But the Paſtors office conteyneth all theſe things in it. Calvin. Inſtitut. lib. 4. cap. 3. ſect. 4. And a litle after, comparing together thoſe functions that are ſpoken off, Eph. 4, 11. he ſaith: As the Teachers are anſvverable to the auncient Prophets there ſpo…en off) ſo are the Paſtors to the Apoſtles: except that theſe hauehave their certain peculiar churches aſſigned unto them. Ibid. ſect. 5.
Piſcator alſo hath the like: vvho firſt noteth this, that the Lord at the beginning of his kingdome raiſed up Apoſtles, Prophets, and Euangeliſts: by whom when the Churches were founded and planted, he appointed in their place Teachers and Paſtors perpetually to endure: And then putteth the ſame difference between theſe Offices, and in the ſame words, as Calvin doth here before. Piſcat. Aphoriſm. cap. 20. ſect, 8. and 12.
Beza like wiſe in his Annotations on Rom. 12, 7. making this difference betvveen them, noteth it thus: The Apoſtle calleth him a Teacher, who in the church attendeth onelyonly to the ſimple interpretation of the Scripture, that the doctrine may be kept pure and ſyncere. And the Exhorter, who otherwhere is termed a Paſtor, he calleth him …at …yneth doctrine together with admonitions and exhortations, & alſo with the adminiſtration of the Sacraments. Beza in Rom. 12, 7. Vrſinus noteth the ſame difference betvveene theſe Offices. Vrſin. Catec. part. 3. writing on the fourth Commandement: … the Miniſterie, queſt. 2.
So doth M. Fenner alſo in his Theologie, vvhere he vvriteth thus: The Teachers are they, which are imployed privately and publikely, in delivering of doctrine faith… touching all dueties both common and proper. Nehem. 8.9. Luke 5, 17. Rom. 12, …. 1 C… 12 8. The Paſtors, are they which are imployed in applying the word with wiſedome to al duties … proper and common. Rom. 12, 7, 8. 1 Cor. 12, 8. Wherefore beſides exhortations, there is required of him that in his publike office, he apply the truth to the hearts of men, by the adminiſtration of the ſeales. Lev. 10.9.10 2 Chron. 13, 10. Rom, 12, 5 — 8. Epheſ. 4, 11. Fenne…. The…. lib. 7. cap. 7. Divers others hauehave written in like ſort hereabout: which I leaue to the obſervation of the Reader.