The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the Extraordinary Miniſters of the Churches.
Christ hath provided for the well-being of his Churches: Miniſters for the Erection and Planting the Firſt Churches: Goſpel Conſtitution offered to the Jews first: Extraordinary Miniſters who: And what their Call, Qualifications, Work: Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, how differing: The firſt Prophets and Teachers no Ruling Officers: Extraordinary Miniſters continue not, but are ceaſed.
§. 1. THE Lord Jeſus Chriſt the Great Shepherd a1 Pet. 5.4., the Apoſtle and High Prieſt of our Profeſſion, faithful in his own Houſe bHeb. 3.1, 2., doth not only build it cibid. v. 3., but furniſh it with all Means of Grace conducing to viſible and ſpiritual exerciſe of life and Godlineſs d2 Pet. 1.3.; and having ſhewed the form of his Houſe to any People taken out from and aſhamed of the ways they walked in, in their former ignorance e1 Pet. 1.14, 15., ſeparated and ſet them apart to the Lord in a ſpiritual Building fEph. 2.19 22., doth likewiſe ſhew them the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the Forms thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and all the Laws thereof, and writes it in their ſight, that they may keep the whole Form thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and do them, which is the Law of his Houſe gEze. 43.11, 12., whereby he hath provided for the well-being of his Churches, in a fit and ſuitable Miniſtry and Ordinances, which he gave and diſpenſed, chiefly at his Exaltation hEph. 4.10, 11., and according to his Commiſſion from his Father, hath commanded them diligently to obſerve iMatt. 28.20..
§. 2. And accordingly, at firſt he provided for his Churches ſuch a Miniſtry as ſhould be beſt fitted to the Infant-ſtate of his firſt Churches after his Aſcention aHoſ. 11.1, 3., both for the planting and watering of them b1 Cor. 3.6, 9.; therefore Nominates and Ordains the firſt Miniſters (as is uſual in the like caſe among Men) in his Charter by Name cMat. 10.2 ch. 28.20. Act. 1.2, 3, 13., giving them more than ordinary Power, and qualifying them with more than ordinary Gifts and Graces of his Holy Spirit dMar. 16.17, 18. Act 2.4., whereby they had light and authority eAct. 20.27.to teach and put in practice the whole Mind and Will of Chriſt in planting, governing and furniſhing the Churches with their ordinary and appropriate Miniſtry, which was to be ſtated and ſtanding in them to the end of the World fMat. 28.19, 20..
§. 3. As the Goſpel in its full Light, was firſt by Chriſt's Ordination to be offered to the Jews aMatt. 10.5, 6. Act 13.4, 6, who (according to Moſes) were bound to hear Chriſt, and prefer his Perſon and Miniſtry before that of Moſes bDeut. 18.15. Act 7.37.: So the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf and Apoſtles, made the firſt offer of a Goſpel-Conſtitution of Churches to them, cAct 3.25, 26.and placed a Goſpel and powerful Miniſtry in that Firſt and Famous Church at Jeruſalem d1 Cor. 12 28., which in its building, precious matter eIſ. 54.11 1 Pet. 2.5, 6., beautiful form, and moſt rich furniture, did ſo out-ſhine and darken all the Glory of their Worldly Sanctuary, and ſervices appertaining thereto fHeb. 9.1, &c., that the whole Church Eſtabliſhment by the Ceremonial Law of Moſes, (the Vail under which Goſpel-Myſteries lay obſcured g2 Cor. 3.14.,) was manifeſtly removed and done away hibid. v. 13, 14., having not only bin firſt Nailed to the Croſs of Chriſt iCol. 2.14., but alſo by another Building kHeb. 9.11., and Miniſtration lHeb. 8.6, come in the room thereof, of much more ſpiritual Glory and Luſtre ecclipſed; inſomuch that what Moſes had made glorious, had no glory in this reſpect, by reaſon of the glory that excelleth m2 Cor. 3 10, 11.. Hence the Church of the Jews, in regard of all its Moſaical Eſtabliſhment in its Vailed State, and as to its appurtenances appropriate to Abraham's Natural Poſterity in a National Church-Conſtitution, waxed old, decayed and vaniſhed away nHeb. 8.13, and the ſubſtantial part of Abraham's Covenant, in reſpect of the true Grace and Government of the Promiſed Seed, appeared and remained glorious oGal. 3.17 & 4.26.28 30, 31..
§ 4. Theſe Extraordinary Miniſters, were Apoſtles, Evangeliſts, Prophets and Teachers, whom the Lord Jeſus ſet in the firſt Goſpel-Church at Jeruſalem a1 Cor. 12 28., and gave them to his Churches for a general good, but firſtly to that Church bEph. 4.10, 11.where they firſt exerciſed their Miniſtry, Apoſtleſhip and Elderſhip. The Apoſtles (ſo called by Chriſt's firſt Miſſion) were Twelve cMatt. 10.2, &c., (one of which fell from his Apoſtleſhip dAct 1.20) theſe were Ordained by Chriſt himſelf, and had a double Miſſion, one to the Jews only before Chriſt's death eMat. 10.6., whereby the Partition-Wall was broken down fEph. 2.14, and then to all Nations Jews and Gentiles gMat. 28.19., with a particular charge to go to the Jews firſt hActs 13.46.. Upon the Fall of Judas, Matthias was choſen by the Church, and a Divine Ordination by Lot ich. 1.26.. Paul and Barnabas were additional Apoſtles kch. 14.14, and ſent (eſpecially Paul) Apoſtles to the Gentiles lRo. 11.13. They had an extraordinary Ordination by Chriſt's immediate Call and Inſtigation of the Holy Ghoſt mActs 13.2. Ga. 1.12. They were all of them ſuch as had bin Eye-Witneſſes of the Life, Death, Reſurrection and Aſcention of the Lord nActs 1.21, 22, 23.. Paul himſelf had ſeen Chriſt, but was converted and called to Apoſtleſhip after his Aſcention, therefore he ſaith, he was born out of due time o1 Cor. 15.8, 9.. They were divinely inſpired, had a marvellous effuſion of the Spirit upon them pAct. 2.12, had the Gifts of Tongues, Healing, Interpretation and of miraculous Works qMark 16 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 12.28.. They had more than ordinary Graces and Gifts, mightily furniſhed to the Work of the Miniſtry; and laſtly, had the Care of all the Churches r2 Cor. 11.28..
§. 5. The Evangeliſts were inſpired Miniſters of Chriſt to his Churches a2 Tim. 3.16. Acts 8.5.26. & 21.8; Sub-Apoſtolick, Adjuvant to the Apoſtles in their Work, and much at their direction b1 Tim. 1.3. & 2.15 2 ep. 2.2. Tit. 1.5.. Some were Apoſtolick Evangeliſts, as Matthew and John, two of them; Called Evangeliſts from their Evangelical Hiſtories of Chriſt in their Goſpels cMatt. 1.1. Mark and Luke were only Evangeliſts, none of the Twelve. Philip, Timothy, Titus were only Evangeliſts, ordained Apoſtolically dActs 6.2. 2 Tim. 1.6. Titus 1.5., and employed and ſent by the Apoſtles to places where they had Preached, and to Churches already Planted, to Viſit, Teach and Direct to the Election of Officers, and ſee a ſupply of what was wanting, or prepare Matters for the Apoſtles coming.
§. 6. The Prophets and Teachers of the firſt ſtamp, ſeemed to have much of Inſpiration by the Holy Ghoſt aAct 2., by the coming down thereof upon the Apoſtles and Brethren at Pentecoſt. It appears not that they had any Office or governing Power in the Church, nor much differing bib. 13.1.: but being Brethren, full of the Holy Ghoſt, as the Deacons and Barnabas before ſet apart cib. 6.3. & 11.24., were employed by the Apoſtles, or moved in themſelves, to Preach the Goſpel where-ever they came, for Converſion of the dark, unbelieving World dib. 11.19. There were of later date Gifted Brethren by an ordinary Meaſure e1 Cor. 14 4, 5, 37. 1 The. 5.20of Grace and Gifts, ſome for Edification within the Church, and ſome for Propagation of the Goſpel abroad, which may yet remain, the reaſon thereof remaining.
§. 7. Theſe Extraordinary Miniſters continue not in the Churches a1 Cor. 13 8., neither Apoſtles or Apoſtolick Men, to whom it was eſſential to be Ordained, or immediately ſent by Chriſt, and the Holy Ghoſt, as alſo extraordinarily inſpired and qualified. The Miraculous Gifts they were furniſhed with are ceaſed bIbid.. The Apoſtles were to be ſuch as had ſeen the Lord on Earth cActs 1.21, 22.; of ſuch there is none now: They were charged with the Care of all the Churches d2 Cor. 11 28., of ſuch there is none now; one or more to whom Chriſt hath committed the Care of all the Churches, or of many indefinitely. Laſtly, There's not the ſame Reaſon for ſuch a Miniſtry now: The Doctrine of the Goſpel having bin received in the Nations of the Earth, the Canon of the Scripture filled; Churches have bin planted and walked in by the Rules and Order of the Goſpel. The Doctrine of Chriſt and his Apoſtles abundantly confirmed by divers Signs following eHeb. 2.3, 4., and ſince by the Profeſſion, Practice and Sufferings of multitudes of faithful Witneſſes fHeb. 12.1. Rev. 12.11,