The Ancient Christian Religion, Book 2 · Part 2 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Of that Humility and Brotherly respect which ought to be found in Christs Ministers one towards another: and of the carriage of the Brotherhood towards their Pastors.
SECT. I.
OUr Blessed Lord knowing the Infirmity of Man to be such, as that he is scarce more averse to any thing than Humility, to be little in his own eyes, and to give the glory of all the good he doth; and of all the Grace wherewith he is intrusted, to God only: was pleased both by Doctrin and Example, to train up his Ministers in the steps of true Humility.
And having a fit occasion for it, through their folly, in reasoning among themselves which of them should be the greatest; shews them by the simplicity and humility of a little Child, what manner of Men they ought to be, Luk. 9. 46, 47, 48. And that the way to be great in the Kingdom of God, was to be least in their own esteem, whilst they were the greatest Servants.
This he further teacheth in that remarkable Example, when he washed his Disciples Feet, John 13. 13 to 18. declaring the end of it to be their pattern and Instruction in that great Vertue of Humility. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one anothers feet. Not that our Saviour did here institute any Divine Ordinance, but only upholds a laudable custome of courteous and friendly respect, very fit to demonstrate the reality of friendship; and the like friendly custom he upholds, when he gave his Disciples direction, That when they entred into any house they should salute it, i. e. give some testimony, that they come in the way of peace and true friendship. Let not your carriage be morose or churlish, nor yet affected; but amicable, free and courteous. Thus these friendly customes among Men are approved of by Christ: but yet he hath not turn'd them to Divine Sanctions for his Churches observance only; seeing there can be no doubt but washing of feet was still as laudable among the Jews, as among the Disciples of Christ; and is as commendable among all men, as among Christians themselves, at this day; and therefore not to be accounted an Institution of Christ in his Church. And that they should ever remember upon this occasion, of Christ's abasing himself to do this Office, (than which there was not a lower to be undertaken) they should abhor all thoughts of superiority, or domination one over another. For this our Saviour did chiefly for the instruction of his Ministers; for so it is, that Men in Authority are more apt to bear it high against their Competitors, than against their Inferiors. And if once this spirit of Pride get hold of the Leaders in Churches, it soon inserts it self into the Churches themselves. For the Minister is so prevalent an Example (either good or bad) that the holy Ghost hath left it as a Proverb to posterity, Hosea 4. 9. Like People, like Priest: and I will punish them for their way.
But notwithstanding our Saviour's Doctrine and Pattern in this behalf, a spirit of Pride brake into the Churches both in the Apostles daies, and the Ages succeeding; and that chiefly among the Leaders, insomuch, that Paul was contemned by them, as weak. 2 Cor. 10. 10. His bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible. Nor would Diotrephes receive those Ministers who went forth for the Namesake of Christ, but rejected John himself, 3 Ep. John.
The foresight of mischiefs of this kind occasioned the denouncing of that Wo, Matt. 18. Wo to the world because of offences. His Disciples had a little before been reasoning, which of them should be the greatest. And hence our Saviour fore-shews, that it must needs be that offences shall come, and that from those who should be as the right Eye, right Hand, or right Foot in the Body. All which hath been abundantly fulfilled in after-Ages, as well as the first times of the Gospel. A timely instance we have of it, in Clemens, Cent. 1. Ep. ad Corinth.who bewails that ungodly Sedition (as he justly calls it) in the Church at Corinth, about superiority in the Ministry; which resulted in the thrusting out the antient and faithful Pastors: Euseb. Sorat. Evag.and how the following Ages grew from bad to worse, is at large declared by Eusebius, Socrates, and Evagrius, in their Histories, respectively.
It were happy, if the present Churches had no cause to complain of the same inconvenience. However, let me intreat and beseech the Ministry of the present Baptized Churches, to watch against this cankered root of Pride; and let them more study to prefer one another than themselves, as ever they expect to be found true Servants to Christ and his Churches. For suppose the question should be, Which is the highest Office in the Church? Truly, on which side so ever it is cast, the just inference must be, That he who supplies that place in any of the Churches, is to be the least; yea, a Minister or a Servant to the rest. It is not in the Church, as it is in the World; where the Princes are not called Servants but Benefactors, or Magnificent, Luk. 22. 25. No, It shall not be so among you, saith Christ: But he that is greatest among you (to wit, of the Ministry) let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve, vers. 26. Yea, they are to serve even the lowest members in the body, after the example of Christ, Who came not to be ministred unto, but to minister. And sets forth the duty and office of his Ministers, by the office of such as serve at the Table; whilst others feed upon that which these Servants set before them. And by this form of speech our Lord would instruct his Ministers in the great duty of Humility: and encourageth them therein, by the honour that should be conferr'd upon them, when they should sit at his Table in his Kingdom. We see then there is no way for any man to advance in the Church of God, let his place be what it will; but by being ready to serve the rest, to do business, and not to possess an empty Title, whilst others do the Services signified thereby.
And the better to put an end to all strife, about greatness among the Ministers of Christ: let it be considered, that setting aside the chief Apostles, who had immediate missions from Christ, and were the Foundation-layers, on which all subsequent Teachers are to Build; there is no plain Testimony, that one Bishop or Elder hath any Soveranity above another. Though Timothy and Titus were Apostles (or Messengers subordinate to the chief Apostles,) yet are not found to possess greater Authority, than the Bishops which they Ordained, at least in the Churches to whom they were particularly related▪ only these Messengers had a larger Circuit, business in many places; and so greater Servants: but for any jurisdiction which they claimed over other Bishops, I find none at all. Nevertheless, as those Elders who labour most in the Word and Doctrine, are to be accounted worthy of double honour, 3 John 8. And sith we are willed to hold such in reputation, who for the Name-sake of Jesus Christ labour in remote places to propagate the Gospel; it always becomes the fixed Ministers to receive them, and these reciprocally, of a generous mind, to confer those respects on each other, which may comport with the honour of the Gospel, and of the trust committed to them respectively; Let a man so account of us as Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God, 1 Cor. 4. 1.
SECT. II. Of the behaviour of the Christian Brotherhood to the Ministers.
Although God hath made his Gospel-Ministers Servants to the Churches for Jesus sake, 2 Cor. 4. 5. Yet it also is the will of God, that his People should not therefore despise, but obey, and honour his Ministers under imminent danger of God's displeasure. Tit. 2. 15. Let no man despise thee, 1 Thess. 4. 8. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not Man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit: 1 Pet. 5. 5. Likewise ye Younger submit your selves to the Elder. Which considered with the scope, shews the duty, or submission of Christians to their Pastors, vers. 2, 3, 4. As Christianity teacheth the Governours of Churches to rule in Love and Humility: so it teacheth the Governed to obey, from the same Principles; Let all your things be done in Charity.
The carriage of Christians towards their Ministers should hold agreement with the deportment of wise Children to their Parents. For though we may neither call, nor account any man Father upon Earth, as God is our Father; yet in respect of that care which God hath committed to the Pastors, they are esteemed Fathers in the Churches of Christ; especially, those whose labours God hath Crowned with success. When John writes to Fathers, young Men, and Children, in a Christian State, we may not only understand those who had continued long; but withal, those who had the care of the Churches upon them. When Paul saith, 2 Cor. 12. 14. The Children ought not to lay up for the Parents, but the Parents for the Children: It is manifest, that he speaks it of the care which Christ's Ministers should have for the good of the Churches to whom they are related; after the Example of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1. 15. I will endeavour that you may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance.
The duty of Children then is to love their Parents. This grace was once excellent, in the Galatians towards Paul, Gal. 4. 15. I bear you Record, that if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes to have given them to me. Yea, there was a very great affection in the first Christians towards their Ministers, which eminently appeared in that notable instance, Act 20. 37, 38. And doubtless their love was not to Paul alone, but to all Faithful Ministers of the Gospel of God. How greatly Peter was beloved of the Christians, appears by the constant Prayers they made to God for him when he was a Prisoner, Act. 12. 5. Would the Lord's Children duly pay this debt of Love to Christ's Ministers, it would certainly stand in the stead of many other Duties; or rather, be a motive to them all.
'Tis the duty of Children to honour and obey their Parents; and by all means to shun the things which grieve them. Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that have the Rule over you, for they watch for your Souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you.
Let all Christians therefore shew an obedient disposition towards God's Ministers, so as to follow their Faith; and to consider the end of their Conversation: yet, with this Caution, as they follow Christ: For further then that, the Apostle desires none to follow him. 1 Cor. 11. 1. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. And thence he proceeds to teach those duties which become the Christian profession, in point of that Authority which God hath given to his Church: and the duties of Subordination as it concerns the members of the Body, in respect of their sex and qualities respectively: of which we have spoken, Chap. 8. of this Book.
Let all Christians study to behave themselves reverently in Christian Assemblies, in the presence of God and his Ministers, whose office is to speak unto them the Word of God. For God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of his Saints, and to be had in reverence by all that are about him. Let Christian Women behave themselves in such a presence, with that modesty and shamefacedness, which is there signified by the vailing of their faces; and let Men beware they dishonour not God by effeminate deportments. Let all Christians beware they discourage not their Teachers by a careless or slothful behaviour. When thou goest to the House of God, take heed to thy feet, and be more ready to hear, than to offer the Sacrifice of Fools: for they consider not that they do evil. It is near upon the matter, to reject the Minister of Christ, as not to regard what he speaks by Commission from him. He that cannot behave himself like a Christian towards his Pastor, whiles he is ministring holy things to him, is not very like to do it at other times. Nor can it be thought that man can esteem very highly of his Teacher for the Works-sake, who is not affected with the Work it self.
The end of the Second Part of the Second Book containing, the External part of Christianity.