Treatise of Miscellaneous Questions, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Of Prophets and Evangelists, in what sense their Work and Vocation might be called extraordinary; and in what sense ordinary.
THis Question appeareth to be very perplexed and thornie, yet I am led upon it both by the contraversies of the times, concerning the necessity of Mission and Ordination unto all Ministers of holy things, and likewise by occasion of that which is maintained by some men of Learning that there are still or may be Evangelists in the Church. Calvin holds indeed that in that age of his, God raised up Evangelists to rescue the Church from Popery Instit lib. 4. cap. 3. § 4. and Mr. Hooker in his Ecclesiasticall policie, lib. 5. Sect: 78. tels us out of Eusebius eccles: hist: lib. 3. cap: 34. that in Trajans dayes many of the Apostles Disciples and Scholers who were then alive, sold their possessions, which they gave to the poor, and betaking themselves to travel, undertook the labour of Evangelists, that is, they painfully preached Christ, and delivered to them who as yet never heard the doctrine of Faith. Concerning Prophets, I have before shewed out of Iustine Martyr dial: cum Tryph: Iud. That in his dayes there were still some in the Church, who had an extraordinary gift of prophesie, and such there have been also in other places, and at other times. Of which there might be diverse instances given, I shall here speak somewhat, first of the work of Prophets and Evangelists.
Their Work and Administration, I conceave to be partly ordinarie, partly extraordinarie. Ordinarie, because the higher degrees. Eph. 4. 11. are comprehensive of the lower, not contrariwise, a Pastor doth the work of a Teacher, an Evangelist doth the work of a Pastor and Teacher, a Prophet doth the work of an Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher, an Apostle the work of all those, which I have also before touched, following Chrysostome, and Mr. Bayne. Prophets and Evangelists edifie the Church by preaching as well as ordinary Pastors, 1 Cor. 14. 3. Eph. 4. 11. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 2. 5. From which Scriptures and others of that sort, as Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Some have collected that Evangelists had a fixed charge in some cer…aine Church, which they attended and took the oversight thereof for the work of the Ministerie als often, and als long as other pressing and publick occasions of the Church could permit. See Zeperus de polit: eccl: lib: 2. cap: 1. Aret: probl: Theol: loc: 62.
I say again the work of Prophets and Evangelists was extraordinarie, for the distinguishing or characteristicall propertie of a Prophet, i. e. the outmost he could do, which the ordinary officers could not do, nor any other, but an Apostle, is the opening of great secrets or foreshewing things to come, by the speciall and extraordinarie inspiration of the holy Ghost. Their verie name intimateth so much for foreign and foreign come from foreign I foretell. According to which sense of the word, all these were called Prophets of old, who foretold things to come, as Magitians, Astrologians, Prognosticators, Nativitie or figure-casters, &c. See Olivarius de Prophetia pag: 9. 10. The Priests and Interpreters of the Oracles were also called Prophets, and the Apostle Tit: 1. 12. calls Epimenides a Prophet of the Cretians, qui quasi praesenserit futura, saith Erasmus. As likewise saith he, because that book of Epimenides out of which that verse is cited hath its title foreign de oraculis. But in the Church notion of the word which the Fathers took from Scripture: Prophecy is a prediction of things to come from a special inspiration of the holy Ghost.
But what is the distinguishing work and characteristicall property of an Evangelist, i. e. that which an ordinary Pastor and Teacher might not do, and which none else could do but an Apostle or a Prophet? That I may speak to this more clearly, 'tis to be remembred, that the word Evangelist is not heere taken in that restricted vulgar sense, for a pen-man of the holy Ghost writing Gospell; for in that sense there were but foure Evangelists, and two of them Apostles. But this is not the Scripture notion of the word, which tels us that Philip and Timothie were Evangelists, Act. 21. 8. 2 Tim. 4. 5. And that Christ hath given Evangelists to his Church for the work of the Ministery. Eph. 4. 11, 12. Now if we take the word as the Scripture doth, the proper work of an Evangelist i. e. that which none but an Evangelist as an Evangelist, or he who was more then an Evangelist could do, I conceave to stand in two things: the first is, to lay foundations of Churches, and to preach Christ to an unbelieving people, who have not yet recieved the Gospell, or at least who have not the true Doctrine of Christ among them. So Philip the Evangelist preached Christ to the citie of Samaria, and baptized them before any of the Apostles came unto them. Act. 8. 5. 12. And if the 70 Disciples Luk 10 were Evangelists (as many think, and Calvin Instit: lib: 4. cap: 3. 4. thinks it probable) their proper work as Evangelists, was to preach the Gospel to those cities which had not received it. Their second work is a traveling and negotiating as Messengers and Agents upon extraordinary occasions, and speciall emergencies which is oft times between one Church and another, and so distinct from the first which is a traveling among them that are yet without. Of this second there are diverse examples in Scripture, as 2 Cor. 8. 23. Phil: 2. 19. 25. 2 Tim: 4. 9. Tit: 3 12 Act: 15 22 25. In this last example, although some are of opinion that Silas was of Jerusalem, and had an ordinary Ministeriall function there, yet the best writers do commonly reckon Silas among the Evangelists, and I do not doubt but as he was a Prophet, Act. 15. 32. so also an Evangelist, which may appeare by his traveling through many places, in the work of preaching the Gospel, sometimes with Paul, as his fellow labourer and helper: Act 16 19 &c. 17. 4. 10. sometimes with Timothy, Act: 17. 14. 15. & 18 15.
Now when I call these works and administrations of Prophets and Evangelists extraordinary, my meaning is not, that they are altogether and every way extraordinary even as Apostleship. For I dare not say that since the dayes of the Apostles there hath never been, or that to the end of the world there shall never be any raised up by God with such gifts, and for such administrations, as I have now described to be proper to Prophets and Evangelists, i. e: the fore telling of things to come, the traveling among Unbelievers to convert them by the preaching of the Gospell, and between one Church and another, upon extraordinary errands. But I call the work of Prophets and Evangelists extraordinary in Calvins sense (expressed by him in the place before cited) i. e. it is not ordinary like that of Pastors and Teachers, which hath place constantly in the best constituted and setled Churches. Shortly, I take the word Extraordinary here, not for that which ceased with the first age of the Christian Church, but for that which is not, neither needeth to be ordinary. And so much of their work:
As for the vocation of Prophets and Evangelists, 1. I cannot passe without an animadversion, a passage in Mr. Hookers Ecclesiasticall policie. lib: 5 sect: 78. where he will not have the Prophets mentioned, 1 Cor. 12 28. to be reckoned with those whom he calleth (after the then common idiome) the Clergy, because no mans gifts or qualities can make him a Minister of holy things, unlesse Ordination do give him power; and we no where finde Prophets to have been made by Ordination. If we shall take the word Prophets so largely as to comprehend all who have any gift of Prophesie, and so Prophetesses also, I shall not contend against that which he saith, but if we shall understand that the Apostle in that place doth enumerat not only diversities of Gifts, but diversities of Administrations, which God hath appointed in the Church (and this may easily appeare by comparing v. 28. with v. 4. 5.) and so take prophesie for an Administration or Service in the Church als well as a Gift; surely it was not without a Mission or Vocation thereunto. For as they were extraordinary Ministers, so they had an extraordinary Mission or Ordination als well as the Apostles, Luke 11. 49. Christ saith, I will send them Prophets and Apostles, and 1 Cor: 12 28. God hath set or appointed Prophets in the Church. Yea as their work was partly ordinary and common to Pastors and Teachers, so a Prophet was examined and allowed by an Assembly of Prophets, as well as an Elder by an Assembly of Elders, which I gather from 1 Cor: 14 32. And the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets.
Touching the Vocation of an Evangelist, the Author of the Queries concerning Ordination, quest. 19. to elude our argument for the standing ordinance of Christ, for Ordination of Ministers drawne from 1 Tim. 4. 14. answereth among other things, that Timothy being an Evangelist, and Evangelists being (by common consent) extraordinary by Calling, he had no need to passe through the common doore of Ordination. The extraordinarinesse of Evangelists is not so much without controversie, as he would bear his reader in hand, as may appear by what I have but now said: Neither can he prove that at that time, when the Presbytery laid hands on Timothy, he was even then an Evangelist or more then a Presbyter. However this I will say, that as the work, so also the Vocation of Evangelists, was partly extraordinary and partly ordinary, and as there may be still occasion for some of their extraordinary work, so there ought to be a speciall Mission and Vocation thereunto, not only inwardly from the Spirit of Gods stirring up unto and en…bling for the work, but outwardly also and orderly in the Church The 70 Disciples were ordained by Christ himself, Luke 10. 1. The Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two. An Angell of the Lord spake unto Philip and called him from one place to another, Acts 8. 26. The Apostle Paul sent Epaphroditus and resolved to send Timothie to the Church of the Philippians, Phil: 2. 25. 28. These are examples of extraordinary Mission, such I mean as ceased with that age, none being now immediatly sent by Christ or his Apostles. But there are other examples of a Mission or Calling to somewhat of the proper work of Evangelists, which are not to be restricted to that age only; for they who were Agents and did travell and negotiat in the great and speciall affaires of the Church, had a speciall delegation and orderly call thereunto. So I understand that of the Messengers of the Churches, 2 Cor: 8. 23. And Epaphroditus being sent from the Church of Philippians to Paul, is called there Apostle or Messenger. Phil▪ 2. 25. So Iudas and Silas who went out for the setlement of the distracted Churches, had a speciall commission and delegation thereunto from the Synod of the Apostles and Elders. 'Tis therefore most agreeable to the Primitive pattern, that where Synods or at least Classes may be had, and are not by persecution scattered or hindred to meet, such as undertake either to goe & preach the Gospel to Infidels, Papists, Turks or the like, or go about any negotiation abroad in any common bussines of the Church ought to be approved, and authorized by a nationall Synod, or (when that cannot be had, & if there be withal great danger in the delay) by a provinciall Synod, or at least, (where this cannot he had) by a Classis.