The Lords Day, Book 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Explaining of Scriptures on the Lords dayes, which was called Tractatus [or treating upon, or handling a place.] Whoſe office it was to do this. Who the Clerici were among the ancients. Biſhops, q. Watchers, Overſeers, Superintendents. The Biſhops interpreted the Scriptures: the Presbyters, Deacons, Catechiſts, and ſometimes alſo private men did the ſame.
SInce the Sabbath was given for underſtanding the Creatour, and not for Idleneſs ſake, as Athanaſius de Sabb. & Circumciſ. therefore the ancients have to the uttermoſt of their power endeavoured, that by what means they could, they might augment the Churches knowledge, by their labours on that day. For this end, the Church being aſſembled, the Holy Scriptures (from whence the knowledge of Divine things flowes) were diſtinctly read: after the reading whereof, followed their explication. This was uſed in the Church while the Apoſtle was alive. While he preſcribes the manner to thoſe that prophecy in the Church, he charges them to look to, that what they ſpeak, they may promote men in the ſtudy of piety, while to that work they either make make uſe of exhortation, or comfort, 1 Cor. 14. 3. Neither was the uſe of prophecying left off in the following Church; as may every where eaſily be obſerved in the Fathers.
After the Apoſtles and Prophets writings, The Scripture being read, was interpreted.the Miniſter made an Oration, wherein he inſtructed the people, and exhorted them to the imitation of ſuch excellent things aJuſt. Mart. Apol. 2.. Ambroſe bEp. 33. l. 5.interpreted the appointed Leſſons, and did apply them to the peoples preſent uſe. Origen ſaith, the Chriſtians in their readings, and the explication of them, did exhort the people to piety towards the bleſſed and great God, and to other virtues, the inſeparable companions of piety. Contra Celſum, l. 3. After the ordinary Scriptures were read, cDe Civit. Der, l. 22. c. ….ſaith Austin, I came to my Sermon. The ſame appears every where out of the Fathers Treatiſes.
This explication of the Scriptures, with us is called▪ Sermon, but with the ancients a Treatiſe. Origen exhorteth to reading the Scripture, and Treating. Hom. 23. in Num. Ambroſe l. 5. ep. 33. & Cyprian de bono pudicitiae. And they that explained the Scriptures, were called Tractatores [Treatiſers, or Treaters.] Hieronym. adv. errores Joh. Hieroſolymitan. ſaith, he esteems of Apostles after one ſort, and of other Treaters after another. And Ep. ad Auguſt. he calls thoſe Treaters, that did interpret the Holy Scriptures. Aug. Ep. 11.
In explicating this Section about Treatiſes upon Scriptures, firſt, we will conſider whoſe office it was to interpret them. Secondly, the manner which they uſed in explaining of them. In the third place, ſomething ſhall be added about the time, at which the ancients did attend theſe.
In the firſt place, we will ſpeak of the Treaters themſelves. Thoſe to whom the adminiſtration of the Word was committed by God, in the Scriptures, they were by a name familiar enough to the Fathers, called Clerici, [the Clergy] or in Clerum Clerici, whence ſe ſo called.aſcripti [admitted into the Clergy] either becauſe Matthias was choſen by lot, who was the first that we read of that was ordained by the Apoſtles (ſo Augu. in Pſal. 67.) or becauſe they are the Lords lot, … ſhould poſſeſs him for their lot and inheritance, with the children of Levi for ever. So Auſtin, in Prolog.Ad Nepoti. in Pſal. if that Preface be Auſtins. Hierom gives almoſt the ſame reaſon, who fatih, they are the Lords lot, and becauſe the Lord himſelf is the lot, that is, the portion of the Clergy. The Apoſtle comprehends all to whom any publick charge in the Church of the Philippians was committed, under Biſhops and Deacons, Philip. 1. 1. Where, under the name of Biſhops, he underſtandeth all that eſpecially executed the office of teaching: and under the name of Deacons, he intimates others that miniſtred.
The name of Biſhop is a general appellation,The name of Biſhop. ſignifying all thoſe that labour in the Word of God, and attend upon the cure of ſouls. Whence the office of an Apoſtle is called foreign, [a Biſhoprick] Act. 1. 20. and by the word foreign, are elegantly deſcribed men that adminiſter the Word according to the Scriptures. For it ſignifies both indulgently to attend, as ſhepherds their flocks (as Jacob, Gen. 32. 38, 39, 40.) that they may drive away wild beaſts from the ſheep; and to watch like watch-men, Ezek. 3. 17. I have made thee a watch-man to the houſe of Iſrael; namely, that thine adverſaries come not near thee, who threaten thee deſtruction. So Heb. 13. 17. the teachers of the Goſpel are ſaid to watch for the ſouls of the Church. The Holy Scripture *Proſper. de v. 1. co… l. 2. c. 2.calls theſe watchmen, who watch the actions of all men, and with an aim of religious curioſity, ſpie out, how every one liveth with his houſhold in his houſe, how with the Citizens in a City. Where the duties of Biſhops, or Watchmen is excellently ſet out. Ambroſe interprets Biſhops, ſuper inſpectores, [overſeers] lib. de dignitate ſacerdotali, cap. 6. Hierom contends, that they are moſt trulyIn Job 20. called Superintendentes, becauſe they are to look diligently over [or ſuperintend] every one in their flock: and Ep. ad Evagrium, he renders the Greek word foreign, by ſuperintendentes. Theſe words therefore, do not ſignifie any perfunctory inſpection, which only is undertaken for knowledge ſake; but a diligent and accurate watchfulneſs, that ought to be Biſhops, that they might make proviſion of neceſſary means to feed their flocks, and inſtruct them to live piouſly. As Alipius was, whom Auſtin Ep. 35. acknowledges to be a Paſtor carefully governing the Lords paſture ſheep.
Under the title of Biſhop, both Biſhops and Presbyters are comprehended. And though there be ſome that diſtinguiſh not a Presbyter from a Biſhop, yet I do with Auſtin, who expounds the words Oratio, Precatio, & Poſtulatio, chooſe to underſtand that by theſe words, which all. or almoſt all the Church doth often uſe. Ep. 59. Therefore, ſince according to the cuſtom of the Church, or according to the words of honour *Aug. Ep.which the Church uſeth, the office of a Biſhop is greater than that of a Presbyter: the higheſt Miniſtry in the Church is now ſignified under the title of Biſhop. The Biſhops work was eſpecially to interpret the Holy Scriptures, when the Church was gathered together: and therefore I think their power was of the Ancients ſignified in the name Cathedra, (becauſe chiefly it conſiſted in teaching.) Optatus al. 2.ſaith, the firſt gift of the Church was Cathedra, whereby is ſignified, that the Churches power is inſtructive; and for this cauſe, Aug. bin Pſ. 36. conc. 3. de 3 parte Pſ. circa finem.confeſſes, that Chriſts Chair [or cathedram] ſucceeded Moſes chair. i. e. the Apoſtles of Chriſt ſucceeded the Interpreters of Moſes and the Prophets.
The Biſhops duty therefore is, to inſtruct the people commended to their care: and Hierom thinks cAdv. Jovinianum, lib. 1.this ability to be ſo neceſſary for them, that it can profit a Biſhop nothing at all to have the teſtimony of his virtues in his own mind, except he be able to inſtruct the people committed to him. And dLib. 6. de Trinit. non procul ab initio.Hilary acknowledges, that by the neceſſary virtue of his office, he is bound to ſerve the Church in preaching the Goſpel. And therefore eEp. ad Dracontium.Athanaſius excited Dracontius to take upon him a Biſhoprick (to which he was elected) with this reaſon, becauſe the people by whom he was made Biſhop, did expect that he would bring them meat out of the Doctrine of Scripture. Neither did the greateſt Biſhops decline that charge, but rather for a Biſhop to abſtain from preaching, ſeemed to aEp. l. 1. ep. 24.Gregory the Great a foul ſhame, and wicked act, and he ſaith, that he is dead that walks without the ſound of preaching. ibid.
Since therefore the principal duty of Biſhops is terminated in Doctrine, (to which, by neceſſity of office they are obliged, and without which, although they otherwiſe live a pious life, they are not to be adorned with the title of Biſhops) their firſt and principal charge was, to interpret the Word of God (the onelyonly ſubject for all doctrine of Miniſters in the Church, Luk. 24. 27.) when the Church was aſſembled for hearing the ſame; that the moſt vigilant Biſhops of old did this with great praiſe, and for the great fruit of the Church, their moſt learned Treatiſes, which are extant among their works do teſtifie.
But to explain the Holy Scripture, in thePresbyters explained the Scriptures. Churches publick aſſembly, did not only lie upon Biſhops, but upon Presbyters alſo, and that ex officio. So 1 Pet. 5. 2. Therefore the ſecond chair in the Church was aſſigned them by the Fathers. So Clem. Alexand. Strom. l. 6. Origen ſaith, bTract. 24. … Math.that ſome Deacons in his age, did ſeek after the firſt chairs of them who are called Presbyters. If the chair was aſſigned to them, then it was their duty to inſtruct the people in the doctrine of the Goſpel: if it had not been their duty to feed the Church with the food of the Word and Sacraments, why ſhould St. Paul charge them to take heed Act. 20. 17. 18.unto themſelves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghoſt had made them overſeers, to feed the Church of God? Auguſtine being aPoſſid. de vit. Aug. c. 5.yet a Presbyter, while Valerius was alive, edified the Church with the Word and Sacraments. It was the cuſtome at Alexandria, that (although one was ſet over all) the Presbyters kept their Churches apart, and gathered the people committed to them into aſſemblies, Sozom. Hiſt. l. 1. c. 14. and taught them ſo gathered together, as an aſſembly. Niceph. l. 8. c. 11. Neither was this power of teaching the people taken away from the Presbyters of Alexandria, until Arius, a Presbyter, diſputing about his doctrine, introduced a new one. Sozom. 7. 19. Socrates tells us, that the Presbyters, as well as the Biſhops of Caeſaria, Cappadocia, and in Cyprus, did interpret the Scriptures, l. 5. c. 22. In Conc. Vaſens. Au. 529.ſecund. Not only in Cities, but in all Pariſhes, the power of preaching was given to Presbyters. Can. 2. Yea, this they were to do in the preſence of the Biſhop. Conſtit. Ap. l. 2. c. 57.
The diſpencing therefore of the Myſteries of God, was committed to Presbyters, as well as to Biſhops, for they are over the Church of Chriſt, and in breaking of the Lords body and bloud are partakers with Biſhops, and likewiſe in teaching of the people, and in the office of preaching. Conc. Aquiſgrav. 1.An. 816. c. 8. Theſe, and many other things, do ſhew, that with the ancients the publick preaching of the Word was committed to Presbyters, and for this cauſe, it is determined by the Apoſtles ſentence, that double honour is due to 1 Tim. 5. 17.them.
In the third place, ſometimes this office ofDeacons alſo expounded Scriptures. treating out of the Scriptures, was committed to Deacons. For although at firſt they ſaw to the collections, and diſtributing of alms, yet afterwards they performed other offices: in their hands was the care of preſerving all order in the holy Church aſſembly: wherefore a Deacon is ſaid to be conſecrated, not to the Prieſthood, but to the Miniſtry. Conc. Carth. 4. c. 4.
But it is certain, that other offices than thoſe that were committed to them from the beginning, fell to Deacons; yea, in Scripture they begun to uſe Stephen and Philip, to take off ſome part of the Miniſtry, as the Church encreaſed. We read that the Deacons diſcourſed out of Scripture, and preached the Goſpel, Act. 7. and 8. and that Philip was one of the ſeven Deacons, Act. 21. 8. So Auſtin thinks too. Who, ex utroque Quaeſt. in 101. & Can. 2. Conc. Ancyrani, are ſaid, foreign, i. to preach; which power they are deprived of, by the authority of that Council, if through cowardize they had ſacrificed in the torments.
Fourthly, We read that Catechiſts hadCatechiſts did the ſame. ſometimes liberty to teach publickly in the Church. Origen, who had not yet attained to the degree of a Presbyter, was asked by Alexander Biſhop of Hieruſalem, and Theoctiſtus, Biſhop of the Church in the ſame Caeſaria, that he would open the Scriptures, in the publick aſſembly of the Church at Caeſaria in Palestine. Alſo Euelpis was asked by Leo Biſhop of Laranda, Paulinus, by Celſus Biſhop of Iconium, and Theodorus, by Atticus Biſhop of Synada. We read theſe things in Euſebius Hiſt. l. 6. c. 20. Nicephorus alſo relates, that Origen did interpret the Scriptures amongſt them of Alexandria, l. 12. c. 34. And no wonder, when private men were ſometimes permitted to preach the Word of God; namely, when there were none deputed to that office, who might perform it, nor could be uſed any means of faith any other way. This did Aedeſius and Frumentius Theodoret l. 1. c. 23.among the Indians, to their great commendation, and the no ſmall profit of the Church; where there were none executing any Eccleſiaſtical function, to call together publick aſſemblies, and perform the Divine Myſteries. Theodoret alſo records, that a woman converted the Iberi to the truth of Chriſtian Religion, Hiſt. l. 1. c. 24. But none doubts, but that this was done extraordinarily, becauſe this charge was not committed to them, according to the order which is to be obſerved in the Church: although Biſhops were wont ſometimes to exhort thoſe whom they knew to be fit among the Laity, that they might thereby ſomething profit the people by expounding the Scriptures, and preaching, to exerciſe this charge, even in their preſence. So Euſebius, ubi ſupra.