Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 3
Cap. 3. Of the teachers and Miniſters of the church, & of their election and office.
FIrſt, he permitteth certaine thinges after a ſort, frō the 1. to the 3. Moreouer in part he ſpeaketh of eueryevery one, frō the 4. to the 9. Laſt of all, he handleth of the ordinatiō and vocatiō of Miniſters, from the 10. to the 16.
Mat. 26.1 Profeſſing that hée will ſpeake of the order wherewith the Lorde woulde hauehave his Churche gouerned, he deſcendeth only to Eccleſiaſticall orders (as they are called) firſt he ſpeaketh of them generally, that is to ſay, that God who only ruleth and beareth preheminence ouer the Church, and who can teach vsus by him ſelfe or by Angels, yet he doeth it by the miniſtery of man, firſt to ſhew his good will toward vsus: Moreouer to accuſtome vsus to humilitie & obedience. Laſt of all, that men being bounde by this bond, may better learne to mayntaine mutuall charitie betwéene themſelues.
2 The miniſtry of men is the chiefeſt ſinewe whereby the faythfull cleaue together in one bodie.Ephe. 4.10. Chriſte is gone vp on high to fulfill all thinges, which fulfilling is, by his miniſters to whom hée hath committed office, and giuen grace to execute that worke, he diſpoſeth his giftes to his Church,Ephe. 4.13. and after a ſort giueth him ſelfe preſent: extending the power of his Spirit in this Inſtitutiō, that it ſhould not be vaine or idle, ſo the reſtoring of all things is perfourmed, ſo the body of Chriſt is edified, ſo we in all things grow into him that is head.
3 And to this end is ye dignitie therof commended to vsus by the Lorde,Eſai. 52.8. Mat. 5.15. with ſo excellent teſtimonies, and the neceſſitie with many examples.
4 When he hath ſet theſe things in order,Ephe. 4.12. he prepareth to intreate of euerie order, and firſt of Apoſtles, Prophetes, and Euangeliſts, all whoſe offices are but for a tyme, but the Paſtours and Teachers were ſuche, as the Churche could neuer want them.
5 If we ioyne the Euangeliſts with the Apoſtles (as almoſt they are one) we ſhall hauehave two couples after a ſort, anſwering one to an other, for our Teachers and Paſtors hauehave almoſt all one office, with the olde Prophetes and Apoſtles, for all were ſent to preach the worde,Luk. 6.13. Gal. 1.1. but the Apoſtles and Prophets were garniſhed with a particular title aboue the reſt.
6 That he ſheweth more at large in the Apoſtles & Paſtors, that is to ſay,Mat. 28.9. 1. Cor. 4.1. that the miniſtration of the worde and Sacraments perteineth to both.
7 Albeit we aſſigne to eueryevery Paſtor his ſeueral Church, yet ſo in the meane tyme eueryevery man is not bounde to one Church,Act. 14.2. Tit. 1.5. but alſo he may helpe others, ſo that publike profite ſo require, if it be rightly done, and in order.
8 Biſhops, Prieſtes, Paſtours, and Miniſters with the Apoſtle are one and the ſame:Phil. 1.1. Act. 20.7. he omitteth other temporary functions: but there were two which alway remayned, beſides them that belong to the Miniſtery of the word, & are mentioned of before: that is to ſay, gouernment, whereof he ſpeaketh afterward, and the care of the poore.
Rom. 12.8. 1. Tim. 5.10. Act. 6.3.9 As concerning the care of the poore, the ſame was committed to Deacons and widowes, whereof they ſerued the Church in diſtributing to the poore, the other in healing the poore.
10 In the holy aſſembly all thinges muſt be done decently and in order, and ſo he maketh him ſelfe way to intreate of Miniſters calling.
11 But the diſcourſe therof ſtandeth in foure pointes, that is, what manner of Miniſters, how and by whom Miniſters ought to be inſtituted, with what vſage and ceremony they are to bée admitted:1. Cor. 12.7. but he ſpeaketh not here of an outwarde (which notwithſtanding is moſt néedefull) but of an inwarde and ſolemne calling.
12 What manner of Biſhopps,Tit. 1.9. 1. Tim. 3.1. Gal. 1.12. Act. 1.13. and how they muſt be called.
13 As touching the third, that the Apoſtles were called by the Lorde: but herein is ſome peculiar thing.
14 Our Miniſters, Paſtors, and Biſhops, muſt be appointed of men,Gal. 1.…. Act. 13.… ▪ & many alſo of the Apoſtles, although they were called of the Lorde, yet were they appointed by men.
15 To whom then may this election apperteine, not to any one truely,Act. 14.2…. but that by Elders by the peoples conſent and allowance they might be created, which might be thought méete, yt which Paule ſaide to Titus and Timothie, is ment that they went only before the people in doctrine and holeſome counſelles, not that they onelyonly excludyng all other,Leui. 8.6. Nu. 20.26. and ſhoulde doe what they liſted, which was perfourmed in the Leuites, that the people ſhould hauehave their conſent, and in Matthias and the ſeuen Deacons.
Gen. 49.14. Mat. 19.15.16 As touching the laſt, the fourme of ordering was no other then Impoſition of handes, but for the ſame there is no commaundement. but it ſéemeth to come from the Hebrews, which would preſent to God, by laying on of handes, that which they would hauehave bleſſed and halowed, which our Lord folowed whē he prayed ouer Infants.