was solely to the Jewish nation. They likewise soon after returned and made a similar report of their doings and their success. When they had fulfilled their commission, their office, like that of the apostles, ceased.*

3. Prophets. This term is especially applied to those who foretold future events. That such an order of men existed in the first churches is admitted by all. See Acts 13: 1. 15: 32. 11: 27. 21: 10. 1 Cor. 12: 28. 14: 32. Eph. 4: 11, &c. This order of men has also ceased, as all admit.

4. Teachers. This term is often applied to our Saviour, where it is usually translated Master, and it often occurs in the book of Acts, and in the Epistles. It is not used to designate any particular office in a church, but simply to denote that the person to whom it is applied is engaged in teaching religious truth. The office is in its nature perpetual, although that special order of teachers raised up by spiritual gifts to meet the emergencies of the time, while churches were in the process of formation, has ceased.

5. Elders. The Greek word, translated elder, is Presbyter. Its primary meaning may be seen in the phrases, 66 now his elder son was in the field," or, "likewise ye younger submit yourselves to the elder," &c. The term, and the customs to which it alludes, are of Hebrew origin. The first churches were composed of Jews, among whom the term elder was already in common use, denoting age and wisdom.

* The appointment by the Lord Jesus of the particular numbers, twelve, to be apostles, and seventy to go on a special mission to the Jews, has been thought to be significant. From his own words, Matt. 19: 28; Luke 22: 30, it appears that the number of apostles had some reference to the number of the tribes of Israel. Its adoption might have been intended to indicate to them that He was their Lord and Saviour. An earthly sovereign would appoint a ruler or judge to each tribe; as their spiritual king He sent the same number of messengers to them. The Sanhedrim, or grand council of the nation, was composed of seventy. A temporary mission of seventy disciples was well adapted to indicate the approaching end of their religious authority, and that Jesus was king in Zion. See Mosheim, Ecc. Hist., vol. 1, p. 51. Also Ripley's Notes on Matt. 19: 28.

Although so much has been written on the office of presbyters, yet as far as the scriptures are concerned, it is plain that this is a term, not of any particular office, but of age, standing, and influence, or of office generally. If the use of the term proves any thing respecting ministerial office in the apostolic churches, it proves that the elders in the church at Ephesus were bishops, and that the apostles, Peter and John, were also elders, or presbyters. 1 Pet. 5: 1. 2 John 1. 3 John 1. It is undoubtedly often applied to church officers, both pastors and deacons, as well as to apostles and others, who held no office whatever in the churches. Any aged, exemplary, and judicious brother in the church may with propriety be called an Elder, and is entitled to all the deference and authority which was accorded to Presbyters in the apostolic churches.

6. Minister. This word is in the original servant, and is of course, a general term, not appropriated to any particular office. It is applied indiscriminately to deacons, bishops, evangelists, and apostles, and even to Christ himself. This application of the term doubtless originated in the instructions and example of Christ: "Whosoever of you will be chief, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto but to minister." Every church officer is a servant of the church, and in that sense a minister.

7. Evangelist. This word signifies literally a messenger of good tidings, or a preacher of the gospel. Philip, "one of the seven," is mentioned, Acts 21: 8, as an evangelist, and so is Timothy. (2 Tim. 4: 5, They are mentioned also, Eph. 4: 11, as among the gifts of Christ to his people, An evangelist was not, and of course, could not be, a church officer his work was that of a missionary to the destitute, 8. Bishop. This word is a translation of the Greek Episcopos. In Acts 20: 28, it is translated literally, over

*

* This word from ¿ñɩozоñéw, to inspect, to oversee, was employed by the Athenians, according to Suidas, to designate an officer whose duty it was to preserve order in the city, and was used interchangea bly with qulazos, a keeper. The Lacedemonians called this officer

seer.

It is also found in three other passages referring to men, and once, (1 Pet.2: 25, referring to Christ. It was not a favorite term with the apostles, who never once assume it, or demand its prerogatives, like those who claim to be their successors; though they often call themselves servants. It is now universally admitted that the term, bishop, is never applied in the scriptures to a prelate, nor is there the least proof that any church officer existed in the apostolic churches superior in rank or authority to a pastor or bishop of a single church.*

9. Pastor. This word, signifying shepherd, occurs in Eph. 4: 11, and in 1 Pet. 5: 1-4, where the original word is used as synonymous with elder, and is translated shepherd. Our Saviour often called himself a shepherd, or pastor; and the associations which it recalls are pleasant. John 10: 1-18. He is called "the chief shepherd" in 1 Pet. 5: 4.

10. Angel. This term is applied in Rev. 2: 3, to the pastors or bishops of the seven churches in Asia. Why this term was chosen we do not know, though it comports well with the symbolic language employed in that book. That the pastors, or those who had the charge of giving religious instruction and the general oversight of the churches are intended, is evident.

aquootis, one who had charge of the public morals. According to Dionisius Halicarnassus it was applied to a sentinel or city watch

* Mosheim says, vol. 1, p. 85-"Whoever supposes that the bishops of the first and golden age of the church, corresponded with the bishops of the following centuries, must blend and confound characters that are very different. For in this century and the next, a bishop had charge of a single church, which might ordinarily be contained in a private house; nor was he its lord, but was in reality its minister or servant; he instructed the people, conducted all parts of public worship, and attended on the sick and the necessitous in person; and what he was unable thus to perform, he committed to the care of the presbyters (elders); but without the power to ordain or determine any thing, except with the concurrence of the presbyters and the brotherhood." Lord King fully sustains these views of the office and work of a bishop during the first three centuries.

All the terms appropriated in the New Testament to religious teachers, or church officers, have now been examined; and we find two only, those of Pastor and Bishop, which in a literal sense are applied to the first officers in a church. Pastors or Bishops are all spoken of as of equal rank, and authority.*

The office of bishop is, therefore, identical with that of pastor. Either title may with propriety be applied to him who is chosen to minister to any church as its spiritual teacher and guide, or overseer. A pastor or bishop may also properly be called an elder, who is also a bishop or pastor, whenever he is chosen to be the spiritual overseer in any church.

SECT. 4. The Authority of Pastors.

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Office necessarily implies authority. The pastor, though the servant of Christ, and in another sense, of the church, is yet an officer, and must possess some authority. He speaks in the name of God, and is to the church the appointed expounder of the will of Christ. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." Here is the precept "obey," and "submit," with the grounds of it, the accountability of pastors.

This passage certainly forbids all dictatorial, persevering opposition, by individual members, to the pastor's measures for the promotion of religion in, and by, the church. They may advise and remonstrate with him respectfully, but they

* Gieseler informs us, vol. 1, p. 65, how this order was gradually broken up by the encroachments of prelacy, and papacy: “After the death of the apostles, to whom the general direction of the churches had always been conceded, some one among the presbyters of each church was suffered gradually to take the lead in its affairs. In the same irregular way the title of episcopos (bishop) was appropriated to this first presbyter. Hence the different accounts of the order of the first bishops in the church at Rome."

have no right to set themselves in obstinate, persevering opposition to him. If his measures are oppressive and palpably unreasonable, it may be their duty to seek a speedy and peaceable termination of his pastorship, in a regular and quiet way. And it inculcates on private members the duty of treating with deferential modesty and submission, what ought to be the better judgment of the pastor. He is accountable, in a sense, and to an extent, which no private member can be, and has better means of forming correct opinions. Respecting the nature of this obedience, and the spirit in which it should be rendered, these instructions are given. "We beseech you, brethren, to KNOW them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love, for the works' sake." "To know," is to recognize their just authority. It is obedience, growing out of esteem and love, which is enjoined. It is evident, therefore, that when a church elect a man to be their pastor, they ought to attend diligently to his instructions; that they have no right to put another in his place, as a public teacher, contrary to his wishes, while he remains in office; that all the members should faithfully coöperate with him in the cause of religion; that they be scrupulously careful of his reputation and his influence; that they honor him as the ambassador of God, and submit to his scriptural authority, as a sacred duty.

The pastor has no mysterious or superstitious power. He can inflict no temporal nor spiritual chastisements, nor can he, by the exercise of his prerogative, displace any member of the church, nor in the least degree abridge the rights or privileges of any member. His authority extends only to the duties of his office. As, for instance, it is for him to decide according to his views of the will of God, what and how he should preach, how frequent and how long; at what time. to call the church together, and what subjects to bring before them. His constructions of the rules of order should be adhered to, and in cases of discipline, his explanations of the law of Christ applicable to the case, and his rulings in respect to the method of proceeding, should be adopted.