by Christ; nor can any sober man think in his conscience that so they do. What is the use of this art and trade, as unto political ends, we inquire not. Nor is the true wisdom required unto this end, with the means of attaining of it, more despised, more neglected by any sort of men in the world, than by those whose pretences unto ecclesiastical rule and authority would make it most necessary unto them. Two things follow on the supposition laid down.

1. That the wisdom intended is not promised unto all the members of the church in general; nor are they required to seek for it by the ways and means of attaining it before laid down; but respect is had herein only unto the officers of the church. Hereon dependeth the equity of the obedience of the people unto their rulers. For wisdom for rule is peculiarly granted unto them, and their duty it is to seek after it in a peculiar manner. Wherefore, those who on every occasion are ready to advance their own wisdom and understanding in the affairs and proceedings of the church, against the wisdom of the officers of it, are proud and disorderly.

I speak not this to give any countenance unto the outcries of some, that all sorts of men will suppose themselves wiser than their rulers, and to know what belongs unto the government of the church better than they; whereas the government which they exercise belongs not at all unto the rule of the church, determined and limited in the Scripture, as the meanest Christian can easily discern; nor is it pretended by themselves so to do. For they say that the Lord Christ hath prescribed nothing herein, but left it unto the will and wisdom of the church to order all things as they see necessary, which church they are. Wherefore, if that will please them, it shall be granted, that in skill for the management of ecclesiastical affairs according to the canon law, with such other rules of the same kind as they have framed, and in the legal proceedings of ecclesiastical courts, as they are called, there are none of the people that are equal unto them, or will contend with them.

2. It hence also follows, that those who are called unto rule in the church of Christ, should diligently endeavour the attaining of, and increasing in this wisdom, giving evidence thereof on all occasions, that the church may

safely acquiesce in their rule. But hereunto so many things do belong, as cannot in this place be meetly treated of; somewhat that appertains to them shall afterward be considered.

CHAP. IV.

The officers of the church.

THE church is considered either as it is essential with respect unto its nature and being; or as it is organical with respect unto its order.

The constituent causes and parts of the church, as unto its essence and being, are its institution, matter, and form; whereof we have treated.

Its order, as it is organical, is founded in that communication of power unto it from Christ, which was insisted on in the foregoing chapter.

The organizing of a church, is the placing or implanting in it those officers which the Lord Jesus Christ hath appointed to act and exercise his authority therein.

For the rule and government of the church, are the exertion of the authority of Christ in the hands of them unto whom it is committed, that is, the officers of it; not that all officers are called to rule, but that none are called to rule that are not so.

The officers of the church in general are of two sorts; 'bishops and deacons ;' Phil. i. 1. And their work is distributed into 'prophecy and ministry;' Rom. xii. 6, 7.

The bishops or elders are of two sorts; (1.) Such as have authority to teach and administer the sacraments, which is commonly called the power of order, and also of ruling, which is called a power of jurisdiction corruptly and some have only power for rule; of which sort, there are some in all the churches in the world.

Those of the first sort are distinguished into pastors and teachers.

The distinction between the elders themselves, is not like that between elders and deacons, which is as unto the whole

kind or nature of the office; but only with respect unto work and order, whereof we shall treat distinctly.

The first sort of officers in the church, are bishops or elders; concerning whom there have been mighty contentions in the late ages of the church. The principles we have hitherto proceeded on, discharge us from any especial interest or concernment in this controversy. For if there be no church of divine or apostolical constitution, none in being in the second or third centuries, but only a particular congregation, the foundation of that contest which is about preeminence and power in the same person over many churches, falls to the ground.

Indeed, strife about power, superiority, and jurisdiction over one another, amongst those who pretend to be ministers of the gospel, is full of scandal. It started early in the church; was extinguished by the Lord Christ in his apostles; rebuked by the apostles in all others; yet through the pride, ambition, and avarice of men, hath grown to be the stain and shame of the church in most ages. For neither the sense of the authority of Christ forbidding such ambitious designings, nor the proposal of his own example in this particular case; nor the experience of their own insufficiency for the least part of the work of the gospel ministry, have been able to restrain the minds of men from coveting after and contending for a prerogative in church-power over others. For though this ambition, and all the fruits or rewards of it, are laid under a severe interdict by our Lord Jesus Christ, yet when men (like Achan) saw the wedge of gold, and the goodly Babylonish garment, that they thought to be in power, domination, and wealth, they coveted them, and took them, to the great disturbance of the church of God..

If men would but a little seriously consider what there is in that care of souls, even of all them over whom they pretend church-power, rule, or jurisdiction; and what it is to give an account concerning them before the judgment-seat of Christ, it may be it would abate of their earnestness in contending for the enlargement of their cures,

The claim of episcopacy, as consisting in a rank of persons distinct from the office of presbyters, is managed with great variety. It is not agreed whether they are distinct in

Matt. xviii. 1-4. xxiii. 7—11. Luke xxii. 24-27. 1 Pet. v. 1-5, 2 John 9, 10.

order above them, or only as unto a certain degree among them of the same order. It is not determined, what doth constitute that pretended distinct order, nor wherein that degree of pre-eminence in the same order doth consist, nor what basis it stands upon. It is not agreed whether this order of bishops hath any church-power appropriated unto it, so as to be acted singly by themselves alone, without the concurrence of the presbyters; or how far that concurrence is necessary in all acts of church-order or power. There are no bounds or limits of the diocesses which they claim the rule in and over, as churches whereunto they are peculiarly related, derived either from divine institution, or tradition, or general rules of reason respecting both or either of them; or from the consideration of gifts and abilities, or any thing else wherein church-order or edification is concerned. Those

who plead for diocesan episcopacy, will not proceed any farther, but only that there is and ought to be a superiority in bishops over presbyters in order or degree. But whether this must be over presbyters in one church only, or in many distinct churches; whether it must be such, as not only hinders them utterly from the discharge of any of the duties of the pastoral office towards the most of them whom they esteem their flocks, and necessitates them unto a rule by unscriptural church officers, laws, and power, they suppose doth not belong unto their cause; whereas indeed the weight and moment of it doth lie in and depend on these things. Innumerable other uncertainties, differences, and variances there are about this singular episcopacy, which we are not at present concerned to inquire into, nor shall I insist on any of those which have been already mentioned.

But yet, because it is necessary unto the clearing of the evangelical pastoral office, which is now under consideration; unto what hath been pleaded before about the non-institution of any churches beyond particular congregations, which is utterly exclusive of all pretences of the present episcopacy, I shall briefly, as in a diversion, add the arguments which undeniably prove, that in the whole New Testament, bishops and presbyters, or elders, are every way the same persons, in the same office, have the same function, without distinction in order or degree; which also, as unto the Scripture, the most learned advocates of prelacy begin to grant.

1. The apostle describing what ought to be the qualifications of presbyters or elders, gives this reason of it, because a bishops must be so; Tit. i. 5-7, Ordain elders in every city, if any be blameless, &c. for a bishop must be blameless.' He that would prove of what sort a presbyter that is to be ordained so, ought to be, gives this reason for it, That such a bishop ought to be, intends the same person and office by presbyter and bishop, or there is no congruity of speech, or consequence of reason in what he asserts. To suppose that the apostle doth not intend the same persons and the same office by presbyters and bishops in the same place, is to destroy his argument, and render the context of his discourse unintelligible. He that will say, that if you make a justice of peace or a constable, he must be magnanimous, liberal, full of clemency and courage, for so a king ought to be, will not be thought to argue very wisely. Yet such is the argument here, if by elders and bishops distinct orders and offices are intended...

2. There were many bishops in one city in one particular church; Phil. i. 1. To all the saints that are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.' That the church then at Philippi was one particular church or congregation was proved before. But to have many bishops in the same church, whereas the nature of the episcopacy pleaded for consists in the superiority of one over the presbyters of many churches, is absolutely inconsistent. Such bishops, whereof there may be many in the same church, of the same order, equal in power and dignity with respect unto office, will easily be granted; but then they are presbyters as well as bishops. There will, I fear, be no end of this contest, because of the prejudices and interests of some; but that the identity of bishops and presbyters should be more plainly expressed, can neither be expected nor desired.

3. The apostle being at Miletus, sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church to come unto him, that is, the elders of the church at Ephesus, as hath been elsewhere undeniably demonstrated; Acts xx. 17, 18. unto these elders he says, Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God;' ver. 28. If elders and bishops be not the same persons, having the same office, the same function, and the