A treatise of the nature of a minister in all its offices to which is annexed an answer to Doctor Forbes concerning the necessity of bishops to ordain, which is an answer to a question, proposed in these late unhappy times, to the author, What is a minister?

CHAP. VI. What is the Office of a Deacon.

THE Office what it was, receives the greatest Illustration from his Name, which signifies a Minister, a Servant to the Ecclesiastical Officers, Bishops or Presbyters; so that as when a man is known to be a Minister or Servant to another, he is by that made apparent to do such things as Conduce to the assistance of him who is his Superiour or Prelate in his Office, so do these in respect of their Superiours, Bishops and Presby∣ters. I do not find one word in Scripture setting down what their Office was, we can therefore have no knowledge of it, but from the History of the Church, from which we receive, that their Office was to Baptize, to assist at the Communion with delivering the Cup, and sometimes the Body; but not to Consecrate: so likewise to assist in the Divine Service; some other things we find various, according to the Customs of Chur∣ches, but all these are subordinate and ministerial Offices; like∣wise they had power to preach upon particular occasions▪ and licenses given, to wit, by that Order they had a qualification to receive a License; these things I can particularly give an Account to be the sense of the Ancient Church, if any man re∣quire it, but am loath also to lose Time about it; only I will now undertake Mr. Hooker.

SECT. II. Mr. Hookers opinion concerning a Deacon examined.

HE therefore, Part 2. Chap. 1. falsly printed, for Chap. 2. page 33. in his third Acception of his Deacon, defines him thus.

Lastly, when it (that is, this word Deacon) is taken shortly, and as it concerns our purpos•• in hand, it sets out such Officers

who are designed by the Church, to dispose the State and Trea∣sures, to those several purposes for which God hath appointed them, as the occasions and necessities of the body, and any mem∣ber thereof may require.

This is his definition, or rather description at large of a Dea∣con, which I conceive to be very short, because it toucheth but the poor; concerning whose Care I acknowledge, that in the primitive Time there were certain persons employed, because those times were times of persecution, and the poor of the Church could not exist without some such Collections by Church Officers to take care of them; but that this was the sole Office of a Deacon I deny. He proves it thus; Romans 12. 8. He that distributes, &c. Here (saith he) the Apostle reckons these as a distinct kind from those that went before. In our Translation it is, he that giveth; or in the Margent, imparteth, and that most naturally; but to make it an Office, he changeth the phrase: Well, from hence, in this place, he thus argues. Here, saith he, the Apostle reckons these as distinct Offices. This Term (these) might well relate to Prophesy, to Mini∣stry, in the 7th. verse▪ as well as the rest, which is the most ge∣neral way with the Ancient Fathers discourse upon that Text; but he explayned himself before in the first Chapter of this 2d. Part, pag. 8, 9. That Prophesy is a Genus to Teaching and Ex∣hortation, and these two distinct Offices under that one head, of which I shall discourse hereafter, (God willing); but giving, or, as he calls it, distributing, ruling, shewing mercy, are three distinct Species's or several Offices under 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Ministry: so then this word (these) must be by him applyed only to these five at the last named; which exposition he had, as he acknow∣ledgeth, from Beza, and before him, as I find, none. ••or Cal∣vin himself, upon that place, seems to make all these distinct Gifts; but I passe by this, and will examine his Ground upon which he builds. [It being (saith he) the Apostles aime by a Similitude drawn from the body, ver. 4. to discover several parts, by the Actions which were in a peculiar manner appropriate to them; as there are many Members in the body, and all have not one Office or Action, so in the Church there be many Mem∣bers, but their several Offices appropriate to them. Whereas, were this a Christian Duty common to all, he should overthrow

his own purpose; for he should have shewed things agreeing to all alike, when he should have shewed that some things are peculiar. Thus I have set down his words, and the Argu∣ments, as by him urged.

SECT. III. Rom. 12. 8. Expounded.

HEre he puts me to a great deal of Trouble to enlarge my self in expounding this place, which I intend to do, and shew what I conceive of it, and then refute his imagination, and shew how inconsistent it is with the sense of these words. He begins his Exposition from the 4th verse of the 12. Chap. to the Romans; but he that will expound it aright must go fur∣ther, because that verse begins with a For, and that relates to the 3d. verse, and that likewise begins with another For, which must look upon what went before. Let us therefore first exa∣mine the first verse; I besceeh you, &c. present your bodies, &c. which is your reasonable service; vers. 2. Be not conformed, &c. but be transformed, &c. that you may prove what is that good, that acceptable and perfect will of God: The presenting the body a sacrifice, the not conforming to the world, the transforming by renewing the mind, all tend to this, that we may prove what is that good and acceptable, &c. that is, have some Arguments by which you may know it; he that doth thus mortify, &c. and presents his body thus, that doth transform and conform his mind, shall find Arguments to prove what is Gods will for him to do; vers. 3d. For I say unto you, &c. you ought to know this, because ye ought to perform this will of God; therefore do these things which may make you prove it. Now this good and acceptable will of God, is, that you do not think too highly, (or higher,) for this phrase (of himself) is a Glosse of our Tran∣slators, not the Text; and indeed this same too high thinking, whether it concerns a mans self, or his work he hath to do, is that which disturbs a man in his duty, whatsoever he is, or it is; as if he think himself too good to be an hearer only, it makes him thrust himself into the Preachers office; or when he hath

that Office, he thinks too highly of himself, that he is too good for it; or when he thinks too highly of that Duty which he doth, it makes him, with the Pharisee, despise his brother, who is not excellent or eminent in that way; so that this same high thinking puts a man besides the way of Gods will; and there∣fore he adds, but to think soberly, temperately, modestly; he must not plus sapere, think more or higher than his Condition, but he must think soberly, be lowly in his own eyes, not to in∣trude into others businesse, or go beyond his own qualification, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of Faith: By Faith▪ I conceive as most do, Fidelity; that is then, accor∣ding as he is intrusted by God, according to that measure of trust which God hath layd upon him; there will not be diffe∣rence, I guesse, about that, and therefore I let it passe; verse 4. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office; so we being many are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

SECT. IV. No Argument can be enforced from a Simile, farther than the Paralell leads.

HEre we see all Christians are one body, of which Christ is the head; that as they have a duty towards the head, of obedience, so they being fellow members, one towards another, have that duty one towards another as fellow member, not to think too highly, but to consider their mutual assistance each ought to give to the other. Here now, if I would stop, let us Consider, how it were possible to urge me farther: Compari∣sons are not to be haled and pulled farther than the Letter, there may be more in one part, than another; but an Argument can∣not be drawn farther than the Comparison leads. It is true, St. Paul saith, in the 4th. verse, that all members have not the same office; but can I force that to the parallel, when St. Paul doth not mention it? We may find the like in many places of Scrip∣ture, as that parable of our Saviour of the Sower of the Tares, Mat. 13. where our Saviour expounds pieces of the parable;

we may according to those pieces, from thence draw Argu∣ments in Questions of Religion; but from the rest, which he expounds not, the Arguments will be but probable; so here I may say, Mr. Hookers Argument is weak, because members have diverse offices in the natural body; and St. Paul saith, we are a body, and one anothers members, like the other so far, but lea∣ving out the rest, and diverse Offices distinct; might I not say, that this doth not enforce it. But let us go on: I will not say so; for although I think this Text doth not enforce it, yet I think it true Doctrine, That there are diverse Offices in the body of the Church, like diverse members in the body; Anselm, H. Ra∣banus Maurus, with others, have paralelled them in their Com∣ments on this Text. Let us now go on.

Although it be true Doctrine, that as in the body many mem∣bers have distinct offices and abilities to perform their dutyes, which are not competible to other: so it is in the Church, there are diverse Member••, which have distinct Offices, and those Of∣fices assisted with diverse Graces peculiar to them, and not to o∣thers; yet this Text goes, not to discourse of the distinction of Officers, but of the Manage of them: It never parallels that, (and all Members have not the same Office) but only that (we are one body, and one anothers Members.)

SECT. V. Diverse Gifts and Offices.

HAving then, &c. I will stand upon no Criticism here, to talk of an Hebraism without necessity; methinks the Text is full, having then diverse Gifts; mark, diverse Gifts: there are many Organical members, which have besides their Offi∣ces, Abilities and Gifts, as beauty, strength, and the like, which are powerfull Assistants ad benè operandum, to do their Office more dexterously and commendably; Now then, as we find amongst us there are diverse Officers, and diverse Gifts amongst these Officers, Abilities of utterance, of knowledge, and the like, so may in these men here spoken of; but indeed, the very Au∣thority is a Gift of God, to do these things of God, and these

Authorities or Gifts whatsoever are distinguished by the Grace of God that is given us, not our own Merits, but his Favour and Grace, both gives the Gift and the Difference; but since it is a Gift of a Member, therefore it must be used to the good of the Members, and not for our own private ends: and here the Apo∣stle doth not make that division of Gifts so contradistinct, that they cannot come together; but saith, that whatsoever Gift any man ••ath of doing good, as he must acknowledge it the Gift of God, so he must use it to the good of his Neighbour, whether Prophesy or Ministry: that this is the sense, appears out of that clause in the Similitude not parallel'd. So we see it doth by this Instance made by the Apostle, where is no opposition in the persons, but only a difference in Gifts, which may well be in the same Office, without any inconsistency or reluctancy. If any man will see this Discourse more fully, let him read the same Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 4. There are diversities of Gifts, but the same Spirit; then go to verse 9, 10. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, &c. Let any man peruse them all, and see whether they were Offices or Gifts, and the same word is used for those Gifts there as here, which is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ and in the 12. verse, to make these places meet, he deduceth the same Simile out of these premisses of these Gifts, as in this Text he deduceth the Condition or Scope of the Gifts from that Simile: so that then I conclude some of these Gifts being the same, are used there, the word the same that is used there, and it is im∣possible to force those to Offices; therefore it should be a vio∣lence to force these: let us come to the particulars, whether Prophesy, &c. Whether this be an Office, or no, is hard to deter∣mine, I am sure it is mentioned amongst those were no Offices, 1 Cor. 12. 10. But let us conceive what it is? It is possible that it was the Gift of Prophesy to foretell the will of God concern∣ing things to come, of which there were diverse in the first Age of the Church; or else by Prophesy may be meant preaching, which expounds the will of God revealed in Scripture: of both which I may justly affirm that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14. 3. He that prophesyeth speaketh unto men to Edification, and to Exhortation and Comfort.

SECT. VI. A Conceit of some Commentators refuted.

NOw see here the Conceit of Beza, Tolet the Jesuit, (I know not which had i•• from the other) Cornelius à La∣pide, with other late Writers upon this place of my Text in hand; see how vain their Conceits are who make Prophesy here a Ge∣nus of Teaching and Exhortation, because they would make them two sorts of Officers; and Prophesy only a general name pre∣dicated of them; when St. Paul makes Edification, which is the same with Teaching and Exhortation, to be Gifts or qualities of a Propher, both belonging to the same Offices.

Concerning Prophesy.

Prophesy, if you will, is a Gift sometimes as well as an Office, every Office is a Gift, but not every Gift an Office; but whether Prophesy be taken for a Gift, or an Office; it is not a Ge∣nus to the other two, but the other are rather Integral parts or qualifications belonging to it: and therefore I wonder at these men, that they expound this Text to such an impossible Sense. Hooker gives this reason, because, saith he, if these (Prophesie he means, & Ministry) were several functions, then there should be seven: what if there were seventeen? If there be so many, what is that to the purpose? this he speaks, Chap. 1. of his second Book, p. 10. Well, but what saith the Apostle? He saith not this is a distinct Office, as the Eye in the body, but drives at the main, that we are one anothers members; that this man must not think too highly, but follow his businesse; let him prophesy accor∣ding to the proportion of Faith: what that is, I will not exa∣mine, it is something for the good of others, who are his fellow Members.

Concerning Ministry.

The second is: Or Ministry; let us wait on our Ministry: Hath a man received the Gift of Ministry; Here a man might

have looked for a Deacon, for the very word is put; but be∣cause the word is not to his sense, he lets that slip, and takes his sense without his word. And it is worth any mans marking, that in his treating of the Office of a Deacon, which begins Chap. 1. page 32. he first sets down the Acceptation of the Word, and page 33. he explains the word strictly as it concerns our purpose, but shews not one place, where this word is used to his Sense, and indeed he cannot; he had shewed Phrases in the Scripture for the other, but not for this; but in this very place the Word is used according to his sense, for the Genus of three Officers, but another for his Office. Well, let us examine it: this is the general Nature (saith he) to a sort of Ministring Officers, which come after; he faith so, what proof? none but his own Authority; and then ask him, where it hath that re∣strained sense to these three Officers, he cannot shew it in Scrip∣ture, nor Beza, nor Tolet, nor any other; St Chrysostom upon the place, saith, it signifies all Ministration, even Apostleship; and Oecumenius, with Theophylact, is to the same sense, and An∣selm something like it, sive habentes Ministerium sicut Diaconu•• ut ministremus sacris Altaribus, vel Ministerium, ut terrena ali∣menta Sanctis ministremus. Now consider the meaning: If you have received the Gift of Ministry, in what kind soever, use i•• as a Member of that body, think not so highly of your self, to be too good for that Office which God hath enabled you for, but serve in it: I go on.

Concerning Teaching and Exhortation.

Or he that teacheth on teaching: Here now the Authors be∣fore mentioned will make this a Species of Prophesy; but this and Exhortation are not Species's of Prophesy, but Parts, En∣dowments, Qualities, for there can be no Prophet without these powers and acts, nor can they be severed; the same man that teacheth a Doctrine, in that exhorts to a Duty; suppose it the most speculative in the World, the Doctrine of the Trini∣ty, he that teacheth, when he teacheth it, exhorts to the Ado∣ration of each person; and so for Exhortation, no man can exhort, but upon Grounds of Doctrine, he exhorts foolishly else; therfore they cannot be distinct Offices, but parts or Gifts in the same

Office; for one Preacher may have a greater power in Logick to prove his Doctrine or Conclusion, and another in Rhetorick to perswade the practise, and these diverse abilities and Gifts be∣stowed upon those men by the Grace of God: and therefore in these, as in the other, have you the whole Gift of Prophecy, use it as a Member, not thinking too high, but use it for the good of your brother, who is your fellow Member: so likewise the Spirit is given in measure, one excells in one piece, another in another, do all like fellow Members; but no one word, that these are distinct Offices, as that of the hand, or the eye, or the ear, that piece was not parallel'd, nor is exemplified.

And therefore these Sentences cannot be enforced for two Of∣fices, but two Qualities of the same Office, which may and must be in him who is a Prophet; but because they may accord∣ing to their Eminency well be severed, one may have one emi∣nently, and not the other, and likewise because they cannot be both actuated at the same instant; therefore directions are gi∣ven either to the diverse persons or to the same man of his seve∣ral seasons to do both these.

SECT. VII. His Deacon, enforced hence, Confuted.

NOW we come to that, which he makes a Deacon: He who giveth in Simplicity (he who distributeth he reads it,) But why he and Beza should do so, since they pretend nothing out of the Original to force it, (but their own Conceit only of making this a Species of the Minister or Deacon before spoken of) and all Antiquity, both Greek and Latine Fathers reading it otherwise, and no one that I can find putting in one word to this purpose, is a strange Conceit; I cannot Conceive why, un∣lesse it be a too much love of their own newly hatch'd Opini∣on. But see what weight Mr. Hookers Opinion hath: By this is meant a Deacon; what word shews it? he saith it is but a Species of that Deacon before spoken of; and if that Deacon which was before mentioned be the name, then the two other Species must be Deacons as well as he, which he will deny, as you

shall see hereafter; then, that this is a distinct Office of a Dea∣con, that is, was an Office spoken of, no man can prove, but a pious duty, which God gives men gifts to do for others good, and therefore no word of distinction here, but without all que∣stion a Prophet may do this, a Minister or Deacon, a Doctor or Exhorter; yea, it will be a good Argument in Exhortation, to do as I have done my self. I should go on with the next, but I reserve that for another time, and the rather stayed so long up∣on this, because in part I shall stop two Gaps with one Bush; but I will leap to the last, which is, (He who shews mercy, let him do it with chearfulness.

What is meant by He that sheweth mercy.

WHat a deal of doo Beza, and he, and Lapide the Jesuit have, to make an Office of this? They make it to be the Widdow; He, Masters of Hospitals: when Antiquity insists chiefly upon the Inward Act of Mercy, which is larger than gi∣ving; Mercy is in forgiving, as well as giving, and the like: but what one word is there all this way, of distinction of Offices? not one; but of Gifts, which like members of the same body, must with lowlinesse of mind be used to the good of our fellow Members.

Now I having shewed what appears to me to be the meaning of the Text, and although by this his sense is already Confuted; yet in a Logical manner I will now undertake it again.

SECT. VIII. The first Confutation of his Conclusion out of this Text.

THat Sense must not be wrung out of the Text, which the Text in nothing invites to.

But his sense is such. Ergo,

His sense is: That by this (that distributes,) is meant an Office, designed by the Church to dispose the State and Trea∣sure

of the Church, &c. and so pag. 33. But pag. 9. he saith, Those several (meaning these Offices expressed in this Text) are set forth by way of opposition, and contradistinct one to ano∣ther, and therefore cannot be subordinate, and meet in one sub∣ject, where they should be both formally acted. A strange kind of discourse to deceive men with (as it seems to me) by great words; for first, the parts in the Text he makes subordinate, to wit, teaching and exhorting, to Prophesy; secondly, distribu∣ting, ruling, having mercy, to Ministry: And again, these things which are subordinate are in the same subject, as Animal and Corpus are in Homine. But that they are not opposed, or distinct, or any way inconsistent, will appear presently.

To prove my Minor then: First, whereas he saith this phrase (he that distributes) doth signifie an Office, I can deny the words, and say, they are not found in that place. Secondly, I say, that those words there do not signifie an Office, no more than those about them, but a Gift, as it is called by the Apo∣stle. Where he saith it is that Office called Deacon, he himself disproves it, since it is distinct and inconsistent with the Mini∣ster or Deacon, which is both one. Thirdly, whereas he saith it is an Office to dispose the State and Treasure of the Church, Is there the least mention made of Church, or Treasure of it? not a word: this word Gift would import otherwise.

SECT. IX. Another Argument.

NOW to this last, in page the 9th, I frame this Syllogism: Those Gifts which have been, and are many times in the same, are not so Contradistinct as they cannot subsist in the same Subject.

But many of these Gifts in the Text have been, and often are in the same Subject; Ergo.

My Major is clear from the Act: that which hath been, and is, is possible, and crosseth not the nature of any thing.

My Minor may be proved in the Lump: First, I doubt not to say, that the Apostles had all these; for they were Prophets,

they were Minsters, they were Doctors, Teachers, Exhorters, did give to the poor, did rule, had bowels of mercy, with all the requisites.

Take Prophesy for Preaching, many a man now hath all these in the same Lump.

Secondly, Teacher and Exhorter cannot be severed: This Gentleman stiles himself, Pastor of the Church of Hertford upon Connecticutt, in N. England, Mr. Cotton Teacher of Boston in N. England, both of them have written concerning these busi∣nesses. If a Pastor be an inconsistent Office with a Teacher, why doth Mr. Hooker teach, and so Logically endeavour to prove his Doctrine? and Mr. Cotton the Teacher, use Rhetorick to per∣swade? These things seem to me inconsistent, a Teacher, and not an Exhorter, or an Exhorter, and not a Teacher: so farre they are from being inconsistent one with the other, that they cannot exist well one without the other; and for this particular phrase, Distributer, or Giver, neither one nor other be good men, unlesse they be both; the Clergy must not be altogether upon the receiving hand, there is time and place for them to give, as well, yea rather than others, and take Care of the poor, and have bowels of Compassion towards them, and by their good Example exhort others to do as they do. I have been something too tedious here; but this will save future labour.

SECT. X.

His Second Argument refuted.

HIS Second Argument to prove his kind of Office, is drawn from the•• 1 Tim. 3. 8. where the Description how he must be qualified, is set down: I grant it; but is it set down, that he is an Officer to dispose Church Treasure, and nothing else, which he disputes for? For he offers at such a thing, and therefore that place, in his own Judgement, can speak nothing, for it proves only, that there is such an Office as a Deacon; and how he should be qualified, but no one word what the duty of that Office is, and therefore he draws no Argument from it, but

only sets it down with a figure of 2. for his second Argument, although he argue nothing from it.

His Third Argument refuted.

HIs Third Argument is drawn from the place before hand led, Acts 6. to which I have (I doubt not) spoken e∣nough; but that it may appear wherein he and I agree, and wherein differ, in this point; Consider with me, that he saith, that this was a publike Office; I grant it. Secondly, that this service was about Tables: I grant it. Thirdly, page 35, that the full and carefull attendance upon this work, could not stand with carefull, constant, and consciencious Attendance upon the Ministry of the Word, as the Office of a Minister so employed did require; This I deny: because I have proved they were Ministers of the Word, and have before answered his Argu∣ments drawn from the Apostles, It is not meet, &c. vers. 3. and do now adde; It is one thing to say, It is not meet; another to say, It is inconsistent, it cannot stand with it. Again, many things might be and were sit for Inferior Ministers, which were not fit for the Apostles: It is not meet, was truly said by the Apostles: But now I doubt, whether this Office was for this occasion only, or for their lives. I 2dly. affirm, as before, that these men were Ministers. And 3dly, I deny that this was of that Deacon St. Paul speaks of, and was after used in the Church. His continued Discourse is but a repetition, only a passionate expression or two, that we make a Deacon half a Priest, or a Preparation to it, and he saith, that this was the first In-let into the Usurpation of Bishops. I let these things passe, and come to his Dispute against us.

His First Argument from Reason, Answered.

THat which is made by Christ a distinct Office from Pa∣stor and Teacher, that cannot be any part of either, or a preparation to either. But so the Office of a Deacon is.

I answer: That, First, I deny that ever the Office of a Dea∣con was instituted by Christ; but by the Apostles. Secondly, although I grant that the Apostles instituted this O••••••ce distinct from them, yet it may be a preparation or part of either; for that which is a preparation, is distinct from that it is prepared for, and although all the parts united together do not differ re∣ally from the whole, yet any one part doth. And Thirdly, I say, that although it were neither part nor preparative, yet it may be subservient to them, in which Consists the Office of a Deacon.

His Second Argument from Reason, answered.

HIs Second Argument: That Office which is to attend Ta∣bles, hath nothing to do with Pastors, or Doctors, &c.

But this Office is to attend Tables.

To the Major: That Office may do both, those in the Acts did.

To the Minor; I deny that the Office of a Deacon is solely to attend Tables; but if he leave out that word solely, his whole Argument is lame▪ that which he urgeth out of Acts 6. is not to the purpose, for as I may deny them to be Deacons, because never so called in the Scripture: so I do deny them to be those Deacons St. Paul directs, 1. Tim. 3.

His Third Argument answered.

HIs Third Argument: If the Apostles who were extraordi∣nary persons, could not, shall men of ordinary Abilities be sufficient?

I have answered this before. It is no where said, that they could not, they could without doubt have done much more; but as they were men of extraordinary abilities, so they were men of extraordinary employments; and it was not meet, that that employment should be impeded by any of these lesse affairs. Again, we deny that the Office of a Deacon exacts the duty of a

Pastor from him, but only that he should minister to the Pastor, which he may do well with such a Charge upon him.

Page 36. Number 3. I understand not those Figures; He saith somewhat that would be answered.

Another Argument from 1 Tim. 3. 8. answered.

THE Gifts of Deacons which are required by the Apostle, are such as will not furnish a man to be a Minister; (he means a Presbyter, I think) for such should be Apt to teach: to be a teacher, and not apt to teach, is to be a Bell without a Clapper.

I could answer this in his own Coyn, but I love not scurrility and sharpnesse in these Grave and Serious things; they taste not of that lowlinesse of mind which should be amongst fellow Members.

I answer therefore; That the Gifts of Deacons are not such as qualifie a Bishop, of which St. Paul spake there; but I will tell you, very like them; and as that Clause is not inserted to a Deacon, that he should be apt to teach: so it is not required of him; but when he is found fit to teach, and it is required, he may: I think I have spoken enough to him. If I knew any more of this kind, I would not account it lost time to handle it, although tyred with this.