This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this text, in whole or in part. Please contact project staff at eebotcp-info@umich.edu for further further information or permissions.
1 PET. V. 1, 2, 3, 4.1. The Elders which are among you I beseech, which am also an El∣der, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ.
HEre Saint Peter teacheth those that have any charge of feeding the Flock of Christ, how they ought to behave themselves. In the Chapter afore, he told that none should pre∣sume
to teach or preach any thing, unless he were certain and assured that the same was the sincere and pure Word of God, upon which as upon a firm and strong Rock, our Consciences may boldly stay. For this in Duty is required of us Christians, that we should be certain and know throughly what thing is allowed of Christ, and what is not: for they that waver in uncertainty of this knowledge, are not to be taken as Christians. He addeth also thus much, that whosoever entreth into any Office or Function, should so behave himself therein, in each respect, as that he should not doubt but that God was the Author thereof. But what he here saith, peculiarly belongeth to Bishops and Ecclesiastical Pastors, wherein he teacheth them how they are to demean themselves in the Administration of their duties and charges, and what manner of persons they ought to be.
We must here further be acquainted with the Phrase and Propriety of the Tongue, wherein this Epistle was written, that we be not de∣ceived through ignorance of the signification and force of the Word. For this Greek name Presbuteros, which St. Peter here useth, doth signfiy An Elder: by which Word they also are called that be Senators; that is, men excelling in Age, Gravity, Vertue, Wisdom, and Experience. After the same sort, doth Christ call his Disciples, Ministers, and Se∣nate, to whose Office it belongeth to oversee and govern his spiritual Empire (that is, to preach and to take care of the Christian Congre∣gation) by the name of Elders. And therefore marvail not a whit, nei∣ther let any thing move thee, though they which be Elders, be now a days called by other Titles or Names, whereof the Scripture maketh no mention at all; But not respecting the order, wherein things presently stand, weigh and conceive the matter thus: When St. Peter or any o∣ther of the Apostles, came into any City wherein Christians were, they ordained some one or other of them, such as lived honestly and un∣blameable, and had Wife and Children, and also skilful in the Scrip∣tures of God, to have the Superintendency and charge over the rest. And them they called Seniors or Elders, whom afterward both St. Pe∣ter, and also St. Paul called Bishops, whereby we may note, that Bi∣shops were no other, then the very same that were Elders.
Touching this purpose, we read in the History of St. Martin, how a certain man came unto a place in Africa, and there in a poor Cottage found an Elderly man, whom they thought to have been some plain Country-man. Within a while, they saw many people come flocking to him, to whom he Preached and Expounded the Word of God, whereby they perceived that he was their Pastor or Bishop. For in those days,
there was no difference either in Apparel or manners between the Bi∣shops, and residue of Christians.
The Elders (saith St. Peter) upon whom the charge lyeth, to feed the flock of Christ with the Word of God, and to have care over them in the Lord, I exhort, which am also an Elder. Whereby it manifestly appear∣eth, that they whom he here nameth Elders, were such as laboured in the Ministry of the Word, and diligently preached the glad Tydings of the Gospel. For, such as he was that calleth himself their fellow Elder, such also appeareth it that they were. And here we see, how far he humbleth and abaseth himself, in that, he taketh not upon him the name of a Prelate, (which in respect that he was an Apostle of the Lord he might have done) but calleth himself a Fellow Elder, and also a witness of the Sufferings of Christ. As if he had said, I do not only preach, but I am also among those Confessors of Christ, that are exercised in dayly Af∣flictions. And withal he also sheweth that so many as be Christians, must be persecuted and suffer affliction. And this is a true Apostle of Christ, unto whom if the Pope and his Bishops were any thing like, (as they are shameless enough, to challenge to themselves the same Title) we would not greatly stick, willingly to kiss their feet.