the alms and take care of the poor, and constituted stewards as it were of the common treasury of the poor; and whose origin, institution, and office, are described in the Acts of the Apostles. For "when there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration," (g) the apostles pleaded their inability to discharge both offices, of the ministry of the word and the service of tables, and said to the multitude, "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." See what were the characters of the deasons in the apostolic Church, and what ought to be the characters of ours in conformity to the primitive example.

X. Now as "all things" in the Church are required to "be done decently and in order," (h) there is nothing in which this ought to be more diligently observed, than the constitution of its government; because there would be more danger from disorder in this case than in any other. Therefore, that restless and turbulent persons may not presumptuously intrude themselves into the office of teaching or of governing, it is expressly provided, that no one shall assume a public office in the Church without a call. In order, therefore, that any one may be accounted a true minister of the Church, it is necessary in the first place, that he be regularly called to it, and in the second place, that he answer his call; that is, by undertaking and executing the office assigned to him. This may frequently be observed in Paul; who, when he wishes to prove his apostleship, almost always alleges his call, together with his fidelity in the execution of the office. If so eminent a minister of Christ dare not arrogate to himself an authority to require his being heard in the Church, but in consequence of his appointment to it by a Divine commission, and his faithful discharge of the duty assigned him; what extreme impudence must it be, if any man, destitute of both these characters, should claim such an honour for himself? But having already spoken of

the necessity of discharging the office, let us now confine ourselves to the call.

XI. Now the discussion of this subject includes four branches: what are the qualifications of ministers; in what manner they are to be chosen; by whom they ought to be appointed; and with what rite or ceremony they are to be introduced into their office. I speak of the external and solemn call, which belongs to the public order of the Church; passing over that secret call, of which every minister is conscious to himself before God, but which is not known to the Church. This secret call, however, is the certain testimony of our heart, that we accept the office offered to us, not from ambition or avarice, or any other unlawful motive, but from a sincere fear of God, and an ardent zeal for the edification of the Church. This, as I have hinted, is indispensable to every one of us, if we would approve our ministry in the sight of God. In the view of the Church, however, he who enters on his office with an evil conscience, is nevertheless duly called, provided his iniquity be not discovered. It is even common to speak of private persons as called to the ministry, who appear to be adapted and qualified for the discharge of its duties; because learning, connected with piety, and other endowments of a good pastor, constitutes a kind of preparation for it. For those whom the Lord hath destined to so important an office, he first furnishes with those talents which are requisite to its execution, that they may not enter upon it empty and unprepared. Hence Paul, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, when he intended to treat of the offices themselves, first enumerated the gifts which ought to be possessed by the persons who sustain those offices. (i) But as this is the first of the four points which I have proposed, let us now proceed to it.

XII. The qualifications of those who ought to be chosen bishops, are stated at large by Paul in two passages. (k) The sum of all he says is, that none are to be chosen but men of sound doctrine and a holy life, not chargeable with

(i) 1 Cor. xii. 7, &c. VOL III.

(k) 1 Tim. iii. 1, &c. Titus i. 7, &c.

I

any fault that may destroy their authority, or disgrace their doctrine. The same rule is laid down for the deacons and governors. Constant care is required, that they be not unequal to the burden imposed upon them, or in other words, that they be endowed with those talents which are necessary to the discharge of their duty. So when Christ was about to send forth his apostles, he furnished them with such means and powers as were indispensable to their success. (1) And Paul, after having delineated the character of a good and genuine bishop, admonishes Timothy not to contaminate himself by the appointment of any one of a different description. (m) The question relating to the manner in which they are to be chosen, I refer not to the form of election, but to the religious awe which ought to be observed in it. Hence the fasting and prayer, which Luke states to have been practised by the faithful at the ordination of elders. (n) For knowing themselves to be engaged in a business of the highest importance, they dared not attempt any thing but with the greatest reverence and solicitude. And above all things they were earnest in prayers and supplications to God for the spirit of wisdom and discretion.

XIII. The third inquiry we proposed was, by whom ministers are to be chosen. Now for this no certain rule can be gathered from the appointment of the apostles, which was a case somewhat different from the common call of other ministers. For as theirs was an extraordinary office, it was necessary, in order to render it conspicuous by some eminent character, that they who were to sustain it should be called and appointed by the mouth of the Lord himself. The apostles, therefore, entered upon their work, not in consequence of any human election, but empowered by the sole command of God and of Christ. Hence when they wish to substitute another in the place of Judas, they refrain from a certain appointment of any one, but nominate two, that the Lord may declare by lot which of them he has chosen as the successor. (0) In the same sense must be understood the declaration of Paul, that

(4) Luke xxi. 15. xxiv. 49. Acts i. 8.
(n) Acts xiv. 23.

(m) 1 Tim. v. 22.
(0) Acts i. 23.

he had been created "an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father." (p) The first clause, not of men, was applicable to him in common with all pious ministers of the word; for no man can lawfully exercise this ministry without having been called by God. The other clause was special and peculiar to himself. When he glories in this, therefore, he not only claims the possession of what belongs to every good pastor, but likewise brings forward an evidence of his apostleship. For whereas there were among the Galatians some who, from an eagerness to diminish his authority, represented him as a common disciple deputed by the primary apostles; in order to vindicate the dignity of his preaching, against which he knew these artifices were directed, he found it necessary to shew that he was not inferior to the other apostles in any respect. Wherefore he affirms, that he had not been elected by the judgment of men, like some ordinary bishop, but by the mouth and clear revelation of the Lord himself.

XIV. But that the election and appointment of bishops by men is necessary to constitute a legitimate call to the office, no sober person will deny, while there are so many testimonies of scripture to establish it. Nor is it contradicted by that declaration of Paul, that he was "an apostle, not of men, nor by man;" (q) since he is not speaking in that passage of the ordinary election of ministers, but claiming to himself what was the special privilege of the apostles. The immediate designation of Paul, by the Lord himself, to this peculiar privilege, was nevertheless accompanied with the form of an ecclesiastical call, for Luke states, that "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereunto I have called them." (r) What end could be answered by this separation and imposition of hands, after the Holy Spirit had testified their election, unless it was the preservation of the order of the Church in designating ministers by men? God could not sanction that order, therefore, by a more illustrious example than when, after having declared that he had con(9) Gal. i. 1. (r) Acts xiii. 2.

(p) Gal. i. 1.

stituted Paul the apostle of the Gentiles, he nevertheless directed him to be designated by the Church. The same may be observed in the election of Matthias. (s) For the apostolic office being of such high importance that they could not venture to fill up their number by the choice of any one person from their own judgment, they appointed two, one of whom was to be chosen by lot; that so the election might obtain a positive sanction from heaven, and yet that the order of the Church might not be altogether neglected.

XV. Here it is inquired, whether a minister ought to be chosen by the whole Church, or only by the other ministers and the governors who preside over the discipline, or whether he may be appointed by the authority of an individual? Those who attribute this right to any one man, quote what Paul says to Titus: "For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest ordain elders in every city:" (t) and to Timothy; "Lay hands suddenly on no man." (v) But they are exceedingly mistaken, if they suppose that either Timothy at Ephesus, or Titus in Crete, exercised a sovereign power to regulate every thing according to his own pleasure. For they presided over the people, only to lead them by good and salutary counsels, not to act alone to the exclusion of all others. But that this may not be thought to be an invention of mine, I will prove it by a similar example. For Luke relates, that elders were ordained in the Churches by Paul and Barnabas, but at the same time he distinctly marks the manner in which this was done,-namely, by the suffrages or votes of the people: for this is the meaning of the term he there employs; χειροτονησανίες πρεσβύτερος και εκκλησίαν. (w) Those two apostles, therefore, ordained them; but the whole multitude, according to the custom observed in elections among the Greeks, declared by the elevation of their hands who was the object of their choice. So the Roman historians frequently speak of the consul, who held the assemblies, as appointing the new magistrates, for no other reason but because he received the suffrages and presided at the election. Surely it is not credible that Paul granted to Timothy ($) Acts i. 23. (t) Titus i. 5.

(v) 1 Tim. v. 22. (w) Acts xiv. 23