What Paul saith of himself, That he was an Apostle, 1not of man, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, that is true of all the Apostles, who were sent of Christ, as the Father sent him, and are called Apostles of Jesus Christ, not only because they were to preach Christ, but because they received their commission from him. Not in after-times: for then they must show where Christ committed the power of ⟨p. 235⟩government first to the Apostles, and afterwards to the community of the faithful; for which they can bring no record out of holy scripture. The ministers and guides of the church are immediately of Jesus Christ, from whom immediately they derive their power and authority, by whom they are set over their charge, in whose name they must execute their office, unto whom they must give an account,2 and whose ministers they are. Take heed to your selves, and to the whole flock, over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers: the Apostle speaketh unto the Presbyters of Ephesus, and saith they were appointed overseers of the holy Ghost, that they might govern the church of God. They were chosen and ordained of men,3 and so by immediacy of person were not of God;4 but their gifts, office and authority was immediately of God. In conferring those offices God useth the ministry of men; but the office or authority it self is not from men but from God alone. God only in regard of authority doth ever apply all power ecclesiastical unto every particular person: his sole authority doth all in it, though sometimes, as in ordinary callings, the ministry of others doth concur.5 When Christ ascended up on high, he gave gifts unto men, some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors and teachers. The Pastorship is the gift of Christ no less then the Apostleship; and that the more, because it is perpetual in the church. Every Pastor is not immediately called, but the office and order of Pastors is immediately from Christ and not from ⟨p. 236⟩the church. The person is not immediate, but the calling or vocation, and so the order and authority and all the jurisdiction. But if the calling, order and authority be immediately from Christ, then it is not derived from the community of the faithful as the immediate receptacle. Christ hath given some to be Apostles, and some to be Doctors; not all to be Apostles, nor all to be Doctors:
What Paul saith of himself, That he was an Apostle, 1not of man, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, that is true of all the Apostles, who were sent of Christ, as the Father sent him, and are called Apostles of Jesus Christ, not onely because they were to preach Christ, but because they received their commission from him. Not in after-times: for then they must shew where Christ committed the power of ⟨p. 235⟩government first to the Apostles, and afterwards to the community of the faithfull; for which they can bring no record out of holy scripture. The ministers and guides of the church are immediately of Jesus Christ, from whom immediately they derive their power and authority, by whom they are set over their charge, in whose name they must execute their office, unto whom they must give an account,2 and whose ministers they are. Take heed to your selves, and to the whole flock, over which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers: the Apostle speaketh unto the Presbyters of Ephesus, and saith they were appointed overseers of the holy Ghost, that they might govern the church of God. They were chosen and ordained of men,3 and so by immediety of person were not of God;4 but their gifts, office and authority was immediately of God. In conferring those offices God useth the ministery of men; but the office or authority it self is not from men but from God alone. God onely in regard of authority doth ever apply all power ecclesiasticall unto every particular person: his sole authority doth all in it, though sometimes, as in ordinary callings, the ministery of others doth concurre.5 When Christ ascended up on high, he gave gifts unto men, some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastours and teachers. The Pastourship is the gift of Christ no lesse then the Apostleship; and that the more, because it is perpetuall in the church. Every Pastour is not immediately called, but the office and order of Pastours is immediately from Christ and not from ⟨p. 236⟩the church. The person is not immediate, but the calling or vocation, and so the order and authority and all the jurisdiction. But if the calling, order and authority be immediately from Christ, then it is not derived from the community of the faithfull as the immediate receptacle. Christ hath given some to be Apostles, and some to be Doctours; not all to be Apostles, nor all to be Doctours:
- 1Gal. 1. 1. Bellarm. De Pontis. Rem. l. 4. cap. 23.
- 2Act. 20. 28.
- 3Ames. tom. 1. Bellarm. enervat. cap. 3. cap. 8. §. 14. Th. Aquin. 1. dist. 12. qu. 1. a. 3. & Contra Gentes, l. 3. cap. 70.
- 4Bellarm. De Pont. Rom. lib. 2. cap. 17. §. Observandum est.
- 5Ephes. 4. 8, 11.
