The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

4. SOME judge, that it was a distinct Office, but of the same nature and kind with that of the Pastor, endowed with all the same Powers, but differenced from it with respect unto Gifts, and a peculiar kind of Work allotted unto it: But this Opinion hath this seeming disadvantage, that the difference between them is so small, as not to be sufficient to give a distinct denomination of Officers, or to constitute a distinct Office. And it may be, such a distinction in Gifts will seldom appear, as that the Church may be guided thereby in their choice of meet Persons unto distinct Offices. But Scripture-Testimony and Rule must take place; and I shall briefly examine all these Opinions.

1. THE First is, That this is not the name of any Officer, nor is a Teacher, as such, any Officer in the Church; but it is ⟨p. 119⟩used only as a general Name for any that Teach on any account the Doctrine of the Gospel. I do not indeed know of any who have in particular contended for this Opinion; but I observe that very many Expositors take no farther notice of them, but as such. This seems to me to be most remote from the Truth.

IT is true, that in the First Churches, not only some, but all who had received Spiritual Light in the Gifts of knowledge and utterance, did teach and instruct others as they had opportunity, 1 Pet. 5.8, 9, 10, 11. Hence, the Heathen Philosophers, as Celsus in particular, objected to the Christians of old, that they suffered Sutlers, and Weavers, and Cobblers to teach among them, which, they who knew that Paul himself, their great Apostle, wrought at a Trade not much better, were not offended at. Of this sort were the Disciples mentioned,