Firft the

Fifty And This plaifter is not broad enough to cover the works affign-fore, for were. Prophets and Evangelifts of the fame order, both ed to the E-.,, of them did, or might perform the fame Office-works: But vangelift will not admit the the former Definitions align the Evangelift fuch works as the Prophet to a Prophet,could not do any paralel, or equal to them. For were

parity.

parity.

the Evangelifts the Apostles vicars over all Churches, the Prophets whatsoever office they bare in the Church muft of neceffity be inferiour to them on

Secondly,Our Affembly urged by the diffenting Brethren,there. Secondly, in diffenting from themfelves) to prove by Scripture, the fubour Affembly ordination of their feveral Courts, to wit, Confiftories, claffes, difallow the Provincial Synods and general Assembly's; because as they fay, the inferiority, and fuperiority of officers were fo diftinguished in the Apostles time, as they prove by this text, Ephef. 4.11. The Affembly calling to mind the diffenters former affertion, aAnf. to diff. bout the parallelnels of the orders, betwixt the Prophets and the P: 147.

Evangelifts, fhape them this anfwer: That for ought there appears, London 1648. the Evangelift might as well be of a parallel order with Pastors and

S

Teachers, as with Prophets. The confequence whereof muft be both a plain denyal of the objection,which the affembly also doth banoo in the forecited place; and (whereof perhaps they were not aware) à dire& confutation of Calvines (and confequently of their own) opinion of the Evangelifts nextness to the Apostles; This text being fingly alledged by him in proof of that notion, for were the Evangelifts next to the Apostles, fo as to apply their places, in conftituting, or governing all, or many Churches; no queftion can be made whither they and Pastors be of a parallel order, unless Paftory as well as Evangelists,be extraordinary : and this text treat onely of extraordinary Officers, for the yet continuing Paftor (or Presbyter, for of him onely Calvinists underftand that term) is not as they fay, the Evangelift wa, nextin office to the Apoftles, and doth not fupply their place in con19bftituting, or governing all, or many Churches. But if he be, slagthen the middle wall betwixt ordinary and extraordinary officeers The five is taken down, and all offices are laid in common.

terms, Apo

ftles, Pro- This notion therefore about the parallelness of the orders, phets, &c. ex-betwixt the Prophets and Evangelifts, will not unty, but more inpoundel. rangle,the knot of this difficulty,concerning the Presbyterian lodcation of the Evangelift,however it advifeth to a true expofition gatively they of the five terms Apaffles, Prophets, Evangelifts, &c. we shall do were not feve it, or endeavour to do it,with all poffible brevity, and plainnels. ral orders.& Firft. Negatively, fhewing what they were not.

Secondly,

Secondly, Pofitively declaring what they were.

Because

Firft, Negatively, they were not feveral orders of teaching Church-officers. The affirmative is maintained by Beza, Zanchius, Pifcator, and Henderfon (as we have before heard) but other reafon, either there, or elsewhere in their writings, befides their bare fay-fo, they do not give. This might be turned off, with as bare and peremptory a denyal; but we study the Readers fatisfaction, and will affign reafons why we cannot even ded Chrift raorders, with the terms Apostles, Prophets, Evangelifts tified only

Filft, afcen

two orders of

See my

reasons for

Chrifts fole

Dandi vo

regitur eccle

&c. First, Afcended Chrift ratified those, and only thofe orders officers. of teaching Church-officers, whom he conftituted while defcended, because he who afcended is also the fame who defcended, and in both capacities, He gave fome Apostles, &c. Eph. 4, 8, 9, 10.11. But defcended Chrift appointed only two orders Legiflatorfhip of teaching Church-officers, The twelve Apostles, Mat.10.1.and the pag.107. feventy Difciples,Luk. 16. 1. Now if the number be augmented after the Afcenfion, how can he who defcended, and he who afcended be the fame. This no doubt Calvin eyed when he cabulum infaith, The word give intimateth this is not an invented command, nuit, non effe but Chrifts holy inftitution, that the Church be governed by preach mandatum fed ing of the Word, for neither the Apostles created themselves, but facrofanetam were elected by Chrift. Thus he. But certainly to vary the or- Chrifti inftiders of teaching Church-officers, by making them more or lefs, tutionem,quod according to the feveral states of Chrifts afcending,and defcen- fra verbi prading, muft imply the addition of power in one ftate, which he dicatione newanted in another, and confequently that he who defcended, que enim Apoand he who afcended is not the fame in power, and virtue; ftoli, fe ipfi neither will this text be of any force against the Neftorians, letti fuerunt a crearunt fed e(though Jerom ufe it) to prove that the Son of God, and the Chrifto. Calv. Son of man are not diftinct perfons, but both one, because St. ad Eph. 4.11. Paul faith, he who defcended, and he who afcended is the fame. But Vid. Eftrather thofe hereticks are in the right, fince the highest refor thium in loc mifts (or those who would be accounted fuch) vary, and alter the orders of Church-officers according to thofe feveral estates of Chrift. Befides this confining the teaching Miniftry unto two orders is not my private inference from thofe Texts,Damafus Bifhopof Rome (St. Jeroms contemporary) gives this ve ry reafon for the unchairing of the Chorepifcopi, or Rural Bifhops. He faith, Those Chorepifcopi are prohibited as well by this

Chorepifco-facred See (Rome) as by the Bishops of the whole world, for their inpi tam ab hae ftitution is overmuch improbous, and wicked, because although they Jacra fede quam ab epif- presume to do fomewhat appertaining to the chief Sacerdotal Mini copis totius or- try, yet they want all authority. For we have not known any more bis prohibiti then two orders among the difciples of the Lord. i.e. the funt, nimis e- twelve Apoftles, and feventy two difciples, whence the third nim eorum in- proceeded we are ignorant. And what is void of reafon of neftitutio improba eft & pra- ceflity must be extirpated.

ni tamen au

inter dicipulos

va quia etfi de Secondly, Every here mentioned work of perfecting of the Saints, fummo facer- working in the Ministry, and edifying of the body of Chrift which dotii minifte- contain a compleat discharge of the whole office of Apostles, rio aliquid prefumantiom- Prophets, Evangelifts, Paftors, and Teachers, or St. Paul would never have faid, that Chrift gaye the officers for that end, were thoritate ca- done by one or other of thofe two orders, even Apoftolical, or rent nam non Presbyterial. The Apoftles perfonally discharged them all, the amplius quam word nagprendred perfecting, is a Metaphor tranflated duos ordines from the natural to the myftical body; properly it fignifies the domini effe concinnation, compactness, apt, and orderly difpofition of all cognovimus i. the members, in a compleat and perfect body, and their fete-duodecim ting in joynt when any of them are diflocated by cafual vioApoftolorum, lence, tralatiously as in this Text it imports the gathering, go&feptuagin ta duorum dif- Verning, forming, and reforming of the Church. Thus to percipulorum. fect the Saints was the Apostles work., A&t. i. 26. A&t. 2. 42. Unde ifte ter- A&t. 6. 1, 2, 3. Act. 8. 14, 15, 16., A&t. 14. 23. Act. 16.4. tius proceffe 1 Cor. 5, 3, 1 Cor. 11. 34, 3 Epift. Joh. v. 10. Neither was Titignoramus this alone an Apoftolical work, for fo was the work of the Mini&quod rati one caret ex- ftry, Act, 20. 24. And fo was the edifying of the body of Christ. tirpare necef 1 Cor. 3. 10. The four remaining terms; Prophets, Evangelifts, fe eft damafus Paftors, and Teachers, are fo far from conftituting feveral orapud farti ders, orrelating to fpecial, and diftinct works, as the works decret dia denominating them are not proper, or diftinct, either to the Apoftolical, or Presbyterial order, but common to both. The Apostles Prophefie, Act. 2. 18, which to the end 36. fo did Presby ters. Act. 15, 32 This Text concerns Judas and Sylas, whofe Presbyterate fhall be evinced in the fourth exception. The Apostles Evangelized, Rom. 1. 15. Rom. 15. 20. 1 Cor. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 9. 16. So did Prefiers. Act. 8. 1. v. 5. v. 35. This concerns Evangelift Philip, whofe Presbyterate shall be matifefted, in the explication of my own definition of the Evange lift. The Apostles fed. 1 Cor. 9. 7 Pet. 51. fo did Prefbyters Act. 20 28. This concerns the Ephefine Elders,whofe Presbyterate will be readily granted by Presbyter:. The Apoftles taught, f. hm. 2.4.2. Tim. 1. 11. Ju did. Boysytory

an. 1. libro

Atin&t. 68.

1 Tim

A

In omnibus

&atum Paul.

1 Tim. 3. This Text concerntth one and the fame perfons, with Act.20.28. This no doubt occafioned Paulinus St. Augustines his diverfis contemporary, & writing to him to fay,That alike, & almost nominibus, fione office of teaching, feems to be handled in all thefe divers names. mile, prope Thirdly, the Church at Jerufalem, convened in a Synod, is unum dottring comprized in Apoftles, Elders and Brethren. Act. 15. 2. v. 4. v. officium,vide 6. v. 22. Act. 16. 4. This was the firft Church formed by tur fuiffe traour Saviour, and at this time not only fully conftituted, but ad Auguftin. affembled for the exercise of the highest act of Ecclefiaftical pointer opera wer. And the may rather be presumed to be a pattern unto all Auguftin. To. other Churches, then to derive an example from them, and al- 2, Epift. 58. ter hers, according to the diverfity of their conftitution; Bafilea.1556. which fhe muft do, or continue incompleat, if Apostles, Prophets, Thirdly the Evangelifts, Paftors, and Teachers, were fo many feveral orders. Church of JeBefides, let it be noted, this Synod, at Jerufalem, was conve- rufalem Synoned long after the Apoftles had received the gift of Prophefie. dally conveAct. 2. 18. And after St. Peter had Evangelized to Cornelius, ned, is comand his gentile relations. A&t. 10. which notwithstanding, and poftles, Elalthough in all probability others of the Apostles, especially ders, and St. Paul and Barnabas had done the like works, yet no mention Brethren. is made of Prophets, Evangelifts, Paftors, or Teachers, diftin& from Apoftles and Elders.

prized in A❤

Fourthly, who ever Apoftolized, Prophefied, Evangelized, or did any other work, relative to the perfecting of an old, or the fame Fourthly gathering of a new Church, he did not receive a new order to works done do, or by doing of those works, because order preceeds of- by the fame, fice, and who ever did thefe works, he was an officer before he or diverfe did them: Neither did he afcend any ftep, or degree above perfons in dihis brethren and fellow-officers, ordinarily officiating in confti- did not divertuted Churches; Because, either thofe officers had done the fify the orders fame works in the Churches where they were fettled, or others of the workwhose descendants they were, had done them at the first fettle men. ment of those Churches; And because fuch new Apostles,and Prophets, and Evangelifts would become fettled officers, have their limits, do the common works of Governing, Feeding, and Teaching, when their converts were gathered into a Church. Indeed the table must be spread for Chrift, iby Apoftolizing, Prophefying, or Evangelizing, ere we entertain him, or heus, by feeding and teaching, but 'tis equally certain that the former muft end in the latter, when, and fo foon as the Church is con ftituted; Befides for this purpose it is very obfervable, that they who in Scripture are called Evangelifts, were in orders,

or

or made Minifters ere they were called Evangelifts. Thus Timothy was ordained by St. Paul, and did Apoftolical works at Epbefus, long, and long before he is enjoyned to do the work of an Evangelift. Thus Philip was ordained an officer in the Church of Jerufalem (but he was a Presbyter, not an Apostle, as fhall appear largely in the following part of this difcourfe) ere he did Evangelize at Samaria & Cefaria. A&t. 8. And for doing whereof he is called an Evangelift, Act.21. 8. Those two Evange lifts being of different orders, or of the Apoftolical and Presbyterial, makes it manifeft that the Evangelizate was no diftinct order, for although the Apoftles might have done its diftin&t acts had it been an order, because the Apoftolate was the highest Ecclefiaftical order, and every fuperiour order, eminently (at leaft) contains the inferiour in it. Yet Prefbyters could not have done them, because if the Evangelizate was any order, it cannot be denyed to have been fuperiour to the Presbyterate, Neither could any presbyter be admitted to do its diftin&t acts, without a down-right overthrow of all formal difference, betwixt the orders. If any unfatisfied Reader fhall yet persist in his opinion, that the Evangelizate was a diftinct order, we defire him to fhew us its formal difference both from the Apoftolate, and from the Presbyterate. And what other works the Evangelift could do diftinct from those enumerated in this text. viz. the perfecting of the Saints, work of the Ministry, and edifying of the body of Chrift. All which we have already proved to have been done by Apoftles & presbyters: we may be,& have fomtimes been told,that Timothy and Philip,after their former ordinations received new commiffions authorizing them to be Evangelifts: -But we dare not beleeve it, fince Timothy's order (ere he was bid do the work of an Evangelift) was fo high and eminent, that Evangelizing must be an undervaluing to him, if it placed him in a new and diftinct order or office, becaufe he was before appointed by St. Paul to do Apoftolical works, or the diftin&t works of the Apoftolical office at Ephefus; which was the place whereunto the command was fent him to do the works of an Evangelift. And fince Philip, after the mention made of him, Act. 6. is not noted in Scripture to have recated any new order, or commiffion to do the works received Act. 8. And for doing which (as hath been faid) he is called an Evangelist, A&. for your Ma- 21. 8. the Wight Divines do voluntarily allow us, that, Apojefties definition of the E-fles, Prophets,Evangelifts, &c. are diftinguished by their callings, pifcopal go- and commiffions, but not by their works; which they endeavour

2 Paper

vernment.

.

to