2. Again ; none can or vadsy take this office upon him, or discharge the duties of it, which are peculiarly its own, with authority, but he who is called and set apart thereunto according to the mind of Jesus Christ. The continuation of all church order and power, of the regular administration of all sacred ordinances, yea, of the very be- ing of the church as it is organ ical, depends on this assertion. Some deny the continuation of the office itself, and of those duties Avhich are peculiar unto it, as the administration of the sacraments ; some judge that persons neither called nor set apart unto this office may discharge all the duties and the whole work of it ; some, that a tem- porary delegation of power unto any by the church is all the war- ranty necessary for the undertaking and discharge of this office. Many have been the contests about these things, occasioned by the ignorance and disorderly affections of some persons. I shall briefly rejoresent the truth herein, with the grounds of it, and proceed to the consideration of the call itself, which is so necessary: —
(1.) Christ himself, in his own person and by hisown authority, was thejiuthor of this office. He gave it, appointed it, erected it in the church, by virtue of his sovereign power and authority, Eph. iv. 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii. 28. As he gave, appointed, ordained, an extraordi- nary office of apostleship, so he ordained, appointed, and gave, the ordinary office of pastorship or teaching. They have both the same divine original.
(2.) He appointed this office for continuanoo^jiv to abide in the church unto the consummation of all things, Eph. iv. 18, Matt, xxviii. 19, 20 ; and therefore he took order by his apostles that, for the continuation of this office, pastors, elders, or bishops, should be called and ordained unto the care and discharge of it in all churches ; which Avas done by them accordingly. Acts xiv. 22, 23, xx. 28, 1 Tim. iii. 1-7, Tit. i. 5-9 : wherein he gave rule unto all churches unto the end of the world, and prescribed them their duty.
(3.) On this office and the discharge of it he hath laid the whole weight of the order, rule, and edification ofhis church, in his name
52 TRUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
and by virtue of his authority, Acts xx. 28; Col. iv. 17; 1 Tim. iil. ]5; 1 Pet. V. 1-4; E.ev. ii. 1-5, etc. Hereon a double necessity of the continuation of this office doth depend, — first. That which ariseth from the precept or command of it, which made it necessary to the church on the account of the obedience which it owes to Christ; and, secondly, From its being the principal ordinary means of all the ends of Christ in and towards his church. Wherefore, although he can himself feed his church in the wilderness, when it is deprived of all outward instituted means of edification, yet where this office fails through its neglect, there is nothing but disorder, confusion, and destruction, will ensue thereon; no promise of feeding or edifi- cation.
(4.) The Lord Christ hath given commands unto the church for obedience unto those who enjoy and exercise this office among them. Now, all these commands are needless and superfluous, nor can any obedience be yielded unto the Lord Christ in their observance, unless there be a continuation of this office. And the church loseth as much in grace and privilege as it loseth in commands; for in obedi- ence unto the commands of Christ doth grace in its exercise consist, 1 Tim. V. 17; Heb. xiii. 7, 17.
(5.) This office is accompanied with power and authority, which none can take or assume to themselves. All power and authority, whether in things spiritual or temporal, which is not either founded in the law of nature or collated by divine ordination, is usurpation and tyranny ; no man can of himself take either sword. To invade an office which includes power and authority over others is to dis- turb all right, natural, divine, and civil. That such an authority is included in this office is evident, — [1.] From the names ascribed unto them in whom it is vested; as pastors, bishops, elders, rulers, all of them requiring it. [2.] From the work prescribed unto them, which is feeding by rule and teaching. [3.] From the execution of church-power in discipline, or the exercise of the keys of the king- dom of heaven committed unto them. [4.] From the commands given for obedience unto them, which respect authority. [5.] From their ajjpointment to be tJie means and instruments of exerting the authority of Christ in the church, which can be done no other way.
(6.) Christ hath appointed a standing ride of the calling of men unto this office, as we shall see immediately ; but if men may enter upon it and discharge it without any such call, that rule, with the way of the call prescribed, is altogether in vain ; and there can be no greater affront unto the authority of Christ in his church than to act in it in neglect of or in opposition unto the rule that he hath appointed for the exercise of power in it.
(7.) There is an accountable trust committed unto those who un- dertake this office. The whole flock, the ministry itself, the truths