102 TEUE NATUEE OF A* GOSPEL CHUECH.
especial obligation unto one sort of duties, and to another sort from the other.
4. These teachers are set in the church as in a distinct office from that of prophets, " secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers," 1 Cor. xii. 28. And so they are mentioned distinctly in the church of Antioch, Acts xiii. 1, " There were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers." But in both places pastors are comprised under the name of prophets, exhortation being an especial branch of prophesy, Rom. xii. 6-8.
5. There is a peculiar institution of maintenance for these teachers, which argues a distinct office, Gal. vi. 6.
From all these considerations it appears that the teachers men- tioned in the Scripture were officers in the church distinct from pastors: for they are distinguished from them, — (1.) By their «ame, declarative of the especial nature of their office ; (2.) By their peculiar ivork which they are to attend unto, in teaching by virtue of office; (3.) By their distinct placing in the church as peculiar officers in it, distinct from prophets or pastors ; (4.) By the especial constitution of their necessary maintenance ; (5.) By the necessity of their ivork, to be distinctly carried on in the church. Which may suffice for the removal of the second opinion.
The THIED is, that teachers are a distinct office in the church, but such whose office, work, and power, is confined unto teaching only, so as that they have no interest in rule or the administration of the sacraments. And, —
1. I acknowledge that this seems to have been the way and prac- tice of the churches after the apostles; for they had ordinarily cate- chists and teachers in assemblies like schools, that were not called unto the whole work of the ministry.
2. The name of a teacher, neither in its native signification nor in its ordinary application, as expressive of the work of this office, doth extend itself beyond or signify any thing but the mere power and duty of teaching. It is otherwise as unto the names of pastors, bishops or overseers, elders; which, as unto the two former, their con- stant use in the Scripture, suited unto their signification, include the whole Avork of the ministry, and the latter is a name of dignity and rule. Upon the proposal of church-officers under these names, the whole of office-power and duty is apprehended as included in them. But the name of a teacher, especially as significant of that of rabbi among the Jews, carries along with it a confinement unto an especial work or duty.
3. I do judge it lawful for any church, from the nature of the thing itself, Scripture, general rules and directions, to choose, call, and set apart, meet persons unto the office, work, and duty of teachers, without an interest in the rule of the church, or the administration
OF THE OFFICE OF TEACHERS IN THE CHURCH. 103
of the holy ordinances of worship. The same thing is practised by many, for the substance of it, though not in due order ; and, it may be, the practice hereof, duly observed, would lead us unto the origi- nal institution of this office. But, —
4. Whereas a teacher, merely as such, hath no right unto rule or the administration of ordinances, no more than the doctors among the Jews had right to offer sacrifices in the temple, yet he who is called to be a teacher may also at the same time be called to be an elder, and a teaching elder hath the power of all holy administra- tions committed to him.
5. But he that is called to be a teacher in a peculiar manner, although he be an elder also, is to attend peculiarly unto that part of his work from whence he receiveth his denomination.
And so I shall at present dismiss this third opinion unto further consideration, if there be any occasion for it.
The FOURTH opinion I rather embrace than any of the others, namely, upon a supposition that a teacher is a distinct officer in the church, his office is of the same kind with that of the pastor, though distinguished from it as unto degrees, both materially and formally ; for, —
1. They are joined with pastors in the same order, as their asso- ciates in office, Eph. iv. 11: so they are with prophets, and set in the church as they are, 1 Cor. xii. 28; Acts xiii. 1.
2. They have a peculiar work, of the same general nature with that of pastors, assigned unto them, Rom. xii. 7. Being to teach or preach the gospel by virtue of office, they have the same office for substance with the pastors.
3. They are said XnroupyriGat in the church, Acts xiii. 1, 2, which compriseth all sacred administrations.
Wherefore, upon the consideration of all that is spoken in the Scripture concerning church-teachers, with the various conjectures of all sorts of writers about them, I shall conclude my own thoughts in some few observations, and then inquire into the state of the church with reference unto these " pastors and teachers." And I say, —
1. There may he teachers in a church called only unto the work of teaching, without any further interest in rule of right unto the administration of the sacraments. Such they seem to be who are mentioned, Gal. vi. 6. They are there called peculiarly xar'/);^oDi/res, " catechists ; " and 'Ttaiba.yuiyoi, "instructors of those that are young" in the rudiments of religion, 1 Cor. iv. 1.5. And such there were in the primitive churches; some whereof were eminent, famous, and useful. And this was very necessary in those days when the chux"ches were great and numerous; for whereas the whole rule of the church, and the administration of all ordinances in it, are originally committed unto the joastor, as belonging entirely unto his office, the discharge