The consideration of the state of the poor, unto whom the contri- butions of the church are to be administered, belongs unto the dis- charge of this office; as, — 1. That they are poor indeed, and do not pretend themselves so to be for advantage; 2. What are the degrees of their poverty, with respect unto their relations and cir- cumstances, that they may have suitable supplies; 3. That in other things they walk according unto rule; 4. In particular, that they ■woi'k and labour according to their ability, for he that will not labour must not eat at the public charge; 5. To comfort, counsel, and exhort them unto jMtience, submission, contentment with their condition, and thankfulness : all which might be enlarged and con- firmed, but that they are obvious.
The qualifications of persons to be called unto this office are dis- tinctly laid down by the apostle, 1 Tim. iii. 8-13. Upon the trial, knowledge, and approbation of tliem, with respect unto these quali- fications, their call to this office consists, — 1. In the choice of the church; 2. In a separation unto it by prayer and imposition of hands, Acts vi. 3, 5, 6. And the adjuncts of their ministration are, — 1, Mercy, to represent the tenderness of Clirist towards the poor of the flock, Rom. xii. 8. 2. G/ieerfidness, to relieve the spirits of them that receive against thoughts of being troublesome and burden- some to others. 3. Diligence and faithfulness, by which they " pur- chase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus."
It remains only that we inquire into some few things relating unto this office and those that are called vmto it; as, —
1. What is the meaning of the apostle where he affirms that the deacons, in the discharge of their office, ^aO/j^hv suuroTg xaXhv rrspi- rroioZvTai, 1 Tim. iii. 13, " purchase (or procure) to themselves a good degree." Ba0/ju6g is "a step, a degree, a seat a little exalted;" and metaphorically it is applied to denote dignity and authority. This good degree, which deacons may obtain, is, in the judgment of most, the office of presbytery. This they shall be promoted unto in the
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church; from deacons they shall be made presbyters. I cannot comply with this interpretation of the words: for, — (1.) The office of presbytery is called xaXov spyov, " a good work," nowhere xaXhg ^(/Jiioi, " a good degree." (2.) The difference between a deacon and a presbyter is not in degree but in order. A deacon made a pres- byter is not advanced unto a farther degree in his own order, but leaves it for another. (3.) The diligent discharge of the work of a deacon is not a due preparation for the office of the presbytery, but a hinderance of it : for it lies wholly in the providing and disposal of earthly things, in a serving of the tables of the church, and those private, of the poor; but preparation for the ministry consists in a man's giving himself unto study, prayer, and meditation.
I shall only give my conjecture on the words. The apostle seems to me to have respect unto church-order, with decency therein, in both these expressions, " Purchase to themselves a good degree," and, " Great confidence in the faith." Bad/j,6g is of the same signi- fication with I3ad/ji,ig, which is a seat raised in an assembly, to hear or speak. So saith the schol. on Soph. OEd. Tyr. 142: 'O toVo; hda ij exxXrioia sylvsTO, ^aS^isiv tjv -/.v/iXui hisi\rtfi[j,?vog^ aWaig hir aXkaig' tvSa c't ffvMsXdovTig 'iravrsg KaSriju^ivoi avs/m^'Trodidrug rixpooivro rou tsra/jbivo-j ^v /ju'sgu)' — " The place where the assembly (or church) met was divided round about with seats in degrees, some above others, where all that met might without trouble hear him that stood in the midst as they sat." And countenance is given hereunto by what is observed concerning the custom of sitting in the Jewish synagogues. So Ambrose: "Tra- ditio est synagogas, ut sedentes disputarent, seniores dignitate in cathedris, subsequentes in subselliis, novissimi in pavimento ;" — " It is the tradition (or order) of the synagogue, that the elders in dignity (or office) should discourse sitting in chairs, the next order on forms (or benches), and the last on the floor." So speaks Philo before him : E/'s hpoug d^ixvoufjbivoi totov: '/.aff rtXirJag sv ru^sffn V'?rh 'TrpsffQvrspoig via %a&ito\iTar — " When we meet in sacred places," places of divine wor- ship, " the younger sort, according to their quality, sit in orders under the elders." And this James the apostle hath respect unto, in the primitive assemblies of the Christian Jews ; for, reproving their par- tiality in accepting of men's persons, preferring the rich immode- rately before the poor, he instanceth in their disposing of them imto seats in their assemblies. They said unto the rich man, " 2i; xa()&u Sjh% xaX&7s," " Sit thou here in a good place," — that is, in jSad/xM xaXw, " in the best degree," — and to the pooi', " Stand thou there," on the floor, or " Sit at my footstool," wdthout respect unto those other qua- lifications whereby they were to be distinguished. Wherefore, the apostle having respect unto church-assemblies, and the order to be observed in them, the xaXhg iSc/J/z-cig here intended may signify no more but a place of some eminency in the church-assemblies, which is due