Part 1 — Chapter 6: Argument 4 from 1 Cor. 12:28

Our fourth Argument is drawn from 1 Corinthians 12:28, where we find again an enumeration of sundry offices in the Church (though not so perfect as that Romans 12), and among others, Helps, that is, Deacons, and Governments, that is, Ruling Elders. Where we cannot enough admire how the authors of the new English translation were bold to turn it thus, Helps in Governments, so to make one of two, and to elude our Argument. The original has them clearly distinguished, [in non-Latin alphabet]. And I find some late editions of the English translation to have it as it is in the Greek, Helps, Governments. How this change has been made in the English Bibles, I know not. Chrysostome expounding this place does not take Helps and Governments to be all one, as Bilson has boldly, but falsely averred. No, Chrysostome makes the meaning of [in non-Latin alphabet] to be ut pauperes suscipiamus; and the meaning of [in non-Latin alphabet] he expounded to be praeesse ac curam gerere & res administrare spirituales. The former belongs to Deacons, the latter to ruling Elders. Two answers are made to this place.

First, Doctor Field answers, that both here and Romans 12:8 we reason à genere ad speciem affirmativè; because the Apostle mentions Governours whom he requires to rule with diligence, therefore they were such Elders as we plead for. Whitgift says, the word Governours (1 Corinthians 12:28) and Rulers (Romans 12:8) is general, and may either signify Christian Magistrates, or Ecclesiastical, as Archbishops, Bishops, or whatever other by lawful authority are appointed in the Church.

We reply, first, if the Apostle had mentioned Rulers or Governours alone, then might we have indeed guessed that he meant a general kind only, and no particular species; but since he has enumerated so many species, as Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, gifts of miracles, gifts of tongues, &c., surely they did either most ignorantly, or most maliciously err who tell us that the Apostle puts a genus in the midst of so many species. Secondly, the Apostle speaks only of Ecclesiastical Officers, God has set some in the Church, &c. What meant Whitgift to extend his words to the civil Magistrate? T. C. answered him that he could not distinguish between the Church and Commonwealth, and so between the Church Officers, and the Officers of the Commonwealth. He replied, that he could not put any such difference between them, that the one may not be comprehended under the Apostle's word, as well as the other. For I utterly renounce, says he, that distinction invented by Papists, and maintained by you, which is, that Christian Magistrates govern not in the respect they be Christians but in the respect they be men; and that they govern Christians, not in that they be Christians, but in that they be men: which is to give no more authority to the Christian Magistrate in the Church of Christ, than to the great Turk. Let our opposites here go by the ears among themselves: for Mr. Io. Wemys holds, that all Kings have alike jurisdiction in the Church, Infidels as well as Christian Kings. We hold that Christian Magistrates govern their subjects, neither as Christians, nor as men, but as Magistrates; and they govern Christian subjects as Christian Magistrates. In like manner, Christians are governed by Magistrates, neither as they are Christians, nor as they are men, but as they are subjects, and they are governed by Christian Magistrates, as they are Christian subjects. And we all maintain, that a Christian Magistrate has great authority over Christian subjects, in things pertaining to the conservation and purgation of religion, which the great Turk, nor no Infidel Magistrate has, or can have, except he become Christian. But what do I digressing after the impertinencies of a roving disputer? For what of all this? Let Christian Magistrates govern as you will, will any man say that his office is Ecclesiastical, or to be reckoned among Apostles, Prophets, Teachers? &c. Therefore—

Let us proceed to the other answer, which is made by Saravia: he says, that though the Apostle (1 Corinthians 12:28) reckon out different gifts, we need not for that understand different persons, nor make different orders and offices in the Church, of the gifts of miracles, healing, tongues, and prophecies, which might be, and were in one man. Whereupon he resolves the text thus: that first, Paul sets down three distinct orders, Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers; then he reckons forth these common gifts of the Holy Ghost (and the gift of governing among the rest) which were common to all the three. The Apostle says not Governours, but Governments, says Sutcliffe, to show that he means of faculties not of persons. So says Bilson in like manner.

For confutation of all this, it is to be remembered: first, that the gifts spoken of by the Apostle, are given of God for the common good and edification of the Church, And God has set some in the Church, &c. Secondly, these gifts the Apostle considers not, abstractè à subjectis; but as they are in men endued with them, as is plain; for he had before reckoned forth the gifts themselves (vers. 8, 9, 10), and if here he did no more but reckon them over again, this were actum agere. He is now upon the use and exercise of these gifts by the office-bearers of the Church (vers. 27, 29). And though the Apostle (vers. 28) speaks concretively only of these three, Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers, yet the rest must be understood in the same manner, per metoxymiam adjuncti; as when we speak of Magistracy and Ministry, for Magistrates and Ministers. Yes, the Apostle (vers. 29, 30) so expounds himself where he speaks concretivè of the same things whereof he seemed before to speak abstractivè. He speaks of them as they are in different subjects, which is most evident both by his protasis wherein he did again press the same simile of the several offices, not of the same but of several members of the body; and likewise by the words immediately subjoined, Are all Apostles, are all Prophets? are all Teachers? He would have stood here and said no more, if he had meant to distinguish these three orders only as Saravia expounds him. But now to make it plainly appear that he spoke of the other gifts also, as they are in different persons, he adds, are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? Where we may supply, are all for helps? are all for governments? But can it be for nought that the Apostle omits these two, when he does over again enumerate all the rest? (vers. 29, 30). It is as if he had said, there are some who have none of those special, and (for the most part) extraordinary gifts. All are not Apostles, all are not Prophets, &c.; for some have but common and ordinary gifts, to be Deacons or Elders for government.

There is a great controversy between the Jesuits and the Doctors of Sorbonne, about the meaning of this place which we have now expounded. The Jesuits in their Spongia, written against the censure of the University of Paris, contend, that by Helps the Apostle means the regular Canons, who help the Bishops and the Priests in preaching, ministering the Sacraments, and hearing confessions. By governments they say he means secular Priests, whom they call parochi. And because he puts helps before governments, they infer that Regular Canons are of a higher degree in the hierarchy of the Church, than Secular Priests. This they maintain (good men) for the credit of their own Polypragmatic order, and not for the credit of other regular Canons, you may be sure. The Doctors of Sorbonne in their Vindicia Censura, written by Aurelius, considered that they could not maintain the meaning of the Apostle to be only of different gifts (which no doubt they had answered, if they had thought it to carry any probability); therefore they acknowledge that under these gifts are contained also the degrees of the hierarchy. And that the Apostle's words do partly belong to the common gifts of the Spirit, as powers and interpretation of tongues, partly to the hierarchy: of this latter sort, they make helps and governments. And by the helps they seem to understand Archdeacons and Curates.

But now to conclude this Argument also, thus it is: they who have the gift and office of governing the Church, and are different from them, who have other gifts and offices in the Church, can be no other than the ruling Elders, which we plead for.

But these [in non-Latin alphabet] spoken of (1 Corinthians 12:28) are such. Ergo.