Institutes of the Christian Religion (Vol. 2 of 2)
IV. Those who preside over the government of the Church,
according to the institution of Christ, are named by Paul, first,
“apostles;” secondly, “prophets;” thirdly, “evangelists;”
fourthly, “pastors;” lastly, “teachers.”[805]
Of these, only the
two last sustain an ordinary office in the Church: the others were
such as the Lord raised up at the commencement of his kingdom,
and such as he still raises up on particular occasions, when
required by the necessity of the times. The nature of the
apostolic office is manifest from this command: “Go preach
the gospel to every creature.”[806]
No certain limits are prescribed,
but the whole world is assigned to them, to be reduced
to obedience to Christ; that by disseminating the gospel
wherever they could, they might erect his kingdom in all
nations. Therefore Paul, when he wished to prove his apostleship,
declares, not merely that he had gained some one city for
Christ, but that he had propagated the gospel far and wide,
and that he had not built upon the foundation of others, but had
planted Churches where the name of the Lord had never been
heard before. The “apostles,” therefore, were missionaries, who
were to reduce the world from their revolt to true obedience to
God, and to establish his kingdom universally by the preaching
of the gospel. Or, if you please, they were the first architects
of the Church, appointed to lay its foundations all over the
world. Paul gives the appellation of “prophets,” not to all
interpreters of the Divine will, but only to those who were
honoured with some special revelation. Of these, either there
are none in our day, or they are less conspicuous. By “evangelists,”
I understand those who were inferior to the apostles
in dignity, but next to them in office, and who performed similar
functions. Such were Luke, Timothy, Titus, and others
of that description; and perhaps also the seventy disciples,
whom Christ ordained to occupy the second station from the
apostles.[807]
According to this interpretation, which appears
to me perfectly consistent with the language and meaning of
the apostle, those three offices were not instituted to be of
perpetual continuance in the Church, but only for that age
when Churches were to be raised where none had existed before,
or were at least to be conducted from Moses to Christ.
Though I do not deny, that, even since that period, God has
sometimes raised up apostles or evangelists in their stead, as
he has done in our own time. For there was a necessity for
such persons to recover the Church from the defection of Antichrist.
Nevertheless, I call this an extraordinary office,
because it has no place in well-constituted Churches. Next
follow “pastors” and “teachers,” who are always indispensable
to the Church. The difference between them I apprehend to
be this—that teachers have no official concern with the discipline,
or the administration of the sacraments, or with admonitions
and exhortations, but only with the interpretation of the
Scripture, that pure and sound doctrine may be retained among
believers; whereas the pastoral office includes all these things.
V. We have now ascertained what offices were appointed to
continue for a time in the government of the Church, and what
were instituted to be of perpetual duration. If we connect
the evangelists with the apostles, as sustaining the same office,
we shall then have two offices of each description, corresponding
to each other. For our pastors bear the same resemblance
to the apostles, as our teachers do to the ancient prophets.
The office of the prophets was more excellent, on account of
the special gift of revelation, by which they were distinguished;
but the office of teachers is executed in a similar manner, and
has precisely the same end. So those twelve individuals,
whom the Lord chose to promulgate the first proclamation of
his gospel to the world, preceded all others in order and dignity.
For although, according to the meaning and etymology of the
word, all the ministers of the Church may be called apostles,
because they are all sent by the Lord, and are his messengers,
yet, as it was of great importance to have a certain knowledge
of the mission of persons who were to announce a thing new
and unheard before, it was necessary that those twelve, together
with Paul, who was afterwards added to their number, should
be distinguished beyond all others by a peculiar title. Paul
himself, indeed, gives this name to “Andronicus and Junia,
who,” he says, “are of note among the apostles;”[808]
but
when he means to speak with strict propriety, he never applies
that name except to those of the first order that we have mentioned.
And this is the common usage of the Scripture. But
the province of pastors is the same as that of the apostles, except
that they preside over particular Churches respectively
committed to each of them. Of the nature of their functions
let us now proceed to a more distinct statement.
VI. Our Lord, when he sent forth his apostles, commissioned
them, as we have just remarked, to preach the gospel, and to
baptize all believers for the remission of sins.[809]
He had
already commanded them to distribute the sacred symbols of
his body and blood according to his own example.[810]
Behold
the sacred, inviolable, and perpetual law imposed upon those
who call themselves successors of the apostles; it commands
them to preach the gospel, and to administer the sacraments.
Hence we conclude, that those who neglect both these duties
have no just pretensions to the character of apostles. But what
shall we say of pastors? Paul speaks not only of himself, but of
all who bear that office, when he says, “Let a man so account
of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries
of God.”[811]
Again: “A bishop must hold fast the faithful word
as he hath been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine,
both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”[812]
From these
and similar passages, which frequently occur, we may infer that
the preaching of the gospel, and the administration of the sacraments,
constitute the two principal parts of the pastoral office.
Now, the business of teaching is not confined to public discourses,
but extends also to private admonitions. Thus Paul calls upon
the Ephesians to witness the truth of his declaration, “I have kept
back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have showed
you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house,
testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance
toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” And a
little after: “I ceased not to warn every one, night and day, with
tears.”[813]
But it is no part of my present design, to enumerate
all the excellences of a good pastor, but only to show what is
implied in the profession of those who call themselves pastors;
namely, that they preside over the Church in that station, not
that they may enjoy a respectable sinecure, but to instruct the
people in true piety by the doctrine of Christ, to administer the
holy mysteries, to maintain and exercise proper discipline. For
the Lord denounces to all those who have been stationed as
watchmen in the Church, that if any one perish in ignorance
through their negligence, he will require the blood of such a
person at their hands.[814]
What Paul says of himself, belongs
to them all: “Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel,” because
“a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”[815]
Lastly, what the apostles did for the whole world, that every
individual pastor ought to do for his flock to which he is
appointed.
