mother of all the Churches. Some, who of their own authority thrust themselves into the office, are called by St. Paul, "false Apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ." These men laboured to their utmost to detract from the authority of St. Paul, because, said they, he had not 66 seen the Lord in the flesh," contending that his authority was therefore not equal to that of other Apostles, wishing thus to depress him to the lowest and secondary Order of Apostles, that they might be on a par with him in authority, and gain easier reception for their corrupt doctrine. St. Paul zealously defends his authority as an Apostle against these dishonest assailants, affirming that he had received his Apostleship not from man, but of God: which would have been an absurd mode of reasoning, had the name Apostle been common to many who were not of the company of the Twelve, but had been sent" of men and by men"," (to use the same expression with St. Paul,) and e 2 Cor. xi. 13.

d Gal. i. 1.

not immediately by God: among these are to be reckoned Titus, Andronicus, Timotheus, Mark, and several others, styled Bishops and Archbishops in the next age of the Church. The same holds good of the name Evangelist, which was given to many besides those seventy-two already spoken of, as being called by the Church to discharge the same office under them or under the Apostles. Such, although they had not the Spirit in the same measure with the seventy-two, yet contributed greatly, and in proportion to the talents they had received, to build up the Church on the foundations laid by the Apostles. Others then besides the twelve and the seventy-two were called Apostles and Evangelists from the import of the names themselves, and with respect to the Apostolical and Evangelical office in which they were associated as helpers.

e The name Prophet, however, is given in Scripture not only to those to whom God reveals future events, but to all faithful e See Dr. Hammond, on Numbers xi. 25.

expositors of the divine Mysteries, who were skilled in rightly applying the old prophecies to particular places, times, and persons. For the term prophecy is extended to all interpretation of Scripture, that being the gift of the same Holy Spirit which had revealed that Scripture to the Fathers: and, accordingly, in this restricted sense, all teachers of the Gospel and interpreters of Scripture may be styled Prophets.

SJOHN

CHAP. VII.

CONCERNING DEACONS.

HAD it been my plan to adhere to the order of dignity in explaining the ranks of the Gospel Ministry, I should notice Pastors and Teachers next to the Prophets; but having resolved to follow the order of time in which they were first instituted, I must treat of Deacons before I come to Bishops and Presbyters: for we read that the distinction of Deacons existed first, the Church having as yet no other Presbyters but the Apostles, and those whom we have just called Evangelists and Prophets. The care of the poor having been connected by our Lord with the Ministry of the Gospel, the Apostles considered it as part of their own