Books: Leviathan

T >> Thomas Hobbes >> Leviathan

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But to what end is it (may some man aske), that the Apostles,
and other Pastors of the Church, after their time, should meet together,
to agree upon what Doctrine should be taught, both for Faith and Manners,
if no man were obliged to observe their Decrees? To this may be answered,
that the Apostles, and Elders of that Councell, were obliged even
by their entrance into it, to teach the Doctrine therein concluded,
and decreed to be taught, so far forth, as no precedent Law,
to which they were obliged to yeeld obedience, was to the contrary;
but not that all other Christians should be obliged to observe,
what they taught. For though they might deliberate what each of them
should teach; yet they could not deliberate what others should do,
unless their Assembly had had a Legislative Power; which none
could have but Civill Soveraigns. For though God be the Soveraign
of all the world, we are not bound to take for his Law, whatsoever
is propounded by every man in his name; nor any thing contrary
to the Civill Law, which God hath expressely commanded us to obey.

Seeing then the Acts of Councell of the Apostles, were then no Laws,
but Councells; much lesse are Laws the Acts of any other Doctors,
or Councells since, if assembled without the Authority of the
Civill Soveraign. And consequently, the Books of the New Testament,
though most perfect Rules of Christian Doctrine, could not be made Laws
by any other authority then that of Kings, or Soveraign Assemblies.

The first Councell, that made the Scriptures we now have, Canon,
is not extant: For that Collection the first Bishop of Rome after
S. Peter, is subject to question: For though the Canonicall books
bee there reckoned up; yet these words, "Sint vobis omnibus
Clericis & Laicis Libris venerandi, &c." containe a distinction
of Clergy, and Laity, that was not in use so neer St. Peters time.
The first Councell for setling the Canonicall Scripture, that is extant,
is that of Laodicea, Can. 59. which forbids the reading of other Books
then those in the Churches; which is a Mandate that is not addressed
to every Christian, but to those onely that had authority to read any
publiquely in the Church; that is, to Ecclesiastiques onely.

Of The Right Of Constituting Ecclesiasticall
Officers In The Time Of The Apostles
Of Ecclesiastical Officers in the time of the Apostles, some were
Magisteriall, some Ministeriall. Magisteriall were the Offices
of preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to Infidels;
of administring the Sacraments, and Divine Service; and of teaching
the Rules of Faith and Manners to those that were converted.
Ministeriall was the Office of Deacons, that is, of them that were
appointed to the administration of the secular necessities of the Church,
at such time as they lived upon a common stock of mony, raised out of
the voluntary contributions of the faithfull.

Amongst the Officers Magisteriall, the first, and principall
were the Apostles; whereof there were at first but twelve;
and these were chosen and constituted by our Saviour himselfe;
and their Office was not onely to Preach, Teach, and Baptize,
but also to be Martyrs, (Witnesses of our Saviours Resurrection.)
This Testimony, was the specificall, and essentiall mark;
whereby the Apostleship was distinguished from other Magistracy
Ecclesiasticall; as being necessary for an Apostle, either to have seen
our Saviour after his Resurrection, or to have conversed with him before,
and seen his works, and other arguments of his Divinity, whereby they
might be taken for sufficient Witnesses. And therefore at the election
of a new Apostle in the place of Judas Iscariot, S. Peter saith
(Acts 1.21,22.) "Of these men that have companyed with us,
all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from the Baptisme of John unto that same day that he was
taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a Witnesse with us of
his Resurrection:" where, by this word Must, is implyed a necessary
property of an Apostle, to have companyed with the first and prime
Apostles in the time that our Saviour manifested himself in the flesh.

Matthias Made Apostle By The Congregation.
The first Apostle, of those which were not constituted by Christ
in the time he was upon the Earth, was Matthias, chosen in this manner:
There were assembled together in Jerusalem about 120 Christians
(Acts 1.15.) These appointed two, Joseph the Just, and Matthias
(ver. 23.) and caused lots to be drawn; "and (ver. 26.) the Lot
fell on Matthias and he was numbred with the Apostles." So that here
we see the ordination of this Apostle, was the act of the Congregation,
and not of St. Peter, nor of the eleven, otherwise then as Members
of the Assembly.

Paul And Barnabas Made Apostles
By The Church Of Antioch
After him there was never any other Apostle ordained, but Paul and
Barnabas, which was done (as we read Acts 13.1,2,3.) in this manner.
"There were in the Church that was at Antioch, certaine Prophets,
and Teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger,
and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen; which had been brought up with
Herod the Tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministred unto the Lord,
and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, 'Separate mee Barnabas, and Saul
for the worke whereunto I have called them.' And when they had fasted,
and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away."

By which it is manifest, that though they were called by the Holy Ghost,
their Calling was declared unto them, and their Mission authorized
by the particular Church of Antioch. And that this their calling
was to the Apostleship, is apparent by that, that they are both called
(Acts 14.14.) Apostles: And that it was by vertue of this act
of the Church of Antioch, that they were Apostles, S. Paul declareth
plainly (Rom. 1.1.) in that hee useth the word, which the Holy Ghost
used at his calling: For he stileth himself, "An Apostle separated
unto the Gospel of God;" alluding to the words of the Holy Ghost,
"Separate me Barnabas and Saul, &c." But seeing the work of an Apostle,
was to be a Witnesse of the Resurrection of Christ, and man may here aske,
how S. Paul that conversed not with our Saviour before his passion,
could know he was risen. To which it is easily answered,
that our Saviour himself appeared to him in the way to Damascus,
from Heaven, after his Ascension; "and chose him for a vessell
to bear his name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and Children of Israel;"
and consequently (having seen the Lord after his passion) was
a competent Witnesse of his Resurrection: And as for Barnabas,
he was a Disciple before the Passion. It is therefore evident
that Paul, and Barnabas were Apostles; and yet chosen, and authorized
(not by the first Apostles alone, but) by the Church of Antioch;
as Matthias was chosen, and authorized by the Church of Jerusalem.

What Offices In The Church Are Magisteriall
Bishop, a word formed in our language, out of the Greek Episcopus,
signifieth an overseer, or Superintendent of any businesse,
and particularly a Pastor or Shepherd; and thence by metaphor
was taken, not only amongst the Jews that were originally Shepherds,
but also amongst the Heathen, to signifie the Office of a King, or any
other Ruler, or Guide of People, whether he ruled by Laws, or Doctrine.
And so the Apostles were the first Christian Bishops, instituted
by Christ himselfe: in which sense the Apostleship of Judas is called
(Acts 1.20.) his Bishoprick. And afterwards, when there were
constituted Elders in the Christian Churches, with charge to guide
Christs flock by their doctrine, and advice; these Elders were also
called Bishops. Timothy was an Elder (which word Elder, in the
New Testament is a name of Office, as well as of Age;) yet he was
also a Bishop. And Bishops were then content with the Title of Elders.
Nay S. John himselfe, the Apostle beloved of our Lord, beginneth
his Second Epistle with these words, "The Elder to the Elect Lady."
By which it is evident, that Bishop, Pastor, Elder, Doctor,
that is to say, Teacher, were but so many divers names of the
same Office in the time of the Apostles. For there was then no
government by Coercion, but only by Doctrine, and Perswading.
The Kingdome of God was yet to come, in a new world; so that there
could be no authority to compell in any Church, till the Common-wealth
had embraced the Christian Faith; and consequently no diversity
of Authority, though there were diversity of Employments.

Besides these Magisteriall employments in the Church, namely Apostles,
Bishops, Elders, Pastors, and Doctors, whose calling was to
proclaim Christ to the Jews, and Infidels, and to direct, and teach
those that beleeved we read in the New Testament of no other.
For by the names of Evangelists and Prophets, is not signified
any Office, but severall Gifts, by which severall men were profitable
to the Church: as Evangelists, by writing the life and acts
of our Saviour; such as were S. Matthew and S. John Apostles,
and S. Marke and S. Luke Disciples, and whosoever else wrote
of that subject, (as S. Thomas, and S. Barnabas are said to have done,
though the Church have not received the Books that have gone
under their names:) and as Prophets, by the gift of interpreting
the Old Testament; and sometimes by declaring their speciall
Revelations to the Church. For neither these gifts, nor the gifts
of Languages, nor the gift of Casting out Devils, or of Curing
other diseases, nor any thing else did make an Officer in the Church,
save onely the due calling and election to the charge of Teaching.

Ordination Of Teachers
As the Apostles, Matthias, Paul, and Barnabas, were not made by
our Saviour himself, but were elected by the Church, that is,
by the Assembly of Christians; namely, Matthias by the Church
of Jerusalem, and Paul, and Barnabas by the Church of Antioch;
so were also the Presbyters, and Pastors in other Cities,
elected by the Churches of those Cities. For proof whereof,
let us consider, first, how S. Paul proceeded in the Ordination
of Presbyters, in the Cities where he had converted men to the
Christian Faith, immediately after he and Barnabas had received
their Apostleship. We read (Acts 14.23.) that "they ordained Elders
in every Church;" which at first sight may be taken for an Argument,
that they themselves chose, and gave them their authority:
But if we consider the Originall text, it will be manifest,
that they were authorized, and chosen by the Assembly of the
Christians of each City. For the words there are, "cheirotonesantes
autoispresbuterous kat ekklesian," that is, "When they had Ordained
them Elders by the Holding up of Hands in every Congregation."
Now it is well enough known, that in all those Cities, the manner
of choosing Magistrates, and Officers, was by plurality of suffrages;
and (because the ordinary way of distinguishing the Affirmative Votes
from the Negatives, was by Holding up of Hands) to ordain an Officer
in any of the Cities, was no more but to bring the people together,
to elect them by plurality of Votes, whether it were by plurality
of elevated hands, or by plurality of voices, or plurality of balls,
or beans, or small stones, of which every man cast in one,
into a vessell marked for the Affirmative, or Negative; for divers Cities
had divers customes in that point. It was therefore the Assembly
that elected their own Elders: the Apostles were onely Presidents
of the Assembly to call them together for such Election,
and to pronounce them Elected, and to give them the benediction,
which now is called Consecration. And for this cause they that
were Presidents of the Assemblies, as (in the absence of the Apostles)
the Elders were, were called proestotes, and in Latin Antistities;
which words signifie the Principall Person of the Assembly,
whose office was to number the Votes, and to declare thereby
who was chosen; and where the Votes were equall, to decide
the matter in question, by adding his own; which is the Office
of a President in Councell. And (because all the Churches had
their Presbyters ordained in the same manner,) where the word
is Constitute, (as Titus 1.5.) "ina katasteses kata polin presbuterous,"
"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest constitute
Elders in every City," we are to understand the same thing; namely,
that hee should call the faithfull together, and ordain them Presbyters
by plurality of suffrages. It had been a strange thing, if in a Town,
where men perhaps had never seen any Magistrate otherwise chosen
then by an Assembly, those of the Town becomming Christians,
should so much as have thought on any other way of Election
of their Teachers, and Guides, that is to say, of their Presbyters,
(otherwise called Bishops,) then this of plurality of suffrages,
intimated by S. Paul (Acts 14.23.) in the word Cheirotonesantes:
Nor was there ever any choosing of Bishops, (before the Emperors
found it necessary to regulate them in order to the keeping of
the peace amongst them,) but by the Assemblies of the Christians
in every severall Town.

The same is also confirmed by the continuall practise even to this day,
in the Election of the Bishops of Rome. For if the Bishop of any place,
had the right of choosing another, to the succession of the
Pastorall Office, in any City, at such time as he went from thence,
to plant the same in another place; much more had he had the Right,
to appoint his successour in that place, in which he last resided
and dyed: And we find not, that ever any Bishop of Rome appointed
his successor. For they were a long time chosen by the People,
as we may see by the sedition raised about the Election, between
Damascus, and Ursinicus; which Ammianus Marcellinus saith was so great,
that Juventius the Praefect, unable to keep the peace between them,
was forced to goe out of the City; and that there were above an
hundred men found dead upon that occasion in the Church it self.
And though they afterwards were chosen, first, by the whole
Clergy of Rome, and afterwards by the Cardinalls; yet never
any was appointed to the succession by his predecessor.
If therefore they pretended no right to appoint their successors,
I think I may reasonably conclude, they had no right to appoint
the new power; which none could take from the Church to bestow on them,
but such as had a lawfull authority, not onely to Teach, but to
Command the Church; which none could doe, but the Civill Soveraign.

Ministers Of The Church What
The word Minister in the Originall Diakonos signifieth one that
voluntarily doth the businesse of another man; and differeth from
a Servant onely in this, that Servants are obliged by their condition,
to what is commanded them; whereas Ministers are obliged onely
by their undertaking, and bound therefore to no more than that
they have undertaken: So that both they that teach the Word of God,
and they that administer the secular affairs of the Church,
are both Ministers, but they are Ministers of different Persons.
For the Pastors of the Church, called (Acts 6.4.) "The Ministers
of the Word," are Ministers of Christ, whose Word it is: But the
Ministery of a Deacon, which is called (verse 2. of the same Chapter)
"Serving of Tables," is a service done to the Church, or Congregation:
So that neither any one man, nor the whole Church, could ever of
their Pastor say, he was their Minister; but of a Deacon,
whether the charge he undertook were to serve tables, or distribute
maintenance to the Christians, when they lived in each City on
a common stock, or upon collections, as in the first times,
or to take a care of the House of Prayer, or of the Revenue,
or other worldly businesse of the Church, the whole Congregation
might properly call him their Minister.

For their employment, as Deacons, was to serve the Congregation;
though upon occasion they omitted not to preach the Gospel,
and maintain the Doctrine of Christ, every one according to his gifts,
as S. Steven did; and both to Preach, and Baptize, as Philip did:
For that Philip, which (Act. 8. 5.) Preached the Gospel at Samaria,
and (verse 38.) Baptized the Eunuch, was Philip the Deacon,
not Philip the Apostle. For it is manifest (verse 1.) that when
Philip preached in Samaria, the Apostles were at Jerusalem,
and (verse 14.) "When they heard that Samaria had received the
Word of God, sent Peter and John to them;" by imposition of whose hands,
they that were Baptized (verse 15.) received (which before by
the Baptisme of Philip they had not received) the Holy Ghost.
For it was necessary for the conferring of the Holy Ghost,
that their Baptisme should be administred, or confirmed by
a Minister of the Word, not by a Minister of the Church.
And therefore to confirm the Baptisme of those that Philip the Deacon
had Baptized, the Apostles sent out of their own number from Jerusalem
to Samaria, Peter, and John; who conferred on them that before
were but Baptized, those graces that were signs of the Holy Spirit,
which at that time did accompany all true Beleevers; which what
they were may be understood by that which S. Marke saith (chap. 16.17.)
"These signs follow them that beleeve in my Name; they shall
cast out Devills; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall
take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
This to doe, was it that Philip could not give; but the Apostles could,
and (as appears by this place) effectually did to every man that
truly beleeved, and was by a Minister of Christ himself Baptized:
which power either Christs Ministers in this age cannot conferre,
or else there are very few true Beleevers, or Christ hath
very few Ministers.

And How Chosen What:
That the first Deacons were chosen, not by the Apostles, but by
a Congregation of the Disciples; that is, of Christian men of all sorts,
is manifest out of Acts 6. where we read that the Twelve,
after the number of Disciples was multiplyed, called them together,
and having told them, that it was not fit that the Apostles should
leave the Word of God, and serve tables, said unto them (verse 3.)
"Brethren looke you out among you seven men of honest report,
full of the Holy Ghost, and of Wisdome, whom we may appoint
over this businesse." Here it is manifest, that though the Apostles
declared them elected; yet the Congregation chose them; which also,
(verse the fift) is more expressely said, where it is written,
that "the saying pleased the multitude, and they chose seven, &c."

Of Ecclesiasticall Revenue, Under The Law Of Moses
Under the Old Testament, the Tribe of Levi were onely capable
of the Priesthood, and other inferiour Offices of the Church.
The land was divided amongst the other Tribes (Levi excepted,)
which by the subdivision of the Tribe of Joseph, into Ephraim
and Manasses, were still twelve. To the Tribe of Levi were assigned
certain Cities for their habitation, with the suburbs for their cattell:
but for their portion, they were to have the tenth of the fruits
of the land of their Brethren. Again, the Priests for their maintenance
had the tenth of that tenth, together with part of the oblations,
and sacrifices. For God had said to Aaron (Numb. 18. 20.)
"Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou
have any part amongst them, I am thy part, and thine inheritance
amongst the Children of Israel." For God being then King, and
having constituted the Tribe of Levi to be his Publique Ministers,
he allowed them for their maintenance, the Publique revenue,
that is to say, the part that God had reserved to himself;
which were Tythes, and Offerings: and that it is which is meant,
where God saith, I am thine inheritance. And therefore to the Levites
might not unfitly be attributed the name of Clergy from Kleros,
which signifieth Lot, or Inheritance; not that they were heirs
of the Kingdome of God, more than other; but that Gods inheritance,
was their maintenance. Now seeing in this time God himself
was their King, and Moses, Aaron, and the succeeding High Priests
were his Lieutenants; it is manifest, that the Right of Tythes,
and Offerings was constituted by the Civill Power.

After their rejection of God in the demand of a King, they enjoyed
still the same revenue; but the Right thereof was derived from that,
that the Kings did never take it from them: for the Publique Revenue
was at the disposing of him that was the Publique Person; and that
(till the Captivity) was the King. And again, after the return
from the Captivity, they paid their Tythes as before to the Priest.
Hitherto therefore Church Livings were determined by the Civill Soveraign.

In Our Saviours Time, And After
Of the maintenance of our Saviour, and his Apostles, we read onely
they had a Purse, (which was carried by Judas Iscariot;) and,
that of the Apostles, such as were Fisher-men, did sometimes
use their trade; and that when our Saviour sent the Twelve Apostles
to Preach, he forbad them "to carry Gold, and Silver, and Brasse
in their purses, for that the workman is worthy of his hire:"
(Mat. 10. 9,10.) By which it is probable, their ordinary maintenance
was not unsuitable to their employment; for their employment was
(ver. 8.) "freely to give, because they had freely received;"
and their maintenance was the Free Gift of those that beleeved the good
tyding they carryed about of the coming of the Messiah their Saviour.
To which we may adde, that which was contributed out of gratitude,
by such as our Saviour had healed of diseases; of which are mentioned
"Certain women (Luke 8. 2,3.) which had been healed of evill spirits
and infirmities; Mary Magdalen, out of whom went seven Devills;
and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herods Steward; and Susanna,
and many others, which ministred unto him of their substance.

After our Saviours Ascension, the Christians of every City
lived in Common, (Acts 4. 34.) upon the mony which was made
of the sale of their lands and possessions, and laid down at
the feet of the Apostles, of good will, not of duty; for
"whilest the Land remained (saith S. Peter to Ananias Acts 5.4.)
was it not thine? and after it was sold, was it not in thy power?"
which sheweth he needed not to have saved his land, nor his money
by lying, as not being bound to contribute any thing at all,
unlesse he had pleased. And as in the time of the Apostles,
so also all the time downward, till after Constantine the Great,
we shall find, that the maintenance of the Bishops, and Pastors
of the Christian Church, was nothing but the voluntary contribution
of them that had embraced their Doctrine. There was yet no mention
of Tythes: but such was in the time of Constantine, and his Sons,
the affection of Christians to their Pastors, as Ammianus Marcellinus
saith (describing the sedition of Damasus and Ursinicus about
the Bishopricke,) that it was worth their contention, in that the
Bishops of those times by the liberality of their flock, and especially
of Matrons, lived splendidly, were carryed in Coaches, and sumptuous
in their fare and apparell.

The Ministers Of The Gospel Lived On The Benevolence Of Their Flocks
But here may some ask, whether the Pastor were then bound to live
upon voluntary contribution, as upon almes, "For who (saith S. Paul
1 Cor. 9. 7.) goeth to war at his own charges? or who feedeth a flock,
and eatheth not of the milke of the flock?" And again, (1 Cor. 9. 13.)
"Doe ye not know that they which minister about holy things,
live of the things of the Temple; and they which wait at the Altar,
partake with the Altar;" that is to say, have part of that
which is offered at the Altar for their maintenance? And then
he concludeth, "Even so hath the Lord appointed, that they which
preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. From which place
may be inferred indeed, that the Pastors of the Church ought to
be maintained by their flocks; but not that the Pastors were
to determine, either the quantity, or the kind of their own allowance,
and be (as it were) their own Carvers. Their allowance must needs
therefore be determined, either by the gratitude, and liberality
of every particular man of their flock, or by the whole Congregation.
By the whole Congregation it could not be, because their Acts were then
no Laws: Therefore the maintenance of Pastors, before Emperours and Civill
Soveraigns had made Laws to settle it, was nothing but Benevolence.
They that served at the Altar lived on what was offered.
In what court should they sue for it, who had no Tribunalls?
Or if they had Arbitrators amongst themselves, who should execute
their Judgments, when they had no power to arme their Officers?
It remaineth therefore, that there could be no certaine maintenance
assigned to any Pastors of the Church, but by the whole Congregation;
and then onely, when their Decrees should have the force
(not onely of Canons, but also) of Laws; which Laws could not
be made, but by Emperours, Kings, or other Civill Soveraignes.
The Right of Tythes in Moses Law, could not be applyed to the
then Ministers of the Gospell; because Moses and the High Priests
were the Civill Soveraigns of the people under God, whose Kingdom
amongst the Jews was present; whereas the Kingdome of God by Christ
is yet to come.