be increased, as the exigency of churches requires; and some have thought, II. The work and business to be performed by them who are appointed to this office. -L. Not to preach the gospel, and administer ordinances, as baptism and the Lord's-supper; and therefore ministerial qualifications are not required of them; Philip, indeed, one of the seven, did both preach and baptize, Acts vi. 5. and viii. 5, 38. but then he did both by virtue of his office as an evangelist, Acts xxi. 8. In Tertullian's time deacons were allowed to baptize; he says, the first right belongs to the bishop, then to the presbyters, then to the deacons, but not without the authority of the bishop; but this appears to be an entire innovation. 2. Nor is their work and business to rule in the church; we read of ruling elders, but never of ruling deacons; if they were, women might not be deaconesses, as Phebe was, for they are not to rule: deacons may and should be assisting to pastors or elders in the care of the church; as to watch over the walk and conversation of the members of the church, and to observe that they keep their places in it; and to exhort, admonish, and reprove, as they may find it necessary; and to visit the sick, and such that are in distress of any kind; and to report the state of the church to the elder or pastor; and to reconcile differences between one member and another, and to prepare matters to be laid before the church at church-meetings, when needful. 3. But their principal business is to serve tables, which the apostles relinquished and gave up to the seven, at the first institution of them, Acts vi. 2. As, 1. The Lord's table, as it is called, 1 Cor. x. 21. that is, at the administration of the ordinance of the supper, their business is, to provide every thing necessary for it; as the bread and the wine, and all kind of furniture needful on that occasion; and when the elements are blessed, and the bread broken, and wine poured out, and these given into their hands by the pastor or elder, they are to deliver out to the members; so in Justin Martyr's time, they that were called deacons, he says, gave to every one that were present, that they might partake of the bread and the wine, for which thanks were given by the president. 2. The minister's table; to take care that a proper provision is made for the subsistence of himself and family: that whereas Christ has ordained, that those who preach the gospel, should live of it, and that he that is taught in the word, should communicate to him that teacheth in all good things; the business of deacons is to see to it, that every member contributes according to his ability; and that there be an equality, that some are not eased and others burdened: and it lies upon then to collect what the members give, for it is not proper the minister should collect for himself; this would be to prevent the design of the institution, which was, that those who are employed in the sacred office of the ministry of the word, should not be hindered it it. Besides, such a practice would not comport with the case and character of a minister, who would be obliged to receive what the people gave him, without making any remonstrance against it, as failing in their duty to him; and he might also be exposed to the charge of avarice; to which may be added, that a church would not be able to judge whether their pastor was sufficiently provided for or not. 3. The poor's table; it was an apostolical order given to the churches, that they should make a collection for the poor saints, on the first day of the week; and it seems as if it was designed to be every first day; to which every one was to give, having laid by him a store for it, as God had prospered him, 1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2. which collections, and those made at the Lord's-supper, are to be received by the deacons, with whatsoever gifts may come into their hands, and be distributed to the necessities of the saints; and they are, both by their own example, and by their exhortations, to stir up the members of churches to contribute liberally to the relief of the poor: and what they receive they are to communicate, 1. Impartially, that is, as the apostle expresses it, with simplicity, without partiality, and without favour and affection; shewing no respect to persons, taking more notice of, and giving more liberally to one than to another, which was the original complaint in the first church, and made the office necessary; and therefore the deacon should be careful to avoid any cause of it: the principal rule he should go by is, to give as every one needeth; to some more, and others less, as their case requires. 2. This should be done with cheerfulness, Rom. xii. 8. without any frowns in the countenance, and without any hard and rough words, which the tender minds of the poor, broken with distress, cannot well bear; when what is given cheerfully and pleasantly, does them double good; nor should they be upbraided with misconduct in former life, which may have brought them into low circumstances. God loves a erful giver, and he himself gives liberally, and upraids not. 3. This 1 be done with compassion and tenderness. The work of a deacon is exy his shewing mercy, Rom. xii. 8. and he should exercise it in a pitiful al manner, as sympathizing with them in their poor and low circumImitation of the great High Priest of our profession, who is touched - of the infirmities of his people. 4. This office should be executed with great faithfulness; deacons are the church's stewards, and are intrusted with the church's stock; and it is required of stewards, that they distribute with fidelity what is put into their hands, and for the uses for which it is given. The next thing to be inquired into. III. Are the qualifications of persons for such an office; some of which may be taken from Acts vi. 3. 1. That they are to be of honest report; of whom a testimony can be given of their honesty, integrity, and good conversation; who have a good report of them that are without, of all men, of the men of the world, and of them that are within; and who are well reported of by the brethren, by the members of other churches, especially by the members of the church to which they belong. 2. Full of the Holy Ghost, of his gifts and graces; though they may not be so eminently endowed with them as Stephen and Philip were, which is not to be expected; yet that they should appear to be partakers of the grace of the Spirit, and to have such gifts as to comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, and speak a word in season to those who are in distress. - 3. Men of wisdom; for as they are stewards, wisdom, as well as faithfulness, is required of them; to give to every one of the poor a portion of the church's monies, as they need; and to distinguish cases and circumstances requires wisdom; besides, persons in such an office are sometimes called upon to make up differences between member and member; which is often a difficult task, and calls for all the pru dence a man is possessed of; and to these, or such as these, the apostle refers, when he says, Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one, that shall be able to judge between his brethren, without going to law before unbelievers. There are other qualifications of a deacon observed in 1 Tim. iii. 1-12.1. As to his personal character; he must be grave in his speech and gesture, and not light, frothy, and vain; and not only modest, chaste, and honest, and of good behaviour, but as the word may signify also one that has some weight and influence, who is venerable and respectable, and has some degree of reverence and esteem with the people; Not double-tongued; so as to express pity to the poor, yet shew no concern to relieve them; and to say one thing to them, and another to the church and minister; or to say one thing to one member, and another to another, which may tend to alienate the affections of one from another. Not given to much wine; which, though lawful to be used, yet not to excess ; which would both destroy his character in the church and in the world, and render him unfit for the business of his office. Not greedy of filthy lacre, or covetous; such may be tempted to make a wrong application of the church's money; and besides, persons, in such an office should be liberal themselves, according to their abilities, and set a good example to others; or other.. wise they cannot, with a good grace, stir up others to liberality, which is one Ο Σιμνωδο part of their office. 2. Others concern his domestic character; he should be the husband of one wife; it is not necessary that he should be a married man ; but if married, he should have but one wife, that is, at the same time; polyga+ my had been much in use among the Jews and Gentiles; and the first christi ans were not soon and easily brought to the disuse of that practice; but the apostle, by divine inspiration, judged it necessary that no officer of a church, bishop or deacon, should have more wives than one; since it would serve to continue and encourage the practice, set an example of it, and expose to reproach and censure: the apostle adds, Ruling their children and their own houses well; both wife, children, and servants; such ought to keep a good decorum in their families; or how else can it be expected that the affairs of the house of God, so far as they are concerned therein, should be dispatched with honour, faithfulness, and diligence. The apostle has also thought fit to give the qualifications of their wives, who must be grave in their speech, gesture, and dress; as well as modest, chaste, and of good deportment: not slanderers, or accusers; false accusers, acting the part of the devil, as the word signifies'; for such may do a great deal of mischief in the church, through their influence on their husbands: they must be sober, temperate, not given to excessive drinking, which would be scandalous; faithful in all things, respecting their hus bands and family; and this is the rather mentioned, since otherwise they might have opportunities of embezzling the church's money, and which, in some cases, they might be intrusted with to dispose of to the poor, in the absence of their husbands. 3. With respect to the spiritual and evangelical character of dea cons, they should be such who hold the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience; are sound in the gospel, and the doctrines of it; for by faith is meant the gospel, the faith once delivered to the saints; and by the mystery of it, the more sublime and mysterious doctrines of the gospel, especially the doctrine of the Trinity; which, with the Jews, was commonly called, the mystery of the faith; and is the same the apostle calls, the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, Col. ii. 2. such doctrines which relate to the distinction of Persons in the Godhead; the divine Sonship, proper Deity, and distinct personality of Christ; the Deity, personality, and operations of the Spirit; the incarnation of Christ, and the union of the two natures in him; the resurrection of the dead; with others: these things deacons are to hold, with a conscience purified by the blood of Christ, and with a holy, becoming life and conversation: this qualification is necessary in them, that they may be able to instruct and estab lish others in the faith, and to confute the erroneous; for should their principles be bad, their influence on others might be pernicious and fatal. Now these must first be proved, and then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless: not that they are to exercise any part of this office first, that it might be known how capable they are of it; but that it should appear that they are men of the above characters and qualifications; are of some standing • Διαβόλας. in the church, and are well known and approved of for their soundness in the, faith and purity of conversation. There is but one sort of deacons of this kind mentioned in scripture; unless it can be thought they were women-deacous, or deaconesses; and, indeed, Phebe is called diaxovos, a deacon, or deaconess, of the church of Cenchrea; we render the word servant, Rom. xvi. 1. and some render the wives of deacons, their women, 1 Tim. iii. 11. and by them unders stand deaconesses; and if the saine with the widows, as some think, their qualifications, as to age, character, and conduct, are described, 1 Tim. v. 9, 10. and it seems certain there were such in the second century, whether virgins or widows; such seem to be the two servant-maids Pliny speaks of, whom he examined on the rack, concerning the christians, and by whom he says they were called ministra, ministresses, or deaconesses; and Clemens of Alexandria, in the second century, makes mention expressly of women-deacons, as spoken of by the apostle in his epistle to Timothy'; so Jerom ", in the fourth century, speaks of them as in the eastern churches: and, indeed, something of this kind seems not at all unnecessary, but of service and usefulness; as to attend at the baptism of women, and to visit the sisters of the church, when sick, and to assist them. In the third century an officer was introduced called a subdeacon, an under-deacon, who seems to have been an assistant to the deacon, when the churches became large, and their poor numerous, and the deacons required assistance; though it would have been much more proper to have increased their number of deacons; but as for that meteor, as Dr. Owen calls. him, an arch-deacon, he was not heard of until the fourth or fifth centuries; and then not as the creature which now exists under that name. IV. The encouragement given to the diligent and faithful performance of the officce of a deacon. 1. Such purchase, or get, to themselves a good degree. The conjecture of Dr. Owen's is very trifling, which I should not have expected from so great a man, as that it signifies a place of some eminence, a seat more highly raised up to sit in, in church-assemblies; something like the chief seats in a Jewishsynagogue: nor by it is meant a higher degree in his own office; for there are no degrees of higher and lower in the offie of a deacon; no sub-deacon nor arch-deacon, as before observed: nor is it preparatory to an higher order; as of presbytery or eldership; since the office of a deacon lies chiefly in the management of temporal things; and not in study and meditation of spiritual things. In after times, in the third century, such a practice began to take place as to go through all ecclesiastical offices, to the office of a bishop, a Cyprian says Cornelius bishop of Rome did; and it is said to be ordered by Caius, bishop of the same place, in the same century, that the degrees to a bishopric, though which men should pass to it, were a door-keeper, a reader, an exorcist, an Stromat. 1. 3. p. 448. 'Ep. 1. 10. ep. 97. vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 109. "Comment. in 1 Tim. iii. xi. True Nature of a Gospel-Church, ch. 9. p. 184) |