Buttowhatendisit，maysomemanask，thattheApostlesandotherpastorsoftheChurch，aftertheirtime，shouldmeettogethertoagreeuponwhatdoctrineshouldbetaught，bothforfaithandmanners，ifnomanwereobligedtoobservetheirdecrees？TothismaybeansweredthattheApostlesandeldersofthatcouncilwereobliged，evenbytheirentranceintoit，toteachthedoctrinethereinconcluded，anddecreedtobetaught，sofarforthasnoprecedentlaw，towhichtheywereobligedtoyieldobedience，wastothecontrary；butnotthatallotherChristiansshouldbeobligedtoobservewhattheytaught。Forthoughtheymightdeliberatewhateachofthemshouldteach，yettheycouldnotdeliberatewhatothersshoulddo，unlesstheirassemblyhadhadalegislativepower，whichnonecouldhavebutcivilsovereigns。ForthoughGodbethesovereignofalltheworld，wearenotboundtotakeforHislawwhatsoeverispropoundedbyeverymaninHisname；noranythingcontrarytothecivillaw，whichGodhathexpresslycommandedustoobey。
SeeingthentheactsofcounciloftheApostleswerethennolaws，butcounsels；muchlessarelawstheactsofanyotherdoctorsorcouncilssince，ifassembledwithouttheauthorityofthecivilsovereign。Andconsequently，thebooksoftheNewTestament，thoughmostperfectrulesofChristiandoctrine，couldnotbemadelawsbyanyotherauthoritythanthatofkingsorsovereignassemblies。
ThefirstcouncilthatmadetheScriptureswenowhavecanonisnotextant：forthatcollectionofthecanonsoftheApostles，attributedtoClemens，thefirstbishopofRomeafterSt。Peter，issubjecttoquestion：forthoughthecanonicalbooksbetherereckonedup；yetthesewords，SintvobisomnibusClericis&LaicisLibrivenerandi，etc。，containadistinctionofclergyandlaitythatwasnotinusesonearSt。Peter’stime。ThefirstcouncilforsettlingthecanonicalScripturethatisextantisthatofLaodicea，Can。59，whichforbidsthereadingofotherbooksthanthoseinthechurches；whichisamandatethatisnotaddressedtoeveryChristian，buttothoseonlythathadauthoritytoreadanythingpubliclyintheChurch；thatis，toecclesiasticsonly。
OfecclesiasticalofficersinthetimeoftheApostles，someweremagisterial，someministerial。MagisterialweretheofficesofpreachingofthegospelofthekingdomofGodtoinfidels；ofadministeringthesacramentsanddivineservice；andofteachingtherulesoffaithandmannerstothosethatwereconverted。Ministerialwastheofficeofdeacons，thatis，ofthemthatwereappointedtotheadministrationofthesecularnecessitiesoftheChurch，atsuchtimeastheyliveduponacommonstockofmoney，raisedoutofthevoluntarycontributionsofthefaithful。
AmongsttheofficersAmongsttheofficermagisterial，thefirstandprincipalweretheApostles，whereoftherewereatfirstbuttwelve；andthesewerechosenandconstitutedbyourSaviourhimself；andtheirofficewasnotonlytopreach，teach，andbaptize，butalsotobemartyrswitnessesofourSaviour’sresurrection。Thistestimonywasthespecificalandessentialmarkwherebytheapostleshipwasdistinguishedfromothermagistracyecclesiastical；asbeingnecessaryforanApostleeithertohaveseenourSaviourafterhisresurrectionortohaveconversedwithhimbefore，andseenhisworks，andotherargumentsofhisdivinity，wherebytheymightbetakenforsufficientwitnesses。AndthereforeattheelectionofanewApostleintheplaceofJudasIscariot，St。
Petersaith，“Ofthesementhathavecompaniedwithus，allthetimethattheLordJesuswentinandoutamongus，beginningfromthebaptismofJohnuntothatsamedaythathewastakenupfromus，mustonebeordainedtobeawitnesswithusofhisresurrection“：*
wherebythiswordmustisimpliedanecessarypropertyofanApostle，tohavecompaniedwiththefirstandprimeApostlesinthetimethatourSaviourmanifestedhimselfintheflesh。
ThefirstApostleofthosewhichwerenotconstitutedbyChristinthetimehewasupontheearthwasMatthias，choseninthismanner：
therewereassembledtogetherinJerusalemaboutonehundredandtwentyChristians。*Theseappointedtwo，JosephtheJustandMatthias，*2andcausedlotstobedrawn；“andthelotfellonMatthias，andhewasnumberedwiththeapostles。“*3SothathereweseetheordinationofthisApostlewastheactofthecongregation，andnotofSt。Peter，noroftheeleven，otherwisethanasmembersoftheassembly。
AfterhimtherewasneveranyotherApostleordained，butPaulandBarnabas，whichwasdone，asweread，inthismanner：“TherewereinthechurchthatwasatAntioch，certainprophetsandteachers；asBarnabas，andSimeonthatwascalledNiger，andLuciusofCyrene，andManaen；whichhadbeenbroughtupwithHerodtheTetrarch，andSaul。AstheyministereduntotheLord，andfasted，theHolyGhostsaid，SeparatemeBarnabasandSaulfortheworkwhereuntoIhavecalledthem。Andwhentheyhadfasted，andprayed，andlaidtheirhandsonthem，theysentthemaway。“*
*Acts，13。1，2，3
BywhichitismanifestthatthoughtheywerecalledbytheHolyGhost，theircallingwasdeclareduntothem，andtheirmissionauthorizedbytheparticularchurchofAntioch。Andthatthistheircallingwastotheapostleshipisapparentbythat，thattheyarebothcalledApostles：*andthatitwasbyvirtueofthisactofthechurchofAntiochthattheywereApostles，St。Pauldeclarethplainlyinthatheuseththeword，whichtheHolyGhostusedathiscalling，forhestylethhimself，“AnapostleseparateduntothegospelofGod，“*2alludingtothewordsoftheHolyGhost，“SeparatemeBarnabasandSaul，“etc。ButseeingtheworkofanApostlewastobeawitnessoftheresurrectionofChrist，amanmayhereaskhowSt。
Paul，thatconversednotwithourSaviourbeforehisPassion，couldknowhewasrisen。TowhichiseasilyansweredthatourSaviourhimselfappearedtohiminthewaytoDamascus，fromheaven，afterhisascension；“andchosehimforavesseltobearhisnamebeforetheGentiles，andkings，andchildrenofIsrael“；andconsequently，havingseentheLordafterhisPassion，wasacompetentwitnessofhisresurrection：andasforBarnabas，hewasadisciplebeforethePassion。ItisthereforeevidentthatPaulandBarnabaswereApostles，andyetchosenandauthorized，notbythefirstApostlesalone，butbytheChurchofAntioch；asMatthiaswaschosenandauthorizedbytheChurchofJerusalem。
Bishop，awordformedinourlanguageoutoftheGreekepiscopus，signifiethanoverseerorsuperintendentofanybusiness，andparticularlyapastororshepherd；andthencebymetaphorwastaken，notonlyamongsttheJewsthatwereoriginallyshepherds，butalsoamongsttheheathen，tosignifytheofficeofaking，oranyotherrulerorguideofpeople，whetherheruledbylawsordoctrine。AndsotheApostleswerethefirstChristianbishops，institutedbyChristhimself：inwhichsensetheapostleshipofJudasiscalled“hisbishoprick。“*Andafterwards，whentherewereconstitutedeldersintheChristianchurches，withchargetoguideChrist’sflockbytheirdoctrineandadvice，theseelderswerealsocalledbishops。Timothywasanelderwhichwordelder，intheNewTestament，isanameofofficeaswellasofage；yethewasalsoabishop。Andbishopswerethencontentwiththetitleofelders。Nay，St。Johnhimself，theApostlebelovedofourLord，beginnethhisSecondEpistlewiththesewords，“Theeldertotheelectlady。“Bywhichitisevidentthatbishop，pastor，elder，doctor，thatistosay，teacher，werebutsomanydiversenamesofthesameofficeinthetimeoftheApostles。Fortherewasthennogovernmentbycoercion，butonlybydoctrineandpersuading。ThekingdomofGodwasyettocome，inanewworld；sothattherecouldbenoauthoritytocompelinanychurchtilltheCommonwealthhadembracedtheChristianfaith；andconsequentlynodiversityofauthority，thoughtherewerediversityofemployments。
BesidesthesemagisterialemploymentsintheChurch；namely，apostles，bishops，elders，pastors，anddoctors，whosecallingwastoproclaimChristtotheJewsandinfidels，andtodirectandteachthosethatbelieved，wereadintheNewTestamentofnoother。Forbythenamesofevangelistsandprophetsisnotsignifiedanyoffice，butseveralgiftsbywhichseveralmenwereprofitabletotheChurch：asevangelists，bywritingthelifeandactsofourSaviour；suchaswereSt。MatthewandSt。JohnApostles，andSt。
MarkandSt。LukeDisciples，andwhosoeverelsewroteofthatsubjectasSt。ThomasandSt。Barnabasaresaidtohavedone，thoughtheChurchhavenotreceivedthebooksthathavegoneundertheirnames；andasprophets，bythegiftofinterpretingtheOldTestament，andsometimesbydeclaringtheirspecialrevelationstotheChurch。Forneitherthesegifts，northegiftsoflanguages，northegiftofcastingoutdevils，norofcuringotherdiseases，noranythingelsedidmakeanofficerinthesaveonlytheduecallingandelectiontothechargeofteaching。
AstheApostlesMatthias，Paul，andBarnabaswerenotmadebyourSaviourhimself，butwereelectedbytheChurch，thatis，bytheassemblyofChristians；namely，MatthiasbythechurchofJerusalem，andPaulandBarnabasbythechurchofAntioch；sowerealsothepresbytersandpastorsinothercities，electedbythechurchesofthosecities。Forproofwhereof，letusconsider，first，howSt。
PaulproceededintheordinationofpresbytersinthecitieswherehehadconvertedmentotheChristianfaith，immediatelyafterheandBarnabashadreceivedtheirapostleship。Wereadthat“theyordainedeldersineverychurch“；*whichatfirstsightmaybetakenforanargumentthattheythemselveschoseandgavethemtheirauthority：butifweconsidertheoriginaltext，itwillbemanifestthattheywereauthorizedandchosenbytheassemblyoftheChristiansofeachcity。Forthewordstherearecheirotonesantesautoispresbuterouskatekklesian，thatis，“whentheyhadordainedthemeldersbytheholdingupofhandsineverycongregation。“Nowitiswellenoughknownthatinallthosecitiesthemannerofchoosingmagistratesandofficerswasbypluralityofsuffrages；and，becausetheordinarywayofdistinguishingtheaffirmativevotesfromthenegativeswasbyholdingupofhands，toordainanofficerinanyofthecitieswasnomorebuttobringthepeopletogethertoelectthembypluralityofvotes，whetheritwerebypluralityofelevatedhands，orbypluralityofvoices，orpluralityofballs，orbeans，orsmallstones，ofwhicheverymancastinone，intoavesselmarkedfortheaffirmativeornegative；fordiversecitieshaddiversecustomsinthatpoint。Itwasthereforetheassemblythatelectedtheirownelders：theApostleswereonlypresidentsoftheassemblytocallthemtogetherforsuchelection，andtopronouncethemelected，andtogivethemthebenediction，whichnowiscalledconsecration。
Andforthiscausetheythatwerepresidentsoftheassemblies，asintheabsenceoftheApostlestheelderswere，werecalledproestotesandinLatinantistites；whichwordssignifytheprincipalpersonoftheassembly，whoseofficewastonumberthevotes，andtodeclaretherebywhowaschosen；andwherethevoteswereequal，todecidethematterinquestionbyaddinghisownwhichistheofficeofapresidentincouncil。And，becauseallthechurcheshadtheirpresbytersordainedinthesamemanner，wherethewordisconstitute，asinakatasteseskatapolinpresbuterous，“ForthiscauseleftItheeinCrete，thatthoushouldestconstituteeldersineverycity，“*2wearetounderstandthesamething；namely，thatheshouldcallthefaithfultogether，andordainthempresbytersbypluralityofsuffrages。Ithadbeenastrangethingifinatownwheremenperhapshadneverseenanymagistrateotherwisechosenthanbyanassembly，thoseofthetown，becomingChristians，shouldsomuchashavethoughtonanyotherwayofelectionoftheirteachersandguides，thatistosay，oftheirpresbytersotherwisecalledbishops，thanthisofpluralityofsuffrages，intimatedbySt。Paulinthewordcheirotonesantes。*3Norwasthereeveranychoosingofbishops，beforetheemperorsfounditnecessarytoregulatetheminordertothekeepingofthepeaceamongstthem，butbytheassembliesoftheChristiansineveryseveraltown。