True religion, as put forth by Calvin, is faith so joined with an earnest fear of God that this fear also embraces willing reverence, and carries with it such legitimate worship as is prescribed in the law. What is meant then by the term ecclesiastic religion is that worship afforded God by His people, in their submission to one another in their assigned roles of shepherd and flock. Religion then is a suitable term to portray that relationship and its function, when its duties are performed truthfully, honorably, and with scriptural prescription. In our attempt to understand true ecclesiastic care in the New Covenant church, we shall address two texts that speak of both the duties and mannerisms to be held by both shepherd and flock in the midst of God’s elect. Most texts that deal with church government and polity oft set their attention and efforts more upon defining roles and constructing governing criteria, then upon the heart of ministry. They seek the establishment of statutes and precepts, which often do no more than lead the church away from the true nature of ecclesiastic government and association under the New Covenant. As is the case in most applications of New Covenant law and order, there is a clear need for balance between prescription and subscription. That is, any statute or defined order shall fail no matter how near to prescription it is upheld, apart from true pietistic (my use of the term piety here equates with that definition of Calvin, "that reverence joined with love of God, which the knowledge of his benefits induces") application assigned to those duties. Conversely, any efforts or zeal that fail to inculcate the prescribed order of God as set forth in his holy writ does fail to attain to the definition of true ecclesiastic religion. Ecclesiastical order and practice in the New Testament is to be that of true religion, that is, it should be glorifying and reverent, affording the Lord Sovereign his due praise and this is accomplished only when prescription and subscription are balanced. Anything else is aberrant, if not false religion, self-aggrandizing, and an abuse of God’s established order under the New Covenant.

The following treatise shall seek to identify both the duties (ecclesiastical prescription) and mannerisms (ecclesiastical subscription) of New Covenant ecclesiastic administration. Two texts shall be chosen to accentuate these teachings. The text of I Peter 5: 1 - 3 is the most comprehensive treatment of the duties and mannerisms of ecclesiastical piety, from the vantage of those employed to lead the flock of God. It speaks to both prescription and subscription. The text of Hebrews 13: 7 is the most comprehensive treatment of the duties and mannerisms of ecclesiastical piety, put forth from the vantage of the flock, as well treating of both prescription and subscription. What is meant by the term ecclesiastical piety is that of acceptable worship to God, obedient to Christ and his law, as it relates to the duties of elders and members of the church. Piety then is an adequate expression of such dutiful obedience. Let us look then at what is ecclesiastical piety from the vantage of ecclesiastical leadership, or, that reverence of God’s under shepherds in serving the flock of God.

I. Ecclesiastic Piety and the Elder

We shall divide the discussion into what I phrase duties and mannerisms. First then let us speak of Duties.

A. Duties

First the text,

I exhort the elders who are among you, I being also an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Feed the flock of God among you, taking the oversight, not by compulsion, but willingly; nor for base gain, but readily; nor as lording it over those allotted to you by God, but becoming examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a never-fading crown of glory.

The first duty herein stated of the overseer is that of,

1. Feeding

In this the chief duty of handling the word of God, in prayer, unto the design of nurture, faith, and maturity, is set forth. Great care, attendance, and study is to be given by the elder, who serves the Chief Shepherd well, if he is to serve his office with all propriety. The word here in the Greek speaks of the all-encompassing duties of the shepherd. The elder’s duties as shepherd is founded upon the duty and ministry of God’s word. The woeful state of the church is declared in a land and among a people, where the elder has his attendance upon any other duty at the sake of this chief and principle task. The New Testament is replete with apostolic correspondence adjuring elders, evangelists, and teachers to attend to sound doctrine and biblical instruction. This day has seen the demise of biblical instruction. Few men rise to the pulpits in our land to take up the exposition of the text of scripture. Rare is the incidence reported where God in his divine attributes is presented to those that gather to worship him. Fluff and frivolity fill our land. Every wind of doctrine, every influence of worldly wisdom, and every misrepresentation of the divine character are put forth for the feeding of the multitudes. Straw sermons and dry stubble are set before hungry flocks that turn forth with pangs, longing to hear the word of the Lord. One wonders where the true shepherds are in our day. For one may search shore to shore and find but a handful of those who give attendance to his word with more than a passing nod, or brief glance upon the eve of the Lord’s day. The chief and principal duty of the elder is to disperse God’s rich grain upon the board of hungry souls. It is his duty to labor long and give himself to great study through all hours of day and night, in order that he might cast forth bountiful grain to those that long for the dainties of heaven. Second, this text speaks of,

2. Oversight

This term episcopate speaks to the duties of the elder in visiting, admonishing, adjuring, and comfort. It broadens the previous term to include watching over and guarding the flock. In its secular Greek usage it carried with it the nuance of looking after, examining, watching, and investigating. It also spoke of visiting the sick. There is allusion to this duty spoken to those at the judgement, where our Lord says, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me". While we are not to neglect the physical needs of the child of God, the principal application of this word is in attending to the spiritual care of the flock. The elder is to be actively engaged before the throne of God on behalf of those in his care. He is to be catechizing, examining, instructing, and providing all care and comfort to those in his care. Such oversight then serves the design of Ephesians 4, that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ secondary duty of the elder. If we question why professed Christians in our day are unlearned imps, vagrant, unholy, and given to every whim and whip of Satan’s ministers, we need simply to look to the shepherds, who perhaps have failed to apply themselves well in the duties of oversight. Next let us look at the duty of,

3. Ensample

Inscribed in the middle in the Greek, we see this term along with the participle of being having reference to the example of holy living given forth by the elder in the sight of the flock. The word has the distinct usage of leaving an impression upon those to whom we serve. Kittel writes, "The thought here is not that of an ideal but of a model that makes an impress because God has molded it, and that is effective through faith. Word and deed bear witness to the life of faith that summons to faith and is grasped in faith. The more life is molded by the word, the more it becomes a tyŒpos. It cannot be imitated, but is lived out in freedom by faith. Officebearers are to be examples in this way (by word and deed)." Our handling, living, and cherishing, of God’s word becomes then the chief impression that we are to leave upon God’s people. They should be left with the distinct impression of our love and zeal for God’s word. They should remark of how we loved the book. Such an impression will not be made in a ministry where the word is neglected and relegated in subservience to ceremony, tradition, or pomp. Nor where it is used to browbeat and hinder the free grazing of the flock. When the word of God is not given primary emphasis in the ministry of the church, the impression left may be that of man made images, man made statutes and regulations, of tyrants and lords, of the bare and awful images of men. But when the word of God is championed in the heart and teaching of the Godly elder, then the impression of God’s glory is left upon a people. Just as the impressment of the king’s seal is left upon their heads and hearts of those who witness honest care of God’s word. These then are set before us as the chief and principal duties of the elders that serve God’s flock, those of feeding, overseeing, and being an ensample to them. Such duties should consume and define every ministry where a called elder of God does serve the elect of God.

Yet, we note that such duties shall fail, shall suffer abuse, and be prone to burden rather than nourish God’s children, in a ministry where prescription does not meet with subscription. Thus, let us intricately bind duty to manner. Turning our attention from duty, let us now speak of,

B. Mannerisms

Holy manners are necessary principles of every shepherd of God’s flock. Prescription meets with subscription, first, when one’s duties are performed,

1. Apart from Compulsion

The shepherd’s rod is not designed for coercion. A movement is afoot in our day to impress godly living upon the wills of men. In accordance with the authoritarian fear of decaying Puritan New England, following the schisms of Williams and Hutchinson, men in our day are turning from cheer to imposition. Others have simply ignored the issue of holy living and ecclesiastic care. True biblical religious ecclesiastic care is not demonstrated by frustration and futility. The overseer is first and foremost to have a heart of Christ. He is to look to his duties with care and delight. He is to set his affections upon the flock of the Lord, as though they were set upon his Lord himself. His duties are not to be carried out in reluctance. It is the natural tendency of this flesh to weary of stubbornness, to grow impatience with ignorance, and to turn to authoritarianism, when compassion has reached its designed end. The true shepherd is to have the heart of Christ, compassionate, sympathetic, longsuffering, and affectionate. He is to be as Christ looking upon a woman caught in adultery, or Christ gazing upon weeping Mary at Lazarus’ tomb, or Christ hastening to meet a widow in an out of way town. Christ did not go about his duties, even when weary, out of compulsion, with complaint, with a disagreeable heart. He did not go about his Father’s business with anything less than joy. The duties of the overseer are to be seen as Christ saw his Father’s will, one and the same with his own. He is to see these duties as his chief joy, even in weariness and fatigue. The first manner of the shepherd is that of joy, willing service, delightful and full of cheer. It is the shepherd whose heart is not arrested by charity, whose motive is less than pure, that performs duty at the offense of a Holy God. We then as shepherds must ever be checking our motive, our attitude, and our affections. We are to search ourselves to insure that pure religion, true willing joy, yes, true piety, is the very foundation of our service. For when we are dutiful by mere compulsion, we do God no honor. To honor and worship God aright, the shepherd must be dutiful with all joy. Such is the manner of God’s servants. Now let us speak of duty, that is,

2. Not for Filthy Lucre

A shepherd’s rod is not a banker’s staff. We do not serve for gain. History records the abuses of men in their pursuit for wealth, in the leadership of the church. We find statements by the apostle Paul in the New Testament, where he guarded himself well in the acceptance of monies for his troubles. Notice that in this text the support of shepherds financially is not excluded, but the manner of that acceptance is guarded. The New Testament neither prohibits nor excludes shepherds from financial support in the care of the flock of God. Rather, the manner in which that cares is taken is to be guarded. Extremes have always been evidenced. Some have cast off all care, some have given themselves to poverty and some to improper gain; but abuse or neglect does not make the rule. We are here speaking of manner. Means in and of themselves are not excluded. God does permit the care of the shepherd and the church with the giving of monies. Yet again, prescription must meet with subscription. The heart of the shepherd must be one that is guarded against abuse, self-gain, and neglect of the flock.

3. Not Lords

The shepherd’s rod is not a scepter. Again, abuses and extremes are to be guarded against in the care of the church. There is a time for leadership and a time for discipline, there is a time for nurture and a time for patience. The shepherd must guard in his use of the staff. It is common for a shepherd in his frustration in ministry to consider the staff the best available means to accomplish the end of faith. The shepherd must always remember that he is not the impetus of action, nor is he given to coercion in caring for the flock. The intangible matter of the Holy Spirit guards the shepherd from abuse of the rod. Clearly our Lord Jesus Christ has raised up men to serve his flock. In doing so he has invested them with a level of authority to guard and care for the sheep. The manner in which that care is given must be carefully guarded. We are not the Holy Spirit, we have no effectual means to change the heart of any man. We may plead, exhort, and pray, but in the end, God alone must bring forth a heart of affectionate change. Often in serving the shepherd is given to great frustration. He is ever beckoning the sheep to come and eat, to keep themselves near and away from danger, and to trust in the Lord. This frustration can find itself manifest in legality, in compulsion, and in authoritarian rule.

Regardless of our frustration in seeking to bring the flock of God to perform its duties in the church, are greatest efforts apart from intervening grace shall fail. For no matter what coercive methods we utilize, no matter how high we raise the rod of Moses, no matter what threats and tactics we employ to bring people to worship, to pray, and to study the word of God, it will be an effort in futility. For we are not employed to coercion, we are employed to holy persuasion. When we turn to our own established government, or abilities, or rules, we show marked disdain for the lordship of Christ. He is sovereign in the care of his church. The Holy Spirit is not at our beckoning nor are we the molder and shaper of men’s hearts. We must strive to encourage, rebuke, exhort, and comfort, but we must do so in all subservience to the will and plan of God. When we take matters into our own care, we declare to the Lord that his strength is not sufficient, his plan is ludicrous, and his timeliness is tardy. Shall we dare insult divine sovereignty by our actions? We must seek balance. Balance is employing the means God has given us to care for the flock, but not in abuse. We are to use these means with all-dutiful care and diligence, but we must leave the changing of men’s hearts with the Lord.

Perhaps the greatest historical example of godly zeal meeting with frustration that leads to failed church government, can be found in the annals of Puritan history. After many years of battling the oppression of English governmental control of the church, we find the Puritans to have gained the sway of the scepter in both England and America. Their desires are admirable, their zeal commendable, and their godliness unmatched in history. And yet, in their liberty they failed to sustain such livelihood in successive generations. The Jeremiads of the Puritans in America demonstrate the common sway of men when met with impiety. By the time of Cotton Matther, the Puritan success was in great decay. The result was a fortification and formalization of pietistic zeal, without the heart. They managed to sustain the outward form of Puritan idealism among a most worldly and indifferent generation. They could not regulate the hearts of men and every attempt to legislate godliness failed. They simply succeeded in filling their waning churches with dead men. The lesson is simple; it is ours to preach, to teach, to pray, and to implore. Yet, we possess no rod that can change a man’s heart. It is Christ alone that can bring about such reform. Thus while the shepherd performs the task of seeking continual reform in the flock, he possesses no means to its attainment. He must strive and then look to the Lord to bring forth true change. There remains one Lord of the church. We are employed to its proper care. Now let us turn our attention to the flock itself.

II. Ecclesiastic Piety and the Flock

Let us speak to duties first. Hebrews 13: 7 declares, remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Here we have set forth the duties of the flock itself.

A. Duties

1. Remembrance

The first is remembrance. We are not to neglect one another in the labor of the church. Such remembrance includes the acknowledgement of our Lord’s providing such men for our care. When remembering those who serve the church, we are to see that it is the Lord’s provision for our care. In the ideal circumstance there is a level of intimate trust, where the shepherd is viewed as one whose attention is set upon the flock for the design of God. Clearly, the flock renders forth trust to a shepherd that serves the flock with both proper manner and duty. There is a remarkable success to the joy of the church when the shepherd serves his office well. For the common end of such service is reciprocated remembrance from the flock. Much as in a marriage, a man is to love his wife as Christ loved the church. When a man performs such a function dutifully and with good manners, then the wife’s affections are given to remembrance of her own duties and manners. Thus the greater burden for harmony begins with the shepherd, since failure on his part leads to corruption of the body’s care. How easy is it to remember with all charity our shepherds when we trust their motives, when we believe them established by the Lord for our benefit? How we are delighted in remembrance of them in our prayers and duties. We cannot expect our flock to love us if we beat them often with the rod, if we conjoin them to all coercion for benefit, if we abuse all charity, or if we leave them in the path of danger. If the word is preached, upheld, taught, if we strive in all submission to Christ, and if we love the flock as Christ loves us and them, then the flock shall look to their shepherds will all trust, remembrance and charity.

2. Following

How difficult it is to convince a man of a course if the course is full of uncertainties and dangers. The flock of God shall ever be suspect of our doctrines, of our exhortations, and of our motives, if we are not first given in example to the flock. The old quip states this matter well, if you lead they will follow. But we must lead if the flock is to follow. Notice what is here enjoined to the admonition of following those who lead, their faith is set as the course to follow. The flock is not to blindly follow the shepherd, but they are to follow true faith. They must examine those who rule over them, they must look for those who demonstrate faithfulness in duty and manner and those, they must follow in faith. Watch, see where the shepherd goes, if he leads into the path of wolves and pits do not follow. The duty of the flock is not to blindly be lead into harm’s way. It is as much a duty of the sheep to know the way, guards the way, and keep in the way. How many multitudes have been led to destruction blindly trusting and following another? The duty of the flock is not to be cantankerous, argumentative, and overly suspicious, but it is to be examining and carefully considering those over them, and when they observe faith in duty and manner from the shepherd, follows his example.

3. Consideration

Thus we see this clause added by the apostle in the text. Consideration speaks to such careful inquiry of the path we are to travel. We are to look upon the shepherd watching if word meets the path of living. We are to be carefully observing how our leaders respond to life; does their doctrine and faith persevere and rise to the praise of God’s glory. Does their life exude holy pursuits, are they as careful in their life as there are in their pulpits? Too many in this life are blind followers of titles. Too many in this life give no consideration to their allegiance. Far too often the sheep are indifferent to their duties. The reciprocal effect of faithful sheep upon a faithless minister is remarkable. No Christians shall ever have sufficient excuse for their impiety, their sloth, their indifference, their faithlessness, because their shepherds were out of the way. The sheep shall bear just as much blame for his predicament if he finds himself entrapped. Our day is a day that is marked by indifference, blind allegiance, and extinct discernment. No matter how much we seek to blame those that shepherd us, we are woefully to blame when we fail to give proper consideration to the end of men’s conversations and faith, and ignore our duties as the flock of God. This then is our prescription as the flock of God; remember, follow, but do so with all examination and consideration. For we are responsible in these duties. Yet, we too shall fail even if we are guarding of our faith and those that rule over us, if we neglect proper manners in our duties. As much as a shepherd must guard his motive and heart, the flock must be so employed. Let us speak then of manners.

B. Manners

1. Charity

Hebrews 13: 1 marks every duty of every Christian with the notable manner of charity. It is the compendium of Christian love. We can have the greatest system of checks and balances upon our leaders, we can examine their lives, question their actions, and join committee to ensure our care, but if we do this apart from charity we fail. To illustrate this fact consider an example; if we have a man in our congregation steeped in immorality that we excise from the church, and we do so out of disdain or to the end of his destruction without the plea for restoration, our act is as hideous as his sin. If the flock of God is as zealous as dutiful in guarding its own care, praying for its leaders, following their faith, and does so at the sake of charity, it is vain. If love does not impel us to these duties, if love does not embrace our every thought and action, then our duties are futile and harmful. Let the church of our Lord guard its motives, watch its actions, examine its heart, to be sure that its every duty is performed with all charity. Let the church seek not itself, be not puffed up in its piety, boast against its own, but let it with all humility perform what is necessary with a true and proper motive of love.

2. Thankfulness

If we fail to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, our God, and his Spirit, in providing and keeping our care with good shepherds, we show great contempt for his love. We should fill our prayers and praised of God with all thanksgiving when we have shepherds that serve the flock of God with all piety. For so many have suffered and met with trouble at the hands of charlatans that we have every cause to be thankful when godly men serve us as elders. How slanderous is it when the flock of God is not bound up with thanksgiving in all gratitude to God when they are given the care of godly shepherds. Oh what cause is given to plead with God often for their faith, for their perseverance, and for our peace. What ingrates are we when we presume of the Lord such care. How we despise the hand that feeds us when we take for granted the Lord’s gift of peaceful care. Let us not overlook this manner. Shall we with all rudeness repay the Lord’s kindness with indifference? Let us beware lest the Lord take from us such cause for thanksgiving. If we are unthankful we despise the Lord, we are no better than infidels and worthy of being stripped bare.

3. Submissiveness

Last, we speak of submission. This word covers a broad range of duties and manners and sums up the proper exercise of the sheep. Our proper duties as Christians of prayer, piety, and attendance of the gatherings of the church are an exercise of good, godly manners. Our kindness and gentleness, our guarding of our speech from slander, are all duties and manners bound up in true charity. In all, the duties of the flock and shepherd, when performed with New Covenant principles are both dutiful and mannered. When this is carried out with all piety, true ecclesiastical religion is found. In such a situation great joy and praise is afforded our God. Let each of us look to our duties and manners, to our religion, and let us implore the Lord’s grace in peace within the church of our Lord.

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