Quest. CLXIX. How doth the Holy Ghost set bishops over the churches?

Answ. 1. By making the office itself, so far as the apostles had any hand in it, Christ himself having made their office.

2. The Holy Ghost in the electors and ordainers directeth them to discern the fitness of the persons elected and ordained, and so to call such as God approveth of, and calleth by the Holy Ghost in them. Which was done, 1. By the extraordinary gift of discerning in the apostles. 2. By the ordinary help of God’s Spirit in the wise and faithful electors and ordainers ever since.

3. The Holy Ghost doth qualify them for the work, by due life, light, and love, knowledge, willingness, and active ability, and so both inclining them to it, and marking out the persons by his gifts, whom he would have elected and ordained to it: which was done, 1. At first by extraordinary gifts. 2. And ever since by ordinary. (1.) Special and saving in some. (2.) Common, and only fitted to the church’s instruction, in others. So that whoever is not competently qualified, is not called by the Holy Ghost: when Christ ascended, he gave “gifts to men, some apostles, prophets, and evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the edifying of his body,” &c. Eph. iv. 7-10.

Acts xx. 28.

Acts i. 24; xiii. 2; xv. 28, &c.; xiv. 23.

1 Cor. xii. 12, 23, 28, 29.