Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 12:14

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge, or a divider over you.

This Passage certainly is not recorded for nothing, if it teacheth us any thing, it is this, That matters of Civil Iustice belong not to those whom Christ sends to Preach his Gospel. That Work is enough for them: Christ here refuseth the Office so much as of an Arbitrator. A very learned Author tells us, that the practice of bringing Civil Matters before Ecclesiastical Men, as Judges began in the Captivity of Babylon, the Jews by that means avoiding the bringing their differences before Pagan Judges, which the Apostle also persuadeth at large to the Primitive Christians, in 1 Cor. 6.1, 2. &c. But that the Ministers of the Gospel should be imployed, or might be imployed in them, doth not appear by the Apostle; nay 1 Cor. 6.4. he speaks the contrary, set them to Iudge who are least esteemed in the Church. These surely were not the Elders in it. Under the Romans, the Jews had more liberty, having Civil Courts made up of Persons of their own Religion, to whom our Saviour turns over this Man; being not willing to move out of his Calling, as a Minister of the Gospel. As Christ's Commissioners it is most certain, that no Ministers of the Gospel can intermeddle in Civil Judgments; whether those who are such Commissioners of Christ may yet as Mens Commissioners act, it stands those in Hand who are Ambitious of such an Employment, and can find leisure enough for it▪ and are called to it, to inquire I shall not intermeddle in that Controversy. To me, the proper Work of the Gospel is Work enough.