or else which is all one not permitted to exercise that part of their supposed Jurisdiction now the Presbytery ordinary Presbyters may do it without them So our eminently learned and judicious Davenant lately a star of the first magnitude in this our Horizon being himself also soon after a Bishop hath plainly determined it In Ecclesia turbata ubi Episcopi omnes in haeresin aut Idololatriam inciderunt c. si Orthodoxi Presbyteri ne pereat Ecclefia alios Presbyteros cogantur ordinare ego non ausim hujusmodi Ordinationes pronunciare irritos inanes Davenant determi Quest 42. In Ecelesiâ turbatâ c. In the troubled state of the Church where ordination cannot bee received from Episcopal hands it both may and ought to be from the hands of Ordinary Presbyters To which Armacham by him cited in one case agrees viz. when the Bishops are all dead And indeed what he there also taketh notice of it is no lesse than a wonder that those who in some cases in case of imminent danger will allow any private person a midwife or whoever to baptise an Infant which by divine institution belongs only unto Ministers and account it valid yet will rather suffer the Church to go to wrack and perish than to admit of Ordination by the hands of Presbyters which if rightly considered and applyed to the present times I presume may bee sufficient to satisfy any such well-advised and moderate spirits as his was To this I might adde what is taken notice of by others and that from the concessions of some of those who have appeared for Vide jus divinum Regim Eccl. p. 132. and pleaded the cause of Episcopacy among our selves who have freely and ingenuoussy acknowledged what indeed cannot bee denied that Presbyters as Presbyters are indued with an intrinsecal power and authority to ordain others having been onely limited and restrained in the exercise of that power by the Discipline of the Church for orders sake which Discipline being now in this Nation for the present at least layed asleep it cannot bee thought any usurpation in them to assume and exercise that power which is confessedly intrinsecall to their order But I have neither time nor will to wade into debates of this nature I have done with Doctrinal informations To which had I any time further to spend I might now subjoyn some Practical Applications and that both to Ministers and people 1 To Ministers such as would be such as are 1 Such as would bee Candidates Expectants such as intend and desire the work and office of the Ministery which who so are in measure fitted for it and have a sincere intention of doing service to God and his Church in it without any Ambition may do as our Apostle tells us 1 Tim. 3.1 let them here see what door it is that they are to enter at and see that they ENTER in by that door Not taking upon them this office without a calling No man taketh this honour unto himself saith the Apostle Heb. 5.4 speaking not de facto but de jure not what men do but ought to do not take upon them the ministerial office without a warrantable Call thereunto Which Call consisteth not meerly in personal qualification or yet in a popular election but also in a Potestative mission a Regular Ordination And let them enter in at this door which the true Shepheard is said to do John 10.2 And who so doth not hath a black Character set upon him in the verse there foregoing 2 For such as are already entered in by this door let them take up from what hath been spoken both Counsel and comfort 1 Counsel Let this their Ordination which they have received leave upon their hearts and spirits an indelible Character continually minding them how they were thereby set apart dedicated and consecrated unto God for the service of his Church So as now they are no longer their own Ye are not your own saith the Apostle of private Christians 1 Cor. 6.19 much lesse publick Officers Magistrates Ministers they are Gods and his peoples not their own specially the latter who with their own consents are given up to the Lord and his Church and that for ever Now being so let them not live to themselves None of us liveth unto himself saith the Apostle But whether we live wee live unto the Lord Rom. 14.7 8. And so let his Ministers live Live to the honour and glory of their Lord and Master going about his work and service in his name and in his strength Not in confidence of their own Arm but his Which doing 2 Now let them comfort and incourage themselves in the Lord their God being assured that so long as they are with him hee will bee with them his hand shall bee upon them Thou hast beset mee before and behind and laid thine hand upon me saith David speaking of Gods providence towards himself Psal 139.5 And thus shall the hand of God bee upon his faithfull Ministers his good hand his Right hand That is the hand which is laid on in Ordination the right hand And this hand of God shall bee upon his Ministers being faithful in their Ministrations now let them know that hee hath laid his right hand upon them which meditation may bee and let it be usefull to them in divers cases 1 To bear up their hearts and spirits against that mean esteem which they meet withall in and from the world The world sets them on the left hand Wee are made as the filth of the world and are the off-scouring of all things even unto this day saith Paul of himself and his fellow-labourers 1 Cor. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sweepage and offall of the world Such is the lot sometimes oft-times of Gods faithfull Ministers though really such as the world is not worthy of yet they are meanly if not basely esteemed of they are set on the left hand But what of that so long as they are which they are the men of Gods right hand as David saith of himself Psal 80.17 having his right hand laid on them No small honour So it was to Ephraim that hee being the yonger brother his Grand-father Jacob should lay his right hand upon him which the story tells us hee did and that wittingly that he might put the more honour upon him Gen. 48.14 And so it is to the Ministers of Christ who for the most part are as Ephraim was yonger brethren take it metaphorically or literally it still holdeth true and so set as Ephraim also there was on Jacobs vers 13. on the worlds left hand that God should lay his right hand upon them this is no small honour no mean dignity sufficient to countervail what ever contempt the ungratefull world can cast upon them 2 Against meannesse of estate As for left hand blessings worldly wealth they have it may bee but a small portion of it in comparison of others Though it may bee they
they are known This is one of the characters that the Apostle giveth of a Bishop a Gospel Minister 1 Tim. 3.7 Hee must bee one that hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a good Testimonial a good report yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of those that are without without the Church no members of it much more of them that are within such must the conversation of a meet Candidate bee not onely unblameable but laudable And withall hee ought to be such a one as upon whom a humane and conjectural prophesy hath passed one whom others look upon for his parts and gifts as a hopeful instrument of doing service in the Church of God 2 And besides this humane let them look for somewhat of a divine Testimony though not in an extraordinary way as Timothy had that is not now to bee expected yet in an ordinary that they be such persons as in whom in the judgement of a well regulated charity they themselves may see somewhat of God of his grace and spirit sanctifying of them and so fitting them for this so weighty a service And now these two concurring they may comfortably go on in ordaining and setting apart such a one thereunto which how it is to bee done the next clause will inform you With the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Where again wee must make further enquiry what is here meant by the Presbytery what by Laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Quest 1. For the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hereby some would understand the office of a Presbyter So Erasmus here transsates it Authoritate sacerdotis To which sense I finde what I wonder at Mr. Calvin here not wholly averse yea Omuibus expensis diversum sensum non male quadrare fateor ut sit nomen officii Calvin ad Text. Quod de Impositione manuum Presbyterii dicitur non it a accipio quasi Paulus de seniorum collegi◠loquatur sed hoc nomine Ordinationem ipsam intelligo Calvin Instit lib. 4. Cap. 3. Sect. 16. Cameron Praelect in Mat. 18.15 elsewhere wholly for it but by the favour of so judicious an Expositor then whom I know none more we may take notice first that the word here used is never taken in scripture in this sense Neither can it well bear it True indeed as the learned Cameron notes upon it were it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it might be so construed Presbyteratus the office or dignity of a Presbyter but not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And secondly If the word would bear it yet the scope of the place will not For should we so read it with the laying on of the hands of the office or dignity of a Presbyter I must professe with the same Authour I should not know what sense to make of it And therefore letting that passe enquire we how this word is elsewhere used That wee may soon see there being but two other Texts where it is to bee found The one Luke 22.66 where wee read of the Elders of the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The other Act. 22.5 where wee meet with the estate of the Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In both places thereby meaning the great Councel of the Sanhedrim a Colledge or company of officers to whom the Government of the Church was committed Here is the Original both of the name and thing from whence it was derived as most other things concerning Ecclesiastical Government were unto the Christian Church which in like manner had its Presbyteries Societies and Companies of Church officers to whom the Government of the Church was in like manner committed And in this sense without question are wee to look upon the word here in the text as denoting Caetum seu Collegium Presbyterorum a Company of Presbyters Herein the generality of Expositors both Ancient and Modern Presbyterium qui hic collectivum nomen esse putant pro Collegio Presbyterorum positum recte sentiunt meo judicio Calvin ad Text. both Protestant and Romish do fully accord Mr. Calvin also among the rest upon second thoughts yeilding his free assent thereunto Quest Only the question remains what kinde of Presbyters were these Answ To this shall wee give the Doctors of the Church of Rome leave to return the Answer most of them will roundly tell us that they were Bishops Bishops as distinct from Presbyters wherein they plead the consent of some of the Ancients Such was the office say they to which Timothy was ordained not of a Presbyter but of a Bishop Now it was never the custome for Presbyters to ordain Bishops No The lesse is blessed of the better the greater faith the Apostle speaking of the Priestly office Heb. 7.7 Not the greater of the lesse Presbyters are ordained by Bishops not Bishops by Presbyters And herein we finde them seconded by some of our own of late times who contend that the office to which Timothy was ordained was the office of a Bishop an Arch-Bishop a Metropolitane And consequently the Presbytery here spoken of must bee a company of Bishops at least not of ordinary Presbyters In pursuit whereof some there are who spare not to affirm that in Pauls time there was no such order in the Church No Presbyters properly so called True indeed in a large sense say they the Apostles some of them sometimes stile themselves so as Peter and John who write themselves Presbyters 1 Pet. 5.1 2 Epist Joh. 1. and 3. Epist 1. But strictly and properly there was then none of this order None at least till St. Johns time the last of the Apostles Then indeed say they was this order introduced as a middle office betwixt Bishops and Deacons But before that there were no other ordinary offices in the Church but these two taking the word Bishops in a strict acception and consequently the Presbytery here spoken of could bee no other So high are some flowne in these distracted times being as they say of some Meteors set on fire by an Antiperistasis But as for this opinion as it is but novel newly hatched and singular so I suppose it is not like to be long lived it being such as the best friends to Episcopacy which the moderate party are I presume will not bee willing to own Neither indeed is there any reason they should in as much as it runnes so directly crosse as to clear evidence of Scripture so to the general if not universal consent of all divines both Ancient and Modern who look upon the office of a Presbyter as in Order and Time precedent to that of a Bishop Yea so necessarily preceding it that who ever shall be ordained a Bishop per saltum not having first a Presbyter they pronounce his Ordination invalid a meer nullity So it is agreed both by Protestants Papists Yea by the moderate on both these parts it is also yeilded that Presbyiery is the highest order of ordinary Gospel ministery Episcopacy not being a different Order from it but onely
hereby rendred the more acceptable unto God Take what the true Churches of Christ hold forth unto us 1. Hereby it is declared and that both publickly and solemnly who they are that are set a part to the work of the Ministery that so the people taking notice thereof may bee thereby induced to give such respects unto them as belong to their office To this end it is that civil Magistrates used to bee installed with such solemnities as they are for the conciliating of respect from the people under their Government And upon a like account is this solemnity used in the Ordination of Ministers 2. Hereby the persons ordained are dedicated and consecrated unto God and set apart to his service even as the Sacrifices under the Law by the same Ceremonie were set apart from a common to a sacred use 3. Hereby a Gift is conveyed viz. that Gift here spoken of in the Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both the Ministerial Office and Grace Both here said to bee conveyed unto Timothy by this means by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Object Not so say some this is more than the Text will avouch which saith only that this Gift was given him with the laying on of their hands not by it So they distinguish between these two particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by and with The former of which is here applyed to Prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Prophesie the latter to the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with laying on c. Answ But this is but a nice and over-curious criticisme Compare Act. 13.17.14.27 15.4 with vers 12. of that Chapter Vide Bez. Gr. Annot ad loc thus to distinguish betwixt these two particles which are not seldome indifferently used the one put for the other as it is observed by Beza and others Letting go other Texts consult wee but that one which is parallel to this 2 Tim. 1.6 there wee shall find this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 turned into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repl. True say they Paul might say this of his hands which had yet vertue in them to confer extraordinary gifts But so have not the hands of the Presbytery whether extraordinary or ordinary Answ To this let it bee answered that though they have no such vertue in them yet they may bee imployed as instrumental in conveying of what is not in their power to give And this is all that wee intend when wee say that this Gift is conveyed by Ministerial hands wee do not say conferred as attributing any proper Efficiencie to these hands but only conveyed Such is this Ceremonie of imposition of hands in Ordination it is only a vehiculum a moral Instrument whereby this gift is conveyed 1. The Office Hereby the person ordeined is impowered for the exercise of his Ministerial function in dispensing of Word Sacraments Censures all in an authoritative way Even as Joshua was installed in his office by laying on of Moses his hands 2. As the Office so the Grace This is also conveyed by this Ceremonie where it is rightly used and received So much our learned Cartwright sticks not to grant to his Adversaries of Rhemes writing upon this Text. That Grace is given saith hee by Cartwright Confut. of the Rhemists in Text. and with the Ordination of Ministers when it is duly given and received wee willingly yeeld because the words of the Scripture bear it Grace given in Ordination and that by imposition of hands as hee there intends it Quest But what Grace and how given Ans I answer Ministerial Grace suitable to that sacred function This is hereby given to the persons thus ordeined being such as are fit for Haec impositio significat collationem gratiae non quod Ministri dent gratiam sed quod significant gratiam datam a Christo Aquin. Com. ad Text. Cartwright ib. and do make a right use of this ordinance Given to them not by the opus operatuâ—â— the work done as if there were any such intrinsecal vertue in this Ceremonie This wee renounce as a Popish dream and that too gross to bee owned by some of their Doctors But only this is as I said a vehiculum an Instrument and a means whereby this Grace is conveyed So Mr. Cartwright there within a few lines explains himself It is a frantick device saith hee to imagin that by the very work of imposition of hands grace is given which is only the instrumental mean whereby it is given In such a way it is that Sacraments convey Grace not by any Efficiency in themselves but only as Instruments whereby the Spirit of God conferreth that Grace which is represented aed signified by them And in such a way may this Grace bee said to bee conveyed by imposition of hands in this ordinance of Ordination Whence it is that Mr. Calvin who is not wont to bee loose and lavish in his language nor yet ready to gratifie his Adversaries of Rome Impositionem manuum qua Ecclesiae Ministri in suum munus initiantur ut non invitus patior vocari Sacram entum ita inter ordinatia Sacramenta non numero Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 14. Sect. 20. Superest impositio manuum quam ut in veris legitimisque Ordinationibus Sacramentum esse concedo c. Calv. ibid cap. 19. Sect 31. by complying with them in any thing that may bee in the least prejudicial to the Truth declares himself once and again not to bee unwilling to indulge this Ceremony thus used the name of a Sacrament Non invitus patior vocaris Sacramentum Not that he is willing to allow it a room among the ordinary Sacraments which are seals of the Covenant of Grace of which kind he owns only two But in as much as herein it resembles a Sacrament it being by divine Ordination instrumental as a morralsign in conveying Ministeriall Grace as the signs in the Sacraments are in conveying the Grace of the Covenant So he Nec hic ritus est inane spectaculum sed cum precatio accedit impetratur spiritus Sanctus ordinando nisi ipse sit impius Hypocrira Heming Com. ad Text. Wherein wee shall not finde him singular Surely saith Hemingius this Ceremony of imposition of hands it is not inane spectaculum a meer Pageant to bee gazed and looked upon but an operative sign which being as it ever must bee accompanied with prayer now the Holy Ghost is hereby impetrated and obtained for the person or deined unless hee bee one that is an Hypocrite And to him consents Aretius who also writing upon the Text and taking notice how God was wont heretofore in the Primitive times to own this Ordinance of his by giving some evidence that the person so set apart was well pleasing to him hee adds Et
Instit l. 4. cap. 3. Sect. 16. yet no precept So as though it may bee done yet there is no necessity that it should bee so Answ 1. Suppose it that wee have not yet as Calvin concludes inasmuch as wee finde it in such constant use among the Apostles and their next successors their so exact observing of it may well bee instead of a Precept unto us 2. But secondly if wee have not an express precept for it yet an implicite one wee have which is tantamount what else meaneth that of Paul to Timothy where hee chargeth him not to lay on hands suddenly on any man 1 Tim. 50.22 surely that Caution implyeth an injunction whilest he prohibits the manner hee requireth the thing whilest hee forbids him to lay on hands suddenly hee intimates it as his duty to do it regularly Obj. But it may bee said However this was then used yet there is no necessity it should now bee continued in as much as this Gâ—â—â—â—ny hath lost the vertue which then it had Even as it is with â—utream unction the annointing of the sick it was then practised with an Apostolical warrant Jam. 5.14 but having since lost that efficacy which then it had it hath from those times been laid aside A. But so hath not Imposition of hands in Ordination which that ever it was miraculous wee read not however not the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery The same use which then it had it still retaineth and so as it hath been so still it ought to bee continued in the Church But I come not here to dispute this point Vide jus divinum Ministerii Evangelici Part 1. Cap. 12. and M. Laz. Seamans Answer to Chillenden Hoe postremô habendum est non universam multitudinem manuâ— impoâ—uisse saiâ— manistris sed solos Pastores Calv. Instit ubi supra which hath been sufficiently done by the pens of others of late times Passe wee on In the third place As hands are to bee imposed in Ordination so see what or whose hands Not the Peoples They indeed may with some colour lay claim to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not so to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a lifting up of their hands as the manner anciently was in the electing or approving of their Ministers but not a laying on their hands in ordaining them Surely as this findes no warrant from scripture so neither is it consonant to Religion or right reason that they who are not invested with any such power themselves should derive it unto others so giving that which they have not whether formally or vertually And if so what needed Paul to have left Titus in Crete to ordain Elders in every City which he did Tit. 1.5 if the people might have done it Surely this must be the Presbyters work 4 And that not of one single Presbyter however qualified however dignified Scripture speaking of this Imposition it still speaketh of hands in the plural number not singular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Text The laying on of hands And that not of one single person but more not of one Presbyter but of the Presbytery Thus was Timothy here ordained Obj. But here a stone lyeth in my way which must bee removed was not Timothy ordained by Pauls hands and his alone The Text is expresse 2 Tim. 1.6 where giving him the like charge concerning this gift hee minds him that hee hath received it by the putting on of his hands How then by the hands of the Presbytery Answ To this it is answered by some that the Gift there spoken of is not the same with this in the Text but some miraculous gift So Diodate conceives of it Diodate in 2 Tim. 1.6 It should seem saith he that by the Imposition of Saint Pauls hands Timothy received the miraculous gifts and by the Imposition of the Colledge of Elders hands hee was installed in the Ministery But in as much as wee do not finde either from Scripture or any sure record of Antiquity that Timothy had any such miraculous gifts therefore wee wave that conjecture 2 More probably and genuinely it is conceived by others and that by the generality of Expositors that Paul and the Presbytery did joyn in the same Ordination in ordaining Timothy to his Ministerial office they laid on hands together Nullus est dubitandi locus quin Timotheus a seniorum collegio electus fuerit qui toti Collegio praeesset Cameron Praelect in Mat. 18. 15 Onely hee as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leader and fore-man in that service which well hee might bee being an extraordinary person they joyning with him as ordinary officers Thus did Timothy and Titus afterwards ordaine not alone but with others onely themselves being as leaders in the work A pattern which was afterwards followed by the Church Ex Dei ordinatione perpetua necesse fuit est erit ut in Presbyterio quispiam loco dignitate Primuâ— actioni gubernandae presit Beza de Ministr Evang. Grad Cap. 23. Tales Episcopos divinitus quasi ipsiâ—s Christi voce constitutós absit ut unquam simus inficianti Idem ibid. Cap. 21. which in her ordinations was wont to have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Primus Presbyter one first to whom after ages appropriated the name of a Bishop which in the Apostles time was alike common to all Presbyters who for orders sake lead the way having the first hand in services of this nature So as these two may well stand together Timothy was ordained by the laying on of Pauls hands and yet by the hands of the Presbytery Quest But here falls in a question which some may think to bee pinching to us who are here met together about this service this day Where there is not the same order observed is the ordination valid May the Presbytery without such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without a Bishop lay on hands Answ In Answer to this I shall not much regard either what they of the Church of Rome or any over-heated spirits among our selves have determined who in the want of this order make a nullity of the Ordinance pronounce the ordination invalid and void by which harsh censure of theirs what do they but most uncharitably and even unchristianly degrade though not all yet the greatest and most considerable part of the Ministers of Christ in the reformed Churches throughout the world making them no Ministers and so unchurching their Churches Leaving them As for the more moderate spirits among our selves with whom I desire onely to deal and for whose sakes it is that I speak what I do how ever they look upon this as the more regular way more agreeable to the practice of Antiquity and the Scripture pattern yet they freely yeild it that where this is not to bee had where either there are no such Bishops or those not fit or not willing to ordain any but of their own faction themselves being not Orthodox
are not reduced to such extremities as Paul was who tells us of his hunger and thirst and cold and nakednesse 2 Cor. 11.27 yet they are dieted with a mean and scanted competency far inferiour to what others injoy But what of this Let it bee enough to them the right hand of their God is upon them assuring their interest in the best of blessings which right hand blessings are 3. Against opposition affronts troubles persecutions which they are subject to meet withall in and from the World These in some kinde or other they must make account of But let them not bee disanimated therby let them in nothing fear their adversaries So long as the good hand the right hand of their God is upon them they are safe enough that is a strong hand Thou hast a mighty arme strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Psal 89.13 This hand being upon their heads they shall need no other helmet this will bee to them a helmet of salvation Only let it bee their care to do the work of the Lord faithfully and then let them quietly repose themselves under the covert of his hand being assured of a gracious protection from that God whom they serve in the Gospel of his Son 4. I might yet go on Let this bee to them a Catholicon a comfort and incouragement in all their straits all their doubts and difficulties when they know not what to do which way to look now let their eyes bee unto their God whose hand is still with them If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead mee and thy right hand shall hold mee saith the Psalmist Psal 139.8 9. Such a gracious providence doth God exercise as towards all his servants in general so towards his Ministers in special In all places in all conditions hee will bee with them to support them to conduct them But I am straitned 2. A word for the people and but a word Let them own this Ordinance of God and that by owning them that are put under it Wee beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord saith the Apostle 1 Thes 5.12 The Officers of Jesus Christ such as are set apart unto his service and come in his name with his authority Know them and that so as to yeeld unto them such respects as are due unto them upon that account Esteeming them very highly for their works sake as it there followeth vers 13. not grudging them that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that double honour of Reverence and maintenance which our Apostle in this Epistle avoucheth the faithful Ministers of Christ to bee worthy of 1 Tim. 5.17 with all obeying them Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves saith the Apostle to the Hebrews speaking there not of Magistrates but of Ministers such as watch for the souls of men as it there followeth Heb. 13.17 obey their Doctrin and submit to their Government so far as they teach from God and command for God So doing you shall not feel of that hand which being laid upon them is ready to go forth against those who will not hearken unto them But I may not give way to further inlargements being also prevented in what I should have done in speaking somewhat of the latter part of the Text wherein wee have the matter of this charge which wee meet with in the first word Neglect not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which word wee have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more intended than said Neglect not that is with care and conscience attend thy ministerial office laying out that Talent which God hath committed unto thee stirring up the Gift which thou hast received So hee elsewhere explains and inforceth this charge 2 Tim. 1.6 whereof I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor taken from fire which is ready to go out unless it bee stirred up Even so are Ministerial gifts unless they bee exercised And therefore as the Priests under the Law had a care of that holy and heavenly fire upon the Altar to preserve and cherish it by adding fewel to it and stirring of it up so ought Gospel Ministers to have of their gifts which they have received from God maintain cherish them seeking to increase them by the constant exercise of them laying them out for the glory of God good of his Church Appli 1 A seasonable charge for you my Brethren who are this day to enter upon this Ministerial office you are here to receive the like Gift that Timothy did and that in the like way Now to every of you bee this word spoken and I wish it may bee ingraven upon each of your hearts so as you may have it in a continual remembrance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neglect not this gift You know how it fared with the servant in the Gospel who hid his Talent in a Napkin It turned to a bad account to him in the end And so will Gifts to their owners where they are not improved And therefore what you have received or shall receive see that you lay it out for your masters advantage therein seeking the glory of God and good of his Church So doing be you comfortably assured of what you have heard that the good hand of your God shall be with you and upon you to protect direct assist and bless you Whereof take the Imposition of hands this day as a pledge But I shall not here anticipate what you shall anon receive more fully from another hand To which referring you beg wee a blessing from God upon what hath been spoken FINIS AN Exhortation given to the late ordained Ministers after the Ordination in the close of the day thereof Norwich June 11. 1656. IT is no part of my task to intermeddle at all with any controversies about the Ordination of Ministers either to enter into the question of what necessity it is to bee an ordained Minister or into that other in whose power it is to ordain and to whom properly it belongeth This was the task of that Reverend Divine who preached the Sermon to you who very dexterously and judiciously hath acquitted himself therein mine is only to speak to you who are now ordained to put you in mind of your duty as ye are Ministers And all which I shall speak in this matter both for the help of your memories and mine own too I will reduce to these three summary heads First To shew you the great burthen of your Office and what a weighty calling ye have taken upon you to discharge Secondly To shew you the great peril and hazzard ye run in the not discharging of it aright And Lastly On the contrary the great reward which remains for every faithful Minister for every one that conscientiously and in some good
bee accessary to this Soul-murther If David so earnestly prayed Deliver mee from bloud-guiltinesse O God Psal 51.14 how much more should every good Minister pray against this worst of murthers for if God useth to make such inquisition after bodily murther which is the lesser and so severely punisheth it then much more will hee do it after the other which is the greater even the murther of souls Surely an evil and unfaithful Minister is one of the greatest partakers of other mens sinnes of any rank of men and hath herein the greater account to give unto God so that not without great cause did that good man pray Lord forgive mee my other mens sins And thus yee have the second general Head more briefly dispatched to shew you the great peril and hazzard yee runne if yee do not faithfully discharge such a weighty Calling as this is which yee have undertaken The Third and Last general Head remains yet behind and that is the great reward which yee may expect upon the faithfull discharge of your ministerial-office which though the ungrateful world should deny you yet yee should bee sure to receive it at the hands of God and that both here in this life and hereafter in the life to come And for the faithful Ministers reward here in this life First Yee have the Promise of Gods assistance that hee will bee with you in the work and will help to bear the burthen with you which is the Conclusion of all St. Matthews Gospel in the last verse of it Go ye and teach all Nations c. and loe I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Christ says hee will bee with them even unto the end of the world and therefore it must bee meant of all the faithful Ministers of the Gospel while the world shall stand for the Apostles were not to live to the end of the world And as yee have the promise of his assistance to help you forward in the work which many a faithful Minister hath experimentally often found beyond expectation so in the next place ye have the promise of his protection also to uphold and defend you against all the adversaries that yee shall meet withal in your Ministry For hee it is that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand Rev. 1.16 that is the seven Angels of the seven Churches which are the Ministers of them vers 20. Christ holdeth them fast in his right hand against all opposition either of world or Devil against them And hereupon hee so incourageth his Prophet Jeremiah in that very observable place Jer. 1.18 19 Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole land and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with thee saith the Lord to deâ—â—â—er thee And the like encouragement doth hee give to his Apostle Paul against all the opposition which hee should meet withall in the City of Corinth Act. 18.9.10 Bee not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this City Besides hee hath declared unto you in his word how ill he takes it at the hands of them that shall in any kind wrong you or misuse you yea or that shall not give that respect or esteem which is due unto you Luk. 10.16 Hee that despiseth you despiseth mee and hee that despiseth mee despiseth him that sent mee But for those that harm and injure you and set themselves as enemies against you there is a most formidable place of Scripture for them which I can never read without serious musing on it and gaining encouragement from it in no small degree it is a direful imprecation by way of prediction Deut. 33.11 And of Levi hee said Blesse Lord his substance and accept the work of his hands smite thorough the loins of them that rise against him and of them that hate him that they rise not again And as he declares how he ill takes it at the hands of such as shall wrong you and disrespect you so on the contrary how well hee takes any kindness done unto you Mat. 10.41 42. Hee that receiveth you receiveth me hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple hee shall in no wise loose his reward And this did clearly appear in the good Shunamitish woman who shewed so much kindness to the Prophet Elisha as to provide all things needful for his entertainment as often as hee passed by her house 2 King 4.10 for God rewarded her with a Sonne being childlesse vers 16. and him raised to life again when he was dead vers 35. And though these rewards from without were not yet the sweet inward peace and comfort which ariseth to a mans self out of a consciousnesse of the sincerity of his faithfull discharging of the Ministery this alone were reward enough here below But in the second place the reward which you shall receive hereafter in another world the reward in heaven which remains for every faithful Minister that no doubt is exceeding great and such as may throughly encourage you and prick you forward to the work For though wee do not peremptorily determine with the School-men among the Papists that there are several Aureolae as they call them several distinct Crowns of glory for several ranks of Saints in heaven as one for Apostles another for Prophets another for Martyrs and the like among which they foolishly reckon one for Virgins too yet as we have sufficient ground in Scripture for several degrees of glory in heaven so we have enough there for our encouragement that the faithful Pastors of Gods Church will be more than ordinarily rewarded for their labour in the kingdome of heaven For besides our blessed Saviours Euge in the Gospel Well done thou good and faithful servant thou hast been faithfull over a few things I will make thee ruler over many things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 Besides this we have a more expresse place in the Prophesy of Daniel Dan. 12.3 They that bee wise shall shire as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousnesse as the Starres for ever and ever St. Paul calls the Thessalonians whom he had converted unto God his Crown of rejoycing in the day of the Lord Jesus 1 Thes 2.19 and St. Peter tells us of an immarcessibilis gloriae corona a Crown of glory that fadeth not away which shall bee put upon every faithful Pastors head at the last day by Christ himself that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chief Shepheard of his flock the Church as yee have it lively and sweetly laid forth 1 Pet. 5.4 The Elders which are