in the New Testament we meet with no such command laid upon the people We reade that Timothy and Titus and the Presbytery are to lay on hands but not a word of command for the people but rather against it as we have shewed 3. When it is said That the children of Israel laid on hands it is not imaginable that all the Israelites did put on hands but it was done by some chief of them in the name of the rest And as Ainsworth observes It was done by the first-born For the first-born was sanctified and consecrated unto the Lord Exo. 13.1 Because the Lord when he destroyed the first-born in Egypt spared the first-born of the Israelites therefore he challengeth a right in all their first-born and they were to be given to him And now the Levites were taken by God in stead of the first-born as appears Numb 8.16 17. And hence it was that the children of Israel that is the first-born of Israel were to lay on hands upon them for the Levites gave an atonement for them and were offered up unto the Lord in their stead and as the Rabbins say Every first-born laid on hands on the Levite that was for him Which if it be so will afford us two other answers to this text 4. That the children of Israel had not onely a special command but a special reason also for what they did And therefore this example cannot be made a patern for New Testament practice 5. That this laying on of hands upon the Levites was not for them to set them apart for the service of the Lord but rather a setting them apart for a Sacrifice unto the Lord. It was the command of God that the children of Israel must put their hands upon the Sacrifices they did offer unto the Lord. The Levites were now to be waved or offered before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel and to be offered in stead of the first-born And therefore the first-born did put their hands upon them as their propitiation and atonement It is very observable That notwithstanding this Imposition of hands the Levites were not thereupon invested into their office and made able immediatly to execute it But Aaron the Priest was to wave them before the Lord for a wave-offering that they might execute the service of the Lord. It was Aarons waving of the Levites and separating them from among the children of Israel that did constitute and make them Church-officers And thus at last we have put an end to our first part concerning the Divine Right of the Gospel-Ministry and have as we hope sufficiently cleared to the consciences of our people That there is such an Office as the Office of the Ministry perpetually to be continued in the Church of Christ. That no man ought to take upon him either the Office or the Work of the Ministry unlesse he be lawfully ordained thereunto That Ordination of Ministers is an Ordinance of Christ and ought to be by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery c. We cannot but expect to meet with many Adversaries that will oppose what we have here written Some will deny the very Office of the Ministry Others will grant that there was such an Office in the Apostles dayes but will say that it is now quite lost Some will grant that the Office of the Ministry is perpetually necessary but will adde That it is lawfull for all men gifted to enter upon the publick work of the Ministry though they be not called and ordained thereunto Some are for an immediate and extraordinary Call to the Ministry Some will deny all Ordination of Ministers Others will grant Ordination but deny Imposition of hands Others will grant Imposition of hands but say That it ought to be done by private Church-members and not by the Presbytery By this it appears that our Adversaries differ as much one from another as they do from us And therefore we need not be much afraid of their opposition for in writing against us they will be necessitated also to write one against another It is we confesse a great lamentation and shall be for a lamentation that there should be such differences and divisions amongst Christians and especially amongst those that professe the Protestant Reformed Religion and have made a necessary and just separation from the Idolatry and superstition of the Church of Rome Hereby God is greatly dishonoured True Religion hindered and disgraced The wicked are hardâ—ed in their wickednesse The Popish party is encouraged The godly party weakned and great stumbling blocks are laid before weak Christians to deter them from true conversion But we hope that this which we have written will contribute something towards the healing of these differences and uniting of all godly and unprejudiced people in peace and truth This is our design this is the success we pray for We have been necessitated to make frequent mention of A Platform of Church-Discipline agreed upon by the Elders and Messengers of the Churches in New-England and have expressed our dissent from some things therein contained But we desire the Reader to take notice 1. That in the Preface to this Platform they assure us of their hearty consent to the whole Confession of Faith for substance of Doctrine which the Reverend Assembly presented to the Parliament and tell us of an unanimous vote of a Synod at Cambridge 1648. which passed in these words This Synod having perused and considered with much gladnesse of heart and thankefulness to God the Confession of Faith published of late by the Reverend Assembly in England do judge iâ— to be very holy orthodox and judicious in all matters of Faith and do therefore freely and fully consent thereunto for the substance thereof c. And do therefore think it meet that this Confession of Faith should be commended to the Churches of Christ amongst us and to the honoured Court as worthy of their due consideration and acceptance 2. That as we agree wholly in the same Confession of Faith so also we agree in many things of greatest concernment in the matter of Church-Discipline 3. That those things wherein we differ are not of such consequence as to cause a schism between us either in worship or in love and affection Our debates with them are as it was said of the disputes of the ancient Fathers one with another about lesser differences not contentiones but collationes We can truly say as our Brethren do in the fore-named Preface That it is far from us so to attest the Discipline of Christ as to detest the Disciples of Christ so to contend for the seamless coat of Christ as to crucifie the living members of Christ So to divide our selves about Church-communion as through breaches to open a wide gap for a deluge of Antichristian and prophane malignity to swallow up both Church and Civil State The main intendment and chief drift of this our undertaking hath been to oppose those that say
is Christ onely that institutes the office and that furnisheth and fitteth men with graces and abilities for the discharge of so great an employment with willing and ready mindes to give up themselves to so holy services It is Christ onely that sets the Laws and Rules according to which they must act All that man doth in Ordination is in a subordinate way as an Instrument under Christ to give the being of an outward Call and to constitute him an Officer according to the method prescribed by Christ in his Word All that we say that we may be rightly understood may be reduced to these three heads 1. That it is the will of Christ who is King of his Church that men should be outwardly called to the Ministry as well as inwardly fitted And that without this Call none can warrantably do any act that belongs to an Officer as not having the specificall form of an Officer and as Mr Hooker saith Whatsoever is done without this is void and of none effect 2. That this outward Call consisteth in Election and Ordination 3. That Ordination is that which gives the Being of this outward Call that makes a man a Minister That in this sense gives him his Ministeriall Office Election doth only design the person but it is Ordination that bestoweth the Office upon him Arg. 5. We might argue in the fifth place from the persons appointed by Christ to ordain and from the great solemnity used in Ordination and from the blame that is laid upon those that ordain unworthy persons unto the Ministerial Office 1. The persons that are said in Scripture to ordain are as we shall prove hereafter either Apostles Prophets Evangelists or Presbyters And this is a sufficient Argument to us to prove that it is Ordination that constitutes the Minister and not Election For it is not likely that Christ would appoint his Apostles and his Apostles appoint extraordinary and ordinary Elders to convey onely an adjunct of the Ministerial Call and leave the great work of conveying the Office-power unto the common people 2. The solemnity used in Ordination is Prayer Fasting and Imposition of hands We do not reade the like solemnity expressed in Scripture in Election and therefore it is against reason to think That Election should constitute the Minister and give him all his Essentials and Ordination only give him a ceremonial complement 3. The blame laid upon Timothy if he should lay hands suddenly upon any Minister is very great For hereby he makes himself impure and becomes accessory to the sins of those whom he makes Ministers Now we may thus reason Where the greatest blame lies for unworthy men coming into the Ministry surely there must lie the greatest power of admitting men into the Ministry else the blame is not just But the greatest blame is laid upon the Ministers Ergo. If the constituting cause of the Ministerial Call did lie in Election The Minisâ—ers may well excuse themselves and say We do but ordain we do but give an adjunct the people did the main act they gave the Essence and therefore the blame belongs to them and not to us See more of this in Separation examined by Mr Firmin pag. 58. Much more might be added for the proof of this Assertion but we shall purposely wave what else might be said least we should be overtedious CHAP. XII Wherein the third Assertion is proved viz. That Ordination of Ministers ought to be by Prayer Fasting and Imposition of hands THE third Assertion is That Ordination of Ministers ought to be by prayer fasting and Imposition of hands Here are two things to be made out 1. That Ordination ought to be with prayer and fasting Prayer and fasting though they be not necessary to the very being and essence of Ordination yet they are very necessary to the better being of it as divine conduits to convey the blessing of God upon it First For Prayer It is observable in the old Testament that Aaron and his sons did not enter upon their Ministry till they had been sanctified by the holy oyl and sprinkling of bloud and had been seven whole dayes before the Lord abiding at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation Levit. 8.33 In the New Testament our blessed Saviour when he chose his Apostles is said to have spent all the night before in prayer Luk. 6.12 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And to our remembrance we do not reade that our Saviour spent a whole night in prayer but upon this occasion which sheweth of how great consequence it is that those who preach the Gospel should be sent out with solemn and earnest prayer And this is the more observable if we compare the 9th of Matth. 36 37 38. with Luke 6.12 13 14. When Christ saw the misery of the people in the want of faithful Ministers that they were as Sheep not having a Shepherd he directs them to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest and then as seemeth by Luke's relation he put that in practice which he commended to do for themselves he spent the whole night in prayer and then Mat. 10.1 2. he chose and sent out his twelve Apostles to preach the Gospel Secondly For joyning of Fasting with prayer we may consider That it was not ordinary and common prayer or some few and occasional Petitions that were put up but as in câ—ses of greatest concernment when some great evil was to be averted or some singular mercy to be obtained fasting was joyned with prayer In the Acts where you have the records of the Primitive Churches practice as the best president for succeeding ages it is recorded that persons designed to the work of the Ministry were set apart and commended to God for his assistance support and successe by fasting and prayer Acts 13.1 2 3. It is said of the Prophets and Teachers of Antioch As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And then when by a new fast as it may seem purposely called upon that occasion they had sought God on that behalf they fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and sent them away to preach And as it was thus done to Paul and Barnabas so when they had travelled farre in preaching the Gospel and had found that happy successe on their Ministry that many among the Gentiles were converted because themselves could not make their constant abode in anyone place the greater service of the Church calling them forth to other places that there might be a foundation of a fixed Ministry for the building up of those that were already converted and for the bringing in of others yet uncalled They ordained them Elders in every Church which should stay with them and watch over them in the Lord Act. 14.23 And these they sent out with the like solemnity in seeking God by fasting and prayer and
we can do our selves Frastra â—it per plura c. If this Doctrine were true the Apostles needed only to have preached and to have converted the people to the faith and when they had done to have said We have now done our work you may now elect and ordain your Officers your selves the power to do these things belongs to you But the Apostles did quite contrary and therefore certainly Ordination is not the peoples but the Ministers Office Adde thirdly that which to us seems to be of weight That all that is written in the Epistles concerning the Ordainers and the qualification of the ordained c. is all written in the Epistles unto Timothy and Titus who were Church-Officers In the other Epistles which were written unto the Churches there is no mention made of these things which doth abundantly prove unto us That the work of Ordination is a work belonging to Ministers and not to the people Lastly We might argue from the nature of Ordination It is a potestative and authoritative mission It is an eminent act of Jurisdiction not onely confirming a Minister in that Office which he had before by Election but conveying the very Office-power of preaching and administring the Sacraments It is that as we have said which gives the essentials of the Ministerial Call And therefore by the rule of the Gospel it belongs to Officers and not to private persons The Scripture doth accurately distinguish between Church-Rulers and private believers Heb. 13.17 24. 1 Thess. 5.12 Private persons can with no more lawfulnesse convey power to another to administer the Sacraments then they can themselves lawfully administer the Sacraments Church-power is first seated in Christ the head and from him committed to the Apostles and from them to Church-Officers And they alone who have received it from the Apostles can derive and transmit it to other Ministers And though we freely confesse That all Church-power is in the people finaliter objective that is for their use and benefit according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas all are yours i.e. for your service and salvation yet we are farre from thinking that all things are theirs formally and originally that is of their making and authorizing Or that they that are not Ministers themselves can derive the Ministerial Office to others This we beleeve to be both against Scripture and reason The serious consideration of these things is of marvellous concernment for the people of our age upon this one account especially because there are a generation of men risen up amongst us that renounce and disclaim all Ordination from Ministers as unwarrantable and Antichristian and take it up from the people as the only way of the Gospel herein committing amongst many other these three evils 1. In renouncing the Ordinance of Christ and calling that which is truly Christian Antichristian 2. In setting up a new way of Ordination which hath not the least footing in the New Testament or in all Antiquity 3. In plunging themselves into this inextricable difficulty for he that renounceth Ordination by Ministers as Antichristian must of necessity renounce not only our present Ministry but all the Ministers and Churches in the Christian world he must turn Seeker and forsake all Church-communion as some in our unhappy dayes do For all Ordination by the people is null and void as being not only not grounded upon Scripture but against Scripture And to intrude into the Ministerial Office without Ordination is as the sinne of Corah and his company as we have formerly shewed Our desire is that these particulars may be duly weighed by all sober Christians It will not be amiss here to consider what is said against this Thesis by the Elders of New-England In four things they agree with us 1. They say Church-officers are to be ordained 2. And to be ordained by Imposition of hands 3. That where there are Elders Imposition of hands is to be performed by those Elders 4. That where there are no Elders if the Church so desire Imposition of hands may be performed by the Elders of other Churches But they differ from what we have asserted when they say In such Churches where there are no Elders Imposition of hands may be performed by some of the Brethren chosen by the Church thereunto For the proof of this they bring a Reason and a Scripture The Reason is If the people may elect Officers which is the greater and wherein the substance of the Office consists they may much more occasion and need so requiring impose hands in Ordination which is the lesse and but the accomplishment of the other Answ. 1. If this Argument were valid it would follow that people might ordain their own Ministers not only when they want Elders but when they have Elders For if Election give the essence to a Minister and Ordination only an adjunct we see no reason why they that give the essence should not also give the adjunct And why an adjunct should belong to the Officers in that Church to whom the essence doth not belong But 2. We say That Scripture-light being Judge Election is not the greater and Ordination the lesse It is possible that it is upon this ground that some men have made so slight of Ordination that so they might entitle the people thereunto But we have abundantly shewed 1. That Election doth not give the essence of the Ministerial Call That Election is only the designation of the person that is to be made a Minister not the making of him a Minister 2. That Ordination is that which gives the essence That it is an Authoritative appointing of a person to the Ministry and an actual investing him into the office That it is held forth in the Scripture as the greater and therefore not given to one and the same persons but this later referred to the more honourable persons as appears from Acts 6.3 5. Tit. 1.5 1 Tim. 4.14 1 Tim. 5.22 The Text they quote in the Margine for the proof of this is not out of the New Testament but the Old out of Numb 8.10 11. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the Lord and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the Lord for an offering of the children of Israel that they may execute the service of the Lord. Ans. 1. This Text doth not prove that for which it is brought but makes rather against our Brethren For they say That where there are Elders Imposition of hands is to be by the Elders and not by the people but in case of want of Elders But here Aaron and his sons were present And if it proves any thing it proves that the people may ordain where there are Elders which our Brethren will in no case consent unto 2. That the children of Israel were commanded by God immediately to lay on hands upon the Levites But
yet crucifie Christ again in his members Is not this to partake of Antichrists sin Howsoever when you have done your worst these holy Ministers and Martyrs are happy in heaven and their memorial shall be in all ages blessed upon earth when their enemies shall perish and leave their names for a curse unto Gods chosen If the Lord had his holy Ministers not onely in suffering times to be Martyrs but also in times of Reformation if the Lord stirr'd up his Ministers as his chiefest instruments to bring his people from the power of Antichrist as of old he led his people out of Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron then surely the Ministers are not Antichristian But the Lord did stirre up his Ministers in several places to detect the frauds of Antichrist and by their Ministry he did reduce his people from that Antichristian tyranny Before you heard of many Worthies as Wickliff Hus Hierom Prague c. But in the 16. Century how wonderfully did the Lord raise up for the rescue of his people the Ministry of Luther and with him what a troop of expert valiant Champions Philip Melancthon Conradus Pellican Fabricius Capito Osiander Bucer and many others in Germany Zuiâ—glius in Helvetia Iohn Calvin and Farellus that unwearied souldier of Christ as he is called These with multitudes of others in England France and othâ—r Countreys held their life in their hands hazarded all for the Gospel of Christ these smit spiritual Egypt in her first-born These even these bare the heat of the day and we are entred upon their labours And is this all the thank that ye render to God or them that when they delivered you from Antichristianisme you condemn them as Antichristian If ever since the beginnings of Reformation the pious painfull Ministers in the Reformed Churches have stood in the breach have prevented our spiritual relapsing into Aegypt if they have spent their time parts and studies night and day to fight the battels of Christ against Antichrist then it is not only a groundlesse mistake but an ungodly sinful scandall to censure them as Antichristian How is it that ye are not afraid to speak evil of the servants of the Lord set up by his Spirit for the defence of the Gospel Will any rational man versed in the writings of those Worthies believe that Zanchius Bullinger Beza Brentius Iunius Pareus Piscator Musculus Scultetus Chamier or of our Countreymen Iewel Reignold Whitaker Perkins with multitudes of others who were willing to spend and be spent in defending the truths professed in the Reformed Churches against the Romanists Will any sober Christian believe that these were members of the Roman Harlot The Popish party cannot so bely them but have found them to be their greatest adversaries Will any man be so senslesse and stupid as to account David who slew Goliah or Eleazar the son of Odo who slew the Philistims till his hand was weary or Shammah who when all Israel fled from the Philistims he stood in the midst of a ground full of Lentiles and defended it and slew the Philistims and the Lord wrought a great victory Will any man be so mad as to say that David and his worthies were the only friends of the Philistims and so bury them and cause them to go down to the grave among the uncircumcised Forget not the great appearances of Christ which have been gloriously seen and felt in the faithfull Ministers of this Land Have not they preached and pressed to the conscience the practical points of Christianity and hath not the Lord set a visible seal to their Ministry in the souls of thousands Dare you say that these practical Ministers Greenham Dod Dent Dyke Bains Rogers Hildersham with a world more of whom the world is not worthy that they were Antichristian Who art thou that givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and slanderest thine own mothers son Hast thou considered their work of faith labour of love patience of hope If thou hast not why wilt thou speak evil of things and persons thou knowst not And if thou hast read and considered confesse and give glory to God and say God was in these Ministers of a truth Be not like those seduced Professours Who measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves with themselves were not wise These silly or rather proud Christians and their false teachers traduced the great Apostle as if he had not Christ to whom Paul answers and we with him If any man trust to himself that he is Christs let him of himself think this again that as he is Christs even so are we Christs These holy Ministers were the precious members of Christ and will you make them as much as is in you the members of an harlot God forbid The 9thConsideration is drawn from the sad consequences of this censorious groundles opinion For as touching our selves and the Ministers of this present Age We say nothing but We resolve in the strength of Christ to be faithfull to the death and not to fear the revilings of men and in the midst of all your undeserved reproaches to persist in the work of the Lord and to commit our selves to him that judgeth righteously Concerning these sad consequences we appeal to your serious and sober thoughts in these few Queries Q. 1. Doth not this Opinion in rejecting all the godly Ministers of the Reformed Churches as Antichristian much promote the Cause of Antichrist which you seem vehemently to oppose Now if any build that which he hath destroyed he makes himself a transgressor For 1. Is it not the great work of Antichrist to destroy our Ministers to smite the Shepherd that the Flock may be scattered Certainly if the Lord in his wrath should suffer you so far to prevail as to suppresse Learning trample upon the Universities and ruine the Ministers That there should be no Learned men to detect Popish Impostures and refell their errors That neither shield nor spear should be left among thousands in Israel you would in this more advance Antichrist then if you were his sworn Vassals even an Army of Friars and Jesuites deceiving and being deceived 2. Do not most of your Arguments symbolize with the Romanists as if they were arrows shot out of their quiver They renounce us upon this ground That we are no true Church have no true Ministry and do not you agree with them in this unchristian principle and are not we forced to prove the being of our Church and Ministry in all ages against you with the same Arguments we use against them and herein do not you gratifie the common Adversary and strengthen their hands 3 Have you not cause to enquire whether you be not acted by the same Spirit For you know the Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of meeknesse and that wisedom which comes from above is first
Question is What may be done in an ordinary way in Churches where Ordained Ministers either are or may be had Though we will not prescribe against necessity yet we would not have necessity pretended where none is For we reade that the Indians were converted to the Christian Faith by the means of Aedesius and Frumentius two private men but we reade not that either of them took upon them the Office or work of the Ministry Frumentius was ordained Bishop of the Indians by Athanasius Theod. Eccl. hist. l. 1. c. 22. And it is observable how great a journey he undertook rather then to run or officiate without a Call The Iberians were converted as the same Authour relates by the means of a Captive Maid but they sent to Constantine for ordained Ministers by whom they might be further instructed and guided in the waies of God which probably our gifted men would never have done These things thus premised we come now to prove our Proposition That None may undertake the work of the Ministry but he that is solemnly set apart thereunto not respecting so much the number as weight of Arguments First We argue thus That work for the doing of which God hath designed speciall Officers of his own neither ought nor may be performed by any that are not designed unto that Office But God hath designed speciall Officers of his own for the preaching of the Word Therefore None ought or may preach the Word but such as are designed unto this Office The major of this Argument is confirmed by these Reasons First Because God hath severely punished such as have done the work appointed by him to speciall Officers though they had no intent to invade the Office unto which that work was by God designed This appears manifestly first in the case of Saul 1 Sam. 13.8 9. c. He lost his kingdom for offering sacrifice though but once and that in a great straight The Philistims were ready to assault him he had not made his peace with God Samuel delaied his coming the people began to scatter from him whereupon he constrained himself and offered a Sacrifice yet for this one presumptuous though as it might seem necessitated act he hears from Samuel that he had done foolishly i. wickedly and from God that his Kingdom was irrevocably rent from him Secondly In the case of Vzzah 1 Chro. 13.9 10. who put his hand to the Ark and that out of a good intention to keep it from falling when the Oxen shook it and yet the anger of the Lord was kindled against him and he smote him that he died Better it had been for Vzzah to have kept his hands farther off then to have touched the Ark without warrant and better for the people of God that he had so done for for his rashnesse God made a breach upon them and smote him and this act of his did not help but hinder the bringing of the Ark up into the place prepared for it Thirdly In the case of Vzziah 2 Chro. 16.16 17 18. c. who when he was strong had his heart lifted up to his destruction for he transgressed against the Lord his God and went into the Temple of the Lord to burn incense upon the Altar of Incense but the Priests of God withstood him and said It appertaineth not to thee Uzziah to burn Incense to the Lord but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron that are consecrated to burn Incense Go out of the Sanctuary for thou hast transgressed neither shall it be for thine honour from the Lord God and though he was a King yet the Lord smote him immediatly with the plague of Leprosie of which he was not healed till his death This famous History holds forth these great Truths 1. That it is a transgression against God in any to enter upon the work designed by God to another calling 2. That the Original of this transgression is pride of heart 3. That it is the Ministers duty to testifie and bear witnesse against such transgressions 4. That it is dishonourable in the sight of God whatever foolish people may imagine thus to transgresse 5. That God will not be alwaies silent to suffer such transgression unpunished in the greatest when his Ministers warnings are rejected Vzziah would enter into the Sanctuary and is separated from the Congregation Now though God be not so immediate in the severe punishing of such presumption in our daies yet these things are written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the world are come that we should not be presumptuous as some of them were lest we also perish as these did Secondly Because this practice doth make void or at least unnecessary or insufficient those Officers which God hath appointed This is in it self a truth of clearest evidence What needs a peculiar Officer to be set apart to a common work As in the naturall body there is no peculiar member set apart as the Organ of feeling because this sense is common to every member so in the body of Christ there need not any speciall Officer be designed for such a work as is common to and may be performed by every Christian. Thirdly Because this practice doth confound and disturb that order which God hath set in his Church therefore it must needs be sinfull God is the God of order and not of confusion 1 Cor. 14. and hath commanded that every one should do his own work 1 Thess. 4. Rom. 12. And abide in his own calling 1 Cor. 7. He hath condemned those that walk disorderly 2 Thess. 3. and are busie bodies he hath placed in his Church different orders some Shepherds some Sheep some Teachers of the Word some to be taught as their places so their works are distinct as the different members of the body have different offices but now as in the body there would be confusion if any member should do the work of another member so is it in the Church if any member shall invade the duty of another This takes away distinction between Shepherds and Flock Pastor and People Rulers and Ruled and with the new Astronomers casts down Stars towards the Centre and advances and wheels the dull earth to and in an heavenly orb No marvel such Phaetons burn up the spiritual world by presuming to govern the chariot of the Sun Thus the major being cleared we come to the minor or Assumption That God hath set peculiar Officers apart for the Preaching of the Word For the proof of this these two things are to be done First We must prove that Ministers are Officers the Ministry an Office set up by God in his Church For this we referre to the foregoing Propositions in which this Point hath been largely discussed And indeed who can in reason deny that those that are set by God in his Church as Stewards Heraulds Watchmen c. are set by God as Officers in his Church The Apostle himself reckonâ— them up as special members in the body
gives ground for stating this to be the reason of its practise 2. This was not only practised at Ierusalem but at Antioch and not only among and by the Jews but elsewhere and by others It is said of Paul and Barnabas that they ordained Elders in every Church Object 4. Imposition of hands was used by the Apostles in a miraculous way and it did conferre the holy Ghost and gift of Tongues c. and therefore as the miracle is ceased so ought the ceremony to cease As in extream Unction c. Answ. 1. The giving of the holy Ghost and conferring of extraordinary gifts was one but not the only use which the Apostles made of Imposition of hands And as praier is still to be continued in the Church though it did sometimes conveigh extraordinary blessings Act. 8.15 16 17. Act. 9.40 Iam. 5.14 15. because it had other ordinary ends and uses So is Imposition of hands to be continued upon the same account Answ. 2. We never read of the holy Ghost given by Imposition of hands in Ordination That gift which Timothy received by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery is no other then the gift of Office Neglect not the gift i. e. Neglect not the office If Timothy had had power by laying on of hands to have conferred due qualifications for the Ministry why doth Paul require him to lay hands suddenly on no man and why must he be so carefull to see them first fit in case his laying on of hands would fit them There needed not such triall of their gifts in case a touch of his hands could have gifted them This proves clearly That there was no extraordinary gift conferred in Ordination 3. There is a double Imposition of hands The one miraculous and extraordinary which consisted in healing the sick and conveighing the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit And this was temporary and is now ceased as extream Unction is The other is ordinary Such is the Imposition of hands in Ordination and therefore to be perpetually continued in the Church We reade not only that Paul who was an extraordinary Officer but that Presbyters who were ordinary Officers imposed hands upon Timothy And the example of the Primitive Churches were intentionally left upon record for this end that they might be binding patterns in like cases in after ages And this seems to be one singular ground and reason of the Writing of the Acts of the Apostles That the Apostles acts in the Primitive Churches might be our Rules in succeeding ages Obj. 5. To what purpose then is Imposition of hands used if the extraordinary gifts of the holy Ghost be not conveighed thereby Answ. 1. We use it because the Apostles did use it in an ordinary way without giving the holy Ghost as well as in an extraordinary way because there is the same standing reason and because the Apostle bids us 1 Tim. 5.22 Sufficit pro universis rationibus Deus vult 2. We use it not as an operative Ceremony but as a Moral sign so declare publickly who the party is that is solemnly set apart to the work of the Ministry 3. We use it as it is a Rite and Ceremony by which the Office is conveyed 1 Tim. 4.14 4. We use it as it is a consecrating dedicating and offering up of the party unto the Lord and his service as in the Old Testament hands were laid on for this end 5. We use it as it is an Authoritative and Ministerial Benediction of the party ordained as it was used by Iacob in his fatherly blessing of Ephraim and Manasses and by Christ in his blessing and praying over the little children Mat. 19.15 Mark 10.16 And thus we have made out the Divine Right of Imposition of hands and our Exhortation to our people is That they would not stumble at that way of Ordination which hath so much of God in it nor be easily led aside into by-pathes by the seducers of this Age. And that they would not rest contented with Ministerial Examination though that ought to be and that in all exactnesse nor with Ministerial approbation nor yet with Authoritative Mission without this Apostolicall Ordinance of Imposition of hands CHAP. XIII Wherein the fourth Assertion about Ordination is proved viz. That ordination of Ministers ought to be by the laying on of the hands of the Presbyterie OUr last Assertion is concerning the persons who are by Divine Authority appointed to ordain and it is this That Ordinâ—tion â—f Ministers ought to be by laying on of the hands of the Presbytery For this we have an expresse Text 1 Tim. 4.14 which that we may the better understand we will give a brief Answer to some few Questions Quâ—st 1. What is meant by the word Presbytery Answ. By Presbytery is not meant the Office of a Presbyter but Collegium fâ—oâ— confessâ—â— Presbyterâ—rum a Colledge or company of Presbyters For as Mr Rutherford well observes The Office hath no hands And the word is used but in two other places Luke 22.66 Acts 22.5 In both which it must necessarily be taken for the Officers and not for the Office For the Office of Elders could not meet together as in that placâ— of Luke nor could the Oâ—â—â—ce of Elders beaâ— witnesse to Paul as in that place of the Acts. Besides as Mr Hooker well saith Not onely reason doth reject but the very ear would not relish such an unsutable sense Neglect not the gift which is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Office How harsh and unpleasant is such an expression Here Calvin is brought in by some who are in other things his utter enemies to countenance this interpretation And Mr Gillespy reckoneth it as one of Calvins few for they were but very few mistakes But looking upon his Commentary upon the place we finde these words Presbyterium qui hîc collectivum nomen esse putant pro collegio Presbyterorum positum rectè sentiunt meo judicio They who think Presbytery in this place to be a Noun collective put for a Colledge of Presbyters do think rightly in my judgement And therefore though he thinks the other interpretation non male quadrare which was his errour yet he is not to be reckoned amongst those that deny that by Presbytery is meant an Assembly of Presbyters Quest. 2. Whether this Presbytery was a Presbytery of Bishops or of single Presbyters Answ. To this we shall give this short reply That in Scripture a Bishop and a Presbyter is all one as we shall have occasion hereafter to prove And therfore we answer That it was an Assembly of Bishops that is of Presbyters Quest. 3. Whether this Presbytery were Congregational or Classical Answ. Mr Hooker of New-England confesseth That he never yet heard any Argument that did evince either by dint of undeniable evidence And for our parts we do not conceive it necessary as to our purpose to disquiet the Reader with
is said of Ioseph Act. 7.10 and he made him governour over Egypt c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This act of Pharaohs did not confirm him in that Office which he had before but conferred upon him an Office he never had The like we reade Deut. 1.13 Take ye wise men and understanding and known among your tribes and I will make them Rulers over you It was not the peoples taking but Moses his appointing that did make them Rulers Thus Exo. 18.21 Thou shalt provide able men and place such over them to be Rulers of thousands c. It was Moses his placing that did give them the formality of Rulers The Hebrew word in Exod. and Deut. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which answers the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.12 where it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it was the Apostles appointing of Deacons that did make them Deacons All that the people did was to set seven men before the Apostles whom they by Ordination made Deacons 2. This appears also from Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et constituas And ordain oâ— appoint It is evident that there was a great want of Elders in Crete and Titus was left to appoint and set Elders over them Titus was not left only to adde an adjunct as we have formerly said to the Ministeriall Call or to establish and confirm those in their places that had right to them before but he was left 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one as in a civill sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one saith or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constituere praeficere rectores judices to constitute and make Rulers and Judges Thus it is said Luk 12.42 Who then is that faithfull aend wise Steward whom his Lord shall make Ruler c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This act of the Lord of the house is that which gives the formall being of a Ruler unto this Steward And it is Ordination that doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is essentiale constituens of the Ministeriall office Argum. 3. If Ordination be the sending of a manforth with power and authority to preach the Gospel and administer the Sacraments then it is that which gives the essence of the Ministerial Office But Ordination is so Ergo. The minor is proved from Rom. 10.15 And how shall they preach except they be sent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This sending it an authoritative mission to preach the Word as Criers and Heralds for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth and also as Embassadors are sent forth by their Prince with their Letters missive and credentials which appears by the words immediatly following As it is written How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things Hence it is That some Divines do very well define Ordination to be missio potestativa A sending of a man forth with power and authority to preach and administer the Sacraments It is not an installing of a man into an office to which he hath right before but it is a giving of him his Commission and authority And of this kinde of sending is this Text to be understood That it cannot be understood of providential sending we have formerly proved nor of a sending by the Election of the people For the people cannot be said to be sent to themselves but Ministers are said to be sent to them And we now further adde That it cannot be understood only of an extraordinary mission by God such as the Apostles had which was to cease with the Apostles but it must be understood of such an authoritative sending which was to continue to the end of the world For the Apostle in that Climax of his makes it as necessary and perpetuall as calling upon the Name of the Lord as Beleeving and Hearing the Word For this the Apostle affirmeth That as calling upon the Name of the Lord is perpetually necessary to salvation so is faith to the calling upon the Name of the Lord and so is Hearing of the Word necessary to Beleeving so is Preaching of the Word to Hearing and so is Ordination and Mission necessary to the orderly Preaching of the Word And therefore we conclude That by sending is meant a sending by Ordination and that this sending is a deputation of a man to an Ecclesiasticall Function with power and authority to perform the same and that it is to last as long as Preaching Beleeving and Praier which is to the end of the world Arg. 4. If Ordination be that which gives the Ministeriall office then the essence of the Ministeriall Call consisteth in Ordination But Ordination is that which gives the Ministerial office That this it so appears from 2 Tim. 1.6 Wherefore I put thâ—e in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands And by 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery By laying on of hands is meant as is aforesaid the whole work of Ordination And by gift is meant docendi officium as most Interpreters say the office of the Ministry and the power and authority conferred thereby upon him The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is often taken not only for the grace by which we are fitted for an office but for an office unto which men are through grace fitted Thus it is taken Ephes. 4.8 Rom. 12.6 And thus it is here to be taken Paul by Ordination did not onely declare Timothy to be an Officer and confirm him in that Office which he had before â—ollated upon him by the choice of the people But he together with the Presbytery gave him the gift or office of the Ministry Object The Text saith That this gift was given by prophecy and therefore not by the laying on of the hands either of Paul or of the Presbytery Answ. These words By Prophecy do signifie onely the moving cause and that encouraged Paul with the Presbytery to lay hands on Timothy viz. It was prophesied That Timothy should be an excellent Minister 1 Timothy 1.18 This charge I give unto thee Sonne Timothy according to the Prophecies that went before of thee So that the meaning is Paul by Prophecy that is according to the Prophecies that went before of him or Paul directed by the Spirit of Prophecy conferd the gift or office of the Ministry upon Timothy But here we must of necessity adde one caution left we be mis-understood When we say that Ordination gives the Ministerial office we mean onely as to the essence of the outward Call For we know That it is the Prerogative Royall of the Lord Jesus to appoint Officers and Offices in his Church It