in their Travels through the World to convert it from Idolatrie and to gain Proselytes to Christ. When the number of Believers was every where increast and the name of Christian which at first began at Antioch was every where disperst as far as Words were Names of persons the next business of the Apostles whose commission like the Sun 's was never to stand still or settle in one place but still to move like him from one Countrey to another was to mould their new Believers into well-form'd and govern'd Churches especially in great Cities such as Ephesus and Corinth and to appoint them Over-seers who should both teach and rule the Flock lest being left like Sheep without a Shepherd to o'relook them they either should be swallowed up by their own Heresies and Schisms or should break out of the Fold and relapse back again to Heathens These Overseers or as the Scripture calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These Bishops of the Flock they were compelled to chuse out of their new Converts and Disciples who in that infancy of time that famine of great Parts were generally men whose Faith was far greater then their Knowledge men not bred in Schools unskilled in Tongues and Arts especially the Art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Art of Ruling well Indeed they were such men as St. Paul describes in that mean and humble Map which he drew of those Times in the first Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians at the 26. and 27. Verses where he sayes Ye see your calling Brethren how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called But God hath chosen the foolish things of the World to confound the wise and weak things of the World to confound the mighty and base things and things despised and things that are not hath God chosen to annihilate and bring to nought the things that are To supply this great Defect the holy Ghost was fain to assist the very Apostles in the making of their choices and to furnish men with gifts and parts which might fit them for Elections Nay the persons generally were so ungifted raw unlearned in all kinds so unfit to rule or govern in the Church that he was fain to qualifie them in a way of new creation to make Things which were not bring to nought the things that were to give form to shapelesse matter to change their Ignorance to Knowledge to make unwise men wise and to raise their Wisdom out of nothing to call Light out of Darknesse and then divide it into Stars to make those learned Shepherds who were but lately Sheep able to defend their Flocks from the most fierce and learned Wolves In short to call a Church out of a Chaos and give a beauty to confusion to dispose the several parts into well-tuned Orbes and Spheres to place great Lights in this new Firmament which were to rule the Day and lesser Lights to drive and chace away the Night was a Work which required the Illumination of Gods Spirit to hold a Torch to those who had else stood in the dark And this is that which St. Chrysostom Oecumenius Theodoret Theophylact and many other ancient Writers have very well observed For St. Chrysostom in his Comment upon this very Text sayes that in this childhood this nonage of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That nothing was done as Mans Wisdome did direct 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by the direction of Gods Spirit whose business 't was not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to foretell things to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but to reveal things present too especially in the choice of fit Rulers in the Church Clemens Romanus speaking of those Rulers sayes That the first Bishops which were made were made by the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having tryed them by the Spirit Oecumenius also speaks as if the other held his pen and sayes almost in the same form of words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Bishops were made Bishops by the appointment of Gods Spirit Thus St. Paul and Barnabas were of Preachers made Apostles Act. 13. 2. thus Titus was made Metropolitane of Creet Tit. 1. 5. and thus Timothy in this Text was made the first Ephesian Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Spirit of God designing of him by the Prophets Nay Eusebius in the third Book of his Ecclesiastical History taking Clemens of Alexandria for his Chronologer and Warrant sayes That this way of making Bishops by the Appointment of Gods Spirit was observed in the Church till the death of St. John who after his return from his banishment to Ephesus being intreated by the Church there to provide for succession went through all the Regions near in a holy Visitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and ordained such a Clergie as the holy Ghost revealed So that they who have been curious to compute St. Johns return which was in the Reign of Nerva the 98. year of Christ 30. years after St. Pauls martyrdom do reckon That from the day of Pentecost in which the holy Ghost descended on the Apostles in cloven Tongues of fire to the time of St. John's death which was in the 100. year of Christ this way of making Bishops by the designation of Gods Spirit continued in the Church 66. years complete At which time the Church having taken general root and from a grain of Mustard-seed being become a spacious Tree able to diffuse it self without Miracles and Wonders those gifts of Gods Spirit which had brought it to this Growth and had every where furnisht it with Rulers sent from Heaven like the Manna in the Scripture ceast to fall on those who had now the Promised Land given to them in possession But yet though all this be true we are not to suppose that Gods Spirit did so wholly ingrosse this businesse to himself as to obtrude those new Rulers on the Church without their Allowance and Approbation too He onely did direct and name and recommend them 't was left to the Church to admit them to their Cures he but designed the Persons the Church gave them Ordination by the laying on of the Hands of the Presbytery Which describes to us the Forme of this Bishops Consecration and comes in the fourth place to be considered and examined 'T is observed that the Spirit of God who in the Jewish Church spoke by the several sparklings of those precious stones or Jewels which shined in the Brest-plate of Aaron the High-priest where a Diamond and Amethyst gave Oracles and Answers and an Agate might be reckoned into the number of the Prophets removed those precious stones into the twelve Apostles and made them twelve Foundation stones in the new Building of Christs Church as you may read in the 21. Chapter of the Revelation at the 18 19. Verses Certainly whatever in that Church conduced to Piety and Order whatever might be made a patterne for religious Imitation the Christian
know that of most sins I think Ingratitude the worst Being therefore fairly invited at first to preach this Sermon and since by several Hearers of it to make it this way publick I beseech your Lordship to allow it the shadow of your Wing and to accept it not as a full payment of my Debts to you for this very Dedication of it sets me deeper on your score but as a Testimony how much greater my Desires are then my Abilities or Parts to let the World know how unfeignedly I am Your Lordships Most obliged and very grateful Servant IASPER MAYNE Feb. 26. 1661. 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 THE PREFACE AS in the raising of the noblest Heights and Buildings that they may be exact and gain a reverence from the Eye great preparations are made towards the Erection of the Pile the best Masters in that Art are taken into counsel and Vitruvius is consulted to assist it with his Rules Platforms are drawn and Models are contrived that what was but a Scheme may be brought into a Structure Which made Aristotle say when he spoke like a Philosopher but so as that his saying holds in Architecture too That a material House or Palace springs from an immaterial and the Pile which is the creature of the Workmans Tool without was first shap'd and form'd by some designing mind within Lastly as when the materials are all ready and prepared some are set on work to hew and square the Stones others to dispose them into their several seats and stations others to oversee that the Workmen doe their Duties and that all things be done regularly as the Surveyors shall direct So God hath proceeded by the same course and method in the designing shaping forming and building of his Church Upon whose rude beginnings if we cast our eyes as it first appeared in the times before the Law though it began with the World and be as ancient as Mankind and had the same Corner-stone laid which now supports the Building in the promised Seed which was to bruise the Serpents head yet that Corner-stone being wrapt up in a Mystery and many thousand years required to remove the Veil and Cloud 't was but then a Church creeping forth out of the Quarrey without a hand to give it its just feature and perfection 'T is true indeed the Light of Nature helpt by the light and guidance of Tradition sufficiently inform'd men that God was to be worship'd but the way or manner how the work and person of the Priest the time when the place where with what holy Forms and Rites was left wholly to their Reason to discover and find out So that in the state of Nature the case stood with Religion as some have observed it did with the first Essayes in Painting unskilful men at first drew faces with a Coale to which after-times found Colours and gave beauty by their Pencil Or if you will hear me speak in the language of a Poet in this imperfect state of Nature the case stood with God in a way of Service and Religion as it did with the first Jupiter at Rome Aedibus exiguis habitabat Jupiter ingens Inque Jovis dextrâ fictile fulmen erat He was so rustickly adored that a Thatcht Cottage was his Temple where he stood holding an Farthen Thunder in his hand To redeem himself from so much rudeness of Devotion and to contrive a Worship some way worthy of his Greatness in the times of the Law he chose unto himself a select peculiar People which he formed into a Church and placed it for some Ages like a City on a Hill to invite the erring World to be its Proselytes and Converts His Service here below was taught to move like the Heavens above in a well-tuned harmony and musick of the Spheres A High-priest was appointed and the Miter set upon his head and inferiour Priests and Levites had their lower Orbs assigned them Sacrifices were prescribed and the business of the Temple proportion'd and cut out to the several Orders and Degrees of those who thus distinguish'd were to wait upon the Altar and the distinction was so sacred and the several bounds so set that as the Levite was not to invade the Office of the Priest so those inferiour Priests who broke beyond their bounds and attempted to invade the Office of the High-priest were not said to offer Sacrifice but strange fire before the Lord and perish'd for their boldness with their Censers in their hands To let us see that God was then the God of Order and turn'd such mens Oblations into their ruine and destruction Yet the Jewish Church thus modelled by Almighty God himself was but the imperfect draught and platform of a much holier Church to come 'T was but like their Tabernacle their House of Offerings and Oblations a moveable Pavilion or Tent fitted for a march towards a Land of Promise not yet discovered to their eye where that transitory Building that Temple made of threds was to be taken down to make way for one more lasting In short as 't is observed and 't is St. Austins Observation That in the forming of the Jewish Church the platform was first drawn and presented in a holy Scheme to Moses in the Mount so when that Scheme or Platform was wrought into a Fabrick when that which was a Pattern became a bodied Truth even that glorious Church in the midst of all its splendour was but a type and shadow of the Christian Church to come Some of the old lines were indeed to be preserved but with the addition of new colours drawing nearer to the life a High-priest was to be retained but with his Robes and Miter changed the Order of Aaron was to pass into the Order of Melchisedeck no longer to remain the Priest of one private single People but to be the publick Priest of all the Nations in the World The inferiour Priests and Levites too were to shift and change their Ephods and to pass into the Christian Presbyter and Deacon And now to hold you no longer in the Porch and Entrance of this Sermon but to draw this large Circle to its intended Point and Centre to reduce those Shadows into Substance and those Platforms into Building to form a new Church out of the ruines of an old stupendious in the raising and eternal in duration to make the Scripture-Prophecy become true authentick Story and the Glory of the second Temple to eclipse and drown the first to break down the Partition-Wall which divided Jews from Gentiles to square disproportion'd Subjects and unite all Nations in one Faith and by one common Gospel to bring them to Salvation was a Work reserved for none but Christ the Son of God himself Who as he was before designed to be the Head of this new Church so that he might be the Founder and Foundation of it
2. Canon of the Nicene Council the 18. Canon of the Council of Ancyra the 101. Canon of the Council called in Africk do speak as if those Fathers did either make those Canons or did inspire the pen of the Scribe or Register who wrote them And truly if I may joyn Historians to those Councils and those Fathers Eusebius in his 6. Book and 8. Chapter Socrates in his 7. Book and 41. Chapter do make the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last word in this Text bear the same sense and meaning with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not a Presbytery of Elders but the very Office of an Elder ordained and made a Bishop Indeed this Text in Greek if we transpose the words a little doth seem to favor this Opinion and may be made to run thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Neglect not the gift of Eldership which is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of Hands Where it would not be hard to prove to you by the best primitive Records That the word Eldership where ere 't is used in the Writings of the New Testament signifies the dignity and office of a Bishop Nay if you will hear me quote a more authentick Author then all these not for his integrity for he was no friend to Bishops nor yet for his parts for St. Jerome sure had greater but for his authority which ought not to be question'd when the Enemy of a cause bears witness to the Truth Mr. Calvin himself was of this Opinion who in the 4. Book of his Institutions and the 3. Chapter hath translated this Greek Text into this modern Latine Fac ut gratia quam per manuum impositionem accepisti cum te Presbyterum crearem non sit irrita Take heed the grace or favour which was bestowed upon thee by the laying on of Hands when I made thee a Presbyter were not given thee in vain Where though he do mistake the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a grace or favour as the other doth a gift yet he did not erre when he made both words agree in this that in this place they signifie an Office given by the Church But what need I quote Authorities either ancient or more modern when I have a clear demonstration of Gods Spirit that by the gift here in this place is meant an Office given For doth not St. Paul remove all Clouds and lend a Sun-beam to this Text in the 4. Chapter of the Ephesians from the 8. to the 12. Verse Doth he not there strike one of the chief strings in Davids harp and say That Christ ascended up on high that he led captivity captive and that he gave gifts to men And what were those gifts The 11. Verse resolves you they were the several Offices and Orders in his Church He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and some Teachers as you may read in that place And all this for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the building of his Church as the End is exprest in the 12. Verse of that Chapter Onely by the way I cannot but observe That in the bestowing of those gifts those Church Offices and Functions as none were to partake them without commission from the Church so lest the Church should erre in the admission of the persons they still brought their Letters Testimonial from Gods Spirit He first by some Prophet designed and named them to their Office before the Church drew up their Patent by the Imposition of their Hands Which is the Conge D'Eslire or third part of this Text namely the Prophecies which markt out this Bishop for his See What Prophet 't was or whether one or many by whom the holy Ghost design'd this Bishop to his Office is wrapt up in a Cloud which affords no light to see by But sure 't was none of the old Prophets who though they were called Seers yet this person stood too distant to fall within their view And because the name of the new Prophet is not set down in particular the most we can do is to seek for him by conjecture In the 21. Chapter of the Acts at the 8 9. Verses 't is said that St. Paul in his Travels with this Disciple in his Train came to Caesarea where dwelt Philip the Evangelist Into whose house they entered and abode there many dayes And that Philip had four daughters Virgins which did prophesie Again 't is said at the 10 11. Verses of that Chapter that Whilest they staid there a certain Prophet named Agabus came down from Judaea who prophesied against Pauls going to Jerusalem Now the circumstances of Persons Time and Place thus laid together have made it probable to some that some one of these She-prophetesses conversing daily with him or that Agabus who forewarned St. Paul of his imprisonment and bonds were opportunely moved by Gods Spirit in that place to nominate this Timothy to his Bishoprick and Charge of which St. Paul no longer could be an Over-seer And great reason there was why the Prophets should have a hand in all such sacred Nominations who standing next to the Apostles in the Bill and Catalogue of Honour for there were first Apostles then Prophets then Evangelists then Pastors As an Evangelist was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fellow-labourer or Assistant to a travelling Apostle in the dispersion of the Gospel so when he was to fix and settle in some one certain place and from an itinerant Preacher or Evangelist was to pass into a Bishop for order sake some Prophet who stood next in rank above him was to recommend him to the Consecration of the Church to point him out his Diocese where he was to reside with the full power of an Apostle fixt and seated to his charge So that the business of those Prophets was partly to foretell the contingent future accidents which were to happen in the Church partly to provide fit Guides and Rulers for it But whoe're the Prophet was for 't is but Curiosity to search the same holy Spirit which did consecrate our Saviour to be the Head of the Church and to publish his own Gospel in the 4. Chapter of St. Luke at the 18. Verse where he sayes and quotes the Prophet Esay for it The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel and the same holy Spirit who commissioned the Apostles to go and plant a Church in all Nations of the World the same holy Spirit I say did direct and guide the Church in the choice of the persons who were to follow and succeed them For here if I may draw waters from the same Fountains and Spring-heads from whence others have poured forth their Discourses on this subject In the first Age of the Church when 't was but yet a tender plant the first businesse of the Apostles was
Altar and of a Beast became the Expiation of a Sinne. The Stones in the Quarrey are but vulgar common stones indifferent to be wrought into a Kitchin or a Temple But being fetcht from thence and made a consecrated Building that which was a common heap becomes a house of Prayer Once more The Waters running in the Streame or drawne out of the Well are but a common Element no holier then the Streame But being poured into the Font and there applied to Baptisme that which was common Water puts on the nature of a Sacrament And I might say as much of the Lords Supper too The bread in the common lump is indifferent for all Tables no holier then the Sheafe or Corne ungathered in the Field But being made into a Loafe and set upon the holy Table and there being touched and hallowed by the Priest that which was a Loafe becomes the body of our Saviour In short as Holinesse in the best and strictest Definition of it is nothing but the separation or apartment of a thing from a common use to a religious and divine as the Sabbath was called holy because a common part of Time was divided from the rest and allotted to Gods service so a man thus ordained by the laying on of hands became a person separated from the common heap of Men a person hallowed for a Work whose Institution was divine Thirdly how shall men preach except they be sent sayes Saint Paul in the 10. Chapter of the Romans at the 15. Verse Where the Question is not put as if it were physically impossible for men to preach to others without Authority or Licence from the Church In our late licencious Times where Men inspired themselves the Cobler Weaver Tinker and Lay-preaching Souldier did it and went up into the Pulpit with a Sword by their Side or with an Awle or Shuttle or Trowel in their Hand But Quo Jure Where was their Warrant or Commission to do so Who signed and sealed their Patent by the laying on of hands Certainly if Men have not power to preach without this Authorizing Forme I am not Erastian enough to believe that they may assume the power and usage of the Keyes Excommunicate Ordaine Confirme Deliver up to Satan and judicially passe Censures upon Schismes Heresies and Scandals This then being clear the next thing to be enquired is who the Persons were who were commissioned to do this If we may believe Irenaeus Eusebius and Tertullian the Apostles singly did it by their laying on of hands Thus Polycarp at Smyrna was made a Bishop by Saint John thus Euodius at Antioch was made a Bishop by Saint Peter and thus by the same hands were Linus Cletus Clemens Romanus made at Rome Nay in the first Chapter of the second Epistle to Timothy at the sixth Verse 't is said That by Saint Paul's hands alone this Bishop was ordained Stir up the Gift of God which is in thee sayes the Apostle in that place which was given thee by the putting on of my hands Why is there mention made then in this Text of a Presbytery What means this Presbytery with their laying on of hands Do you not wonder holy Fathers that the same Master Calvin who took this Word Presbytery for the Office of an Elder should from the same Word set up his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his compounded mixt Presbytery of Spiritual and Lay-Elders A thing of which Aërius the Heretick never dreamt nor did Iscbyras or Colluthus ever receive into their Fancy Certainly those famous Lights and Fathers of the Church Saint Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact and others were so far from allowing of Lay-Elders in this Work that they would not allow a Presbyter to lay hands upon a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inferiour Priests assisted not at this higher Consecration 'T was still done by an Apostle or by some other Bishops at least by two or three say the Canons called Apostolick Which cleares the seeming contradiction between this Text which sayes That Timothy was ordained by the hands of the Presbytery and that other Text 2 Tim. 6. which sayes That Saint Paul ordained him by his laying on of hands Both Texts joyned together are thus fairly reconciled he was ordained by Saint Paul assisted by the Bishops called here the Presbytery or Elders on the place And now holy Fathers if you will heare me draw your Pedigree from the Spring-head downe the Streame your Order and the Christian Church with its Religion too had the same divine Original and derives it self from Heaven God sent his Sonne his Sonne sent Apostles the Apostles made Bishops and those Bishops made their Successors And all this by one and the same authentick Patent As my Father sent me so send I you sayes Christ in the 20. Chapter of Saint John at the 21. Verse An Order which hath stood out all the Injuries of Time Persecutions of the Heathens Opposition of Philosophers Contradiction of Hereticks even all the Powers of Hell which have strived to shake it by their violence and stormes An Order which hath filled our Calendars with Saints our Histories with Fathers Holy Confessours and Martyrs An Order which is promised to be as lasting as the Sun for Lo I am with you to the end of the World sayes our Saviour Christ the Founder of your Order in the 28. Chapter of Saint Matthew at the last Verse Lastly an Order in our English Church recovered out of Ruines made glorious after Shipwreck victorious over the Rage and Sacrilege of those who raised a Storme in hope to enrich themselves with Spoyles In short an Order which nothing can eclipse endanger or expose to the Malice or Designs of those who would destroy it but the Negligence or want of care in those whose Order ' t is Which should be the last part of this Text exprest to us in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do not neglect your Gift But this being a piece of holy Counsel much fitter for Saint Paul to preach out of this Pulpit to Men so like himself then for me so much inferiour in Gifts and Station to you For me to teach a Bishop how to over-look his Charge to prescribe him Rules of Government or to hold a Candle to him in his laying on of hands or Work of Ordination for me to instruct him how to admit fit Pastors to their Cures fit Shepherds to their Flocks where to let loose his holy Thunders and to call them back againe where to use the Rod and where to poure in Oyle lastly how to deport himself with all Gravity in publick and how to demeane himself with all Piety at home would be an undertaking like the foolish Orator's in Tully who in a Speech to Hannibal taught him the Art of War for which by that great Souldier he was accounted mad Having therefore Reverend Fathers profest my Submission and Obedience to those Rules and Orders which you shall prescribe to me but my very great unfitnesse to preach Lawes and Rules to you I hope my Modesty will gain me your pardon and excuse if I here put a period and conclusion to this Sermon FINIS The Division The Person His Qualification His Designation The form of his Consecration The Conclusion
Church transcribed as holy Platformes of their building The Waters of Baptism the Bread and Wine in the other Sacrament the Distinction of their Hierarchie into Higher Priests and Lower and the Ordination of those Priests by the laying on of Hands were borrowed and translated from the old Temple to the new In the pursuit and handling of which last namely the laying on of Hands which is the proper Theme and Subject of this Text two things I will observe to you First the several Ends and Uses to which it was applied next who the Persons were who were commissioned to apply it First as for the several Ends and Uses of this Ceremony in the times of the Old Testament 't was sometimes made use of in a way or forme of Blessing Thus Jacob laid his hands upon the two sonnes of Joseph and blest them on his Death-bed in the 48. Chapter of Genesis at the 14. Verse Nay in this way of blessing if we may believe Lipsius in his Book De Cruce or several sorts of Crosses the same holy Spirit who revealed the Shiloh to him the promised Messias Christ who suffered on the Crosse did direct and guide his Hands to do something like a Christian for in laying his right hand on the younger Son and his left hand on the elder the crosse postures of the Children on whom he laid his hands made his Imposition bear the figure of a Crosse. Next this laying on of hands was sometimes made use of in the making and creation of a great Minister of State Thus Moses did chuse Josuah to succeed him in his Power in the 27. Chapter of Numbers at the last Verse And thus Senators were admitted into the great Sanedrim or Council 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the laying on of the hands of some of the elder Senators as the Thalmudists report In the New Testament this Ceremony was as diversly applied Our Saviour Christ laid his hands upon the little children brought unto him and blest them sayes the Text of which this was the mark and signe in the 10. Chapter of St. Mark at the 16. Verse 'T was also made use of in the Visitation of the Sick in the 16. Chapter of St. Mark at the 18. Verse But it never was omitted in the Consecration of a Bishop Ordination of a Priest nay of a Deacon too Onely to make it the more solemne and effectuall the Church added usually their Prayers and Fastings too Thus Saint Paul was made a Preacher by the laying on of hands in the 9. Chapter of the Acts at the 12. Verse And thus Saint Paul and Barnabas were of Preachers made Apostles the Elders and Prophets which were at Antioch having fasted and prayed and laid their hands upon them sent them away in the 13. Chapter of the Acts at the 3. Verse And thus Timothy in this Text was made the first Bishop of Ephesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the laying on of Hands But why by the laying on of Hands some disputing men have ask'd Why by such a Forme such a Ceremony as this Why not by a Licence drawne up in Writing from the Church Nay sayes the Independent Preacher by a Licence from the State I must confesse the Question is not so hardly answered as his who askt what God did before he made the World what kind of Fruit 't was by which our first Parents fell where they had the Needle which stitch'd their Leaves together or where they had the Thred before the Art of Spinning was found out For here suppose I should reply and give this for an Answer That 't was Gods Will to have it so so directing by his Spirit Who then art thou O Man who darest dispute with God Must the Potter give a Reason of his Actions to his Clay But God who made the World in Number Weight and Measure who never did a thing superfluous or vaine but made Order to distinguish his Creation from a Chaos without which his six dayes Works had still lain in a confusion proceeded by a Reason nay a multitude of Reasons in this way of giving Order to his Church For First what would men have him do Issue forth commissions to the Rulers of his Church as he did to the Apostles in Miracles nad Wonders Had he gone no further he must have still wrought Wonders to perswade the doubting World that they were Rulers sent by him And so when such Miracles such Signes and Wonders ceast the Church for want of Miracles must have wanted Rulers and then for want of Rulers must have ceast to be a Church The Gifts of the Holy Ghost which I mentioned to you before though they made men fit and prepared them to be Rulers yet being invisible secret and unseen without some outward mark to make them own'd and knowne to those who knew them not would but have past for private Spirit not able to gain publick faith to the persons thus commission'd Some outward Mark was needful then to let the People know who the Persons were whom God designed to be their Guides As to let the Jews know that Christ was to be their Head the Holy Ghost descended on him in the figure of a Dove and to let all Nations know who were to be their Teachers in the sight of all Nations then assembled at Jerusalem the Holy Ghost fell on the Apostles in cloven Tongues of fire So to let after-Ages know who were to be their Leaders the same Holy Ghost appointed the laying on of Hands as the way and forme of issuing forth his commissions by the Church And the Reasons of this Ceremony were yet more clearly these There be two wayes sayes the Civil Law by which men take possession and so gaine a propriety in a thing which was not theirs If it be a thing immoveable as Lands Tenements or Houses by treading on the Soyle they take Possession by their Feet if it be a moveable as Goods Money Ware or Servant to gaine to themselves a property they take possession by their Hands So when God called a Man to be his Minister or Servant as to preach or beare some publick Office in his Church by the Hands of his Church he took possession of him and the person thus laid Hands on was no more his owne but Gods Next this laying on of Hands as it was a forme of Alienation by which the person thus ordained did quit all Interest in himself and past himself away to the Service of Gods Church so it was a forme of Hallowing and Consecration too The Case stood with men ordained as it did with other things made holy As for Example In the Old Testament a Beast in the herd was but a common creature of the Field indifferent for the Shambles or to be made a Sacrifice But being fetcht from thence and brought into the Temple when the Priests which waited there had laid their hands upon him he was no more one of the herd but an Oblation for the